What an unfortunate way for it to end
That was bad. Simply bad.
The string of posts at Replacement Level last night/early this morning pretty much says it all. From anger and denial to peace and acceptance.
Was there anything worse than the Fox cameras honing in on Brian Cashman, the Yankees' GM, capturing his reaction as first Brown then Vazquez -- $25 million worth of pitching Cashman had bought in the off-season -- look like they'd have trouble making it through a Double-A game? Cashman looked like the loneliest guy at the Stadium.
But as I said to Madame Cura in, oh, I don't know, the fourth inning, it wasn't Brown and Vazquez who let this one slip away, it was the Yankees hitters, each of whom wanted to be Bucky Dent, and instead couldn't get on base or move runners when it mattered after the eighth inning of game four.
Hats off to the Red Sox. We knew, going in, that they were the better team; we just got fooled by the great play of the Yankees in the first three games. In the end, though, the Yankee bats cooled, the pitching couldn't hold up and the Red Sox pitchers adjusted. And Damon finally broke out. In a big, big way.
Why did Brown pitch to Ortiz? Why did Torre put a regular season starter, Vazquez, in to relieve Brown with the bases loaded? Al Leiter was right in pointing out that it would have been a lot smarter to put a "real reliever" in as a bridge between the two starters.
On the other side...what the *^%& was Francona doing putting Martinez in there? It was insulting. It was stupid. It got the crowd back in the game. It got the Yankee bats going. I have never been so angry about an opposing manager's move.
It was obvious that it wasn't Francona's idea. It was Pedro's, and the weak manager said "Okay, Petey. Go ahead. You deserve a 'triumphant' appearance at Yankee Stadium after all you've been through.'" If Martinez was trying to make amends with Boston fans and management, I don't think coming in with a huge lead and coughing up two runs and three hits is going to do it. And if he was auditioning to wear the interlocking NY on his cap next year...well...I for one wasn't impressed.
It was a reminder that Pedro Martinez is, as the Good Soldier Svejk would say, "a semi-fart."
I hope Boston is stupid enough to resign him and his declining velocity. I hope the Yankees are smart -- and lucky -- enough to finally find a real replacement for Andy Pettitte.
Oh, well. The baseball season is over for me. My only interest in the World Series is in seeing the Red Sox lose. Go Rogah!
Pitchers and catchers report in 181 days, I believe. In the meantime, there is an election -- in fact, a future -- to worry about.
The string of posts at Replacement Level last night/early this morning pretty much says it all. From anger and denial to peace and acceptance.
Was there anything worse than the Fox cameras honing in on Brian Cashman, the Yankees' GM, capturing his reaction as first Brown then Vazquez -- $25 million worth of pitching Cashman had bought in the off-season -- look like they'd have trouble making it through a Double-A game? Cashman looked like the loneliest guy at the Stadium.
But as I said to Madame Cura in, oh, I don't know, the fourth inning, it wasn't Brown and Vazquez who let this one slip away, it was the Yankees hitters, each of whom wanted to be Bucky Dent, and instead couldn't get on base or move runners when it mattered after the eighth inning of game four.
Hats off to the Red Sox. We knew, going in, that they were the better team; we just got fooled by the great play of the Yankees in the first three games. In the end, though, the Yankee bats cooled, the pitching couldn't hold up and the Red Sox pitchers adjusted. And Damon finally broke out. In a big, big way.
Why did Brown pitch to Ortiz? Why did Torre put a regular season starter, Vazquez, in to relieve Brown with the bases loaded? Al Leiter was right in pointing out that it would have been a lot smarter to put a "real reliever" in as a bridge between the two starters.
On the other side...what the *^%& was Francona doing putting Martinez in there? It was insulting. It was stupid. It got the crowd back in the game. It got the Yankee bats going. I have never been so angry about an opposing manager's move.
It was obvious that it wasn't Francona's idea. It was Pedro's, and the weak manager said "Okay, Petey. Go ahead. You deserve a 'triumphant' appearance at Yankee Stadium after all you've been through.'" If Martinez was trying to make amends with Boston fans and management, I don't think coming in with a huge lead and coughing up two runs and three hits is going to do it. And if he was auditioning to wear the interlocking NY on his cap next year...well...I for one wasn't impressed.
It was a reminder that Pedro Martinez is, as the Good Soldier Svejk would say, "a semi-fart."
I hope Boston is stupid enough to resign him and his declining velocity. I hope the Yankees are smart -- and lucky -- enough to finally find a real replacement for Andy Pettitte.
Oh, well. The baseball season is over for me. My only interest in the World Series is in seeing the Red Sox lose. Go Rogah!
Pitchers and catchers report in 181 days, I believe. In the meantime, there is an election -- in fact, a future -- to worry about.
posted by John at 10:36 AM
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