This game this afternoon in Toronto reminds me of an age old wagering rule.
"Never ask a team to do something they are incapable of doing."
These Toronto Blue Jays had the Yankees over a barrel in this one.........
......Yankees arriving in town at 3 AM for a 1 PM game.
......Yankees in a sure let down spot after sweeping the Red Sox and coming so close to that perfect game last night.
......Yankees resting most of their star players.
And the Blue Jays did take a 5-2 lead midway through the game, but couldn't hold it and here is why: This team doesn't know HOW to win, so we shouldn't EXPECT them to win a gift game like this. That sounds like an oversimplification, but it isn't. The Yankees did all the little things right in this game and the Jays did all the little things wrong.
For instance..........In the early going, Jays star Delgado watched a 6 hopper go past him down the first base line for a double. He was close enough to dive and make an actual try at it but he didn't. The runner eventually scored the first NY run.
In the Bottom of the 6th, the Jays had scored twice to take a 5-2 lead and still had the bases loaded with only one out and the meat of the order coming up. Delgado, instead of being patient, struck out on a pitch in the dirt. Next up was Mondesi and he worked the count to 3-0 and then, lacking the same patience, hit a routine fly to right field on the 3-0 count with the bases loaded. The Blue Jays wouldn't score again.
In the 8th, Mondesi mis-played a fly ball in the right field corner into a double and eventually that runner scored to tie the game at 5.
In the top of the 9th of this 5-5 tie, Toronto closer Billy Koch, faced Derek Jeter and Dave Justice and refused to challenge them, opting instead to nibble at the corners trying to fool them. He walked them both and they both scored to give the Yankees the 7-5 final score.
All the little things that winning teams do, the Yankees did and the Blue Jays did not. This team doesn't know how to win and we shouldn't expect it from them.
Yes, I had Toronto and lost, but this is not a venting thread. It is a warning to myself and others..............
Don't expect something out of a team that they are incapable of.
"Never ask a team to do something they are incapable of doing."
These Toronto Blue Jays had the Yankees over a barrel in this one.........
......Yankees arriving in town at 3 AM for a 1 PM game.
......Yankees in a sure let down spot after sweeping the Red Sox and coming so close to that perfect game last night.
......Yankees resting most of their star players.
And the Blue Jays did take a 5-2 lead midway through the game, but couldn't hold it and here is why: This team doesn't know HOW to win, so we shouldn't EXPECT them to win a gift game like this. That sounds like an oversimplification, but it isn't. The Yankees did all the little things right in this game and the Jays did all the little things wrong.
For instance..........In the early going, Jays star Delgado watched a 6 hopper go past him down the first base line for a double. He was close enough to dive and make an actual try at it but he didn't. The runner eventually scored the first NY run.
In the Bottom of the 6th, the Jays had scored twice to take a 5-2 lead and still had the bases loaded with only one out and the meat of the order coming up. Delgado, instead of being patient, struck out on a pitch in the dirt. Next up was Mondesi and he worked the count to 3-0 and then, lacking the same patience, hit a routine fly to right field on the 3-0 count with the bases loaded. The Blue Jays wouldn't score again.
In the 8th, Mondesi mis-played a fly ball in the right field corner into a double and eventually that runner scored to tie the game at 5.
In the top of the 9th of this 5-5 tie, Toronto closer Billy Koch, faced Derek Jeter and Dave Justice and refused to challenge them, opting instead to nibble at the corners trying to fool them. He walked them both and they both scored to give the Yankees the 7-5 final score.
All the little things that winning teams do, the Yankees did and the Blue Jays did not. This team doesn't know how to win and we shouldn't expect it from them.
Yes, I had Toronto and lost, but this is not a venting thread. It is a warning to myself and others..............
Don't expect something out of a team that they are incapable of.
