Major League Baseball

Yankees, Rays giving us appetizer for October

Published Sep. 13, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Bob Klapisch

STOP THIEF: The Yankees are well aware that throwing out base stealers is their Achilles' heel in run-prevention. That’s not to say they can do anything about it, but that deficiency should be on display at Tropicana Field.

The Rays lead the majors with 596 walks and 157 stolen bases, which is bad news for Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli, who’ve combined to throw out just 22 base stealers, the lowest total in both leagues.

Posada has nailed just 18 percent of runners, Cervelli just 16 percent. They’re partially at the mercy of pitchers like A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes, neither of whom holds runners on well, but overall, the word is out about the Yankee catchers: unlike, say, Yadier Molina, who cuts down runners at the major league leading rate of 47 percent, Posada and Cervelli are easy prey.

“I know those guys, they're fast,” Sabathia said of the Rays. “The top of that lineup, if you get (Carl) Crawford or (B.J.) Upton on and you're trying to slide-step, you've got (Evan) Longoria and (Carlos) Pena up there. You're going to get yourself in some tough situations. There's always the threat of one of those guys stealing second or third.”

CY VS. CY: In a vote that appears to be too close to call, the choice for the Cy Young Award might be influenced by head-to-head matchups like tonight’s. It promises to be a gem.

Price is 17-6 with a 2.87 ERA, including 163 strikeouts and a 1.23 WHIP, Sabathia leads the AL in wins (19) although his ERA (3.14) is higher than Price’s. The Yankee lefthander holds an advantage in strikeouts and innings and has kept the rotation breathing in the second half.

Since July 31, starters other than Sabathia are 9-14 with a 5.50 ERA, which is one reason why the Rays pose such a threat. Even if you assume Sabathia and Price neutralize each other, the Rays’ secondary weapons have been far more effective than the Yankees’.

In fact, Girardi is still mixing and matching at the 11th hour, which is uncharacteristic for a manager who emphasizes stability. He’s ready to skip Javier Vazquez’s spot in the rotation this week, and says he’s open to starting rookie Ivan Nova in the postseason.

“We have some decisions to make,” said Girardi, who added, “I feel good about this team. I still believe we’re going to play well down the stretch.”

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