Awaking a Sleeping Giant

I'll admit I hate the Yankees, but there aren't a lot of broadcasters better than Michael Kay for home-run calls. His trademark "See Ya" comes after every home-run hit for or against the Yankees. But when a memorable Yankee home-run is hit, the call gets even better. Just take today for instance with the Yankees down 8-7 in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and 2 strikes on Jason Giambi:

"Yankees trying to rally, the 0-2... that one's driven deep to right. If its fair, its over! It is... GONE!!!! SEE YA!!! A PINCH HIT, 2 RUN, GAME WINNING, WALK-OFF HOME-RUN FOR JASON GIAMBI! AND THE YANKEES WIN 9-8, THEIR BEST WIN OF THE SEASON!"

As much as I enjoyed the call, when I first heard it I was disgusted. The Jays had a 5 run lead in the game. With the pitching staff we have, there is no way teams should score even 3 runs against us in 9 innings... much less 3 in the 9th inning itself.

These are the kinds of games that the Jays will look back on in October and think "that's one of the places we lost it." Until this point, the Yankees haven't had much to cheer about. 2008 has been a horrible year for the Bronx Bombers. Back in January, they lost out on the Johan Santana sweepstakes (mainly because they believed in Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy). Once the season started, Hughes and Kennedy completely flopped and their pitching staff was in shambles. Injuries derailed Hughes, A-Rod and Posada and even Derek Jeter was close to a DL stint. At the beginning of June, they were in the AL East doghouse with the rebuilding Baltimore Orioles. Worse yet, their heated rivals Boston were flying high in 2nd place in the AL East. Maybe even worse yet, the AL East laughing stock Tampa Rays were leading the division!

All the Yankees needed was that one win. That one, unbelievable, inspiration, amazing win. We've seen that win before. In 2007, we saw multiple wins like that thanks to Alex Rodriguez. But so far in 2008, there was no aura about the Yanks. Maybe it left with Clemens. Maybe it left with Joe Torre.

Where ever the aura went, it was back at Yankee Stadium yesterday. As Michael Kay stated, it was the Yankees best win of the season.

Thanks Blue Jays for waking up the Yankees.


DD



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