Thursday was one of those nights in New York sports, a night in which wherever and whenever you looked, something remarkable was going on, no waiting.
TV commercials actually were welcomed as an opportunity to keep up with the other games.
On YES, fresh-off-the-DL White Sox pitcher Chris Sale, built like a flag pole but whippy as a flag, was fuhgeddaboutit. Perfect through 5²/₃ innings, he allowed one hit and struck out 10 through six, which was as far as he was going to go.
When John Flaherty suggested Sale’s stuff was so impossible that Yankees risked whiffing at pitches that would hit them, he wasn’t kidding.
And the smile Sale flashed his fielders after Zoilo Almonte’s line single quickly was interpreted as “Whew! I didn’t want to be pulled while pitching a no-hitter.”
Afterward he said he never had been happier to give up a hit.
On SNY, Dodgers-Mets was compelling for a different reason. While it stayed close, it was like watching two drunks simultaneously trying to get off the same goose-down-stuffed couch.
Among other failures of fundamentals was a play in which both the runner on first, soon-to-be-tagged-out Yasiel Puig, and the shortstop, Wilmer Flores, demonstrated total surprise at something they now likely know as “the infield fly rule.” Tee-ball coaches, watching at home, openly wept.
On NBCSN, Game 3 of Canadiens-Rangers was remarkably one-sided. The Rangers might’ve won, 10-0, had they not lost, 3-2.
But the night’s takeaway moments were provided by the Mets. In the top of the sixth, a double-play was botched when Daniel Murphy, at second, failed to catch the throw from third, let alone attempt a throw to first. That brought manager Terry Collins on to the field.
(Insert Benny Hill theme music here.)
Collins was going to claim Murphy dropped the ball on the now replay rule-essential “transfer” to his throwing hand. And as he chatted up second base ump Larry Vanover, the new “replay rule stall” was on.
Although both knew it, they continued their talk anyway.
Ron Darling even noted Collins was arguing from a 2014-uncoventional position — his back to the dugout, rather than facing it while awaiting the other “transfers” — the one from the Mets’ video review guy inside, to the bench coach, who then would transfer the “go” or “no” to the manager.
Anyway, tape clearly showed Murphy never caught the ball to begin with. Yet, as another SNY tape would show, Collins was given the “go” sign from the bench, then issued/transferred his one challenge, claiming Murphy had dropped the ball on the transfer.
Several minutes later, the self-evident, upon re-inspection, was confirmed. A game soaked in fundamental failures had spilled beyond the field, through the dugout and into the Mets’ video room — then back again. A complete waste of time and a challenge.
But during the needless delay, Darling had the colossal gall — the unmitigated audacity — to suggest common sense would have quickly and harmlessly ended the matter: “You know what I’d do if I were the manager there? I would run out to the umpire, then call Murphy in. ‘Murph, did you catch that ball? Tell me yes or no.’ ”
Common sense. On the other hand, there’s a guy I know who likes instant replay because he claims it can quickly correct mistakes.
Here’s the kicker: He’s an attorney, specializes in divorce cases.
Some people are never held accountable
There are three people of note in this town who never are held accountable for what they say or do: Al Sharpton, Spike Lee and Mike Francesa. Another strong week for “Let’s Be Honest” Mike.
Naturally, Masahiro Tanaka, who had not lost a regular-season game in two years, was doomed Tuesday the moment Francesa claimed Tanaka was a lock vs. the last-place Cubs. Tanaka, pulled after six innings and eight hits, was the loser.
(Francesa wasn’t around for Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak. And if he had been on the air during Cal Ripken’s early years he would have huffed that “the kid lacks durability.”)
Also Tuesday, after seeing Juan Lagares again wasn’t in the Mets’ starting lineup that night, Francesa trashed the Mets. Ready, fire, aim! Lagares was in the Dominican for a funeral.
Yankees telecasts regularly include Susquehanna Hat Co. moments, when slowly you want to turn, step by step …
During Thursday’s telecast, Michael Kay told of how Masahiro Tanaka recently was asked if he feels the talent in the majors “is better than the talent in the Japanese league. And he goes, ‘Yes, I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think that. I wanted to test myself against the best.’ ”
Stop! What was he supposed to say? If “testing himself against the best” was what he wanted — as opposed to being paid $155 million over seven years to take that “test” — he would have volunteered to fly over, stand-by, just to pitch batting practice.
Next, Kay stated Tanaka, at 6-0, is off to the “best start of any Yankee rookie since Whitey Ford began 9-0 in 1950.”
Stop! As if Tanaka was called up from Trenton, then arrived at JFK Airport, via Tokyo, in his chartered Boeing 787 Dreamliner. His starter salary of $155 million — the Yanks first had to pay $20 million to his “minor league” team in Japan — puts him in the same place as Whitey Ford in 1950.
In-game ads ruin radio
Yankees radio remains both satire-proof and impossible for the central nervous system to endure beyond the national anthem, which is commercially sponsored but not heard.
Bottom of the sixth Wednesday afternoon from Wrigley Field: Four in-game commercials were read — one sponsoring the pitch count, another for paint after John Sterling said a pitcher “painted the corner” — before the first pitch was thrown to the second batter. Why bother with water-boarding?
Also, Suzyn Waldman spotted some empty seats in Wrigley. Odd, she never has noted even one in Yankee Stadium.
♦ Head of State Lookalikes: Timmy B. from Port Washington submits Vladimir Putin and Gary Bettman.
Phil Mushnick’s Equal Time column will return on Tuesday.