Results tagged ‘ A.J. Burnett ’
Lee Puts Up Zeroes
Cliff Lee threw his fifth shutout of the season last night at AT&T Park. If that seems like a lot, it is. He is one of just four pitchers since 1998 to throw five or more shutouts in a season:
- A.J. Burnett: five in 2002.
- Dontrelle Willis: five in 2005.
- CC Sabathia: five in 2008.
If Lee can throw one more shutout before the end of the season, he would be just the 12th pitcher in the last 30 seasons to throw six or more shutouts:
- John Tudor: 10 in 1985.
- Tim Belcher: eight in 1989.
- Roger Clemens: eight in 1988.
- Dwight Gooden: eight in 1985.
- Orel Hershiser: eight in 1988.
- Roger Clemens: seven in 1987.
- Steve Carlton: six in 1982.
- Danny Jackson: six in 1988.
- Randy Johnson: six in 1998.
- Tim Leary: six in 1988.
- Jack Morris: six in 1986.
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Rollins Takes A Poke at New York (Again)
A few thoughts about Game 2 of the World Series before I hit the sack for an early morning train ride back to Philly:
A.J. Burnett pitched great last night. Sure, there were a few opportunities to score, but he mostly dominated.
Pedro Martinez pitched good enough to win. He has allowed three runs in 13 innings this postseason. The Phillies have scored just two runs for him in those two starts.
The Yankee Stadium crowd? I considered it a non-factor. I wasn’t alone. Jimmy Rollins was asked about the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium compared to other ballparks.
“It’s really more of a different atmosphere at our ballpark compared to the others,” he said. “Our ballpark is so loud and rowdy. I was really expecting some of that here, but it was very tame and civilized actually.”
In New York?
“Yeah,” Rollins said. “You only heard one big cheer and that was on the home runs. Other than that … those expensive are running the loud fans out.”
Rollins later was asked if this feels more like a World Series compared to last year’s series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
“When we get to Philly it will,” Rollins said.
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Going to New York
Here are a few things from today’s workout at the Bank:
- Charlie Manuel expects to see CC Sabathia three times if the World Series goes seven games.
- Raul Ibanez is going to DH Game 1, which would allow Ben Francisco to play left field. Matt Stairs or Greg Dobbs could DH Game 2 against A.J. Burnett.
- Robin Roberts spoke about the 1950 World Series. He said back then he hated four things: Notre Dame, Michigan, the Yankees and Russia. That might be one of my top five answers to a question all year.
- Manuel would not say who will pitch Game 2, but he sounds more and more like it’s going to be Pedro Martinez. Martinez went 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA in five starts at home this season. He went 3-1 with a 5.66 ERA in four starts on the road, not including the seven shutout innings he threw in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. He is 0-2 with a 5.93 ERA in his last five postseason appearances against the Yankees. But Martinez has experience. He won’t be intimidated. “We weigh all that,” Manuel said. “We try to weigh everything possible. I guess that’s the good part about my job. I’ve got quite a few people around and we discuss everything about the game. We discuss everything that you’re supposed to cover. There’s not a whole lot that we’re going to miss as far as what we want to do. But when I look at Pedro, Pedro has been in the big environment. He’s pitched about everywhere you can pitch. I don’t think nothing is going to really bother him or get him upset. I think we can pitch him in either ballpark, really. I don’t think it matters at all.”
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Todd Zolecki
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