All Things Bubba

September 12, 2006: N.Y. Yankees 12, Tampa Bay 4

This one was a laugher from the start. The hapless Tim Corcoran gave up 7 earned runs while only getting one out. He was pulled after 1/3 inning. The Yanks were up 9-0 by the end of the 1st inning.

Hideki Matsui was in the lineup for the first time since he broke his wrist. He got a standing ovation, and was surprised to be so warmly greeted. He also went 4 for 4 with a walk, making a mockery of those who worried that he wasn't ready to come back yet.

Abreu had a monster night, breaking out of his slump with a vengeance. He had 7 RBI...all in that first inning.

The only fly in the ointment was Octavio Dotel. Torre hasn't used him much, leading to speculation that there's something wrong with him. Well, he came in to pitch the ninth inning of this game, and it became obvious why Joe's reluctant to use him. He gave up four runs before getting out of the inning. In this game, it meant we won 12-4 instead of 12-0. In most games, it would have been a disaster.


The Yankees dugout is extremely crowded these days. They've got some kids up from Trenton (including Phil Hughes). They won't be activated; they're just there to soak up the big league atmosphere. Then there's the expanded rosters. This year, it's like spring training again. They had to schedule two stretching sessions instead of the usual one. The bench in the dugout is packed. I can only imagine what it's like in the clubhouse.

Joe is going to have his work cut out for him, paring his current roster down to 25 players for the post-season. Looking at this team...even if Bubba had been called up, there is no way he'd have made the post-season roster. Well, if it were up to me, I'd carry him; I think speed and defense are extremely important, even more so in the post-season when the pitching tends to be very good. But Joe will go with the big bats. Abreu, Damon, Sheff, Matsui, Bernie, Wilson...there's no room for Bubba on this roster.

Ironically, what originally seemed like an opportunity for Bubba - Sheff and Matsui being out for most of the season - ended up being what pushed him off the team. It opened the door for a parade of new outfielders, some of whom stuck. Maybe only because they still had options and Bubba didn't, but they stuck. It also forced the Yankees to trade for big-name players like Abreu and Wilson, whom they would have had little interest in otherwise.

If Matsui and/or Sheff had stayed healthy, Bubba may not have gotten many starts, but his position as fifth outfielder and pinch-runner would have been safe. He'd probably have made the post-season, as he did the previous two years. Ah, sweet irony of life.