Still Breathing
How much better do I feel knowing the Yankees are on a plane to Dallas instead of cleaning out their lockers in the Bronx? This much better.
I wasn’t ready for our season to be over and neither, apparently, were the Yankees. CC didn’t have his dominant stuff, but if there’s a pitcher (besides Andy Pettitte) who can grind through an outing and still retire very good hitters in very big situations, it’s our ace. Huge applause for him.
The bats came alive against Wilson, who helped by not having the kind of control he had the last time out. The homers by Cano, Swisher and Granderson were awesome, but so were singles that kept the line moving. Speaking of Grandy, I’m thinking maybe we should give the prize of the Crumbs Yankees cupcakes to Kevin Long for turning his season completely around. What do you think? OK, never mind. Maybe Barbara or Melissa will knit/sew him a nice scarf instead.
There was still an issue with RISP, but I’m not going there. Not when I’m this happy. So let’s talk about Wood. When he spun around and picked off Andrus at second, I gave him a standing ovation.And Mo. Well. It was just good to see him after what seemed like an eternity. Of course, there was another moment of panic when Fat Elvis went down trying to catch that foul ball. I swear I thought we were seeing The Curse of the First Basemen. But once I figured out that he was OK, I watched the replays of his banana peel slip and slide and (I admit it) I laughed.
I hope he’ll get plenty of treatment for his neck/back and feel 100% on Friday night. I’m just so excited that there will even BE a Friday night. Yes, we’ll have to deal with the Rangers’ white towel-waving home crowd and yet another elimination game, but at least we’ll have a shot at tying up the series and forcing a Game 7. In other words, it’s not over until she sings.
Confessions of a She-Fan 
Hey Jane, wasn’t that fun? We listened all the way across NYS. There were still way too many tense moments for my taste but it was nice to be in front the whole time. Yay for our boys! Looking forward to Friday.
Audrey
Yes, it was fun, Audrey – once we had those insurance runs. At 5-0, I was still nervous. But what a pleasure to have the lead for a change. Glad you were able to listen throughout your drive and not miss a pitch! Can’t wait until Friday.
As suspected the Phillies joined the Yankees in the must win place… although not out of the woods by any means the win yesterday by the Yankees must have given you a positive surge of energy for game 6…
-peter
Phillies Outside
At least he got Rivera into a game. A bit late, but still….
I’m hoping for a game 7 to see what they do with the Killer. The Yankees vs Lee for the pennant would be all-time.
http://www.paullebowitz.com/
http://princeofny.blogspot.com/
It is SO much easier waking up after a solid Yankee win. You know, I hate to say this, but maybe having Tex out of the line up helped a bit. I KNOW, I KNOW, he’s Tex and his glove is irreplaceable, there’s no question about that, but he wasn’t hitting! We really didn’t have a hot hitter come up until Cano in the 5 spot. And now where is Cano now? … in the 3 spot, still hitting. And Posada needs to be in every game. Maybe things have been shaken up in a good way. Also, the fact that we’re about to face pitchers who “dominated” us previously in this series makes me feel better too. We hit Wilson pretty well yesterday, and I really hope we can do the same thing on Fri. As for Lee, I’m thinking back to last years WS and how we got to him the second time too.
Yesterday the gym teacher where I work, who hates the Yankees just to hate them and knows that I’m an insane fan, made a point to remind us all of Tue’s score over morning announcements. This morning, I’ll be happy to announce that we’re still alive.
Here’s a song for Dave:
What a difference a day makes,
Twenty-four little hours.
Brought the sun and the flowers
Where there used to be rain.
After Tex went down and they lost so badly, I was sure we were done. But no, our Yankees don’t give in or give up. I now feel that we can win it all again. One day at a time.
I realized that we are the most spoiled fans in the universe (the YANKEE universe). We’re upset because Lance Berkman is playing first? Many teams would be happy to have him as their starting first baseman.
Did anyone else see CC on the podium after the game with his two little girls? It was so adorable I was laughing out loud the entire time.
Jane I will knit/sew/crochet/build Kevin Long anything if it would help!
And the Giants/Phillies game was amazing.
Melissa
I have it on good information that Kevin Long doesn’t like cake. Did I ever tell you I LOVE cake? Not that I didn’t appreciate the win but Yanks still had only 8 hits. Losing Tex is tough even though he wasn’t hitting. Rangers may lose Cruz but Murphy is near his equal. What are we eating Friday night?
Like Prince, got my fingers crossed for a Game 7. Come on, Yankees!
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
http://mtrredstatebluestate.com
Jane, if you’d held a contest, no one would have said that we’d score a run by Posada “scampering” around the bases. What a crazy play.
A la John Sterling: You just can’t predict baseball.
I’ve also been thinking lately about what a contribution Swisher makes off the field. Reporters know that he’ll talk to them and they’ll get a good interview, so they aren’t as quick to pounce on some of the other players.
I loved his come back to Craig Sager’s comment about his struggling against Texas. To Sager’s credit, he did back down a little. Nice gig the guy has got, wear funny clothes, speak about 20 lines throughout the course of the game and bring home a big paycheck.
Melissa
that was so much fun. it felt like such a long time since i’ve had that much fun. it had been days since a win but that one was painful so it felt like forever since we had just a fun win. i believe the last win i relaxed and enjoyed was long ago against minnesota. i wasn’t very nervous, i was just happy and having fun. my red sox/phillies fan husband was out for most of the game so i got to scream and cheer so loud the neighbors must have heard me with the windows closed. so now we get to smile all day and then hope hughes can be his best and then i’ll take our changes in game 7. the more we see pitchers the better we get so hopefully we can keep hitting. i’d be happy to give the cupcakes to kevin long or knit him some yankee socks or scarfs. if it helps them win, i’d try most anything! thanks jane and everyone else for getting me/us through the bad days until the joy. sorry to teacher above for being tormented at school, living in boston, i feel your pain. fortunately most of my co workers are kind enough to me to leave me alone.
barbara
This whole mess is my fault, for picking Tex as the MVP in the Crumbs contest. I jinxed him. I had Crumbs Envy and look what it did.
Here’s my new theory: Berkman is going to be the hero. He’s going to put up 6 RBI’s the next two games and carry the team. Fat Elvis is going to be the hero in the World Seris as well. The only thing we’re going to hear is The Yanks, with all their money were able to get Berkman…
Alan
We HAD to win yesterday, Jane. It was Bob Sheppard’s and Mickey Mantle’s birthdays. Let’s hope they are up in heaven sending down the karma that will win us the next two games in Texas. Must Wins!!! GO YANKEES!!!
P.S. – Even if we win, I was soooooo wrong on my predictions that the cupcakes are not coming to my house. Oh well!
Diane, I’m not getting any cupcakes either. My predictions were sooo off but I won’t care if the Yankees win the series. Speaking of which, Jane was anyone’s predictions even remotely close to what actually happened? If last night was any indication that the offense is finally awake now, I hope they can keep this momentum going and they need to. Imagine if Tex’s injury turns out to be a blessing in disguise. God bless him for his glove but he was almost an auto out every time at the plate. 0-14 in the series. I cringed seeing Fat Elvis fall hard on his back trying to catch the foul ball but thankfully he’s okay. CC is a true ace, he wasn’t dominant last night but he labored to make sure he made good pitches and got outs when it was necessary. I hope Phil and Andy follow the same lead as him; as been said before, there’s absolutely no room for error now. I hope the bullpen gets their act together too, we can’t rely on just Wood and Mo all the time. If they fire up all cylinders, then it’s not impossible for them to win the series, even if Lee is waiting for the possible Game 7.
Leo
If the date has any thing to do with it, tomorrow should be a charm:
October 22, 2001 – The New York Yankees win their record 38th American League Pennant and fourth in a row.
Melissa
So we are all smiling today. It was fun watching yesterday’s game. We’ve come alive!
Freya
I watched a bit of the 4th (I think?) where Texas over threw it twice and allowed two runs. Wowza, exciting stuff. Congrats on the win! I didn’t think it would be that easy for Texas.
A definite positive surge of energy, Peter – and a feeling of enormous relief. I watched your game and couldn’t believe what a seesaw battle it was right down to the last out. Now you guys are in the same spot as we are, and it’s scaaaaary.
I can’t even think about Game 7, Paul. I’m like Girardi – one at a time. Game 6 is do or die.
Aeh813, I’d never feel good about Tex being sidelined (his glove is too important, as you said, and his bat was bound to come around), but I do love Cano taking over the 3 spot. And I agree completely about Posada. It stinks that he wasn’t starting in the AJ game, especially because his numbers as a pinch hitter are terrible. Be sure to give it to that Yankee-hating gym teacher – and don’t mince words!
You’re right about having Berkman as our “back up,” Melissa. We’re lucky. That’s why I nearly died when I saw him go down. He said later he’ll be sore and they’ll have to carry him off the plane, but I hope he gets the proper treatment and it won’t affect his play tomorrow. Watching Posada “scamper” around the bases was fantastic. I loved how the players, especially Jeter, kidded him about it. I didn’t see CC at the podium but wish I had. And Craig Sager? His post-game questions to the players are as lame as his jackets. Could they not find someone better? Really? He’s not even fun in an eccentric way.
I hear you on the hitting, John. Texas helped us out with the walks and the errors, and there were still a lot of missed opportunities. I worry about that going forward. I watched the Phillies-Giants game and saw the sac fly that won the game and said, “Why aren’t we doing more of that to get runners in?” No food plans for Friday’s game. For yesterday’s game I had chicken soup out of a can, so I’ve given up on the lucky food thing. However, I did find a new place to sit in the house, so I’ll be sitting there again for Game 6! (Crazy crazy)
I’ve got fingers crossed, toes crossed and everything you can possibly cross, Jeff. But first there’s work for the Yankees to do: win Game 6.
Barbara, you sound positively giddy! Yes, this game was fun – well, at least more fun than the others. So different to play with a lead for a change. Glad your hubby left you alone to scream and yell and cheer without inhibition.
You didn’t jinx Tex, Alan. You weren’t the only one who picked him anyway. š I would love for you to be right about Berkman being the hero. Baseball works that way sometimes – the star comes out and the stand-in gets the glory. If he notches 6 RBIs in the next two games, he’ll be a hero for sure and I’ll send him some cupcakes personally!
Yes, we won on their birthdays, Diane! It was meant to be. If only they and George and the others could steer us to another win…and then another. We need divine intervention in addition to excellent pitching! Lots of people were wrong in their predictions for this series. I’m just hoping we have a winner, because everybody picked the Yankees to win!
Leo, I can’t tell if we’ll have a winner for the cupcakes until I know if we win the series. As I wrote above to Diane, everybody picked the Yanks so we’ll have to wait and see. Yes, CC is a true ace. Even though he gave up hits, he never let things unravel. He finds a way. Now it’s up to Huuuughes. He needs to make sure his last start was an aberration and show everybody how effective he can be – a huge, huge game for him.
What a happy anniversary that would be for the Yanks to win tomorrow, Melissa. Thanks for the info.
Yes, we are smiling, Freya! I walked around last night with a weight lifted off my shoulders. I know I’ll be crazy nervous tomorrow, but for today all is right with the world.
Texas’s errors did help jump start the Yankees offense, kaiser, although we were hitting Wilson this time out, fortunately. Congrats on your win too. What a game.
Hiya…sorry I’m late. Had to go to a “CyberSecurity” conference this morning…whazzat? Zzz…nevermind…!
YES, Melissa! Way to be channeling Dinah Washington!! Luv your song ref (as always)…and CC with daughters WAS cute…and yes, that NLCS is amazing. Who’d-a thunk it…
You know, since the game was on at 4pm here back east, it wasn’t too easy to follow. Usually I leave at 4:30, so there’s just enuf time to get a little taste (of BEISBOL!) Caught the 1st inning on ESPN “Game-cast,” and sweated a quart thru the top of the 1st. Following ANY ballgame that way is kind of like being in a time-warp, listening to Dinah Washington on your victrola while waiting waiting waiting for the next pitch (NO VIDEO). Then they report that the ball is “in play,” and you hold your breath (and sweat another pint). The good ole daze…!
Flashback…had to ump on the nite that Andy faced Cliff Lee, as you may recall…it was already 2-0, Them, late, by the time I got to the car. So this time, even though it was earlier (what did Yogi say….”it gets late early out there”…?) I’m holding my breath AGAIN and perspiring. But when Jon Miller finally said “5-0, Yankees” — WOW. Did I hear that RIGHT? We got 5 RUNS? How? Who cares!! PLEEZ repeat that score! There were plenty more sweaty moments once getting home to watch, esp. with bases loaded in the 6th, but oh how we love our main man…”C.C. Rider…OW…keeps me satisfied…!”
And it does feel so good just to feel good…and to get a day to stop sweating and BREATHE. And to say to the Philly fans in the office, “I feel your pain.” Well, okay, not really, but we SURE can relate! And knowing that the home-town folks got one happy outcome…and that it didn’t end here…and maybe, just maybe…gawd, I LOVE to be wrong!!
A CyberSecurity conference. What fun, Dave! Glad you got home in time to watch some of the game. Yes, it was 5-0 at one point. Even then I kept yelling, “Insurance runs, please,” because I know what good hitters the Rangers are and I wanted there to be no doubt about this game. Yes, it does feel good to breathe and now we live another day. Just maybe.
Hi Jane and Fellow Baseball Fans….
Well…I’m in a happier mood today and my co-workers are certainly overjoyed by that. None of them are baseball fans but they are all rooting for the Yankees because of me (even my bosses ..who are from BOSTON…LOL). Being down 3-2 sounds so much better than 3-1. After tomorrow I hope it’s 3-3 and if that happens I feel very confident we can beat Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee, Oh Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee (an old ditty just for you Dave). There’s no reason we can’t get to him the 2nd time around BUT we have to win game 6 first….it’s one game at a time.
I’ll be in the city with my Yankee Meetup Group for the game on Friday. So far we are 2-2 in Postseason Meetups and we hope to make it 3-3. As long as Phil has his fastball command we will be in great shape. I have every
confidence in him and I hope the Yankees will get to Colby like they did C.J. the second time around. Go Hughsie!!! Go Yankees !!!
San Fran is giving Philly a hard time too. I hope SF gets in the World Series even tho’ I do fear their pitching moreso than the Phillies. I hope it’s the Yankees and SF with the best team winning (the Yankees ..of course !!!) …. :o)….
Here’s to the Chase for 28 ….
Go Yankees 2010 !!!
the sportsflash on sports radio today was giving the scores of the games and once again, included jon sterlings’s theeeee yankees win in one update and another they played it is high, it is far, it is gone, its positively swisherlish. they are making fun of him but i am so happy to hear it!
if anyone missed the cc interview, which is worth watching to see the adorable kids, just check out the interviews on the yes network website. this is another gift i got from you, jane. i never knew about it until i fully checked out this blog and i love those interviews. since i don’t get the yes network these are the best ways to see the postgame fun!
barbara
Here’s a link to the Sabathia interview (thanks Barbara!). It’s worth it just to see the little white and pink “Sabathia” Yankee shirts the girls have on.
http://web.yesnetwork.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=12872905
Peggy, I meant to tell you that every time they showed an overhead shot during game 4, I was thinking “Peggy is in there somewhere!”
Melissa
Jane,
What the Yankees did yesterday is what great teams do…they fight to that 27th out.
Even though the deciding factors in the game came early, it is how a great teams ends a game whether in victory or defeat that sends chills through their faithful.
Some might remember seeing Yankee Stadium pretty empty in the eighth inning on Tuesday night.
That happens when the faith begin to be tested, and then the real fans, the one who deserve the win were still seated until that deciding 27th out and a loss.
A majority of us here who write have that resourceful faith, that instilled passion, that wonder everytime if our team can turn it around even after the 26th punch-out.
Those are the ones who should savior Wednesday victory the most….the ones who saw the losses as well as the victories.
Onto Arlington…..Last Tango in Texas time ( the G-rated version).
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
Hey, Peggy. You’re so right – being down 3-2 does sound more doable than 3-1, although we still have our work cut out for us. Hope you have a celebration at the meetup tomorrow night. I’m still not ready for our season to be over!
Barbara and Melissa, I was out all day and tried to watch the CC video on my phone but it wouldn’t work for some reason. So I just got home and watched it and LOVED those girls! Absolutely adorable. Loved their outfits. Loved the faces they made. Just priceless. Having the YES web site does take the sting out of not being able to see the pre- and post-game shows here.
The Last Tango in Texas. Now that’s a movie I’m glad we’ll be seeing, Renegade. I just hope it plays on Saturday, not tomorrow, and that the Yanks are able to force a Game 7.