Game 4 Baltimore

Just a quick update on last night’s (or was it this morning’s game?)

The Yankee offense should be embarrassed.  When our best hitter goes 0-6 we are in trouble, however, Baltimore was equally bad.  The pitching was not nearly as good as the hitting was poor and the hitting is what led to such a low scoring game.

The key point in the game was in the 8^th inning.  Ichiro and tex lead off with a single so we have 1^st and 2^nd with nobody out.  Cano is up in this perfect bunting situation.  However, I would have eschewed the bunt and let Cano hit away.  As it turned out it didn’t matter as he grounded out and moved the runners over.  Now the real managing comes into play.  ARod has hit lefties in the postseason but has been atrocious against righties. When O’Day entered the game, Girardi should have pinch hit Chavez as he doesn’t waste a move.  I would bet that Buck would have walked Chavez and then we would have had bases loaded with Swisher up and the infield at least half way, if not in.  At this point you could be real aggressive and pinch hit Ibanez for Swisher, this made the most sense to me because you would force Buck to stay with O’Day or go to someone he doesn’t want to.  Regardless, Girardi decided to let ARod bat (not sure why) and I was hoping ARod would come through.  I looked at the people and I said, I would do something very surprising here and I would squeeze with ARod and Ichiro on 3^rd.  ARod may be sucking against righties but he has good bat control and I bet he could get a bunt down…it wouldn’t even have to be good, just get it down and we win the series.  I know the chances were 1%, but I think it would have been an incredible call.   When ARod swung and missed the first pitch right done the middle, I knew we/he was in trouble.  In fact, I would have been OK pinch hitting AFTER the first pitch as well and I said that to the people I was watching with.  If he couldn’t get a piece of that one; he was in trouble.  Of course he got out and Swish weakly flew out…that was the game in my opinion.

 

It did go on and Phelps was hitting spots really well, but made a terrible pitch and they took advantage of it; it is a shame as he was really good.  It was similar to the terrible pitch Jeter swung at (that had to be a one of the worst pitches I have ever see a batter swing at – the other one was the 3-2 pitch Granderson swung at) and then the pitcher followed up with a grooved pitch to Jeter.  Sometimes you have to scratch your head.

Lineup today…I doubt ARod plays against the righty, but isn’t Granderson worse?…even if he could hit a HR?  I think I would play Gardner to try and spark the team.  The offense is stagnant.

Swisher  2-15  with 2 walks

ARod 2-16 with 2 walks

Cano – 2-18 (2 doubles) with 1 walk

Granderson 1-16 with 1 walk

This is PUTRID.  I play Gardner and give Granderson a blow and he becomes the Ibanez that you use when you need a HR.  So if we do find a way to win, we come back and play Saturday with no rest and we have used CC and two extra inning games the 2 before that.  MLB should be as embarrassed as the Yankee hitters with how they screwed up the schedule.  They don’t make the WC play on no rest but they would make the Yanks or O’s do it here???