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Glad-I-Ate-Her · 10-13-2003, 08:15 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by onetime2
[B] Bombed? What game did you watch? It was a close game and the way both teams play and pitch it could easily have gone either way.

Here is an opinion from Sports Illustrated's John Donovan about Pedro Martinez turning punk.

BOSTON -- Pedro Martinez was getting knocked around.

He gave up back-to-back shots to the outfield. He lost the early lead that his teammates had worked to get him. He was losing. He wanted it to stop. He wanted the Yankees to quit teeing off on his pitches.

So Pedro did what Pedro sometimes does. He turned punk.

One of the most dominating pitchers of a generation did what many power pitchers -- including his counterpart Saturday -- have done forever. He tried to intimidate, in the worst of ways. And that's just how it worked out.

"You can expect someone to move you off the plate," said the New York Yankees' Karim Garcia, the object of Pedro's punkdom. "But don't throw at my head."

Game 3 of the ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox was everything everyone expected it to be, for all the wrong reasons. It was a wonderful pitching duel that will be remembered for a couple of bad pitches. It was a taut thriller that turned into a tragicomedy.

It was, in ways both good and bad, a typical Yankees-Red Sox game -- just more so.

"When I told y'all the other day it was going to be festive," said Yankees starter Roger Clemens, "I didn't know it was going to be this festive."

This game -- this critical, could-be series-changing game -- was almost too bizarre to believe. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter became the first right-handed hitter to homer off Martinez this season. Boston right fielder Trot Nixon stole a home run from Jeter later with a leaping grab over the right-field wall.

Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin was nothing short of perfect. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera was the same.

But that's maybe the first and last you'll hear of all that. Instead, the game was highlighted, or lowlighted, by a series of screams and insults and curses and threatening gestures and punches and outright stupidness that all started with Martinez's patently stupid pitch.

It was a throw that inflamed everyone. And it could end up sending the Red Sox's season down in flames.

"I think it was very unprofessional," Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said. "When you're getting your butt kicked, sometimes you have to take it the best you can."

Said Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi: "That pitch just didn't get away."

No, right after the Yankees' Hideki Matsui knocked a run-scoring, one-hop double into the stands in right, Martinez gave in to his inner punkiness. With first base open, he decided to take his frustrations out on Garcia, buzzing him near the back of the head with a fastball.

Martinez is a lot of things. No. 1, he's maybe the best right-hander in baseball. Certainly the best in the AL. He's gutsy, fearless and smart. He can be funny. He's proud. He's strong.

But he's also amazingly childish at times. He can be unbelievably petty. And, almost always, he is enormously pigheaded.

At a moment that called for utter cool, maybe a strikeout from a guy who led the league in strikeouts, Martinez's pitch to Garcia was anything but cool. The enraged Yankees scored their next run -- it turned out to be the winning one -- when the next batter grounded into a double play.

But the pitch also got the Red Sox worked up, probably too much. Clemens threw a high fastball to Manny Ramirez the next half-inning -- a fastball that even the Red Sox say was not close -- and Ramirez erupted. The benches emptied again. Ignorance reigned.

Don Zimmer, the 72-year-old bench coach for the Yankees, rushed to the other side of the field to take a swing at Martinez, who sidestepped the septuagenarian and pushed him to the ground. Things got even uglier later.

In the ninth, a member of the Red Sox grounds crew got into a fight with Yankees reliever Jeff Nelson in the right-field bullpen. When Garcia jumped the fence to join in, he cut his hand, either on the fence or throwing a punch. He had to leave the game.

You want irony? Try this on: Martinez's boneheaded beanball ended up making Clemens look good. Clemens, who has thrown more beanballs than any pitcher of his era, collected himself enough to get the win.

You want unintentional comedy? "Just because you are getting whipped," Clemens said, "you don't hit behind somebody's neck."

Somewhere, Mike Piazza is standing slack-jawed trying to digest that comment.

In the end, the Yankees got the win and beat Boston's best pitcher to do it. They reclaimed home-field advantage. They put the Red Sox on the defensive. They took control, however briefly.

But this game will be remembered for high emotions and low blows. We'll remember Ramirez's rage, and Zimmer face down on the ground. The fight in the bullpen.

And that one pitch from Martinez.

"Great theater," Clemens said. "Whatever you want to call it."

John Donovan is a senior writer for SI.com.

10-13-2003, 08:15 PM	#38 (permalink)
Glad-I-Ate-Her Junkie Location: 1 mile from Ground Zero	[QUOTE]Originally posted by onetime2 [B] Bombed? What game did you watch? It was a close game and the way both teams play and pitch it could easily have gone either way. Here is an opinion from Sports Illustrated's John Donovan about Pedro Martinez turning punk. BOSTON -- Pedro Martinez was getting knocked around. He gave up back-to-back shots to the outfield. He lost the early lead that his teammates had worked to get him. He was losing. He wanted it to stop. He wanted the Yankees to quit teeing off on his pitches. So Pedro did what Pedro sometimes does. He turned punk. One of the most dominating pitchers of a generation did what many power pitchers -- including his counterpart Saturday -- have done forever. He tried to intimidate, in the worst of ways. And that's just how it worked out. "You can expect someone to move you off the plate," said the New York Yankees' Karim Garcia, the object of Pedro's punkdom. "But don't throw at my head." Game 3 of the ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox was everything everyone expected it to be, for all the wrong reasons. It was a wonderful pitching duel that will be remembered for a couple of bad pitches. It was a taut thriller that turned into a tragicomedy. It was, in ways both good and bad, a typical Yankees-Red Sox game -- just more so. "When I told y'all the other day it was going to be festive," said Yankees starter Roger Clemens, "I didn't know it was going to be this festive." This game -- this critical, could-be series-changing game -- was almost too bizarre to believe. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter became the first right-handed hitter to homer off Martinez this season. Boston right fielder Trot Nixon stole a home run from Jeter later with a leaping grab over the right-field wall. Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin was nothing short of perfect. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera was the same. But that's maybe the first and last you'll hear of all that. Instead, the game was highlighted, or lowlighted, by a series of screams and insults and curses and threatening gestures and punches and outright stupidness that all started with Martinez's patently stupid pitch. It was a throw that inflamed everyone. And it could end up sending the Red Sox's season down in flames. "I think it was very unprofessional," Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said. "When you're getting your butt kicked, sometimes you have to take it the best you can." Said Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi: "That pitch just didn't get away." No, right after the Yankees' Hideki Matsui knocked a run-scoring, one-hop double into the stands in right, Martinez gave in to his inner punkiness. With first base open, he decided to take his frustrations out on Garcia, buzzing him near the back of the head with a fastball. Martinez is a lot of things. No. 1, he's maybe the best right-hander in baseball. Certainly the best in the AL. He's gutsy, fearless and smart. He can be funny. He's proud. He's strong. But he's also amazingly childish at times. He can be unbelievably petty. And, almost always, he is enormously pigheaded. At a moment that called for utter cool, maybe a strikeout from a guy who led the league in strikeouts, Martinez's pitch to Garcia was anything but cool. The enraged Yankees scored their next run -- it turned out to be the winning one -- when the next batter grounded into a double play. But the pitch also got the Red Sox worked up, probably too much. Clemens threw a high fastball to Manny Ramirez the next half-inning -- a fastball that even the Red Sox say was not close -- and Ramirez erupted. The benches emptied again. Ignorance reigned. Don Zimmer, the 72-year-old bench coach for the Yankees, rushed to the other side of the field to take a swing at Martinez, who sidestepped the septuagenarian and pushed him to the ground. Things got even uglier later. In the ninth, a member of the Red Sox grounds crew got into a fight with Yankees reliever Jeff Nelson in the right-field bullpen. When Garcia jumped the fence to join in, he cut his hand, either on the fence or throwing a punch. He had to leave the game. You want irony? Try this on: Martinez's boneheaded beanball ended up making Clemens look good. Clemens, who has thrown more beanballs than any pitcher of his era, collected himself enough to get the win. You want unintentional comedy? "Just because you are getting whipped," Clemens said, "you don't hit behind somebody's neck." Somewhere, Mike Piazza is standing slack-jawed trying to digest that comment. In the end, the Yankees got the win and beat Boston's best pitcher to do it. They reclaimed home-field advantage. They put the Red Sox on the defensive. They took control, however briefly. But this game will be remembered for high emotions and low blows. We'll remember Ramirez's rage, and Zimmer face down on the ground. The fight in the bullpen. And that one pitch from Martinez. "Great theater," Clemens said. "Whatever you want to call it." John Donovan is a senior writer for SI.com. __________________ I'm "Glad I Ate Her" because the payback was worth it!!