The Yankee Mystique Fools the Foolish in Game 4

"No, the strike zone isn't an excuse for tonight's lousy loss... . We're pretty sure they'd have lost anyway. But is there anything more frustrating than watching a game umpired by Tim McClellan? We think not."

Old picture of Tim and quote from Royals Corner Blog.


The Yankee mystique makes time stand still and memory go foggy. Some weird innings Tonight Game 4 in Los Angeles...

Third Base Umpire Tim McClellan missed a double play at third. Posada was caught in a run down between third and home after a bases loaded fielders choice, with Cano forcing to third. Cano didn't seem to want to take the base away from the infield captain, the veteran Yankee - respect - so he never touched the bag! As Posada was being forced back to third by Mike Napoli, the Yankee catcher acquiesced off the back of the bag for Cano to take it; Napoli saw the situation immediately. The Catcher straddled the bag like a third baseman, touched Cano, then Posada - one two. Tim McClellan - standing right there - missed it and called only Posada out. As the Yankee Veil began to draw across our collective memory - as it became apparent nobody was quite sure what had just happened - he failed to ask the home plate umpire for help - or the extra left-field-line umpire either.

AND probably because Tim McClellan is crew-chief neither umpire offered any help, to make sure they got it right, which is politically correct in Umpire World, but wrong in baseball.

Earlier in the inning on a play at second Swisher was thrown out by Napoli, but the umpire called it safe.

An inning before Swisher left the bag early on a sac fly and was called out by Tim McClellan, double play - run doesn't score - end of inning. The replay was too close to call.

Magic is one way to look at it.

Another is that Tim McClellan leads a really bad umpiring crew.

(update @ 11:46 10/20/09)
New York Yankees 10 - Los Angeles Angels 1. Yankees lead the series 3 - 1. C.C. Sabathia wins his second of this series on short rest.

The Angels beat themselves tonight - they need to regroup to play a game six.

(video update @ 3:06 PM 10/21/09)
Here's the video from ALCS game 4 (Evil-FOX-network video - which will be pulled down soon).

GONE! (9:56 PM 10/21/09) Coutesy of MLB Advanced (?) Media

Tim McClellan is Fooled by a smooth Cano move. Cano causualy places his foot on the bag after he's tagged, thinks he's called out and starts for the dugout, Mike Napoli hears he's safe so he tags him again because he's off the bag again!



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Aaron Hill is Developing a Swing Outside the Strike Zone

Last night, late in the innings against Seattle, I watched Aaron Hill put a sweet swing on a pitch that was WAY down and in. The ball rocketed through the infield for a single.

Great hitters have good swing mechanics even out of the strike zone. Like Ichiro Suzuki or the great Barry Bonds - to me it looks like Aaron Hill may become a one of those.

















Aaron Hill Baseball card from www.sportsautosttm.com/

Colorado's Ongoing October Odyssey

Photo:REUTERS/Jeff Topping

Centre fielder Willy Taveras makes a diving catch in deep right centre in the seventh inning, robbing Tony Clark of an extra base hit, a run batted in and stuffing out a DiamondBacks rally in a 2-1 game.

Here's the play from ESPN SportsCenter (the only way MLB will allow us to see their content with out a subscription, and the only way I can re-publish it here for you).



DiamondBacks tie the game in the bottom of the 9th but then walk home the winning run in the top of the 11th. Colorado's bullpen then closes the deal with a 1, 2, 3 bottom of the inning. Final score Colorado Rockies 3, Arizona DiamondBacks 2

Rockies go up 2-0 in the National League Championship Series, their 8th win in a row and the 19th of their last 20 games.



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Colorado Rockies on a Mythic Journey into October.

The Colorado Rockies may be the team to beat in this year's World Series.

Since a game last Saturday afternoon, the 29th of September, the Rockies have not lost a game and have won 16 0f 17 on this drive. They won the final 2 games of a 3 game set from the DiamondBacks to end the season and went on to eliminate the San Diego Padres in an add-on tie breaker game to win a play off berth with the Philadelphia Phillies.

When the Rockies arrive home to Coors Field to play the Phillies Saturday night they will be endeavoring to win their 6th consecutive game, and a Division Series sweep.

There is wind in their sails.



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The Toronto Blue Jay Post Game Phone-in Guy

The first caller, on the July 19, '07 get-away-day, afternoon post game, phone-in show on the Fan590 Toronto, nailed it:

(paraphrasing)
"..the Toronto Blue Jays were either winning or tied going into the seventh, eighth or ninth in every game against the New York Yankees, and ended up losing 3 of 4."

Pitching has been as good as it gets.

The line-up, in only it's tenth day playing together, is hot and cold: lead-off, the four spot, and 8, 9 are cold. The nine-cylinder-offense must fire on one more cylinder to beat first division teams.

For my buck, the juries still out; we still haven't seen this line-up kick yet.



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Rodgers Blue Jays Telecast From San Fransisco - Already In Progress

"Curtis Thigpen's start at first could be a sign the front office thinks this year is toast. The lack of a first string catcher is this teams leading, Achilles heel."

With one out and nobody on, in the top of the second, Rogers SportsNet Ontario joins the Rodgers owned, Toronto Blue Jays at San Fransisco Giants, already in progress.

Probably contractual obligations with the Yankees broadcast they were airing coming up to 10:00 pm eastern, Blue Jays start.

And the Cable Giant owns a Major League Baseball Franchise, why?


Later, in the eighth, Randy Winn preserves the Giants one run lead by bringing back an Aaron Hill home run to left, a play that would not have been made by Barry Bonds who regularly plays there - but who was pinch run for a half inning earlier. Giants coach, Bruce Bochy, (and defensive replacement Winn) probably stole the game with that move.

And, there's Aaron Hill, right in the middle of it, again.

Gibbons managed well enough in this National League park, taking advantage of Inter league play and this west coast swing to shake things up in the batting order - which has been struggling since May.

Royce Clayton got the start at short-stop, and a chance to show what he can do in the lead-off spot. Curtis Thigpen got the start at first and battled sixth. Greg Zaun and Frank Thomas were both asked to pinch hit in the 9th, as Gibbons put veterans in, late in the game, in a position to help the team win.

Curtis Thigpen's start at first could be a sign the front office thinks this year is toast. The lack of a first string catcher is this teams leading, Achilles heel. Giving Curtis Thigpen at bats doesn't make sense - with Greg Zaun coming back from injury and the Blue Jays carrying four catchers (also, Jason Phillips and Sal Fasano).

N Lowry had a first rate night for Giants, and he gets the Win (6-5), 6.0 IP, 4 Hits, 2 Runs, 2 earned runs, 4 Walks, 5 K's).

A. J. Burnett gets the loss which is fitting, as it was his error (throwing) that lead to the Giants third and winning run.

A.J. left in the fifth with a slightly strained shoulder. Great News for Blue Jays fans (that it's not his Tommy John elbow); one more major injury and this season is a right-off.

As it is we can maintain faith by ignoring a few truths.

A. J. Burnett's line: Loss(5-6), 6 Hits, 3 Runs, 2 EARNED RUNS, 2 Walks, 4 K's.




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Aaron Hill Walks, Forces Home Winning Run - Jays Pick Up Another Game In AL East Race

The baseball gods ended this one with a signature - a note, letting us know they were there. They signed this one with a probability function that boggles the mind (an unlikely ending).

Aaron Hill walks to lead off in the ninth - down by five runs - and walks again in the same inning with the bases loaded to force in the winning run!

The gods seemed to have believed the D-Rays should lose this one.

With a bow on!

Tonight was an object lesson in why one should never leave a baseball game before the last out.

Going into the ninth:
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 11 - Toronto Blue Jays 6

Final Score:
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 11 - Toronto Blue Jays 12




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