A.J. to Posada: “I’m Melting!”
Maybe A.J. Burnett was overheating in the 91-degree weather. Maybe he ate some iffy cream pie before the game. Maybe he couldn’t get on the same page as his catcher. Or maybe he was just plain bad.
Whatever the problem, A.J. had a nationally televised meltdown at Fenway, and it led to the Yankees’ 14-1 drubbing by the Red Sox. His pitches were up in the zone. His stuff wasn’t dipping and diving. His body language was crappy. In the fifth, after he teed one up for Ortiz to put Boston ahead 8-0, he was captured by the Fox cameras muttering to himself, “Why? Why did you do that?” I’ll tell you why, honey. You sucked today and we all saw it.
But the Yankees wouldn’t be 6.5 games up in the division if it weren’t for A.J., who’s been superb for the most part. So I forgive him for having a lousy outing. I just hope he doesn’t take it too hard. I hear he has a tendency to play the brooding hero.
Well? They kind of look alike.
OK. No, they don’t. Not like these two.
Moving right along…..While A.J. certainly set the losing tone today, he had plenty of company. Aceves gave up three runs and hasn’t been effective for awhile now. Robertson has the ability to strike people out, but he allowed two runs. Cano made a base running blunder. (Memo to Yankees: Stop trying to stretch singles into doubles at Fenway!) Hinske is ill equipped to handle left field duties. And the Yankees were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Oh, and we had no bench – not when Molina was pressed into service at third base.
Aside from Nick Swisher’s offense, the game was enough to make any Yankee tear out his hair.
But I expected it. This rivalry is all about insanely long games and extremely unlikely results. I don’t even want to speculate about CC versus Beckett on Sunday night, because I’m sure I’ll be wrong. All I know is that we’ll still be in first place when it’s over.
Confessions of a She-Fan 
I am sooo done with the marathon quality of these games!!!!! (but, of course not sooo done that I don’t watch!). And you’re right – you never ever know how they’re going to go.
I simply think the Yankees have to work out a deal so that they never have to be on Fox on a Saturday afternoon again. It really is not a whole lot of fun to have to wade through the Sunday sports pages the morning after a loss. You know, instead of 1 article, there’s 3 or 4 or 5 in the expanded Sunday sports sections. Yuck.
Yes Jane, we really stunk the place up, but the upside is even if we lose today, we still have a workable lead. We have to snap back, gather our focus and keep our eye on the prize.
CC & Beckett, all I will say is, it should be interesting!
Good choice on the O’Neil look alike!!!
a very dismal game, Jane. We turned it off in the 7th; I think that was the first time we have ever turned off a game unless we were going out. We can’t blame the poor offense on the “new pitcher” curse because we were certainly getting our hits – we just couldn’t get any production out of it. I really think the other side of the problem is A.J. and Posada – I don’t think they work well together – at least not from what we witnessed yesterday. As always, we have to leave the results of the last game behind and go back out there today and try to take the series. I’m going to predict a 6-2 victory.
The Yankees had a 20-11 victory on Friday, and Saturday, the Yanks get poked 1-14 by the Red Sox. If this is a trend, one pitcher’s not going to have a good night. Oh well, the whole nation will get to watch this matchup on ESPN
Matthew Tan
http://matt7.mlblogs.com/
Crazy games between the Sox and Yankees. It is really weird that the last two games has at least one of the teams with a two digit score. Is the pitching that bad?
http://catlovesthedodgers.mlblogs.com
Jane – what I don’t understand is why did Girardi leave AJ in the game? While they were unable to score, the Yankees did have runners in scoring position 4 out of the first 6 innings. So why not lift a struggling pitcher? Is Girardi worried about CC and felt that he needed to save his bullpen for Sunday? For if that isn’t the answer then his moves on Saturday make no sense. It almost seems like he gave up on the game when the Red Sox came out hot and the Yankees didn’t. Strange move. It will be interesting to see if he reacts more quickly if CC gets in trouble tonight.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
Jane, I recently got a twitter account and I am now following you. 🙂 My name is TribeTed, so if you would check me out on twitter and maybe follow me, that would help. 🙂
http://twitter.com/tribeted
http://tribewithted.mlblogs.com/
Jane: Yesterday’s game was seriously disgusting. I’m not even kidding when I say it made me sick. It was repulsive. I really feel bad for A.J.. I kind of love him, too. Maybe it’s because he does look a bit like Daniel Craig (my favorite Bond cuz he is by FAR the hottest!) Whatever. CC better be good tonight. Maybe you should have a conversation with Girardi about why the pitching and offense stank yesterday. I’m sure he will have the answer (not). But you are right: no matter what happens tonight, we will still be in 1st! But a series win would be nice…..
-Virginia
http://southernbelle.mlblogs.com
Dorgal, it was the Fox curse! I was blacked out here in CA (they only showed Dodgers-Cubs) so I had to listen to the game on audio and watch (and mute) the Spanish Fox channel, which for some reason was showing Yankees-Red Sox. There was a 5-second delay on that feed, so it was like watching everything in replay. Very bizarre. I agree about the pages and pages of articles and the dissection of every pitch with these games. The players seem to feel the same way.
CC and Beckett should be interesting, adirondackgal, and I think we’ll know early in the game if they’ve got their stuff working. The trick for these pitchers is to make adjustments – something AJ wasn’t able to do yesterday.
I like your prediction, Diane. I don’t know what to make of the AJ-Posada thing. I read the articles about their inability to communicate yesterday, but this was also the battery that was responsible for shutout ball against the Red Sox in the Bronx – plus all of AJ’s other wins. It’s something Girardi will have to examine more closely for sure.
If it’s a trend, Matthew, that means it’s our turn to do the shelling. Yay. But I have a feeling neither side will score that many runs.
I think the pitching has been that bad, Cat. That said, these are two clubs with serious offensive power. They’re hard to shut down.
TribeTed, I’ve commented on your blog – great job, btw – and I got your Twitter request. Thanks.
Virginia, it would have made me sick if the loss meant we weren’t making the postseason. But mostly I was just bored. It’s not fun to sit there for hours watching the Yanks get thumped. I kept saying, “It’s a beautiful day in California. Shouldn’t I be outside doing something fun?” I thought about having a “chat” with Girardi, but I already had that visit with Amber about CC, so hopefully he still has the message!
Jane: THIS JUST IN! I have a scary celebrity (if you can even call it that!) lookalike involving Terry Francona posted if you want to see. -Virginia
http://southernbelle.mlblogs.com
Jane,
You just have too much fun with your posts and we all enjoy them. Just checked the prior one too. I am catching up this morning. Quite a lot of sluggers between the Yankees and Red Sox.
.
There have been a Cub hunting season at Dodgertown along with a great Web/radio/TV thon with THINKCURE. Hey, who do you think Jeff Weaver looks like? Be nice, he had a birthday yesterday and he has been doing well for us. He and Randy Wolf share a birthday. Check out my latest post and a cool tatoo from one of our great ushers.
Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/
A scary celebrity lookalike, Virginia? I’d better come over and see it.
A lot of sluggers, Emma. It’s fun when your team is doing the slugging, but not so much when it’s the other way around. A lookalike for Jeff Weaver? Hmm. How about his brother on the Angels? HAHA.
A.J. was the same with the Jays. Somedays he would be brilliant … unhittable. Then somedays he’d have a total meltdown. This year with the Yanks has been no different. Just hope he is ‘on’ come playoff time.
I remember one time last year he was playing the ‘New Kids Block’ song “The Right Stuff” before a game. Seriously, I think that he through a shutout that day.
Jane: It wasn’t meant to be offensive. They just REALLY look alike! Relax! Just a little thing to brighten up my day after a miserable game yesterday. -Virginia
http://southernbelle.mlblogs.com
I know what you’re saying, Jeremy. He can look so unhittable and then show up and pitch like he did yesterday. Fortunately for the Yankees, he’s been mostly very good this season. Maybe I should tip somebody off that “The Right Stuff” is the key to his success!
I know you didn’t mean to offend, Virginia. It’s your blog and you’re certainly free to entertain as you see fit.
I sure hope today’s game is not like the last 2, or else our bullpen will be wayyy too tired although soon we can expand the rosters so it wouldn’t make that much of a difference.
Beckett almost always has his stuff but his last start he got rocked I hope we can do that to him again!
http://tyf.mlblogs.com/
What part of ‘all you have to do is beat Boston’ does A.J. not understand? Geesh! Everytime he begins to look ‘all-World’, he plays Boston and do the second coming of the 2009 version of Chien-Ming Wang! Let’s hope he gets it together before October arrives. I can’t really speculate on the outcome of tonight’s game, particulary considering that CC has experienced his share of failures at Fenway. But, as you mentioned, the Yanks will still leave no town with no less than a 5 1/2 game lead. Go Yankees!
Scott
http://fotr.mlblogs.com
2yankeeboy, I really hope we don’t have to tax the pen today. It would mean CC would have a bad start and I’d hate to see that happen. We do have a day off on Monday, so that’s a good thing. Beckett will be very tough, but we can do it! (Thinking positively.)
It’s a mystery, Scott. He was great against Boston at Yankee Stadium, but Fenway must make him delirious or something. And I shudder at the mention of 2009 Wang, poor guy. Maybe CC will think about AJ’s meltdown and say, “I’m not letting that happen to me!” We can hope. Go Yankees!
Jane,
I believe that there is a FOX and ESPN curse! Has anyone checked the wins and losses when the Yankees are shown on these networks! I’ll bet that most of the time they lose. The announcers ALWAYS find something negative to say about the Yankees even if they are winning. Most of the time I have to watch the game on mute!!
Also, do the players listen to the 1st and 3rd base coaches? Or are they not doing their job? This isn’t the first time this season that a player is caught stretching a single into a double or trying to score from 3rd. Something is not right here. Let’s think positive for tonight!! I’ll have my Yankees Scrabble out 🙂
I really hope there’s no Fox and ESPN curse, jihnyyanks, because they’ll be televising the playoffs and I’m counting on the Yankees being in them! Good question about the coaching. I know Girardi likes to play aggressive baseball, and a lot of the attempts at taking an extra base have been effective. But at Fenway you can’t take a double on a ball hit off that wall! It’s nuts! Glad you’ll be playing Scrabble. The Yanks always win when you do that!
Well Jane, yesterday was a pretty gross game to say the least. Don’t worry though. The Power of Positive Thinking will get us through tonight! CC will be dominant and Beckett won’t know what hit him!
– Lisa
http://perennialpinstriper.mlblogs.com/
The Power of Positive Thinking! Yes, Lisa. We can do this. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. CC will rescue us. Ah, I feel better now.
Such a tough loss. I’m thinking we’ll take the series back tonight with CC on the mound.
-Dillon
http://dillonm.mlblogs.com
Dillon, I heard somebody – maybe John Sterling? – say yesterday that the players take 2-1 and 3-2 losses much harder than the blowouts. So maybe yesterday’s game was harder on us fans! Sure hope we get it done tonight.
Got that right – first place is all that matters :O) LOVE the panda…they are SOOO cute!
Jenn
http://philliesphollowers.mlblogs.com/
When I found out that Molina’s nickname was Panda, Jenn, I couldn’t wait to use a photo of one. They’re so adorable!
Oh, Jane -I had the best seat in the house, but it was tough to enjoy this one! -and seriously, I don’t think Panda’s have the body type to play third base, do you? Let’s hope to get it back tonight -Ellen
Jeez, Ellen, I forgot you were THERE yesterday! Well, don’t feel bad. The Yankees lost to the Nationals when I was at the game. Now that stunk! Fingers crossed for tonight.
Jane, the Sox needed that one. Now let’s see what happens when the two big guns go at it tonight. And you’re right–either way, your team has a comfy hold on first place.
Steve T.
http://soxblog.mlblogs.com
Steve, the Sox came out swinging and AJ came out….Well, you saw how he came out. 🙂 Should be a good one tonight!
Jane,
could you also follow me (on twitter) , so that we could talk about the game and stuff. 🙂 Thanks.
http://twitter.com/tribeted
http://tribewithted.mlblogs.com/
“I don’t think Panda’s have the body type to play third base, do you?”
LOL, but the Giants have an everyday Panda playing third! 🙂
http://behindblueyes.mlblogs.com
The Yankees’ Panda went back to his catching duties tonight, behindblueyes, and looked much more comfortable there. I know I was too!
Jane,
I just looked at your trailer for your book for the first time and boy it is hilarious! Now I don’t know how I missed that before!
Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/
Glad you saw it, Emma. I had such a good time making it. It’s posted on amazon as well as on my web site. Thanks for checking it out.