Giancarlo still waiting for his Yankee moment

THERE are moments when you are embraced as a New York Yankee in The Bronx, signature moments when you get to announce yourself as a New York Yankee in a Ruthian way.

And so here came that moment for Giancarlo Stanton:

Bottom of the fifth inning, Yankees on first and second, left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado on the mound and struggling in relief of Wilmer Font.

G ian carlo Stanton, slashing . 338/. 384/.785 with eight homers against southpaws.

Giancarlo Stanton, early-season target of Stadium boobirds.

Giancarlo Stanton, who had struck out 49 times in 135 at-bats in The Bronx, who had lugged a .209 average with seven of his 16 HRs into Father’s Day before walking and singling in his first two at-bats.

Giancarlo Stanton, one Judgian blast from giving CC Sabathia a 4-3 lead. Ball 1. Strike 1, looking at 97 mph heat. Strike 2, looking at 96 mph heat. Strike 3, swinging at a low off-speed pitch. BOOOOO. Stanton, to his credit, faced the music after Rays 3, Yankees 1.

He dressed in silence before noticing the media waiting by his locker.

“You all want to talk to me?” he asked. Well, yeah. Your approach? “Get a good pitch to hit.” Aaron Boone said he felt your timing was just a little bit off. Do you feel like timing’s been the biggest issue for you at times? “Uh yeah, probably.” Why do you think it hasn’t clicked in that area? “It’s getting better.” What tells you that? “I’m seeing the ball better. The results haven’t been there. I’m making small progress.”

About a year ago you changed your stance and had some success, why don’t you want to consider doing that again? “’Cause I don’t want to.” Is this tough for you going through this in New York? “Yes.” What do you think will get you through it? “Keep working. Never stop. Nothing else to do.”

Here was Lou Piniella, asked on Old-Timers’ Day what advice he would give to Stanton at home:

“Just relax. This is not the easiest place in the world to play. He’s always been a little bit more of a hot-andcold hitter, and home run hitters have a tendency to have streaks where they’re not doing as well. Just relax and have fun. Enjoy this city, enjoy this crowd. It’s a lot different playing in New York than it is playing with the Marlins.”

Now, the Yankees still had chances to have Stanton’s back, but resembled the Mets in the batter’s box on this Father’s Day.

When Judge as the tying run at the plate tried unsuccessfully to check his swing and struck out in the seventh, the boobirds were aimed at the umpires for calling him out. The homegrown Judge, of course, has earned his Yankees stripes. So he is Mickey Mantle to Stanton’s Roger Maris for the time being.

Stanton was offered a shot at redemption in the eighth, Didi Gregorius on first base, then on second following an errant pickoff throw by Diego Castillo. Full count on Stanton. Swing and a miss. BOOOOO. Giancarlo Stanton, 4-for-33 in lateand-close game situations.

Sabathia left to a standing ovation in the eighth after his gritty, gamer, 10-K outing that was marred only by a three-run second inning. He was 19-7, 3.37 ERA in his first season as a Yankee in 2009.

I asked him why he made playing in New York look so easy.

“This is a lot different than playing anywhere else,” Sabathia said. “It takes an adjustment period for everybody. I went through it, too, I think the first half of that season I didn’t pitch that good. And not until like June did I actually start performing well on the field.”

New York is still waiting on Giancarlo Stanton.

Who until further notice, speaks softly in The Bronx like Teddy Roosevelt, but certainly doesn’t carry a big stick.