I actually blame Tony LaRussa for this loss. He's the one that started the reliever parade in the late 1980s-early 1990s and has every manager mimicking this overblown stategy ever since.
It's also led to the game averaging over 3 hours in length. Girardi brought in lefty Damaso Marte to start the 8th inning and he promptly retired the first 2 batters he faced. Marte relieved Brian Bruney, who had pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Bruney has been tabbed the 8th inning bridge to Mariano Rivera, but I thought Girardi made a good move, keeping Marte for the 8th to face the Royals lefty batters. However, that was his last good decision of the day.
Girardi started getting cute by overthinking and overplaying his hand. Instead of staying with the hot hand, Marte, he brought in Jose Veras to face pinch hitter, Billy Butler. Veras promptly walked Butler and Girardi made another trip to the mound. Out goes Veras and in comes Phil Coke. The lefty Coke promptly got lit up for 3 straight hits and when the dust settled, the lead was gone and the Yanks were down 6-4. The Yanks promptly went down quickly in the 9th, with Royals closer Joakim Soria striking out the side.
I don't understand why managers won't stay with the hot hand when it comes to relievers. Marte cruised through the first 2 batters. He was in the game, already warmed up, and throwing strikes. Let him face the righty hitter - if he gives up a hit or walk, then you can start tinkering with the idea of bringing in another reliever. Instead, Girardi opted for the merry-go-round of relievers and paid the price. What Girardi should have thought about, and obviously didn't, was what would he have done if the Royals just tied the game and not gone ahead? This game could have gone 12, 13 or 14 innings and his bullpen was near depletion! If you want the win that badly, just bring in Mariano to get the last out in the 8th and pitch the 9th. If Mo gives up the tying run, at least Girardi still would have had plenty of relievers in the pen.
Unfortunately, this loss will bring out the people who think Joba should be in the pen. I think Joba should get his chance as a starter, and has the potential to be an ace someday. I think he's more valuable giving 150-175 innings a year, opposed to 60-75 innings.
Other disturbing trends from the game and series: I hope Teixeira's wrist injury is minor, because Matsui is killing this lineup. This guy is starting to look like the 53 year-old that he is. He took strike 3 right down the pipe to lead off the ninth. Nice job. Also, I don't want to see Melky Cabrera anywhere near a game unless the Yanks are up by 10, down by 10, or as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning. He went 0-3 today, hitting into 2 double plays. For the season, he's now 0-4, with a K, the 2 DPs, and a pop up. I'd rather see some other young kid getting a chance. Melky is what he is - a below average player.
Nick Swisher finally played the goat, allowing a weak grounder to go through his wickets at first, leading to 2 unearned runs against Joba. What's really disturbing for this team though, were all the strikeouts this series. The Yanks struck out 29 times! That's nearly 10 a game, and equivalent to a whole game worth of strikeouts. This team needs to put the ball in play and make things happen. Without Arod and with an aging, decrepit Matsui being run out there everyday in the lineup, their offense needs to make things happen. You can't put pressure on a defense without hitting it into play.
Wang will need to step up tomorrow against the socialist Rays.
Yanks Record: 3-3
Games Blown To Date: 1
P.S. Dear TED - Please see response under Game 5 comments.
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