Hank and Hal Steinbrenner continue to keep Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi in jobs for which they continue to show an appalling lack of competence.
Unbelievable.
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Me, yesterday:
Last night, the Yankees began a series against the Chicago White Sox, their 1st visit to the former new Comiskey Park since its name was changed from U.S. Cellular Field to Guaranteed Rate Field.
And it almost became one of those games that makes me say, "If the Yankees end up losing the American League East (or missing the Playoffs completely) by 1 game, I want you to remember this game."
Cliche Alert: Almost only counts in horseshoes. And hand grenades.
Last night, Joe Girardi made sure there would be no "almost."
Luis Severino started, and he pitched brilliantly: 7 innings, 6 hits, no walks, 12 strikeouts. The only run he allowed was on an RBI double by Yolmer Sanchez in the 3rd inning.
But the Yankee bats went cold, and as the 8th inning dawned, that 1 run made the difference: It was 1-0 to the South Siders.
Finally, with 1 out in the top of the 8th, the Yankees did something about it. New callup Tyler Wade drew a walk. Jacoby Ellsbury reached on an infield single. Chase Headley struck out, but Aaron Judge singled Wade home, and Gary Sanchez (no relation to Yolmer) almost hit one out, settling for a double that brought home Ellsbury and Judge. 3-1 Yankees.
That should have been the spark Severino needed to pitch the 8th inning, and nail down the win with help from Dellin Betances in the 9th -- or maybe finish the job himself.
But because Joe Girardi is an idiot who doesn't know how to manage a bullpen, and Severino had already thrown 105 pitches, he brought Domingo German in to start the bottom of the 8th.
Cliche Alert: Walks can kill you. And he pitched to 2 batters, and walked them both.
Girardi took him out, and brought in a reliever. But because Joe Girardi is an idiot who doesn't know how to manage a bullpen, he brought in Tyler Clippard.
Tyler Clippard.
Cliche Alert: Noooooooo!
And the batter was ex-Yankee Melky Cabrera. Because, of course it was.
Clippard wasted no time: He threw a wild pitch to move the runners over, and then walked Melky to load the bases with nobody out. As he does.
Clippard got a strikeout and a flyout, then walked home a run, then got another strikeout. We were very lucky to escape that jam with only 1 run.
You would hope that the 3rd strike would turn out to be the last pitch that Clippard ever throws in a Yankee uniform.
But because Brian Cashman is an idiot who doesn't know how to build a roster -- the 1996-2003 dynasty was the work of Gene Michael and Bob Watson, and the 2009 title was because Hank and Hal Steinbrenner chose to spend for what remains the only time -- Clippard will probably be back.
The Yankees got runners on 2nd and 3rd in the top of the 9th, but did not score. So we had a 1-run lead going to the bottom of the 9th. Right: Bring on the best closer in baseball, Aroldis Chapman, to finish it off. After all, as we've seen, Dellin Betances is no closer.
But because Joe Girardi is an idiot who doesn't know how to manage a bullpen, he brought Betances on instead.
Groundout. So far, so good. Then, walk. Then, another walk. Cliche Alert: Walks can kill you. Then, he hit a batter, to loaded the bases. Then, a pop foul. One more out. Then, a cheap single that brought home the tying and winning runs.
White Sox 4, Yankees 3. WP: Dan Jennings (3-1). No save. LP: Betances (3-2).
Another loss that can be directly blamed on Girardi's bullpen idiocy.
And, since the Boston Red Sox won last night, they now lead the Yankees by 1 game in the American League Eastern Division, although the teams are still level in the all-important loss column, 43-34 to 41-34, with the Yankees having 2 games in hand.
The series continues tonight, Masahiro Tanaka starts against Carlos Rodon.
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This morning, Knicks executive chairman James Dolan fired team president Phil Jackson, finishing off, at least in terms of competitiveness multiplied by hype, the biggest fiasco in NBA history.
Hank and Hal Steinbrenner continue to keep Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi in jobs for which they continue to show an appalling lack of competence.
Unbelievable.