Blame A.J, or maybe even Nick Swisher, but the bottom line is that last nights game was blown by Phil Hughes inability to get out of the 7th inning. And in the end, the Yanks lose a wild game to the Angels 7-6 to force a Game 6 back in the Bronx. Listen, everyone should feel a little uneasy about this series but thats it. Andy Pettitte on the mound in Game 6, C.C in Game 7 everything SHOULD work out. I am not going to be like every Yankee fan on WFAN right now who are basically proclaiming we are going to lose. I have the upmost confidence in both Pettitte and C.C to get it done in Game 6 and Game 7 need be. The only problem is that if it does get to Game 7 our momentum is out the window. Another stat for you stat heads on there: The record of West Coast teams playing at East Coast teams, at the East Cost teams venue in the playoffs, are 10-36. That is a .217 winning percentage. So the stats are on our side, as well as this series is very eerie to the 2000 ALCS where we were up 3-1, lost Game 5, everyone panicked, got down early in Game 6, and David Justice hit that famous Home Run to send us to the World Series. Now to the game.
-I periodically go to NFL.com and listen to the radio broadcast of Super Bowl 42. It gets me pumped on and the whole thing. After the infamous Eli mad scramble and Tyree catch, and after Bob Papa was done yelling, Carl Banks interjects, with an amazed tone and says, "this team just wont quit." Thats how I feel about this Yankee team. They just wont quit. And so when it was 4-0 in the 7th, I didnt feel great, but I didnt feel like the game was over either. Usually the Angels tack on runs, and when it was only 4-0 going into the 7th, I was mildly surprised, and confident. Something that gets lost in this game is Tex's double to make it 4-3. What an UNBELIEVABLY BIG hit, and HOPEFULLY will get Tex on track after a really rough series. Personally, I think it will, especially since he will be hitting from the right side against Saunders in Game 6, and that hit off of Oliver was from the right side.
- A guy I usually get on, but he had probably the biggest hit of the game for the Yanks was Robbie Cano. In that spot he usually does not do anything, but I got to hand it to them, he really came through last night, and Matsui as well for that matter.
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- I thought one of the most perplexing moves Mike Scoscia has ever made was walking A-Rod in the 9th inning with two outs. Why put the tying run on when Fuentes is wild and sucks to begin with? Yea, it worked out, but he was a ball away to Nick Swisher for it not working. Speaking of Swisher, I cant get on him for THIS game, but its his overall performence that makes me believe Girardi should sit him for Gardner. I think its the right move, hes been struggling real bad and having a spark plug like Gardner could come in handy for the first few innings, and if need me, pinch hit him with Swisher.
- My thoughts on A.J is that he is a downright head case. He looked as bad as a pitcher could look in an inning, and then in the 2nd got a double play on a hard hit ball and after that he was fine. I am absolutly not going to kill Girardi for leaving Burnett in, he was rolling along had ONE BAD INNING, and it just so happens he fell apart. Nobody said A.J was good when he faced adversity. It is just very unfortuante that it had to happen when the Yanks were 9 outs away from the Pennant.
- I thought John Lackey earned himself a ton of money this off season with his performence last night. As you might know, Lackey is a free agent, the top pitcher on the market, and proved his Game 1 performence was a fluke. He flat out dominated through 6 2/3 and if not for that terrible ball call on Posada, he would have left the game up 4-0 going into the bottom of the inning. However, I think it doesnt really matter because the Angels bullpen is so bad that no lead is safe with this team.
- Phil Hughes, I feel for you man, but there is no excuse for throwing that fastball to flat when the previous pitch you made him look silly on that curve. I cant blame Jorge because he was standing, he wanted a high fastball, and Hughes completly missed his spot. Still, I think a curveball would have been approiate at that time. I wrote after the ALDS that Hughes was a bit nervous but would bounce back strong, that clearly has not been the case after an awful series. His postseason has been a nightmare, the same for Joba as well, who again looked ATROCIOUS in relief. Going into the postseason I thought the bullpen would be a dominating force, now its just Mariano you shuts everyone down. Lets get to Mo for a second, how good is he? Seriously, the guy is as close to a robot as you can find, every big out, every time, you see why as Yankee fans we get so spoiled when he does actually mess up. Simply because 95% of the time he doesnt.
Look, I know we all point to 2004 and get nervous etc. But this is not 2004, where Jon Lieber and Kevin Brown were slated for Game 6 and 7. This isnt 2004 where are lineup was collapsing, we scored 6 runs yesterday, granted they were in one inning. This isnt 2004 where it was 3-0 and they kept winning. Its one game, the Angels won 96 games, it was potentially their last game at home, you had to think they had a good shot of winning. It is just very dissapointing because the Yankees were 7 outs away until they tied the game. Yankee Stadium will be ROCKING tomorrow night, Pettitte has ALWAYS come up big when you need him the most, and this team is determined and ready to win the Pennant tomorrow night. Lets just hope it all doesnt have to come down to C.C and the dreaded Game 7, because then, I will be nervous.
- Lew
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