Silver lining? Um, Andy wasn't bad, built up his pitch count? Otherwise I gots nothing.

Derek went into the field, so I expect Girardi to DH him again tomorrow.

Once again, I was lucky enough to miss most of this debacle. I'd like to think we didn't use noted mediocre middle reliever Joba Chamberlain to play matchups against Adeiny Hechavarria in a one run game, so I'm just gonna assume there was some other reason for that pitching change. Maybe Andy Pettitte was hit by an anvil.

I'm sorry, tie game.

I wonder if Bobby V would roll over for the O's on purpose today, and then pull out all stops to beat the Yanks in the next 3 games? He can salvage a bit of his reputation if he keeps the Yanks out of the playoffs, and perhaps make friends with the fans in Boston?

Jeter is certainly scuffling...presumably the lingering ankle injury.

Miggy just hit a 3 run jack. Triple crown is back on.

Well.... TB looks like they're gonna Win, and Seattle might actually beat Oakland. It's sick that it has come down to this, but if TB is still in this thing after tomorrow, they will give Baltimore a good fight down in Florida.

Someone has to impose a big fine on Granderson every time he strikes out with RISP. I don't expect a hit everytime, but a fly ball, a ground ball..... something that might move a runner over, or God forbid, score a runner.

He is killing us.
He has single handedly flubbed enough RISP situations that we could easily have a 4 game lead. The 40 HRs is beautiful, but a .320 OBP with all those strikeouts is unacceptable.

The fact that he does not change his approach with 2 strikes tells me he feels that if he fails, someone else will get it done.

TB winning 10-0 over CWS, which will basically end the year for the Pale Hose. Seattle gives up 2 in the 9th to Oakland. Now 4-4.

Having to root for Boston just feels wrong.

Baseball is a funny game.
Leading 10-0 in the 8th, TB makes 3 substitutions on defense.
The first 2 White Sox make outs.
So the next guy is PH'ed for. Walk
Then the next guy is PH'ed for. Single.
Then the next guy, Dunn is PH'ed for. Walk.
And with the based loaded, Orlando Hudson is put up to PH for Konerko.
And Hudson hits a Grand Slam.

[10] By the way, by that time, 2 outs in the 8th, The White Sox had all of 2 hits. They just can't by a hit... no less a run.

So they put in 4 pinch hitters, 2 of which are for their 2 BEST hitters, and BOOM......... a Grand Slam for 4 Runs.

Baseball is an amazing confluence of random events.

O's winning. Sox are shit. Until they play the Yanks, of course.

Glad I missed this one. Yuck.
Watching O's-Sawx now..

The worst part of today's game was if Girardi would have been able to overcome his Andruw Jones fetish, it's probably a completely different game.

[14] I'm afraid to cue up the game or dive into the game thread..may stick with O's-Sawx.

[15] I wouldn't spend any effort on this afternoon's game. The Yankees barely did.

[16] I know it's weird to think of with a 90-win team but..is it time to get rid of Joe G? Or is he not to blame for games like this? I don't know anyone who would think he's a good manager that brings anything to the table...

Shit 2 run jack for Os.

[17] Honestly, until this week, I thought he was doing a fine job dealing with a very limited roster. Maybe he is cracking a little under the pressure? The bottom line is the Yankees try to cut corners with this roster and it is showing.

[19] It's just such a tough question..not only JoeyJoeJoe but managers in general. Yankees win every year even with all our whining. But I've yet to see anything Girardi does that "contributes" on the field..maybe he's go the Ron Washington "inspiring leadership" thing in the clubhouse? (Hard to imagine that..) And his bullpen roulexette is perplexing and unwatchable..

Salty answers with a 2 run jack.

[20] I think a manager does his most important work in the clubhouse, and Girardi seems to be strong there. However, when it comes to obvious things like cutting bait on Jones, he seems blinded by loyalty. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter. If the Yankees finish their collapse it will be because Hal was more concerned about the wrong bottom line.

[22] Do the Yankee players like & respect him? I suppose it would leak out if they didn't. But about Hal & the budget..shoudn't it go more on Cashman for relying on "veterans" who would not be consistent all season (A Jones, Leon Ibanez)?

[23] I think they do, and well they should. He is an incredibly loyal manager, especially to veterans. I'd blame Cash if I was certain his hands weren't tied, but I think he has been scrounging in the veteran pile because the wallet is closed.

[24] Yep, wayyy too loyal at times..

This Sox-O's game is boring..thankfully the NESN reporter Ms. Dell is providing cogent, deep analysis alongside dark, exotic beauty..

[25] Yep, Ms. Dell ain't hard on the eyes, that's for sure.

[26] Bit of a shock when the camera cuts from her back to a close-up of Jerry Remy..shudder..

O's are feeling it. Stolen bases, great catch there by Reynolds by the tarp..I'm legitimately worried about them.

Sawx tie it up! Boneheaded misplay by RFer.

Randy Niemann on the mound talking to Felix..that cracks me up for some reason.

Machado can really swing that bat, going to be fun watching him in the coming years.

"I know it's weird to think of with a 90-win team but..is it time to get rid of Joe G?"

Dude.... we went 2 for 11 with RISP, both hits by Swisher. We had the bases loaded, no out, TWICE, and 1st and 3rd, one out... and a few other easy score situations.

Blaming the manager is bullshit. Every fan who follows their games thinks their manager stinks at some time... like when they are losing. When the Sox slumped, everyone complained about FranComa.

We have 9 offensive players who get 27 outs to play with. Girardi does not hit or field, and my guess is if this team was managed by Internet Vote, it would be in about the same place, except we would have more injured/overworked regulars.

Granderson has REALLY hurt this team of late.
I would blame him a lot more (0-2 w/RISP, both Ks) then Girardi or GOJ (Ghost of Jones).
9 guys on the field at once.
25 guys on the team.
They are the guys that either Win games or Lose games.

[30] Even with all that being true..you can't fire 30 players AND the manager's job is to put his players in the best possible position to perform. Granderson should be rested if he can't get the ball into play and Jones should be glued to the bench..

[30] Mostly agree, but in this game it was more like 8 offensive players who get 27 outs. Starting Jones was like giving three away.

Regardless of whose fault it is for the Yankees collapse, I don't think they can bring back this same team. A lot of changes have to be made one way or the other, and if it means scrapping the budget plan, Hal has to be willing to live with a lighter profit margin.

O's three outs away.

All that stands between the Yankees and a tie is James Loney!!

Only one team in the A.L. East didn't give a good effort today. Something to keep in mind before complaining about the Red Sox.

Showalter is putting on a clinic regarding how a great game manager can impact a game.

Fucking useless Shit Sox.

[32] I agree Jones should sit. Martin and Nix would have been better choices. But Jones could accidentally get a hit.... it's happened before (2009).

I don't think Grandy is tired. He has the exact same approach he's had all year. And while he is underperforming, his .800 OPS is far better then his replacement.

I do agreed that Joey is scared.... not for his job, but just watching these guys throw the year away.

We face Lester, Laptops and Dice-K, all who are capable of pitching good games. We really need ALL THREE games.

[30] And he put freaking useless Jones right behind Granderson - creating two holes in the order with maximum ability to put nothing in play behind the guys most likely to get on base against a pitcher with control issues.

That is flat out STUPID.

Jones - that was impressive. I mean, that was a tour de force of uselessness in only two at bats. Goodbye, Andruw. You're fat and you're too old to get away with your lousy commitment to being a major leaguer. Guy should spare us all and retire during the overnight.

And [30], I think you've got them mixed up. Much as I can't stand Granderson as a hitter, it's Jones who was 0-2 with 2 K's - the last more pathetic looking than the first.

Jones playing in that game was criminal.

Jones batting right behind Granderson in the lineup thanks to Girardi's obsession with L/R and blindness to the danger of having K/K in your lineup - well, that is flat out managerial malpractice.

[33] Agreed. Next year we should trade for or get Mariano Rivera, Brett Gardner, David Aardsma, Andy Pettitte, Michael Pineda and TeixRod.

Listen, these guys who are healthy have underperformed their talent. But our 2013 Roster is already MUCH better,

[42] If the Yankees game plan for 2013 is to bank on a healthy and effective return of players who are either aging, coming back from major surgery, or both, well, blowing a 10 game lead might seem like the good old days.

[42] Also, don't forget, the Yankees are likely losing Swisher, Soriano, and Ichiro's two months of rejuvenation. Kuroda also may be gone. The subtractions could be much larger than the additions.

Look... the Yankees are locked into a number of expensive, long term contracts. These contracts almost always have some downside years. A team can afford 1, maybe 2, but CC, ARod (historically bad), Teix and a bit of Jeter, make for problems.

Even with money, it becomes very hard to impossible to maintain a dynasty. Every year we do well, we get bottom of the barrel picks. That's been 17 years now. The whole system is designed to keep us from doing what we have been doing.

Our expectations are always very high. It is a very difficult standard to live up to. We can count on a down year in 2014 if the $189m cap is real.

We can only hope that the kids do well and add to our team, and that CC and Teix don't fade too far, too fast.

The Mets, Red Sox and many teams have spent a lot of money and not done that well. Our run is pretty amazing. It can't last forever.