Yankees Playing For Pride And Tradition

Babe Ruth would have been proud of the Yankees last night as they looked like the Bronx Bombers of old, slugging three homeruns, in their 7-1 victory over the L.A. Angels.

The Babe also probably tipped his hat to Derek Jeter, after the "captain" singled in the first inning to move ahead of Ruth into second place on the all-time Yankees hit list. For Jeter it was hit number 2,519; and, when coupled with Jeter's second hit [2,520] later in the game, Derek is now only behind Lou Gehrig, who is the Yankees all-time hit leader with 2,721 career hits.

As the great Dodgers broadcaster, Vince Scully would say, "Derek Jeter is now in the high-rent district of Yankees greatness and tradition, along with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig".

In a few more years, Jeter will have his own zip code of greatness, when he becomes the only New York Yankee player to reach 3,000 hits. If he stays healthy, and plays at least another 7 years, Derek Jeter should be at about 3,700 hits at that time; and, who knows, after that 2015 season if Jeter continues to play, 4,000 lifetime hits is not out of the question.

Rebounding from their very embarrassing 12-1 loss to the Angels in game one of this three-game series, the Yankees took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning of the middle game against the AL West leaders.

Alex Rodriguez led off the second inning with a single, and was followed by Jason Giambi getting hit by a pitch, setting-up a first and second situation, with no outs, and Xavier Nady coming up to the plate. Nady pulled a ball to leftfield that was almost caught by Angels leftfielder, Reggie Willits, but bounced off his glove for a RBI double, as he tried to make the catch.

On the hit, Rodriguez scored, and it looked like the Yankees were ready to break this game wide open, with runners on second and third and no outs. But, what followed really sums up the whole Yankees season, and why the Bombers are in fourth place battling the Blue Jays for third; and, not in the middle of the pennant race for first place in the AL East with the Rays and Red Sox.

Hideki Matsui had first crack to drive home a couple of runs, but struck-out. Robinson Cano was up next, and he also struck-out, for the second out of the inning. Then, with two opportunities wasted, to drive home at least "one run" from third with less than two outs, Chad Moeller lined out to left for the final out of the inning. 

The Yankees led the game 1-0, but we have seen this sad act played-out many times this season, with many different combinations of players, all failing in exactly the same situation. Way too many runners left on base, and not being able to drive home runners from third with less than two outs, in addition to many other factors, have all led to the Yankees sinking in deep water, without a life raft, drowning in fourth place in the AL East.

The Yankees held this 1-0 lead as they entered the top of the 6th, when they finally did break this game open a bit, increasing their lead to 4-0, on a three-run homerun by Alex Rodriguez, that drove home Derek Jeter, who was on third because of a three-base error by Gary Matthews, Jr., and Bobby Abreu, who reached first on a walk.

The Angels scored their only run in the bottom of the 6th inning, cutting the Bombers lead to 4-1.

In the top of the 7th, Chad Moeller singled, and scored on a two-run homer by Johnny Damon, that upped the Yankees lead to 6-1, and knocked Angels starter, Ervin Santana (15-6) out of the game.

Meanwhile, Yankees starting pitcher, Alfredo Aceves, who was making his first start for the Yanks, was throwing a beautiful game.

Aceves (1-0) pitched seven solid innings, throwing 89 pitches, allowing only one run, on five hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. This was an outstanding starting performance by Alfredo Aceves, who had many friends and family members in attendance supporting his great pitching effort. The future looks bright for Aceves, and the Yankees starting rotation, if Alfredo continues to throw the way he did last night. 

Johnny Damon hit his second homer of the game, a solo homerun in the top of the 9th, to complete the scoring in this game; and, Bruney [8th]; Marte [9th]; pitched two scoreless innings, that closed out the Yankees 7-1 victory. 

The Yankees are now 5-4 on this very long ten-game road trip. With one more game remaining, against the Angels Wednesday afternoon [Sept. 10th], the Yankees are playing for pride and respect of the great Yankees tradition.

No matter how this season ends, the New York Yankees are, and will always be, the greatest team in the history of baseball, and the history of all sports. 

Go Yankees !!! 

Update:  The Yankees lost the final game of the three-game series against the L.A. Angels, 4-2, to end this 10-game road trip with a 5-5 record. Andy Pettitte was the losing pitcher, and now has a 13-13 record this season. Not much more to say as the 2008 Yankees season is fading away, and will be remembered as one of the most disappointing seasons in New York Yankees history.

The Yankees return back to the Bronx, New York, to play the final 10 games at the old Yankee Stadium, starting Friday, September 12, 2008. Then, they finish the 2008 season, by playing six road games, ending with a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, September 26, 27, and 28, 2008.

As I stated in the title of this post: "The Yankees are now playing for pride and tradition".