Let’s Be Fair

Even today, every so often, you hear a Yankees fan lament about Randy Johnson’s performance in Game 3 of the ALDS this year.

But, let’s be fair. Just an inning after Johnson left that contest, it was a 1-run ballgame with 5 innings to play. It’s not like Johnson cost the game, completely, for New York. How did Gordon, Leiter, and Proctor do in that game? You could say that it was their 4 runs allowed in 3 innings that cost the Yankees the game. And, back to Unit, Johnson did come back in Game 5 of that series to play a big role in keeping that Yankees in that game.

It’s not like post-season Randy Johnson in 2005 equals post-season Kevin Brown and/or Javy Vazquez in 2004.

And, was Johnson in Game 3 this year any worse than Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS? Was he any worse than Andy Pettitte in Game 6 of the 2001 World Series? Was he any worse than David Cone in Game 1 of the 1997 ALDS? Any worse than Kenny Rogers in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series? Anyone want to remember David Wells in Game 5 of the 2003 World Series? Mussina in Game 5 of this recent ALDS?

Just about every “great” recent Yankees starting pitcher - outside of El Duque and Jimmy Key - has spit the bit in a big post-season contest. It happens.

To single out Randy Johnson for Game 3 of the 2005 ALDS is just unfair - unless you want to roast Clemens, Pettitte, and the others too.

December 28, 2005 | Filed Under The Airing of Grievances

Comments

3 Responses to “Let’s Be Fair”

MJ on December 28th, 2005 10:44 am

Amen, Steve. Also, I seem to recall postings on this and other sites that predicted the bad start due to the poor weather and the effect it would (did) have on his stuff and his knee. Not that weather is a great excuse for not pitching well but still, did anyone have a bigger September for us than Big Unit? His starts were amazing and his relief appearance in Game 5 kept us in a game that we were all the way out of early.
Joel on December 28th, 2005 10:58 am

You’re right. I put the blame for game 3 squarely on the shoulders of the middle relief. If Mendoza-Stanton-Nelson circa 1999 are pitching those critical middle innings, we win this series in 4.

Let’s hope Cashman’s moves for 2006 make the difference.
Raf on December 28th, 2005 11:40 am

I wouldn’t sweat it; Gm 3 notwithstanding, the Yanks had an opportunity to win gm 5.

Every single one of the series that you mentioned, the Yanks were in a position to either win or take a commanding lead.

I don’t single RJ out, nor do I fault any of the other players. Them’s the breaks.