Joba vs. Hughes

In just a few hours, the NY Yankees will play their first postseason game since 2007. That seems like 15 years ago.

The last time the Yankees were in the postseason, Paul Byrd was shutting down the Bronx Bombers as Cleveland won the ALDS 3-1. That's right, Paul freakin Byrd!

The Yankees lost Game 4, 6-4. This was also Joe Torre's last game as NY's manager. They had 12 hits, 3 walks and only mustered 4 runs, a typical Torre managed Yankees team.

Chien Ming-Wang lasted 1 inning, giving up 4 runs. A sign of things to come?

This was also the series featuring Joba Chamberlain and the "bug game." This was Joba's sensational rookie season as he was dominate coming out of the bullpen as the perfect setup man for the great Mariano Rivera.

The Yankees had another hot prospect rookie pitcher in Phil Hughes. Hughes was considered to be the starting pitcher of the future for the Yankees.

Well, two years later the roles are reversed. Since the middle of last season, the Yankees have moved Joba to the starting role. They've monitored his pitch count, gave him a visit to Dr. James Andrews and even put into effect the "Joba Rules."

Joba has shown flashes of brilliance as a starter, but he's also been wild and inconsistent.

This season, Hughes was shaky again as a starter thus making Joe Girardi move Hughes to the bullpen. It may have been one Girardi's smartest moves of the season.

A look at Joba vs. Hughes as relievers:

2007-08 Joba: 50 games, 3-2, 60 innings, 1.50 ERA, 79 K's, 20 BB, 39 hits, 10 ER,
opponents batting average-.182
2009 Hughes: 44games, 5-1, 51.1 innings, 1.40 ERA, 65 K's, 13 BB, 31 hits, 8 ER,
oba-.172

Wow! Pretty similar. So what's this mean?

1. The Yankees are stacked in the bullpen.
2. It's a good thing Brian Cashman didn't pull the trigger on the Hughes/Cano/Melky trade for Johan Santana.
3. Joba probably has lost his job in the bullpen.
4. Joba really better have a couple of solid starts in the postseason or Cashman may have second thoughts of not trading Joba for Roy Halladay.

Let's go Yankees!

Next Stop Tampa

This Blackout worked.

The Chicago White Sox are the AL Central Champions after an improbable run. After being swept by the Twins and losing the division lead less than a week ago, Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox looked to be headed down the same path as the NY Mets.

However, Guillen and the White Sox regrouped and became the first team in MLB history to win the final three games of the season against 3 different opponents.

The White Sox are indeed the AL Central Champs, basically being placed in a one game playoff against 3 different AL Central opponents-the Indians, Tigers and finally knocking off the first place Twins 1-0.

John Danks put in an epic performance, throwing 8 shutout innings on 3 days rest. Jim Thome drove in the only run of the game with a solo homerun in the seventh inning.

And Ken Griffey Jr. showed he still is a gamer, throwing out Michael Cuddyer at the plate on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. This is Griffey's first post season since 1997 when he was still with Seattle.

Some may argue the one game playoff because the Twins won the regular season series against Chicago 10-8. Does the regular season not matter? What's even worse, Chicago was awarded home field on a coin flip! I can see why Minnesota fans are crying "bloody murder!"

So for the first time since 1906, both the White Sox and Cubs are in the post season together. The White Sox went on to beat the Cubs in the last "Second City Series."

Now for the White Sox, on to Tampa.