PHILADELPHIA — It’s not enough that the Yankees are richer. And better.
Do they have to be smarter, too?
While steamrolling through the playoffs, the Yankees have won the mental battle against opponents.
Look at the mound Sunday. Yankees manager Joe Girardi trotted out ace CC Sabathia on three days’ rest. The Phillies’ Charlie Manuel countered with Joe Blanton, even after Cliff Lee told the boss he was ready to go.
“I thought I made it clear that I would pitch whenever he wants me to,” Lee said. “I am not disappointed or mad or frustrated.”
He should be. The more Lee pitches, the better chance the Phillies having of winning. Have you seen Cole Hamels?
Girardi mapped out his strategy in September, spelling Sabathia and A.J. Burnett when possible. So they have worked on short rest in the last two rounds. Manuel is big on routine. Only once in his career has he started a pitcher on short rest, Cleveland’s Chuck Finley.
There is risk involved, history unkind to starters who come back a day early. But Sabathia and Burnett have been better with less rest. Burnett will pitch tonight on three days, going opposite Lee. Girardi looked at his available resources and wisely decided that Sabathia and Burnett are better than a fully rested Chad Gaudin. What’s more, it puts Sabathia in position to work a Game 7, if necessary, Thursday at Yankee Stadium.
As it stands, the Phillies would turn to — gulp! — Hamels or J.A. Happ. I can’t see Hamels pitching again if the Phillies want to win.
Manuel will likely regret not putting Lee in position to pitch three times. There’s been nothing to suggest he couldn’t handle it.
But it’s not like Manuel is the only one who has played into the Yankees’ hands. They have benefited from a staggering number of boneheaded baserunning mistakes and fielding errors (Nick Punto, Bobby Abreu, Erick Aybar, should I go on?).
The Yankees are a $208 million machine. They don’t need help. To beat them, you can’t stink. And it helps if you think.
Rockies’ 2010 ticket prices remain same.
The Rockies scored points with die-hard fans last weekend without playing a game. Multiple season- ticket holders said they received a letter from the Rockies saying their prices will not be raised next season.
It read: “Your support and loyalty as a season-ticket holder is greatly appreciated, and we are pleased to announce that season-ticket prices will remain the same in 2010 as they were in 2009.”
I will attempt to get more information on individual tickets today. This was a wise move by the Rockies as they try to rebuild their season-ticket base. Despite an increase in attendance last season, owner Dick Monfort told me that revenues dropped because of lost season-ticket holders and more fans buying less expensive seats.
Footnote.
Fox moved its cameras hanging over the right- and left-field fences back a few feet.
Alex Rodriguez’s line drive Saturday hit the TV camera and was ruled a home run after video review. The umpires decided before the game that any ball hitting the camera would be a homer.
Why didn’t they just tell the camera to scoot back then? An embarrassing oversight.
