Bronx, N.Y., October 19, 2003 — The Yankees tied the Marlins at a game apiece Sunday night behind the brilliant pitching of Andy Pettitte. Now, repeat that three times. Because at least three Andy Pettittes appeared in this game, with one taking the mound to start each of the first three innings. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., October 17, 2003 — Yankee fans, delighted that Roger Clemens had outdueled Pedro Martinez on every level less than a week ago, had grown into a fit of fervor by the time the hard-throwing Yankee righty threw Thursday evening’s first pitch past Johnny Damon for a strike at 8:20. The crescendo of cheers grew as a foul strike and a bouncer to Jeter at short followed. But Todd Walker put a professional at bat on Clemens, and by the time he singled into right on the 10th pitch he saw, the crowd had already grown restive.

Even though Garciaparra followed by lining an 0-1 pitch to right center and Ramirez flied harmlessly to right on six pitches, the Rocket had been tested and pushed to 21 pitches. And Clemens did not come back from a shaky first in any better shape. By the time he had surrendered a single, home run, and double in a sloppy second, the Red Sox had already struck 22 of the 30 strikes he had thrown. You know as much as you need to about Clemens’s night when I tell you that the Yankees managed to hit their 22nd offering tossed up by Pedro Martinez when Bernie Williams fouled off a two-out pitch in the sixth. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., October 8, 2003 — Well, the Wednesday night American League Championship Series game had a very early turning point. We just didn’t realize how dramatic and conclusive the failure to score in the bottom of the second inning would be. The game was scoreless, and even though Wakefield had retired the first four Yankees in pretty meek fashion on 14 pitches, Yankee fans were excited and upbeat. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., October 5, 2003 — When you hear that the Yankees broke open a scoreless tie with a six run fourth-inning, the tendency is to wonder at what point Minnesota hurler Johan Santana lost it. Last Tuesday the young lefty with the electric stuff quieted the Yankee bats through the first two innings on 25 pitches, allowing only a two-out single to Jeter in the first, and a similar one to Matsui three outs later. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., October 4, 2003 — The more I learn about the game of baseball, the more I need to forget everything I’ve learned before. The latest lesson: The way to beat the 2003 Minnesota Twins in the playoffs is to walk Shannon Stewart leading off. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., October 2, 2003 — One of the many games and attractions the Scoreboard personnel at Yankee Stadium utilize to keep the paying customers entertained takes place between halves of the second inning, where they show fans who have been asked to spell a Yankee player’s name failing miserably. The bit wraps up with the player (or another player in the case of a retired favorite not in attendance) providing the correct spelling. In the last few days they have had a lot of fun with Luis Sojo, as finding fans who missed the “j” was obviously not a problem. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., September 30, 2003 — Baseball is a simple game really. Hit the ball harder and more often, catch the balls thrown and hit within reach, throw it harder and more accurately, and pitch it with skill and direction and a certain flair, and you win most of your games. If your opponent ends up with all the check marks on their side of the ledger, you are likely to lose. That explains the Yanks’ 3-1 loss to the Twins in Tuesday’s Game One of the 2003 American League Division Series in the clearest of terms. Continue reading →