Alex Rodriguez was so mesmerizing in the first two rounds of the playoffs that he distracted attention away from just how unimpressive the rest of the Yankees lineup was.
He hit so forcefully and dramatically that it was possible to believe the rest of the lineup could play chorus to his genius. He was breaking out, so who cared if just about everyone else was breaking down.
But what the World Series is revealing is that the chorus better be ready to do more than stand in the background. Rodriguez has turned back the clock to his previous Yankees Octobers during the first two games of the Fall Classic. He has plummeted from stand out to struck out. Philadelphia pitchers have not worked around him, and Rodriguez suddenly looks as if he gobbled down a heaping helping of kryptonite.
Fortunately for the Yankees, the two players who surrounded Rodriguez in the lineup last night stirred. Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui each hit a solo homer off another player who temporarily turned back the clock in World Series Game 2, Pedro Martinez. Teixeira tied the score, Matsui gave the Yankees the lead, and the World Series is tied at one game apiece despite Rodriguez being hitless in eight at-bats with six strikeouts.
“I am going to bet that Alex is going to be fine the rest of the Series,” Teixeira said after the Yankees beat the Phillies 3-1. “If not, me and the other guys will have to pick it up.”
The first two games of this World Series touted for its powerhouse offenses has been dominated instead by three former Cy Young winners (Cliff Lee, CC Sabathia and Pedro) and Burnett at what A-Rod termed “as good as he has been all year.” Burnett outdueled Martinez, holding the Phillies to one run in seven innings when allowing more could have left the Yankees desperately behind in this Series.
For right now the Yankees offense is tepid and probably about to get worse when the DH (probably Matsui) is removed from the lineup for the three games in Philadelphia. Manager Joe Girardi hinted at playing Matsui some in left, but he is unlikely to start.
Girardi did enact one bold move, removing the struggling Nick Swisher and starting Jerry Hairston in Game 2. He shunned lefties Brett Gardner and Eric Hinske because Hairston was 10-for-27 lifetime against Martinez, though his last at-bat against Pedro was in July 2004, or five years and five mph ago.
“He may not throw 98 anymore, but his command was as great as ever,” Hairston said.
The Yankees led just 2-1 when Hairston led off the seventh with the first of three consecutive singles. The second, by Melky Cabrera, knocked out Martinez. The third, by pinch-hitter Jorge Posada, made it 3-1. There was still first and second and no outs. And then Girardi ordered a foolhardy sacrifice considering the next batter was Johnny Damon, who had terrible swings to that point and lefty Scott Eyre was warmed to face him. Jeter failed twice, and then with the sacrifice off, he tried a third time anyway, bunted foul and struck out, which helped derail the Yankees from scoring further.
“That was me, that was stupid,” Jeter said.
The failed sacrifice was part of a postseason-long problem for the Yankees: They have been ill with runners in scoring position (.213) and men on base (.244). Either that will have to get better, A-Rod will have to get better or both for the Yankees to beat the Phillies.
Rodriguez claims he’s fine, says he took some of his best swings yesterday and just fouled pitches back that he should have hammered. The results, though, are like ghosts of horrid postseasons past. He already has one more strikeout in these two games (6) than he did in 31 at-bats over the previous two series. He went from carrying an offense to needing some best supporting actors to shine.
Teixeira, as the third-place hitter, is the most obvious candidate. He came into Game 2 hitting .186 for the postseason and was growing prickly, dismissive and evasive under questions about his October struggles. It did not fit his image as smiling and robotic. Matsui was hitting just .242 during the postseason, interspersing a few good at-bats around swaths of helpless-looking hacks.
Perhaps their homers will loosen them up, and be a springboard for a Robinson Cano or Damon to start delivering more hits of meaning, too.
“I am 0-for-the-Series and the guys picked me up today and that makes me feel good going into Game 3,”A-Rod said.
The Yankees are now facing a best-of-five series with Philadelphia owning the home-field edge. To win now, the Yankees need A-Rod to re-awaken or the chorus to soar.
Girardi’s inner control freak is back
Joe Girardi’s spring training is going to be remembered for a pool tournament. His postseason very well might be associated for a binder containing scouting reports.
Girardi worked to airbrush his reputation after a prickly first season as Yankee manager, starting to show a lighter side by calling off spring practice one day to orchestrate a pool tournament in Tampa.
He attempted to be kinder and more patient with the media; obfuscating less, volunteering more.
But always bubbling underneath was the control freak. That has surfaced more in the postseason, when his decision-making has been at times baffling, and has leaned on scouting reports rather that what was going on in front of his eyes.
His answers on these issues have again become edgier and terser.
He already is being widely criticized for over-managing. If the Yankees lose this World Series, he is going to be viewed as one of the goats. After a year of seemingly improving his reputation, Girardi’s reputation is again at stake.
Mo sets himself up better than anyone
Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer in postseason history. He also is the greatest setup man.
And we are not talking about when he was getting the ball to John Wetteland in 1996.
Last night was the 30th time in his great career that he has recorded a save of more than one inning. It was the third time he has done it in this postseason. And last night was the second time he completed two innings to get a save.
“I cringe when I hear his name,” Matt Stairs said. Rivera struck out Stairs to finish off the Yanks’ 3-1 victory last night that tied the World Series at one game apiece.