Sunday, September 16, 2007

Rocket Refueled, Captain Clutch, Mient Man delivers and Save(io)r Scare (Postgame notes 16 Sept 07)

Derek Jeter lives for moments like these, Roger Clemens proves that a bloody arm beats the heck out of a bloody sock, Doug Mientkiewicz shows that defense really is important, and Mo is apparently an undercover operative for cardiologists everywhere.

You knew a Yankees-Red Sox game, when the last meeting of the season, would be crazy, but, I don't actually think I've stopped shaking yet!

Anyway, better start at the beginning.

Ask anyone on the street what pitching match up they'd most want to see of the weekend, they would have probably said Wang/Beckett, but they should have chosen Clemens/Schilling.

Clemens was a bit wild in the first, but, had Johnny Damon caught that first ball, the Yankees would have gotten out of the inning without a run. He settled down after that, and at one point struck out four Red Sox hitters in a row.

Who says pitching with ligament damage in your arm is a bad idea?

Also in the first, Doug Mientkiewicz made a play that saved the game for the Yankees, by diving to stop a ground ball hit by Varitek (I think it was Varitek), and then getting up and diving again to get to the base before the runner. It saved two runs from scoring, and kept the game at 1-0.

Mientkiewicz also made other great plays, including a grab--and--shuffle to Clemens. Oh, and in case you forget, he was on base when Jeter had his BIG BLOW OF DOOM.

However, before I get to Jeter I should mention that Robinson Cano's solo HR to tie the game should not be without mention; it was an impressive shot and without it, well, we're still playing baseball right now!

Anyway, the fun stuff.

You knew when Jeter came up with two out in the eighth that he had to come through then, and he didn't disappoint. Jeter's made his career and his Stuff-Of-Legend by coming up big in important spots, and there aren't many spots more important than a 1-1 game with two on and two out. Of course, because it wouldn't be baseball otherwise, Jeter had to get to two strikes before he hit it....

Even still, it wasn't the most nerve-wracking part of the night!

That part came in the ninth, when Mo had what can best be described as not-his-best-performance. After all, you'd think that with Varitek, Hinske and Lugo up that it'd be a quick inning, but the lead off walk was telling, and then the HBP...

Deep down, however, you knew it had to come down to Mo and David Ortiz, and you know what? Despite the fact that I'm gonna die of a heart attack before this season's out, I'm glad it came down to that, because the last time I remember the two facing off it was October 2004, and we know what happened then. This time, you have to believe that certain demons were excised.

Anyway, could a Yankees/Red-Sox game end any other way?

You also might be interested in considering:

The Yankees just went 7-2 on their road trip. They just had a better road trip than homestand. We won THREE one run games on the road, too. That had been a major problem for us. Apparently, not so much any more. You have got to believe there are good vibes in the clubhouse tonight.

The division is once again at 4.5 games. It's not likely the Yankees will win it, but it's possible. After all, all it takes is to win your games when the other team loses theirs. Anything can happen.



I said back at the end of July, in my LiveJournal, that we were in for one hell of a finish.

I have not been disappointed.


SCORES AND STUFFS

Kansas City beat Cleveland 4-3. Get this: The winning pitcher's name? Billy Buckner. Yeah. I know.

Baltimore beat Toronto 8-6 in 12. I'm probably alone in thinking this, but if your team is officially just playing out the string, do you really want the game going to 12? Well, I guess since Toronto is still in the WC race they might have had a reason, but, even still...

The Chi Sox beat the Angels 9-7, winning it on a walk off HR from Jim Thome, the 500th of his career. I highly doubt that Jim Thome reads blogs, but in case someone knows someone that knows someone, I offer my congragulations.

Detroit beat Minnesota 6-4, as Detroit keeps pace with New York for the Wild Card. They've won five straight and thus offered the Yankees no help whatsoever.

Tampa Bay beat Seattle 9-2 as Seattle has done everything in its power to have that utter collapse everyone kept talking about back in July and August.

Texas beat Oakland 11-9 and the Yankees should be glad they don't have to play them, as they've been playing rather...uhhh...good baseball of late.

Philadelphia beat the Mets 10-6, completing a sweep and making the NL East just about as interesting as the AL East.

Atlanta beat Washington 3-0, as the team of the 90s refuses to die twelve years after it won the World Series.

Milwaukee beat Cincinnati 5-2. The Brew Crew has already topped it's season total for wins last year, though, in all honesty, if they go 0-12 the rest of the way, would it really surprise anyone?

Houston beat Pittsburgh 15-3 in a game that really does mean nothing.

The Cubs beat St. Louis 4-2 to stay atop the NL Central, as the Cardinals have completely collapsed since the Ankiel HGH story broke.

Colorado beat Florida 13-0. Todd Helton had his 300th career home run, so my congratulations to him as well.

San Diego beat San Francisco 5-1. Does Bonds even still play now?

Arizona beat LA 6-1, tightening their grip on the NL West.



Yankees return home tomorrow to play the Orioles. At least the Yankees will not be facing Guthrie or Bedard...

10 comments:

  1. Rebecca, the first para of your blog tonight is brilliant.. what an incredible game... i am still amazed at how clutch the captain is...

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  2. Larry--Thank you :-D

    I love reading headlines, and thus making them is half the fun!

    You can never count out Jeter. Seriously, he probably bleeds more pinstripes than the rest of the Yankees together--and that's saying something!

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  3. I grew up watching Mickey Mantle and I tell you he was some fantastic ballplayer and in my heart I know he too was pinstripes now and forever. But honestly, Jeter is a whole different breed. He is Mr. Cool with some snap and pizazz yes laid back and humble.. I just love the dude.

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  4. To bad our Jets didn't come through for us too! So close at the end of that game.. Two dropped balls in the endzone! Oh well, the season is still young.

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  5. I'm not sure if you'll read my response to your comment in my blog, but I just want to make sure you know there is no defense needed! There is room for EVERYONE on the optimism bus! and though there may have been others riding around before you found Pete's blog, you're the one honking the horn telling other people to climb aboard!

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  6. Larry: Jeter is just incredible. There really aren't words to describe how important he is!

    Yanks Fan: AGH! I KNOW! At least we can say we played better than the Giants. Again.

    Andrea: Whoo!

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  7. That game last night was breathtaking! Jeets, again, in the clutch - Minky huge with the glove.... didja hear about Mo? He was warming up in the BP when an errant throw from Boston's BP struck him on the right elbone [elbow bone ;-) ]. Mo wasn't able to feel his right fingers, and his control suffered somewhat, but he came up big in the end. That errant throw, by the way? Eric Gagne. Really.

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  8. Guess that just goes to show how SUPERHUMAN Mo is!

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