Joe’s Alive

Well, Joe Torre has a job for one more night…at least. Thanks to Phil Hughes, Johnny Damon and Trot Nixon. Hughes, of course, came in and pitched 3.2 innings of shutout ball while bailing out the gimpy Roger Clemens. If there is another game for Hughes to pitch down the line this post-season, you can bet that Torre will hand him the ball. Then there’s Johnny Damon who went 3-for-4 with four RBI and a clutch home run that gave the Yankees the lead for good. Meanwhile, old Yankee-killer, Trot Nixon — who homered off Clemens early in the game — misplayed a ball hit by Robinson Cano so badly that all three runners on base at the time scored to cement the game for the Yankees.

So Torre lives another night…Damon was honest enough to admit that the Yankees wanted to win for Torre and that all the players loved him. A far cry from Derek Jeter — a player that has never had another manager — who stated he was only thinking about winning today, not the future of Torre…so much for loyalty. And it also speaks volumes to the value of a guy like Damon who stated his opinion in a constructive way. Not so hard, eh?

Well, if these are Joe’s final days I’d like to give him props for two moves and question one. First, major props for taking out Jason Giambi and putting Doug Mient-whatever in to pinch sac bunt. Slick way of getting Doug in the game because we all know that Giambi can’t do anything with a bat besides pull a ball right into the shift.

Second, great call in pitching Chein-Ming Wang tomorrow…as a sinkerballer, he may have had too much rest before last start. Now, with short rest, we should see the drop that we know and love from Wang’s sinker. Also, we know he’s WAY better at Yankee Stadium.

As for the area of critique, let me ask the following: why was Joba in the game for two innings? Sure he’s available tomorrow regardless, but with an 8-3 lead and Hughes having only thrown 3.2 innings, don’t you think you could have held off on Joba one more inning? Plus, when Joba finished the seventh with a 8-3 lead, don’t you think Kyle Farnsworth could have been tested with a five-run cushion? Hopefully, the Yankees won’t need a rested Joba in a tight spot tomorrow…

Anyway, it was great to see the Joe Torre-era last one more day…hopefully, it will extend a little longer after tomorrow.