The Starting Five

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Hideki Matsui has no knees left. He’s been relegated to a designated hitter which isn’t easy for a former full time player. Sometimes it’s just your time and Godzilla came through tonight like the champion he now is. For the series he was 8-13 with 3 homers and 8 runs batted in…3-4 with a homer and 6 ribbys in the clincher…and was named 2009 World Series MVP. He tied a 49 year old single game rbi record (Bobby Richardson) and was the anti-Chase Utley silently, but surely. With his style at the plate, it doesn’t matter what side of the mound you are coming from.

Andy Pettitte (his 18 wins are most ever in post season) earned the win and was classic Yankee in doing so…giving all he had until Joba Chamberlain relieved him with two outs in the 5th. Damaso Marte struck out the only two batters he faced before Rivera retired the last five. For all the money Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office spent on their three prized free agents, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixiera and AJ Burnett…Vet was good not great but pitched his heart out and made the right pitches in big spots.

Mariano Rivera is not only the best reliever ever, but one of the best pitchers ever. Please make a case otherwise, but look at the rings on his fingers first and get back to me. How many closers today go a full inning…let alone two if needed consistently?

Speaking of consistency, ss there anyone more rock than Derek Jeter? DJ batted .423 in the series. On base every single post season game except one. 175 playoff hits…the most all time. Straight pro.

Alex Rodriquez congratulations. You are a Yankee now. I truly believe your hip injury was a blessing in disguise because it took all the steroid media scrutiny off you as well as the team early. The signing of Sabathia also helped to cut the pressure. The big fella’s personality was perfect to handle the New York glare in and out of the club house (I hope his Yankee success encourages more Blacks to get out there and play a beautiful game). Again Alex, how’s it feel to be one as a team? “Nothing else compares to winning the World Series.” Alex smiled. You found out that it’s not just about you bruh. You’ve accomplished everything there is to do in your profession. Whatcha gonna do now?

Pedro did what he could, but just didn’t have it tonight despite giving up 4 runs on just 3 hits in 4 innings pitched. He was a great story in these playoffs. The Phils fought hard this series but just didn’t do it when it counted most. Chase Utley was a Fall Classic monster….blasting a WS tying 5 homers and also tied Willie Mays Aikens’ record of multiple homer games with two. He’s one of the best players in baseball and reminds me of a young George Brett. Ryan Howard set a dubious mark of 13 K’s in the series and besides Cliff Lee’s great Game 1 performance and Pedro’s first start, Philly pitching had nothing for this New York Yankee contingent…when it counted. The defending champs simply lost to a better team. There shouldn’t be anything to hang their head over in Philly. They had a great season. Don’t take it out on the team (Cole Hamels) or Unks Manuel because ya didn’t feel this way this same time last year. Remember that feeling as if it happened today and the momentary sting will eventually fade. Keep it all in perspective. Somebody had to lose. The Phillies with their young core will be back and should be the National League favorites.

This could be the start of a great East Coast rivalry.

Yeah, you are gonna hear all kinds of stuff about money this and Yankee that but trust baseball will not be the sport it is without the Yankees. They still had to do it. It’s funny how we as Americans want to always be on top as a nation but hate true winners in sports.

What’s that about?

The Yankees win their latest in their first year of the new Yankee Stadium. Matsui might have played his last game as a Yankee, but he damn sure made his potential last moment memorable.

Philadelphia Phillies
Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	#P	AVG	OBP
J Rollins SS	4	0	0	1	0	0	14	.217	.345
S Victorino CF	4	0	1	0	1	0	24	.182	.296
C Utley 2B	3	1	0	0	1	2	19	.286	.400
R Howard 1B	4	1	1	2	0	1	9	.174	.240
J Werth RF	2	0	0	0	2	2	21	.263	.417
R Ibanez DH	3	0	2	0	1	0	17	.304	.333
P Feliz 3B	4	0	0	0	0	0	19	.174	.174
B Francisco LF	3	0	0	0	0	2	12	.000	.125
a-M Stairs PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	.125	.125
C Ruiz C	2	1	2	0	2	0	21	.333	.478
Totals	30	3	6	3	7	7	162
a-lined out to shortstop for B Francisco in the 9th
BATTING 2B: R Ibanez 2 (4, M Rivera, A Pettitte) 3B: C Ruiz (1, A Pettitte) HR: R Howard (1, 6th inning off A Pettitte 1 on, 1 Out) RBI: J Rollins (2), R Howard 2 (3) SF: J Rollins GIDP: C Utley, J Rollins Phillies RISP: 0-6 (P Feliz 0-4, C Utley 0-1, S Victorino 0-1) Team LOB: 8
BASERUNNING SB: J Rollins (3, 2nd base off J Chamberlain/J Posada)

Philadelphia Phillies
Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	PC-ST	ERA
P Martinez (L, 0-2)	4.0	3	4	4	2	5	1	77-46	6.30
C Durbin	0.1	2	3	3	1	0	0	15-7	27.00
J Happ	1.0	1	0	0	1	3	0	28-15	3.37
C Park	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	17-11	0.00
S Eyre	1.1	0	0	0	1	2	0	21-10	0.00
R Madson	0.1	1	0	0	0	0	0	4-3	2.08
Totals	8.0	8	7	7	5	11	1	162-92
PITCHING IBB: J Posada (By S Eyre) HBP: M Teixeira (By P Martinez) First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: P Martinez 13/18; C Durbin 3/4; J Happ 3/5; C Park 1/4; S Eyre 1/5; R Madson 2/2 Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In Play strikes: P Martinez 9-10-17-10; C Durbin 2-0-2-3; J Happ 6-5-3-1; C Park 4-1-3-3; S Eyre 4-4-0-2; R Madson 1-0-0-2 Ground Balls-Fly Balls: P Martinez 0-7; C Durbin 1-0; J Happ 0-0; C Park 1-1; S Eyre 2-0; R Madson 0-1 Game Scores: P Martinez 43

Scoring Summary
			PHI	NYY
	2nd	H Matsui homered to right, A Rodriguez scored.	0	2
	3rd	J Rollins hit sacrifice fly to right, C Ruiz scored.	1	2
	3rd	H Matsui singled to center, D Jeter and J Damon scored, M Teixeira to second.	1	4
	5th	M Teixeira singled to right center, D Jeter scored.	1	5
	5th	H Matsui doubled to deep center, M Teixeira and A Rodriguez scored.	1	7
	6th	R Howard homered to left, C Utley scored.	3	7

Game Notes

YANKEES LEFTFIELDER JOHNNY DAMON LEFT THE GAME AFTER THE THIRD INNING WITH A STRAINED RIGHT CALF SUSTAINED WHILE RUNNING THE BASES.

Game Information
Stadium	Yankee Stadium, New York, NY
Attendance	50,315 (96.3% full) – % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time	3:52
Weather	47 degrees, cloudy
Wind	7 mph
Umpires	Home Plate – Joe West, First Base – Gerry Davis, Second Base – Jeff Nelson, Third Base – Brian Gorman

My goodness Alicia…

The Yankees Core Four (Vet, Jeter, Posada, Rivera) win another one…Congratulations to the New York organization and its fans.

Your record is safe one more year Reggie

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 6:51 am and is filed under Blogroll, Kenny Smith. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.