Sunday night’s Yankee win was a good start to the playoffs. Monday night, not so much. CC Sabathia actually looked like an ace again in Game 1, and the Yankees just destroyed Baltimore Orioles closer Jim Johnson. Johnson, who led the league in saves with 51, gave up a homer, a double, three singles, and five runs (four earned) in the ninth inning. To put that in perspective, Johnson only gave up 21 runs (19 earned) in the entire 2012 season!
As for Game 2, I was at the Jets game (my first NFL game ever!) so I missed watching it live. (Sorry, but I got free tickets. Wasn’t going to turn that down!) Lots of “Tebow” chants. The game was closer than expected, but Mark Sanchez just isn’t a very good quarterback.
Anyhow, I did hear all the A-Rod complaints after Game 2, but I also heard the same people caterwauling about him after Game 1, when the Yanks actually won the game! What’s up with that?
I do think he needs to be moved down in the lineup, because it gives the Yankees a better chance of winning. Ken Davidoff’s column today is much of how I feel on this, although I would bat Granderson or, when he’s playing, Ibanez at fifth, not Swisher, and have A-Rod at sixth.
Here is some of what Davidoff wrote:
Six years ago, in the ALDS against Detroit, Joe Torre see-sawed A-Rod up and down the team’s lineup — from sixth to fourth to eighth — while also tinkering with Melky Cabrera, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and Bernie Williams. No one could figure out the rationale behind the Yankees manager’s addition and deletions. Especially since Rodriguez still ranked as an elite offensive player.
To the contrary, everyone would understand if Girardi finally cleared A-Rod out of the prestigious third spot and sent him on a good trip down the starting nine.
In this emotional time, the Yankees must let common sense rule the day. And common sense says that A-Rod simply isn’t a No. 3 hitter right now.
Makes sense to me.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
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