Mo set to do whatever is needed

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Mariano Rivera has pitched three innings or more just twice in his postseason career. The first time was in Game 2 of the 1995 division series, and then in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox. Rivera won the former, and, of course, Aaron Boone made sure he won the latter.With the rest of the Yankees' bullpen struggling, Joe Girardi wouldn't hesitate turning to Rivera for a multi-inning save Wednesday in Game 6 of the World Series.

Rivera has already pitched two or more innings three times this postseason, most recently during a 3-1 win in Game 2 of the World Series. But would he be able to pitch three if needed?

"Hopefully we don't need it, but whatever I have to do, whatever it takes to win the game," said Rivera, who has pitched in more World Series games than anyone in history. "It's a big game for us tomorrow and I have to be ready for it."

Rivera has pitched two or more innings on consecutive days only once in his postseason career: Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS. Both resulted in blown saves; they are two of the four he has blown in his career. Still, Rivera believes he'd be capable of pitching two innings in both Game 6 and 7, if necessary.

"Hopefully," he said, "but we don't think about it. We need to think about tomorrow."




Victorino questionable for Game 6: Shane Victorino, who was hit by an A.J. Burnett pitch in the first inning of Game 5, had his injured right index finger examined by a doctor in Philadelphia on Tuesday. X-rays of his hand taken during Game 5 were negative. "They just said he's day-to-day, and they said he's going to have some soreness in his finger," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We'll see." If Victorino can't start, Ben Francisco would likely play center field. Francisco replaced Victorino in the eighth inning on Monday night.




Gardner's back's OK: Brett Gardner said he jarred his lower back crashing into the wall when he robbed Jayson Werth of an extra-base hit in the fifth inning of Game 5. He temporarily had the wind knocked out of him. "I thought I was going to die for about three or four seconds, then I felt like I was fine," Gardner said. "By the time (Nick) Swisher got over there he was joking with me, saying I just wanted to get on TV. That lifted my spirits a little bit."



Extra bases: Girardi has not announced who will start in the outfield in Game 6. Jerry Hairston Jr. played right field for Swisher when the Yankees faced Wednesday's starter, Pedro Martinez, in Game 2. Hairston is 10 for 27 lifetime against Martinez. Swisher is 0 for 2 lifetime against Martinez but hit a home run in Game 3 and has reached base five times in the last three games. Eric Hinske (8 for 30, one home run, seven RBI vs. Martinez) is also an option. ... Manuel said there was nothing to the confrontation between Cole Hamels and Brett Myers following Game 5. Myers reportedly feigned surprise when he saw Hamels in the clubhouse, playing off Hamels comments following Game 3 that he couldn't wait until the season was over. The two needed to be separated. "They're friends," Manuel said. "When you say, ?Manny being Manny' or something like that, well, Brett was being Brett." ... This is the first time since 2003 the World Series has lasted at least six games but the 61st time in history. The team leading 3-2 is just 23-37 in Game 6s but has won the series 40 times.
 

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When down 3 games to 2 in the World Series . . .




Well, the Phillies staved off elimination, giving us our first World Series to reach Game Six in a half-dozen years.

The question now is: what does history tell us of teams in this situation?

Well, there have been 57 previous best-of-seven World Series that reached a Game Six. In the sixth contest*, the trailing has amassed an impressive record of 35-22. Not too shabby. Actually, it was achieved in a very odd manner. The first two dozen such games were split evenly 12-12 between leaders and trailers. The most recent 18 games have been likewise split down the middle, 50% each. However, from 1955 to 1975, 15 World Series reached Game Six - and the trailing team went 14-1 in those games. Only in 1959 did the Series end in the sixth contest. Weird.

Anyhow, that's only half the battle. After going 35-22 in Game Six, the survivors went 17-18 in Game Seven. Overall then, teams trailing 3 games to 2 in a best of seven World Series go 17-40 in their quest for the World Championship, so odds are a bit over one-third.

...here's the roll call of the comebackers (grouped into fives for readability):

1924 WAS
1925 PIT
1926 STL
1934 STL
1940 CIN

1946 STL
1952 NYY
1958 NYY
1968 DET
1973 OAK

1979 PIT
1985 KCR
1986 NYM
1997 MIN
1991 MIN

2001 ARI
2001 ANA

Only the 1926 Cards and 2001 D-backs did it against the Yanks.

There's a wrinkle, though. Philly has to go on the road. Of the above 17 teams, only six did it on the road. They are: the 1979 Pirates, 1968 Tigers, 1958 Yankees, 1952 Yankees, 1934 Cardinals, and 1926 Cardinals. Interestingly, half of those teams came back from 3-to-1 deficits.

* Note: for purposes of this research, the tie in the 1912 World Series never happened. Thus Game Eight is considered Game Seven, and so on down the line).
 

gatlingunner

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good info.

i wish there was odds on whether or not victorino would start.... you would need handcuffs and a tazer gun to keep that cat off the field tonight...
 

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John Flaherty breaks down the Game 6 pitching match-up


Former Yankee and current YES Network analyst John Flaherty breaks down the pitching match-up for every Yankees postseason game . Here?s his take on the Game 6 starters:

YANKEES: LHP Andy Pettitte

WHAT DOES HE THROW? ?Cut-fastball, sinking fastball, change-up, curveball?

BREAKDOWN: ?I have to say I?m concerned about short rest with Andy, especially at his age and for a guy who had a shoulder problem near the end of the season. Then again, I was not concerned about it with A.J. and he didn?t get the job done, so there is a big element of unknown there. I think the key for Andy tonight is going to be location ? you hear all the time pitchers talk about how they had good stuff but couldn?t locate it, and tonight I think it?s sort of the opposite; Andy may not have has sharpest breaking ball or his velocity, but if he can locate it effectively, he?ll do well. One thing I noticed his last time out was that his delivery was more ?spread out? than I?d seen it in the past, and from the back camera you could really see his arm drop; he needs to stay on top of it tonight and do his best to keep that mechanic smooth.?

??-

PHILLIES: RHP Pedro Martinez

WHAT DOES HE THROW? ?Fastball, curveball, change-up?

BREAKDOWN: ?I?ve heard some people talk about how Pedro had tons of extra rest before his Game 2 start and obviously he only has the regular rest this time, but I don?t think that will be a factor. It looked to me like he was pitching at about 70 % in Game 2 and kept plenty in reserve to dial it up at a few crucial moments during the game. I don?t see why he wouldn?t be effective again if he keeps mixing his pitches ? he really had the Yankees off balance and you could see that not having his old velocity didn?t matter. The one thing I noticed that the Yankees may be able to exploit is his ?slurve.? It?s not really a slider, not really a curve and it?s not a hard breaking pitch, so he?s got to be very careful with it. It?s more of a rolling pitch and it was what Matsui took him deep on. If he misses with that, they can make him pay.?

??-

EDGE: ?In terms of only starting pitching, I?d say I have less concern about Pedro than I do about Andy, but the truth is that I don?t see the starters deciding this game. This is going to be a bullpen game tonight, and from that perspective, you have to like the Yankees pen over the Phillies pen. I think both starters will get the game to the bullpens with the score close, and we?ll see what happens from there.?
 

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WEATHER: Cloudy and cold, with temperatures in the low 40s and maybe even dropping into the 30s. Light winds. Rain unlikely until after midnight, if at all. Check out the full forecast here.


.... some notes from Girardi?s session with the beat writers.

? Mariano Rivera is available for two innings. In theory, that?s the max, but Girardi wouldn?t completely rule out more. If the Yankees have a lead in the eighth ? any lead ? is Rivera going to pitch? ?Probably,? Girardi said.
? David Robertson gets ready faster than Alfredo Aceves, that?s part of the reason Robertson pitched before Aceves in Game 5. He didn?t got to Chad Gaudin because he wanted Gaudin still available if the Yankees tied the game it went extras.
? The Yankees gave serious consideration to starting Jerry Hairston Jr. in right field, but they gave no thought to starting him in center. Hairston is the backup center fielder, but Brett Gardner?s defense made him an obvious choice, Girardi said.
? Not that we needed confirmation, but it was asked anyway. Is CC Sabathia the Game 7 starter? ?I?ll see how he feels today,? Girardi said. ?But it?s probably a pretty good bet.?
 

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UPDATE, 5:06 p.m.: Cloud cover has made the temp here drop quickly. It?s going to be chilly tonight. Yanks are hitting on the field now and everyone is wearing sweatshirts or fleeces.

UPDATE, 5:46 p.m.: The Yankees have Mariano Rivera. The Phillies have ? um ? something else. Here?s Charlie Manuel on the Phillies? ninth inning situation: ?I definitely will be talking to (pitching coach Rich) Dubee a lot. It?s kind of how we feel, and it even could be kind of like the match-ups that we like.?

Translation: I have no earthly idea.
 
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