Don,

Mo told them he wasn’t available? This is Mo quoted in today’s New York Post:

“He’s the manager and he makes the decisions. I was there for every situation. He chose not to use me.”

Never heard about “overuse” after Mo’s epic 48 pitch, 3 inning performance in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS.

Dave Roberts steals a base on Jorge Posada and Bill Mueller bounces a single up the middle and now the whole world is obsessed about the “overuse” of a one inning reliever.

Mo is the greatest of all time. But Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter are laughing their asses off about all this talk of overuse.

Showalter didn’t use Wetteland because he was torched in game 4

But, Jeremy, Torre’s logic is eerily consistent. Look: he pitches El Duque in Game 4 so that he has Moose available for the kill shot in Game 5. See? If you don’t win Game 4, you’ve got the stopper in Game 5. He’s got the angles covered, man. Same thing last night. He doesn’t go to any of his 3 top relievers in order to hold them back for the kill shot tonight with Aaron Small, his ace, on the mound. Ergo, he takes the series. Natch! Man, he’s a deep thinker. You just don’t appreciate the multi-faceted, three-dimensional stuff going on in his brain. Don’t worry about Gerardi…he’s soaking this all up like a sponge. Hope he spends some quality time with Mel as well. You can never learn enough from the guys who’ve brought us 4 rings. And that’s never happened before in the history of baseball much less the Yankees.

Jeremy, don’t get me started again on the ALCS. Any other manager would have been roasted alive for the innumerable mistakes he made. But, nooooo, we’re making a monument to this doofus because, to some fans, these are the only 4 championships the Yankees have ever won. Yeah, like we’re in f***ing Kansas City or some place. We should have higher standards. Buck Showalter got fired for NOT using John Wetteland, Grady Little got fired for NOT relieving Pedro…yes, mistakes like this count and Torre has established quite a bad pattern in handling his staff as soon as he couldn’t push-button his way to the post-season. Hate to say a manager with Torre’s experience is managing scared but the evidence is there. Jeff Weaver in Game 4 anyone?

Groom found his way onto Joe Torre’s mysterious sh*tlist, which can be found next to the “holds compromising pictures of Torre-list.” There’s also the “doesn’t understand how to use correctly” list that included Paul “bring him in with baserunners on, not to start an inning” Quantrill (Torre’s nickname for him, not mine). I’m guessing Groom got there by pitching poorly in a few blowout games, well after they were already blowouts. Phillips found his way there after the 5 Ks. People named Bubba are automatically placed there. Maybe that explains Buddy as well.

Seriously, if Joe Girardi is such a managing prospect, why does he seem to have so little influence on anything Torre does? I guess I really don’t know what a bench coach does, maybe Torre doesn’t either without Zimmer.

I have no issue with sitting Mo.

But, Wayne Franklin in the 8th? Where was Groom?

Joel, you nailed it. Rivera should’ve went 2 innings instead of only one to save him for the next game. Torre played that ALCS like a chicken-sh*t. Really, when he started El Duque in game 4 to save Mussina for a possible game 5, that was the beginning of the end. He was playing not to lose, instead of playing to win. I still feel that if Mussina starts that game 4, we sweep. You go for the kill in the playoffs.

Really, what kind of confidence does that show your team? Guys, I’m going to start El Duque because I want to save Mussina in case we lose game 4, which was his exact reasoning in making the decision. He’s too damn cute with stuff like this.

That said, I don’t think Mo should’ve pitched last night (which I think most agree with). If he says he’s unavailable, listen to him–he’s earned it.

MO has NEVER pitched four consecutive days or five out of six.

Wake up, he wasn’t available. And he told them he wasn’t available. Yeah, win the battle and lose the war by pitching MO four straight days late in his career.

Joel….amen brother and hallelujah….the truth shall set us free.

Besides…I don’t think Rivera is overworked this season. I looked as his game log- every time he pitched on consecutive days- he has gotten LONG breaks.

As of 7/19
2005: 39.6 innings in 37 games
2004: 49.3 innings in 44 games

And…his numbers are his best EVER.

PUT HIM IN JOE…we need the wins!

Who was the last?