THE BOOGIE DOWN, NYC: We’re going to Game 5 in Cleveland folks. Other than two terrifying walks by Dellin Betances in the eighth, the Yankees cruised. Luis Severino stepped up and some of the bats came alive. To complete the comeback, there’s still one big hurdle left in the name of Corey Kluber. But man, it should already be over. I’m still having a tough time getting over the indefensible non-challenge by Girardi on Friday night. I’m a big fan of Girardi, but that was a severe brain fart.
A Head Scratcher
Usually when you don’t agree with a manager’s decision, you can at least figure out the rationale. Not in this case. What was the downside, you lose your challenge? The umpires can go to review on their own if there’s another questionable call. If Girardi and his crew didn’t think there was indisputable evidence, the situation dictated taking the chance anyway. The strikeout gets you out of the inning with a five run lead. You’ve got Robertson and Chapman queued up. Game over.
But every angle looked clear as a bell. The ball only hit Lonnie Chisenhall’s bat. Chisenhall’s surprise at being told to go to first should have been enough. It didn’t matter that they only had 30 seconds to decide, the decision should have taken about five. Throw the red flag! Or do whatever you do to challenge in baseball. I still don’t really know.
The Cover Up is Worse than the Crime
One of Girardi’s straw grasp excuses was “You never want to take a pitcher out of a rhythm.” Oh really? Chad Green did not have the same stuff as he did in the wildcard game and wasn’t in much of a rhythm. There were runners and second and third and he was laboring. Hell, the review break might have done him some good. Instead of conjuring up some nonsensical excuses, Girardi should have sucked it up and admitted his mistake right away.
CC Over Sonny
It looks like the Yankees are going with CC Sabathia over Sonny Gray in Game 5. Just like Manager Lou Brown in Major League in the one game playoff with the Yankees, Girardi is going with the veteran over the young guy with the better stuff. It’s an interesting choice, CC in Cleveland against the team that drafted him. CC is dependable, but he’ll be hard pressed to match Kluber if he’s on his game. Which he’s likely to be. This decision could be redemption for Girardi or the end of his Yankee tenure.
McA Doo Doo
There was a football game on Monday night! I clicked over once and I’m pretty sure I saw Mark Sanchez on the Bears’ sideline in street clothes. I’m not sure why, but it was exciting.
I sure can’t bear to talk about the Giants and this NFL season of suck. Ben McAdoo’s coaching acumen disappeared around the time as his sense of style. Maybe if he loses that creepy hairdo he’ll remember how to coach.
Pence Gets out of a Crap Game
And while we’re on the topic of things that drive me nuts, who does Mike Pence think he’s fooling with that ruse in Indianapolis? The guy went from Las Vegas to Indianapolis, then immediately got on a plane to head back out to go to a fundraiser in L.A.. This charade was less believable than the Indians pretending Josh Tomlin was going to start Game 4. Come on Pence, even my dog Chief could see you had no intention of staying for that game. He spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ money for a cheap bit of grandstanding. What a bunch of clowns. In semi-related news, at least eight NFL teams would have been better off with Colin Kaepernick at QB this week.
As I’m about to publish this, Girardi is getting emotional in the press conference talking about how much he cares about the Yankees. Dang it, now I feel like crap for bashing him. Anyway, come back tomorrow for more angry ranting and fighting back tears from Angry Ward. Follow us on Twitter at @benwhit, @MeetTheMatts, @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
