Schmidt & the Bullpen Fail. Baltimore 7 NY 6

April 8, 2023 paperbacklou 2023 0

Clarke Schmidt didn’t get it done early, and the Yankee bullpen didn’t get it done late in a see-saw game that saw the Yanks come back from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead — but ultimately lose 7-6 on a Friday afternoon in Baltimore — the Orioles’ season opener.

The bad news:

  • Schmidt had great stuff but wasn’t able to command it well enough to pitch well — his line: 3.1 innings 5 hits, 4 earned runs,
  • Schmidt was not helped by Gleyber Torres — who only made 7 errors all last season, but in this game muffed a double play grounder in the 3rd that could have ended the inning but instead allowed a run to score.
  • Anthony Volpe went 0-4 with 3 strikeouts
  • The bullpen — especially Ron Marinaccio and Jimmy Cordero — couldn’t hold a 5-4 Yankee lead,
  • A Yank comeback in the 8th got futzed by a double play and fell short,

The good news:

NY falls to 4-3; Baltimore improves to 4-3. Tampa is 7-0.

1. Schmidt Didn’t Get It Done

The Orioles got to Schmidt in the bottom of the 2nd — with 1 out a single, walk, single (by Adam Frazier) plated a run. Schmidt got an inning-ending double play grounder but it was muffed by Gleyber Torres allowing a run to score and make it 2-0.

In the bottom of the 3rd, a leadoff walk, double (by Anthony Santander), and sac fly (by Ryan Mountcastle) made it 3-0, and double by Gunnar Henderson made it 4-0, as the Yank bullpen was warming up already. Schmidt walked another before getting out of the inning.

In the 4th, former Yank Jorge Mateo led off with a single and went to 2nd on a passed ball. Schmidt got Cedric Mullins to fly out and was gone — replaced by Ian Hamilton who got out of the inning without further damage.

“His stuff seemed fine again,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “It’s just the quality of the you know.. too many mistakes at times and obviously the walks hurt him a little bit today. That’s where he has to get to to be at the next level.”

What Schmidt Needs to Do to Get to Next Level

  • When asked how Boone can help Schmidt get to the next level, Boone answered: “You just have to keep experiencing it, and obviously continue to work on the little things. Focus on location, not always just chasing the best shape or the nastiest pitch but just the best location.”
  • When Boone was asked about Clarke’s command issues being regularly talked about as what has hurt him in the past, Boone answered, “Look that’s what separates average from good; good from great — is that level. Can you graduate to that level of command. His stuff is fine; he has the pitches; he has the weapons. Can he get to that next level to be a front-line starter. That’s what it’s going to take. That’s all there is to it.”
  • When told Schmidt says he watches his shapes on instant replay in the dugout in between innings to make adjustments, and if he shouldn’t do that — Boone answered: “It’s not that you don’t look at that stuff or pay attention to it — when you’re out there, it’s also about focusing on the glove and where I want to target it, and trust the shapes are going to be there. He’s done all prep; he’s done the work; he’s got all the pitches. Trust that, and now focus on the glove.”

2. Franchy Bomb Gets Yanks Back In It

Down 4-0 the Yanks pounced back against Oriole starter Dean Kremer in the 4th. With 2 outs, Oswaldo Cabrera singled, Jose Trevino walked, and Franchy Cabrera ripped a homer to right center for a 4-3 game.

3. Oswaldo 3 Hits Help Yanks Back on Top

In the 6th, the Yanks pounced some more — Giancarlo Stanton leading off with a hit to chase Kremer, and the Yanks greeting reliever Logan Gillaspie with a walk by Jose Trevino and 2-run double by Oswaldo Cabrera for a 5-4 Yankee lead.

4. Hamilton Pitched Well

Ian Hamilton got the the last 2 outs of the 4th, stranding the runner on 3rd.

Hamilton pitched a shutout 5th — helped by a tremendous, run-scoring, diving catch in center to end the inning by Aaron Judge.

Hamilton got the first out of the 6th before yielding a single to Jorge Mateo. Hamilton did a good job overall.

5. Marinaccio & Cordero Couldn’t Hold It

But Mateo stole 2nd (his 5th stolen base of the year) off Ron Marinaccio, went to 3rd on a groundout, and scored on a 2-out single by Adley Rutschman to tie the game 5-5.

Marinaccio walked Ryan Mountcastle to lead off the 7th, struck out Gunnar Henderson and was relieved by Jimmy Cordero.

Cordero didn’t have it: he threw a wild pitch to move Mountcastle to scoring position, allowed a run-scoring double to Ramon Urias, and then threw another wild pitch to plate Urias from 3rd — Baltimore 7 NY 5.

6. Yanks Futz Comeback Bid in 8th

The Yanks came right back in the see-saw game — Stanton leading off the 8th with a double, followed by a Gleyber Torres single moving him to 3rd, and Oswaldo Cabrera’s 3rd hit of the day — an RBI single.

With 1st and 2nd nobody out — NY looked poised to tie the game.

Jose Trevino went up to bunt — but Orioles reliever threw a 93-MPH fastball inside and almost hit him — to prevent the bunt. On a 2-0 pitch, the Yanks switched their strategy and had Trevino swing away — and he hit a hard double-play grounder to 3rd.

Boone pinch-hit for lefty-swinging Franchy Cordero with righty-swinging Isiah Kiner-Falefa against the lefty pitcher — and Kiner-Falefa made out. Some thought Boone should have let the hot swinging Franchy stay in there.

7. Judge Extends On-Base Streak

Hard throwing ace Felix Bautista pitched the 9th for the Orioles, slinging 100+ MPH. Aaron Judge walked with 2 outs to extend his on-base streak to 40 consecutive games. Ted Williams holds the all-time mark with 84.

Judge stole 2nd base to be in scoring position but Anthony Rizzo flied out for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401539392

 

 

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