Friday, June 12, 2009

Yankee Talk: Subway Series Edition – Bronx Heist

Yanks win turn anger into laughter


BRONX, NY – My “Bitch Meter” was set to explode.

We were all on high alert after three losses to the Red Sox, and here we were again on the precipice of going over the edge.

Joba Chamberlain had already angered the masses with his four inning, 100-pitch snooze fest and watching him and Jorge Posada act like a bad marriage playing out in public. The bullpen was continuing its daily case of “badness”.

All of this was a precursor for Joe Girardi’s odd move of bringing in Mariano Rivera in the eighth inning with the scored tied at eight and eventually giving up the lead as the oven on “Girardi Watch”, already heating up, was set to turn to “broil”.

Instead, we are given one of the gifts of all time.

Indescribable as it was unbelievable

The Mets were all set up in the bottom of the ninth inning. On the mound was the man they gave $36 million to Francisco Rodriguez (known as K-Rod), looking to get three more outs in what would have been one their most inspiring wins of the year considering how shorthanded they have been playing for the last month.

Rodriguez got Gardner to fly out for the first out.

Derek Jeter then singled up the middle to reach base, and then Johnny Damon struck out to leave the Yankees with one final life.

K-Rod could have taken his chances with Teixeira at the plate. If he gave up a base hit, it would have tied the score and Mets Manager Jerry Manuel would have been question as to why they would allow his closer to pitch to him with a base open.

The Mets decide to walk him, putting the winning run on base and decide to go “all in” against Alex Rodriguez. It was basically a challenge they threw down saying in essence “You can’t beat us.”

With A-Rod up against K-Rod, the count went to 3-0 in favor of the Yankees Rodriguez. After K-Rod made the count 3-1, this was pitch that A-Rod was going to be able to hit. He had taken the Boston series off from a hitting standpoint and was slowly carving out space in the doghouse for his recent slump. Either he comes through, or he plays the roll of goat, which by some odd irony sees the game come down to him at the plate.

K-Rod made his pitch and A-Rod made his swing.

A pop up.

Ugh!

As the ball went into the air, you could hear us Yankee fans screaming plenty of obscenities, as he was once again set to be the goat.

Luis Castillo had the play on it. Sure, it looked like his feet may not have been set properly, but how many times does a fielder drop a pop up?

One time of out 100? Maybe once out a 1,000?

The fall came down and suddenly the ball popped out of Castillo’s glove and fell to the ground.

Huh?

Jeter scored from second for the tie. Teixeira was on the run off the bat from first base. Castillo likely would have nailed him at the plate if he had presence of mind to see he was charging for the plate, but his mind was likely on another planet. He threw to second base where no one was beside teammate Alex Cora, who threw to the plate, but not in time to get Teixeira, who slide home safely with the winning run.

Ballgame over. Improbable Yankees win.

How do you react to what you’ve just seen? Celebration? How can you? The guy just popped up and was going to end the game! I had the obituary already written for him as he slammed his bat to the ground on his way to first.

It made for quite the unusual moment. There would be no championship belt or pie in the face for A-Rod tonight, just a fortunate gift.

Cherish what you were given, because without it, several players’ asses along with the manager would have enjoyed a night on the griddle for their utter ineptitude shown on display over nine innings.

You look around to make sure that no one sees you as you slowly walk out of the door knowing you have just committed a major heist.

It’s a win. I will take it.

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