Rivera unlikely to throw 2 innings again
October 31, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera(notes) has become atwo-inning postseason pitcher.
He threw two scoreless innings in New York’s Game 2 World Series win onThursday, and went at least that long twice in the ALCS against the Los AngelesAngels. Rivera, who saved 44 games this season, has already pitched 12 2-3innings this postseason heading into Game 3 against Philadelphia on Saturdaynight.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Game 3 that he wasn’t looking toextend Rivera on Saturday night.
“Two innings tonight is probably out of the question,” he said. “As faras getting to guys, we’ll look at matchups like we’ve been doing, and we’ll gofrom there.”
Rivera pitched two innings in a game only once this season, May 16 againstMinnesota.
He shrugged off the idea that he was being overworked and volunteered thathe could have pitched Friday if there was a game.
“We’re talking about the World Series,” Rivera said. “It’s not time torest. It’s not time to feel bad or injured or something like that. If you canthrow, I think that you can go out there and do your best.”
Rivera has served as his own set up man because the conversion of PhilHughes(notes) from starter to bridge to the closer took a hit in the postseason. Hugheshas struggled in the playoffs and is 0-1 with a 9.65 ERA in seven appearances.
PITCHING DUEL: Ryan Howard(notes). Alex Rodriguez(notes). Chase Utley(notes). Derek Jeter(notes). BothWorld Series lineups are about as loaded as they get in baseball, but the firsttwo games have been anything but a slugfest.
Philadelphia starters Cliff Lee(notes) and Pedro Martinez(notes), and New York’s CCSabathia(notes) and A.J. Burnett(notes) have all been outstanding in neutralizing the lineupsand giving the early edge in this series to the pitchers.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said before Game 3 he was surprised how muchthe rotation has decided the first two games. He expected the big boppers to winsome games—and they still have plenty of chances to decide the series.
“I felt like whoever won the Series, I felt that team was going to kind ofhit a lot and score a lot of runs,” Manuel said. “The pitching has been whatyou call World Series, or playoff, pitching, because they get ahead of thehitters and they put the ball exactly where they’ve been wanting it.”
SWISH!: Slumping Nick Swisher(notes) was back in the starting lineup and in rightfield for the Yankees for Game 3.
Swisher was replaced in Game 2 by Jerry Hairston Jr.(notes), a move that paid offwhen Hairston started a seventh-inning rally in a 3-1 win. Hairston was a .370career hitter against Phillies Game 2 starter Pedro Martinez.
Manager Joe Girardi said it was an easy decision to start Swisher.
“Swish has been our right fielder all year long,” Girardi said.
Swisher has never faced Game 3 starter Cole Hamels(notes). He was batting .114 inthe postseason (4 for 35).
Back in an NL park, the Yanks sat designated hitter Hideki Matsui(notes), whohasn’t played the outfield since June 15, 2008, at Houston. He appeared in rightfield only three times that year, all in April.
Matsui hit a go-ahead homer off Martinez in Game 2.
FLU OUT: Phillies utility man Greg Dobbs(notes) returned from a bout with the fluand was available to pinch hit in Game 3.
Dobbs returned to Philadelphia before Game 2 because of the illness and lostout on a possible chance to serve as the designated hitter against Yankeesright-hander A.J. Burnett.
Dobbs is 0 for 4 in the postseason. The infielder/outfielder hit .247 withfive homers and 20 RBIs in 154 at-bats this season.
“If we could use him, he’ll be available,” manager Charlie Manuel said.
Manuel said several Phillies are fighting flu symptoms.
TRICK OR REPEAT: The Phillies had already won the World Series at this pointlast season and spent Oct. 31 celebrating with a championship parade throughdowntown Philadelphia. It was the city’s first major sports championship in 25years.
Fans spent this Halloween at the ballpark dressed for the occasion. Onegroup of fans wore goblin masks with their Yankees hats. One Phillies fan held asign that read, “Who needs ghosts? We’ve got bats.” Another said, “Trick ortreat, let’s repeat.”
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