Poor Showing

Based on this weekend's events, I’m ready to unload a can of whoop-ass. (See Stone Cold Steve Austin)

 

The Yanks got swept in a 3 game set in Boston and hopefully this isn’t the straw that breaks the camels back. Mariano blew an uncharacteristic save in game 1. Even worse, in game 2 we blew a 6 run lead to lose in a slaughterhouse game 16-11. I think I’m more upset with the fact that we blew a 6 run lead than the fact that Mariano gave up a home run in the bottom of the ninth. Now it’s time to reflect.


Friday: Our offense once again was left bewildered as we went 4-16 with RISP. That simply cannot be the case all season if we want to win games this year. Successful teams of the past were able to capitalize with key hits and add those much needed insurance runs. Case in point, bases loaded in the top of the ninth with a 2 run lead and nobody out with Cano up at the dish. In this situation if you don’t score at least one run it is considered a major failure. Francona made a great managerial move by playing the infield in to cut the run off at home and Cano hits a hard ground ball to Pedroia for a 4-2-3 DP. The next batter flies out to end the inning and so continues the story of the Yankees ineptitude to hit with runners in scoring position.


Mariano looked good he just left a cutter in the middle of the plate against one of Boston’s best hitters in Jason Bay. (I have no idea how Mike Lowell leads the AL in RBI and how Jason Bay is batting 6th in the lineup. Seriously, JD Drew in the 5 spot?). Mariano also left the mistake to the biggest part of the ballpark where Bay barely made it over that corner where the monster meets CF. Once the Yankees couldn’t score in the top of the 9th I knew it was all over. What was once our strength last year has become an absolute mess. Our bullpen is horrendous; Marte is a bum and is likely to spontaneously combust any day now. How does that trade look now?  We’re going to get nothing out of Nady and Marte is signed on for another 2 more years.


Saturday: On a fantasy baseball note I have Beckett on both teams as well as Burnett on one of them. I benched Beckett on both and started A.J. I thought I was a genius after 4 innings. Beckett was near 80 pitches and had given up 6 runs while Burnett was cruising. Burnett then did everything in his power to shit the bed. The vital at bat was where A.J threw 3 straight curve balls to J.D Drew eventually walking him to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Later in the inning Jason Varitek, one of the most hated players in all of sports, deposits a first pitch fast ball into RF for a Grand Slam. On a side note, all of his RBI’s have come via the HR this season. 


At this point I’m pretty livid but reassure myself that we still have a 6-5 lead. Around this point Joe Buck and his mentally bankrupt partner in crime Tim McCarver announce that the Yankees have not blown a 6 run lead to the Red Sox since the 70’s. Next inning A.J’s first batter is Elsbury who ties the game up at 6’s.


This is when I really start to throw back the tall boy’s. Now generally I’m not one to really drink that hard during Yankee games, especially against the sox due to the fact that I usually end up getting way too drunk/way too angry and objects are thrown across the apartment. (See October 2004 v Boston @ 202 e park where I threw anything in sight and October 2003 vs. the Marlins in the comfort of my apt where I went on to break a recliner and throw numerous objects across the apartment and into the adjacent parking lot).


The game went back and forth from this point on and our bullpen looked absolutely dismal. I think we blew 2 more leads and went on to be the loser 16-11. I think when all was said and done I had thrown back 7 beers and was pretty well behaved but none all too happy.


Sunday: Not much I can say about this game, we once again couldn’t capitalize with RISP and Elsbury stole home on Pettitte for the first steal of home against the Yankees in 25+ years. If this is a year of firsts for the Yankees count me out, as I don’t want to hear those inane statistics. I admit I did not pay very much attention to the game as I was mentally bankrupt from the two performances on Friday and Saturday combined with two Benadryl’s to combat my allergies and a day full of sun.


On to the bright spots: Robinson Cano, this guy can flat out hit. Without Robbie we would be up shit’s creek without a paddle. I’ve been a big supporter of Robbie ever since he’s been with the Yankees. Just as I was a big supporter of Soriano when he made his way up through the system. I was present for his first HR in the big leagues against Tampa Bay in a September of 99’ or 2000. Cano has been more patient at the dish and he uses all parts of the field which is important to be successful in the big leagues. The Hitman himself proclaimed that Cano has 30 HR potential. If 2007 wasn’t his breakout year then 2009 is definitely the year of Cano.


On to non baseball news, the northeast is experience a summer esque heat wave for late April with temp’s in the mid 80’s and I intend to take advantage of it. I’m heading back to PK as we speak and would like to play at least 36 holes. In case you’re wondering why I am heading back to the land of my birth, Stan and Pam are currently in Paris for a week long vacation and have asked upon the elder statesmen that make up the Beinstein-Spieler clan to make sure that Ben doesn’t destroy the house or get into too much trouble. This affords me the opportunity to feed my soul with some much needed Mole Mole and some golf.


I fired an 86 from the back tees at the Links at Unionvale, one of the better rounds I've had in a while. The greens were in pretty shitty shape as they were being aerated for the season. I also collected about 15 balls so thats a plus.If I could play like this all season I'd be a happy man.

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