WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND THEY ARE US
Costly mistakes by Bombers help D-Rays take series




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
May 5, 2005

As of this evening my son’s AAA Little League team, the Yankees, are emulating their namesake in a couple of regards. Both teams are disliked by every other team in their divisions, and both have won the same amount games in their respective seasons. However, our team has only lost two games, and are in first place, while the New York version has dropped their 18th game, and are in last place. Thanks to a series of mistakes, the Yankees are now in a dead-heat tie as the least in the East with the team that just beat them 6-2.

The New York Yankees at 11-18 have started the 2005 season with the worst start since 1975. With what was supposed to be a new and improved offering the 2005 squad has become a $200 million dollar giveaway.

Manager Joe Torre held a team meeting before tonight’s game in the hopes that a little butt chewing and encouragement would shake this team, at least for one night, out of it’s tailspin. It has been a tailspin that has seen this team drop seven of their last nine games. Three of four of which has come at the hands of the Devil Rays. The Rays who have a budget of slightly over $29 million (30th out of 30 teams) beat the Yankees like a drum. The Bombers who used to tee off on other team’s mistakes are now doing duck and cover on teams taking advantage of theirs.

Tonight was a classic example of a troubled team. With the score 3-2 in the fifth inning Alex Sanchez of the Rays bunt singled to start the inning. He proceeded to steal second base on a pitchout when catcher Jorge Posada bounced the throw to shortstop Derek Jeter. The following batter Julio Lugo was walked by Yankees’ starter Chien-Ming Wang. The next batter, Carl Crawford popped a ball into foul territory just past third base. Alex Rodriguez gave chase and after taking a quick look to check his position poised himself to make an over-the-shoulder basket style catch. The ball hit the side of his glove with a thud and fell to the turf. Crawford hit into a fielder’s choice, but what should have been the first out of the inning leaving men at first and second, became a first and third situation.

Wang, the rookie AAA hurler from Columbus, was now in a dogfight. Needless to say, Wang victimized by his ineffectual defense gave up a single to Aubrey Huff and a sacrifice fly to Josh Phelps and suddenly Tampa led 5-2.

The troubles with the Yankees didn’t stop there. In the 6th inning Jorge Posada, with one out doubled to right field. On the very next at bat, Posada got himself into trouble when his indecisive base running between second and third got him thrown out on Hideki Matsui’s grounder. A runner in scoring position was scratched and the Yankees failed to cross the plate again.

In the seventh inning Alex Sanchez added Tampa’s final run with a solo shot off reliever Buddy Groom. The Yankees failed to answer in the 7th , 8th and 9th innings as they went down in order in each of those innings.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have to be feeling like supermen right now. A team that dropped 15 of 19 against the Bombers last year are now 4-2 against their eastern rivals. In fact, Rays’ starter Mark Hendrickson lost all three starts against the Yankees in 2004. Tonight he pitched 7-1/3 strong innings, giving up only two earned runs on the strength of Gary Sheffield’s 2-run home run in the 4th inning.

The Yankees are in dire straits. As of today they are 8 games out of first place and it is only the 5th of May. The season is quickly slipping away. This is a team that would use workmanlike precision to dismantle opponents. All of a sudden it is a team unsure of itself and its identity. They are lost in darkness of the Eastern Division cellar, and they need to quickly dig themselves out of their self inflicted hole to have any chance of having a say in the playoff picture.

The Yankees head home with their collective tails tucked between their legs. Their next opponent, the Oakland Athletics, won’t be sending any sympathies the Bombers way. The Yankees have to remember how to win and swiftly. They have become their own worst enemy. Captain Derek Jeter said yesterday the season couldn’t get any worse. We shall see.

PLAY BALL!



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