Switcheroo
I’m not talking about this kid at Saturday’s game. He pulled a fast one by Yankees third base coach Rob Thomson with a decoy Yankee hat. In effect he imitated bandwagon Yankee fans who sprain their ankles jumping off the bandwagon every season the squad doesn’t put up triple-digit wins, switching caps to another team’s because they have a cool logo. I was going to quote the song “Smooth” but then I realized that the tune featured Rob Thomas on vocals, not another Rob Thomson.
The sixth and seventh innings displayed a few of Boston’s weaknesses. While very good, Ryan Dempster is not a starting ace. The relief corps is also very good, but it has been spread thin by injuries and overuse. As spectacular as Jose Iglesias is at short he needs more experience at the hot corner to consistently contribute on the field.
With Mike Napoli in the box, as it is in Westeros, there is no middle ground. You win or you die. Either he’s clubbing three-run homers as he did in the third inning or grounding into infuriating double plays like he did in the eighth with the bases loaded and the score tied 7-7.
The first baseman struck out three times, once leading off an inning and twice with runners in scoring position. But in the eleventh with two men down and his team’s bullpen down to Jose De La Torre with John Farrell perhaps having to work Brandon Workman Napoli homered to dead center on the seventh pitch he saw. After Napoli touched them all he handed his helmet to Jonny Gomes and then commenced with celebration.
A walk-off win in an epic showdown between rivals in July. Is this team beginning to remind you of something? Is an earth-shattering trade in the offing?
| Game 100: July 21, 2013 ∙ 11 innings | ||
| New York Yankees 52-46 |
7 | L: Adam Warren (1-1) |
| No extra base hits | ||
 Boston Red Sox60-40 |
8 | W: Pedro Beato (1-0) |
| 2B: Jacoby Ellsbury (22) HR: Mike Napoli – 2 (13), Jonny Gomes (8) | ||
