I really wanted the Yankees to sweep this series. I wanted the Yankees to tramp the dirt down, put the nail in the coffin, and destroy the Red Sox's season. A.J. Burnett did his part in the first game to smash the Sox. But alas, thanks to Joe Girardi and Scott Proctor, Boston gets to live again, with a huge victory that could be a momentum-changer to their season. If the Yanks face the Red Sox in the ALCS and lose, I will rue tonight even more.
I subscribe to the Conan the Barbarian belief that what is best in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. But now I am the one doing the lamenting!
I blame Joe Girardi for making several critical mistakes that helped cost the Bombers the game:
* The first was keeping Ivan Nova in for too long when the Sox were clearly getting to him. Nova should have been pulled by the sixth, not in the seventh when the damage was done, with the game tied.
* The second was Girardi refusing to use most of his bench to get a big hit to win the game. Leaving Austin Romine in to face Jonathan Papelbon with the bases loaded in the ninth inning was inexcusable. Romine has all of 15 at-bats in the majors, with exactly three hits, and you leave him in there to face Papelbon? Joe could have used Russell Martin, Alex Rodriguez, or Derek Jeter instead in that spot. Then he let Romine bat again with runners on base, only to have his strike out. Good grief.
Not pinch-hitting for Greg Golson with Andruw Jones made no sense, either. Or letting Eduardo Nunez go 0-for-6, bat in extra innings with Derek Jeter in the house. Why Girardi let the kids get so many at-bats when there were several people on the bench who could have ended the game with one swing makes no sense. What good did it do to give the veterans "rest" when if one of them had gotten to hit in the ninth, or even the tenth, the Yanks would have been resting on the plane much earlier, after most likely winning the game. Who needs the stars refreshed for Tampa, anyway? Tonight was the night to play them.
* And the third was going to Scott Proctor (yeah, I know Girardi was out of the game then, but I'm sure he helped make the decision) in the 14th. Why would you rely on a guy who is best known for having his arm blown out, and setting his equipment on fire, for anything? Proctor is horrible. He shouldn't even be on this team. (BTW, funny how when Brian Cashman was patting himself on the back the other day for all the moves he made this year, he didn't talk about picking up Proctor. Gee, I wonder why.) As soon as I saw that Proctor in, I knew the Yankees would lose. Thanks for nothing, Scottie.
One other note on Proctor. The media's revisionist history on him amuses me. Back when St. Joe Torre was blowing out his arm as a Yankee, it was bloggers like yours truly who pointed out how Joe ruined so many arms. The media mostly ignored the issue. It really wasn't until the whole Joba Rules thing that the press finally started to acknowledge that Joe was a bullpen-killer.
Anyhow, I was hoping to be jubilant over the Yanks sweeping the series, but I am disgusted that the Bombers let the BoSox escape with a win. Yikes!
Showing posts with label Joe Girardi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Girardi. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
That Boy Ain't Right: A.J. Burnett Throws a Hissy Fit, Shows Up Joe Girardi
Squawker Jon and I went to Asbury Park for a day of fun in the sun at the beach, so I missed most of last night's game. When I got into the car to head home, I heard John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman talk about the 9-1 score, and how Aaron Laffey did a good job after the game was out of reach. They went on and on about Laffey, without ever mentioning who put the Yankees in the hole in the first place -- A.J. Burnett!
Anyhow, when I got home, I looked up what happened, and made a snarky remark on Facebook referencing Brian Cashman's Objective Pipe, I wondered how he would insist that A.J. really had a good game, even though he gave up seven runs in 1 2/3 innings. Then I heard from Facebook friends about A.J.'s hissy fit -- how he cursed at Joe Girardi when taken out of the game, saying "That's B*llsh*t," and stormed into the clubhouse after being removed. Then Girardi followed him into the clubhouse, with the body language of an angry father. A.J. came back into the dugout, then left again, after the runs scored, before the inning was over.
I couldn't quite believe Burnett would be so outrageous, but sure enough, the clips shown in the postgame showed exactly that. To their credit, YES analysts Ken Singleton and Bob Lorenz were very critical of what A.J. did, and called it like they saw it. My thoughts after seeing Burnett in action was to channel a Hank Hill line, about how "That boy ain't right."
But then, in the postgame, Joe Girardi came up with a ridiculous story about how Burnett was really upset with the umpire, not him, and was really cursing at the ump calling that pitch to Joe Mauer Strike Three, and not Ball Four. Girardi was very confrontational with YES' Jack Curry, one of the most respected voices in baseball. Joe blamed the media for making something out of nothing, and trying to make a problem with Burnett and Girardi when there was none. Basically, Girardi said to the press, "Who are you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes?" (Read the transcript of the conversation, and watch the exchange here.)
Look, there are plenty of times when the media makes something out of nothing -- like Mark Feinsand's absolutely shameful attempt to link Alex Rodriguez to the University of Miami football scandal because A-Rod is on the school's Board of Trustees, even though there isn't a shred of evidence linking A-Rod to it. But the Burnett issue isn't one of them. For one thing, Burnett was looking at Girardi, not the ump, when he cursed. Second, according to Burnett, Girardi asked him if the comment was directed at him. And finally, Burnett has a history of losing his cool like this -- it wasn't reported much at the time, but Burnett started taking off his uniform in the dugout after being taken out of a White Sox game a few weeks ago. Also, remember how he cut up his hands after slamming them on the clubhouse door last year?
And I find myself agreeing with ESPN New York's Wally Matthews, of all people, in his very critical assessment of Girardi's coddling of Burnett:
You know, for all the grief the media has given A-Rod for being "bush league," I don't remember him ever showing up his manager, even when the manager showed him up by batting him eighth. Yet A.J. gets away with it. Why? As Matthews writes:
I completely agree. Enough is enough. Burnett needs to be taken out of the rotation. Now. How can there be any justification for keeping him in, when Phil Hughes is pitching his heart out these days -- and acting a heck of a lot mature, to boot.
As for Burnett, that boy ain't right. And somebody needs to be a grownup in Yankeeland and hold him accountable until he gets right.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Anyhow, when I got home, I looked up what happened, and made a snarky remark on Facebook referencing Brian Cashman's Objective Pipe, I wondered how he would insist that A.J. really had a good game, even though he gave up seven runs in 1 2/3 innings. Then I heard from Facebook friends about A.J.'s hissy fit -- how he cursed at Joe Girardi when taken out of the game, saying "That's B*llsh*t," and stormed into the clubhouse after being removed. Then Girardi followed him into the clubhouse, with the body language of an angry father. A.J. came back into the dugout, then left again, after the runs scored, before the inning was over.
I couldn't quite believe Burnett would be so outrageous, but sure enough, the clips shown in the postgame showed exactly that. To their credit, YES analysts Ken Singleton and Bob Lorenz were very critical of what A.J. did, and called it like they saw it. My thoughts after seeing Burnett in action was to channel a Hank Hill line, about how "That boy ain't right."
But then, in the postgame, Joe Girardi came up with a ridiculous story about how Burnett was really upset with the umpire, not him, and was really cursing at the ump calling that pitch to Joe Mauer Strike Three, and not Ball Four. Girardi was very confrontational with YES' Jack Curry, one of the most respected voices in baseball. Joe blamed the media for making something out of nothing, and trying to make a problem with Burnett and Girardi when there was none. Basically, Girardi said to the press, "Who are you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes?" (Read the transcript of the conversation, and watch the exchange here.)
Look, there are plenty of times when the media makes something out of nothing -- like Mark Feinsand's absolutely shameful attempt to link Alex Rodriguez to the University of Miami football scandal because A-Rod is on the school's Board of Trustees, even though there isn't a shred of evidence linking A-Rod to it. But the Burnett issue isn't one of them. For one thing, Burnett was looking at Girardi, not the ump, when he cursed. Second, according to Burnett, Girardi asked him if the comment was directed at him. And finally, Burnett has a history of losing his cool like this -- it wasn't reported much at the time, but Burnett started taking off his uniform in the dugout after being taken out of a White Sox game a few weeks ago. Also, remember how he cut up his hands after slamming them on the clubhouse door last year?
And I find myself agreeing with ESPN New York's Wally Matthews, of all people, in his very critical assessment of Girardi's coddling of Burnett:
Either Joe Girardi is one of the staunchest managerial defenders of any and all players who have ever worn a Yankee uniform or he is a lot more afraid of his own players than he is of looking foolish and untruthful on live television.
There really is no third choice.
You know, for all the grief the media has given A-Rod for being "bush league," I don't remember him ever showing up his manager, even when the manager showed him up by batting him eighth. Yet A.J. gets away with it. Why? As Matthews writes:
"A.J. was angry at himself," Girardi said afterward.
Well, it's about time someone other than A.J. got angry at A.J. Someone like the manager, who turns the other cheek each time he gets his face publicly spat on, or the GM who signed Burnett to the five-year, $82.5 million deal and now admonishes fans to "smoke the objective pipe" and see A.J. through pinstriped glasses.
I completely agree. Enough is enough. Burnett needs to be taken out of the rotation. Now. How can there be any justification for keeping him in, when Phil Hughes is pitching his heart out these days -- and acting a heck of a lot mature, to boot.
As for Burnett, that boy ain't right. And somebody needs to be a grownup in Yankeeland and hold him accountable until he gets right.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Sorry, But I'm Okay With Joe Girardi Going to Mariano Rivera
I went to sleep around the 12th inning or so last night (I tried to stay up, but I was exhausted from a long day), so I missed the Yankees four-run 15th inning, Robinson Cano's big hit, and the Bombers' eventual victory. At least I got to see Bartolo Colon's great night, and I saw Hector Noesi finally make it into a Yankee game after 16 days sitting around the bullpen. It's cool the Yankees gave him the lineup card for the win.
And best wishes to Chris Dickerson, who had to go to the hospital last night after getting hit in the head by Michael Gonzales.
I was looking at the CBS Sports recap of the game. Looks like every position player made it into the game except for Jorge Posada. And A.J. Burnett (!) pinch ran for Dickerson!
Anyhow, I missed the last few innings. But prior to that, I did see Yankee fans online flipping out over Joe Girardi taking out Colon after eight innings to bring in Mariano Rivera to pitch the ninth.. Twitter and Facebook and Yankee message boards practically blew up with outrage over it, with a lot of fans furious that Colon didn't get to finish the game. And when Mo coughed up the save, fans were ever more unhappy.
I didn't second-guess Girardi on this, for several reasons. First of all, it is not like he went to Boone Logan here. Girardi went to The Greatest Closer of All Time to protect a one-run lead. Are Yankee fans now suggesting that they don't trust in Rivera anymore? If the Yankees can't count on Mo in such situations, then this team is in big, big trouble.
Second, if Colon had given up a run or two in the ninth, you know that Yankee fans would be griping about Girardi not going to The Greatest Closer of All Time instead.
Third, Colon is no spring chicken -- he's going to be 38 years old this month, and is coming off surgery from last year. Yes, he only threw 87 pitches, but I am okay with Girardi taking him out there.
* * *
Is it just me who did a double-take seeing the headlines about how A-Rod was going to get his hip examined, and thought he was getting his head examined? Just saying.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Where Is the Leadership? Thoughts on Last Night's Game
I really had a feeling on impending doom with last night's game, despite Curtis Granderson hitting yet another home run to help the Yankees. Despite a 5-1 lead, the game felt like the ALCS last year, where you just knew the other team would rally to win. (Incidentally, Granderson was the only Yankee to really sparkle last postseason. Kind of like now.)
And, like last year's ALCS, Joe Girardi left A.J. Burnett in a little too long in the sixth. Note to Joe: When A.J. has given up a homer, two wild pitches, and two singles, as he did in that inning, it's just a matter of time before he gives up the lead, too. Is there anybody, other than Girardi himself, who was surprised by the B.J. Upton home run?
And that was just one of the issues facing the Yankees Monday. First of all, Buster Olney reported, that the Yankees were unhappy with Derek Jeter giving such an impassioned defense of Jorge Posada, and saying that Posada didn't need to apologize to anybody. I can't say I blame them on that, given that, as I noted yesterday, Jeter had a very different reaction to Jason Giambi "needing a day." It took a conference call to put everybody "on the same page," the phrase Jeter uttered about 50 times in pre-game interviews.
Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post writes that "Jeter didn't stick around Saturday to offer his captain's take on the situation, explained a day later that he didn't realize there was a controversy brewing."
Really? That was his excuse, that he didn't know that there was a situation involving his best friend and teammate? Who's the Yankee captain again -- Derek Jeter or Mr. Magoo? I hadn't heard this Jeter excuse before, but it's a doozy. What did he think all the hundreds of reporters gathered around Posada's locker were there for -- to find out who Jorge thought would win "Celebrity Apprentice"?
But let's pretend that we have no concept of the real world, and pretend Jeter really didn't know about the Jorge brouhaha. Saturday's defeat meant that the Yankees had lost four in a row at home, and two games in a row against the Boston Red Sox. Isn't it, um, part of the captain's job to stick around and talk to the media about it? And isn't it also part of the captain's job to know what the heck is going on in his own clubhouse?
And guess what? The captain wasn't around to talk about last night's loss, either! Wally Matthews writes that most of the Yankees "with the exception of Burnett, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano and Rafael Soriano, who was headed back to New York for an examination by Dr. Chris Ahmad after his bullpen session was cut short by recurring elbow stiffness -- had fled the premises before the clubhouse was opened to reporters." Russell Martin also spoke to the press, according to MLB.com. But no Jeter.
As great a player as Jeter has been for his career, you cannot say he is a great captain, without putting on some Yankee-colored glasses. He's no Jason Varitek (as much as it pains me to say something nice about the Red Sox captain.) And yeah, before anybody brings it up, I noticed that A-Rod was gone last night as well. But Jeter is the one who is supposed to be the team leader, supposed to be the team spokesman, supposed to have something to say when his team has lost six in a row. Why wasn't he there?
And obviously, there was the whole to-do regarding revelations on Jorge Posada wanting off the Yankees, which makes Jeter's insistence that Posada just needed a day look even more ludicrous. I will write my thoughts on the Posada kerfuffle later this morning.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
And, like last year's ALCS, Joe Girardi left A.J. Burnett in a little too long in the sixth. Note to Joe: When A.J. has given up a homer, two wild pitches, and two singles, as he did in that inning, it's just a matter of time before he gives up the lead, too. Is there anybody, other than Girardi himself, who was surprised by the B.J. Upton home run?
And that was just one of the issues facing the Yankees Monday. First of all, Buster Olney reported, that the Yankees were unhappy with Derek Jeter giving such an impassioned defense of Jorge Posada, and saying that Posada didn't need to apologize to anybody. I can't say I blame them on that, given that, as I noted yesterday, Jeter had a very different reaction to Jason Giambi "needing a day." It took a conference call to put everybody "on the same page," the phrase Jeter uttered about 50 times in pre-game interviews.
Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post writes that "Jeter didn't stick around Saturday to offer his captain's take on the situation, explained a day later that he didn't realize there was a controversy brewing."
Really? That was his excuse, that he didn't know that there was a situation involving his best friend and teammate? Who's the Yankee captain again -- Derek Jeter or Mr. Magoo? I hadn't heard this Jeter excuse before, but it's a doozy. What did he think all the hundreds of reporters gathered around Posada's locker were there for -- to find out who Jorge thought would win "Celebrity Apprentice"?
But let's pretend that we have no concept of the real world, and pretend Jeter really didn't know about the Jorge brouhaha. Saturday's defeat meant that the Yankees had lost four in a row at home, and two games in a row against the Boston Red Sox. Isn't it, um, part of the captain's job to stick around and talk to the media about it? And isn't it also part of the captain's job to know what the heck is going on in his own clubhouse?
And guess what? The captain wasn't around to talk about last night's loss, either! Wally Matthews writes that most of the Yankees "with the exception of Burnett, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano and Rafael Soriano, who was headed back to New York for an examination by Dr. Chris Ahmad after his bullpen session was cut short by recurring elbow stiffness -- had fled the premises before the clubhouse was opened to reporters." Russell Martin also spoke to the press, according to MLB.com. But no Jeter.
As great a player as Jeter has been for his career, you cannot say he is a great captain, without putting on some Yankee-colored glasses. He's no Jason Varitek (as much as it pains me to say something nice about the Red Sox captain.) And yeah, before anybody brings it up, I noticed that A-Rod was gone last night as well. But Jeter is the one who is supposed to be the team leader, supposed to be the team spokesman, supposed to have something to say when his team has lost six in a row. Why wasn't he there?
And obviously, there was the whole to-do regarding revelations on Jorge Posada wanting off the Yankees, which makes Jeter's insistence that Posada just needed a day look even more ludicrous. I will write my thoughts on the Posada kerfuffle later this morning.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Quit, Quit, Jorge: Yankee Fans Cheer Jorge Posada's Selfish Behavior
Watching the Yankees get swept by the Red Sox Sunday night left a bad taste in my mouth. And the fact that Jorge Posada received two salutes during the evening -- one from the Bleacher Creatures, and then a standing ovation when he pinch-hit for Andruw Jones, made it even worse. Not to mention the dopey "We stand behind Jorge" sign shown on ESPN a gazillion times last night.
Look, I am not a fan of booing your own players. But vociferously cheering Posada was flat-out ridiculous. What, exactly, was he being hailed for? Was it for quitting on his own team? Insubordination? Pretending to be injured, when he really wasn't? Getting his wife to spread that phony story on Facebook and Twitter? Making a rather lame -- and late -- apology the next day? Sitting in the dugout making the Nomar face? Sorry, but there is nothing Posada did this weekend that was worth giving him a standing ovation for.
I don't often use the money card, as all the players, even the rookies, make more than the rest of us. That being said, I don't really have a whole lot of sympathy for somebody making $13.1 million this year (around $81,000 a game) whose .165 average is the worst in the league among hitters who have enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, begging out of a game because he was put as No. 9 in the lineup. Boo bleeding hoo.
The fact is, Posada should have been moved to that spot weeks ago. But Joe Girardi has been way too deferential in keeping the "core" guys happy, looking fearful of starting a media firestorm. Derek Jeter gets to stay in the leadoff spot, no matter what his stats show. Incidentally, after all the "Jeter's back" stories last Monday, Jeter's back, alright -- back to hitting poorly. He's just 3 for his last 23. And Posada's 9 for his last 62.
Posada has hit mostly in the No. 7 and the No. 6 spots this year, even though, other than the first week of the season, he's been hitting terribly. He's only been in the No. 8 spot once. Meanwhile, Curtis Granderson, the team's MVP so far, has hit in the No. 9 spot four times, and eighth in the order three times. And Russell Martin, who has done a seamless job at replacing Posada as catcher this year, and hit well to boot, has hit 17 times in the No. 8 spot, and 11 times as ninth in the order.
It's funny, Joe Girardi gets such grief about being Joey Looseleafs, the manager obsessed with the stats binder. But can anybody really say that the Yankees' lineup is based on statistics? No, it's based on keeping certain people happy, no matter what their numbers are. And the one time Girardi actually tried to put the .165 hitter where he belongs, in the No. 9 spot, he gets grief for somehow, in the words of Posada, disrespecting him. Puh-lease. (And yes, before anybody brings it up, if it makes sense to move A-Rod further down in the lineup, I'm fine with it.)
I heard a lot yesterday on Facebook that we fans should give Posada a pass, because he's been on the team a long time, and has five rings (he actually has four, but I digress.) No, him being a veteran Yankee makes it even worse. All these years on the team, and he hasn't figured out that it's not cool to throw a hissy fit and refuse to play because he doesn't like his spot in the lineup? Spare me.
But we're all supposed to hail Jorge as some hero because he mouthed a few words of supposed remorse, perhaps because he could be facing a suspension if he didn't do so. Let's talk about that pseudo-apology a bit:
In addition, Jorge said, "I did tweak my back a little bit. And I took that as an excuse to tell you the truth. I just needed a day." What a weird coincidence, that he would hurt his back, and need a day, the very night he happened to be penciled in the lineup at No. 9? What, exactly, did he need a day for -- to recover from a bruised ego?
Posada also said, "Everything happens for a reason. You learn from it." But this didn't just happen to him. He is the one who pulled himself from the lineup less than an hour before the game because he felt disrespected. If he hasn't figured out that this isn't a good thing to do, then I don't really know what to say.
And how about the Yankee captain's defense of his best friend? First, he was MIA after Saturday's game, not talking to the press at all. Then, he defended Posada's behavior, saying:
Jeter is right that this isn't the first time a Yankee has asked out of a game. But when it involved another player, he didn't have quite so blase a response. Page 241 of Ian O'Connor's book "The Captain" details how angry the captain was when Jason Giambi asked out of Game 5 of the 2003 World Series, with Jason telling Joe Torre that his knee was bothering him.
The book characterizes Jeter as "furious Giambi had begged out of the lineup on a night he was healthy enough to hit a home run." O'Connor writes, "Asked if players were upset with Giambi, one Yankee said, "It was more like rage, and Jeter was hotter than anyone. It was like, 'Are you [bleeping] kidding me?'"
Anyhow, I can get that the Yankees want to sweep this brouhaha under the rug and move on. And I get that Posada is only part of the team's problems. But sorry, I am not going to join the mob cheering like Jorge Posada cured cancer or something. What he did Saturday was completely unacceptable, and should not be celebrated, no matter how many rings Posada has.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Look, I am not a fan of booing your own players. But vociferously cheering Posada was flat-out ridiculous. What, exactly, was he being hailed for? Was it for quitting on his own team? Insubordination? Pretending to be injured, when he really wasn't? Getting his wife to spread that phony story on Facebook and Twitter? Making a rather lame -- and late -- apology the next day? Sitting in the dugout making the Nomar face? Sorry, but there is nothing Posada did this weekend that was worth giving him a standing ovation for.
I don't often use the money card, as all the players, even the rookies, make more than the rest of us. That being said, I don't really have a whole lot of sympathy for somebody making $13.1 million this year (around $81,000 a game) whose .165 average is the worst in the league among hitters who have enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, begging out of a game because he was put as No. 9 in the lineup. Boo bleeding hoo.
The fact is, Posada should have been moved to that spot weeks ago. But Joe Girardi has been way too deferential in keeping the "core" guys happy, looking fearful of starting a media firestorm. Derek Jeter gets to stay in the leadoff spot, no matter what his stats show. Incidentally, after all the "Jeter's back" stories last Monday, Jeter's back, alright -- back to hitting poorly. He's just 3 for his last 23. And Posada's 9 for his last 62.
Posada has hit mostly in the No. 7 and the No. 6 spots this year, even though, other than the first week of the season, he's been hitting terribly. He's only been in the No. 8 spot once. Meanwhile, Curtis Granderson, the team's MVP so far, has hit in the No. 9 spot four times, and eighth in the order three times. And Russell Martin, who has done a seamless job at replacing Posada as catcher this year, and hit well to boot, has hit 17 times in the No. 8 spot, and 11 times as ninth in the order.
It's funny, Joe Girardi gets such grief about being Joey Looseleafs, the manager obsessed with the stats binder. But can anybody really say that the Yankees' lineup is based on statistics? No, it's based on keeping certain people happy, no matter what their numbers are. And the one time Girardi actually tried to put the .165 hitter where he belongs, in the No. 9 spot, he gets grief for somehow, in the words of Posada, disrespecting him. Puh-lease. (And yes, before anybody brings it up, if it makes sense to move A-Rod further down in the lineup, I'm fine with it.)
I heard a lot yesterday on Facebook that we fans should give Posada a pass, because he's been on the team a long time, and has five rings (he actually has four, but I digress.) No, him being a veteran Yankee makes it even worse. All these years on the team, and he hasn't figured out that it's not cool to throw a hissy fit and refuse to play because he doesn't like his spot in the lineup? Spare me.
But we're all supposed to hail Jorge as some hero because he mouthed a few words of supposed remorse, perhaps because he could be facing a suspension if he didn't do so. Let's talk about that pseudo-apology a bit:
“It’s just one of those days that you wish you could have back,” Posada said. “I talked to Girardi and kind of apologized to him. I had a bad day. Reflecting on it, everything, all the frustration came out. I’m trying to move on.”No, A-Rod had a bad day, when the ball went through his legs, Bill Buckner-style, last night. Quitting on your team a la Manny Ramirez isn't a bad day; it shows some bad character. And isn't it nice Posada is trying to move on. Whoo-hoo. Also, nothing shows sincerity like saying he "kind of apologized" to his manager for being insubordinate.
In addition, Jorge said, "I did tweak my back a little bit. And I took that as an excuse to tell you the truth. I just needed a day." What a weird coincidence, that he would hurt his back, and need a day, the very night he happened to be penciled in the lineup at No. 9? What, exactly, did he need a day for -- to recover from a bruised ego?
Posada also said, "Everything happens for a reason. You learn from it." But this didn't just happen to him. He is the one who pulled himself from the lineup less than an hour before the game because he felt disrespected. If he hasn't figured out that this isn't a good thing to do, then I don't really know what to say.
And how about the Yankee captain's defense of his best friend? First, he was MIA after Saturday's game, not talking to the press at all. Then, he defended Posada's behavior, saying:
My reaction was that I didn't think it was that big a deal," Jeter said about the Posada incident. "If you need a day, you need a day.Of course, the fact that Posada is Jeter's best friend had nothing to do with his reaction, right?
"It's over. It's done," Jeter said. "It's not the first time a player asked out of a lineup. Joe says if you feel like you need a day, let him know. It's understandable."
Jeter is right that this isn't the first time a Yankee has asked out of a game. But when it involved another player, he didn't have quite so blase a response. Page 241 of Ian O'Connor's book "The Captain" details how angry the captain was when Jason Giambi asked out of Game 5 of the 2003 World Series, with Jason telling Joe Torre that his knee was bothering him.
The book characterizes Jeter as "furious Giambi had begged out of the lineup on a night he was healthy enough to hit a home run." O'Connor writes, "Asked if players were upset with Giambi, one Yankee said, "It was more like rage, and Jeter was hotter than anyone. It was like, 'Are you [bleeping] kidding me?'"
Anyhow, I can get that the Yankees want to sweep this brouhaha under the rug and move on. And I get that Posada is only part of the team's problems. But sorry, I am not going to join the mob cheering like Jorge Posada cured cancer or something. What he did Saturday was completely unacceptable, and should not be celebrated, no matter how many rings Posada has.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Jorge Posada Pulls a Manny Ramirez After Joe Girardi Bats Him Ninth
As soon as I heard the news that not only had Jorge Posada had pulled himself out of the lineup last night, two hours after he got the news that he would be batting ninth, but that he had reportedly thrown a fit over the situation, another player came to mind -- Manny Ramirez. And it wasn't exactly a positive comparison.
Remember in late July 2008, when Manny asked out of the lineup before the start of a Yankees-Red Sox series? He claimed his knee was bothering, then couldn't seem to remember which knee it was that hurting? The Red Sox ran MRIs on both knees that night, found nothing, and traded him to the Dodgers a few weeks later.
Granted, Posada doesn't have Manny's track record, but he quit on his team last night, before a Yankees-Red Sox game, because his ego couldn't take the humiliation of being batted ninth. And it's just as unacceptable, in my view, as what Ramirez pulled that time. Sorry, Yankee fans, but it's true.
Granted, Posada doesn't have Manny's track record, but he quit on his team last night, before a Yankees-Red Sox game, because his ego couldn't take the humiliation of being batted ninth. And it's just as unacceptable, in my view, as what Ramirez pulled that time. Sorry, Yankee fans, but it's true.
And here's another comparison to make your skin crawl -- what is the difference between Posada glowering on the bench last night, and Nomar Garciaparra glowering on the bench in the July 1, 2004 "Jeter dives into the stands" game?
On the other hand, I don't remember A-Rod throwing a "hissy fit," as Jack Curry said a Yankee official told him Posada did, after Joe Torre humiliated him by batting him eighth in the 2006 ALDS. Or begging out of the game, either.
Anyhow, Squawker Jon and I were hoping a reporter would ask Posada, "Where do you think a batter with a .165 average should hit in the lineup, Jorge?" Because frankly, Posada should have been moved down weeks ago. He hasn't hit a homer since April 23. Since then, he is nine for his last 62. He doesn't have a single hit against left-handed pitchers this year.
Yet despite all the deference Girardi has shown him (he only had him bat eighth once this year), it still wasn't enough. Posada pulls the "disrespected" act last night and had about five different reasons why he didn't play. I haven't heard so many lame excuses thrown out at once since John Belushi's "Blues Brother" character rattled off all the reasons he stood up Carrie Fisher's character at their wedding! Oh, and Posada had to get his wife -- and his father -- running interference for him. Please. Posada needs a mental health day before Yankees-Red Sox? Are you flipping kidding me?
The thing is, Posada has always gotten away with a bit of an inflated opinion of himself. Even though he wasn't really part of the 1996 championship team (he only played four games that season), he still gets the credit for that ring. As Squawker Jon always sez, Georgie is the Ringo Starr of the Core Four, without the self-deprecating personality. Has there ever been a catcher who has fought with as many pitchers? Roger Clemens. Andy Pettitte. Orlando Hernandez. Randy Johnson. Mike Mussina. A.J. Burnett, etc. etc. But the Yankees (mostly) put up with Posada pulling the diva act behind the plate, because of his bat. Now he can't hit, and he can't catch anymore, although he still thinks he's aces at both.
And, thanks to Omar Minaya taking Georgie to that Le Cirque lunch in 2007, and the Yanks giving him a fourth year on his contract afterwards, Posada's got 13 million reasons this year to put on a happy face.
Here's what Jorge Posada should have said last night, instead of throwing daggers at Brian Cashman about having the nerve to tell the media that he begged out of the game, and insinuating that Girardi disrespected him:
"It's been a frustrating season, and I let my ego get the best of me. This is unacceptable, and the Yankees have the right to be angry over me begging out of the lineup. I had my wife spin this 'back spasms' story because I panicked over how I would look after Cashman said I asked out of the game. I'm angry with myself for missing the big picture, and putting my ego above the team. I am deeply sorry, and this will never happen again."
My first thought last night, when I heard that Posada had asked out of the game, but before the hissy fit details came out, was that he was going to retire. Come to think of it, maybe Posada ought to think about doing that now, and leave with at least a shred of dignity, before playing out the year griping about how he's being disrespected.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
New York Sportswriters Take Aim at Rafael Soriano, Joe Girardi
Grrrrrrrrrr. Not only did the weather last night cause a rainout for the Yankees, but it meant another day of media pontificating and self-righteousness about Rafael Soriano and Joe Girardi.
The press makes such a big stink if a player doesn't talk to them. Look, I get that it makes their job harder, but sometimes they take their complaints a little too far. For example, ESPN NY's Wally Matthews said what Soriano "did was wrong, to his teammates, to the media and to the fans who depend upon the media as their pipeline into the clubhouse." Spare me. The Soriano kerfuffle was completely media-created. I don't think any fans lost any sleep over it.
Anyhow, Rafael Soriano did apologize to the media for not speaking after Tuesday's game. But because of the rainout, there were a whole slew of columns going after Joe Girardi for what they perceived as blunders in Tuesday's game. I think it's second-guessing, myself. There are plenty of times I thought Girardi made bad decisions with the bullpen, most notably his terrible job in the ALCS last year. Tuesday's game was not one of them. And I was there, freezing in the cold, so if I thought he messed up, I would be squawking bigtime about it.
But the press is flipping out over the game like it's a playoff one. Kevin Kernan of the New York Post wrote, "The new-math Yankees are so locked into pitch counts that they put the freeze on Sabathia. That tells me they are so concerned about their starting pitching that they are babying Sabathia, and that cost them a game Tuesday night." CC had thrown 104 pitches on a bitterly cold night on his second start of the year. If Girardi had pitched him into the eighth, and he had faltered, we would be hearing from the press about how the tightly-wound manager was riding his best pitching arm too hard.
And the media has mocked Girardi for saying yesterday that Soriano was his eighth-inning guy. But if he hadn't used him Monday, and the rest of the bullpen had faltered, you just know we would hear about how Girardi had lost confidence in his $35 million setup guy. Joe just can't win.
Anyhow, I'm hoping the weather holds up, so we see actual baseball today, so that there is something for the media to write about other than the As the Bullpen Turns drama!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
As for the teammate issue, that's another media-created thing -- they make a big story about a player not talking, harangue the player's teammates over it to the point of annoyance, then complain "ooh, the teammates are annoyed." Wheeeee!
An aside -- the thing a lot of fans wanted to see the media ask more questions on was to A.J. Burnett last year. He stunk up the joint from June on, shows up and pitches a game with a black eye, then politely says he's not going to talk about how he got said black eye, and the press just drops it? Sorry, when you've won just four games in four months, and you show up for a game looking like you went 15 rounds beforehand, the fans do have a right to know what going on. And the fact that the media essentially gave Burnett a pass is mind-boggling.
Anyhow, Rafael Soriano did apologize to the media for not speaking after Tuesday's game. But because of the rainout, there were a whole slew of columns going after Joe Girardi for what they perceived as blunders in Tuesday's game. I think it's second-guessing, myself. There are plenty of times I thought Girardi made bad decisions with the bullpen, most notably his terrible job in the ALCS last year. Tuesday's game was not one of them. And I was there, freezing in the cold, so if I thought he messed up, I would be squawking bigtime about it.
But the press is flipping out over the game like it's a playoff one. Kevin Kernan of the New York Post wrote, "The new-math Yankees are so locked into pitch counts that they put the freeze on Sabathia. That tells me they are so concerned about their starting pitching that they are babying Sabathia, and that cost them a game Tuesday night." CC had thrown 104 pitches on a bitterly cold night on his second start of the year. If Girardi had pitched him into the eighth, and he had faltered, we would be hearing from the press about how the tightly-wound manager was riding his best pitching arm too hard.
And the media has mocked Girardi for saying yesterday that Soriano was his eighth-inning guy. But if he hadn't used him Monday, and the rest of the bullpen had faltered, you just know we would hear about how Girardi had lost confidence in his $35 million setup guy. Joe just can't win.
Anyhow, I'm hoping the weather holds up, so we see actual baseball today, so that there is something for the media to write about other than the As the Bullpen Turns drama!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Why I don't like the Joe Girardi/Mariano Rivera Taco Bell commercial
I wrote a piece for The Faster Times unfavorably comparing Joe Girardi's bullpen decision's to Bruce Bochy's. I closed it by wondering why Girardi was so willing to go to Mariano Rivera in that ubiquitous Taco Bell commercial, but not in the postseason!
I know some Yankee fans who liked the Taco Bell ad, but I'm not one of them. It's not just that they played it about a gazillion times during the postseason. It's not just that I don't like seeing the greatest closer of all time lowering himself to be in a fast food commercial. It's that the commercial makes zero sense.
First off, the guy eating the XXL Chalupa who sighs, "I can barely finish it," hasn't even started eating it. There's not one bite missing from the chalupa!
Then, there's Girardi being so eager to get Mo to finish that uneaten chalupa. What's up with that? Can't Mariano buy his own fast food? Why does he have to dumpster dive from someone else's meal?
Besides, if I'm thinking of a Yankee who would finish somebody else's din-din, it wouldn't be Mo, the thinnest guy on the team. It would be CC Sabathia. But he's in the Subway commercial instead! How does that work?
Mariano is no actor, but Girardi isn't half-bad. However, it's a little disconcerting the way Joe smacks the customer's butt so enthusiastically!
I do like one thing in the ad: when the guy who just had his food stolen from him just mumbles, "Mo."
I know some Yankee fans who liked the Taco Bell ad, but I'm not one of them. It's not just that they played it about a gazillion times during the postseason. It's not just that I don't like seeing the greatest closer of all time lowering himself to be in a fast food commercial. It's that the commercial makes zero sense.
First off, the guy eating the XXL Chalupa who sighs, "I can barely finish it," hasn't even started eating it. There's not one bite missing from the chalupa!
Then, there's Girardi being so eager to get Mo to finish that uneaten chalupa. What's up with that? Can't Mariano buy his own fast food? Why does he have to dumpster dive from someone else's meal?
Besides, if I'm thinking of a Yankee who would finish somebody else's din-din, it wouldn't be Mo, the thinnest guy on the team. It would be CC Sabathia. But he's in the Subway commercial instead! How does that work?
Mariano is no actor, but Girardi isn't half-bad. However, it's a little disconcerting the way Joe smacks the customer's butt so enthusiastically!
I do like one thing in the ad: when the guy who just had his food stolen from him just mumbles, "Mo."
Brian Cashman, Joe Girardi, and some of the moves that cost the Yankees the pennant
Squawker Jon's article, How Brian Cashman Cost the Yankees the Pennant, is currently being featured on the popular site Yardbarker! For a Met fan, Jon did a good job encapsulating the mistakes Brian Cashman made this year. But I have a few things to add about Cashman, Joe Girardi, and the 2010 season. Here are some of my own gripes:
* The Javier Vazquez deal: It isn't second-guessing to say this was a horrible trade, and that it was clear that Javier wouldn't succeed in pinstripes the second time around; I was against this deal from Day 1. I heard Cashman last week on Mike Francesa trying to explain the trade. But the deal was inexplicable, no matter what Javy's numbers were last year. How can Cashman not acknowledge that the ability to play in New York is kind of an important thing for a Yankee pitcher to have? Does he not understand his team's own fan base, and that many Yankee fans were not going to give this guy a second chance after he gave up a grand slam to Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the ALCS? The booing Javy got this year wasn't right (I don't believe in booing your own team's players) but it also wasn't surprising.
* Signing Nick Johnson for, what, exactly?: Let's leave Hideki Matsui out of the equation here as a possible DH -- he signed with the Angels before even hearing an offer from the Yankees, and reportedly didn't want to come back to New York. But the Johnson deal never made any sense.
I remember Cashman saying that if Johnson could stay healthy, he could be a $15 million a year player. Well, if Lindsay Lohan could stay sober and get a good role, she could win an Oscar one day. But neither thing is likely to happen any time soon.
The Johnson signing was another deal that was obviously a bad one right from the beginning. Cashman seems to sometimes want to show how clever he is with signings like this. He's not. Johnson seems like a decent guy, but he can't stay healthy. And the Yankees paid him $5.5 million for just 98 plate appearances in 24 games.
* Not bringing back Johnny Damon: Sure, Damon and Scott Boras deserved some blame for overpricing Damon. But it was pretty clear that Cashman had zero interest in bringing Damon back, at any price. And that $2 million, last-minute "offer" he made to Damon was insulting to somebody who played his heart out for the Yankees. For the money Cash paid Nick Johnson and Randy Winn, who was dumped during the season, he could have extended a one-year deal to Damon and kept him in the fold.
Sure, Damon faded a little in 2010, but undoubtedly, his numbers would have been better in Yankee Stadium, a place tailor-made for his swing. Plus, he added something to the clubhouse. The Yankee hitters looked so tight in the ALCS; would Damon have been able to loosen things up? I think so. Even Bill James admits that clubhouse chemistry does mean something, and this team was missing a key element of that chemistry this year with Damon being off the team.
* What's the deal with Joe Girardi?: Joe G. most likely will be back with the Yankees next year -- after all, he did lead the Yankees to a World Series title just a year ago. But he did seem to age a lot this season, and to look both gaunt and miserable as time went on this year. What's the story? Several people have asked me privately if he's got some serious disease; that's how sickly he's looked!
* What happened to Dave Eiland?: His still unexplained leave of absence in June cost the team a lot, specifically, A..J. Burnett. It's forgotten now, but A.J. was out to a pretty good year in the first two months of the season; he was 6-2, with a 3.28 ERA. In Eiland's absence, he lost all five games he pitched in June, and his ERA shot up to 5.25. How much of that had to do with his pitching coach's absence?
* And finally, what happened to A.J. Burnett's eye?: How is it that we still don't know what happened? Nobody has said anything. What is the deal? Enquiring minds want to know!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
* The Javier Vazquez deal: It isn't second-guessing to say this was a horrible trade, and that it was clear that Javier wouldn't succeed in pinstripes the second time around; I was against this deal from Day 1. I heard Cashman last week on Mike Francesa trying to explain the trade. But the deal was inexplicable, no matter what Javy's numbers were last year. How can Cashman not acknowledge that the ability to play in New York is kind of an important thing for a Yankee pitcher to have? Does he not understand his team's own fan base, and that many Yankee fans were not going to give this guy a second chance after he gave up a grand slam to Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the ALCS? The booing Javy got this year wasn't right (I don't believe in booing your own team's players) but it also wasn't surprising.
* Signing Nick Johnson for, what, exactly?: Let's leave Hideki Matsui out of the equation here as a possible DH -- he signed with the Angels before even hearing an offer from the Yankees, and reportedly didn't want to come back to New York. But the Johnson deal never made any sense.
I remember Cashman saying that if Johnson could stay healthy, he could be a $15 million a year player. Well, if Lindsay Lohan could stay sober and get a good role, she could win an Oscar one day. But neither thing is likely to happen any time soon.
The Johnson signing was another deal that was obviously a bad one right from the beginning. Cashman seems to sometimes want to show how clever he is with signings like this. He's not. Johnson seems like a decent guy, but he can't stay healthy. And the Yankees paid him $5.5 million for just 98 plate appearances in 24 games.
* Not bringing back Johnny Damon: Sure, Damon and Scott Boras deserved some blame for overpricing Damon. But it was pretty clear that Cashman had zero interest in bringing Damon back, at any price. And that $2 million, last-minute "offer" he made to Damon was insulting to somebody who played his heart out for the Yankees. For the money Cash paid Nick Johnson and Randy Winn, who was dumped during the season, he could have extended a one-year deal to Damon and kept him in the fold.
Sure, Damon faded a little in 2010, but undoubtedly, his numbers would have been better in Yankee Stadium, a place tailor-made for his swing. Plus, he added something to the clubhouse. The Yankee hitters looked so tight in the ALCS; would Damon have been able to loosen things up? I think so. Even Bill James admits that clubhouse chemistry does mean something, and this team was missing a key element of that chemistry this year with Damon being off the team.
* What's the deal with Joe Girardi?: Joe G. most likely will be back with the Yankees next year -- after all, he did lead the Yankees to a World Series title just a year ago. But he did seem to age a lot this season, and to look both gaunt and miserable as time went on this year. What's the story? Several people have asked me privately if he's got some serious disease; that's how sickly he's looked!
* What happened to Dave Eiland?: His still unexplained leave of absence in June cost the team a lot, specifically, A..J. Burnett. It's forgotten now, but A.J. was out to a pretty good year in the first two months of the season; he was 6-2, with a 3.28 ERA. In Eiland's absence, he lost all five games he pitched in June, and his ERA shot up to 5.25. How much of that had to do with his pitching coach's absence?
* And finally, what happened to A.J. Burnett's eye?: How is it that we still don't know what happened? Nobody has said anything. What is the deal? Enquiring minds want to know!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Yankees lose, Rangers celebrate, and I've had it with Joe Girardi
Well, so much for my hope that the Yankees would win tonight. But believe it or not, if the Yankees had to lose to anybody, I'm glad it was the Texas Rangers. Congrats to them and their fans.
I lived in Texas for over a decade, and I have friends and family who are Rangers fans. Like my nephew, Zachary. We went to the Yankees-Rangers ALDS elimination game in 1998 together, along with my father and my brother, and Zack was very sad afterwards to see his beloved Rangers lose. Now he, and all the other long-suffering Rangers fans, finally have something to cheer about.
I talked to my nephew after the game to congratulate him, and I told him that whether the Rangers face the Phillies or the Giants in the World Series, I will root for the Rangers and the American League. Besides, the Yankees won just last year, so at least there's that. They can't win every year, as much as we'd like them to!
With all those niceties out of the way, I have to admit I'm very angry at the way the Yankees played in this series. Not just with the hitting, and the pitching, but with the way Joe Girardi managed. And I really think the Yanks ought to consider a new manager next year. I was about as pro-Girardi as they come, but I completely lost faith in him over the past month, as have many other fans. Yes, the Yankees bats fell asleep, but whose ultimate fault was that? The manager.
Things started going sour in September, when Girardi played not to lose, instead of playing to win. Then he made a bunch of crucial errors in this series. I'm not going to second-guess him on switching out Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte, as I didn't originally criticize him for originally doing that. But I think he was awfully complacent in this series. It took Joe Torre eight years before he started snoozing in the dugout. It's taken Girardi three.
The biggest issue I had with Girardi was bullpen management. He should have gone to Mariano Rivera in Game 3; a two-run lead with Cliff Lee at a season high in pitches would not have been insurmountable. Instead, he went to Boone Logan, and then David Robertson. To add insult to injury, he left Robertson in to get pummeled for five hits and five runs, causing potential damage to his psyche.
Then Girardi had faith in A.J. Burnett for too long on Tuesday, costing the Yanks the game on a homer to Bengie Molina. Finally, Joe left Phil Hughes in too long tonight, then brought in Robertson, of all people, who blew the game wide open. When he finally went to Kerry Wood and Mariano Rivera, the Yanks were already way behind. Not smart. And so much for the plan to use CC Sabathia for an inning or two.
I don't understand Girardi's whole bullpen management, and kind of wish he had channeled Billy Martin, who once brought Sparky Lyle in during the fourth inning (!) of a playoff game, as opposed to him being as passive as Joe Torre at his worst. If there is a goat to this series besides the Yankee lineup, I think it's Girardi, something I would never have guessed I would have said just three months ago. At the risk of sounding like a greedy Yankee fan, I think Girardi's mistakes helped cost the team the series. The Yankees didn't just get outplayed; they got outmanaged.
My YES Network broadcast went out after the game, so I didn't get to see it, but I heard Brian Cashman say Girardi would be back. Bummer.
A few other things I wanted to rant about:
* So much for Mike Bloomberg and his planning the World Series victory parade talk, eh?
* And how about Michael Kay's proclamation that the ALCS was over after Game 1?
* Or Daily News columnist Filip Bondy's ridiculous trash talk that "The Yanks should win this series just by throwing their pinstriped uniforms onto the field and reading from a few pages of The Baseball Encyclopedia.
Granted, my own predictions (that the Yankees would win in seven, and that they could win tonight) weren't exactly on the mark. But at least I hope I showed respect for the Rangers, something the folks I'm complaining about didn't!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
I lived in Texas for over a decade, and I have friends and family who are Rangers fans. Like my nephew, Zachary. We went to the Yankees-Rangers ALDS elimination game in 1998 together, along with my father and my brother, and Zack was very sad afterwards to see his beloved Rangers lose. Now he, and all the other long-suffering Rangers fans, finally have something to cheer about.
I talked to my nephew after the game to congratulate him, and I told him that whether the Rangers face the Phillies or the Giants in the World Series, I will root for the Rangers and the American League. Besides, the Yankees won just last year, so at least there's that. They can't win every year, as much as we'd like them to!
With all those niceties out of the way, I have to admit I'm very angry at the way the Yankees played in this series. Not just with the hitting, and the pitching, but with the way Joe Girardi managed. And I really think the Yanks ought to consider a new manager next year. I was about as pro-Girardi as they come, but I completely lost faith in him over the past month, as have many other fans. Yes, the Yankees bats fell asleep, but whose ultimate fault was that? The manager.
Things started going sour in September, when Girardi played not to lose, instead of playing to win. Then he made a bunch of crucial errors in this series. I'm not going to second-guess him on switching out Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte, as I didn't originally criticize him for originally doing that. But I think he was awfully complacent in this series. It took Joe Torre eight years before he started snoozing in the dugout. It's taken Girardi three.
The biggest issue I had with Girardi was bullpen management. He should have gone to Mariano Rivera in Game 3; a two-run lead with Cliff Lee at a season high in pitches would not have been insurmountable. Instead, he went to Boone Logan, and then David Robertson. To add insult to injury, he left Robertson in to get pummeled for five hits and five runs, causing potential damage to his psyche.
Then Girardi had faith in A.J. Burnett for too long on Tuesday, costing the Yanks the game on a homer to Bengie Molina. Finally, Joe left Phil Hughes in too long tonight, then brought in Robertson, of all people, who blew the game wide open. When he finally went to Kerry Wood and Mariano Rivera, the Yanks were already way behind. Not smart. And so much for the plan to use CC Sabathia for an inning or two.
I don't understand Girardi's whole bullpen management, and kind of wish he had channeled Billy Martin, who once brought Sparky Lyle in during the fourth inning (!) of a playoff game, as opposed to him being as passive as Joe Torre at his worst. If there is a goat to this series besides the Yankee lineup, I think it's Girardi, something I would never have guessed I would have said just three months ago. At the risk of sounding like a greedy Yankee fan, I think Girardi's mistakes helped cost the team the series. The Yankees didn't just get outplayed; they got outmanaged.
My YES Network broadcast went out after the game, so I didn't get to see it, but I heard Brian Cashman say Girardi would be back. Bummer.
* * *
A few other things I wanted to rant about:
* So much for Mike Bloomberg and his planning the World Series victory parade talk, eh?
* And how about Michael Kay's proclamation that the ALCS was over after Game 1?
* Or Daily News columnist Filip Bondy's ridiculous trash talk that "The Yanks should win this series just by throwing their pinstriped uniforms onto the field and reading from a few pages of The Baseball Encyclopedia.
Granted, my own predictions (that the Yankees would win in seven, and that they could win tonight) weren't exactly on the mark. But at least I hope I showed respect for the Rangers, something the folks I'm complaining about didn't!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Joe Girardi leaves A.J. Burnett out to dry
A.J. Burnett is getting a lot of grief from Yankee fans these days, including some calling for his head last night. But really, he did much better than expected, giving up only two runs in the first five innings. Heck, he was the first Yankee starter to get through the first inning without giving up a run in this series. Until Joe Girardi left him in too long in the sixth, that is.
Longtime readers know that I'm no Girardi basher, but he has done such a poor job with decision-making this series that Squawker Jon and I were musing last night what were the chances that be fired if the Yankees lose the ALCS. And what Joe did in the sixth was just ridiculous.
Guess Girardi never heard of that "leaving on a high note" adage. He should have pulled Burnett after Vladimir Guerrero's hit. At that point, A.J. was at 90 or so pitches. Burnett could have left the cheers from the crowd, with a well-pitched game, and something to build on for the future. Instead, Girardi got a little too cute, deciding to leave him in, and then intentionally walking David Murphy to pitch to Bengie Molina. This, even though he had Joba Chamberlain warmed up in the bullpen. I thought Girardi would keep Burnett on a short leash, but instead, the leash was long enough for A.J. to get caught in.
Incidentally, did you see that Burnett nearly threw the ball away in one of the intentional walk pitches? That should have been yet another clue to Girardi that Burnett was about to turn into a pumpkin.
I didn't watch the postgame last night because he was too angry after the loss. But Jon did, and he thought Girardi was awfully defensive. New York Post columnist Joel Sherman wrote about what the manager said, and I pretty much agree with Sherman's take on what happened last night (emphasis added).
One last note -- Squawker Jon sez Molina's homer is bad karma on me for trash-talking Jon for four years about Yadier Molina's homer against the Mets. By the way, last night was the fourth anniversary of that event.
What do you think? Tell us about it.
Longtime readers know that I'm no Girardi basher, but he has done such a poor job with decision-making this series that Squawker Jon and I were musing last night what were the chances that be fired if the Yankees lose the ALCS. And what Joe did in the sixth was just ridiculous.
Guess Girardi never heard of that "leaving on a high note" adage. He should have pulled Burnett after Vladimir Guerrero's hit. At that point, A.J. was at 90 or so pitches. Burnett could have left the cheers from the crowd, with a well-pitched game, and something to build on for the future. Instead, Girardi got a little too cute, deciding to leave him in, and then intentionally walking David Murphy to pitch to Bengie Molina. This, even though he had Joba Chamberlain warmed up in the bullpen. I thought Girardi would keep Burnett on a short leash, but instead, the leash was long enough for A.J. to get caught in.
Incidentally, did you see that Burnett nearly threw the ball away in one of the intentional walk pitches? That should have been yet another clue to Girardi that Burnett was about to turn into a pumpkin.
I didn't watch the postgame last night because he was too angry after the loss. But Jon did, and he thought Girardi was awfully defensive. New York Post columnist Joel Sherman wrote about what the manager said, and I pretty much agree with Sherman's take on what happened last night (emphasis added).
Girardi had Mariano Rivera for as much as two innings, a remnant of the manager’s iffy choice not to use the closer to keep the Yankees within 2-0 in the ninth inning of Game 3. So Girardi would have had to fill just two set-up innings here.
But he got greedy or caught up in the moment....
“If you take A.J. out there and you give up a couple of runs, people say, ‘Why did you take A.J. out?’“ Girardi said.
No, that would not have been the conversation. New York is now well versed on Burnett. No one could think it was a good idea to have him on the mound at that moment: tying run in scoring position, go-ahead run on first, season on the brink. Burnett has spent a career breaking hearts, throwing the pitch he absolutely could not at the wrong time.
And he did here....
Girardi had given a baseball arsonist matches and the Yankees season went up in flames.I agree with Sherman, something I don't say very often!
One last note -- Squawker Jon sez Molina's homer is bad karma on me for trash-talking Jon for four years about Yadier Molina's homer against the Mets. By the way, last night was the fourth anniversary of that event.
What do you think? Tell us about it.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Yankees dominate Twins again, but Joe Girardi's son is bored by the whole thing
Last night's game didn't have a lot of suspense -- Phil Hughes looked flat-out dominant right from the beginning, and the Yankees' scoring five runs off Brian Duensing by the fourth inning didn't exactly leave a lot of doubt as to whether the Yankees would sweep the Twins.
It's easy to be all blase about the Yanks "only" winning the ALDS so far, especially after winning the 2009 World Series. However, I haven't forgotten how much trouble the Yanks had getting through that series in 2005 through 2007, even when they had inferior competition. Come to think of it, the Bombers haven't won an ALDS that didn't have the Twins as their opponent since 2001!
Two things I noticed last night after the game:
* The on-field celebration was extremely subdued. You might expect that if they clinched in Minnesota, but for a home field clinching, I've seen bigger excitement after a regular-season win against the Red Sox! Heck, I was there last year when they clinched the AL East, and the Yanks showed more emotion then. I wondered on Facebook if the quiet on-field celebration had something to do with Kendry Morales breaking his leg in a walkoff celebration, and Chris Coghlan tearing his ACL throwing a pie! Yeah, I get that winning the ALDS is just the first step for the Yankees, but it still seemed very quiet.
* Why the heck did Joe Girardi bring his obviously disinterested son, Dante, with him to the post-game presser? I haven't a kid be so openly bored and annoyed at being on camera since Rudy Giuliani's son acted up at his first inaugural! It was just painful to watch. It was impossible to pay attention to what Joe was saying, when his son was making a complete spectacle of himself. One Facebook friend noted,"I guess it doesn't matter what your parents do for a living, a kid is always going to think its boring." Heh!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
*
It's easy to be all blase about the Yanks "only" winning the ALDS so far, especially after winning the 2009 World Series. However, I haven't forgotten how much trouble the Yanks had getting through that series in 2005 through 2007, even when they had inferior competition. Come to think of it, the Bombers haven't won an ALDS that didn't have the Twins as their opponent since 2001!
Two things I noticed last night after the game:
* The on-field celebration was extremely subdued. You might expect that if they clinched in Minnesota, but for a home field clinching, I've seen bigger excitement after a regular-season win against the Red Sox! Heck, I was there last year when they clinched the AL East, and the Yanks showed more emotion then. I wondered on Facebook if the quiet on-field celebration had something to do with Kendry Morales breaking his leg in a walkoff celebration, and Chris Coghlan tearing his ACL throwing a pie! Yeah, I get that winning the ALDS is just the first step for the Yankees, but it still seemed very quiet.
* Why the heck did Joe Girardi bring his obviously disinterested son, Dante, with him to the post-game presser? I haven't a kid be so openly bored and annoyed at being on camera since Rudy Giuliani's son acted up at his first inaugural! It was just painful to watch. It was impossible to pay attention to what Joe was saying, when his son was making a complete spectacle of himself. One Facebook friend noted,"I guess it doesn't matter what your parents do for a living, a kid is always going to think its boring." Heh!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
*
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Buzz Bissinger, Roy Halladay, and Twitter
I will write about tonight's great Yankee win in the morning -- I need to collect my thoughts more on this dramatic game, and rewatch the clips! In the meantime, I wrote something for The Faster Times tonight about Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter (his second no-no this year -- he had a perfect game in May.) And I noted how back in May, "Friday Night Lights" author Buzz Bissinger denigrated Halladay's perfect game achievement on Twitter, calling him "Hackaday" and a "douche juice bottom feeder."
Anyhow, it's a really weird phenomenon on Twitter, where some sportswriters think that the site is some cosmic playpen, and normal rules of decorum in their profession don't apply to them. Bissinger has a Pulitzer Prize to his name. He would never talk about athletes in his books the way he did with Halladay. Yet he seems to think it's okay to use Twitter to call people he covers profane names like "douche juice." Remember, this is the same guy who told Bob Costas about how bloggers were offensive!
Read the article here, and tell me what you think.
Anyhow, it's a really weird phenomenon on Twitter, where some sportswriters think that the site is some cosmic playpen, and normal rules of decorum in their profession don't apply to them. Bissinger has a Pulitzer Prize to his name. He would never talk about athletes in his books the way he did with Halladay. Yet he seems to think it's okay to use Twitter to call people he covers profane names like "douche juice." Remember, this is the same guy who told Bob Costas about how bloggers were offensive!
Read the article here, and tell me what you think.
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