Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Yankees 9, Blue Jays 2

Ah. I was wondering last night about the origins of the Yankees-Blue Jays' bad blood--or, more specifically, the Jays' recent emnity toward the Yankees, or maybe A-Rod. As it happened, I forgot all about "Got it," something that seemed to occur seasons ago.

And something that explains tonight.

Towers dots A-Rod, benches clear twice. Then Clemens (with, it should be said, a big late-inning lead and a fresh bullpen installed--in other words, the W in his pocket) dots Rios.

Found out something strange on ESPN tonight. For all of Clemens's reputation as a hard case, this was only the fourth time in his career he's been ejected, and the first time in 14 years. The first happened in his breakout year of 1986, for charging an umpire. (I remember the seeing the hi-light well. This was during Clemens's break-out 1986 season, when he went 24-4 and carried the Red Sox to the brink of the World Series Championship; during the incident, a group of his mates, who knew he was the franchise and the key to staving off the Yankees, virtually carried him horizontally off the field to avoid grabbing the ump and enduring a prolonged suspension.) The second was the 1990 playoffs, when Clemens--battling injury and fatigue--melted down against the A's. The third was 1993 and involved "bench jockeying," this during a year when I was studying for comps and baseball was a mystery to me.

Anyway, the good times roll.

Melky Cabrera, 3-for-4.

Chamberlain, the new bullpen stud, two scoreless innings.

20-7 since the All-Star break.

Detroit, Seattle win. But Boston, losing big.

We could all wake up on Wednesday with the Yankees five back.

So? So the division is in play.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wasn't Clements ejected in that playoff game while he was warming up? As I remember, it was a wild scene.

Sorry to see Cairo go, but it was the right decision.

texasyank said...

It may have been the A's game in the first inning.

Can't argue with Cashman now.