A Close Call

Well, that was close. It's one thing to give up 14 runs in one inning and lose a game by a margin of 18, but I can imagine no defeat quite so ignominious as losing to Carl Pavano. That's the fate the Yankees found themselves facing as they finally got to see the pitcher they thought they were signing four years ago. Captain Bruised Buttocks stymied the Yanks for six innings, retiring the first ten batters in order before Derek Jeter finally managed a hit in the fourth inning. Thankfully, the Indians bullpen wasn't quite as unhittable, and the Yankees were able to score six after Pavano left the game and win 7-3.

Of course, the part of the game everyone's talking about now isn't Pavano's terrifyingly good performance, but Jorge Posada's disputed home run that scored the go ahead run in the 7th inning. I can certainly understand why Cleveland might be upset by the decision to let the home run stand, but I think the umpires made the right call. It's not, mind you, that I'm entirely certain that the home run was valid. It's that I'm certain that no one can tell one way or the other from the instant replay, and lacking any better evidence the umps had to go with the ruling on the field. Of bigger concern to the Yankees is the fact that that home run probably wouldn't have made it out in the old stadium, but that's a post for another time.