Jane Heller

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

A Walk-Off Saves the Yanks

Starlin Castro walkoff
Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty

Starlin Castro had never had a walkoff to win a ballgame, but he had one this afternoon to salvage the Yankees’ home series against the Rockies. The win wasn’t pretty, but it did show some grit on the part of a team that was about to go down to defeat for the second day in a row against a team they really should beat.

CC wasn’t as sharp as he’s been and he rolled his ankle in the process – not a good day for him. In fact, when I saw the score – that the Rockies had scored a bunch of runs while the Yankees’ bats were silent – I figured we were doomed. But there was a comeback in store and Chapman held the opposition in check for the save.

Little victories. That’s all we can expect this season, I’m afraid. But even little victories have their pleasures and I’m sure Castro is celebrating his big moment. He deserves it.

Rocky Mountain Low

Coors-Field-640x384

Wow, do the Yankees stink right now. First against the Tigers, then against the Rockies. Yes, the Rockies – the team they should have beaten and didn’t.

In the first game, they mounted a big comeback to no avail – a Janer that only resulted in a losing effort because the pitching (I’m looking at you, Evo, along with the pen) was so pathetic. I watched Girardi’s post-game chat with the beat writers and boy was he testy. There was an errant pick-off throw by Kirby Yates to Rob Refsnyder at first base and he wouldn’t talk about it. “I’m just not gonna talk about it,” he kept saying. “It has to do with strategy.” Or whatever. If you ask me, he’s sick of all the losing.

In last night’s finale of the two-game series, Nova couldn’t hold on and neither could Chapman. As for the offense, our only reliable hitter, Carlos Beltran, is out with a bum knee, and there’s no one else to pick up the slack – no one. That’s just sad. (What happened to McCann this year? Didn’t he used to have power?)

I started off the season in skeptic mode, wondering why we didn’t acquire one of the front-line pitchers for sale and what, exactly, the Yanks would do to improve the offense, given the age and declining power of A-Rod and Teixeira. Then I moved into hopeful mode after the more recent series when the Yankees played better, when Evo and Nova appeared to have turned a corner and CC had really made a nice comeback. Now I’m in grouchy-person mode. Why? Because this team is just not good enough to win on a consistent basis. Guys who showed promise have regressed. We don’t have any standouts in the minors to bring up and save the day.

So the question is: Does Cashman make some moves to help the team win? Does he think they have a shot and, if so, is it time to make a trade for Miller, Chapman or even Betances, our only real bargaining chips? Or does he go into a “sell” phase and decide to rebuild the team for the future? Because right now they’re limping along without much promise.

I hate being so negative, but I’m just telling it the way I see it. Sorry. If the Yanks have a decent series in Minnesota, maybe I’ll feel better.

 

Rocky Mountain High

Or maybe I should have written “Rocky Mountain Bye.” The Yankees left Colorado with a series win, but it wasn’t easy. What was up with all that rain? CC only got four innings in before the tarp went on the field, which was a shame. And the Yanks had to do a lot of sitting around, knowing they needed to catch a flight to KC right after the game.

But they got the win. Not a lot of hitting in this series, but the pitching was great. Adam Warren did a nice job taking over for CC and Mo was his usual godlike self for the save. I loved seeing all the Yankee fans at Coors Field snapping pictures of Mo. It reminded me yet again that this is his last tour through the majors. Sob.

Cano’s homer was fun, but I do hope this lineup will find a way to score more runs so the team can keep pace in the division. Granderson seems to be on a fast track to come off the DL, but I don’t want to jinx him so forget I said that. Shhhush.

Multi-tasking

What a weird night of TV watching.

I started out with the game, cheering Vernon Wells for getting the Yanks on the board with that homer. I saw Phelps, our starter and #8 batter (Girardi is really being creative) give the lead back but otherwise pitch shutout baseball against the Rockies. Then I couldn’t resist switching to news updates about the three Cleveland women. My God, what a nightmare. And then, because it was inescapable, I sat through analysis of the Jodi Arias verdict and tried to imagine what possessed all those people in Phoenix to follow the trial for so many months.

Eventually, I made my way back to the game with the score still tied at 2-2 – just in time to see Boesch hustle to first allowing Wells to score the go-ahead run and then Wells fill in at third (more Girardi creativity) and handle his one chance effortlessly. Strange win, but a good win and, of course, another save for Mo.

Robertson did not look ready to be back, judging by his wildness, but Preston Clairborne has now been fabulous in two games. If only he could hit and play third.

 

What A Waste Of Time

The Yankees need help. I know Nunez will be back sort of soon, followed by Granderson and at some point Youkilis and Tex (I guess). I also know this team of replacement parts has done well in spite of its limitations. But tonight was an example of how thin the lineup really is. I mean four hits? Against the Rockies? Wasting a very good outing by Kuroda?

Gross.

I had a long writing day today and was looking forward to a nice, mindless escape tonight. I didn’t get it from the game, that’s for sure. I expended way too much energy muttering at the TV.

Welcome, Chris Nelson, Whoever You Are

I’ve been whining about how the Yankees need an infielder, and now we have one. Nelson’s another cast off – the Rockies DFA-ed him – but since the other cast offs have done well I’m hoping he’ll follow suit and help the team with his glove and his bat.

Now what we need is a starting pitcher; Phelps has been weirdly disappointing. I say “weirdly” because he was cruising through those first three innings and I was thinking how he was probably more comfortable as a starter than as a reliever, but then suddenly he lost it. Just like that. Can’t we find somebody who can throw strikes and get people out if Nova’s not the guy? Okay, I’ll give him another chance. I just hate when pitchers give back leads, and the Yanks had one at 4-0.

In the end, they managed to dispense with the Astros. Cano’s homer tied him with O’Neill on the Yankees homer list, which I thought was cool. Overbay just keeps proving what a good first baseman he is. And the previously unhelpful Francisco actually hit one out. (Loved Sterling’s call: “It’s a Ben Francisco treat” as in San Francisco treat as in Rice-a- Roni. Well, Suzyn laughed.)

Our latest injury victim is Robertson. Not a day goes by when somebody doesn’t have something that hurts and now it’s D-Rob’s turn, although it doesn’t sound serious.

Mo, on the other hand, just chugs along as if he’s 20. Lucky us.

 

 

A Reason To Smile

(courtesy: sitesbyal.com)

I don’t know if the Yankees are out of the woods on the Hughes thing, but he sure pitched better in today’s win over the Jays. If he keeps it up, I think we’ve got ourselves a very good second half pitcher. That said, he’s still an “if.” Colon is an “if” right now. Garcia is an “if.” And AJ is a perennial “if.”

Which is my long-winded way of saying I’ve been kind of excited reading about the trade rumors lately. I know, I know. They’re just rumors. Maybe Cashman will end up sticking with what we have, but I doubt it. I think that if we’re really making a run at winning it all, we need another front line pitcher behind CC for the stretch. Is that pitcher this guy?

Photo: AP/Gregory Smith/espn.com

Jimenez hasn’t been as effective as he was last year, but he’s still pretty good and he’s only 27. The Rockies claim he’s not trade bait, but don’t all teams say that?

And what about this guy?

Photo: Christian Peterson/Getty Images North America

Garza’s been successful in the AL East, which doesn’t hurt, and he’s pitched on the big stage, another advantage. The Cubs say he’s not trade bait either, but see above. (Personally, I’d have to learn to deal with that flutter motion he does with his glove – ugh.)

It all comes down to which players we’d have to give up, and I’m just glad I’m not a GM.

Back to reality, how hot is Gardner right now? He does look comfortable leading off, doesn’t he?

Nice job by the pen today too. Boone Logan seems to have straightened himself out (no jinx).

Now it’s on to Tampa. As Audrey pointed out in a previous post, our record is only average against our division rivals, so it’s time to step it up and remedy that by winning the series against the Rays. I’m talking to YOU, guy.

(courtesy: bronxbaseballdaily.com)

Let’s Hear It For The Old Timers, The New Timers and The In-Between Timers

(courtesy: Friend of the Blog John)

I missed the festivities, since I don’t get YES except for the games themselves, but I did see clips on their web site and the tribute to Gene Monahan looked especially moving. And, of course, seeing the old favorites is always a treat. (Doesn’t Jeff Nelson look exactly the same as he did when he played?) Friend of the Blog John was there and sent the above pic along with this one featuring the one and only Whitey.

(courtesy: Friend of the Blog John)

As for the game itself, it was another case of dropping the series opener only to come back and win the next two. Nova wasn’t as sharp this time (maybe we should have picked up Ty Wiggington for the bench!), but, thanks to the offense and to Logan, Robertson and Mo, he didn’t have to be.

If this is A-Rod hurt, I’d like to see him healthy. Is he on an RBI roll or what.

Swisher continues to show signs of life, as does Posada. And Tex is likely to have 50 homers at this rate.

What to make of Nunez? That error in the first inning was horrendous and had me cursing. But then his go-ahead RBI single was fantastic and had me cheering.

Best of all, the Yanks kept pace with the Sox and gave the big crowd at the Stadium a good time.

Just wondering….How come Mussina wasn’t there? And will Pettitte show up next year?

Let's Hear It For The Old Timers, The New Timers and The In-Between Timers

(courtesy: Friend of the Blog John)

I missed the festivities, since I don’t get YES except for the games themselves, but I did see clips on their web site and the tribute to Gene Monahan looked especially moving. And, of course, seeing the old favorites is always a treat. (Doesn’t Jeff Nelson look exactly the same as he did when he played?) Friend of the Blog John was there and sent the above pic along with this one featuring the one and only Whitey.

(courtesy: Friend of the Blog John)

As for the game itself, it was another case of dropping the series opener only to come back and win the next two. Nova wasn’t as sharp this time (maybe we should have picked up Ty Wiggington for the bench!), but, thanks to the offense and to Logan, Robertson and Mo, he didn’t have to be.

If this is A-Rod hurt, I’d like to see him healthy. Is he on an RBI roll or what.

Swisher continues to show signs of life, as does Posada. And Tex is likely to have 50 homers at this rate.

What to make of Nunez? That error in the first inning was horrendous and had me cursing. But then his go-ahead RBI single was fantastic and had me cheering.

Best of all, the Yanks kept pace with the Sox and gave the big crowd at the Stadium a good time.

Just wondering….How come Mussina wasn’t there? And will Pettitte show up next year?

Sweet!

Photo: Corbis

Can’t ask for more from today’s win at the Stadium. The Yankees punished the purple-helmet-wearing Rockies every which way – from a super performance by CC to a combo of situational hitting and power.

How excellent that CC is the first pitcher in the majors with 10 wins. And very quietly A-Rod has accumulated 50 RBIs. Not too shabby for either of them.

My only question is this: WHY DID JOE TAKE CC OUT AFTER THE 8TH?

He was just over 100 pitches and dominating. Did we really need Buddy Carlyle to remind us what mediocrity looks like? Did we really need to watch Mo having to start throwing in an inning that began with an 8-1 lead? Silly.

And A-Rod….He’s admitted that his shoulder is banged up, but he wasn’t running well. I really hope we’re not talking about something that could put him on the DL – not with all those RBIs.

Losing Game 1

I don’t have any stats on this – I’m sure someone must – but haven’t the Yankees dropped series openers a lot this year? It certainly feels that way. It’s as if they have to get comfortable with a new team before they do any damage.

Of course I probably jinxed us with last night’s post about Giambi hitting a homer. Groan.

On second thought, it wasn’t my fault. It was AJ’s.

Photo: Andrew Theodorakis/Daily News

You can almost hear him muttering, “I coulda stayed in the game, but now I might have to punch some glass doors.”

He’s such a puzzle. On one hand, he became the first pitcher in Yankees history to strike out four batters in one inning. He also walked five batters in two innings. How can one guy have such a split personality?

He had help with tonight’s loss. Our offense was in sleep mode for the most part.

Not much to say except that there was a little good news: the Red Sox lost to the lowly Pirates. That made me smile.

In Anticipation Of The Rockies Series

I’ve been thinking about Jason Giambi.

No, not the steroids. No, not the fact that he was a lousy first baseman. No, not even that he didn’t live up to his Mickey Mantle swing while he was a Yankee. I’ve been thinking about what fun he was – an always upbeat guy who kept his teammates loose and, according to the fans who met him, was about the most friendly, approachable player around.

Mostly, I’ve been thinking about his ‘stache and this video that cracked me up the first time I saw it. Here’s a trip down memory lane with the hope that we beat the Rockies senseless this weekend.

Felix Hernandez Really Needs To Be A Yankee

And not just because every fan would worship at his feet. He needs to be a Yankee because he’d get to star in better commercials. I mean nothing against the Mariners, but he’d be able to endorse cars like Jeter or suits like Mo. He wouldn’t have to participate in ads like this, although he does seem very sweet.



The only thing I can’t figure out is why does the commercial feature the Rockies? Is Interleague play that big a deal in Seattle?


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About Jane Heller

Jane Heller is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her fourteen breezy, witty novels of romantic comedy and suspense are now entertaining millions of readers around the world, along with her two books of nonfiction.