Showalter Fires Back at Girardi's Lack of Compassion

Buck Showalter wasn't too happy with his former team, the New York Yankees, complaining about how this weekend's games were rescheduled due to Hurricane Irene.  The Baltimore Orioles head coach was making a reference to the O's plan of refusing to play a double-header on Friday.  Showwalter directed most of his anger at Yankees head coach Joe Girardi for his lack of compassion.

The Orioles had scheduled a Friday night tribute to former-Orioles pitcher, team executive and broadcaster Mike Flanagan who took his own life last Wednesday.

Girardi was puzzled buy the Orioles decision not to squeeze in the make-up game the same night and said their final say was "silly to me."

This remark steamed Showalter and the Orioles organization, who were still reeling from Flanagan's sudden death.

"First of all, I felt that some of the stuff was a little disrespectful to Flanny, quite frankly," Showalter said when told about the Yankees condemnation of this weekend's scheduling.  "That didn't sit well with me very well.  I can tell you that.  We didn't say much-- I think we had an April rainout there-- and they just told us we were playing.  We were OK with that.  Like I told you the other day, you tell us when we're playing, we'll play."

The Orioles had a moment of silence and a video tribute to Flanagan on Friday which highlighted his career.  A large #46 (his number) adorned the visiting scoreboard instead of the out-of-town scores and the Baltimore players wore a patch on the right arm of their jerseys.

It was a nice ceremony-- even the Yankees team came out of their dugout, but didn't exactly take up a lot of time. 

Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson also expressed his frustration at the O's decision by issuing a prepared statement to the press criticizing the Orioles handling of the schedule  and saying the solution was inadequate.

Girardi wasn't quiet about not playing a double-header on Friday after Saturday's game was already considered a wash-out due to the hurricane.

Showalter said the Yankees called Orioles president of operations Andy McPhail only 24 hours before the series started-- asking to play two on Friday.  The O's declined for a list of reasons -- including the short notice and loss of money in playing a Friday afternoon game.

The Yankees were not pleased with the outcome-- using a Sept 8 off-day to make up one of Saturday's double-header games.

Asked if there was any way avoid using the Sept. 8 off-day-- which is one of two remaining off-days for New York,  Girardi opened up the idea of playing the game as part of a split-doubleheader in New York instead of Baltimore in a move that would help the Yankees because they travel cross-country to Anaheim to play the Angels on Sept. 9. while they are in the middle of a playoff race.  I've got my own team to worry about says Bucky.

"We hope we can be as competitive as they are," said Showalter.  "I respect where they are in the season and what their people are saying about the competitive part of it, but it means something to us too."

Girardi might want to stop whining and start winning.  The Yankees Bartolo Colon was outdueled by the Orioles Zach Britton, 2-0, in the first game of the night-day doubleheader on Sunday.  

The Yankees are 14-10 so far this August and head to Boston on Tuesday.

Girardi Leaves A.J. Burnett Twisting In The Wind, But What Did It Prove?

To New York Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett, Hurricane Irene should have come sooner to Camden Yards tonight.  The struggling starter, fighting for his rotation life, was left in by manager Joe Girardi and had to fend for himself during a typical Burnett meltdown in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles. 

Girardi only watched as Burnett suffered through the disastrous inning.  His starter allowed six runs, six hits with one error through the first two innings.

It looked like another early hook for the much-maligned pitcher, but it wasn't to be. There would be no rescue.

Girardi let the Orioles continue to tee-off on his ineffective hurler.  Burnett looked as though he would have rather been stuck in a storm-lashed row boat in the turbulent Atlantic than the soul that was stranded on his solitary island-- the pitcher's mound.

It seemed like the only thing that could save the beleaguered pitcher would be a game called for rain-- or, more appropriately,  a hurricane.

Maybe it was the manager's version of tough love.  After all, wasn't it Burnett who walked off the mound cursing Girardi after being lifted after only getting eight outs in his last outing?

Could Girardi actually be thinking that the Yankees could come back from a six-run deficit like they did yesterday against the Oakland A's?

Whatever the reason for Girardi to let Burnett slowly lose whatever pride he is clinging to-- he gave up a home-run and four-straight doubles and dug a big hole for the Yankees, it was kind of sad to watch the pitcher throw what looked like an Orioles batting practice.

The game got off to a rough start after the Yankees committed two errors and nearly a third before Burnett escaped unscathed.  It was only a preview of Burnett's eventual early-inning meltdown.

In the top of the second, the Orioles' bats and Irene's impending barrage began to rain down on Burnett.

A home-run followed by four straight doubles gave the O's a 4-0 lead.  Yankees pitching coach, Larry Rothschild,  came out to calm down Burnett.  A two-run home-run by the O's made it 6-0.  Burnett was probably the only person in Baltimore who wished the Category-3 storm would hurry ashore and wash out this game.

You didn't have to be a Burnett lover to feel some compassion for his slow death.  There was one moment when it looked like the combustible Burnett was ready to blow.  He didn't, but there was still more misery to follow.

In the fourth inning, Burnett threw two wild pitches where two runners advance, then Derek Jeter bobbles a possible double-play ball and it becomes a 7-0 O's lead.

Girardi left Burnett struggle through the fifth and even after a triple made it 9-1, let Burnett finish out the inning.  Mercifully, Burnett closed out the embarrassing performance by striking out the final batter he faced.  Too little, way too late.

Burnett knew it was over even before he got to the dugout.  No cursing or public displays of insolence.  The unusually stoic Burnett walked through the dugout, spoke with his catcher Russell Martin and brushed by Girardi on his way to the locker room.  There was no eye-contact and the two passed like ships caught in Irene's swirling winds.

There must be some deep-rooted psychological reason for Girardi's actions tonight, but what did he accomplish and why?  When did the manager turn into Dr. Phil?

In the fifth, it looked like the manager was purposely avoiding going out to the mound and pulling Burnett.  Was he avoiding a confrontation, or was it a chance to let his pitcher finish the inning and march from the mound with a sliver of dignity? 

Finally, at the end of the fifth, Burnett was put out of his misery.  He struck out the batter and stiffly walked to the dugout.

What did Girardi's actions say?  Was leaving Burnett in the game to sweat out a 9-1 losing effort some kind of pat on the back.  It's like saying, 'Hey kid, I knew you could go five innings.'

Or was it retaliation for Burnett's outburst to stay in his last game?   Like saying, 'You wanted it kid, you got it.'

Confidence builder or ego-breaker, Girardi's move possibly cost the Yankees a win.

There are a lot questions still to be answered.  Did Burnett just pitch his way out of the five-man rotation?  Phil Hughes-- who is in line to get the fifth spot--  was just as bad last night, but he was the beneficiary of three grand slams.

Tonight, there would be no grand slams, comebacks or Jorge Posada mopping up at second base for Burnett.

Hurricane Irene will have passed by Sunday, but for Girardi and his rotation the storm might just be brewing.

Giants-Jets Postponed Until Monday Night Because Of Hurricane Irene

The New York Giants vs. New York Jets game originally scheduled for tomorrow night at 7 p.m. has now been postponed until Monday night at 7 p.m. because of Hurricane Irene.

The Battle for MetLife Stadium had already been shifted to an earlier time (2 p.m.) on Saturday because of the massive storm.  Forecasters are predicting Irene will have passed over the NY/NJ area by Sunday night.

"Along with the NFL office and the Jets, we have closely monitored the hurricane and the forecast and its potential impact on our area for the past several days," said Giants president and CEO, John Mara.  "After conferring with (NJ) Governor (Chris) Christie, (Jets owner) Woody Johnson and NFL Commissioner (Roger) Goodell, we have determined the best course of action for the safety and well being of all is move the game to Monday night."

Giants and Jets Staying Sort of Calm Before Saturday Night's Storm

In New Jersey, the two biggest forces of wind which are beyond control come from two sources-- Mother Nature and Governor Christie.  This weekend, one of those hurricanes is expected to pound the Jersey shore and the other will be hunkered down trying to keep surfers and "bennies" off the same beaches.

There is one more storm headed to the Meadowlands and its name isn't Irene.  Its tropical storm Rex.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has looked like a comparative summer breeze to Irene in the days leading up to the Jets-Giants game at MetLife Stadium this Saturday.  The normally brash Ryan has just been downgraded to a Category-1 storm.  Call the National Weather Service for a sound bite.

Even Ryan's offseason remarks that the Jets (1-1) are no longer the little brothers of New York football have done nothing to turn this game into anything more than it is-- an exhibition game.  The two teams meet in a regular season game on Dec. 24.

It's not to say that the outspoken Jets head coach is going be welcomed with open arms by the "home" team-- the Giants.

Ryan still resents the Jets being considered squatters in the new MetLife Stadium and living under the shadow of the Giants (1-1) for the past three decades.

After two straight AFC championship games, Ryan believes the Jets are the superior team and he is ready to paint the two-year old stadium Jets-green.

In his book Play Like You Mean It, Ryan stressed that the Jets are now the "big brother" in New York and "are going to remain the better team for the next ten years."

"When people ask me what it's like to share New York with the Giants," Ryan wrote.  " My response is always 'I'm not sharing it with them-- they are sharing it with me.'"

Even the new name at the old New Meadowlands Stadium has a Giants' tint-- literally.  The MetLife logo is the same color as Giants blue.

This whole stadium brouhaha  has been a thorn in the Jets side since they took residence there in 1984. It came to a head last year after the teams argued who would get to host the first game in their shared home field.  It didn't help when NFL commissioner Roger Goodall allegedly had a "secret' coin toss-- with out any team representatives-- before awarding the first game at the $1.7 billion stadium to the Giants.

Jets fans claim the toss was rigged.

Giants fans gave their little brother a nougie and said quit bawling.

"I'm glad MetLife came forward as a sponsor," Giants captain Justin Tuck said yesterday.  "But to me it'll always be Giants Stadium."

To Tuck and any fan over the age of seventeen who grew up in the area.

It seems like revenge ought to be more of a theme for this week's game than city supremacy-- even though the players say it isn't so or they just won't admit it.

Plaxico Burress, the former Giants Super Bowl hero who snubbed the G-Men and signed with the Jets after a 20-month prison stay, blew off the notion he was seeking the Big R.

"There's nothing extra, no added incentive, juice or whatever you call it," Burress said.  " I'm more concerned about me going out, playing better, getting better."

Maybe Giants quarterback Eli Manning will go the eye-for-an-eye route.  After all, he was the one who wobbled off the field during last year's pre-season meeting sporting a gash on his forehead that required 12 stitches to close up.

The second quarter hit by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace sent Manning's helmet flying and his exposed mug into safety Jim Leonhard's facemask.  Manning's Y.A. Tittle moment was the result of a clean hit, miscommunication with Brandon Jacobs and looked worse than it was.

"I don't think about it to bring back good times," joked Manning yesterday.  "I can deal with it...it didn't hurt too badly."

Okay, no animosity there either.  I guess we'll leave it up to Mother nature to wreak some kind of havoc.

The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and Irene is expected to bring wind gusts of up to 70 mph.  In the Meadowlands that's a light breeze.  Com' on Irene.

The Giants VP of Communications, Pat Hanlon, said the game will go on as scheduled.

"Based on everything we've seen and heard, it sounds like the brunt of the hurricane isn't expected to hit our area until Sunday," he said.

"I go about it just like I would any other game," said Tuck of the exhibition game.  "Is it more intense than what the rivalry was with the Jets before Rex got here?  In a preseason game, no.  But come that game right before Christmas, that might be a different story."

No hurricane until Sunday, no Rex Ryan bombast and no revenge.

Can't wait for the regular season.