The Yankees were just three games out of first place when Xavier Nady came over from the hapless Pirates on July 26 and assumed, as did most others, that he would be involved in a pennant race.
Instead, it looks as if he will be playing in some meaningless September games once again, and yesterday’s performance at the Stadium didn’t help.
Nady – who has been solid since the July 25 trade that brought Nady and Damaso Marte to the Yankees and sent Ross Ohlendorf, Jose Tabata, Dan McCutchen and Jeff Karstens to the Pirates – botched a Rod Barajas fly ball in the first inning. What should have been the second out and a sacrifice fly turned into a two-run double when Nady broke in and the ball wound up going over his head.
“I misread it off the bat,” Nady said after the Blue Jays beat the Yankees, 6-2, yesterday at the Stadium and now set out on a 10-game road trip. Nady said he didn’t lose the ball in the sun initially, nor when he tried to chase it down.
“I took the initial step in and by the time I recovered, it was too late. If I catch that, it changes everything.”
Regardless of what the Yankees do over the next 10 games, it may be too late for them. Though Nady is a relative newcomer to The Bronx, he’s aware of the tenuous nature of the Bombers’ playoff hopes.
“When I came over here a couple of weeks ago, I was pretty excited to play with this group,” Nady said. “I know all of the history and careers [of the players here]. I think everyone’s in shock right now. We’re not playing well. Hopefully we get things going somehow.”