I Hate the West Coast

For as long as I remember, I have hated the West Coast. Hang in there Left Coast lovers or inhabitants; I am speaking in baseball terms about road trips. There is usually 2 long trips and perhaps a short one each summer. Living on the East Coast originally, this meant 10 or 11 pm starts, even when on TV most of the time. There is nothing I hate more then falling asleep during a game with the Yankees ahead and waking up to find they have lost. A second problem for me has been the fact that the Yankees seem to have some difficulty in these games, even when better than there opponent, so it is not unusual for them to 3 and 6 on a trip.

Now, I wrote that last paragraph on Thursday, knowing the Bombers opened a 4 game set with the Oakland A’s that night. I am writing THIS paragraph on Sunday morning with the Yankees having dropped 3 consecutive one run games out there. I am not happy

So, 3 losses by one run each – this exposes the problem of a team depending on homeruns. If they face good pitching, or in the Yankees case, pitchers they have not seen much before, they simply get screwed. This is not the end for Yankees but they have to work on grinding out some runs sometime even if it means losing games. They can’t wait on a “bloop and a blast” to win long term and by I mean in the playoffs and World Series.

So far on this trip they have wasted great starts by Nova and Hughes, quality starts but nothing to show for it. That must be tough on a pitcher. With CC going on Sunday, he had the opportunity to be the stopper. THAT is what he gets the big bucks for. But it wasn’t meant to be, the Yankees got swept in 4 games in Oakland, with all games decided bt one run and two of them won in walk off fashion to boot. Yea, there was a game tying homerun too. I bet they can’t wait to get out of Oakland and get to Seattle. They will probably run there.

Pinch hits

-There was an interesting blog post today on The Yankee Analyst blog about Bret Gardner and upper body injuries and head first slides. Basically said he is convinced it gets him to bag quicker but testing at UK show it does not. Can you tell a ballplayer he cannot slide head first? Can you make him not slide head first? Will you screw him up if you do?

-Just found out that the Yankees open next season at home against the Red Sox. Just how EPIC would it be to pass out Championship rings to the Yankees and raise their 27^th pennant that day.  Oooooh I got goosebumps!