Well, that sucked

I really don't want to talk about last night's game. There are too many things that just piss me when I spend more than 1 minute reliving the last few innings. If I had to point out some specifics they would be: loading the bases with no one out and getting NOTHING out of it in the ninth because Robbie Cano grounds into a 4-2-3 double play; Brett Gardner wasting an out in the tenth because he one-hopped a bunt to first that Youkillis turned into an easy force at second to get the ever-fleet footed Jose Molina; that little prick Dustin Pedroia robbing Jeter of a hit and a go-ahead RBI in the tenth with a diving stop up the middle; Girardi pulling Johnny Abba with one strike against Ellsbury to use Rivera for four outs, even though the whole world knows that, at this point in his career, Mo is far more effective when he is only asked to get three outs; Teixeira continuing to struggle and looking like A-Rod up there right now, just squeezing the bat wayyyy too hard; and Rivera just throwing a freakin gofer ball to Jason bay that had no movement. Why they weren't busting that asshole inside EVERY PITCH is beyond me.

But that was yesterday. It seems as if the Yankees and Red Sox do this every year now. The Sox take a few early in the season, winning the first round, then the Yankees come back sometime in May and take round two, and so it goes, back and forth all year. It also seems that Mariano ALWAYS blows a lead to the Sox early on. As much as it hurts to watch that group celebrate on the field, it is only April 24 (well, 35 today) and there is a whole lotta baseball to be played.

However, there are some disturbing things to come out of last night's game. Brian Bruney is evidently going on the disabled list with elbow problems. He is getting, or has gotten, an MRI and will now try and get back as soon as possible. Bruney had the same thing happen to him last year. He was flying along, pitching great, then he hurt his foot, lost essentially the whole year. Hopefully this isn't as serious, but in a certain way it is already more worrisome because it involves his arm, not just his foot. Plus, it adds to the uncertainty surrounding this team right now. Bruney had established himself as the definite eighth inning guy. Now, who moves into that role? Phil Coke, who has pitched much better as of late? John Abaladejo? Does Mark Melacon, who was just called up, have it in him to take control of the later innings, the way people believe he will in the future? Not good at all.

Damaso Marte just isn't that good folks, that's what it comes down to, and with Xavier Nady on the DL and Marte just stinking it up left and right, you have to begin to wonder if yet another Brian Cashman move will prove to look good on paper and be horrendous in practice. We keep waiting for Marte to be "good" but, at some point, you have to accept someone is who they show themselves to be. Simply put, Marte's leash should be getting a lot shorter.

I hope someone has Don Mattingly on speed dial because Joe Girardi continues to show why he is a B manager trying to win with an A franchise. The yanking of Johnny Abba last night for Mariano was absurd for a variety of reasons - Rivera, as mentioned before, is far more effective when asked to only get three outs now, Ababaladejo had it working and had a strike on Ellsbury before being lifted, you need to find out what you have in a guy like Johnny Abba, especially considering Bruney will be on the DL - but the true failure in that move was that it showed the Yankees were willing, on April 24, to manage scared.
It started early in the game when Dave Eiland made a few trips out to the mound to talk to Joba Chamberlain, obviously telling him to "be careful" with Kevin Youkillis. Then, pulling Abaladejo for Rivera is a move you make in September, or even August, not April. Joe Torre NEVER managed early Yankee/Red Sox games like do or die, and Francona doesn't either. There might be a little more emotion wrapped up in the games, but it doesn't mean you step outside of your norm. Last night, Girardi looked exactly the way he has looked since taking over the Yankees - scared and uncertain. Not the way you want your manager to look.

Now, the Yankees will turn to Burnett today to get the Yankees back on track AGAIN against Beckett. Here's to hoping the team comes to play after such a devastating loss last night.