The Yankees paid 3B Alex Rodriguez ($31,000,000) and lefty starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia ($23,000,000) in 2011. In the playoffs, A-Rod and Sabathia were two of the biggest reasons that the Yankees will be watching the A.L.C.S. on T.V. Alex Rodriguez played in all 5 games for the Yankees in the A.L.D.S. and he was 2 for 18 (.111 avg, .372 OPS) with 1 run scored, 3 RBIs, no extra base hits and 6 whiffs! He looked like he had big hole in the sweet spot of his bat against the Tigers. C.C. Sabathia was pitching batting practice against the Tigers. He worked in 3 games (2 starts) against the Tigers in the A.L.D.S. and he was 0-0 with a 6.23 ERA and a 2.06 WHIP. He gave up 10 hits and 8 walks in only 8 2/3 innings in this series. These two guys are the polar opposite of clutch.

The Yankees had a lot of chances, especially late in this game to take the lead….but they never did. Robinson Cano had another very solid game for the Yankees last night as he was 2 for 5 with a solo homer. Jorge Posada (2 for 4), Brett Gardner (2 for 4) and Mark Teixeira (1 for 3 with a walk, double and a RBI) also had decent games for the Yankees last night with the bats. Ivan Nova just didn’t have it before leaving the game with a minor injury. He worked the first two innings allowing 3 hits and 2 earned runs while whiffing 3 batters and walking none. He was the losing pitcher. Phil Hughes & Boone Logan combined to work two scoreless innings in which they whiffed 3 batters. C.C. Sabathia was the next pitcher up and he was lousy again. He worked 1 1/3 innings giving up 2 hits, 1 run (earned) while walking 2 batters and whiffing 4. Rafael Soriano, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera combined to work 3 2/3 shutout innings to end this game and gave the Yankees a chance to come back, which they didn’t. The Yankees’ season is now over as the Tigers beat them 3-2.

The Yankees were in command of this game most of the way behind A.J. Burnett’s solid pitching and the hitting. The hitting was spread out as a lot of Yankees’ hitters had good games last night. Alex Rodriguez (2 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI), Russell Martin (2 for 4 with 2 runs scored) and Brett Gardner (2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI) led the way for the Yankees in this game. Derek Jeter (1 for 4 with 1 run scored, 1 double and 2 RBIs), Robinson Cano (1 for 4 with 2 RBIs) and Jesus Montero (2 for 2 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI) also pitched in with big games for the Yankees. A.J. Burnett might have pitched his best game of the year last night after having trouble in the first inning. He worked 5 2/3 innings allowing 4 hits, walking 4 batters and he gave up 1 run (it was earned). Burnett also struck out 3 batters and he earned a win in the most important game of the year to date for the Yankees. Rafael Soriano, Phil Hughes and Boone Logan combined to pitch 3 1/3 scoreless, hitless, walkless innings while whiffing 6 batters to finish off this game. The Yankees have tied this series at 2 games apiece with Game #5 at Yankee Stadium on Thursday Night.

Joe Girardi erred in starting Sabathia last night against the Tigers. He was clearly tired after pitching 2 innings on Friday Night against the Tigers in the suspended Game #1. He has started 2 games against the Tigers in this series and he is 0-0 with a 6.14 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. He has give up 8 hits and 6 walks in his first 7 1/3 innings while allowing 5 earned runs against the Tigers. In his last five playoff starts, Sabathia is 2-0 despite having a 5.79 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP. Sabathia needs to step up if the Yankees somehow come back and win this series.

Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira have been batting #4 and #5 in the lineup and they aren’t coming through so far. They are a combined 1 for 21 (.048 avg) so far in this series with 1 run scored, 1 double, 2 RBIs and 7 whiffs! It is going to be incredibly hard to come back and beat the Tigers in this series unless at least one of these guys starts to hit a little bit.