(Photo: Getty)
So another Yankees/Red Sox Series has come and gone and it seems the Sox had the Yanks number. While the results weren’t what the Yankees were hoping for, at least it was entertaining. The Yankees came into the series having won 7 in a row and Boston was reeling. In the end, Boston took a 2-1 series win and improved to 10-2 against the Yanks this
season.
After Friday, nobody would have predicted that. The Yanks pulled out a 3-2 victory even with a sub-par performance by Bartolo Colon. MSG and 1050 ESPN personality Bill Daughtry was quick to point out that the Mets R.A. Dickey pitched a better game in the Mets 4-3 loss to the Braves Friday night. How do you like that? Colon wasn’t great, but he kept his team in the game.
(Photo: Getty)
What’s the saying? You’re only as good as the next day’s starter? Well, Saturday we saw CC Sabathia, who’s having a monster year against everyone except Boston against John Lackey. Let's face it, the Yankees tee off on Lackey more than Adam Scott and his Titlest. Well, Boston got to CC and his struggles against the Sox continued.
Sunday night saw Josh Beckett vs. Freddy Garcia. Clearly Boston had the edge going into the game. Well, the Yanks had the lead and Mo coughed it up and Phil Hughes flat out ate it late.
On paper, the Sox should have destroyed the Yanks on Friday and Sunday. Their stellar offense should’ve lit up the Yanks reclamation projects. And then Saturday should’ve been a walk in the park for the Yanks. But as a despised broadcaster on an unnamed network likes to say, “That’s why they play the game.” This is why I think SABRmetrics is pointless and you should trust your scouts and what your eyes see on the field.
And here's my best impersonation of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on paper:
John Sterling: "This weekend proves it's just baseball... Nobody in their right mind would’ve predicted it. You know Suzyn... Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe said (pause) the 2-1 pitch to Eduardo Nunez... low. The Yanks would have the best record in baseball if they could beat those pesky Red Sox."
Suzyn Waldman: "That’s a great point John.”
John Sterling: "Here’s the 3-1 pitch, swung on, drilled deep to left. It is high. It is FAR. It is…. It’s foul."
In all seriousness though, the 3 things this weekend proved is that baseball is unpredictable, the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry is always fun, and the Yankees are playing well despite the injuries this year, except when they play the Sox and that needs to change if a trip to the World Series is in the cards, bottom line.
-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.
Sad to say, everything you have here is right on the money -- including your Sterling impression. All that was missing was, "You know, Suzyn, you can't predict baseball. Theeee pitch... therrrre's a strike. That was a stream of milk."
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