Bleacher Report - Articles by Melissa Falica

AJ Burnett and Joe Girardi: Equation for Disaster in Game Five

Melissa Falica — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:16:06 -0500

I think it’s safe to say that Joe Girardi is no Joe Torre.

Sure the Yankees made it to the World Series this year under Girardi, but not without him making some blundering decisions.

This whole season the guy has had a tendency to overmanage or undermanage games and Monday night was no different.

As if A.J. Burnett’s usual inconsistency was not enough, Girardi got hung up on pitching matchups, which is not unusual for him.

Yes, he is not the only one to blame for the game since Burnett’s performance was almost as awful as Jamarcus Russel‘s show against the Jets week seven, but fans were quick to put all the blame on Burnett rather than looking at the bigger picture.

Truth of the matter is, regardless of what inning it was, Burnett should have been taken out before he actually was.

Burnett rarely rebounds from his mistakes and is prone to collapsing after giving up a few runs, which is something Girardi should have paid closer attention to.

Regardless of how Burnett has done in his past few outings, this is the World Series here, not just any game the Yanks can afford to lose.

Fans can argue as much as they want that it was too early to pull him and resort to the bullpen, which has been less than impressive this postseason, but the argument can also be made that with the exception of Phil Coke, the bullpen came through for the Yanks Monday.

When Burnett got into his predicament in the third inning, right away he should have been relieved.

While managers must have faith in their players, they must also know when to put a stop to certain things which is something Girardi seriously lacks.

Like I said before, Burnett RARELY rebounds from his mistakes as we saw last night when he gave it all up after making a few mistakes.

So Burnett was not the only one who cost us six runs, it was also Girardi whose great managerial skills could not come at a worse time.

Enough about the Burnett issue, let’s move onto the other pitching decisions made in the game.

Although risky, Girardi brought in David Robertson to relieve Burnett, which turned out to pay off for the team as he gave them two scoreless innings of pitching that nobody can complain about.

That is when his overmanaging made way into the game.

He took out Robertson, who was doing fine, and replaced him with in a pinch hitter in an attempt to gain some runs back.

The move is understandable in a sense that the team was down by six runs, but Robertson showed no signs of trouble the inning before and could have given them an extra inning of relief, one that would have saved them from the seventh inning debacle by Phil Coke.

Alfredo Aceves replaced Robertson and also provided much needed relief to Burnett’s mess, but the best is yet to come.

He took Aceves out of the game to pinch hit Jerry Hairston Jr.

I know it was the seventh inning and all and tension was mounting as they were heading into crunch time down four runs, but you might as well keep Aceves in the lineup than take him out for Hairston.

Say whatever you want about the pinch hitter situation but those who know Girardi’s mentality know it was a move that was based in the whole left-handed hitter vs. left-handed pitcher concept.

If any left-handed pitcher should have been brought into that mess of a game it should have been Demaso Marte.

Yes, he had a less than impressive season but has turned it around this postseason and has turned himself into a pitcher that the Yankees can rely on, which is more than can be said for the rest of the bullpen other than Mariano Rivera.

Instead, as usual, Girardi put Phil Coke into yet another crucial situation only to watch him blow it.

It may have only been two runs, but those were essentially the deciding runs in the game.

Why on earth would anybody in their right mind bring in Phil Coke to face Chase Utley who has been scorching hot in the World Series?

The lefty vs. lefty issue is not enough to justify why he chose Coke over Marte and more importantly, why he took out Aceves who was pitching brilliantly.

So yes, Girardi’s unnecessary choices to pull Robertson out of the game and put Aceves in did work out in the end, but sticking with Burnett and throwing Coke into the mix cost the Yankees the game.

Let me just reiterate once more that Girardi is not solely to blame for the game as Burnett’s performance was just flat out pathetic, but look at the bigger picture here.

His choices not only cost the Yankees runs in the game, but also cost them extra innings and the chance to win their 27th title without even having to go back to the Bronx.

Props to the guy for getting the Yanks into the Series, but watch out as his choices have put the Yankees in predicaments more than once.

Girardi was a great Yankee back in the day, but manager, not so much.

Giant Disappointment in East Rutherford

Melissa Falica — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:43:49 -0500

It is safe to say that the performance of the New York Giants on Sunday was quite disappointing.

From the start of the playoffs and for much of the year, they were the favorite in the NFC to solidify yet another appearance in this year’s Super Bowl XLIII.

Yet they lost to their NFC rival in a game that was filled with poor play calling, absolutely no pass rush, and an overall lack of offensive performance.

In the first quarter alone, the Giants had possession of the ball for almost 11 of the 15 minutes, yet they only managed to put three points on the board. That alone demonstrates the play of the Giants offense throughout the game: continuously struggling to score.

The play calling of Kevin Gilbride throughout the game was mind-boggling.

Take a look at Eli Manning’s first quarter interception; it was 1st-and-10 on the Giants’ own 13-yard line. Gilbride called a passing play in which Manning overthrew Domenik Hixon, placing the ball right in the hands of Philadelphia’s Asante Samuel, who returned it to the one yard line.

Between the combination of the explosiveness of the Giants’ running game and their field position, a rushing play should have been called. Yet that was not limited to that one play; Gilbride relied too heavily on the passing game throughout the whole game.

The blame should not solely be placed on Gilbride though.

Eli Manning was not the same quarterback that we saw in last year’s playoffs. He looked like his old self, in addition to seeming lost without his big target Plaxico Burress.

The defense played well, with the exception of the pass rush. It could not, whatsoever, put any pressure on McNabb. It did not even have one sack on him.

Sunday’s game brought up many question marks about the New York Giants, one in particular about the importance of Plaxico Burress.

Since Burress’ absence, the passing game of the Giants has inevitably suffered. Hixon is a good player, but he is not Plaxico Burress, and he is not a number one wide receiver.

Due to Eli’s poor performance, talks of bringing Burress back to the Giants have emerged. The organization will face harsh scrutiny if they do in fact bring him back, but is all of that worth going through? If he was not suspended and did in fact play in Sunday’s game, would the Giants have won?

We have seen similar scenarios in which a player who had previously been suspended from the NFL due to run-ins with the law was brought back regardless of the criticism he would face. Just look at players such as Pacman Jones and Marvin Harrison. Burress’ case is no different than those.

The offensive woes of the Giants were unsuspected, as the offense had not played this poorly since early last season. It has sparked reports that the Giants are interested in bringing Burress back, since the hole that he left was quite evident in the game against the Eagles.

Regardless of what occurs, Giant fans want answers about Sunday’s lack of performance, and they want them now.

The Down-Low on Jerry Jones' Decision in Big-D

Melissa Falica — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:48:14 -0500

Is he in or is he out in Big-D?

That is the question on the mind of all Dallas fans pertaining to the head-coaching job of Wade Phillips.

According to Jerry Jones, Phillips’ job is safe in Dallas and Phillips himself plans to implement stricter policies on and off the field.

Yet fans are divided on whether or not they want him back and many believe that Jones will eventually fire Phillips before the new season.

But Jones will not fire Wade Phillips because he is exactly the kind of coach that Jerry Jones wants in Dallas.

Jerry Jones wants control over everything that goes on within the Cowboys organization. He not only wants to be the owner and general manager of the team, but he also wants to call the shots and act as head coach.

Why was Bill Parcells scratched from Dallas? We all know it was not due to his track record. Parcells was ousted because he was not a pushover like Phillips; he did not let Jerry Jones call the shots, which everyone knows Jones loves to do.

The guy stands on the sidelines practically every game, interacting with coaches and players, putting his two cents into every aspect of the game.

A head coach with a mind of his own, like Bill Parcells, would simply ignore Jones and do the job he or she was hired to do, which is coaching the team. On the other hand, a head coach like Wade Phillips can basically be described as a puppet; not calling shots on his or her own, but rather calling shots that are dictated to them by Jones himself.

Dallas fans who are unsure of Wade Phillips’ status should forget about the possibility of his firing. In the case that he is fired, they should expect a coach with similar abilities and a team with similar performances.

First Round AFC and NFC Matchups in The 2008 NFL Playoffs

Melissa Falica — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:43:13 -0500

After a weekend of some of the most crucial games of the season, the NFL playoff schedule has finally been determined.

Not only will this year’s playoffs consist of the best teams in football, but it will also consist of some of the most surprising teams. The Miami Dolphins, with new head coach Tony Sparano, have shocked all football fans with their playoff birth after last year’s disappointing 1-15 season.

Both the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens, who similar to the Dolphins had poor 2007 seasons, also made it to playoffs with the help of their rookie quarterbacks.

The first round of this year’s postseason consists of exciting games that can go in favor of any of the teams.

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers

After entering December with a 4-8 record, the Chargers have come back with four straight wins to not only lock-down a postseason spot, but also become one of the hottest teams in the AFC. Peyton Manning and the Colts have had more than one great comeback win this season, and have slowly become the dominant team we remember.

It is going to be interesting to see whether the Colts can continue their dominance against a Charger’s team that has become explosive within the past few weeks. And remember, the Chargers beat the Colts in last year’s AFC Division Round.

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have one of the top rated offenses in the league and have three offensive Pro Bowlers in Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin; but over the last few weeks, the team has not possessed the same edge that they had through the first 10 weeks of the season. Overall, the Falcons have been a consistent team and a significant threat to all other teams in the NFC South with rookie star Matt Ryan, the explosive Michael Turner, and Roddy White.

If the Cardinals team plays as it did through the middle of the season and shows its offensive power, this will be one tough game for the Falcons defense; if they do not, there is a good chance that the Falcons can run away with this game.

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

The Baltimore Ravens defense is one of the most powerful in the league, but their offense…not so much. The Ravens offense has been consistent over the course of the year, but has not been all that threatening. On the other hand, Chad Pennington has the second best passer rating in the league and the Dolphins’ Wildcat formation and mix of plays tend to confuse opponents.

If the Ravens defense lives up to its reputation in this round, it sure is going to be hard for Pennington and the rest of the Miami offense to get past them. If Miami’s offense is held back, that gives quarterback Joe Flacco the opportunity to take over and possibly make some big plays.

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings

After getting off to a slow start, the Vikings managed to slide past the Bears with a 20-19 victory over the Giants to clinch the NFC North. The Eagles are also coming off of a huge win over the Dallas Cowboys to clinch the last Wild Card spot in the NFC and have been one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL as of lately.

It is going to be a tough match for Tarvaris Jackson and the Vikings. The Minnesota defense is going to be up against an excellent and red-hot Philadelphia offense. If the Eagles carry the dominance they had against Dallas into this first round match, Minnesota is going to need a huge defensive performance, or it might end up as another blow-out.

The first round of this year’s playoffs hold equal opportunity for all teams involved.

There will be wins that were expected, along with some upsets that were not. Regardless, one thing is for sure, and that is the fact that it will be yet another week of great football.

Can $424 Million Finally Turn the Yankees Back into a Serious Contender?

Melissa Falica — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:27:48 -0500

The recent big name pickups by the New York Yankees have sparked a new sense of hope in every Yankees fan.

From the huge signings of CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to the recent addition of Mark Teixeira, the Yankees seem to have a postseason spot all but guaranteed. Yet does that mean that they are serious contenders in the hunt for the World Series?

Not only that, but are all of these big names and contracts the answer to the Yankees' problems? Most think they are, but there are still some issues that need to be addressed before one can come to that conclusion.

The signings of Sabathia and Burnett definitely bring much-needed improvement to the depleted Yankees bullpen. Sabathia, Burnett, and Chien-Ming Wang will supply a one-two-three punch in a rotation that has been far from dangerous in the past few years.

If Andy Pettitte actually accepts the one-year offer that was proposed to him by the Yankees, the starting rotation will be set for this season, with, perhaps, the exception of the fifth spot.

As good as this seems, there is some added baggage that comes with Burnett and Sabathia. Burnett, as we all know, is highly prone to injury, which was an issue that had plagued this past season for the Yankees, from Wang’s foot injury to Jorge Posada’s right shoulder surgery.

If he is healthy, Burnett can be a helpful addition to the rotation, but if he fails to stay healthy, he can be yet another bust for the Yankees. Along with his probability of injuries, Burnett’s ERA has been less than impressive in the past year or so of his career. He finished this past year with an ERA over four, and has a lifetime earned-run average that is around 3.80. It is not terrible, but it sure is not amazing.

On the other hand, Sabathia has been much more impressive over the past few years, especially last season. After being traded to the Brewers, he averaged an ERA right around 1.70. If he could bring this kind of talent and skill to the Yankees rotation, he could possibly finish off the year with over 20 wins, which would definitely foster the Yankees race for the postseason.

Just like Burnett, Sabathia also has his downfall, which is his performance in the postseason. His career postseason ERA is well over six and his trip to the playoffs with the Brewers this past year resulted in an ERA over 12.

Now if this Yankees team makes it to the playoffs, which is expected, this is something that fans need to worry about. That, along with the possibility of an injury to Burnett, would definitely put a damper on the huge offseason moves that the Yankees have accomplished.

The latest deal, signing Teixeira to an eight-year, $180 million contract, has been the move that has basically sealed a postseason appearance for the Yankees; but have New York fans actually thought back to the last time a big-name star (Alex Rodriguez) was signed by the Yankees to a huge contract during the peak of his career?

He started off slow at first, but eventually got back to producing his MVP-like numbers. However, this is all irrelevant to the fact that the Yanks have still not won a championship with Rodriguez on the team. Sure, Teixeira will definitely increase the team’s chances of actually winning the World Series, but will they actually succeed at doing so with his addition?

As previously stated, the Yankees offseason signings have basically sealed a postseason appearance, but whether or not they will turn the Yankees into a force to be reckoned with is another question.

Sabathia, Burnett, and Teixeira will make an impact on the team, but they all come with some questions that limit the significance of the impact that they will actually make.

Although the Yankees offseason deals have quickly made them the favorite in the American League, only time will tell whether or not these players will actually provide answers to the team's World Series drought.