Signs of once familiar Grim Reaper: The Yankees Close and Late

In case you buy into the misnomer, "The Bronx Bombers"...

• "... the Yankees won the (opening Toronto) series despite going 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position." (Ed Price, Star-Ledger, 4/3/08).

"Close and Late" usually means pitching and microscopic things--not bombs (and not "useless" ones anyway):

• "Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons recognized the script being written and simply hoped there might be a surprise ending against the New York Yankees.

• Close late games, especially at home, have a way of working out for New York and that was the case Thursday night as the Yankees won 3-2"....(Jeremy Sandler, National Post, 4/3/08)

Nothing against John Gibbons, but like other managers he also brings up the "powerhouse" bit (National Post article)--I think they do that hoping their ownership will feel sorry for them and spend more money. Which is fine, a manager should do that. The only big power in 3 games for the Yankees was in the one "useless" Arod blast the night the Blue Jays won. (The Melky 315 footer, and the Damon triple). The 2 games the Yankees won were excruciatingly close--there was no "powerhouse" on either team for those 2 games. It was "Close and Late" city.

• Then you have Jeff Wilken from the Schenectady Daily Gazette who criticizes Yankee arrogance. He cites Joba with his showboating and somehow thnks Mariano Rivera is just as bad. (I have no idea how he connects these 2 players but he does):

"I don’t like many things about the New York Yankees. After years of rooting for the Baltimore Orioles, with few recent dividends in October, it’s easy to focus anger, angst and annoyance at the old Highlanders.

• That famous Yankee arrogance is the biggest reason.

• Alex Rodriguez,

• Mariano Rivera and

• the new kid pitcher, “Joba” Chamberlain, have arrogance a-plenty.

When Chamberlain put on a spastic display of bravado after striking out Toronto’s Frank Thomas in a critical, late-inning situation Tuesday night, it was the same old story. I hope Frank remembers.

• But I’ve always appreciated Derek Jeter. He plays hard, always says the right things and, while wicked competitive, never comes across as a dolt on or off the field. The Yankee shortstop’s stock rose in my book this week, when he requested a tape of ailing announcer Bob Sheppard’s voice be used to introduce him at bat during the Yanks’ first two games."

Perspective is helpful.

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