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Mariners vs. Yankees |
Mets vs. Cardinals
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Wednesday, October 11
ALCS notebook: O'Neill moved down
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com
NEW YORK -- Apparently, Joe Torre's offensive patience is wearing thin.
Torre, who prior to Tuesday night's game ALCS opener defended the recent slump of right fielder Paul O'Neill, not only brought in a pinch-hitter for O'Neill in the eighth inning, but bumped him to the No. 7 slot in the batting order for Wednesday's Game 2.
"Paul's struggling, I'm trying to get him out of the spotlight a bit," Torre said before Wednesday's game. "He feels good physically, but obviously, he is pressing now and I guess that is the downside of being a baseball player -- you're human."
O'Neill has just one extra base hit since Sept. 6 and was 0-for-3 Tuesday, including a strikeout with runners on first and second with nobody out in the sixth. After hitting .283 for the season, O'Neill is just 4-for-19 in the playoffs, for a measly .211.
Before leaving the stadium Tuesday, he asked Torre if he would be in the lineup Wednesday. Torre didn't even hesitate. On Wednesday, O'Neill was one of the last to leave Yankee batting practice.
"I expect these people to hit because they've done it for years," Torre said. "My assumption when I write the lineup and Paul O'Neill is included in that lineup, is that he's done it for me and for that reason alone, he stays there and hopefully it all comes together."
The situation was similar in Game 2 of the Division Series against Oakland, when Torre moved O'Neill to No. 6 in the batting order after and 0-for-2 performance in New York's series-opening loss. Though O'Neill was 0-for-2 in Game 2, he walked twice and scored one of the Yankees' four runs.
Prior to Tuesday's game, Torre defended his decision to stick with O'Neill.
"If they are in a slump and it continues, I can't say I made the wrong decision because that's the commitment I made, because that's what you do when you put the lineup together for the season," he said.
Ironically, despite Torre's support of O'Neill before the game, he had Glenallen Hill hit for O'Neill with two outs in the eighth inning and Chuck Knoblauch on first.
Hill struck out on four pitches against Arthur Rhodes and the result was a host of postgame questions about the decision to sit O'Neill and the sluggers' reaction to such a request.
"Paul had been struggling a little bit and I just felt it was a chance to maybe pop one where the lefty had to pitch to the right-hander," Torre said. "I don't remember if I have hit for him before. I really can't remember.
"His reaction was, he looked at me and I called him back in. He understands the situation. The one thing about this club is that everyone is pretty much aware we are trying to win ballgames and I have to make decisions."
O'Neill is hardly the only one struggling. Aside from Tino Martinez' .391 average, Bernie Williams' .250 is next-highest among regulars, with Derek Jeter's .211 not far behind. Tuesday, Jeter had three of New York's 13 strikeouts.
Third baseman Scott Brosius, meanwhile, is hitting just .150 in the postseason. In Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Mariners, Brosius stranded runners in scoring position twice, grounding into a double play in the third inning and grounding out to kill a first and third opportunity in the fifth.
Throw out New York's six-run outburst against Gil Heredia in the first inning of Game 5 of the Division Series and the Yankees are averaging just 2.4 runs per game. No matter how good the pitching is, there's little chance for them to win with an offensive output like that.
"Obviously, we cannot win games unless we score runs," Torre said. "I base my opinion of my team on preparation and effort and we're doing that. I know it's frustrating, especially with the ability of our hitters."
M's bullpen to the rescue
Seattle, the AL wild-card team that didn't reach the playoffs until the final day of the regular season, is 4-0 in the playoffs, a surprise to many.
In addition to the clutch hitting of Alex Rodriguez and Edgar Martinez, another major reason Seattle has had such postseason success is its bullpen.
The Mariner bullpen has worked 14 scoreless innings in the postseason, while stranding 10 of 10 inherited runners. Kazuhiro Sasaki is 3-for-3 in save opportunities, including his suspense-filled performance Tuesday.
Sasaki allowed two singles in the ninth, but got Jorge Posada and Luis Sojo to fly out, ending the game. Prior to that at bat, Posada was 2-for-3 against Sasaki, with both hits home runs.
"They have been there for us all year," Piniella said of his bullpen. "I'm fortunate to have some good power arms out there and at the same time, they are very resilient. They bounce back pretty darned good. And they all want the ball."
Piniella said the goal for his starters is to make it through the lineup about three or so times, putting the pitcher somewhere in the sixth or seventh inning. At that point, it's up to the bullpen to hold his team close.
It's a different situation for the Mariners, who are used to a recent history of bullpen nightmares. But with Sasaki, Jose Mesa, Jose Paniagua and Arthur Rhodes all pitching well, that is now far from the case.
"We are in that bullpen quite a bit," Piniella said. "We've kept most of them short and given them breathers when they needed. They have done a heck of a job and that's a big reason why we are here."
Henderson ready to play
Piniella said before Wednesday's game that outfielder Rickey Henderson did bruise his foot in Tuesday night's win, but that Henderson shouldn't miss any time with the injury.
Henderson came out of Game 1 in the sixth inning after reporting the discomfort to Piniella and the Seattle trainer. He didn't start Wednesday, against the right-handed Orlando Hernandez, with Piniella instead electing to use a left-handed bat in Al Martin.
First pitch
Jean Stottlemyre, the wife of Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, threw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday and said afterwards there's a "strong chance" her husband could return to Yankee Stadium if New York makes the World Series.
Stottlemyre has been away from the team since September 11, undergoing a stem cell transplant to treat multiple myleoma, a cancer of the blood plasma.
Jean, who said standing on the Yankee Stadium mound gave her goosebumps, categorized her husband's prognosis as "very good." She said he is eager to get back with the team, though doctors don't want him to travel for a couple more months.
Billy Connors is serving as acting pitching coach for the Yankees while Stottlemyre is away.
Coaching front
The Los Angeles Dodgers have requested permission to interview New York coaches Willie Randolph and Chris Chambliss to fill the managerial vacancy left by the firing of Davey Johnson.
Randolph is already a candidate for the Philadelphia Phillies' opening, while Chambliss is being considered in Arizona.
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