Quick take:
I know it's only April. Calm down John and relax. Go put on the Masters highlights and chill out. Sorry, no can do. "You never let the best hitter on the opposing team beat you." Easy, right? Nothing else needs to be said. You would think Joe Girardi understands that most basic principle in all of baseball...
OK, I like Girardi, I really do, but please, get me a half a dozen cocktails because that was a little league managing decision i witnessed today. Hey Joe, haven't you been watching any Boston vs Yankee games in the last five years? Manny is one of the greatest right handed hitters in the last forty years and a notorious Yankee killer. He had just hit a HR off of Mussina in the fourth to give Boston the early lead. What were you thinking letting Mussina pitch to him with men on second and third and two outs and a one run lead?
Mussina, who resembles Jamie Moyer these days did his job really well today in Fenway. He got the Yanks to the sixth and only gave up one run. That's the kind of performance we all pray to get out of Mussina. Keep the Yanks close through five or six innings and then turn it over to the pen. At this point in the game, Girardi had to walk Manny and pitch to Youkilis with the bases loaded, two out and the Yankees in the lead, 2-1. I might have pulled Mike right at that time, but I had no problem giving him the shot with the bases loaded because he had pitched so well.
Joe comes out to the mound. Good, I say, he's going to order the walk. The conference breaks up and Girardi does the unthinkable. He tells Mussina to go after Manny! And on the first pitch----booooom---double up the gap in right center, two runs score and Boston grabs the lead and the game.
And why did Bruney throw an 0-2 fastball right down the heart of the plate to Youkilis? Nevermind, I'm still steamed about Manny....
Now for FOX:
Never once did Joe Buck or Tim McCarver ever bring up the biggest decision in the game and analyze it. I know Manny hit Mussina's first pitch, but you would think the lead announcing team for the big FOX weekend of baseball would have spent a few minutes going over Girardi's pivotal decision of the game. Is it because they like him? He did once work for FOX doing the Saturday games last year, but that would seem too petty. For whatever reason, they blew it off completely. Nice coverage.
Also, FOX cut away to NASCAR before Robinson Cano's AB ended in Los Angeles in the top of the ninth against Paplebon.. I saw him foul off a pitch when he had two strikes with two outs and then they cut to the race. Thanks guys...