Jason Giambi: This is What He’s Good For

Hours after Chien-Ming Wang couldn’t find the strike zone, an inning after Robinson Cano blew another run scoring opportunity, and minutes after Kyle Farnsworth-less appeared to have spoiled a valiant Yankees comeback attempt, Manager Joe Girardi tapped his left wrist in the dugout and called upon Jason Giambi to save the game.

Sporting his patented gold tiger-striped thong, child molester moustache, and .248 average over the last six years, Giambi lumbered into the batters box just a single out from defeat, representing the winning run.

Giambi teased the 53,571 in attendance, allowing Toronto Blue Jays closer BJ Ryan to get ahead in the count 0-2, before the pinch hitter belted a two-run homer into the right field upper deck.

And with that swing, the left-handed slugger finally found his niche as a Yankee: offensive closer. 

Giambi’s 0-6 with the bases loaded this season, 0-7 as a cleanup hitter, and 0-20 with runners in scoring position and two outs, but that ex-roid-head is 2-2 as a pinch hitter.

And now the grades from the Yankees’ 9-8 comeback victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (B+) As soon as Cano’s failed bunt attempt turned into a rally-killing double play in the eighth, my phone rang.  It was my old college roommate Darren.  My love of small-ball is so well-known that friends call me to get my reaction after a Yankee fails to achieve the easiest of tasks.

The good news, however, is that Girardi has his team playing a lot more strategic baseball.  They scored two runs in the first on a Bobby Abreu groundout and an Alex Rodriguez sac fly and experienced déjà vu in the fifth when the same two players did the same two things for two more runs.

The only question I have for Girardi is why he went to Farnsworth in the ninth instead of Mariano Rivera.  Both relievers had pitched with a four-run lead the day before, so why go with Farnsworth (4.45 ERA) over Rivera (0.35 ERA) when the team needed to hold the deficit at one on Thursday? 

Farnsworth, of course, gave up three hits and a run, like he usually does in pressure situations, and the Yankees were lucky to escape with a win.

Johnny Damon, DH: (A+) Damon went 8-11 with three walks in the three games against Toronto.  Wow.

Derek Jeter, SS: (B) The Captain doubled and scored in the first before going relatively silent the rest of the way.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (A+) Abreu had two hits, including a double, but what was more impressive was what he did with his three outs –-twice grounding the ball to the right side to drive home a runner from third with less than two outs.

Alex Rodgriguez, 3B: (A) A-Rod succeeded in getting the runner home from third with less than two outs on two of three occasions.

Hideki Matsui, LF: (C) Godzilla was 0-4 when he stepped to the plate with one on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but his RBI single kept the Yanks alive and set the stage for Giambi’s dramatics.

Jorge Posada, C: (A-) Posada singled on the first pitch he saw since returning from the DL.  He later walked.  It’s great to have him back.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (A-) Robbie went 2-4 with a run scored but failed in two tries to lay down a bunt to get the tying run into scoring position in the eighth inning.  With two strikes, the bunt was lifted and Cano promptly grounded into a double play.  I don’t understand taking the bunt off with two strikes. 

When a hitter goes up to the plate with the mindset of bunting, chances are he’s not going to be able to get a hit once he has two strikes on him.  Might as well just try the sacrifice again.

Wilson Betemit, 1B: (A) Betemit adds a nice little pop to the bottom of the order as he showed Thursday with his second homer in as many games.  He did, however, ground into a double play with two on and nobody out in the second – another terrific bunting opportunity.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (B-) His error in the fifth helped lead to a big five-run inning for the Jays, but he did go 1-3 with a walk and a run scored.

Shelley Duncan, PR: (INC) Pinch ran for Posada in the eighth (nice move by Girardi) but was erased on Cano’s double play.

Jose Molina, C: (INC) Caught the ninth. 

Jason Giambi, PH: (A+) Yet another game the Yanks win when Giambi’s not in the starting lineup.  Ha.

Chien-Ming Wang, SP: (F) What’s wrong with Wang?  He started the year 6-1 with a 2.90 ERA, but has surrendered 23 earned runs in his last 23.2 innings pitched.  The problem seems to be control, something Wang’s going to have to fix sooner than later if the Yankees are going to be successful this season.

Ross Ohlendorf, RP: (A) Retired the only two batters he faced in the fifth.

LaTroy Hawkins, RP: (B) Gave up a hit and a walk in the sixth.

Jose Veras, RP: (A) He didn’t throw a lot of strikes, but he also didn’t give up a hit or a run and kept the Yankees in the game as they chipped away in the seventh and eighth innings.  Veras really deserved the win.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP: (F) Leaving Yankee Stadium Wednesday night, my girlfriend and I saw a guy selling “Anyone But Farnsworth” t-shirts.  I really regret not getting one.

Yankees Overall Grade: (B+) This was a huge game.  A loss would’ve meant four L’s in five days and a return to the AL East cellar, but a win clinches the series with division rival Toronto and gives the Bombers ten victories in their last 15 heading into a four-game home set with the lowly Kansas City Royals.