So Martin went to the Pirates after all. Now what? The Yankees don’t have a catcher. Cervelli is not an option and Romine isn’t ready and the catchers out there, including A.J. Pierzynski and Mike Napoli, are not interesting at all. Maybe when Cashman finishes rappelling he can find someone good.
At least Mo is signed, sealed and delivered.
Next up better be…
I’ll feel a lot better when Mo’s deal is done.
Beyond that, it’s sounding like Russell Martin could go elsewhere for more years and $$, but if it’s between the Yankees and the Pirates would he really take Pittsburgh?
B.J. Upton for $75 million? I didn’t see that coming.
I was very grouchy after the loooong wait for this game. I got even grouchier as the scored remained deadlocked and the Yankees had me flashing back to their RISP failures of the regular season. Between the stranded runners, the baserunning blunders and Jeter’s uncharacteristic bobble, I couldn’t stop growling. I even grumbled that Cano must have been reading all the articles about his “sweet swing” because instead of carrying the offense he couldn’t seem to stop swinging at balls. There was only one happy note: CC. He kept getting routine outs from the Orioles and kept my hopes alive.
And then along came the Russ Bus.
Martin’s homer against Johnson in the ninth was worth waiting for. Suddenly, I could breathe. Whew. And then the floodgates opened and the game became fun with a 7-2 score.
CC. Wow. Maybe his time-out with the injury gave him a second wind because he’s been great ever since he came back. He sure earned his money tonight.
It’s always a relief to win the first one in a short series (at the away ballpark, no less), so this was big. What to make of the packed house of orange wearing, “Yankees suck” chanting people? I’d only ask: Where were they all season long and couldn’t they have come up with a more creative way to disparage the opponent?
And then there was TBS’ coverage. Ripken and Smoltz were exceptional players, obviously, but didn’t they sound depressed when the Yanks scored in the ninth? I thought somebody had died.
Photo: Charles Wenzelberg
Actually, Cano was hit on his left hand (old pic from a game at Fenway). If those x-rays aren’t negative – or even if they are and he’s bruised and swollen – I don’t know what will become of us. He was just getting hot again too. Let’s hope he’s okay.
And Kuroda. What a warrior to stay in the game and give the Yankees a chance to win after that rocky start. But he’s clearly struggling with fatigue and we need him fresh and rested.
On the positive side, how about Russell Martin? If anyone told me he’d have 20 homers this season, I’d have done this.
It was a sloppy game by the Blue Jays, but the Yanks hit the ball, scored throughout the game and didn’t let up. Loved it.
Naturally, the O’s won too so the tight rope tightens even more. Oh, boy.
Congrats to Homer Bailey on the no-hitter. I’d never heard of him, but I’d heard about the guy he beat: our very own AJ.
The way CC was pitching tonight? Not only was it vintage CC, the way we were used to seeing him, but it allowed me to relax even though the Yankees were only leading the A’s by the score of 1-0. It felt like we had more runs because he was so dominant.
However, my sense of security exploded in the ninth with Soriano’s blown save. Sigh. I guess Sori was tired after that doubleheader. He sure looked it.
But Robertson was great in the 10th and held the A’s in check so that the Russ Bus could take off. Has he been clutch lately or what?
Great win for the boys to open a key series with a contender.
First Russell had muscle with that three-run shot to put the Yankees on the board. Whew. Then Pearce, whoever he is (yes, I know he was an Oriole) hit one out. Then A-Rod joined the evil homer party. It was swell to see the Bronx Bombers again, truly. Jeter had a great offensive night too.
Hughes was mostly good enough to keep the O’s in check. Cody Eppley? Not so much. Why Girardi keeps going to him is beyond me except that I guess there’s no one else. D-Rob must have read last night’s post because he was much better. And Soriano did his untuck thing. Game won. First place secured…at least for now.
So she’ll be in every post until the Yankees lose again.
Being back in sole possession of first place makes me breathe easier, even if it’s only by one game. Seeing the offense bounce back numerous times tonight was also heartening. Getting key hits from Russell Martin was a nice surprise. Not having to cringe when our bullpen took over from Kuroda made me do a happy dance. And having a little luck (thank you, Rays) felt good.
No, nothing is certain and there’s a long month ahead, but I liked this game. A lot.
I was out for dinner with friends – without cell service at the restaurant – so I had no idea what happened in the game until I got in the car and started driving home.
So Martin was the hero. Did he ever need to get off to a good start in the second half. Did the Yankees ever need him to get off to a good start in the second half.
And Tex with the two homers. Impressive. I hope he goes on a tear now.
The Angels are always tough, so I was nervous about tonight’s matchup. But Kuroda is proving to be a consistent guy for us, long ball aside.
Way to kick off the rest of the season, Yankees. I was really happy to walk out of that restaurant tonight and hear the good news.
Photo: Tom Farrell/The Star Ledger
I felt nostalgic (as well as ecstatic) when Russell Martin hit his walkoff homer today. The Yankees haven’t had a walkoff in a long time, and I missed AJ sneaking out of the dugout with a towel full of the white stuff. Oh well. I guess the tradition officially ended with his departure.
This game had it all, didn’t it? It gave us the sweep of the Mets but also demonstrated a more varied offense than we’ve seen. Yes, there were homers but a hit parade too. Very satisfying.
Andy’s barehanded grab of the comebacker? Not very satisfying. He said it was just instinct to reach for the ball, but shouldn’t it be instinct not to reach for it too? After all these years? Knowing it’s the dumb thing to do? Apparently, the hand is swollen but not serious. Still, will he be fine for his next start? Kuroda said his foot was fine, but who knows if he’ll be OK for his next outing.
Soriano’s blown save? Not very satisfying. But the guy’s been great before today and closers blow saves, so I’ll give him a pass. Besides, he’s been used a lot lately. Maybe he was tired.
Mostly, I was just happy for Martin. To hit two homers, one a game-winner, after all his struggles this season was sweet. Felicitations, Monsieur.
Photo: AP/Seth Wenig
Tonight’s win over the Rays wasn’t just vintage Pettitte. It was Hall of Fame Pettitte. He was extraordinary over his seven-plus innings with those ten strikeouts and efficient pitching. He was so good that when Russell Martin hit the grand slam, I didn’t doubt for a second that the “W” belonged to the Yankees.
Of course the Rays’ miscues helped my confidence. Weren’t they supposed to be like the Angels – i.e. all about pitching and defense? Not that I could see. Shields was mediocre and the infielders were sloppy. Not the first place team I was expecting.
Tomorrow’s another game and Nova hasn’t been inspiring, so things could reverse themselves in a hurry. But for now, I’m going to enjoy my evening. I went to the farmers market this afternoon and bought some of these for dinner.
Photo: www.heirloomtomatoplants.com/Laurel’s Heirloom Tomato Plants
Heirloom tomatoes. Yum. And the best news is that I only wanted to eat them instead of throw them at the TV in frustration.
