There are actually Yankees fan blogs and messages boards where Yankees fans are complaining that Clay Buchholz didn’t get thrown out of yesterday’s game for ‘throwing at Millar’s head’.
It baffles me that so many people who claim to know something about baseball can compare one errant pitch to two pitches going in the same exact spot.
It is amazing to me that fans who claim to be knowledgeable actually think the only reason Joba the Hutt got tossed from the game, suspended and fined is because he plays for the Yankees. As if Yankee Bob Watson doesn’t do things like order Terry Francona’s clothes to be checked in the middle of an inning and play.
Yep. There’s that Red Sox bias that Bob Watson’s office has. I don’t know why Yankees fans haven’t complained about that sooner.
I’m going to break it down for the Yankees fans who think Joba was unfairly punished and favoritsm was shown to Clay and I’ll try to use small words.
Back in June the Yankees’ Scott Proctor threw at Kevin Youkilis’ head and, let’s just say, he didn’t take kindly to it. Remember this, because Youk surely did.
In the August series in the Bronx, Daisuke Matsuzaka hit ARod in the ribs. With one out and Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon on first and second in the first inning. In hitting ARod, he loads the bases with one out and Hideki Matsui up at bat. No idiot in baseball would purposely hit a batter to load the bases and bring up Hideki Matsui.
The following night, long before the game even begins, Jerry Remy tells us that’s he’s sure Roger Clemens, that night’s starting pitcher, is going to hit Dustin Pedroia. Oddly enough, after getting Julio Lugo out in the first inning, Roger Clemens hits Dustin Pedroia. Who could have seen that coming? Oh, wait, Jerry Remy did.
So here we are, Thursday afternoon. In the 8th inning, Joba Chamberlain gets Eric Hinske to fly out using four pitches. Then, with one pitch, he gets Alex Cora to ground out. On his third pitch, Dustin Pedroia doubles off the great Joba. And then, after four pitches, Coco Crisp grounds out.
Now here’s the 9th inning. With the score 5-0, using only one pitch, Joba gets David Ortiz to fly out. According to "Game Day" on pitches 3 and 4 to Kevin Youkilis, Joba throws two fastballs in the 90s at Kevin Youkilis’ head. Remember Kevin Youkilis folks? He’s the guy whose head Scott Proctor threw at back at Fenway in June. The homeplate umpire decided that once would have been an accident, but twice, the same pitch, pretty much the same velocity in the same damn spot, well that’s no accident. Not when you’re Joba the Great. The savior of the Yankees. The friggin’ kid who has had almost pinpoint control since he’s been in the bigs. Somehow, "whoops, it slipped out my hand…twice" just doesn’t cut it.
So explain to ME, like I’m a 7 year-old, how Yankees fans can be dense enough to compare that to Clay Buchholz. With two outs, in the first inning, he hits Nick Markakis with a pitch. Then to start the fifth inning, he throws one way up and in on Kevin Millar. HOW IS THIS COMPARABLE TO WHAT JOBA DID?
Honestly. Do these fans crying foul about Joba’s punishments actually follow baseball? If so, I don’t see how they can compare both situations.
No matter. Day two of riding the high of the no-hitter and Jon Lester, with a LOT of help from his defense, gets another win. Tampa Bay wins the series in the Bronx and the Sox are up in the division, once again, by 6.
It’s a good way to start September.
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