I didn’t watch a single pitch of the Yankees’ 8-7 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday night, but I was never far away from the game. I was sitting in a conference room with fifty other people taking a course to renew my CPR and First Aid certification, and class started at right about the time Trent Grisham stepped into the batter’s box to lead off the game.
As I tracked the next nine innings throughout the evening, the rollercoaster ride was punctuated by what was unfolding in front of me, sometimes in comically coincidental ways. Luke Weaver entered the game to stop a Houston rally just as our instructor was demonstrating how to tie a tourniquet, and an inning later, just after Darin Williams walked in the go-ahead run, I was asked to stand and wrap my arms around a medical dummy to practice the Heimlich maneuver. I saved the dummy, but Williams was choking two time zones away.
The final outs were recorded as I was driving home, so it wasn’t until I sat down for a late dinner that I learned the details about the ambiguous strikeout and the childish sensitivity of home plate umpire Brian Walsh who threw out Devin Williams (who was longer in the game) and Aaron Boone (who was walking away from at the time and didn’t even see the ejection) and spitefully called a balk on Camilo Doval. It was a lot, and somehow it was familiar.
The park once known as Enron Field and then MinuteMaid Park is now Daikin Field, but for the Yankees (and me) it will always be the Ninth Circle of Hell. Instead of Judas and Brutus and Cassius, it’s Altuve and Correa and Alvarez. But don’t worry — we can make it out of the Inferno, wander through Purgatory, and eventually find Paradise. Keep the faith!
Hey, everyone. So sorry for not having this up last night -- but time got away from me. Here's the new thread!
Leave Texas on a high, would ya already, fellas. You've got to fargin show us something against Toronto this weekend.
I’ve never understood why fans reflexively boo the opposing team’s best player. I suppose with Judge — and Jeter before him — it’s probably just a reaction to the cheers that rise from Yankee fans in the park, but there are easier targets. I love Jazz, but opposing fans must despise him. Judge is one of the most vanilla guys in baseball. It’s odd.
The NBA issues some evaluations of their officials, things like “In the closing minute of last night’s game a foul should have been called when when LeBron James was hit on the arm while driving to the rim.” The criticism of this is that it doesn’t change the outcome of the game, so it can sometimes feel like salt in the wound. But it feels baseball would benefit from a system like that. As it is, there’s zero public accountability for these umpires. I have to assume someone had a conversation with Brian Walsh after last night, but it would help everyone if we saw some acknowledgement that he screwed up — and has continued tonight.
Man! Few things better than striking out Altuve in a big spot like that!
Swaggy T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Officially the craziest umpiring series I’ve ever seen.
This is excruciating.
Bednar??? Throw strikes
I hate the fucking astros.
That really felt like a playoff game. Such a sweet win!
And god yes, I hate the Astros.
My, that was nice. Scary but still. We'll take it.
Nice to see Judge back in the field. Some weeks ago I was helping my dad fix the dryer. Mostly just moving it around a few inches. Had tennis elbow for 6 weeks.
Well this is fun.
Seems like if the strap is extended like that, it shouldn’t count as a hit by pitch. Incredibly unlucky.
Well of course Cody couldn’t catch it
Ha, out, not tied up
And rain delay
Would love the Yanks to use what little leverage they have as home team ti call this an official game and end it. Come back tomorrow and try to win the series. It doesn’t feel like their day right now.
I would love to see the bullpen not blow a lead in these last 3 innings.
We’re back. Insurance, please.
FU blue that was low.
Volpe is not the insurance agent anyone is looking for.
Pitches in the box aren't strikes but pitches outside of the box are. Fucking stupid.
It’s a win
NICE. Cheer's, ya'll!
I’d really be interested to know what percentage of Volpe’s throws are in the dirt. Has to be at least thirty percent.
Bobby Meacham had 24 errors in 1985. He's my baseline of annoying Yankees shortstops.
Every time a ball is hit to Volpe, I hold my breath.
Every time a ball is hit to McMahon, I exhale.
Exhale, indeed! Great win! Cheers, y'all!
Decent hand for Gleyber
5th place for Judge on the all time Yankee homer list!
Nice catch Trent
Dag. Like he knew it was coming. 2-2.
Jeez but Jazz has a cannon, huh?
Atta boy, Volpe!
Great relief pitching, dude. Load uo them bases.
Fucking garbage appearance.
At least Warren through 91 nice pitches before he was too tired to continue.
Hot garbage.
We take four of six from two rivals and then turn around with this stinker.
WTF? I have to go do something else, and the game turns into a hot mess?
The tigers are the bizarro twins.
Wouldn’t it be great if this team could throw and catch?
Six no-hit innings? That’ll play.
I got home just the time see the bullpen take over.
Could be a big missed run there.
This bullpen makes me so nervous. Remember when all those deadline deals gave the Yankees the best bullpen in baseball? I miss that fantasy.
If Jazz had been called safe by the ump I bet the replay would have overturned it for no reason.
Boone is going to lose it if they overturn this one. lol...
A scoreless frame from Williams feels just as a good as an insurance run.
Nice.
RISP his? Is that allowed?
That was strike three, blue
Thanks for that out
Jazz!
Bregman with the bases empty. Just the way we designed it.
And that was before the HR.
Insurance
One
Two
Three. Ballgame
I really miss the days when there would be about 800 posts about the last 2 games.
This is not good
Well, after yesterday’s win I figured two wins was a success. Looks like the team did too.
Warren will not get a start against Boston or Toronto in the playoffs. No chance.
Unless they come back tonight, it’ll be 2/3 from three rivals and then 1/3 from Detroit.
Two weeks ago, I’d have gladly signed up for that. But then now it doesn’t feel like enough.
I hope this team has some major bonding in the next few weeks and that Boone is miles away as it happens.
But pretty great effort from Warren to recover and pitch four scoreless after that disastrous first inning.
I guess they forgot they were playing the Twins. What happened?
Gil has some nasty stuff some nights. This is a fun one on a Wednesday night.
Magic #7. I really like this team despite their frustrations! Hopefully they can figure it out in the post-season.