The Yanks and M’s not only played like they had a plane to catch yesterday, but like they had all been out way too late the night before. In a comedy of errors at the Stadium, the Bombers outlasted and outblasted the hapless Mariners, 13-9 to win their fifth straight game. Neither starting pitcher had much and the score was 9-9 after four innings. Alex Rodriguez made two errors, which led to six Seattle runs; Carl Pavano allowed four dingers; for the second time this spring, Jorge Posada Cadillac’d what he thought was a home run into a single; Richie Sexton and Brett Boone kicked the ball around all day, and Shigetoshi Hasegawa perfected Jackie Chan’s Drunken Style during a seventh inning rundown. (Even better was when my better half told me about the play and called Hasegawa “Hitchagoowoo Miniyawa.”)
Tino Martinez homered for the fifth game in a row, one of eight balls that left the yard (four by Seattle, four by New York). According to Michael Kay, Bernie Williams and the Yankees are now calling Martinez, C.C. As in Curtain Call. Tony Womack swiped four bases, and the Yankees’ bullpen was excellent over the last five innings of the game. While it may not have been pretty, the Yanks have to be pleased with the result. They head for the west coast feeling a bunch better than they did when they started this home stand, that’s for sure.
1. C.C. Brilliant. That's Exhibit 236 to support my argument about why ballplayers shouldn't be allowed to give each other nicknames, and why we fans shouldn't use them after we learn them.
2. I was at the game so I'm not sure if they made a big deal of it on YES, but Sheffield fouled a ball off the light tower! An inch or two one way or another and it would have been out of the stadium. Amazing.
3. C.C. would be cool if they played Parliament's "Chocolate City" when Tino came to the plate. "Can you dig it, C.C.!"
4. hey cliffbot: how does it make you feel to be the only one here that gets that reference?
5. First, I very much doubt that's true, but if it were I'd feel sad because my readers haven't had the joy of listening to that track and, by extension, many other Parliament classics, thus forcing me to get out my Bop Gun and funkify these minions of Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk. We shall overcome!
6. Quick question: do people still want Joe and/or Mel fired, or has that gone away in the past 5 games?
7. God Bless Chocolate City and its Vanilla Suburbs! Yo, that was the FIRST thing that came to my mind.
8. Gainin' on ya! Cliff, you rock.
9. Just got New York, I'm told.
10. Word. See, Murph, my peeps are on the One.
11. (Not Just) Knee Deep in the P-Funk mythology, you don't have to be a Wizard of Finance to see that George Clinton's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year was a long-delayed Motor-Booty Affair. As for Torre/Stottlemyre, I live in the hope that we win it all this year despite them. Best of all, they'll both retire if we do. End of problem. Everyone's happy.
12. In answer to comment six before, well, first let me state that I'm not a Yankee fan, but if I were I'd want three people fired. Number 1 - George, number 2 - Cashman, number 3 - Mel. Numbers one and two are the ones who foisted this stinko unit on you people.
And, Mel, well, can you name the last pitcher who came to the Yankees who was a better pitcher after he arrived than he was before? Ed Figueroa comes to mind, but there must be someone else since then. Now go look at the current stats of Weaver, Contreras, El Duque, Vasquez (last five starts), and Lieber.
Heads should roll, but Joe's shouldn't be among them.
13. Cliff,
Thanks for bringin' da funk. Bootsy!!