I watched Sunday’s Yankee game out of the corner of one eye. It was a turgid, ugly game that thankfully ended with the Yanks on top, 10-8. Alex Rodriguez was given the day off but Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui provided the thunder. Joba Chamberlain, on the other hand, pitched a dog of a game (even if just three of the eight runs scored on his watch were earned), and didn’t make it out of the fourth inning. The Yanks led 4-0, trailed 8-4, and then came back, thanks to dingers by Matsui and Jeter. Alfredo Aceves gets props over here for his four excellent innings of work. Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes and Phil Coke were not available, so Aceves finished the game and earned the save.
The win keeps the Yanks just a game behind the Red Sox. New York has the second best record in the league, third best in baseball.
I couldn’t properly concentrate on the game because I was still trying to calm down after watching the entire Wimbledon final. My nerves were shot. Last year’s five-set match between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was epic. Yesterday’s match, which saw Federer out-last Andy Roddick in the longest fifth set in Wimbledon history–a freakish 16 games to 14!–has to be in the discussion of the best matches in the tournaments long history.
As it stands, Roddick played the game of his life…and lost. I thought he’d pull it out. I thought Federer, who had a career-high 50 aces, would fold. Instead, Federer won his 15th major in style. Simply put, it was greatness defined, an absolutely exquisite sporting experience.
I watched the match without a strong rooting interest, but when Federer brought it home, I felt a pretty serious twinge of sadness. So I guess I was unconsciously rooting for Roddick. A guy like Andy gets just a handful of chances at the big prize, and it's just a little tragic when one slips away.
On another note, the Yankees are finally catching a rotation break: they'll miss Blackburn in Minnesota.
[1] me too riyank. felt the same way. i always find it interesting when a match or series starts and i think i don't really care who wins and then i find myself leaning to a particular person or team.
hopefully some banterers get to watch this game today.
When a match like that ends, the twinge of sadness will kick in either way, unless one was passionate for one of the players. I was aware towards the end that I'd feel badly for either loser. Kept saying 'Federer will get his 15th eventually so cheer for Roddick' and 'match of his life, etc' but we're back to our ongoing aesthetics discussion (Ichiro Edition) ... Federer is such a gloriously beautiful tennis player to watch. Nadal, if health returns, may yet turn out to be as good or even better (keeps raising his game) but I don't think I can hope against Federer. The match was NOT as potent as last year's ... less personal drama, and and for me a truly great tennis match goes beyond sequential held serves. Federer broke Roddick ONCE in 4+ hours! I'm greedy ... I want break, and break BACK!
RI, Yanks caught a major break last week with Seattle, missed Felix, and no Bedard. We can't glide over those!
Someone dismissed Texas awhile back, when I was talking Wild Card. I watched them finish a sweep last night. This is a much stronger team than they've had for years, in ALL respects, and they are where they are with zero from Hamilton, who represents an A Rod-like injection in the middle of their order. I'm not so sure they are going away, and I stand by my earlier line that we need to watch the 2 AL West teams, not just Anaheim and Boston.
What does that MEAN? Well, ah, not a whole lot, I agree. I already called Girardi and told him, so he's on the case.
I felt torn as well, and it was pretty sad when Roddick lost. I liked when Federer gave his little speech and said it was tough but he'd been in the same position himself last year; Roddick shouted back "but you won it five times! ... He was really bent out of shape and who can blame him? You get the same plate whether you get beat in straight sets or, like yesterday, lose a toss-up in historic fashion.
I don't think it was as good a match as last year's because it was overly service-oriented. The Nadal-Federer match had so many amazing moments.
I don't think Nadal will ever be Federer's equal, but that's not a knock on him