A Tale Of Two Starting Pitchers ...

After beating the Blue Jays 10-5 in the first game of this four-game series in Toronto, the New York Yankees were stopped right in their tracks by the good doctor, Roy "Doc" Halladay, on a masterfully pitched, one-hit, complete game, 6-0 shutout.

Roy "Doc" Halladay

This game could really be called "A Tale Of Two Starting Pitchers", as Halladay delivered a performance that once again showcased why he is one of the best pitchers in baseball, while the Yankees braintrust are still dabbling with the "Joba Rules", trying to find the right formula that will limit Joba Chamberlain's innings pitched [this year] in the range of 150-160 innings, and, also, win ball games during this experiment.

In this era of baseball when the "complete game" is a very rare feat indeed, Roy "Doc" Halladay (14-8, 2.98 ERA), pitched his sixth CG this year by tossing 111 pitches, over nine brilliant innings, allowing no runs, on only one hit, a double to Ramiro Pena in the sixth innng, three walks and nine strikeouts.

In his 12-year Major League career, all with the Blue Jays, Doc Halladay has started 282 games; has a record of (145-74, 3.46 ERA); 46 complete games, including 13 shutouts, with two shutouts in 2009.  

Halladay had a perfect game going with two outs in the fifth inning when he walked Jorge Posada, ending his bid for perfecton. But, Doc struck out Robinson Cano to end the inning with a no-hitter still on the scoreboard.

Then, in the sixth inning with a 4-0 lead, Halladay had his most trouble of the night, loading the bases on Pena's one-out double, which broke up the no-hitter; and, back-to-back, two-out walks to Eric Hinske and Mark Teixeira that brought Alex Rodriguez up to the plate.

But, A-Rod could not deliver a big clutch hit, striking out on four pitches, with the third strike being a pitch right over the middle of the plate that fooled Rodriguez as he was called-out [looking] to end the Yankees only threat of scoring in this game.

At this point, Joba Chamberlain (8-5, 4.41 ERA), was already out of the game, lasting a pre-determined three innings, in which he threw 59 pitches, allowing three runs (two earned), six hits, and two walks, while striking out only two batters.

Joba Chamberlain

Well, maybe it did not mean much, as Joe Girardi said after the game, "Roy Halladay was great; if we gave up one run, we wouldn't have won tonight." 

But, the Yankees did use four relievers out of the bullpen after Joba's early departure; and, in his next three scheduled starts, Chamberlain is projected [?] to pitch only four, five, and six innings in successive order of those games.

This all adds extra pressure to the Yankees bullpen, as well as, not giving Joba enough innings of work to go the distance [at least seven or eight innings] in his future starts this season, and in the post-season.

I guess the only reason the Yankees (86-49), can continue this experiment is because they are in first place, up by seven and a half games over the second place Boston Red Sox (78-56) in the AL East.

It would have made a lot more sense, though, to limit Joba's innings in April and May so these ridiculous set of "rules" were not in effect at this late stage of the 2009 season, in the middle of a pennant race.

I look forward to the 2010 season, for Joba's sake, and all in the Yankees Universe, when the "Joba Rules" will be no more.

-- photo credits:

* google images

* http:// www. rightfieldbleachers. com/

* http:// blogs. mycentraljersey. com / yankees 

-- Jimmy, "BY&L"