Yankees and Pitchers Batting Bore At Wrigley

Though it was just another game, albeit one between the Yankees and Chicago Cubs there was something really irritating about this afternoon's game. Like a gnat buzzing around your ear; one that just won't leave you alone. Think Joba and midges.

Perhaps it was losing 3-1 to the mediocre Cubs. Perhaps it was losing to starter Doug Davis who entered the game without a win and an ERA around 6.00. Perhaps it was seeing Freddy Garcia struggle early. Perhaps it was seeing the Yankees hitters do nothing all day. Perhaps it was listening to Michael Kay drone on about irrelevant topics. Perhaps it was watching the pitcher bat. Perhaps it was watching the pitcher bunt with one out already. Perhaps, no, definitely it was all of those things combined.

Interleague play starts the DH/non-DH, harder to manage the NL, double switch BS conversation every year. There's NOTHING fun about watching a pitcher bat, except for the occasional, "oh wow he got a hit" for any pitcher, which is most pitchers, hitting around .130. It's boring. It dulls the senses. It's the trap defense in hockey, the old four corners offense in the pre-shot clock era in college basketball, and the option play in football all rolled into one. BORING. PREDICTABLE. HAS TO GO!

As for the game itself, Garcia put the Yankees in an immediate whole in the 1st inning. He walked the lead off man Kosuke Fukudome, which is never a good way to start any inning. Starlin Castro doubled to make it a 1-0 game and two batters later Aramis Ramirez singled for a 2-0 lead.

Three straight hits by Castro, Blake DeWitt, and Ramirez produced a third run in the 3rd inning, but Garcia escaped further trouble by getting out of a two on, no out jam. Meanwhile, the Yankees offense did nothing against Davis, who hadn't won a game since May 5 in an injury plagued 2010 season.

The Yankees didn't have a hit until Robinson Cano's two out single in the 4th and didn't pose a real threat until an inning later. Eduardo Nunez reached on an infield single, but Brett Gardner grounded out, putting Garcia up with one on and one out. Not wanting to tax the bullpen that early, Joe Girardi stuck with his pitcher, who laid down the previously mentioned, ridiculous one out bunt. Nick Swisher walked to put two aboard, but Curtis Granderson struck out on a 3-2 pitch out of the zone.

The Yankees finally got on the board in the 8th and knocked Davis out in the process. When Swisher reached on a one out double, Mike Quade went to left-hander Scott Marshall to face Granderson. The move worked as Granderson struck out again, but switch-hitter Mark Teixeira singled from the right side to get the Yankees off the schneid. Quade then called on closer Carlos Marmol, who struck out Alex Rodriguez to end the frame.

The Yankees had one more shot in the 9th when Russ Martin drew a one out walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Jorge Posada pinch-hit for Nunez, but was called out on strikes for the second out. Gardner kept the Yankees alive with a single, but pinch-hitter Chris Dickerson went down swinging to end the game.

And now we have the idiots from Fox and ESPN the next two days debating the DH, pitchers, and droning on.