10.30.2009
Yankees articles
A CBS Sports writer gives a fair assessment of A.J. Burnett, including some juicy Jimmy Rollins quotes.
10.29.2009
The right medicine
A.J. Burnett was just what the Yankees needed tonight, and I'll credit the uneven No. 2 pitcher for New York for this Game 2 win.
After sporadic pitching performances throughout the postseason (not just winning some games and losing some, or letting a lot of runs in during one and not the other, but throwing more pitches in the dirt in some than some pitchers throw all year), Burnett was excellent tonight.
He pitched hard and kept his head in the game even after the Phillies went ahead. With nine strikeouts and seven innings pitched, he didn't just get the guys in red out, he also saved the New York bullpen (which had no right coming into this game) and sent a message to a hard-hitting Philly lineup. And by allowing just four hits, he reasserted that although he may not be an ace, he can still hold down that second-pitcher spot.
After allowing that one run, Burnett didn't let any runners get past second.
On Saturday Andy Pettitte, the Yanks' postseason veteran, gets to take his stab in enemy territory, but tonight, the Yankees are happy for the win.
This series has already turned into a National League showdown, and that's not a good thing, especially since the first two games were in New York. After sporting perfection at the new Yankee Stadium, the Yankees were no-shows in the first game, excluding the bullpen, which showed up to throw meatballs and let the Phillies run away with the 6-1 Game 1 win.
That all changed tonight. There was no New York bombing (the good kind), but there was gutsy Yankees playing, which is exactly what the Pinstriped Faithful needed to see their boys get back in the series.
After falling behind 1-0, Mark Teixeira showed up with a fourth-inning homer that evened the game. He had been batting .182 in the postseason so far.
Two innings later, Hideki Matsui (who has had middling postseason numbers) sent one into the right field porch with two outs to put New York up 2-1.
The seventh inning was a well-crafted Yankees onslaught, with Jerry Hairston Jr. (of all people) making good on his promotion into Nick Swisher's spot (finally) singling. Melky Cabrera provided another timely hit, putting guys on first and second without an out.
In a scene that is a great part of the 2009 Yankees' postseason, Jorge Posada came up to pinch-hit for Jose Molina, who was catching Burnett, as is usual of late. Posada has been able to come in fresh and inject some life into the late inning for the Yankees, and tonight was no different, with the New York catcher lacing an RBI single to put men on first and second with one out and the leadoff hitter coming to the plate. Yankees 3, Phillies 1.
But remember how I said this was a National League showdown? Yeah. On top of the ludicrous starting pitching and Joe Girardi's hyper hook with the bullpen, the manager who holds the American League pennant started managing his tuchis off again. And that's not a good thing because, remember, his team is in the American League. American League. With hitters, and designated hitters. Not the National League, where you managed the Florida Marlins. American League. American.
Nope, we've got Derek Jeter bunting. Not just bunting, but bunting three times in a row, for a strikeout. Derek Jeter. Mr. November. The guy who has more clutch, postseason hits than most people have years they've lived. The guy who hits a dozen home runs in a year then cranks half a dozen over the wall when it comes to the fortnight that is the playoffs.
Men on first and second, and Jeter is bunting. Oi, Girardi.
Stack another blown call by the playoff umps on the next play (a one-hopper into Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard's glove was ruled a lineout), and the inning was over. But not even Girardi could derail the rest of the Yankees' day.
In a change from his six-relievers-for-two-innings approach, Girardi called on Mariano Rivera to take care of the last two frames. Mo didn't have to pitch in last night's debacle, and after letting guys reach first and second, a dark horse factor for the Yankees showed up. Robinson Cano turned a great double play to Derek Jeter, who fired, legs splayed over a sliding Phil, to Mark Teixeiera at first just in time to save the inning. The Yankees x-factor defense had made the difference.
Rivera was out for the ninth, of course, and Cano caught a lazy liner for a phenomenal second out before Rivera took down way-too-heavy Philly DH Matt Stairs on strikes for the win.
It wasn't a pretty night, with plenty of Yankee problems, but the goal is a win, and New York got that. Alex Rodriguez had another rough night, whiffing three times for the second day in a row to increase his World Series drought to 0-for-8 through two games. Let's hope it doesn't take him as long to get on track in the Fall Classic as it has in the postseason of recent years.
Phillies slugger Howard struck out four times.
Jeter had an uncharacteristic three strikeouts and a double, and aside from the aforementioned hits, there was only singles by Cano and Matsui, leaving the Yankees with eight hits on the night.
Rivera's fourth save of this postseason was his 10th World Series save and 38th playoff save of his career. Burnett got his first win of the playoffs after three no-decisions.
Game Recap
Other Yankees Posts
After sporadic pitching performances throughout the postseason (not just winning some games and losing some, or letting a lot of runs in during one and not the other, but throwing more pitches in the dirt in some than some pitchers throw all year), Burnett was excellent tonight.
He pitched hard and kept his head in the game even after the Phillies went ahead. With nine strikeouts and seven innings pitched, he didn't just get the guys in red out, he also saved the New York bullpen (which had no right coming into this game) and sent a message to a hard-hitting Philly lineup. And by allowing just four hits, he reasserted that although he may not be an ace, he can still hold down that second-pitcher spot.
After allowing that one run, Burnett didn't let any runners get past second.
On Saturday Andy Pettitte, the Yanks' postseason veteran, gets to take his stab in enemy territory, but tonight, the Yankees are happy for the win.
This series has already turned into a National League showdown, and that's not a good thing, especially since the first two games were in New York. After sporting perfection at the new Yankee Stadium, the Yankees were no-shows in the first game, excluding the bullpen, which showed up to throw meatballs and let the Phillies run away with the 6-1 Game 1 win.
That all changed tonight. There was no New York bombing (the good kind), but there was gutsy Yankees playing, which is exactly what the Pinstriped Faithful needed to see their boys get back in the series.
After falling behind 1-0, Mark Teixeira showed up with a fourth-inning homer that evened the game. He had been batting .182 in the postseason so far.
Two innings later, Hideki Matsui (who has had middling postseason numbers) sent one into the right field porch with two outs to put New York up 2-1.
The seventh inning was a well-crafted Yankees onslaught, with Jerry Hairston Jr. (of all people) making good on his promotion into Nick Swisher's spot (finally) singling. Melky Cabrera provided another timely hit, putting guys on first and second without an out.
In a scene that is a great part of the 2009 Yankees' postseason, Jorge Posada came up to pinch-hit for Jose Molina, who was catching Burnett, as is usual of late. Posada has been able to come in fresh and inject some life into the late inning for the Yankees, and tonight was no different, with the New York catcher lacing an RBI single to put men on first and second with one out and the leadoff hitter coming to the plate. Yankees 3, Phillies 1.
But remember how I said this was a National League showdown? Yeah. On top of the ludicrous starting pitching and Joe Girardi's hyper hook with the bullpen, the manager who holds the American League pennant started managing his tuchis off again. And that's not a good thing because, remember, his team is in the American League. American League. With hitters, and designated hitters. Not the National League, where you managed the Florida Marlins. American League. American.
Nope, we've got Derek Jeter bunting. Not just bunting, but bunting three times in a row, for a strikeout. Derek Jeter. Mr. November. The guy who has more clutch, postseason hits than most people have years they've lived. The guy who hits a dozen home runs in a year then cranks half a dozen over the wall when it comes to the fortnight that is the playoffs.
Men on first and second, and Jeter is bunting. Oi, Girardi.
Stack another blown call by the playoff umps on the next play (a one-hopper into Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard's glove was ruled a lineout), and the inning was over. But not even Girardi could derail the rest of the Yankees' day.
In a change from his six-relievers-for-two-innings approach, Girardi called on Mariano Rivera to take care of the last two frames. Mo didn't have to pitch in last night's debacle, and after letting guys reach first and second, a dark horse factor for the Yankees showed up. Robinson Cano turned a great double play to Derek Jeter, who fired, legs splayed over a sliding Phil, to Mark Teixeiera at first just in time to save the inning. The Yankees x-factor defense had made the difference.
Rivera was out for the ninth, of course, and Cano caught a lazy liner for a phenomenal second out before Rivera took down way-too-heavy Philly DH Matt Stairs on strikes for the win.
It wasn't a pretty night, with plenty of Yankee problems, but the goal is a win, and New York got that. Alex Rodriguez had another rough night, whiffing three times for the second day in a row to increase his World Series drought to 0-for-8 through two games. Let's hope it doesn't take him as long to get on track in the Fall Classic as it has in the postseason of recent years.
Phillies slugger Howard struck out four times.
Jeter had an uncharacteristic three strikeouts and a double, and aside from the aforementioned hits, there was only singles by Cano and Matsui, leaving the Yankees with eight hits on the night.
Rivera's fourth save of this postseason was his 10th World Series save and 38th playoff save of his career. Burnett got his first win of the playoffs after three no-decisions.
Game Recap
Other Yankees Posts
10.28.2009
Everything I feared, and more
Game 1 of the World Series was everything I feared, and more. The bats didn't show up (4 total hits; 2 by Derek Jeter). The bullpen blew it (Phil Hughes got another 2 earned runs, and Damaso Marte and David Robertson were the guys who let them score; then Brian Bruney and Phil Coke couldn't put a cap on it). And worst of all, CC Sabathia was Chased -- not chased from the game (that didn't happen until the eighth inning), but slammed twice by Chase Utley, whose two solo home runs were the difference for most of the game.
Argh.
It was a wet, chilly night in the Bronx, a night that had most thinking the game shouldn't be played. The poor Yankees probably wish it hadn't been played, because the non-pretty loss was an almost must-win for them. Oh, and they didn't win it, by the way.
The game was at home, and Sabathia was on the mound -- two factors that the Bombers have hung on throughout the postseason while their bats haven't exactly been bombing.
But without even half an inning in the books, it already looked bad.
After Jimmy Rollins gave the Phils a whimpering start to the series by bunting (bunting?!?!) the first pitch of the game, Sabathia allowed Philadelphia to load the bases and went through six batters on 24 pitches.
He escaped that jam, but in the top of the ninth, Utley worked him for a nine-pitch at-bat then sent one out of the park.
Cliff Lee was unhittable in the bottom half of hte frames, seeming to get stronger as the game went on. He tossed a complete game, in fact, which was the only sensible thing for an unstoppable pitcher to do with these made-of-china bullpens.
Lee struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth and had seven strikeouts through the first four innings. He ended the night with 10.
Sabathia retired eight straight, but in the top of the sixth, Utley got him again to put the Phillies up 2-0. Sabathia got a big, three-pitch strikeout on Raul Ibanez to end the inning, but the damage was done.
And then the bullpen made it worse. Hughes has been the loose linchpin since October began, but manager Joe Girardi called on him again. Sure enough, he walked leadoff batter Jimmy Rollins (of all people) then let him steal before walking Shane Victorino. That brought in Marte, who surprisingly, didn't blow the game, but Robertson couldn't hold the men on. In the next inning, Bruney encouraged more carnage and saw the Phillies' margin move to 5-0.
Coke let another in on a Ryan Howard double.
6-0? Pitcher's duel? Well, it was, until the Yankees tapped that cesspool they've been calling their bullpen.
Ugh. Ugh. Ugly.
The Yankees' vaunted bats went out with little more than an error-aided whimper in the bottom of the ninth, and that was it.
There's always tomorrow, but I think we know what needs the tweaking before 7:57 Thursday evening.
Game recap
Other Yankee Posts
Argh.
It was a wet, chilly night in the Bronx, a night that had most thinking the game shouldn't be played. The poor Yankees probably wish it hadn't been played, because the non-pretty loss was an almost must-win for them. Oh, and they didn't win it, by the way.
The game was at home, and Sabathia was on the mound -- two factors that the Bombers have hung on throughout the postseason while their bats haven't exactly been bombing.
But without even half an inning in the books, it already looked bad.
After Jimmy Rollins gave the Phils a whimpering start to the series by bunting (bunting?!?!) the first pitch of the game, Sabathia allowed Philadelphia to load the bases and went through six batters on 24 pitches.
He escaped that jam, but in the top of the ninth, Utley worked him for a nine-pitch at-bat then sent one out of the park.
Cliff Lee was unhittable in the bottom half of hte frames, seeming to get stronger as the game went on. He tossed a complete game, in fact, which was the only sensible thing for an unstoppable pitcher to do with these made-of-china bullpens.
Lee struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth and had seven strikeouts through the first four innings. He ended the night with 10.
Sabathia retired eight straight, but in the top of the sixth, Utley got him again to put the Phillies up 2-0. Sabathia got a big, three-pitch strikeout on Raul Ibanez to end the inning, but the damage was done.
And then the bullpen made it worse. Hughes has been the loose linchpin since October began, but manager Joe Girardi called on him again. Sure enough, he walked leadoff batter Jimmy Rollins (of all people) then let him steal before walking Shane Victorino. That brought in Marte, who surprisingly, didn't blow the game, but Robertson couldn't hold the men on. In the next inning, Bruney encouraged more carnage and saw the Phillies' margin move to 5-0.
Coke let another in on a Ryan Howard double.
6-0? Pitcher's duel? Well, it was, until the Yankees tapped that cesspool they've been calling their bullpen.
Ugh. Ugh. Ugly.
The Yankees' vaunted bats went out with little more than an error-aided whimper in the bottom of the ninth, and that was it.
There's always tomorrow, but I think we know what needs the tweaking before 7:57 Thursday evening.
Game recap
Other Yankee Posts
Also a Daily News Tribune writer
I google myself occasionally to make sure all the terrible articles I wrote in college have found their way down the queue, and that reminded me that I've written a couple front-pagers for the Daily News Tribune, which covers Newton and Waltham as part of the Community Newspapers Company family. Check out a volleyball story and a swimming story (neither of which were written knowing they would be on the front page).
10.27.2009
World Series preview II
I can't help but crow about the lunacy at the Boston Globe, where, a day before the Yankees enter their 40th World Series, the Globe decided to run a full-photo cover story about how the Red Sox finally won the World Series after 86 years last year. Really? That's all you got, Boston?
Other Yankees Posts
Other Yankees Posts
World Series preview
I'm not sure I have the attention span for a full-fledged World Series preview, so I'm going to post bits and pieces as I think of them.
My #1 concern going into the series: the Yankees' bats and bullpen.
Let's start with the bullpen. I trust CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera completely, but I haven't been impressed with the bullpen this postseason. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes should no longer be treated the way they were in the regular season, when they could be lights out. Instead, the few guys who have shown they can hold the seventh and eighth down should be called upon in the next four to seven games.
Some of this has to do with Joe Girardi's decision-making, but more of it has to do with some of these guys just not having it right now. I don't know if it's them being figured out after a long season or the jitters of the playoffs, but the bullpen's going to have to be stronger in the World Series.
Don't get me started on A.J. Burnett.
My other worry is the Yankees' batting woes. While slumpers Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher did come around (no pun intended) this last game, the Yankees' lineup from top to bottom has been horrid in the last two playoff series. Without Alex Rodriguez, timely hits by Derek Jeter, and the random hit every once in a while by everyone else, the Yankees could have easily been shut out.
Some guys have had bad luck, lining out or missing the gaps, but others have been horrid. Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, and Swisher have been the worst. Teixeira and Johnny Damon have been half and half. Jorge Posada has been hitting, but his getting on base is rarely rewarded. Melky Cabrera has held his own.
With only three or four consistent hitters, the Yankees are waiting to be feasted upon.
The good news is that this last game provided some great momentum. Most of the guys got a hit, and hopefully a little rest and refocusing can get the bats going again. As long as they're hitting the ball well, they won't have to rely on flukish errors and flubs by the other team to make the difference in tight games.
Other Yankees Posts
My #1 concern going into the series: the Yankees' bats and bullpen.
Let's start with the bullpen. I trust CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera completely, but I haven't been impressed with the bullpen this postseason. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes should no longer be treated the way they were in the regular season, when they could be lights out. Instead, the few guys who have shown they can hold the seventh and eighth down should be called upon in the next four to seven games.
Some of this has to do with Joe Girardi's decision-making, but more of it has to do with some of these guys just not having it right now. I don't know if it's them being figured out after a long season or the jitters of the playoffs, but the bullpen's going to have to be stronger in the World Series.
Don't get me started on A.J. Burnett.
My other worry is the Yankees' batting woes. While slumpers Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher did come around (no pun intended) this last game, the Yankees' lineup from top to bottom has been horrid in the last two playoff series. Without Alex Rodriguez, timely hits by Derek Jeter, and the random hit every once in a while by everyone else, the Yankees could have easily been shut out.
Some guys have had bad luck, lining out or missing the gaps, but others have been horrid. Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, and Swisher have been the worst. Teixeira and Johnny Damon have been half and half. Jorge Posada has been hitting, but his getting on base is rarely rewarded. Melky Cabrera has held his own.
With only three or four consistent hitters, the Yankees are waiting to be feasted upon.
The good news is that this last game provided some great momentum. Most of the guys got a hit, and hopefully a little rest and refocusing can get the bats going again. As long as they're hitting the ball well, they won't have to rely on flukish errors and flubs by the other team to make the difference in tight games.
Other Yankees Posts
World Series schedule
The World Series schedule is out.
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, October 28, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, October 29, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Saturday, October 31, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Sunday, November 1, 8:20 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Monday, November 2, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, November 4, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, November 5, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, October 28, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, October 29, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Saturday, October 31, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Sunday, November 1, 8:20 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Monday, November 2, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, November 4, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, November 5, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Excellent reads from NY Mag
The best I've seen in a while from New York magazine:
(1) An excellent take on Hillary Clinton's new role
(2) An interesting profile on Michael Bloomberg's unique mayorship
(3) A moving feature on life, music, and a kid who knew how to play his instrument
(1) An excellent take on Hillary Clinton's new role
(2) An interesting profile on Michael Bloomberg's unique mayorship
(3) A moving feature on life, music, and a kid who knew how to play his instrument
10.26.2009
Unroll the bunting
When the Yankees missed the playoffs last season, I put a "World Series 2009!" banner on the top of my Web page for the team. Well, it's 2009, and they've done their part.
The Yankees are in the World Series for the 40th time.
Tonight's 5-2 win was another classic Andy Pettitte-Mariano Rivera combination, with Pettitte winning a postseason-record 16th game and Rivera grabbing his 37th playoff save.
Pettitte was sharp all night, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one run while striking out six. Mo let a run through in the eighth but pitched two full innings, striking out the final batter to send the Yankees into November.
Despite holding the record for wins in the postseason, Pettitte had yet to beat the Angels until tonight (he was 0-4). He defers the compliments and says he's just surrounded by good guys, but tonight he showed that's just not true; he's a playoff master as much as Rivera.
The Yankees didn't break through until the fourth inning tonight after three straight innings (and several games, for that matter) of leaving men on base. In the first, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez both hit singles but were left stranded. In the second, it was Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera, plus a Derek Jeter walk, but Johnny Damon couldn't come through. In the third, Rodriguez walked, but no runs.
In the fourth, a Cano walk and Nick Swisher single, with the men advanced to second and third on a Cabrera sacrifice, set the stage for Los Angeles to unravel. It began when Jeter fouled a ball off near the right field seats that Angels first baseman Kendry Morales pulled up on and didn't make an attempt to dive to catch (a "Jeter," if you will). Jeter ended up with a free pass to first a few pitches later, and Damon came to the plate to avenge himself.
After going 0-for-4 with the bases loaded in the postseason, Damon slapped a two-run-scoring single, putting the Yankees ahead.
Angels starter Joe Saunders had been looking shaky already, one-hopping some pitches to the plate, and he walked Teixeira next to load the bags.
The crowd was pensive, nervous, standing without much motion as memories of recent Yankee collapses surely streamed through their heads.
The new October hero, Rodriguez, came to the plate, and after a hard cut on a foul ball, Saunders was the one looking nervous, walking A-Rod to score a run and put the Yankees up 3-1. Rodriguez ended the night with three walks.
The small-ball hitting was the theme of the night, as Yankee Stadium went without a homer for the second time this postseason after just one day without a home run during the regular season.
When the seventh inning rolled around, though, the worrying could reconvene as New York turned to its bullpen, which has had its issues lately. But Joba Chamberlain pulled through for his two outs, and Rivera was summoned to put the Angels away (but not before a little teasing and making it a nail-biter by letting the Angels come within a run at 3-2).
The Yankees came out ready in the bottom of the eighth, not content to be ahead by just one. After getting a man on first, Swisher showed he is actually good for something this season, putting down an excellent bunt then legging it out to force an error at first and put men on first and second with no outs.
Another beautiful Cabrera bunt looked to advance the runners, but the same Yankees that were in the Angels' heads for most of the series were there again tonight. Scott Kazmir, who was already questionably in the game after being the losing pitcher in the game 4 Yankees blowout, made a huge error. His lob to first flew way over the leaping first baseman's head, letting a Yankee run score and preserving another out.
Kazmir tried to make up for his gaffe with the next batter, firing to first to get Jeter on a groundout, but the damage was done.
By now, the Yankees knew. A-Rod was smelling it, sitting perky in the dugout. He had carried the team so far and no longer cared about his October monkeys; he wanted the World Series.
Jeter stood, holding back a grin. He was relishing the new Yankee Stadium, full of screaming fans and perfect color, with the Angels on the ropes. There's no way the game was tense for him; he knew they had it.
A Teixeira sacrifice fly had the Yankees taking the field for the top of the ninth up 5-2.
This was how they wanted it: at home, in front of this crowd, with this kind of domination, with this momentum going into a matchup with the defending champions.
A few pitches later, they had it. It was all over but the champagne.
CC Sabathia, who is almost certainly starting Wednesday's World Series opener, was named the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, despite Rodriguez batting .438 with five home runs and 11 RBI, and all his game-tying or game-winning heroics.
But the A-Rod that has cared about quality, not image, all season, was at Yankee Stadium again tonight. When he jumped in celebration after Mo struck out the final batter, his gum flopped out of his supermodel mouth, ruining the splendid image that should be A-Rod.
He jumped into a hug with Jeter and Teixeira, just one of the guys.
One of the guys going to the World Series.
Other Yankees Posts
The Yankees are in the World Series for the 40th time.
Tonight's 5-2 win was another classic Andy Pettitte-Mariano Rivera combination, with Pettitte winning a postseason-record 16th game and Rivera grabbing his 37th playoff save.
Pettitte was sharp all night, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one run while striking out six. Mo let a run through in the eighth but pitched two full innings, striking out the final batter to send the Yankees into November.
Despite holding the record for wins in the postseason, Pettitte had yet to beat the Angels until tonight (he was 0-4). He defers the compliments and says he's just surrounded by good guys, but tonight he showed that's just not true; he's a playoff master as much as Rivera.
The Yankees didn't break through until the fourth inning tonight after three straight innings (and several games, for that matter) of leaving men on base. In the first, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez both hit singles but were left stranded. In the second, it was Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera, plus a Derek Jeter walk, but Johnny Damon couldn't come through. In the third, Rodriguez walked, but no runs.
In the fourth, a Cano walk and Nick Swisher single, with the men advanced to second and third on a Cabrera sacrifice, set the stage for Los Angeles to unravel. It began when Jeter fouled a ball off near the right field seats that Angels first baseman Kendry Morales pulled up on and didn't make an attempt to dive to catch (a "Jeter," if you will). Jeter ended up with a free pass to first a few pitches later, and Damon came to the plate to avenge himself.
After going 0-for-4 with the bases loaded in the postseason, Damon slapped a two-run-scoring single, putting the Yankees ahead.
Angels starter Joe Saunders had been looking shaky already, one-hopping some pitches to the plate, and he walked Teixeira next to load the bags.
The crowd was pensive, nervous, standing without much motion as memories of recent Yankee collapses surely streamed through their heads.
The new October hero, Rodriguez, came to the plate, and after a hard cut on a foul ball, Saunders was the one looking nervous, walking A-Rod to score a run and put the Yankees up 3-1. Rodriguez ended the night with three walks.
The small-ball hitting was the theme of the night, as Yankee Stadium went without a homer for the second time this postseason after just one day without a home run during the regular season.
When the seventh inning rolled around, though, the worrying could reconvene as New York turned to its bullpen, which has had its issues lately. But Joba Chamberlain pulled through for his two outs, and Rivera was summoned to put the Angels away (but not before a little teasing and making it a nail-biter by letting the Angels come within a run at 3-2).
The Yankees came out ready in the bottom of the eighth, not content to be ahead by just one. After getting a man on first, Swisher showed he is actually good for something this season, putting down an excellent bunt then legging it out to force an error at first and put men on first and second with no outs.
Another beautiful Cabrera bunt looked to advance the runners, but the same Yankees that were in the Angels' heads for most of the series were there again tonight. Scott Kazmir, who was already questionably in the game after being the losing pitcher in the game 4 Yankees blowout, made a huge error. His lob to first flew way over the leaping first baseman's head, letting a Yankee run score and preserving another out.
Kazmir tried to make up for his gaffe with the next batter, firing to first to get Jeter on a groundout, but the damage was done.
By now, the Yankees knew. A-Rod was smelling it, sitting perky in the dugout. He had carried the team so far and no longer cared about his October monkeys; he wanted the World Series.
Jeter stood, holding back a grin. He was relishing the new Yankee Stadium, full of screaming fans and perfect color, with the Angels on the ropes. There's no way the game was tense for him; he knew they had it.
A Teixeira sacrifice fly had the Yankees taking the field for the top of the ninth up 5-2.
This was how they wanted it: at home, in front of this crowd, with this kind of domination, with this momentum going into a matchup with the defending champions.
A few pitches later, they had it. It was all over but the champagne.
CC Sabathia, who is almost certainly starting Wednesday's World Series opener, was named the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, despite Rodriguez batting .438 with five home runs and 11 RBI, and all his game-tying or game-winning heroics.
But the A-Rod that has cared about quality, not image, all season, was at Yankee Stadium again tonight. When he jumped in celebration after Mo struck out the final batter, his gum flopped out of his supermodel mouth, ruining the splendid image that should be A-Rod.
He jumped into a hug with Jeter and Teixeira, just one of the guys.
One of the guys going to the World Series.
Other Yankees Posts
10.21.2009
Patriots finally cut the fat, but their baker's gone, too
The Patriots finally cut Joey Galloway, a few weeks after it became obvious that he's not New England material. On top of not connecting with Tom Brady quickly, Galloway was constantly dropping important passes, which stalled important drives early in the season. After a mental mistake, where he inexplicably stepped out of bounds on what would have been a touchdown catch, Brady showed rare rage on the field, screaming in frustration, and Galloway didn't even suit up the next game. He's been inactive for three weeks and was finally cut by New England today.
Galloway's sinking into the background hadn't had any ill effects on the Pats, though, especially not with former Kent State quarterback and now Patriots rookie Julian Edelman stepping up. Edelman played like a carbon-copy of Wes Welker, catching balls in the flat and cutting back only to plunge forward for hard yards. He made several crucial grabs throughout the past few games and was emerging as a valuable third receiver for New England.
But the Boston Herald reports today that as well as cutting Galloway, Edelman is gone, too, with a broken arm. That's a raw turn for the Pats rookie, who had not only emerged as a New England-type player but also, with a last name reminding us all of pastries and pies, looked like someone who might be baking up touchdowns all season.
Other Patriots Posts
Galloway's sinking into the background hadn't had any ill effects on the Pats, though, especially not with former Kent State quarterback and now Patriots rookie Julian Edelman stepping up. Edelman played like a carbon-copy of Wes Welker, catching balls in the flat and cutting back only to plunge forward for hard yards. He made several crucial grabs throughout the past few games and was emerging as a valuable third receiver for New England.
But the Boston Herald reports today that as well as cutting Galloway, Edelman is gone, too, with a broken arm. That's a raw turn for the Pats rookie, who had not only emerged as a New England-type player but also, with a last name reminding us all of pastries and pies, looked like someone who might be baking up touchdowns all season.
Other Patriots Posts
10.20.2009
In their heads
No one has ever said Alex Rodriguez isn't talented, that he isn't a great batter, that he isn't MVP-caliber talent.
But he has been accused of being an underachiever, a choke, a less-than-real Yankee.
That's why it was only fitting when A-Rod's fifth-inning home run to bury the Angels in a 5-0 hole also capped an incredible seven games of baseball, putting him in good company with a Yankee great.
Rodriguez's two-run shot made tonight's game the eighth game in a row (seven this postseason) with an RBI, a figure that ties Lou Gehrig for first place in playoff history.
Angel Stadium went silent after A-Rod's latest bomb, as this year's postseason leader for the Yankees led his pinstriped fellows into familiar territory: getting inside the Angels' heads.
The game started innocently enough, with Derek Jeter slapping an opposite-field single in the gap. But Jeter got caught off the bag trying to steal, and the Yankees looked ready to repeat their gaffe-filled ways from earlier in the series (which, until yesterday's extra-innings Angels win, had yet to result in a New York loss).
But tonight's game turned out to be more like the New England Patriots' victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. After opening up with some terrible play (Yankees: the Jeter mishap, Swisher getting called out for not tagging up soon enough; Patriots: stalling in the red zone, missing a field goal), both teams went off and blew away their opponents. The Patriots won 59-0 behind six touchdowns from Tom Brady. The Yankees stacked it on until the night ended with a 10-1 score.
If there's a trademark to this Angels-Yankees series, it's that even when the Yankees hand it to the Angels, the Angels can't seem to take it, and then the Yankees decimate them. In the first two games, it was late-inning heroics. The Angels shed their demons in the 11th inning of last night's win only to invite them back today, letting the Yankees into their heads despite serious mental lapses by the Bombers (see Jeter, Derek; Swisher, Nick; and Posada, Jorge, which led to Cano, Robinson).
(Side note: There were some terrible calls by the umps this game, but at least they didn't affect the outcome.)
With the Angels not taking advantage of the Yankees' ineptness, they had no chance of stemming the tide that was the unstopable A-Rod and CC Sabathia.
Before A-Rod's big homer, the Yankees had scratched together three runs, but there was no astounding hitting. The real hero of the game so far had been Sabathia, who was being the ultimate team player as he pitched on three day's rest and kept his pitch count low to be able to stay in the game. In one inning, he had about a third of the number of pitches the Angels' starter, Scott Kazmir, had totaled, and the big horse lasted eight innings overall and was able to strike out five while allowing just five hits (the one run coming from a homer).
At this point, people start saying that the Yankees are winning because all their players get paid so much, but getting paid a lot is nothing until you produce. Ask A-Rod.
From 2004-2007, he had four home runs and nine RBI. This year alone, he has five home runs and 11 RBI. (And this is the first season his regular-season numbers weren't as hot...do you hear anyone whining about that?) Plus, there's those terrible numbers he's had in years past with runners in scoring position.
Sabathia has followed suit, minus the years of frustration A-Rod had. He may not always pitch pretty, but eight innings means valuable rest for the bullpen and no need for a run-around in trying to find a fourth man to pitch.
Once Sabathia started dominating the Angels bats, and Rodriguez began to light things up again, the rest of the Yankees followed. Johnny Damon bolstered his case to stay with the Yankees for another season with a two-run blast that put the game away. Melky Cabrera slapped in a couple runs in the ninth inning, after A-Rod teased Bobby's Abreu arm by tagging up on a flyout then scoring on the errant throw. (Want to know why New York didn't keep Abreu? Yeah, look at that arm. Swisher may strike out and look silly most days, but he can throw a ball.)
It was a definitive win by the Yankees, the ultimate yes-we-did victory that will give this team enough momentum to hopefully end the series Thursday or else close it out in front of a raucous New York City crowd.
Sabathia's win was his third of the postseason, which leads all playoff pitchers, and his ERA is now 1.19 after allowing just one run today.
Rodriguez and Cabrera both went 3-for-4, although Rodriguez's two RBI were bested by Cabrera's four. Jeter had two hits, Damon's home run was worth two RBI, and Cano added the final RBI for the Yankees, which got a hit from each member of the lineup sans Hideki Matsui (0-for-5) and Swisher (0-for-2).
Rodriguez and Posada (!!!) both had stolen bases.
Angel Stadium hosts Thursday's matchup, set for 7:57 p.m.
A.J. Burnett is expected to start for the Yankees, and John Lackey wil try to take the Yanks after losing Game 1.
Other Yankees Posts
But he has been accused of being an underachiever, a choke, a less-than-real Yankee.
That's why it was only fitting when A-Rod's fifth-inning home run to bury the Angels in a 5-0 hole also capped an incredible seven games of baseball, putting him in good company with a Yankee great.
Rodriguez's two-run shot made tonight's game the eighth game in a row (seven this postseason) with an RBI, a figure that ties Lou Gehrig for first place in playoff history.
Angel Stadium went silent after A-Rod's latest bomb, as this year's postseason leader for the Yankees led his pinstriped fellows into familiar territory: getting inside the Angels' heads.
The game started innocently enough, with Derek Jeter slapping an opposite-field single in the gap. But Jeter got caught off the bag trying to steal, and the Yankees looked ready to repeat their gaffe-filled ways from earlier in the series (which, until yesterday's extra-innings Angels win, had yet to result in a New York loss).
But tonight's game turned out to be more like the New England Patriots' victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. After opening up with some terrible play (Yankees: the Jeter mishap, Swisher getting called out for not tagging up soon enough; Patriots: stalling in the red zone, missing a field goal), both teams went off and blew away their opponents. The Patriots won 59-0 behind six touchdowns from Tom Brady. The Yankees stacked it on until the night ended with a 10-1 score.
If there's a trademark to this Angels-Yankees series, it's that even when the Yankees hand it to the Angels, the Angels can't seem to take it, and then the Yankees decimate them. In the first two games, it was late-inning heroics. The Angels shed their demons in the 11th inning of last night's win only to invite them back today, letting the Yankees into their heads despite serious mental lapses by the Bombers (see Jeter, Derek; Swisher, Nick; and Posada, Jorge, which led to Cano, Robinson).
(Side note: There were some terrible calls by the umps this game, but at least they didn't affect the outcome.)
With the Angels not taking advantage of the Yankees' ineptness, they had no chance of stemming the tide that was the unstopable A-Rod and CC Sabathia.
Before A-Rod's big homer, the Yankees had scratched together three runs, but there was no astounding hitting. The real hero of the game so far had been Sabathia, who was being the ultimate team player as he pitched on three day's rest and kept his pitch count low to be able to stay in the game. In one inning, he had about a third of the number of pitches the Angels' starter, Scott Kazmir, had totaled, and the big horse lasted eight innings overall and was able to strike out five while allowing just five hits (the one run coming from a homer).
At this point, people start saying that the Yankees are winning because all their players get paid so much, but getting paid a lot is nothing until you produce. Ask A-Rod.
From 2004-2007, he had four home runs and nine RBI. This year alone, he has five home runs and 11 RBI. (And this is the first season his regular-season numbers weren't as hot...do you hear anyone whining about that?) Plus, there's those terrible numbers he's had in years past with runners in scoring position.
Sabathia has followed suit, minus the years of frustration A-Rod had. He may not always pitch pretty, but eight innings means valuable rest for the bullpen and no need for a run-around in trying to find a fourth man to pitch.
Once Sabathia started dominating the Angels bats, and Rodriguez began to light things up again, the rest of the Yankees followed. Johnny Damon bolstered his case to stay with the Yankees for another season with a two-run blast that put the game away. Melky Cabrera slapped in a couple runs in the ninth inning, after A-Rod teased Bobby's Abreu arm by tagging up on a flyout then scoring on the errant throw. (Want to know why New York didn't keep Abreu? Yeah, look at that arm. Swisher may strike out and look silly most days, but he can throw a ball.)
It was a definitive win by the Yankees, the ultimate yes-we-did victory that will give this team enough momentum to hopefully end the series Thursday or else close it out in front of a raucous New York City crowd.
Sabathia's win was his third of the postseason, which leads all playoff pitchers, and his ERA is now 1.19 after allowing just one run today.
Rodriguez and Cabrera both went 3-for-4, although Rodriguez's two RBI were bested by Cabrera's four. Jeter had two hits, Damon's home run was worth two RBI, and Cano added the final RBI for the Yankees, which got a hit from each member of the lineup sans Hideki Matsui (0-for-5) and Swisher (0-for-2).
Rodriguez and Posada (!!!) both had stolen bases.
Angel Stadium hosts Thursday's matchup, set for 7:57 p.m.
A.J. Burnett is expected to start for the Yankees, and John Lackey wil try to take the Yanks after losing Game 1.
Other Yankees Posts
Slightly readable material
Due to the emotional state of the blogger, there will be no Yankees recap tonight. (They lost. Blast it.) But you can read this great high school football notebook.
10.19.2009
10.18.2009
"Classic," defined.
This kid has only been here since July, but Jerry Hairston Jr. knows what it means to be a 2009 Yankee: "We knew we were going to win this game."
Hairston was the baserunner for the Yanks in the bottom of the 13th, the random cog left from New York's postseason-shrunk roster who scored on a Melky Cabrera slapshot up the middle that the Angels bobbled. The Yankees won the second game of the American League Championship Series 4-3 but more importantly kept their hex over an Angels team that doesn't appear to be able to beat them, even with the game handed over on a silver platter.
Los Angeles left 28 men on base tonight, committed two errors and saw its everyone-hits-over-.300 lineup bat .170.
But the Angels faults were of secondary concern, for their failure was a reaction to the Yankees, who squandered most of the game until gutting out the win four innings past the end of regulation, in nasty conditions of heavy rain and whipping winds. New York had already committed three errors of its own, putting Angels on base with no outs due to walks, wild pitches, errors and muffed catches. Even the vaunted Yankees lineup left 20 men on base, with the 2009 Murderer's Row bleeting just .271 with hardly any runs to show for it.
The Angels left the door open, and the Yankees charged through. Pie in hands, ear-warmers in their pockets, Anaheim on their minds, New York took the contest by the neck once the game went to extra innings and produced what can be called nothing other than a fall classic.
It was a win so good you could barely touch it, with soaked fans in rally caps watching the new version of the New York Yankees sketch a picture-perfect win the same way Yankees teams have done in the postseason 26 times before.
Every New York starter had a hit in the marathon, sans Mark Teixeira (who was busy earning his paycheck by devouring every ball that came near first base). Robinson Cano, who appeared eager to become the team goat with two terrible errors, put the Yankees up early with an RBI triple.
Derek Jeter's solo home run gave New York a 2-0 edge before A.J. Burnett's wild throws let the Angels back into the game.
But New York's bullpen was phenomenal, and after Alex Rodriguez continued his postseason rampage with an equalizer in the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees calmly held on before squirting the winner across in the 13th, breaking the Angels' will.
Maicer Izturis lost the game for the Angels the same way the Pirates lose every season: trying to be the Yankees, when you really, really can't be. Izturis tried to throw across his body and get the runner on second, pulling a "Jeter" (the classic spin and throw move from the New York shortstop). Instead, he threw the ball, and the game, away.
Damon and Cabrera were the only Yankees with two hits. Jeter, Rodriguez and Cano had the three RBI (the final run scoring on an error).
Although his usual erratic self on the mound, Burnett threw some good stuff, too, picking up four strikeouts against only two walks in 6.1 innings of work.
Mariano Rivera worked a little longer than usual, logging 2.1 innings in the 13-inning contest.
The series now shifts to sunny California, with three games scheduled. Judging by the mood of the Yankees clubhouse, and all that shaving cream Burnett is stuffing in his duffel, though, the Angels' season could easily end in two.
Mrs. October? A tribute to the 2009 version of A-Rod
Photos from tonight's game
Other Yankees Posts
Hairston was the baserunner for the Yanks in the bottom of the 13th, the random cog left from New York's postseason-shrunk roster who scored on a Melky Cabrera slapshot up the middle that the Angels bobbled. The Yankees won the second game of the American League Championship Series 4-3 but more importantly kept their hex over an Angels team that doesn't appear to be able to beat them, even with the game handed over on a silver platter.
Los Angeles left 28 men on base tonight, committed two errors and saw its everyone-hits-over-.300 lineup bat .170.
But the Angels faults were of secondary concern, for their failure was a reaction to the Yankees, who squandered most of the game until gutting out the win four innings past the end of regulation, in nasty conditions of heavy rain and whipping winds. New York had already committed three errors of its own, putting Angels on base with no outs due to walks, wild pitches, errors and muffed catches. Even the vaunted Yankees lineup left 20 men on base, with the 2009 Murderer's Row bleeting just .271 with hardly any runs to show for it.
The Angels left the door open, and the Yankees charged through. Pie in hands, ear-warmers in their pockets, Anaheim on their minds, New York took the contest by the neck once the game went to extra innings and produced what can be called nothing other than a fall classic.
It was a win so good you could barely touch it, with soaked fans in rally caps watching the new version of the New York Yankees sketch a picture-perfect win the same way Yankees teams have done in the postseason 26 times before.
Every New York starter had a hit in the marathon, sans Mark Teixeira (who was busy earning his paycheck by devouring every ball that came near first base). Robinson Cano, who appeared eager to become the team goat with two terrible errors, put the Yankees up early with an RBI triple.
Derek Jeter's solo home run gave New York a 2-0 edge before A.J. Burnett's wild throws let the Angels back into the game.
But New York's bullpen was phenomenal, and after Alex Rodriguez continued his postseason rampage with an equalizer in the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees calmly held on before squirting the winner across in the 13th, breaking the Angels' will.
Maicer Izturis lost the game for the Angels the same way the Pirates lose every season: trying to be the Yankees, when you really, really can't be. Izturis tried to throw across his body and get the runner on second, pulling a "Jeter" (the classic spin and throw move from the New York shortstop). Instead, he threw the ball, and the game, away.
Damon and Cabrera were the only Yankees with two hits. Jeter, Rodriguez and Cano had the three RBI (the final run scoring on an error).
Although his usual erratic self on the mound, Burnett threw some good stuff, too, picking up four strikeouts against only two walks in 6.1 innings of work.
Mariano Rivera worked a little longer than usual, logging 2.1 innings in the 13-inning contest.
The series now shifts to sunny California, with three games scheduled. Judging by the mood of the Yankees clubhouse, and all that shaving cream Burnett is stuffing in his duffel, though, the Angels' season could easily end in two.
Mrs. October? A tribute to the 2009 version of A-Rod
Photos from tonight's game
Other Yankees Posts
Mrs. October? A tribute to the 2009 version of A-Rod
You want him to do it. He comes to the plate, and you say, "Come on, A-Rod. Over the fence."
And he does it, effortlessly. In his prettier-than-springtime swing, he sends the ball sailing out of the diamond. Left field, right field, deep, short — a homer's a homer, and Alex Rodriguez is hitting them whenever they're needed.
Rodriguez took the monkeys off his back last week as the Yankees steamrolled the Minnesota Twins behind half a dozen A-Rod RBI.
Tonight, he pulled the Yankees onto his back by keeping them in a game they blew numerous chances to win.
New York had been clipping along fine, with Robbie Cano smashing a triple to score a run, then Mr. Postseason hitting a homer (Derek Jeter, who is not much of a power hitter, smacks round-trippers in the postseason like a kid raiding the cookie jar once his parents have left the house).
But scattershot-throwing A.J. Burnett let the lead slip away. A walk and a wild pitch with hits interspersed vaporized the 2-0 New York edge.
Both teams hung tough and piled men on the bases. Both teams saw unusual errors fall from their usually golden gloves. Both teams also got gutsy pitching and good fielding to keep it all close.
At first base, Mark Teixeira showed he was worth every penny of his $172 million with play after play. Stretching, lunging, scooping — any ball tossed within 10 feet of the bag fell into Tex's mitt.
Johnny Damon made a great catch in left, and Yankees speedsters Freddy Guzman and Brett Gardner were available to spare the old legs.
But New York couldn't break the tie. And then Los Angeles went ahead by a run.
The Yankees have had 51 come-from-behind wins this year (out of 103 total wins) and 15 walkoff shots. Signs in the outfield seats read "WE WANT PIE" as the rain fell harder and Burnett, the team's resident walk-off baker, watched his squandered lead loom larger.
Enter A-Rod.
The cleanup batter was 0-for-4 so far in the game, the first game of this postseason he didn't have an RBI in yet.
But when Alex Rodriguez shows up in October, he really shows up. The 2009 A-Rod changes games, bails his team out, pierces the challengers to the heart.
A-Rod fell behind 0-2 in the count, but looking as calm as he has every other time he's altered a game in the past two weeks, he stepped back into the box for another pitch.
Connection. It's in the air, a line drive at least. It'll drop in right. No wait, it's carrying. It's carrying! It's in Bobby Abreu land (that's a good sign this won't be a catch).
It's gone. How on earth did he do that — again?
Bottom of the 11th, game tied, a few more scoreless frames to follow. (Including one where A-Rod fails to drive in a go-ahead run with the bases loaded; does he only work October magic when tying games?) I don't think there's anyone in New York, or the rest of baseball, doubting A-Rod anymore. Monkeys off the back, team on it.
I'm not ready to anoint him Mr. October — he still runs like a girl. Could this be Mrs. October?
Yankees 4, Angels 3 game recap
Other Yankees Post
And he does it, effortlessly. In his prettier-than-springtime swing, he sends the ball sailing out of the diamond. Left field, right field, deep, short — a homer's a homer, and Alex Rodriguez is hitting them whenever they're needed.
Rodriguez took the monkeys off his back last week as the Yankees steamrolled the Minnesota Twins behind half a dozen A-Rod RBI.
Tonight, he pulled the Yankees onto his back by keeping them in a game they blew numerous chances to win.
New York had been clipping along fine, with Robbie Cano smashing a triple to score a run, then Mr. Postseason hitting a homer (Derek Jeter, who is not much of a power hitter, smacks round-trippers in the postseason like a kid raiding the cookie jar once his parents have left the house).
But scattershot-throwing A.J. Burnett let the lead slip away. A walk and a wild pitch with hits interspersed vaporized the 2-0 New York edge.
Both teams hung tough and piled men on the bases. Both teams saw unusual errors fall from their usually golden gloves. Both teams also got gutsy pitching and good fielding to keep it all close.
At first base, Mark Teixeira showed he was worth every penny of his $172 million with play after play. Stretching, lunging, scooping — any ball tossed within 10 feet of the bag fell into Tex's mitt.
Johnny Damon made a great catch in left, and Yankees speedsters Freddy Guzman and Brett Gardner were available to spare the old legs.
But New York couldn't break the tie. And then Los Angeles went ahead by a run.
The Yankees have had 51 come-from-behind wins this year (out of 103 total wins) and 15 walkoff shots. Signs in the outfield seats read "WE WANT PIE" as the rain fell harder and Burnett, the team's resident walk-off baker, watched his squandered lead loom larger.
Enter A-Rod.
The cleanup batter was 0-for-4 so far in the game, the first game of this postseason he didn't have an RBI in yet.
But when Alex Rodriguez shows up in October, he really shows up. The 2009 A-Rod changes games, bails his team out, pierces the challengers to the heart.
A-Rod fell behind 0-2 in the count, but looking as calm as he has every other time he's altered a game in the past two weeks, he stepped back into the box for another pitch.
Connection. It's in the air, a line drive at least. It'll drop in right. No wait, it's carrying. It's carrying! It's in Bobby Abreu land (that's a good sign this won't be a catch).
It's gone. How on earth did he do that — again?
Bottom of the 11th, game tied, a few more scoreless frames to follow. (Including one where A-Rod fails to drive in a go-ahead run with the bases loaded; does he only work October magic when tying games?) I don't think there's anyone in New York, or the rest of baseball, doubting A-Rod anymore. Monkeys off the back, team on it.
I'm not ready to anoint him Mr. October — he still runs like a girl. Could this be Mrs. October?
Yankees 4, Angels 3 game recap
Other Yankees Post
10.16.2009
Yankees take the opener
CC Sabathia, the old workhorse, went eight innings and 113 pitchings in a game where the Yankees were clearly flummoxing the visiting Angels.
Countless dropped balls and missed opportunities led to L.A.'s demise while the steady puttering of the Yankees machine gave the home team the 4-1 victory edge.
In a game devoid of home runs, New York won it the old-fashioned way. Hideki Matsui went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI (that man's legs are truly old-fashioned), and Alex Rodriguez knocked in a run on 1-for-2 hitting.
Derek Jeter (RBI) and Johnny Damon went 2-for-5. Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira knocked in the other two hits.
Doubles by Matsui and Damon were the only extra-base hits.
Sabathia was the true star of the game, however, muscling his way through eight strong innings while only allowing four hits. He struck out seven and walked just one.
The Yankees also kept the speedy L.A. runners off the basepaths.
Tomorrow night the two teams play again in another 7:57 nightcap, with A.J. Burnett throwing to try to take the Yankees to Anaheim with a 2-0 edge.
The Yankees Not-So-Gaudy Playoff Statistics:
Alex Rodriguez: .462, 7 RBI, 2 HR
Derek Jeter: .400, 3 RBI
Hideki Matsui: .333, 4 RBI, HR
Jorge Posada: .286, 2 RBI, HR
Melky Cabrera: .214
Mark Teixeira: .188, game-winning HR
Johnny Damon: .176
Robinson Cano: .133
Nick Swisher: .125
CC Sabathia: 1.23 ERA, 15 Ks, 14.2 IP
A.J. Burnett: 1.50 ERA, 6 Ks, 6.0 IP
Andy Pettitte: 1.42 ERA, 7 Ks, 6.1 IP
Mariano Rivera: 0.00 ERA, 8 Ks, 3.2 IP
Other Yankees Posts
Countless dropped balls and missed opportunities led to L.A.'s demise while the steady puttering of the Yankees machine gave the home team the 4-1 victory edge.
In a game devoid of home runs, New York won it the old-fashioned way. Hideki Matsui went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI (that man's legs are truly old-fashioned), and Alex Rodriguez knocked in a run on 1-for-2 hitting.
Derek Jeter (RBI) and Johnny Damon went 2-for-5. Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira knocked in the other two hits.
Doubles by Matsui and Damon were the only extra-base hits.
Sabathia was the true star of the game, however, muscling his way through eight strong innings while only allowing four hits. He struck out seven and walked just one.
The Yankees also kept the speedy L.A. runners off the basepaths.
Tomorrow night the two teams play again in another 7:57 nightcap, with A.J. Burnett throwing to try to take the Yankees to Anaheim with a 2-0 edge.
The Yankees Not-So-Gaudy Playoff Statistics:
Alex Rodriguez: .462, 7 RBI, 2 HR
Derek Jeter: .400, 3 RBI
Hideki Matsui: .333, 4 RBI, HR
Jorge Posada: .286, 2 RBI, HR
Melky Cabrera: .214
Mark Teixeira: .188, game-winning HR
Johnny Damon: .176
Robinson Cano: .133
Nick Swisher: .125
CC Sabathia: 1.23 ERA, 15 Ks, 14.2 IP
A.J. Burnett: 1.50 ERA, 6 Ks, 6.0 IP
Andy Pettitte: 1.42 ERA, 7 Ks, 6.1 IP
Mariano Rivera: 0.00 ERA, 8 Ks, 3.2 IP
Other Yankees Posts
10.14.2009
Yankees Playoff Schedule
The Yankees playoff schedule for the American League Championship Series has been unveiled:
Friday, October 16: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Saturday, October 17: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Monday, October 19: Yankees at L.A. Angels 4:13 p.m. (FOX)
Tuesday, October 20: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, October 22: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)*
Saturday, October 24: L.A. Angels at Yankees 4:13 p.m. (FOX)*
Sunday, October 25: L.A. Angels at Yankees 8:20 p.m. (FOX)*
*only if needed
Friday, October 16: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Saturday, October 17: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Monday, October 19: Yankees at L.A. Angels 4:13 p.m. (FOX)
Tuesday, October 20: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, October 22: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)*
Saturday, October 24: L.A. Angels at Yankees 4:13 p.m. (FOX)*
Sunday, October 25: L.A. Angels at Yankees 8:20 p.m. (FOX)*
*only if needed
10.13.2009
High School Football Notebook
The latest high school football notebook revisits Brad Sidwell and the Franklin Panthers, who are off to a 5-0 start (3-0 Hockomock League) after topping perennial roadblocks Mansfield and Foxboro.
10.10.2009
Too chilly for baseball
The Phillies-Rockies game has been postponed because a cold front is apparently moving through Denver, bringing snow and 18-degree weather. My favorite part of the story? Colorado's manager knew it was a bit too cold to play baseball when his beagles didn't want to go out in the morning.
10.09.2009
Tex time
I've detailed the Yankees heroics up to the 10th inning, but it's what happened in the last two frames that decided the game, of course.Mark Teixeira hit the world's shortest walkoff home run, chipping a ball off the left field fence, to send the Yankees to a 4-3 win in the bottom of the 11th.
It was New York's 14th walkoff win of the year (several of which have been over the poor Twins), and A.J. Burnett rewarded it with another pie to the face.
(Burnett was actually the starting pitching tonight, too, in a great performance that disspelled questions about his recent performance. So it's nice that the pie-dishing was not his only exercise for the day.)
The after-game interview was so beautiful. Sure, everyone talks about team and blah blah, but to see A-Rod grinning from ear-to-ear and just loving that his team won was fantastic.
It almost didn't happen, of course. In the top of the 11th, the New York bullpen almost let it get away before some gutsy pitching worked the pinstripes out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam. After nabbing two Twinsies on first-pitch outs, Almost-the-Goat-Gardner snared a fly to give Teixeira his rip at tying the game.
Gardner? A goat? Yes, yes.
The fleet-footed center fielder came in the game in the bottom of the 10th after Jorge Posada showed his postseason magic with a broken-bat single to center.
(Underlying storyline: Posada had been left out of his starting pitcher role when manager Joe Girardi turned to Jose Molina instead since A.J. Burnett had pitched better when in tandem with him throughout the season. Posada was, of course, upset, especially since the not-getting-younger veteran has been working so hard to get back to the playoffs, not to mention working hard to be able to play at all. But Posada was able to be in just the position he wanted (a major contributor to the game) when he came in two-thirds of the way through the contest after Burnett was done. In the bottom of the 10th, with the game on the line, he got his postseason pressure chance and did exactly what he had to do.)
The commentator said Gardner had been running sprints in the batting cages under Yankee Stadium, but the way he moves, he probably didn't need a warmup. He took off during Derek Jeter's at-bat and easily made it to second, long ahead of an off-the-mark throw. Then, when Minnesota's star closer, Joe Nathan, inexplicably tried to hold him on second (yes, second), Gardner took third (but not before falling in his butt en route, which drew a grimace from Jeter, who was watching from the batter's box).It looked like that was it. Nathan's gaffe would decide the game, since Gardner was now on third with just one out.
Jeter was intentionally walked, and the reliable Johnny Damon came up, but then the stupidity came out.
The third base coach had Gardner running on contact, which wouldn't have been an issue except that Damon hit a pitch hard, in the air, that was snared for an out. A quick toss later, and the inning was over, with Gardner caught off the bag.
Who knows who made the decision to send Gardner, but it obviously was a very bad one.
Now, instead of the Yankees winning or at least still having a runner in scoring position, it was the 11th inning. That prospect looked even worse a few pitches later, when Minnesota loaded it with no outs.
But the Yankees came through, and in beautiful, Yankees-2009 fashion. Strong defense in the diamond, a good starting pitching effort, quality relief, timely hitting, and a couple bombs.
So good.
The only Yankees with more than a hit were Teixeira (RBI) and Rodriguez (3 RBI). Jeter, Robinson Cano and Posada each had the other hits.
Burnett worked six innings and struck out six while allowing only three hits and one run. Mariano Rivera had three strikeouts over his four outs, and Phil Hughes was let off the hook despite allowing two earned runs that put the Twins ahead.
The Yankees left nine men on base throughout the night, but that was nothing compared to the Twins, who stranded 26.
It's to the MetroDome for the third game. Andy Pettitte will throw for New York.
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Above: After Alex Rodriguez hit his game-tying, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, he simply turned to the home dugout and pumped his fist. He knew.
You SHOW them, A-Rod
The Patriot Ledger, 9:30 p.m. The Red Sox game starts in seven minutes, but all eyes here are on the New York-Minnesota game. It's the ninth inning, and it looks like the challengers are going to go away with a win on New York's turf.
The Twins were one of the few teams to get to Phil Hughes this year, tagging him for a couple runs to take a 3-1 lead.
But the Yankees got one last try, in the bottom of the ninth.
It's the chance every kid dreams about, and the Yankees' highest paid batters were there to take advantage of it, or to fail.
Mark Teixeira did his bit, with a strong single up the right side.
But all eyes were on the cleanup spot, for the second time that night.
Alex Rodriguez had already hit the equalizer in the sixth inning, raking another monkey off his back in the process, in the city of blinding lights that has no room for playoff error.
Now he was digging in again, with the Twins' star closer on the hill.
Man on base, no outs. Home run ties it.
It's not going to happen, right? That's what the Patriot Ledger newsroom was saying. That's what Red Sox Nation was saying, especially the millions of TV sets flicked on for the Sox-Angels game, due to start as soon as A-Rod would bounce into a double play and set up the Yankees defeat.
Rodriguez has never hit in October, and that's been the mantra of Yankees naysayers all the while. What else do they have to say? They can't decry the 103 wins, the nine dominating takedowns of the Sox this year, the withering pitching and loaded lineup in the Bronx. They have to pick on A-Rod, feast on A-Rod, call him A-Fraud, consider him A-Not.
This year's been different, with Rodriguez powering the team and not padding his stats. This October has been different, with Rodriguez actually hitting the ball when there's runners on base.
But no, it couldn't happen, not twice in a game. He tied it once; he can't be expected to do it again. Even a single would be a stretch for a guy who is this bad in October.
Twins' closer Joe Nathan tosses a ball. A-Rod waits and shifts, completely composed.
Is he screaming in his head? Does he know that he has to have this one? That one swing will get all those blasted fans and monkeys off his back for good?
"He's putting it over the fence," I tell the guy next to me. "He'll do it."
"I don't know," he answers, with the typical Red Sox shake of the head. "It's October."
"He tied the game before," I say. "He'll do it again. Home run."
Two balls later, then a strike.
"That was your pitch," I growl.
It was a nice toss, in around the belt where he can pull back and tee off. He's ahead in the count, though, so he had to take that one, and he'll get another.
Here comes the pitch. The most perfect swing in baseball. It's a hit. It's deep, so deep, so deep....
"I told you!"
I'm screaming and jumping as much as the lone Yankees fan, the lone girl, the employee who's only been at her job for two weeks, the interloper who hardly knows her co-workers names, can.
"I told you."
I'm grinning like crazy now, clutching my hands together in claps and holds that only hurt. A couple double-fist pumps, more smiling.
This game is tied, and A-Rod has done as I've said.
Yes, Yankees, yes. I'm going to go call my mother.
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The Twins were one of the few teams to get to Phil Hughes this year, tagging him for a couple runs to take a 3-1 lead.
But the Yankees got one last try, in the bottom of the ninth.
It's the chance every kid dreams about, and the Yankees' highest paid batters were there to take advantage of it, or to fail.
Mark Teixeira did his bit, with a strong single up the right side.
But all eyes were on the cleanup spot, for the second time that night.
Alex Rodriguez had already hit the equalizer in the sixth inning, raking another monkey off his back in the process, in the city of blinding lights that has no room for playoff error.
Now he was digging in again, with the Twins' star closer on the hill.
Man on base, no outs. Home run ties it.
It's not going to happen, right? That's what the Patriot Ledger newsroom was saying. That's what Red Sox Nation was saying, especially the millions of TV sets flicked on for the Sox-Angels game, due to start as soon as A-Rod would bounce into a double play and set up the Yankees defeat.
Rodriguez has never hit in October, and that's been the mantra of Yankees naysayers all the while. What else do they have to say? They can't decry the 103 wins, the nine dominating takedowns of the Sox this year, the withering pitching and loaded lineup in the Bronx. They have to pick on A-Rod, feast on A-Rod, call him A-Fraud, consider him A-Not.
This year's been different, with Rodriguez powering the team and not padding his stats. This October has been different, with Rodriguez actually hitting the ball when there's runners on base.
But no, it couldn't happen, not twice in a game. He tied it once; he can't be expected to do it again. Even a single would be a stretch for a guy who is this bad in October.
Twins' closer Joe Nathan tosses a ball. A-Rod waits and shifts, completely composed.
Is he screaming in his head? Does he know that he has to have this one? That one swing will get all those blasted fans and monkeys off his back for good?
"He's putting it over the fence," I tell the guy next to me. "He'll do it."
"I don't know," he answers, with the typical Red Sox shake of the head. "It's October."
"He tied the game before," I say. "He'll do it again. Home run."
Two balls later, then a strike.
"That was your pitch," I growl.
It was a nice toss, in around the belt where he can pull back and tee off. He's ahead in the count, though, so he had to take that one, and he'll get another.
Here comes the pitch. The most perfect swing in baseball. It's a hit. It's deep, so deep, so deep....
"I told you!"
I'm screaming and jumping as much as the lone Yankees fan, the lone girl, the employee who's only been at her job for two weeks, the interloper who hardly knows her co-workers names, can.
"I told you."
I'm grinning like crazy now, clutching my hands together in claps and holds that only hurt. A couple double-fist pumps, more smiling.
This game is tied, and A-Rod has done as I've said.
Yes, Yankees, yes. I'm going to go call my mother.
Other Yankees Posts
AAAAAA-Rod!
In the sixth, with the Yankees up for their licks in the bottom of the inning after breaking up a Minnesota no-hitter one frame before (thanks, Robbie Cano), the game went like the front office planned it when they snatched Johnny Damon and Alex Rodriguez half a decade ago.
Yankee captain Derek Jeter did his usual job, getting on base with a double. Then Damon drew a walk. Mark Teixeira, this year's big-name addition, pounded a big hit down the right field line only to see it skew foul before flying out.
Alex Rodriguez.
It's a name hated by baseball for the pompous salary it gathers, a name hated by New York fans for the ineptitude it represents when in the batter's box with runners in scoring position in a playoff game. It's a name the front office expected to come up big on the way to championship No. 27, only to see it go 0-for-30 with runners in scoring position in the playoffs.
When Rodriguez drilled a couple hits, with 2 RBI included, on Wednesday night, everyone shrugged and said he was lucky. This is the man that freezes once October brings the cold playoff air.
But this year's A-Rod has been different, as I've said so many times before. And just days after showing his October spirit with a seven-RBI, two-homer performance to close the season, and then his first playoff RBIs since 2004, he came through again tonight.
With two outs and a 1-0 count, all eyes were on A-Rod as he lopped a pitch through short to send Jeter scurrying home, tying the game at 1.
The seventh inning's starting. I don't think we have to worry about the the No. 4 spot coming up with the game on the line anymore.
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Yankee captain Derek Jeter did his usual job, getting on base with a double. Then Damon drew a walk. Mark Teixeira, this year's big-name addition, pounded a big hit down the right field line only to see it skew foul before flying out.
Alex Rodriguez.
It's a name hated by baseball for the pompous salary it gathers, a name hated by New York fans for the ineptitude it represents when in the batter's box with runners in scoring position in a playoff game. It's a name the front office expected to come up big on the way to championship No. 27, only to see it go 0-for-30 with runners in scoring position in the playoffs.
When Rodriguez drilled a couple hits, with 2 RBI included, on Wednesday night, everyone shrugged and said he was lucky. This is the man that freezes once October brings the cold playoff air.
But this year's A-Rod has been different, as I've said so many times before. And just days after showing his October spirit with a seven-RBI, two-homer performance to close the season, and then his first playoff RBIs since 2004, he came through again tonight.
With two outs and a 1-0 count, all eyes were on A-Rod as he lopped a pitch through short to send Jeter scurrying home, tying the game at 1.
The seventh inning's starting. I don't think we have to worry about the the No. 4 spot coming up with the game on the line anymore.
Other Yankees Posts
10.08.2009
In the Boston Globe
The Globe copy editors did a number on me, but it's still a byline: Jen Slothower, correspondent to the Boston Globe, reporting on Duxbury-Hanover.
10.07.2009
Yankees lead series 1-0
After falling behind 2-0 in the third, the Yankees roared back to calm all doubts and snatch the opening game of their American League Division Series against the Minnesota Twins 7-2.
CC Sabathia pitched six-and-two-thirds innings for New York, striking out eight and allowing just two runs. Phil Hughes, Phil Coke and Joba Chamberlain came in for scoreless relief before Mariano Rivera gave a little scare in the ninth. He struck out two then let runners get to second and third before inducing a grounder to second.
Derek Jeter drilled a single in his first at-bat then put the ball over the fence in his second for a two-run home run, leaving him 2-for-2 on the day with three runs and two walks.
Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with two RBI. He had been 0-for-29 with runners in scoring position dating back to 2004.
Every New York starter, except Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano, had a hit in the contest, with Nick Swisher adding an RBI on a fourth-inning go-ahead double and Hideki Matsui knocking in two runs on a home run.
New York and Minnesota face each other again on Friday at 6:07 p.m. on TBS.
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CC Sabathia pitched six-and-two-thirds innings for New York, striking out eight and allowing just two runs. Phil Hughes, Phil Coke and Joba Chamberlain came in for scoreless relief before Mariano Rivera gave a little scare in the ninth. He struck out two then let runners get to second and third before inducing a grounder to second.
Derek Jeter drilled a single in his first at-bat then put the ball over the fence in his second for a two-run home run, leaving him 2-for-2 on the day with three runs and two walks.
Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with two RBI. He had been 0-for-29 with runners in scoring position dating back to 2004.
Every New York starter, except Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano, had a hit in the contest, with Nick Swisher adding an RBI on a fourth-inning go-ahead double and Hideki Matsui knocking in two runs on a home run.
New York and Minnesota face each other again on Friday at 6:07 p.m. on TBS.
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The New York way
2-0, third inning.
The Yankees are sinking, and sinking fast. CC Sabathia is breaking down in the playoffs once again; A-Rod won't be getting a hit tonight; Derek Jeter is too old for playoff heroics. The tired Twinsies have already gotten themselves on the board, and they're in for the long haul. Game over, sweep's up; Minnesota's in the American League Championship Series.
At about 6:30 tonight, that was the word on the street (especially at the Boston Globe sports desk, where I have the pleasure of watching tonight's game). Everyone was saying, "Wouldn't it be great if the Twins swept the Yankees? A-Rod's gonna choke again tonight."
Bite your tongue, kids, because it's the bottom of the eighth, and New York is up 7-2.
Old man Jeter is for 2-for-2, with a single to lead off the series and a two-run homer to even it up. Sabathia got over the two-run bump in the third and whiffed eight batters, going deep into the seventh inning. And Alex Not-In-The-Clutch Rodriguez is a crazy-.500 2-for-4 with two big runs batted in.
In fact, every Yankee batter except million-dollar-man Mark Texeira and phenom Robinson Cano have notched hits tonight. Phil Hughes, Phil Coke and Joba Chamberlain have combined to keep Minnesota off the board since.
Needless to say, reports of the Yankees' death are highly exaggerated.
Other Yankees Posts
The Yankees are sinking, and sinking fast. CC Sabathia is breaking down in the playoffs once again; A-Rod won't be getting a hit tonight; Derek Jeter is too old for playoff heroics. The tired Twinsies have already gotten themselves on the board, and they're in for the long haul. Game over, sweep's up; Minnesota's in the American League Championship Series.
At about 6:30 tonight, that was the word on the street (especially at the Boston Globe sports desk, where I have the pleasure of watching tonight's game). Everyone was saying, "Wouldn't it be great if the Twins swept the Yankees? A-Rod's gonna choke again tonight."
Bite your tongue, kids, because it's the bottom of the eighth, and New York is up 7-2.
Old man Jeter is for 2-for-2, with a single to lead off the series and a two-run homer to even it up. Sabathia got over the two-run bump in the third and whiffed eight batters, going deep into the seventh inning. And Alex Not-In-The-Clutch Rodriguez is a crazy-.500 2-for-4 with two big runs batted in.
In fact, every Yankee batter except million-dollar-man Mark Texeira and phenom Robinson Cano have notched hits tonight. Phil Hughes, Phil Coke and Joba Chamberlain have combined to keep Minnesota off the board since.
Needless to say, reports of the Yankees' death are highly exaggerated.
Other Yankees Posts
NYY End-of-Year Statistics
This is the Yankees' statistics as of the last regular-season game. I'll be keeping their playoff statistics up-to-date on the right side of the page as the American League Division Series continues.
American League East standings
New York Yankees...103-59*
Boston Red Sox...94-67
Tampa Bay Rays...84-78
Toronto Blue Jays...75-87
Baltimore Orioles...64-98
*best record in Major League Baseball
Top New York batters
Batting leaders: Derek Jeter (.334), Robinson Cano (.320),
Mark Teixeira (.292)
RBI leaders: Teixeira (122)*, Alex Rodriguez (100), Hideki Matsui (90)
Home Run leaders: Teixeira (39)*, Rodriguez (30), Nick Swisher (29)
Stolen bases: Jeter (30), Brett Gardner (26)
*American League Leader
Top New York starting pitchers
ERA: CC Sabathia (3.37), A.J. Burnett (4.04), Andy Pettitte (4.16)
Wins-Losses: Sabathia (19-8)*, Pettitte (14-8), Burnett (13-9)
Ks: Sabathia (197), Burnett (195), Pettitte (148)
*Major League Baseball leader
Top New York relievers
Mariano Rivera: 44 saves (46 chances), 3-2, 1.76 ERA
Alfredo Aceves: 10-1, 3.54 ERA
Phil Hughes: 8-3, 3.03 ERA
David Robertson: 2-1, 3.30 ERA
Brian Bruney: 5-0
Full Stats
Full Schedule
Yankees.com
American League East standings
New York Yankees...103-59*
Boston Red Sox...94-67
Tampa Bay Rays...84-78
Toronto Blue Jays...75-87
Baltimore Orioles...64-98
*best record in Major League Baseball
Top New York batters
Batting leaders: Derek Jeter (.334), Robinson Cano (.320),
Mark Teixeira (.292)
RBI leaders: Teixeira (122)*, Alex Rodriguez (100), Hideki Matsui (90)
Home Run leaders: Teixeira (39)*, Rodriguez (30), Nick Swisher (29)
Stolen bases: Jeter (30), Brett Gardner (26)
*American League Leader
Top New York starting pitchers
ERA: CC Sabathia (3.37), A.J. Burnett (4.04), Andy Pettitte (4.16)
Wins-Losses: Sabathia (19-8)*, Pettitte (14-8), Burnett (13-9)
Ks: Sabathia (197), Burnett (195), Pettitte (148)
*Major League Baseball leader
Top New York relievers
Mariano Rivera: 44 saves (46 chances), 3-2, 1.76 ERA
Alfredo Aceves: 10-1, 3.54 ERA
Phil Hughes: 8-3, 3.03 ERA
David Robertson: 2-1, 3.30 ERA
Brian Bruney: 5-0
Full Stats
Full Schedule
Yankees.com
10.06.2009
Yankees-Twinsies, tomorrow at 6
The Yankees will play the Minnesota Twins Wednesday at 6:07 (on TBS) in the first game of the American League Championship Series. New York is expected to start CC Sabathia. The Red Sox play the Angels on Thursday.
High School Football Notebook
The latest high school football notebook. This week, a coach's three-year plan, and quarterback who found out it was better when he ran for 200 yards than when he threw interceptions.
10.04.2009
Classic Patriots
Today was a classic Patriots win, with a 2009 sheen on it.
Tom Brady evaded the pass rush, threw tight spirals and even went for a couple water buffalo quarterback sneaks as the Patriots marched past the Ravens 27-21 behind a balanced attack on both sides of the ball.
New England used every roster spot to pull off the win, from the tight ends and wide receivers making key catches, to the defensive backs disrupting pass after pass, to even the kick holder throwing the ball once (although the play didn't factor much into the win).
The Patriots' young, fast defense looked like it really hit its stride today, with the 21 points it gave up really not an issue considering how the unit held its own against a great Ravens offense. The defense shut down several drives on third down and stopped Baltimore in the red zone on fourth down with 30 seconds left to seal the game. Individual players also came up big, with sacks, deflections and a great interception by Leigh Bodden marking the day.
Mike Wright had two big sacks, and Shawn Springs led the team in tackles with seven. Brandon McGowan and Gary Guyton both had five tackles.
On the offensive side of the ball, Brady was 21-for-32 for 258 yards and a touchdown. Those aren't 2007-esque numbers, but considering how Brady was spraying the ball all over the field just a couple weeks ago, the numbers don't tell the real story: Brady is in his groove and on rhythm, and he had complete control of the game today.
Brady also used his legs, rushing for an early touchdown. He had 11 yards on the ground on a day when the Patriots' ground attack was useful but not overpowering (25 yards for Fred Taylor, 22 for Kevin Faulk, 21 for Sammy Morris).
Randy Moss reeled in his first touchdown catch of the season on the prettiest play of the game. He ended up with three catches for 50 yards, second-highest on the team behind Benjamin Watson, who got 51 yards on two catches. Seven other players made receptions, including Wes Welker, who came back after two weeks off with an injury to catch six balls for 48 yards.
The Patriots travel to Denver to play the Broncos next Sunday, at 4:15.
Other Patriots Posts
Tom Brady evaded the pass rush, threw tight spirals and even went for a couple water buffalo quarterback sneaks as the Patriots marched past the Ravens 27-21 behind a balanced attack on both sides of the ball.
New England used every roster spot to pull off the win, from the tight ends and wide receivers making key catches, to the defensive backs disrupting pass after pass, to even the kick holder throwing the ball once (although the play didn't factor much into the win).
The Patriots' young, fast defense looked like it really hit its stride today, with the 21 points it gave up really not an issue considering how the unit held its own against a great Ravens offense. The defense shut down several drives on third down and stopped Baltimore in the red zone on fourth down with 30 seconds left to seal the game. Individual players also came up big, with sacks, deflections and a great interception by Leigh Bodden marking the day.
Mike Wright had two big sacks, and Shawn Springs led the team in tackles with seven. Brandon McGowan and Gary Guyton both had five tackles.
On the offensive side of the ball, Brady was 21-for-32 for 258 yards and a touchdown. Those aren't 2007-esque numbers, but considering how Brady was spraying the ball all over the field just a couple weeks ago, the numbers don't tell the real story: Brady is in his groove and on rhythm, and he had complete control of the game today.
Brady also used his legs, rushing for an early touchdown. He had 11 yards on the ground on a day when the Patriots' ground attack was useful but not overpowering (25 yards for Fred Taylor, 22 for Kevin Faulk, 21 for Sammy Morris).
Randy Moss reeled in his first touchdown catch of the season on the prettiest play of the game. He ended up with three catches for 50 yards, second-highest on the team behind Benjamin Watson, who got 51 yards on two catches. Seven other players made receptions, including Wes Welker, who came back after two weeks off with an injury to catch six balls for 48 yards.
The Patriots travel to Denver to play the Broncos next Sunday, at 4:15.
Other Patriots Posts
A new Mr. October?
Alex Rodriguez is known for being terrible in October, the time of the postseason, but today he showed once again that this season may be different.
With the Yankees trailing 2-0 to the Rays in the last game of the regular season, A-Rod launched a three-run homer. Then, when the Yankees batted around, he hit a grand slam. 1 inning. 2 at-bats. 2 home runs. 7 RBI. 30 homers, 100 RBI for the season.
Let's hope he keeps this up once the playoffs start.
The Yankees are waiting for either the Minnesota Twins or Detroit Tigers to win today, with the winner being New York's first-round opponent for the coming week.
With the 10-2 win over the Rays (10 runs in the sixth inning), the Yankees showed that they're not looking too far ahead. A.J. Burnett recorded the win.
Other Yankees Posts
With the Yankees trailing 2-0 to the Rays in the last game of the regular season, A-Rod launched a three-run homer. Then, when the Yankees batted around, he hit a grand slam. 1 inning. 2 at-bats. 2 home runs. 7 RBI. 30 homers, 100 RBI for the season.
Let's hope he keeps this up once the playoffs start.
The Yankees are waiting for either the Minnesota Twins or Detroit Tigers to win today, with the winner being New York's first-round opponent for the coming week.
With the 10-2 win over the Rays (10 runs in the sixth inning), the Yankees showed that they're not looking too far ahead. A.J. Burnett recorded the win.
Other Yankees Posts
10.02.2009
New York, New York
This week's New York magazine has a lot of great content, including a page chronicling the Yankees' pie-in-the-face walkoff hits this year. (Nice picture of Nick Swisher covered in pie; not available online.)
Also, there's an interesting piece on how Michael Moore's latest documentary makes him look like a Bible thumper, which no one would have expected yet is a surprisingly accurate connection.
My favorite piece, though, was this article on how much Eli Manning makes, and not just because it's frank about him not being worth the biggest quarterback salary in the NFL. This is the most entertaining, enlightening piece I've ever read on sports salaries, and it's not from a sports magazine, Web site, or newspaper. It's full of information that all sports fans should know, which may be why it hasn't been covered so well. But if sports writers would write about complex issues such as salaries in such a quick, easy way, it would make a great article (they could do it in so many ways, too: breaking down the highest-paid player per team, guaranteed money per team, etc.). This is the kind of article casual sports fans love to read, because they would never want to admit they don't know a lot about salaries and such, yet they would love to know more (without others knowing they didn't know) and find out in such a fun way.
Oh, and it looks like Eli Manning is wearing makeup in that photo.
Finally, the Carrie Fisher profile this week was superb. I've read quite a few profiles on her ever since her play, "Wishful Drinking," came out, which is why I may have like it so much from the start, but the writer does a really good job of capturing a much-caricatured person in an easy, entertaining, and enlightening way. Warning, though: If you know nothing about Fisher, her life is sort of a mess.
Also, there's an interesting piece on how Michael Moore's latest documentary makes him look like a Bible thumper, which no one would have expected yet is a surprisingly accurate connection.
My favorite piece, though, was this article on how much Eli Manning makes, and not just because it's frank about him not being worth the biggest quarterback salary in the NFL. This is the most entertaining, enlightening piece I've ever read on sports salaries, and it's not from a sports magazine, Web site, or newspaper. It's full of information that all sports fans should know, which may be why it hasn't been covered so well. But if sports writers would write about complex issues such as salaries in such a quick, easy way, it would make a great article (they could do it in so many ways, too: breaking down the highest-paid player per team, guaranteed money per team, etc.). This is the kind of article casual sports fans love to read, because they would never want to admit they don't know a lot about salaries and such, yet they would love to know more (without others knowing they didn't know) and find out in such a fun way.
Oh, and it looks like Eli Manning is wearing makeup in that photo.
Finally, the Carrie Fisher profile this week was superb. I've read quite a few profiles on her ever since her play, "Wishful Drinking," came out, which is why I may have like it so much from the start, but the writer does a really good job of capturing a much-caricatured person in an easy, entertaining, and enlightening way. Warning, though: If you know nothing about Fisher, her life is sort of a mess.
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