We have a series now in the ALCS after the Angels' 5-4, 11-inning win Monday. Here's this corner's view from the couch on another epic:
1). Paging Joe Girardi: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? David Robertson got the win in Game Two. He got out of a bases-loaded jam against the Twins in the division series. He's hot, the revelation of the Yankees' bullpen in October. And you take him out with two out/no on in the 11th for Alfredo Aceves? As they say on Twitter, epicfail.
Girardi was probably due to lose one like this. He's been overmanaging his pen all postseason and stupid baserunning mistakes (think Nick Punto in Game Two of the DS and Bobby Abreu today) keep bailing the Yankees out. Their luck ran out. This is the third game Girardi has run through everybody except Chad Gaudin.
2). What a huge missed chance for the Yankees. A 3-0 lead in the fifth -- and it was nearly 5-0 as A-Rod was a couple of feet short of his second homer later in the inning. Yes, I know what happened in 2004. But if the Yankees got this series to 3-0, it was over. Now? Wide open.
3). What did Girardi tell Pettitte and Posada at the mound just before Vlad Guerrero's game-tying homer in the 6th? How could two veterans make such a big mistake in a big spot? You hear a lot of scuttle around the Yankees that A.J. Burnett is on to something with Posada and wasn't afraid to speak up because he was new to the team.
4). Mariano Rivera is simply the best relief pitcher in history and the unquestioned MVP of the Yankees' franchise since 1996.
5). Time of game for the last two -- 5:10 and 4:21. Wow.
6). I wonder how much time Joba Chamberlain might see in Scranton next year. He just doesn't look like he has a clue. You worry they've ruined him.
7). CC pitching Game Four on short rest one day after Girardi blows through seven relievers. Hmmm. Wonder how that will play out.
8). Yankees 0 for 8 in RISP situations for the second straight game and 3 for 28 in the series. That has to improve. Mark Teixeira has been great with the glove but 1 for 13 at the plate doesn't cut it.
9). Mike Scioscia walks A-Rod with two out and nobody on. Guess he didn't havve much faith in Brian Fuentes after Game Two. Great move.
10). Does Fox really need the series status at the upper right for every second of the game?
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
tagged
ALCS | Yankees
