The Genius Maker #74

I have so much to write and so little time, but I will do my best. This game is better done going through the game so here goes with what I felt at the time.

The first inning was an enormous opportunity for us. Jeter led off with a single (continuing to swing well) and on a 3-2 pitch Chen threw over to 1st base. Chen is a bad pitcher that we should score at least 1 run an inning on and I said to myself Jeter needs to make sure this is a hit and run and not a run and hit…but Jeter screwed up “Royally” and was picked off. Simply a horrible job. Granderson then homered. The Yankees then loaded up the bases but didn’t score.

We had 2 singles, 2 walks and a HR and we only scored 1 run. The game could have been lost right here.

The Yanks added another run before a pitch selection sequence ticked me off. Colon had 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. Alex Gordon (their best hitter) was up at the plate and Colon had struck him out by throwing fastball in and away and then a slider down and in that he was fooled on. After taking a strike away, Colon threw 4 straight fastballs 2 balls and 2 foul balls on the outside corner. This had Gordon setup for a fastball inside or he could have stayed outside as Gordon had not looked strong on any swing and a fly to left (weak) was possible. Therefore I wanted either the fastball away or the fastball in. They tried to throw the slider that K’d him n the first inning and he easily took the pitch for ball 3. This is where people look at me like I am crazy, because after that pitch, I yelled out “what a horrible pitch!” My wife just shook her head at me (I don’t even bother explaining it because I am sure all she hears is white noise). The next pitch was a 3 run HR! @#$%! I just said, “this is why that last pitch was useless and horrible.” I could write too much on this, but it was a pitch that accomplished nothing and was simply, a let’s try this because it worked last time pitch rather than looking at the situation, the sequence and the batters swings. It was useless and setup the next pitch for the hitter. Bad job by Martin

3-2 Royals

The Royals made it 4-2 on a double that they ruled a HR. Girardi got them to review the play and they still ruled a HR. If I were Girardi I would have protested the game right there as it was a ground rule interpreted incorrectly because it was obvious the ball never came close to leaving the ballpark (it landed on top of the fence and then probably ricocheted off a little fence attached to the back of the padded fence). The umpires screwed this up and gave the Royals a run.

The 5th run scored with 1st and 3rd and nobody out where a ground ball to Tex should have resulted in Melky getting thrown out at home, but for some reason Tex decided to try and get 2 which they failed to do. It is the bottom of the 6th and you are down 4-2. I could see the middle infielder trying to turn to but Tex fielded the ball and Melky broke off of 3rd and would have been dead as he even hesitated once Tex caught the ball. Poor play by Tex who already was 0-3 getting out twice in the middle of what could have been big rally’s.

Martin Homered to cut the lead to 5-3.

Noesi came in and shut the Royals down in the 6th

7th inning, Jeter singled and Granderson walked and we are in business. Tex and Cano coming up. Tex K’s and continued to swing at bad pitches ahead in the count…and is now 0-4 killing us. Cano now steps to the plate and the first pitch to him was clearly a ball called a strike. Cano was not happy but still had a chance, but ended up swing at a high pitch to strike out. Swisher than also struck out on a pitch that looked outside, but was closer than Cano’s. Swisher did come through for our 2nd run with a big 2 out hit earlier.

Noesi shut down the Royals in the 7th

8th inning Posada pinch hit for Jones (Posada’s I think 40th birthday) and swung at a bad first pitch and grounded weakly to the pitcher. Martin and Nunez got out

Noesi mows down the Royals in the 8th (nice job by him)

Gardner leads off the 9th and flies out to RF. Jeter then hit a ball that Melky should have caught but misplayed it into a hit (I still think that should have been an error, but doesn’t matter, we got a break). Granderson continues his great day with a single and we are back in business. Up steps Tex. This is his chance at redemption I say to myself…this could wipe the slate clean. Anti climactically, but very good, Tex walks on 4 pitches setting up Cano with the bases loaded, 1 out down by 2. Cano took ball one and then swung late, took a ball and then swung late again. His approach was to take the ball to LF, but Soria gave him some pitches to hit and they should have been pulled. Unfortunately, he flew out to LF on a pitch down the middle for a useless sac fly. But up steps Swisher with a chance. After a passed ball gets the winning run to 2nd Swisher gets walked. Now the stage is set for Jorge on his 40th birthday win the game. The first pitch with the bases loaded is always huge and Soria, who had thrown about 36 pitches, missed the first one for ball one. Now this 2nd pitch was even more critical and it came high and away. Yes! But wait the ump called a strike! This was an absolutely horrible call. The ump should be called out for this as it was high and away and 2-0 in this situation was enormous. It is easy to say you still have to bat and you do need to overcome, but this was a horse manure call. It was Posada’s birthday and the flare for the dramatic was still setup to overcome a bad call, with the bases juiced and a tired pitcher on the mound. Instead Jorge took 2 strikes to end the game and a very tough loss in many ways.

Boston lost too.