Joe Blog

Game two in Cleveland had been a true classic. Andy Pettite was vintage, shutting down the Indians and preserving a 1-0 lead after Melky Cabrera somehow homered off Fausto Carmona... who had been absolutely untouchable.

Then... the plague descended. A swarm of locust or whatever the fuck they were ('Canadian Soldiers' we would later be told) blew in from Lake Eerie and Joba Chamberlain couldn't see... couldn't throw strikes for the first time, apparently, in his life, walked Grady Sizemore, threw two wild pitches in the inning and allowed Grady to come around and tie the game.

After a brilliant inning plus from the great Mariano Rivera, the Yankees were forced to go with 'Bullpen Option C' in the form of Jose Vizcaino... who promptly walked the leadoff runner, loaded the bases, and sent the Yankees back home nursing an 0-2 record and facing elimination later today in the Bronx.

Fucking crap.

Roger goes today and I expect another vintage pitching performance. Mussina and Hughes are available to back the Rocket up since, really, we have no true bullpen to be trusted other than Joba (who is still amazing and wouldn't hide behind the bugs as an excuse even though I would have allowed it, myself) and Mo.

I also expect the Yankees to pound Westbrook... then Paul Byrd tomorrow... before taking this thing back to Cleveland on Tuesday for another go-round with CC Sabbathia. The Yankees have been here before. They've come back from the brink all season long.

They will win.