Though it’s an everyday occurrence for beat writers who work on deadline, I rarely start writing my game recaps before I’ve seen the last out, and given that I typically watch the games on DVR-delay, that can lead to some pretty late nights. Tuesday night’s game, delayed for an hour by rain, slowed by the deliberate pace of the two starting pitchers, Josh Beckett and CC Sabathia, extended by a controversial moment when Beckett was removed ostensibly due to a back injury just after giving up a two-run double on his 101st pitch, prompting Joe Girardi to put the game under protest as the Red Sox didn’t have anyone warming in the bullpen and reliever Manny Delcarmen was allowed unlimited time to warm up on the game mound, and inflated by the usual rain-related business (pitchers cleaning their spikes, the grounds crew applying drying agents to the mound, etc.), took so damn long that I decided, with the Yankees leading 5-1 in the eighth, to start writing.
Bad idea.
The reason I usually don’t start writing before the last out is the same reason I never leave games before the last out. In baseball, until the final out is made, anything can happen.
As I began to type, Alex Rodriguez made a bad throw on a ground ball, pulling Mark Teixeira off first base and allowing Marco Scutaro to reach base to start the inning. From there, Joba Chamberlain, the first man out of the Yankee pen after CC Sabathia gutted out seven innings allowing just one run on a Kevin Youkilis solo homer, began to unravel.
Dustin Pedroia singled. J.D. Drew doubled Scutaro home. Kevin Youkilis singled home both Pedroia and Drew, and after a Victor Martinez groundout moved Youkilis to second, David Ortiz hit a would-be double off the wall in front of the Yankee bullpen to plate Youkilis and tie the game at 5-5.
I say “would-be double” because Ortiz, failing to account for the wind blowing in, didn’t run out of the box on what he thought was a home run, and was easily thrown out at second. It was that kind of game. The Yankees scored their first two runs in the second after Scutaro muffed a would-be double play ball, failing to get even one out. Rodriguez’s error started the Red Sox’s comeback.
The worst gaffe of the game, however, came in the top of the ninth with the score still knotted at 5-5 and Mariano Rivera on the hill. With one out and Darnell McDonald on first via a single, Scutaro popped up to shallow right. Robinson Cano went back and Marcus Thames came in. Thames call for the ball, which was clearly his to catch, but after Cano peeled off expecting Thames to make the catch, Thames dropped it, putting the tying run in scoring position with still just one man out. Rivera got Pedroia to ground out, but Jeremy Hermida, in the game for Drew who hurt himself running the bases during the Sox’s rally in the eighth, crushed a 2-2 pitch over Randy Winn’s head in left for a two-run double.
Having won the night before on a pair of two-run home runs off Jonathan Papelbon in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees rallied against the Boston closer again. Again the inning started with an error, an Alex Rodriguez grounder that skipped under Scutaro’s glove. Robinson Cano, who hit the two-run double that drove Beckett from the game, followed with a double that scored Rodriguez, then was bunted to third by Francisco Cervelli to put the tying run on third with just one out.
That brought up Monday night’s hero and Tuesday night’s goat, Thames. Likely aware of Thames’ ability to lift a game-tying sac fly, never mind another game-winning two-run homer, Papelbon threw just one of his six pitches to Thames in the strike zone and Thames accepted the free pass. Ramiro Peña ran for Thames and took off on a 1-1 count to Juan Miranda, who earlier had driven in the first Yankee run of the day with a single and later added a solo homer. Miranda hit a hard grounder back up through the middle, but Papelbon made a nice stab to hold Cano at third and could have had a double play had Peña not been running. That passed the baton to Randy Winn with two outs, the Yankees down by one, and men on second and third. Winn battled Papelbon for eight pitches, three of which he fouled off on his way to working the count full, but ultimately Papelbon got the upper hand, blowing a fastball by Winn to seal the 7-6 win for Boston.
The whole affair took four hours and nine minutes, which is long enough for a nine-inning game, but with the hour rain delay, miserable weather, and sloppy play, it felt like six hours. Hell, it felt like eternity.
That was one of those games that totally kills your confidence in the team.
[1] Yours maybe, not mine.
The bullpen is a disaster. I trust one man in there to get anyone out, and he's not going to do it when people are dropping balls behind him.
Injuries have led to a situation where we pretty much have the worst case scenario lineup out there. Every day. At some point that's going to catch up with you. And one of the backup outfielders can't catch a cold, but we have to leave him in the field, because the manager feels its vitally important to keep a crappy lefty in the bullpen for the sake of having two lefties .
And then because the team was shocked-SHOCKED that Nick Johnson would last all of six weeks, we're now back to doing to rotating DH, because that wasn't a big enough failure last time we tried it.
There's not a lot of hope there.
Joba tweeted, by the way.
"Success is a journey, not a destination! -Ben Sweetland. Have to get better and keep workin. Rays in town for 2."
[3] Tell that to the fans of the 28 teams with worse records than the Yankees while I play my tiny violin. If this is the Yankees when they're going poorly, it actually increases my confidence in the team.
Damn, Mattpat11 ... you've gone and provoked the Cliff ...
I'm gonna step back away from *this* one, everybody ... Nobody move and nobody get's hurt, right?
[6] More Sonny Sharrock vids wil cheer everyone up!
It's one loss, I'm already past it. Boston stinks anyway, teh Rays series is way more important...
[7] Not the team, but definitely the bullpen, and as per usual, the manager. As they proved last year, the Yankees can win a clueless Joe, but they wont catch the Rays with a bullpen that can't hold leads.
Hopefully, Swish and Posada are back soon, so the likes of Winn and Miranda wont be the last line of defense. Then again, that is exactly how Girardi wanted it anyway, so who knows.
[7] PURE MOTHERFUCKING MAGIC!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-agl0pOQf
And yes, I know what I'm saying, when "i'm sayin'" with that video.
It *is* that recockulously stoopid.
But that's the point, they're just so goddamn happy to be making the point about being so goddamn happy ...
FUCKING MAGNETS, HOW DO THEY WORK???
[7] The loss was bad, but not because it was against Boston. The Rays are clearly the concern.
While it's great that the Yankees are playing better than 28 other teams despite having so many injuries, the fact remains that team number 29 is 3 games ahead in their division. The Yankees simply cannot afford to play as they have if they want to win the division.
[8] Thats my point. The bullpen is awful, there's no bench, and the manager likes it that way. Randy Winn isn't good at anything, we have no DH and Posada hurts himself walking. None of these things are likely to change any time soon. In a week are we going to dismiss these problems and be talking about the "22 teams with worse records than the Yankees?"
[11] I agree with you, if the goal is to win the division. If one is of the mindset of just making the playoffs, I can see being less concerned. The Yankees, even with the injuries, are probably still the second best team in the AL.
[12] To clarify, the Yankees with the injuries AND an effective Joba and Mariano are still the 2nd best team in the AL. If those two struggle, then all bets are off.
[9] Faulty link! Was it a Christopher Cross song??
[14] Think of Joba, laugh don't cry?
[14] Eh, try this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-agl0pOQfs&feature=player_embedded
apologies!
Well, actually, you were probably better off before you could see it, but I've already offered my penance ...
what's the status of Grandy's groin fellas? Will he be back soon?
[16] That is inexcusable...I sentence you to this before slumber: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0-5dG_oX-Y
[18] Yeah, I know what you're saying ... it *should* be ... but dammit, the moron clowns *are right*. They're not particularily subtle or clever, but they've managed to tease out small, short moments of introspective truth.
It ain't much ... but it *is* something, truly ...
[19] two rounds of this to forget that insanity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6IeOrk54jc
and now I GOT to get to work..I'm out like Cyrus in the Warriors..
[20] Once again ... you making me Milton you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PmsBpBKGIY
=)
[20] Obviously, your problem is wanting to play knifey-spooney with a fork.
Ain't nothin' wrong with that, your just coming up short in the measuring ...
[22] Am I Jon Holmes to your Uncle Milty?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk30a0qsVIk
[23] Wow. That *was* something. Not sure what. I probably feel like you did after [16], but wow.
We'll just have to call the match-up between Johnny Wadd and Uncle Milty a tie.
No one feels good about it, but I just don't think we have the evidence to break the tie ...
[24] Or, well, like the Nazis, I could break my non-aggression pact and invade you with THIS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP-cMlpq-zM
[25] Yeah, seriously, I'm sorry about that, but *someone* had to win this exchange, and I'm getting a bit tired ...
[25] Mr. OK Jazz is hurt!! He's staggering!!! BUT...what a comeback punch!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m1UWSD-FaA
[27] Nice.
Truly ... nice.
But, I think, not enough.
[27] can be explained, sadly, with a nod and reference to the drug cocaine, a drug which, truly was the spark of creation AND destruction for many a fine film and film maker in the 70's.
Sad, but ordinary, upon review ...
Whereas [25] well, [25] can't be explained or contained by any single drug.
Coke, Weed, Speed, Heston, Boomers ... whatever the 70's had to offer, the makers of "The Apple" gobbled down in handfuls like the miscreants in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory ... Like a gay, leather version of "Fear and Loathing", "The Apple" stands as a stark reminder to everyone, anyone, everywhere to listen to Nancy Reagan, as awful as that prospect might be ...
And now I need to take a shower ...
[28] I mean, not to put too fine a point on it, but Xanadu is a song about, well, something or other, really.
Whereas 'Speed' is a song that's DIRECTLY AND PATENTLY about HOW AMERICA LOVES TO TAKE FUCKING SPEED.
Performed by leather bikers and chicks in spandex.
Under sparkly lights!
It's gayer than 5 guys blowing 4 guys, a gay friend of mine said after seeing it ...
[29] I think you may have stated your case for the win...
Shall leave you with this gem showing that the 70s virus indeed infected people around the globe..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmicbFtt17E
Grrr.
Grumbilty grumbilty grumble.
Depressing loss.
And I'm calling bullshit on the Beckett "injury." Make him sit out his next 2 starts if it truly is his back.
As far as lose-from-ahead losses go, I didn't mind it. I don't think the Red Sox got any major confidence boost; if anything they should feel lucky they didn't get bushwhacked again in the 9th. I mean the Yankees gave the game away and the Red Sox very nearly gave it right back. All this against a Yankee line up at 2/3 power (or worse, depending on how you look at it).
I was also thinking re: Thames - would I trade his home run on Monday for a catch on Tuesday? Would I trade those two wins? No, I would not.
That being said, that dude should not be in the outfield. It's kind of shocking how many bad plays he's made.
The one thing about the game that leaves a real bad taste in my mouth is poor ol' CC being all heroic and coming up empty-handed.
I would get rid of Thames ASAP (is Jermaine Dye still available?). It is not so much that he dropped the fly ball, the conditions were bad and others who are even more sure-handed also made errors. That kind of stuff happens (althought, like The Hawk said in [32] he should not even be out there in that situation). My biggest problem was the way he looked at Cano like it was his fault the ball dropped and then glaring at Papsmear after that inside pitch (did he really think Paps was trying to hit him?). The guy just doesn't seem to fit in with this team and I wonder if they would be better off without him...
the yanks have to manage this roster better as well.
i understand not wanting to put swish or po on the 15 day dl, but utilize the scranton shuttle better so there are not 13 men pens and zero options to get marcus thames the hell out of rf at the end of the game - once golson got sent down the disaster that is thames in the field is magnified.
Also, Thames needs to go on the "Chone Figgins List" of people who need to spell their name the way it sounds or pronounce it the way it is spelled... ;-)
[35] That ... would be a long list. Me, I give all such persons a pass, simply because the English language itself is so f-ed up in that regard.
[18] Wow.... sometimes freedom of speech sucks!
5 guys blowing 4 guys?
Does this game have a musical chairs element to it?
[38]
You know .... I'm far far far from a prude .... but now I need to admit to being a wee bit oogy.
OK..... Let's pretend it's April 1st, and I tell you this will be our condition by mid-May:
... Grandy has been out a month and is still out
... NJ has been out and is staying out for God-Knows-How-Long
... Our AAAA OFer, Mr. Gritner, is playing everyday.
... Posada is dinged up, and Cervelli has played 40% of the time
... Thames and Winn are seeing regular playing time
... Our BP has been very inconsistant and poor at times
... ARod's OPS is 100 pts low
... Teix's OPS is 150 pts low
... Jeter's OPS is 125 pts low
... tough schedule with 5 more Away games so far.
So, it's April 1 and I see 6 weeks into the future, and that's the story?
Whaddayathinking?
Are we under .500? Third place or forth?
How about this?
2nd in the AL in ERA
2nd in the AL in BAA
1st in RS, BA, OBP and OPS
3rd in HRs
2nd place with the 2nd best Record and RS/RA in MLB
If that's true, we must have an amazing team.
But some people can piss and moan about anything.
Hey cult, not sure if you are still reading, but I thought you might be interested in what Dustin Pedroia had to say about the play (Cano not trying to score) we disagreed upon:
From AOL Fan House:
"When he caught the ball and was jumping around out there?" Pedroia said. "I was afraid he was going to throw it over the backstop."
I'd imagine Pedroia knows Papelbon's tendencies as well as anyone, so maybe a less than perfect throw wouldn't have been the lightning striking event you suggested? :)
[40] I never get this line of reasoning. Just because the Yankees have done very well despite some adverse conditions doesn't mean you dismiss some of the glaring problems that are starting to impact each game. Baseball is a long season, and a hot start could turn in a hurry. If Arod or Tex go into a slump, or the starters top being sensational, this Yankee team could really going into a spin.
Also, it doesn't matter that the Yankees have the second best record because the best record is three games ahead in the division. Unless the Yankees have changed their mandate, being complacent with how things have gone so far should not be an option.
[35] how ya gonna blame the guy for having a pro-no-lookie last name? You could just call him "the mess", which is probably appropriate. I mean Chone = "shawn"? That's retarded.
[40] I get where you're coming from. I'm grateful that the Yanks have maintained a position of contention despite the injuries and various slumps, too, but they should still try to evaluate and change things to keep themselves in the winningest position at all times.
This line-up doesn't bother me. It's the Human Question Mark who walks out of the bullpen for the 8th...
Is Cervelli calling the signals behind the plate, or is Frankie getting them from the bench?
Cause then I'd know who to blame when I see Joba nibble at the corners, when he can otherwise blow it by folks.
[43] I don't blame him...I blame his ancestors. Somewhere along the way someone should have said: "Shouldn't we spell it T-I-M-S? or shouldn't we pronounce it like James?" Although, I guess he could change it himself...didn't Joe Theismann change the way he pronounced his name when he was in college so it would rhyme with Heisman?
Of course, I'm joking about all of this...but it is hard for me to see the letters T-H-A-M-E-S and make my feeble brain say the word "Tims".
;-)
[45] Blame the English, it's their thing.
[46] Yeah, but Marcus is from Mississippi...where they pronounce the names of their rivers correctly... ;-)
On a side note, I did not realize that Marcus's mother was paralyzed due to an auto accident that happend when Marcus was only five years old. She raised five children, mostly on her own, while lying on her back. Pretty amazing stuff.
http://tinyurl.com/yamkfs