PUSH OR PULL
Yankees broadcast leaves fans confused
H AVING never played professional baseball, many of us rely on ex- pros to make sense of things. And that’s a problem, given those heard on TV and radio often leave us more confused than enlightened.
Why, for example, dowe hear that a lifetime .221 batter, against a good pitcher, just “took him the other way for a hit” on a 1- 2 pitch, yet accomplished batters can’t do the same on any pitch against itinerant pitchers in decisive situations?
Friday, bottom of the 11th, Red Sox- Yanks tied, one out. Alex Rodriguez doubles then leaves for a pinch runner. An outfield hit should win it.
On Channel 11 — “Baseball and Ballantine,” the Yanks back on WPIX! — Michael Kay notes with Mark Teixeira batting, “the shift is on; only Sandoval is on the left side.” Pablo Sandoval is a porky third baseman.
But then Teixeira looks at the first pitch — a fastball strike on the outside corner. If a .221 batter, with two strikes, can “take a pitcher the other way” on such a pitch, why, on the first pitch, wouldn’t a batter such as Teixeira even try? Neither Ken Singleton nor David Cone even gave that question a try.
Clearly, Teixeira, regardless of circumstances, intended, as usual, to pull the ball against a team prepared for him to pull the ball. After the count reached 2- 1, the Red Sox intentionally walked him.
Next, Brian McCann, another accomplished left- handed pull hitter. The Red Sox brought in Tommy Payne, a lefty who, presumably, would make it easier for McCann to hit the ball toward third base/ left field. And while we weren’t told if a shift were on, TV exposed the third- base side as empty.
But McCann, too, was intent on pulling; he pulled a fastball foul before staring at strike three— on the outside corner.
Why? We needed to at least hear someone share our wonder. Given the shift has become de rigueur, couldn’t accomplished batters work on occasionally — as in with the game on the line — hitting the ball to left? Take instruction from a .221 hitter?
Anyway, Chase Headley bounced out to end the 11th and the Yankees lost in 19.
The next day, more confusion: As Rodriguez batted in the second, Kay said although Rodriguez is nearly 40 and fragile, manager Joe Girardi made the “odd” decision to start him at first, the day after a 19inning game. Wait. Rodriguez was pulled in the 11th; he’d “played” as a DH.
Saturday, Yanks down 8- 1 in the bottom of the ninth, Chris Young hit a three- run homer. He posed near the batter’s box as if he’d just won the World Series for the 1- 4 Yankees. Confusing.