Put This One On Joe

Not only did the Yankees lose yet again to the Angels for the fifth time in seven games, they were also out coached.

With the game tied 3 to 3 in the bottom of the 9th inning, Joe Girardi decided to use Damaso Marte for a 2nd inning of work. While I would not have a problem with this against a tough lefty who might have lead off the inning, this was simply not the case. Instead, the Angels were due up the ever dangerous Howie Kendrick, Gary Matthews Jr., who is hitting .226 and Mike Napoli who is hitting .224.

Somehow Marte, who is a lefty specialist or at most a one inning type of guy in the 7th or 8 inning, quickly turned into a two inning reliever. While Marte is easily capable of recording three additional outs, especially against the bottom third of the Angels lineup, this was not the right managerial decision when you have your closer, who has not pitched in three days, ready in the bullpen.

The Yankees not only needed a big win in this game to avoid a sweep, but to also prove that they can beat a team who simply has had their number since the 2002 divisional playoffs.

How can Girardi not pitch Mariano Rivera in a situation where the very talented but underrated Kendrick, who is a .322 hitter, leads off? Kendrick without even looking at stats is a right handed hitter who naturally has a better look against a left handed pitcher like Marte. Furthermore, the other two hitters in the inning are Matthews Jr. and Napoli. Matthews Jr. is a switch hitter but is hitting .211 lefty and .256 righty. Napoli on the other hand is a backup catcher hitting a measley .224.

To make matters even worse, Girardi sat in the dugout after a leadoff single by Kendrick. At this time only was Rivera beginning to warm up when he should have already been in the game to start the inning or at the very least ready at any sign of trouble.

On the contrary, just a half inning before, Angels manager Mike Scioscia used his closer Francisco Rodriquez in the top of the 9th inning to shut down the Yankees Wilson Betemit, Jason Christian, and Jason Giambi. If that move does not speak volumes to Yankee fans about how a team who has a 14 game lead in their division approached this series, nothing will. Scioscia could have used a good reliever in Scott Shields instead of burning another inning on the great arm of Rodriquez in a non save situation. However, Scioscia managed this game as if it was game 7 of the World Series. And that is what gives the Angels an edge over the Yankees. Games like this not only prepare your team to be mentally tough in big games, but more importantly give them the confidence to know that they can beat the Yankees.

In the end, there is no guarantee that if Rivera started the inning that the Yankees would have won. But at the very least they would have had a better chance rather than the one Girardi put them in on Sunday.