A couple thoughts/stories from the two games I saw at Yankee Stadium (
and I posted a gallery in the photos section):
1) When's the last time a Sox player tried to take a catcher out at home? I thought Danny Richar might have the perfect opportunity to attempt to go through Jorge Posada when he tried tagging up on Josh Fields' pop-up to shallow right. As you can see, Posada set up a good four feet in front of the plate. Instead, Richar slid right into Posada's base and didn't go anywhere.
2) The 16-run second inning was the worst one I'd ever watched. My mantra is that I don't watch baseball to get upset, but at the same time, if you can't enjoy an eight-run inning for 30 minutes, then what else is there?
3) Charlie Haeger's ejection was so ridiculous that it even upset Yankee fans. It'll be interesting to see how Ozzie Guillen's critical comments of Tim Hallion and his crew are handled, because he was absolutely in his right.
A couple people around me called friends/family to see what they were saying on the YES broadcast, and told me that Michael Kay and Co. were miffed, and the camera showed a very confused Yankee dugout as well.
This would be a great time for Major League Baseball to evaluate the growing trend of activist umpires, but chances are Ozzie will be handed a fine and that'll be that. At least
the "baseball bitch" line should get heavy rotation.
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Minor league round-up:- Charlotte 4, Toledo 1
- Heath Phillips threw 7 1/3 shutout innings, allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out six. He has a 2.18 ERA over his last eight starts (53 2/3 IP)
- David Aardsma allowed a solo homer while closing out the game, but struck out four over 1 2/3 innings while walking nobody.
- Adam Ricks drove in three runs, and has six over his first three games. Three of his four hits are doubles.
- Birmingham 6, Mobile 4
- Chris Getz had his first hit since returning to action, going 1-for-4 with a run scored.
- Ricardo Nanita went 3-for-5 with two solo homers; Cory Aldridge added a two-run shot.
- Wes Whisler allowed only two runs over six innings, but Oneli Perez was touched for his first runs allowed since June 22, a two-run homer by the grandly named Emilio Bonifacio.
- Winston-Salem 9, Potomac 4
- Brian Omogrosso continues to impress, allowing two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings while striking out six.
- John Lujan finished the game with 2 1/3 perfect innings, with three strikeouts.
- Daron Roberts went 4-for-4, but more impressively, he walked. It's only his fifth in 263 at-bats, compared to 62 strikeouts.
- Rod Allen went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBI.
- Lakewood 7, Kannapolis 4
- John Shelby Jr. went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer.
- Carlos Perez was shelled for 13 hits and six runs over 6 2/3 innings.