Tonight’s game was very close, but lacked tension. Ah, April: The crispness of October without the dread. The Yankees jumped out to a four run lead and the Twins chipped away until the margin was a single run. The Yankees tried to pad the lead, but the Twins defied them with defense. Victory settled in the hands of the bullpen and Chamberlain, Soriano and Rivera escorted it home. Yankees 4, Twins 3.
Ivan Nova, in only eight Major League starts, has somehow developed a “typical” pattern. He excels early, spinning zeroes with ease and then he folds quickly and neatly in the middle allowing runs in bunches. We don’t know what might happen in the final third, because he’s never made it there. He’s a play in two acts so far, but the Bronx ain’t Broadway, and three runs in six innings will work just fine most of the time here. He controlled a mix of pitches and speeds and got grounders. He did a little dance when he whiffed Thome to end his night. He earned the win and maybe the dance, too.
He handed the one-run lead to the bullpen in the seventh and they were very good again. If you name something, does it give it power? Well Michael Kay sets forth to test the hypothesis with JoSoMo. It types as dumb as it sounds. I hope I’m never called upon to say it out loud. But the limited results are good for Kay and his monstrous creation. They’re blowing people away. I even watched Mariano’s inning live, with only a faintly quickened pulse. Ah April indeed.
Homers by Arod and Posada stood tall and I thought the Yankees were primed for a breakthrough a number of times. Most notably, Brett Gardner made a strong bid to extend the lead with a two-out slash down the left field line. Gardner might be living down that line too often however, because Delmon Young had set up base camp there and made a sliding catch to rob him, save two runs, and keep it close.
The early season is all about falling into familiar patterns and finding your way back to the game. And what better way to do that than to beat the Twins?
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And is this really the score of the NCAA finals? This is pathetic.
"Ah, April: The crispness of October without the dread." Well put, Jon!
Can't anyone hear make a shot?
uconn humming now.
If I had one shred of feeling for Butler I might be losing my mind. What a diaster of shooting.
This is kind of like the 2006 World Series. A champion delegitimized in the process of becoming champion. Nobody watching this came could come away with the opinion that either one of these teams is any good.
Nice write-up. Between the college final, American Pickers, The Jerry Weintraub documentary on HBO, and the Yankees; the remote was hot to the touch.
Nova looked solid, and was able to keep cool when things happened out of his control. The 7,8,9 inning pitching troika has been great. Arod is as locked in as we've ever seen this early. He's also kinda likable this year. Tex, Posada, Cano, Swish, Martin all good. And hopefully Jeter will find his way soon...Gardner too.
All bodes well for a great year, and they're already petulant in Boston.
Does Butler think there is a 3rd Half? Your season is ending Butler, 3 pointers and fouls or put in the scrubs.
Great report John. Short and very Sweet.
BTW, I had to go to a meeting after the 5th, so I am wondering how did Kay pronounce JoSoMo. Is is JAH-SO-MO, going with the way Joba is pronounced, or is it JOE-So-Mo? Because JAH-So-Mo has a little soul to it. It sounds like a little town in Missouri or something, the the blues is played.
What Butler lacks in shooting ability, they make up for in civility. Foul to extend the game? It's beneath them. I'm actually grateful, can go to sleep earlier.
Love the Butler bulldog, their coach must be a genius, and their players are smart and play hard, but tonight it looks like the boys v men. Hail to UConn. Only 9-9 in the Big East, but they haven't lost since the conference playoffs.
Sorry, meant to type, "Jon."
[9] I'm trying to block it from my memory, but I'm pretty sure he used three long Os.
[12] no problem, just don't call me late for dinner.
[14] Jeez, my dad used to say that, and he's going on 88.
Of the many reasons to hate Michael Kay, his insistence on giving EVERYTHING nicknames is somewhere near the top. Its so forced.
In happier news, I was there live tonight. Good, crisp, clean quick game.
[16] You always have to figure between Kay and Sterling, one of them is going to come up with the corniest nickname ever. How about the use of the phrase, Job Well Done instead?
Job - Joba (obviously)
Well - Because Soriano pitches So well (I know, stretching it)
Done - When Mo's in, it's a wrap, game over man, done.
Very encouraged by Ivan's start. Yes, he fell into the same pattern, but what it means is that he has good stuff, just needs to learn to make in game adjustments in major league games. So we know what the problem is and that he has the ability to overcome the problem. That's something Larry Rothschild can work with.