Lazing on a Sunday afternoon

Sunday, August 28, 2005
Home Game 68
Yankees 10 Royals 3
Subway Race Winner: D train
Cap Game: #1



I woke up this morning to the sounds Steve Phillips saying that the Yankees will finish 3rd in the Wild Card race. This was the second time this week I heard him say that the Yankees won't make the playoffs. Think he's still bitter about 2000?

After yesterday's dramatic 9th inning comeback, they needed to stomp the Royals today. And that they did, thanks to Giambi's 2 HR and 7 RBI. (Bernie had the other 3 RBI.) Hopefully this is signal that Jason's slump is ending. Probably the best thing to come out of this Lawton deal is that Giambi can get more starts at first. He hits much better when he's playing the field. I, for one, will take his production at the plate in exchange for his shaky defense, which hasn't bee too much of a liability as of late (knock on wood.) Plus, Tino is available as a defensive replacement late in the game and a serviceable bat off the bench (as was evident yesterday.)

My friend Brian went to the game with me today. The last time he came along (July 10) Giambi hit a monster home run that landed just a few feet away from us (our seats are about 6 rows from the back wall in the right field bleachers.) And now today he hits 2 more. If Jason goes into another slide I am kidnapping Brian and taking him to the Stadium. I didn't think his first dinger had enough to get over the wall. I thought it would die in center field. But it just kept going. (I'm not quite sure where it landed though. We had to wait for the reaction of the rest of the Stadium before celebrating.) There was no doubt about the second one.

Cano made another rookie mistake today. On a hit and run, Jeter hit a grounder right to the second basemen who was on the move to cover the bag. (If Cano wasn't going it might have gone through for a base hit.) But Robinson got a good enough jump to beat the throw to second. Berroa threw to first to get Jeter. But Cano didn't know that he was called safe, started to head to the dugout and was picked off to end the inning. Luckily the mistake didn't cost them.

Leiter was a bit more wild than in his previous start, giving up 4 BB. But he only gave up 2 hits and 1 run today (which was scored on a groundout to first). He struck out 6, 4 of which were caught looking. Brian said that when Al gets 0-2 on a batter he should just lay the next one in there since everyone expects the count to get to 3-2 eventually. It may catch them off-guard. Leiter's only real shaky inning was the 3rd, but he was able to get himself out of a bases loaded, 1 out jam.

Sturtze entered in the 7th and had a decent inning. But in the 8th he gave up a 2-run dinger. I'm worried about Sturtze's effectiveness as of late, but if he's going to give up a 2-run shot it's better that it happens with a 9-run lead than in a tight game.

Randomness
- There were nearly 55,000 in attendance today. For a game against KC that's just incredible. They are averaging over 50,00 per game now, well above pace for 4 million on the year.

- With the Angels losing today (they got swept by the Devil Rays!), the Yankees are in the WC lead by a half game. Baseball Musings has a link to the standings after the All-Star break. Tampa is leading the AL East by a half game. Let's hope they can continue their winning ways in Boston. (and drop back down to earth the next week in NY.)

- A wave attempt was quickly squelched today. This time it started in the LF bleachers but died a quick death once it got to us.

- For the first time in what seems like a long time the anthem was sung live by the American Girl Place singers (or something like that). However they did it before the Yanks ran out on the field which annoyed my friend. He said it screwed up the flow of pre-game, which I guess I can understand. It's usually, Yankees warm-up (short runs, infielders play some catch); they head into the dugout for a few minutes while the riff of Won't Get Fooled Again or some other song which I can't identify is played; they run out to that other song which I don't know the name of; we stand and cheer and stay standing for the anthem. But today the routine was mucked up a bit. Oh well. It wasn't the first time nor will it be the last, but at least they played Frank at the end of the game.

- This looks to be another unproductive week for me as the Yanks go west. I always say that I'll be good and won't stay up to watch the whole game, but I just can't tear myself away. Maybe I should just take a nap when I get home from work.