Derek Jeter Pathetic Again, Second GIDP Sinks New York Yankees
August 16, 2010 · Larry Barnes · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
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How pathetic does a guy have to be before he finally starts hearing the boos he deserves?
That’s the question we ask in regards to Derek Jeter, who killed a great chance for a Yankees’ walk-off win (or at least extra innings) with his second double play of the night, sealing the Yankees’ fate in a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday night, at Yankee Stadium.
For the second consecutive game, the New York Yankees could get nothing going on offense while facing a pitcher they had never seen.
Then came the ninth inning, when it seemed as if the Yankees were destined to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, only to have their golden opportunity ruined by two pathetic at-bats.
The first AB in question came courtesy of Jorge Posada, who was more stupid than anything. Posada watched from the on-deck circle as Tigers closer Jose Valverde, working with a three-run lead, began the ninth inning by walking Robinson Cano on four pitches.
What does Posada do? He hacks at the first two pitches he sees, fouling off the first, and then rolling the second slowly to first base for the first out of the frame.
Curtis Granderson followed Posada’s at-bat with his third hit of the night, then Valverde walked Francisco Cervelli and Brett Gardner on five pitches each, as Posada’s effort at the plate grew more absurd with each successive pitch.
The walk to Gardner forced home Jorge Posada for the Yankees’ lone run of the game.
More importantly, that walk forced the potential tying run to second base and put the potential winning run on first, all with still only one out in the ninth, and with Valverde’s pitch count soaring.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, Gardner’s walk also brought Derek Jeter to the plate, who continued his pathetic season with another horrific at-bat.
Ahead in the count 2-1 to a pitcher who had already walked three in the inning, Jeter swung wildly at a pitch that ran eight inches to a foot outside, fouling it off for strike two.
Had it been a two-strike count, you could better understand such a swing. But with a 2-1 against a guy who couldn’t find the zone? Ridiculous.
After working the count full, Jeter attempted to pull a pitch that was both high and outside, rolling it to shortstop for the game-ending, Valverde-and-Tigers-saving double play.
Jeter had one other chance to make an impact at the plate in this game, batting with runners on first and second and only one out in the bottom of the third inning. Just as he did at the most critical moment of the game, Captain Crap rolled into an inning-ending double play.
In between, Jeter did manage a meaningless single with nobody on and one out in the sixth inning. Yankees fans used to have a word for Alex Rodriguez when he got meaningless hits but failed in the worst possible way in virtually every critical situation.
So far at least, that kind of criticism has eluded Jeter. In fact, you’ve never heard a stadium get so quiet as Yankee Stadium did tonight when Jeter sank the Yankees’ best chance.
It’s safe to say that there is no other current Yankee who would not have been roundly booed in the same situation.
By the time this horrific contest was over, another pathetic effort from Javier Vazquez had been nearly completely overshadowed.
After lasting only 4.1 innings in his last start, in Texas, Vazquez managed only four innings tonight, and he needed 106 pitches to get that far. It was one more night where Vazquez had virtually nothing on the ball and was in constant trouble.
That the veteran right-hander was able to escape having only allowed two runs (that’s still an 8.25 ERA, by the way) during his time on the mound is a minor miracle. Nevertheless, he still forced the Yankees bullpen to pick up five innings.
These performances simply cannot continue, and we would not be the least bit surprised to see either Sergio Mitre or, perhaps, Dustin Moseley (once Andy Pettitte returns) take Vazquez’s spot in the rotation if something doesn’t change fast.
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