The Crane kick was in full effect today. The Yankees were on a mission and knew they had to win. They had their veteran on the mound in Andy Pettitte who has literally been in big moments dozens of times before this. So, logically, the table was set and we needed to give run support to Andy, right? Right.
And we did... and everything was glorious. Now I'm going to get nasty... There was no reason why after Andy Pettitte came out that we couldn't shut the door and stomp on the Orioles' throats today! NO REASON... unless you're Joe Girardi and that binder accidentally slides out from under the dugout bench. When that happens, things shit the bed. In other words... we shit the bed and lost a must-win game. There is no excuse for what happened today. You go with your gut in these games, you don't go match-up to match-up, especially when things are flowing so great. You go to the guys that have been good to you all season. You do NOT go to guys that have disappointed you in the past. This is not a trial game, this is a must win. You don't try new things in must win situations... you go with what works... the sure things. We didn't. Today, Joe Girardi took a chance like he was in an Atlantic City casino... and he lost...BIG. Disappointing doesn't even begin to describe it.
This loss is certain to fall on him, Boone Logan and Joba Chamberlain hard right now. I trust you feel the same... and you know what? It should. Sure, Shawn Kelley had given up a few runs after Andy, but you need to understand something... Kelley's been good all year. Are you gonna sit there and tell me you WOULDN'T have used Kelley? I would have too. But I'm more upset with the fact that it unraveled worse after him. Boone and Joba had no business being in this game today. I state this... right here, right now; If we do not make the playoffs, it will come down to this game as to being the reason why. If we don't make the playoffs... I will not be happy.
Andy Pettitte pitched well. There is no other way to describe it. He knew his role and had confidence in his team today. He knew what he needed to do and did it. The offense followed... that's a ball club. Andy went 6 innings, gave up 7 hits and only 2 runs. When Shawn Kelley came in, he wasn't outstanding, but he was the next logical "go-to" guy! What came next was a huge disaster.
Again, when your backs against the wall, you go with your sure thing. Go with David Robertson. Go with Mariano if need be. Get there, don't roll the dice on lefty specialist that doesn't specialize in getting out lefties and don't... DON'T bring in Joba Chamberlain! This isn't a tryout for the playoffs Joe. I have news for you, if we don't start winning, there is no playoffs! Logan gave up 2 earned runs... Joba gave up 1. No excuse... cut them loose. I wonder why the hell we ever kept Logan around all these years and why we just didn't hold onto someone like Clay Rapada. Ironically, he was called up today by the Indians. I wonder if this Yankee game would have had a different outcome if it was the Yankees that called him up today. You can't go back, I know that, but there is no question that I am pissed about today's outcome!
The Yankee hitting and runs went as follows: In the bottom of the 3rd, Alfonso Soriano singled in Brett Gardner. In the 4th, Gardy worked a walk with the bases loaded and Mark Reynolds scored.
Then, Derek Jeter sacrificed home Eduardo Nunez. There are your three... but it wasn't enough as you know now. Let me also say the Gardner had 2 doubles today. Jeter and Robinson Cano both struck out 3 times each today. While not perfect, the best guys were on the field. If you're going to lose at all, you need to lose that way.
Final: Orioles 7 - Yankees 3.
Finally, let me say this; Today was a must win. This series was. No excuses. Joe Girardi is better than that. Today's game is on him. I have a rule when I coach, and I know it's Little League and there is no comparison to the big leagues, but confidence is always the same. Never, EVER give the ball to a guy that hasn't earned trust or hasn't gained confidence in a season. Players develop through the season. As that season goes on, you know what you have to work with. You cannot sit and tell me that this was the game that Boone Logan and Joba Chamberlain should have been in. They have no confidence, their numbers reflect that and they sure as hell didn't earn it. The Orioles hitters saw blood and ate them up. Buck Showalter was waiting for a hole and found one. He punched through it and his men, true soldiers, ran over the Yankees once that hole was exposed. The Yankee fans saw it before they did... that means something. No, many of us fans are probably not the best managers in the world, but we do know confidence when we see it. They, Joba... Boone, don't have it.
Sure, we can't go back, we can only go forward but this game, this loss stings like hell and I want Joe to feel it. I want Joe to say, "Hey, this one's on me. I went with the wrong guys. I blew it." He won't. He'll chalk it up as a loss and move on. But I want it to hurt. I want him to be pissed. Hell, I want the Yankees to be pissed! It was a bad, bad decision made based on "a binder and a guess." We lost based on that and I just don't get it.
If it's a must win... you put your best guys in and you do whatever it takes. That didn't happen today... and Joe's the goat...big time!
Look, we're BYB. We have other writers with other points of view different from this one and we'll post them as well, so look for them. Thanks for reading today... now go eat dinner if you can stomach it.
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