When it Rains

Last night was another of far too many nights this season where everything went wrong for the Yankees. It started out well enough, as the team took an early three run lead, and Joba Chamberlain looked like his usual dominant self for three innings. He then proceeded to give up five runs before having to exit the game in the fifth with a sore shoulder, leaving the Yankees down by one run and everyone tremendously worried about his health. Fortunately Edwar Ramirez, and Brian Bruney managed to hold the Rangers scoreless long enough for AL Player of the Week Xavier Nady to tie it with a solo home run in the top of the eighth.

Then came Damaso Marte. Brought in with one out in the bottom of the eighth to face lefties David Murphy and Chris Davis, Marte did well enough in keeping the game tied into the ninth. Indeed, he pitched well enough that I didn't really have a problem when Joe Girardi sent him back out in the ninth to face pinch hitter Milton Bradley. I did, however, have a problem when, after Marte walked Bradley, Girardi left him in to face the top of the Rangers' lineup, which starts with three right handers. While Marte managed to get two of those three out, he walked the other and proceeded to walk Josh Hamilton to load the bases with two out and a right hander at the plate in Marlon Byrd. At this point, Marte had had thrown 41 pitches, more than he had thrown in a game since May of last year, so I was relieved when I saw a figure emerging from the dugout.

That relief soon turned to shock as I saw that the figure was Dave Eiland coming out to talk to Marte, rather than Joe Girardi coming out to bring in a new pitcher. Granted, the bullpen was short staffed, with Mariano Rivera unavailable because of back spasms, Jose Veras having pitched two days in a row, and Dan Giese having thrown three innings the day before, but David Robertson was up and ready to go. I've generally been a fan of Girardi this year, but stuff like this drives me crazy.