ALDS Game 4

Shawn Chacon, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Baseball scoring can be funny sometimes. Al Leiter picked up the win in spite of facing only one crappy batter in Darrin Erstad, getting him to hit into a double play; but it was Shawn Chacon who stood up and delivered when it counted. The Yanks won 3-2 behind "Newly minted True-Yankee" Shawn Chacon who held the Angels to 2 runs and as he Yankee offense eeked out (yes, not blasted or smashed, eeked) 3 runs, it once once again sent 'Mo' Rivera on the mound, this time for a 2-inning save.

For once, the formula of 1996-2000 worked as the Yankees played well behind a strong pitching performance, this time from Shawn Chacon. This is how Yankee post-seasons used to go before Al Qaeda blew up the WTC. Or since Hillary Clinton became a NY Senator. Or whoever else's fault/curse it's meant to be. The point is, The Yankees haven't won a World Series since before the Twin Towers stood; so this is turning into the curse of Osama bin Laden.

Chacon retired his first nine batters, striking out four, and Guerrero's infield single with two outs in the fourth was the Angels' first hit.

``He's cool. He's having a good time. He just really told people a lot more with this last start than we learned since he came over from Colorado. Obviously, we needed every bit of it,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``Now we can reunite with Moose again because we haven't seen him in about five days.''
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Chacon gave up two runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings.

``I get nervous, I'm human,'' Chacon said. ``When I get out on the mound, that's where I'm supposed to be. I'm in control and nobody can bother me.''

It's a good thing he's having fun. I'm sort of twisted up with the tension. In fact I practically can't take these Yankee play-off things anymore. I know what an imperfect squad it is that's out there trying to get past a very good team. In the scheme of such tense affairs, I don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing that some things stay the same. It's probably good:



Pump that fist, baby, as do I.
It's not a Yankee post-season without some kind of Jeter moment; this year's was less spectacular than his more 'banner' moments. With the score tied aat 2-2 in the bottom of the 7th, St Derek of the Jeter Moment chopped a high bouncer to third; Chone Figgins' (and pray-tell, what kind of hell kind of name is Chone Figgins?), the Angels third baseman decided to get the out at home but failed to turn the play as Jorge Posada slipped past the throw and catcher to score the go-ahead run. Is DJ still clutch? We think so, even though he went hitless. heck, so did A-Rod, but at least A-Rod drew 2 walks and scored on Sheff's single in the 6th.


Indeed, Posada was hot: He threw out 2 steal atemps, hit a double and drew 3 walks, and scoring that run on some clever base running.
Anyway, the Yankees and Angels hop on that place out to the west coast again to play Game 5. It's a good series. just for once I want to see the Yankees win one on an explosive display of batting, but chances are, they'll jump on Moose-on-a-bad-day and that will be that. I've seen those before too. And don't tell me about 'momentum'. Momentum my bum-hole.