A Classy Night as Yankees Advance
By Jed Weisberger ~ October 12th, 2009. Filed under: 2009 Playoffs, Jed Weisberger.
No doubt both the Yankees and their fans have a good feeling today.
The 2009 edition, with its 4-1 win over the Minnesota Twins Sunday night, advanced to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2004. For those same fans, watching the Boston Red Sox get swept from the postseason by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim earlier in the day brought more smiles.
It also shows just how much work still needs to be done against those Angels, beginning at 7:37 p.m. Friday at Yankee Stadium in the opener of the best-of-seven ALCS.
For what it’s worth, along with my joy of seeing players I knew from their Double-A Trenton days – relievers Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes – performing Sunday night, I have a bit of a soft spot for the Twins.
As a small-market team, the franchise, with manager Ron Gardenhire leading the way, does it better than any other club in that financial bracket. The Yankees notched an ALDS sweep, but, aside from the 7-2 Game 1 romp, Games 2 and 3 were certainly not easy.
“I told my team how proud I was of them,’’ said Gardenhire. “We played with the Yankees on the same field and had our chances. This team gave us all they had.
“Some will talk about the Yankees, their payroll and all that, but those guys (Yankees) earn their money because they are great baseball players.
“They play the game right, and they play it with class.’’
Such ability and class showed in the bottom of the eighth, after Hughes allowed a leadoff double to Minnesota’s Nick Punto, a player who couldn’t find a spot in the Phillies system, but is the hustling type any club would want.
Punto, with the score 2-1 Yankees at the time, broke off second and rounded third on an infield single by Denard Span. Shortstop Derek Jeter’, quickly fielding the ball and relaying it to catcher Jorge Posada, who rifled a throw to third baseman Alex Rodriguez, showed the difference in the Yankees’ defense as compared to previous years.
“Overall, our defense (with the addition of Mark Teixeira at first base a major factor) has improved,’’ said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “We’re going to need more of that vs. the Angels.’’
Girardi also went out of his way to credit Rodriguez, who was 5-for-11, with a pair of homers and six RBIs in the three ALDS games.
“Without Alex, we wouldn’t be where we are,’’ Girardi said.
Can you wait until next Friday? I can’t.
GOOD RIDDANCE CHIP: There are those who have a tough time adjusting to a national broadcast after listening to home-town announcers all season.
With TBS placing Chip Caray on the Yankees-Twins series, such fans can be excused. Grandfather Harry was superb, dad Skip was better-than-average., while Chip leaves more than a lot to be desired.
The factual errors and erratic calls have been documented by many, but, as one who wrote a sports media column for over a decade, it’s easy to see Chip is one of those talking heads who simply likes to hear himself yak.
That made for a tough pairing with SNY’s Ron Darling, who supplied excellent analysis throughout the three games. It seemed Darling was given a bit more leeway Sunday night, which made for a better broadcast.
FOX (Channel 5) will carry the ALCS. No matter who is in the play-by-play chair, it will sound like a symphony compared to Chip.
