Yanks-Rays thoughts

Went to the Yanks’ 8-6 win over the Rays last night, a game that from start to finish (and even before it started) is best described as bizarre. With that in mind, a few thoughts, rated on a scale of one to five Alvin Greene howls (and trust me, that defines bizarre).

--Before the game, the Yankees honored George Steinbrenner with a video tribute, a parade of past Yankee greats and a staggeringly colossal plaque in Monument Park. I mean, this thing is huge. It’s seven feet by five feet. 7x5! Not only was the gargantuan monument an a propos tribute to a man who loomed large over all things pinstripes, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Steinbrenner hadn’t ordered the monument to be built in his honor after he died. It’d be a typical Boss move.

Anyway, my dad had the best idea for how best to utilize George’s giant head, which is so visible from home plate that it has to be obscured by a curtain to avoid distracting hitters. Pops suggested that at a critical moment in, say, a playoff game, the plaque is unveiled while the opposing team is batting. Gorgeous George writ large = called strike three. (FOUR HOWLS)

--Among the luminaries who came to pay tribute were Joe Torre and Don Mattingly, neither of whom had been at either Yankee Stadium since they went to the Dodgers after the 2007 season. Since then, Mattingly has waited patiently and will take over as L.A.’s manager next season. As for Torre, he reportedly engaged in a painfully awkward moment with GM Brian Cashman as the cameras rolled. Memo to ESPN and everyone else who said the two ‘settled their differences’: That was not a reconciliation. That was a momentary détente so the media would shut up about their non-story of a feud. (ONE HOWL)

--Ivan Nova deserved the win. He also deserves to be on the playoff roster. Unless of course you think the team should carry only 10 pitchers or Chad Gaudin. (ONE HOWL)

--What a great night for Curtis Granderson. Two towering home runs, five RBIs, and a late-inning stolen base to boot. His second home run (which proved to be the game-winner) bounced high off the right-field foul pole, a sight I’ve never witnessed live. It really is a beautiful thing to witness. (TWO HOWLS)

--I’m not even sure where to begin a discussion of Joe Girardi’s game management last night. So I’m just going to go batter by batter in the disastrous sixth inning, which began with the Yankees up 4-0.

Jason Bartlett singles to left. The Yankees had just scored two and stranded three in the bottom of the fifth. So Nova, who’s got good stuff but is still just a kid, was almost certainly going to be rusty after cooling his heels during the long half inning. But no one’s warming in the bullpen. Again, let me say NOVA IS JUST A KID

John Jaso walks on five pitches. And the one strike came on 3-0. Nova is obviously rattled. I mean, a small child can see this. And yet the bullpen is still empty. No one is even warming up! At this point, I had begun muttering.

Ben Zobrist singles to right. Bases loaded, no one out. Boone Logan is finally warming in the ‘pen, but not quickly enough to save poor Nova, who undoubtedly remembers his last start against Tampa, when he came unglued in the fifth inning and blew a 6-0 lead. At this point a farm animal would signaled for Logan with its hoof or other relevant appendage. But incredibly, Girardi stays put.

Carl Crawford reaches on catcher’s interference. Admittedly, not Nova’s fault—chalk it up to Francisco Cervelli being a moron. But if Nova wasn’t rattled before, he certainly is now. I may or may not have been hurling obscenities around this time.

Evan Longoria grounds into double play. Run scored, and now it’s 4-2. Only now does Girardi rescue Nova, who exits to a well-deserved ovation. It’s Boone Logan time.

Dan Johnson singles to right. Now it’s 4-3, and we can see a righty warming up in the bullpen. Is it Joba? David Robertson? Kerry Wood?

Matt Joyce walks on five pitches. Wait…it can’t be…that’s Gaudin warming up. NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carlos Pena reaches on infield single. Really bad luck. Especially since it prompts Girardi to signal for Gaudin. God help us.

B.J. Upton walks on five pitches. A bases loaded walk. Tie game. Unbelievable, if not at all shocking.

Jason Bartlett flies out to left. After working the count to 3-2 and nearly causing me to swallow my tongue. Inning over. Finally.


Nova should have been a supertight leash in the sixth. A young pitcher who’s cruising along is far more likely to get cold after a long sit on the bench. Girardi managed Nova like he was fricking C.C. Sabathia. Guess what, Joe? HE’S JUST A DAMN KID!!!!!

And once Logan had failed to get out of the inning, how in God’s name can you go to Chad Gaudin?? That guy should only be pitching if it’s the 20th inning or we’re at least 10 runs up or down. The obvious answer is that Girardi didn’t want to burn any of his three real setup guys in the sixth. And that’s fine—if it were mid-May. But it’s not, Joe. It’s mid-September and we’re a half game ahead of these guys and if you or anyone else thinks we’re winning the World Series as a wild card, I have a Ponzi scheme to sell you. Terrible managing, all the way ‘round. (FIVE HOWLS)

--Girardi got a measure of redemption with a slick hit-and-run call in the bottom of the inning. Cervelli slapped a ball right where the shortstop would’ve been, Brett Gardner went to third, and the big inning was on. Good call. Perfect execution.

--And finally, home plate umpire Tim Mcclenland may or may not have been in the Twilight Zone the entire game. In brief, he squeezed both teams’ pitchers indiscriminately, got all macho and barked at Kerry Wood for staring too long at him, punched out A-Rod on a pitch that was no fewer than three inches inside and finished the night off by squeezing Mariano Rivera, of all people. Just as long as he's not screwing up the ALCS, I guess. (FIVE HOWLS)