Yeah, I’m pretty sure Posada was just upset because it really hurt. His jawing reminded me of when he was yelling at Pedro to “bring it here.” Posada doesn’t look like a guy who would act that way. I liked to see the fire in his eyes, but he probably should have just taken his base. RJ did the right thing mostly because someone has to stand up for the likes of Jeets and Jorgie. Maybe it will be a sign of things to come.

Sometimes, pain gets the better of good judgement.

He was dissed? What are we in junior high? Take your base and shut your yap.

I wish I was going to the game today too – perfect day for it.

Raf – here’s a question. I dent your car. It was an accident, but, I did it. You’re upset. And, you start yelling at me. And, when you do, I just turn my back to you and walk away, as if you don’t exist or are not important enough to be worthy of my attention.

How are you going to feel then? Less mad? More?

This is what I meant.

I know the New York media is slap-happy that the Yankees finally grew a pair of balls and defended their teammate, but what happened last night was a steaming pile of bullshit.

Randy Johnson looked GOOD. He didn’t look like a guy who was pussy-footing around and straining to throw hard and changing speeds. It was the first time the guy from spring training showed up. And his fastball was the best it’s been all year — even if the YES gun was geeked up, he still had to be throwing 94-95.

For his night to end like this, for that nonsense, was pretty stupid. And since he had only thrown 76 pitches with one out in the seventh, and would have no doubt pitched the eighth, couldn’t they wait? As it was, they then had to go to Proctor for two innings.

And if Johnson gets a rip for this, and has to miss a start, was it really worth it?

Posada handled this all wrong. Take the hit, mouth off a little if you have to, but don’t escalate it till there’s a warning, because then if your pitcher does retaliate he’s automatically out of the game. Posada should have just taken first and told RJ to plunk someone. THEN warnings would have been issued and Johnson wouldn’t have been thrown out.

This idea that the Yankees won’t defend their teammates is just plain wrong. They might not throw inside to knock Papi off the plate, but they will hit someone if you do something to a player intentionally. They had Brad Halsey throw at Dave Roberts in Fenway — to defend Kenny Lofton, for the love of God.

Anyway, Johnson looked good and that’s all that matters. I guess we’d all live with him if he was merely inconsistent and not just terrible. If he alternated good and bad starts, it would be better than nothing but bad starts. Or maybe we should return to the line of “When the weather warms up, his velocity returns…”

I want the Yankees to win today, and think they can, if Mussina is on. But even if they don’t, I never object to taking 2 of 3 from a decent team. From any team, really.

What I’ve enjoyed most about this series is watching the Cleveland offense fizzle. Coming into the series Cleveland had scored just as many runs as the bashing Yankees. I expected the series to be a bunch of 8-6, 9-7 slugfests that could have gone to either team. Instead, Cleveland has just been shut down – and the Yankees’ best starter – Moose – hasn’t even had his turn yet.

I’m excited for this afternoon’s game in a way that I haven’t been for most games this season.

To me, when Jason Johnson turned his back to Jorge, that was a mistake. It was a body-language-diss that only made things worse.
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As opposed to looking at him? I can see McCarver now, going on about how Johnson was “staring him down.”

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/df874009-30e8-41df-ba58-48ab43dc1127.jpg

Probably turned his back because Posada was running his mouth, and didn’t want to incite him further. You see it all the time with umpires who turn their back on managers and players when they do their thing.

Plunking Posada wasn’t intentional. The pitches inside to Jeter were. But that’s because that’s where you want to pitch him.

“Nice to meet ya.”

A question: What was going through Pavano’s mind as he shook hands with Phillips following his Jeteresque dive into the stands?