All Things Bubba

Spent the afternoon doing my taxes. Yes, it was kind of last-minute. As usual. I hate doing my taxes, and always put it off.

I kept my nose to the grindstone today with the promise of watching a nice baseball game in the evening if I finished the job. I completed both the state and federal returns, wrote the checks, weighed the envelopes, and looked up the correct postage online. All ready to go.

Unfortunately, the Yankees weren't. The game was over as soon as it began.

It was really strange to see the Trop sold out. And the stands were filled with Rays fans, not Yankees fans. They had a ceremony before the game, hoisting their AL championship banner. The whole team was really fired up.

I like Chien-Ming Wang. He's probably my favorite Yankee, now that Bubba's no longer in pinstripes. But so far this season...he stinks. His sinker wasn't sinking tonight, and his velocity wasn't good. He threw 60 pitches, and got only three outs. While giving up three walks and eight runs, and earning himself an ERA close to 30. Ugh.

It was really painful to watch for Yankees fans. I honestly feared the inning would never end. Poor Wang looked bereft, sitting in the dugout after he was removed from the game with the bases loaded. He stayed to watch...and thus saw Albaladejo give up a grand slam.

The Yanks' roster moves earlier this month came back to haunt them. They decided to keep Albaladejo instead of a long man like Tomko or Giese. The bullpen was already shot after last night, and now they had to find a way to get through a game in which the starter was pulled after only one inning.

This game was slow and grueling. I think doing my taxes was more fun. But I'm glad I stuck with it. In the eighth inning, with the pen spent, Girardi put Nick Swisher on the mound. He said later that he picked Swisher because of his easy-going nature. They thought he'd approach it in the right spirit, and not hurt himself trying to pitch too hard.

He was fun to watch. He's got a bubbly personality, and was so obviously enjoying himself out there.


He had the Yankees save the ball from his first major league strike out.



And...he ended up being the most effective pitcher the Yankees put out there tonight.

Thanks, Nick! You made this game worth watching.