Lather, Rinse, Repeat

"Don't Go West Young/Old Men"

I went over the flowchart scenario for failure in a recap of Friday night's game yesterday. Saturday's 5-4, 12 inning loss to the Seattle Mariners didn't vary much for the Yankees. They took the early lead, couldn't hold it, and lost it late. In fact the game would not have gone extra innings had Ichiro Suzuki made a rare misplay in right field to allow the Yankees to tie the game in the 7th inning. Of course, the Yankees then stranded the go ahead run at third base.

Both bullpens were solid until Mariano Rivera entered a tie game in the bottom of the 12th. Justin Smoak reached on a one out single (that resulted in Brett Gardner's grass facial above) and Jack Cust doubled to left center. The Yankees intentionally walked Franklin Gutierrez to set up the double play, but the strategy became moot when Adam Kennedy singled in the game winner.

The Yankees got off to a good start once again; Robinson Cano belted a solo home run and Mark Teixeira hit a two run shot off of Felix Hernandez for a 3-0 lead. It was Teixeira's sixth home run in the last nine games. Unfortunately for the Yankees, it was not a good night for starter Ivan Nova.

The 24-yr old struggled with his command, as he has done in three of his last four starts, and lasted just 3.2 innings pitched. The Mariners scored a single run in the second inning on a ground out - the fifth straight RBI via a ground ball for the M's in the series - and took the lead with a three run fourth inning.

Gutierrez reached on an infield single, that was originally scored an error on Derek Jeter (and should have remained that way), to start the inning and Kennedy followed with a double. Both runners came home when Miguel Olivo's deep drive to right-center took one hop and bounced over the fence for a ground rule double to tie the game. Nova struck out Carlos Peguero for the first out, but after a wild pitch moved Olivo to third, he allowed a go ahead single to Brendan Ryan.

Jeter drew a two out walk in the 7th and came home to tie the game at four apiece when Ichiro mistimed his leap, if he had to leap at all, on Curtis Granderson deep drive to right. The ball fell in play and Granderson was credited with an RBI triple. But after Hernandez pitched around/walked Teixeira for the second time in the game, he struck out Alex Rodriguez to keep the score tied.

Notes

Apparently the Mariners fans were spiking their Starbucks last night. Several fans ran on to the field, some sans clothes, and were arrested.

The classless crew also changed "Overrated" when Derek Jeter batted in the 9th inning.

Cano Tops List of AL Gold Glove Winners

Anyone who got the opportunity to watch Robinson Cano play 2nd base this past season knew he had a great chance of winning his first Gold Glove. Today those thoughts came to fruition.

Cano won his first Gold Glove award after a season filled with displays of remarkable range, sparking plays, and most importantly perhaps, consistently making the routine plays.

Cano was joined by shortstop Derek Jeter, who won his 5th Gold Glove, and Mark Teixeira, a 4-time winner. Cano and Jeter became the first Yankees middle infield duo to win the award in the same season.

Adding to their previous awards were pitcher Mark Buehrle, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, catcher Joe Mauer, and Evan Longoria. In addition to Cano, outfielders Franklin Gutierrez and Carl Crawford each picked up their first award.

Jeter's award, of course, immediately set off a firestorm of discussion on Twitter as does anything the Yankees' captain does.

M's Ace Makes Bats Sick-Lee

Cliff Lee's days in a Seattle Mariners uniform may be numbered, but he's making the most of it. And so is the M's front office, licking their chops at the possible prospects they could get back for the 2008 AL Cy Young winner.

Lee wasn't at the extreme top of his game last night, but he still threw his third straight complete game to beat the Yankees 7-4 at the Stadium last night. In doing so, Lee became the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since Randy Johnson in 1998.

Nick Swisher hit a pair of solo home runs and the Yankees rallied for a pair of runs in the 9th when Lee tired a bit, but for the most part the Yankees went down pretty meekly. The normally inoffensive Mariners also gave him plenty of run support, knocking starter Phil Hughes out of the game with two outs in the 6th inning.

Hughes, whose last start was skipped to slow his innings progression, wasn't sharp from the start. He had plenty of life on his fastball, but left it and his breaking pitches up in the zone.

The M's scored single runs in the 2nd thru 5th innings before breaking the game open with three runs in the 6th. Franklin Gutierrez homered and he and Ichiro Suzuki drove in two runs each.

Until the 9th inning the Yankees only legitimate threat was in the 2nd when they put two aboard with one out. But Lee got rookie Chad Huffman to bounce into an inning ending double play.

Notes

Lee, who beat the Yankees twice during last year's World Series, lost (3-1) to the Bombers during interleague play like season and is 5-4 lifetime with a 4.72 ERA in 10 career regular season starts against the Pinstripes.

Marcus Thames is getting closer to returning to the Bronx. He'll start a rehab stint at Scranton on Wednesday.

Dave Eiland was back with the team last night, with Mike Harkey resuming his bullpen duties. Eiland is still staying private about what kept him away.

Joe West was the home plate ump last night and was soundly booed about his Yankees-Red Sox slow play comments earlier this year. West really deserves to be booed in general.

Mets Get Putz in Blockbuster Deal

Occasionally trade rumors do come to fruition and late Wednesday night was one of those times. The Mets acquired Mariners closer J.J. Putz in a huge 3 team, 12 player deal. In addition to the Mets and Mariners, the Indians jumped into the fray, getting reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and Luis Valbuena from the Mariners.

In addition to Putz, who will now set up for Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets also picked up M's center fielder Jeremy Reed and right-hander Sean Green. Reed will serve as a reserve outfielder, while Green will pitch out of the pen and can be used for spot starts.

The Mariners received outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, who will most likely be their new center fielder, from the Indians, and Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Mike Carp, Maikel Cleto, Ezequiel Carrera, and Jason Vargas from the Mets.

Heilman wore out his welcome in New York with his performances the last 2 seasons as well as constant whining about wanting to start. He'll probably finally get the chance in Seattle, with Brandon Morrow now the heir-apparent for the closer's role.

Mets Get Putz in Blockbuster Deal

Occasionally trade rumors do come to fruition and late Wednesday night was one of those times. The Mets acquired Mariners closer J.J. Putz in a huge 3 team, 12 player deal. In addition to the Mets and Mariners, the Indians jumped into the fray, getting reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and Luis Valbuena from the Mariners.

In addition to Putz, who will now set up for Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets also picked up M's center fielder Jeremy Reed and right-hander Sean Green. Reed will serve as a reserve outfielder, while Green will pitch out of the pen and can be used for spot starts.

The Mariners received outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, who will most likely be their new center fielder, from the Indians, and Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Mike Carp, Maikel Cleto, Ezequiel Carrera, and Jason Vargas from the Mets.

Heilman wore out his welcome in New York with his performances the last 2 seasons as well as constant whining about wanting to start. He'll probably finally get the chance in Seattle, with Brandon Morrow now the heir-apparent for the closer's role.