Our long national nightmare is over - Yankees finally win!

It took a home run from an unlikely source - Francisco Cervelli, and a meltdown from Yankee manager Joe Girardi, but the Yankees finally won a game. Oh, and Mariano Rivera got to bat. And yes, Alex Rodriguez actually got a hit.

I was out for a walk last night, listening to the game on the radio, when I heard about Brett Gardner breaking up the Braves' perfect game with a walk, and then getting called out on a pickoff. (And yes, it was a bad call - I watched the replay of it.) Then Joe Girardi got ejected. And the momentum changed.

According to mlb.com's Brian Hoch, Joe Girardi apparently did not use any of the magic words managers usually get ejected for. Impressive! I can't get through one inning of attending a game with Squawker Jon without using at least one of those words!

Anyhow, however Girardi did it, the ejection sparked something with the Yankees. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, the Yanks had some watchable moments, from Cervelli's excitement over his first career homer, to A-Rod getting a big hit, to Mariano Rivera stepping up to the plate. Oh, and Joba Chamberlain finally got another win.

I particularly liked seeing Melky Cabrera giving Mo batting tips, and seeing the entire Yankee team intently watching Rivera's at-bat from the top step of the dugout. And seeing Mariano actually hit the ball, despite being told not to by the coaches!

True, it's only one game, but at least it put the wolves at bay for another day. Speaking of which, I don't quite know what to make about Mark Teixeira's postgame quote about Brian Cashman's surprise visit to Atlanta:

“He was a little fired up,” Mark Teixeira said. “There was no yelling, Cash isn’t that kind of guy. But he was here; he wanted to make himself known. … Sometimes the principal needs to show up in the classroom if the teacher’s having trouble with the students.”

What, is releasing Angel Berroa after he took up a roster spot for three months going to make everybody else worry about their job security? Not as long as Brett Tomko is still gainfully employed by this team. Besides, it's not like anybody's lining up to pick up, say, Hideki Matsui's $13 million contract.

But I do wonder about Teixeira's analogy. If Cashman is the principal, and,teacher Girardi is having trouble with the class, who are the students causing the trouble? And when will demerits be handed out?

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

MMMBop! Hanson stifles Yankee batters

Can't anyone here play this game? Or at least play it with some energy? When Chien-Ming Wang's pitching is perhaps the only highlight of yesterday's loss, that's a bad game. And when the Yankees struggle - again - against another rookie pitcher, it's depressing. And that wasn't even the worst part of the game.

No, the moment that infuriated me the most was what happened after Jorge Posada struck out for the fourth time. The ball got away from Atlanta catcher Brian McCann, but Posada didn't even walk, let alone run, towards first. Unacceptable. If a rookie did what Posada did, there would be a whole to-do over his lack of hustle. But Posada does it, and it's okay? Unreal.

Joe Girardi said after the game he was pleased with the Yankees' effort. Are you kidding me? This team has been batting like they all want to get the game over with for a hot date with Kate Hudson, and Joe's praising the effort? Good grief. My cat C.C. is more motivated, and she sleeps 20 hours a day!

At least Tommy Hanson is a highly touted player (he's even on Squawker Jon's fantasy team) and not a no-name. But still. The Yankees went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position last night. Between A-Rod striking out or feebly popping up, and either Derek Jeter or Robinson Cano seeming to hit into a double play at least once a game, their hitting is terrible.

As Squawker Jon noted, A-Rod's slugging stats are similar to Gary Sheffield's this year, with Sheff's batting average 60 points higher. The numbers, going into Tuesday's game:

Sheffield : 156 AB, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 33 R, .276 BA, .389 OBP, .487 SLG
Rodriguez: 136 AB, 9 HR, 28 RBI, 18 R, .213 BA, .371 OBP, .456 SLG

So the Mets, paying the major league minimum, are getting A-Rod-like production that costs the Yankees $26 million more. Oh great.

Fellow blogger J-Boogie of Baseball and the Boogie Down suggested that it's time for the Yankees to fire hitting coach Kevin Long. It's an interesting thought. And it's amazing to me that we're talking about whether Joe Girardi will lose his job, yet Long's job doesn't appear to be in jeopardy. Perhaps it should be.

I don't know if it's the advance scouting or Long or a combination of both, but the Yankees' approach against pitchers they don't know is terrible. How is it that other teams - like the Red Sox - are able to figure out these pitchers, and the Yankees aren't?

Check out this stat from the New York Times' Tyler Kepner:

In their last nine games, the Yankees faced eight starters they had never faced before. Those pitchers have a combined earned run average of 2.54, and only one allowed more than three earned runs against the Yankees.

The Bergen Record's Pete Caldera has even more depressing numbers. On June 9, the Yanks were in first place, and had won 19 of 25:

Since then, they've been swept (again) by the Sox. They've been shut out three times. They've lost 9 of 13, lost six games in the standings, and they've lost six games since June 13 to starters they'd never previously seen.

Time for the Yankees to start hitting - or for somebody's head to roll.

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

Is Joe Girardi's job in trouble? One columnist seems to think so

There's a whole to-do in Yankeeland over Bob Klapisch's Bergen Record column suggesting that Joe Girardi is "managing for his job."

Klapisch's main points:

• Girardi has a "history of putting his foot on the gas," like with the 2006 Marlins pitching staff: "Three of the five starters — Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez – all suffered injuries the following season. And another, Dontrelle Willis, has never been the same." And now, the writer charges, Girardi is doing the same with CC Sabathia.
• The Yankee manager is too "tight," as one veteran describes him. Klapisch writes that "Girardi’s confidence has turned to a square-jawed form of desperation."
• Girardi used a "strategy of fear" in bringing in Mariano Rivera in the eighth inning of the Mets game, and "almost got burned."
• Why is Joe so tight? Because, the columnist charges, "Girardi knows his managerial career will be over if he gets fired by the Yankees."
• It's also because Girardi is under a lot of "pressure" due to declining ticket sales. Klapisch says that the Yankees' have much "angst over ticket sales — they failed to sell out the Subway Series and are urgently reminding fans that seats are available for the Red Sox series in August." The writer says "that pressure trickles down to Cashman, then to Girardi and, ultimately, to the players."

My own thoughts? Girardi should lose his job if the Yankees don't make the playoffs this year. But Brian Cashman ought to lose his job as well. And Lonn Trost and Randy Levine ought to have lost their jobs already over the new stadium debacle.

Speaking of which, this article makes it sound like there were plenty of seats available for the Subway Series and Yankees-Red Sox games. Sure, there are a plethora of seats - if you don't mind spending $900 a ticket. Otherwise, there is nothing available. We were at the Friday Subway Series game, and it was packed, as were the other games in the series.

I spent some time this morning looking at Ticketmaster to see what is still unsold for the Yanks-Sox. There is literally nothing available in the grandstand, bleachers, terrace, or even the main section. The only tix still not sold are the still-overpriced Legends Suite ones - the seats Trost is responsible for overpricing in the first place. Just because one Record reader complained to Klapisch about getting emails about ticket sales, doesn't mean that there are Yanks-Red Sox tickets available.

Besides, how exactly is Girardi responsible for that sales problem? And if, as Klapisch suggests, the pressure to sell these tickets is ultimately trickling down to management and to the players, then some heads need to roll. But it shouldn't be Joe Girardi's; it should be Trost's - and Levine's.

The columnist also writes that A-Rod can't handle this pressure. Yet he seems to blame Girardi for Alex's slumping state now by not giving him a day off. Which one is it? (I agree that Girardi mismanaged giving Rodriguez rest. But to suggest, as Klapisch seems to, that declining ticket sales are ultimately causing negative pressure on A-Rod is just laughable.)

As for Klapisch's disapproval of Girardi bringing in Mariano in the eighth inning against the Mets, Joe got grief for being too inflexible not bringing him in for the Red Sox game the night before. Which one is it?

Also, was it a "strategy of fear," as Klapisch calls it with Girardi, when Joe Torre used Mo in the eighth inning in big games for both the Red Sox and Mets so many times? Also, as Squawker Jon noted, the heart of the Mets lineup was coming up then. It's also curious how Klapisch assigns blame to Girardi, not Rivera, for the Mets scoring in the eighth.

I do think Girardi mismanaged A-Rod's rest and recovery. And even though I wanted Girardi to replace Joe Torre, I also think Girardi deserves to lose his job if the Yanks don't make the playoffs this year. But I disagree with the other complaints against Girardi listed in this column.

What do you think about Joe Girardi? Tell us about it!

Was Mariano Rivera too sick to pitch on Saturday?

There apparently is an explanation for why Mariano Rivera pitched so poorly on Saturday, and it has nothing to do with the Rays knowing how to hit him. Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown reports (hat tip to WasWatching.com) that Rivera was ill:

For several hours before Rivera took the ball Saturday afternoon in that tie game, he’d suffered with a stomach ailment that brought aches and repeated vomiting, according to one Yankee. Rivera had rolled off the trainer’s table, where he’d hoped to sleep it off, and into the bullpen in the eighth inning, when he began to warm up.

So, no, he didn’t have his best command. And, no, he didn’t have his best fastball.

But, he didn’t sprinkle the Yankee Stadium mound with breakfast, which, in itself, was a small victory, even in defeat.

“He was so upset afterward,” the teammate said.

Brown, who writes that Girardi "clearly insulted" Rivera by having him intentionally walk Evan Longoria Saturday (hmmm, did Joe Torre insult Mo when he had him intentionally walk 30 other players over the years?) seems to blame Girardi for having Rivera pitch in the first place.

I disagree. First off, we don't know if Girardi even knew that Rivera was sick. Second, when does it become Mariano's responsibility to say that he can't pitch? If he's throwing up as badly as the article implies, then why the heck isn't he at home resting? And why wouldn't he suggest that Girardi pitch CC Sabathia another inning, given that CC had only thrown 101 pitches?

Besides, we know that any ailment affecting the dynasty players is a minefield for Girardi. Remember when Joe got into trouble with reporters last year for minimizing Mo's shoulder injury, even though he did that on Rivera's request?

Not to mention how Jorge Posada insisted on being the catcher last year, even when he literally couldn't throw anyody out. Or how Derek Jeter kept on playing after getting hit by a pitch last year, with his numbers taking a dive, even though some time off probably would have made more sense.

While it's admirable for these players to always want to be in the game (they're the anti-Carl Pavanos!), it's not always good for the team if they play through the pain.

And I'm sorry, but if Rivera was in a state where he could have vomited on the mound, he had no business even trying to pitch. He's not a Scott Proctor trying to hang on to his job, after all. Nobody's going to give him grief for admitting that he was sick.

Here's the thing - if Girardi had benched Rivera for Saturday's game, and if either CC or somebody in the Yankee bullpen had blown the game, we would undoubbtedly hear from reporters wondering why Rivera didn't pitch. And if Joe had said Rivera was unavailable, and Mo had said he was fine, it would have been a whole to-do.

Talk about a no-win situation for Girardi. So no, I'm not going to give Joe grief for this.

But your mileage may vary. What do you think? Leave us a comment!

Did Joe Girardi dis Mariano Rivera - or vice versa?

There's a whole to-do in the papers today about Joe Girardi having Mariano Rivera intentionally walk Evan Longoria to face B.J. Upton, and Rivera being not exactly pleased about it.

Newsday's Ken Davidoff writes:

...Rivera, who complains about as often as Girardi contemplates getting a mohawk, made it clear that he disagreed with his skipper on this call.

....What stood out on this lazy Saturday was Rivera's unhappiness.

The New York Post's Larry Brooks notes:

...is playing percentages with the closer an indication that the manager doesn't have faith that the Great Rivera can still get anybody out at any time, because it sure appeared that way yesterday?

That walk to the mound and the instruction to intentionally walk Longoria sure seemed like a vote of no confidence from the manager, even to Rivera, who came as close to saying that as possible without actually using the words.

Was it a vote of no confidence? Maybe. But sadly, I don't think it would have made any difference if Rivera had pitched against either Upton or Longoria. Either one would have gotten a big hit off him. The Rays seem to totally have his number.

Remember, Ben Zobrist had hit a leadoff triple off Mariano, and Joe Dillon followed that up with a single. Rivera had already given up the lead when he had to intentionally walk Longoria. He just looked terrible out there yesterday. And he was out of the game after the Upton hit.

Speaking of which, that was disturbing as well. As the Post's Brooks writes, Rivera was "pulled in the middle of an inning for the second time already this year after suffering that fate once over the previous three years and three times total over the last six seasons." That's pretty depressing to hear.

Seeing Mo's stats against Tampa Bay this year is even more depressing - 0-2, 13.5 ERA, with 5 earned runs (including two homers) over 3.1 innings. The Rays definitely have his number.

On the bright side, after a shaky outing by CC Sabathia, the Yanks did tie the game in the eighth inning with one of their patented rallies. And they scored two runs in the ninth as well. Too bad they couldn't pull out a win yesterday.

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

Are the Yankees junk food junkies?

While Squawker Jon is still mourning the loss of the Jets' season (so much for Mangenius and the overrated and odious "Broadway" Brett Favre) there is still lots to talk about in Yankeeland. Here are a few interesting tidbits:

The Bergen Record's Bob Klapisch suggests that Joe Girardi will be on a short leash in 2009 :

If the Yankees are playing .500 ball in mid-May, the clock on his dismissal will be ticking loudly. This is the same pressure that Willie Randolph faced early in 2008, and look how the Mets responded: They got their manager fired as they sunk under .500. Girardi is getting one more chance to undo last year’s mistakes, including his over-reliance on team meetings, his inability to digest and process tough losses and his ill-advised policy of banning junk food in the clubhouse.

I just love that the junk food policy is in the same sentence as the much more serious concerns about Girardi's managing. But people - especiallly athletes - get mad when you take away their treats.

And is Joe's edict the real reason CC Sabathia got a $9 million signing bonus - to stock up on snacks?

But I do think Girardi would be wise to loosen up on this issue. Heck, maybe he should tie the quality of junk food in the clubhouse to the quality of victories, the way he brought back ice cream as a treat last year when Mike Mussina reached 10 wins. Maybe a 1 to 5 fork rating system is in order here!

Besides, it could help with recruiting. Manny Ramirez is reportedly telling friends he's waiting on a three-year offer from the Yanks. If Girardi promises HoHos, Big Macs, and M&Ms on a regular basis, maybe Manny will be Manny without that $100 million salary he covets. Dare to dream!

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Former Yankee Dock Ellis died this weekend, and Jay Jaffe's Futility Infielder site has an interesting piece about his life. Ellis didn't just reportedly pitch a no-hitter on LSD; he also once wore curlers onto the field during pre-game warmups! How did I not know that tidbit? Wonder what Girardi would have thought of that maneuver, especially if Manny Ramirez tries it next year?

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Here's a fun quiz - see how many MLB teams you can name in three minutes. It's tougher than you'd think. (I got 27, and then my brain froze!)

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The 500 HR Club site is featuring a poignant video of Babe Ruth playing Santa Claus for children with polio. What makes it even more touching is that it would be Ruth's last Christmas himself, and you can hear his voice sound very ragged and rough.

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Finally, check out Zell's Pinstripe Blog to read his amazing story of how he met Phil Hughes on a baseball card message board.

Do you think Joe Girardi ought to relax his junk food ban? Leave us a comment about that, or anything else that's on your mind!