WC Home Stand, Game 2

TOP 1: Kotsay struck out swinging -- Kendall grounded out to second -- Chavez flies out to left

BOT 1: Jeter walked -- Womack popped out to short -- Sheffield doubles to deep left, one run scores -- Yankees draw first blood, 1-0

I always have enjoyed and admired Jeter's hustle, here's why again

Matsui grounds out to pitcher, runner to third on the play -- ARod flies out to deep center to end the inning

TOP 2: Hatteberg grounded out to short -- Kielty walked -- Muss gets Durazo to ground into a 163 DP to retire the side

BOT 2: Tino, solo shot to deep right, Yankees lead 2-0

Posada down swinging, one away -- Phillips flied out to right -- R. Cano grounded out to second to end the inning

It seems like the young players are having their struggles now

TOP 3: Ellis lined out to right -- Byrnes grounded out to third, two down --
Scutaro singled to center, another one of those two out hits that kills bad teams -- Kotsay grounded into force at second to retire the side

BOT 3: Jeter grounded out to pitcher -- Womack singled to right -- Sheffield draws a walk -- runners now first and second

8:00AM HST

Man this is early, I question my sanity for doing this for my favorite team ... I guess that's why they are

Hooboy, Matsui is really really slumping, his swing seems wrong for all pitches ... he grounds to first, the runners advance to scoring position -- Runners second and third, two out -- ARod drills a double into the left center gap, two runs score ... and you gotta love the hustle on the bases to leg out the double, Yankees lead 4-0

Runner on second, two down -- Tino has a quality AB, battling, but eventually flies out to right

8:08AM HST -- good omen? LOL

TOP 4: Kendall bloops out to center, good run by Matsui to take away the hit -- Sheffield robs Chavez in the right center gap, backhand grab running to his left, wow what a play! -- Hatteberg grounds to first to retire the side

BOT 4: Posada draws a leadoff walk -- Yabu starting to get loose for A's in pen -- Phillips pops out to center, his recent struggles continues -- Cano flies to deep center -- Jeter grounds to second for the third out

8:24PM HST

TOP 5: Kielty down on strikes -- flies out to left, it is really cool to see some speed in the outfield ... Womack runs it down, two away -- Ellis soft grounder to Jeter for out #3 -- Muss is going well, that's seven in a row

BOT 5: Womack is frozen pizza ... pitch catches the outside corner -- Sheffield pops out near foul territory along the first base line -- Matsui still looking OFF, down swinging ... ugly really ugly

note:
There is something enjoyable about when Paul O'Neill does the game with Michael Kay -- it's somehow better than if Ken or Kaat do it -- I think maybe Kaat and O'Neill might be okay too

8:38AM HST

TOP 6: It's been the later innings that have got Muss this year ... or for that matter recently, Byrnes slaps a single past ARod to right -- Scutarow grounds to ARod, takes his time, gets the force, throw by Cano to first is perfunctory, one down -- Kotsay rips one to left -- Runners now first and second

Kendall hits one to left center, Womack flags it down, the runners do not tag -- two away now for Chavez, I think he is majorly slumping as he is frozen pizza to retire the side

BOT 6: Hoo, quick one down for Yankees, I blinked
(ARod grounded out first pitch swinging)

Street warming for A's -- Tino is robbed off a flair single by a diving Kielty in right -- Posada first pitch swinging, grounds to second to end the inning ... 5 pitches, wow

TOP 7: Little bit hittable last inning, but worked out of it, let's see how Muss does this half -- Hatteberg flies to right center, one away -- Kielty first pitch swinging, grounds to second, two away -- Muss gets a grounder to second for the third out ... Muss at 92

Seventh Inning Stretch, Yankees lead 4-0

Maybe hearing Ronan makes the Yanks think its winning time LOL

BOT 7: We get to see Huston Street, probably the future closer of the A's -- Phillips is frogen yogurt, one down -- Cano hits a sharp grounder to short, two away -- Jeter slumping a bit lately, shows bunt twice, and gives it a ride to deep right, where it is caught to end the inning

That's now 12 up, 12 down for Yankees, A's pitching has settled in nicely

9:07AM HST

TOP 8: Muss goes full to Ellis, the payoff ... grounded to short, one away -- Byrnes hits it long and far, and foul ... hits atom ball at ARod, two away -- Scutarow, slow roller to Jeter at short, will he get him .... yes!, the side is retired

Torre, what a poker face ... we got Rivera getting loose -- of course, earlier today Torre said No Mo til Mon ... that clowner

BOT 8: Eyechart guy (Duchscherer) now pitching for A's -- Womack hits a liner to center, but Kotsay is right where he should be, great position, one out -- Sheffield grounds a routine ball to Chavez, but a HIGH THROW ... he's safe --

Sheff just running in a field out there again for the second time this week, he steals second easily as the pitcher isn't paying attention -- hustle, man

Matsui is frozen pizza, brutal ... he is now 5-for-44 as of late -- two down, runner on second, ARod singles up the middle, Sheff hustling all the way, he will score, Yankees 5-0

Tino grounds to third to end the inning

9:30 AM HST

TOP 9: Kotsay grounds to second, one away -- Kendall grounds up the middle, Jeter is over to make the play, two away -- the crowd is standing and going MUSSSSSSS ... full count to Chavez, the payoff pitch ... is spoiled LOL ... the next pitch, ball 4

So we reset and go again, two out, runner on first -- Hatteberg grounds to second, Tino reaches, misses ... Cano stops it, slips, no throw to first ... infield single, runners now first and second

Torre goes out and asks him if he wants to hang -- He will stay, and the crowd cheers -- Muss seems a bit off his rhythm since not getting the call on the full count to Chavez -- Gordon and Stanton at the ready in the pen, should he lose Kielty .... Jeezlouise, what the hell is wrong with the ump, that was frozen pizza on 2-2 ... Full to Kielty, the payoff pitch (131) is flied to Womack, the game is over

Brilliant, four hit shutout by Mike Mussina ... YEAH!!!!!
Well, deserved standing O for Muss, he tips his cap

That's his 55th complete game in his career, his 22nd shutout with his last coming on August 17, 2003

No Rivera, No Problem

Bit of a National League special this morning, two and change

9:40 AM HST

FINAL: Yankees WIN ... yes win, 5-0

It's a nice to finally enjoy a win and get off the schnide ... really great start by Muss

Revised post-op
I'm just gonna smile and enjoy this one

Earlier post-op
After Pavano and Mussina's performance these past two games, I have to think that if the Big 3 can really control it with great pitching, everything will fall in place ... that of course is a BIG BIG assumption lol