Daily Archives: June 7, 2008

At one point, Louie grabs his grandson’s bottle of Gatorade and takes a drink.  The boy says, "Aw, Grandpa, it’s too hot to be sharing drinks."

Louie chuckles and says, "That’s okay, cause in a little while it’s gunna be too hot to be paying for any drinks." 

(more…)

Fireworks in the Boogie Down.

The Yankees won a wild one on a scorching hot afternoon in the Bronx. Down 5-1 early, they rallied to tie the game, chasing Brian Bannister in the process. They took the lead in the fifth on a long solo home run, an upper deck job, by Jason Giambi. But Andy Pettitte couldn’t hold it. He was Bad Andy early and Bad Andy late today. The Royals tied the game at six in the seventh inning and then Jose Guillen ripped a high fastball off Pettitte for a grand slam.

The Yanks were not done. Alex Rodriguez absolutely crushed a two-run dinger in the bottom of the inning–the ball short-hopped the retaining wall of the left field bleachers, and then Johnny Damon singled home two runs in the eighth to tie the game again, this time at ten. The Yanks still had a chance to go ahead. With two men on, Bobby Abreu hit a long line drive to left center field for the second out before Rodriguez grounded out to end the inning.

So what happens next? David DeJesus smacks the first pitch he sees from Mariano Rivera, a flat cutter that got too much of the plate, for a home run into the right center field bleachers and the air goes out of the Stadium. Silence. It reminded me of when I was at the Garden and Reggie Miller scored seven points in the last twenty seconds against the Knicks. It wasn’t that upsetting but it was that quiet. And it was hotter today too.

An unshaven Rivera turned to watch the ball and flexed his right hand open several times. It was the first homer Rivera has allowed since last August, a span of 45 innings. He shook and then bowed his head, came back and retired the next three batters in order.

Joakim Soria got Jason Giambi to line out to start the ninth and then Jorge Posada slammed the first pitch he saw into the right field seats and the game was even one more time. Posada’s shot was a liner, only question was if it was going to stay fair.

“Whoever loses this game, that’s about as hard a loss to take right there.” said David Cone on the YES broadcast.

Soira retired Robbie Cano, walked Wilson Betemit, and then gave up a full-swing, cheap-o, infield single to Melky Cabrera. Damon worked the count in his favor and then lined the 3-1 pitch on a hop to the right field wall, good for the game winner. Oh, it was Damon’s sixth hit of the game, giving him a nifty 6-6, 4 RBI line. It was also the first “walk off” hit in Damon’s career as a Yank.

That was exhausting, but the final score is sweet:

Yanks 12, Royals 11.

The Yanks need a bounce-back win this afternoon against one of Joe Posnanski’s favorites, Brian Bannister.  It is hotter n July hot in the Bronx today–hot, hazy, dumb hot.  Andy Pettitte goes for the Yanks.  The ball should be a-jumping, boy. 

Keep cool, y’all and…

Let’s go Yan-Kees!

“We think our team should get over that .500 mark,” said Damon, who went 0 for 5 to end his 14-game hitting streak. “We had a great game yesterday, and today our offense puttered. That shouldn’t happen to our offense. We’re supposed to be better than this.”
(Kepner, N.Y. Times)

Darrell Rasner pitched eight effective innings on Friday night, throwing 118 pitches in all, the most for a Yankee pitcher this season. He left trailing 2-1 and lost the game 2-1. What a drag. In the bottom of the eighth, with two out and runners on first and second, Jason Giambi was called out on a full-count, check-swing. It was a bogus call, but sold experptly by the Kansas City catcher, and it effectively ended the Yankees’ night.

“I took a good at-bat, can’t do anything more than that,” Giambi said after cooling off for almost an hour after the game ended. “I really love and respect (home plate umpire) Ed Montague and I’d never say anything bad against him. There’s not much else I can do about it now.”
(Peter Botte, N.Y. Daily News)

It says something about Montague’s reputation that Giambi didn’t rip him even thought he was unhappy with the call. But one call did not do them in; the Yankee bats were silenced by Kyle Davies. The men in pinstripes also got a look at Joakim Soria, Kansas City’s impressive young closer. He did not disappoint, overpowering the Yanks in the 9th.

While the big boys fizzled, Tyler Kepner brings word of a wild night in the minors. Chad Jennings adds that Jeff Kartsens is close to returning.

In other news, the Yanks are talking to Brian Cashman about extending the GM’s contract. According to Peter Botte in the Daily News:

The organization’s co-chairman said the sides are “a ways away” from announcing a contract extension, adding “there’s a good chance” such an agreement will not be done until after the 2008 season.

“I told him we want him back and he wants to come back, but he’ll take some time to talk it over with his family,” Steinbrenner said Friday. “I feel comfortable with leaving the baseball end of it in his hands. But I also told him he has to make up his mind on what he wants to do. Obviously, nobody’s irreplaceable.

“But we want him to stay. I want to make that clear.”

I have been assuming that Cashman would finally bolt after this year, but perhaps he’ll stay after all. I’m no expert on his track record but I’ve always admired the way Cashman conducts his business and would be pleased to see him stay with the Yanks.