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
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Showing posts with label minnesota twins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label minnesota twins. Show all posts
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.
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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.
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10.07.2009
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.
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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.
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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.
10.04.2009
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.
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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.
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9.23.2009
Yankees in playoffs, take series from Angels
The Yankees edged into the playoffs yesterday when Texas lost, then topped the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on the fast feet of Brett Gardner, who ran home on an Alex Rodriguez sacrifice fly.
Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
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Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
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7.08.2009
Yankees hit 50 wins
The Yankees won their 50th game of the season tonight, pulling out a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
A.J. Burnett continued his solid pitching, allowing only two runs over his six and one-third innings. Mariano Rivera notched his 22nd save, out of 23 chances.
Brett Gardner singled in two runs, and Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher (both 1-for-4, 1 RBI), Derek Jeter (2-for-5) and Jorge Posada (2-for-3) helped the Yankees at the plate.
Tomorrow night the Yankees close out their series in Minnesota, going for their second sweep of the Twins this year, before flying to Los Angeles to face the American League West-leading Angels (46-36) on Friday.
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A.J. Burnett continued his solid pitching, allowing only two runs over his six and one-third innings. Mariano Rivera notched his 22nd save, out of 23 chances.
Brett Gardner singled in two runs, and Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher (both 1-for-4, 1 RBI), Derek Jeter (2-for-5) and Jorge Posada (2-for-3) helped the Yankees at the plate.
Tomorrow night the Yankees close out their series in Minnesota, going for their second sweep of the Twins this year, before flying to Los Angeles to face the American League West-leading Angels (46-36) on Friday.
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7.07.2009
HR-less win shows Yankees' balance
The Yankees topped the Twins 10-2 tonight with nary a homer, once again showing New York's ability to win with a balanced attack.
Ace CC Sabathia led the defense, allowing only one run over seven innings (with just three Ks), and every Yankees starter had a hit. Over the night, the Bombers patched together 16 hits, including a 4-for-6 night by Mark Teixeira and a triple-led 3-for-5 round by Brett Gardner.
The famed Minnesota onslaught, meanwhile, saw sluggers Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer both go 0-for-3.
On the season, the Yankees aren't really stacking the statistics categories, either. Mariano Rivera's 21 saves are third in the American League, and Teixeira's 20 homers and 62 RBIs are in the top five, but no other Yankees are leading in major statistical categories.
Instead, the team is using a balanced attack. In my tally of the top three Yankees in batting average, homers, and RBIs, I have seven different guys sharing the honors. The four starting pitchers that have been tossing regularly for the Yankees have virtually the same ERAs and win-loss totals. And when players hit the DL or take a night off, the bench players (such as catcher Francisco Cervelli) are hitting, too.
The Yanks were 17-17 when they came into their last series against the Twins, a four-gamer that they swept en route to their current 49-34 record. They needed a few walk-offs in that series; I'm not sure they'll need any this time.
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Ace CC Sabathia led the defense, allowing only one run over seven innings (with just three Ks), and every Yankees starter had a hit. Over the night, the Bombers patched together 16 hits, including a 4-for-6 night by Mark Teixeira and a triple-led 3-for-5 round by Brett Gardner.
The famed Minnesota onslaught, meanwhile, saw sluggers Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer both go 0-for-3.
On the season, the Yankees aren't really stacking the statistics categories, either. Mariano Rivera's 21 saves are third in the American League, and Teixeira's 20 homers and 62 RBIs are in the top five, but no other Yankees are leading in major statistical categories.
Instead, the team is using a balanced attack. In my tally of the top three Yankees in batting average, homers, and RBIs, I have seven different guys sharing the honors. The four starting pitchers that have been tossing regularly for the Yankees have virtually the same ERAs and win-loss totals. And when players hit the DL or take a night off, the bench players (such as catcher Francisco Cervelli) are hitting, too.
The Yanks were 17-17 when they came into their last series against the Twins, a four-gamer that they swept en route to their current 49-34 record. They needed a few walk-offs in that series; I'm not sure they'll need any this time.
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Swish and a bang
The Yankees are off to another hot start, prompting me out of my July 4th blogging hiatus to find something new to say about my favorite yo-yoing New Yorkers.
First, a few observations: Whenever I'm working on the sports desk at my illustrious intern position at the MetroWest Daily News, the Red Sox always seem to be winning. A lot. Argh.
Second, although I am a fan who generally trusts management decisions for my favorite teams, the Yankees have started to irk me lately, especially with the choice of the final starter (with Chien-Ming Wang out) and the eighth-inning setup man. Today, the Yanks announced they were starting top-notch receiver Alfredo Aceves in place of Wang, even though Phil Hughes has done a great job in the starting role earlier this season. (Hughes may be a little rusty, but don't tell me never-started Aceves isn't.)
And finally, the reason for my swish-and-bang headline: The Yankees are currently winning 5-1, and I am quite pleased. Nick Swisher scared the Twinsies into walking him, forcing a run, and every member of the Yankees has a hit so far through five innings (except, alas, Alex Rodriguez).
New York is just a game back of the Red Sox, and the Bombers hold down the second-best record in the American League (third-best in MLB).
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First, a few observations: Whenever I'm working on the sports desk at my illustrious intern position at the MetroWest Daily News, the Red Sox always seem to be winning. A lot. Argh.
Second, although I am a fan who generally trusts management decisions for my favorite teams, the Yankees have started to irk me lately, especially with the choice of the final starter (with Chien-Ming Wang out) and the eighth-inning setup man. Today, the Yanks announced they were starting top-notch receiver Alfredo Aceves in place of Wang, even though Phil Hughes has done a great job in the starting role earlier this season. (Hughes may be a little rusty, but don't tell me never-started Aceves isn't.)
And finally, the reason for my swish-and-bang headline: The Yankees are currently winning 5-1, and I am quite pleased. Nick Swisher scared the Twinsies into walking him, forcing a run, and every member of the Yankees has a hit so far through five innings (except, alas, Alex Rodriguez).
New York is just a game back of the Red Sox, and the Bombers hold down the second-best record in the American League (third-best in MLB).
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5.17.2009
Go! Go, Johnny, go go go!
Johnny Damon's walkoff home run to lead the Yankees past the Twins 3-2 in the bottom of the 10th today was the Yankees' third walkoff win in a row (the most since 1972) and their fifth win in a row. Whether the tear will continue or not, I won't predict, but at least there's excitement at Yankee Stadium. You could hear the crowd today, and even Damon's playing like he doesn't want his curse on the team to be true. He leads the team in batting average (.324), RBIs (26) and home runs (10).
5.16.2009
A-Rod? In the clutch? No way.
Yes, it was Alex Rodriguez who smashed the game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the eleventh to give the Yankees the 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins Saturday afternoon.
Let's hope this is the beginning of the new-and-improved A-Rod showing up in the clutch.
By the way, this is the fourth in the row for the Yankees.
Let's hope this is the beginning of the new-and-improved A-Rod showing up in the clutch.
By the way, this is the fourth in the row for the Yankees.
Another W for NY
The Yankees came back late again, topping the Twins 5-4. This is the kind of team they need to be if they're going to make any sort of run. Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner have fueled each other, "competing" for the same spot (they'll be on the field together if they continue to play well). Starting pitcher Phil Hughes didn't start, but he had an average outing, enough to let the bats win the game.
If manager Joe Girardi can continue to tap into the style of play the Yankees have right now (including some feistiness from Johnny Damon, who got tossed after getting fired up over some strikes-and-balls at home plate), New York can start nabbing two of three and even go on a run.
If manager Joe Girardi can continue to tap into the style of play the Yankees have right now (including some feistiness from Johnny Damon, who got tossed after getting fired up over some strikes-and-balls at home plate), New York can start nabbing two of three and even go on a run.
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