Whats up with the second guessing?

Am I the only one who won't pick on Brenly? The guy had 4 strikeouts and was almost unhittable before giving up the HR. O'Neill gets a lucky jam shot that Gonzo didn't make much of an effort to get to for some reason. If he gets Martinez then everyone says Brenly looks like a genius, instead he is the biggest idiot around. Come on people it isn't that simple. I think he made all the right moves last night. Schilling was having a bit of control problems in the 7th so at best he gets through the 8th. Is that any guarantee Kim doesn't give up the HR in the 9th? And that HR by Jeter was as cheap as they get, just like Spencer's. The Yankees do play for their home field because those would be long outs or doubles in just about any other park.

Interesting: no one criticized Torre for bringing in Rivera in the 8th inning of a 2-1 game when he was down 2 games to 0; but everyone criticized Brenly for brining in Kim in the 8th inning of a 3-1 game when was up 2 games to 1. Which was the riskier move?


All this, of course, before last night's debacle. What do you think of Brenly now?


By the way, you're right about Gonzo's fielding. He seems to treat fly balls with a delicacy more suited for a Ming vase. Note that Brenly took him out for defensive reasons in the 8th last night.


Don't agree, however, with the "cheap" description of the home runs. The fences are the same distance for both teams.

Agreed on the fences being the same, but they are cheap home runs. This is a home advantage though because the Yankees load their teams with this in mind. Not that there is something wrong with that, just saying those weren't home run balls anywhere else but there and Spencer's maybe in Fenway. I just don't get this concept that people say Brenly should have known or could have done something about it. Who would have said bring out Morgan? How about Brohawn? No one would agree with that, you have to go with your best pitcher. Brenly is nothing more than a victim of an injury to Matt Mantei, the guy who was brought in to be the closer and hasn't been healthy since arriving. Kim is meant to be a starter, simply put 22 year olds are not the type of makeup you want to be closing games. I am sure if Brenly needs to bring someone in he will go to Kim again. He is indeed the best they have. He makes a lot of hitters look bad, but just like Schilling occasionally they guess right and he doesn't quite get enough on the ball and they hit it out. Schilling is the exact same risk, he can make guys look terrible all day, but once or twice guys are going to hit him really hard. Bad timing for the DBacks, but there was nothing Brenly could do. Hindsight is real easy now, but every manager will tell you that you go with your best players in those spots and let the chips fall where they may. Besides, why doesn't anyone blame the offense that has had a bunch of chances with guys at 3rd with less than two outs and haven't gotten them in? After all one more run there in the 8th and all this discussion is probably moot.

I still don't get the idea of a "cheap" home run. They don't give you extra runs if you hit he ball 320 or 420. Over the fence is all that counts.


No question Yankee stadium as designed for Babe Ruth. It used to be 296 down the ine and 467 to left center. In the past, the Yankees did try to stock their team with left handed pull hitters (Maris, Reggie Jackson, Nettles, Murcer, to name just a few), but I don't think the current team is built that way. Justice and Tino, their two bigget left handed threats (at elast when they're hitting) are not really pull hitters.


The ballpark has been modified so that it's a little longer down the line (314 I think) and shorter to left center. But the guys who hit the home runs in game 4, Jeter and Spencer, are certainly not players that are on the team with the short right-field porch in mind.


I agree with you that the managers go with their best and let the chips fall where they may. Hell, if Sanders' ball goes another 2 inches the D-backs get two runs or more in the 11th and that's that.


Regardless, I think if the Yankees win the Series they may well be remembered as the greatest team ever. I mean the 1996-2001 teams. Five championships in six years with the three-tiered playoff system would be a phenomenal achievement. Plus the way they've won so many of the games, coming from behind in the lated innings, has been remarkable.