Walk-off Walk

Talk about temptation. I had breakfast on Lincoln Avenue this morning, Yankees’ fans seated behind me and alongside; the guy closest to me was definitely confusing his fork with a shovel. How do I know they were Yankees’ fans? Let’s just say they made certain fashion statements that, given their advanced age, were hard to miss. What I wanted to say, but refrained from, was: You guys on the East Coast sure play a sloppy brand of baseball. One game, your catcher lets in the tying runs with two outs in the bottom of the eleventh by throwing a pickoff throw—at third base, mind you—down the third-base line. Next game, a hitter overslides third base on a double and your reliever is walking in the winning run on four straight pitches to someone who’s five for his last 47 at-bats. But that’s what Fernando Cruz did to Tristan Peters yesterday afternoon. Sox 2 Yankees 1 in eleven innings. And now for a random observation. I mentioned channeling emotion into effective performance and how manager Vibes Venable denied Sam Antonacci that chance Wednesday night. Well, yesterday, Antonacci batted in the bottom of the eleventh and hit a ball that all but ate undressed baseman Ben Rice. Somehow, Rice kept the ball in front of him, denying Antonacci the walk-off hjit; instead, it turned into an infield single that helped set the stage for Peters. My point is, Antonacci was ready. I just hope Venable is tonight managing in St. Petersburg