Yanks Lose Again, More Lousy Overmanaging

First off, Scott Kazmir hit Derek Jeter in the thigh in the top of the first with a fastball and Jeter had to leave the game. Did any Devil Ray get hit? No. So guess what? You don't have to be the least bit careful about hitting Yankees. I hope Jeter's back tomorrow.

Secondly, Chien Ming Wang returned tonight and was great, though his final numbers won't show that.

Third, Torre blew this one. The Yanks had taken a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. Wang got a quick out, then gave up a hit and a double so there were men on 2nd and third with 1 out. This is where it gets inexplicably weird. Wang had only thrown 81 pitches. So Joe lifts Wang for Vizcaino and has Viz walk the bases loaded to set up the double play. Now, who is the best double play inducer on the Yanks? That's right kiddies, it's Wang and he had only thrown 81 pitches. Why not leave him in have him walk the guy and see if he can't get a DP. Now Viz goes to a full count on the second guy before getting a scary line-out. And then it got weirder, need 1 out any way we could get it, Joe decided soft tossing Mike Myers was the guy to get Carl Crawford, who was 3-3 already. Not Bruney, not Henn, not Farnsworth, but Mike Myers, who promptly gave up a grand slam. Why is this guy even on the roster?

Oh and not satisfied just having Cairo in for Jeter, Torre lifts Phelps for Melky as a pinch runner with the bases loaded in the 7th, then pulls then, leaves Melky in for Damon in the bottom of the 7th and puts Mienkiewicz in at first, so our 9,1 and 2 hitters to end the game went from Phelps, Damon and Jeter, to start things to Melky, Minky and Cairo to finish the game. The Yanks are now in last place. Part of that is health related and part of that is a reflection of absolutely terrible decisions by their manager.