THERE'S WANG WAY TO REACH PLAYOFFS
Jay Greenberg
July 9, 2007 -- IF you do the math, the min imum 95 wins it has taken to
secure an American League postseason berth each of the last six seasons
will take a 53-24 finish by a team currently 42-43.
So Joe Torre's advice to his Yankees, who happen to be 42-43, simply is
not to do that math.
"Don't concern yourself with cutting the lead here and there," he said.
"It's all about our record.
"We need to maintain a level of excellence. Everybody can go out there and
win a series here and there. You make yourself special by making sure you
give yourself a chance to win."
Behind Chien-Ming Wang, who has come out of a game before the seventh inning
only once in 15 starts and failed to deliver a quality start only twice
in his last 13, Torre had to like his chances yesterday, even against his
Angel torturers, whose usual bamboo shoots under the Yankees manager's nails
effectively were withdrawn just two batters into the game.
Reggie Willits, who had walked, ran into a strike-em-out-throw-em-out
double play and Wang immediately found a better release point for a sinker
that had been breaking out of the zone. The Yankees lead, thanks to
three-run homers by Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano and the incredible
Alex Rodriguez, was 10-0 when Torre, mindful of Wang's ongoing nail
management problems, pulled his starter after 88 pitches and an infield
single with one out in the seventh.
Torre's nails remained unchewed throughout the 12-0 laugher that ended a
5-2 week and speculation that the Yankees would curl up and die even
before the All-Star break. With Wang scheduled to pitch twice in those
seven days, that always was a stretch, but of course so are hopes for
any sustained Yankees run without depth in the rotation.
If we are to assume Andy Pettitte, who has had clunkers in three out of
his last four starts, has just hit an inevitable and correctable lull,
there is reason to believe the Yankees can count on four out of five
good starts through most turns. Roger Clemens has been dominant in his
last two tries and Mike Mussina has given up more than three runs only
once in his last six.
Of course, that fifth good start remains hugely problematical, even if
Phil Hughes, making his first rehab start tonight in Tampa, likely will
replace Kai Igawa by Aug. 1. Hughes is a rookie who hasn't pitched
since May 1. But he was throwing a no-hitter upon his disappearance,
providing reason to believe that had he stayed healthy, the Yankees
would be closer than seven games back in the wild-card loss column.
Starting Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla., they have 29 straight games
(counting the suspended one in Baltimore) against teams that went to
the break holding losing records, followed by successive August weekend
series against the Indians and Tigers, only one of which they must catch.
If the Yankees are within four with six weeks to go, they'll have a shot.
Granted, by then they will require a fifth starter, another right-handed
bat and more consistent bullpen work, but better relief can come through
better starts.
"It starts with starting pitching because if that is consistently good,
basically you're not calling on the bullpen for multi-inning stuff," said
Torre.
Only one batter reached base yesterday against relievers Mike Myers,
Scott Proctor, and Ron Villone, in part because Wang was even tougher
than it was for Torre to look at the pitcher's bloody nail after the game.
"I'm going to dinner," the manager said with a smile. "[The nail is]
something he's going to have to deal with and he seems to be dealing with
it pretty well.
"He's special. Righty-lefty doesn't matter. The ability to throw strikes
and get late into games without a lot of pitches works on his behalf."
And, the Yankees' behalf. Whether they have enough to sustain a run is
the $207-million question. But no playoff drive even begins without an
ace like Wang pitching like one, practically without fail.
jay.greenberg@nypost.com
http://tinyurl.com/ytz7hz
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