Bleacher Creature Feature

#34: LDS Games 3 & 4

5 October 2002

I arrived here for a business trip, figuring that I'd be able to keep up with the Yankee games and report from my laptop.

I did not count on the hotel cable system not carrying ABC Family. And we're too far from New York City for the local Fox affiliate to carry Game 3.

In light of the final results, I'm not entirely sorry I missed Game 3 -- aside from updates on ESPN's crawl on the bar TV -- and I am generally disgusted by the Yankees' pitching, even as I am heartened by the offense.

As for Game 4, I'm watching it as I type, since it's actually on Fox. It's a bit of a nail-biter so far, but after all the slugfests, it's a nice palliative. At least so far...

Can someone explain to me how Alfonso Soriano can let an easy double-play ball go through his legs, but makes the play on the much more difficult grounder later in the inning? Especially since it cost a run?

My choice right now for Player Of The Game is Juan Rivera, by virtue of his running hard from the git-go on a groundout, which enabled him to reach first base as Troy Glaus's errant throw took Scott Spiezio off the bag. Had he not been running hard, Spiezio would've landed back on the bag in time. Instead, he was a leadoff baserunner, went to third on a Soriano double and scored the go-ahead run on Derek Jeter's sacrifice fly. A small thing, but it could be critical. Garret Anderson didn't run hard last night in a similar situation and was thrown out. It wound up not mattering, but it had the potential to cost the Angels the game. And so did Juan running hard. Two points to the kid.

Just as I finish typing that, Shawn Wooten ties it with a home run. They're trying to kill me. I know it.

Now the Angels are cutting David Wells to pieces in the fifth inning. There's still only one out, and it's 5-2 Angels. Main fault goes to Bernie Williams for not making a play, deferring to Soriano on a flyout that Sori then misjudged and never caught. What should've been an out dropped in, a run scored that might not have -- it was shallow enough that even Bernie's weak arm should've been able to hold the runner or throw him out.

Troy Glaus just flied out to medium right, and it's a sign once again of respect for Raul Mondesi's arm that the runner at third held up.

Not that it matters, as Scott Spiezio just got a base hit to score run number six.

David Wells just made his earliest-ever exit in a post-season game.

The Yanks' rotation has been creaky all year, and the holes just blew open to mammoth proportions. None of the starters have covered themselves in glory, and that includes Orlando Hernandez, who blew Game 2 in relief.

Ramiro Mendoza, meanwhile, is picking up where Wells left off, giving up another run-scoring hit.

And now Bengie frickin' Molina, one of the weaker links in the Angels offense, just got a double to make it 9-2. On a pitch near the dirt that he had no business connecting with.

This is just embarrassing.

Now El Duque is in. He gave up a hit, too. At least it didn't score a run. And it's followed by a flyout to Bernie. This nightmare of an inning is finally over.

Brendan Donnelly's now in, and he mirrors Game 1 by allowing a home run to his first batter, Jorge Posada. It's only one run, but it's a start.

The Yankees have suffered from porous defense and porous pitching every once in a while all season. These are the kinds of things that don't matter much in the grand scheme of a 162-game season, especially when they're only occasional, but can kill you in a short series if you're not careful. The Yanks haven't been careful, and it's killing them.

Whatever one can say about the ongoing disaster that has been the Yankees pitching staff this series, the offense has done its job. It's now 9-4. Raul's up with two outs and runners on second and third. Angels pitcher Francisco Rodriguez hasn't come anywhere near the strike zone since he was brought in to pitch to Bernie.

Dammit. Raul walked, but Johnson, given an ideal opportunity to cement himself in Yankee history, then grounded out weakly to end the inning. Dammit.

Okay, it's now the bottom of the eighth inning, and Steve Karsay's in to keep the damage down. It's still 9-4. Part of me is thinking that we should be seeing Mariano Rivera. We can't afford to give up anything right now, but Karsay did just fine in Mo's absence, and right now I trust him as much as I do Mo.

With Mike Stanton's help he got out of it.

Three outs to go....

Troy Percival against Jeter, Giambi, and Williams. If the Angels win, they'll have earned it.

Jeter strikes out.

Giambi pops out to short center field.

Bernie and Posada get base hits.

Raul gets a base hit up the middle that drives Bernie in. 9-5.

Johnson pops out to shortstop.

Game over.

Series over.

Season over.

Hats off to the Anaheim Angels. Yankee fans can take heart in their history and the very real likelihood that they'll be back next year. The Angels were picked by everyone to finish last in the AL West and have a history of utter mediocrity behind them, so I have no problem with their fans at last, after 41 years, having something to celebrate.

NEXT: Cold Winter, Hot Stove

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