Burnett Sells Soul to Cliff Lee

The Good

Was anyone not impressed by what Burnett did yesterday? He was on, throwing fastballs and curves for strikes, striking out 9 through 7 innings and only allowing a run. This was the Burnett we paid over $80 million for, and he pitched like he was worth every penny. With all the control problems he's had, he managed to step up and pitch the biggest game of the year, a game that many saw as a must win for the Yankees.

The offense wasn't great yesterday, but the way Burnett pitched it didn't matter. The Yankees scored 3 runs, two off solo-shots from Teixeira and Matsui. Posada drove in another run with a pinch hit single. Posada off the bench has been phenomenal this year.

The game would not have been what it was without Mariano Rivera. He stepped in and threw 2 shutout innings. When our starting pitcher can hand the ball to Mariano, we're going to win more often than not.


The Bad

You want to know what's bad? Girardi needing to go to Mariano in the 8th because we don't have a single reliever worth pitching there.

The Ugly

A-Rod's really struggled these first two games. He went 0-4 with 3 strikeouts for the second night in a row. There was a ball hit to him in the 2nd that he looked like he should have got, and it drove in a run, so I was concerned that he would carry it with him into his at bats like he used to. That inning he struck out, but he put up a good at bat. He saw 9 pitches, 6 of which he fouled off before he was fooled on a changeup. It didn't look like he was pressing then, but 6 strikeouts over two games looks a lot like the A-Rod of old, rather than the A-Rod of this year.

I'm really hoping that A-Rod tee's off in Philadelphia. I really want him to end all the nonsense about him not being clutch. He's done great throughout the ALDS, and ALCS but the staunchest of A-Rod haters can still look to the World Series for ammunition. I want A-Rod to end that.

World Series MVP Game 2

First vote goes to Burnett easily. He gave us exactly what we needed last night.

My second vote is a little bit tougher seeing as I look what both Matsui and Teixeira did in this game. That being said I have to give it to Matsui, who went 2-3 with the go ahead homerun.

My third vote goes to Mariano, because after the debacle we saw yesterday with the bullpen, you have to appreciate what he did.

With our patented RJG scoring system, a first place vote gets a player 3 pts, a second place vote will get 2 pts and a 3rd place vote gets 1 pt. Here is the World Series MVP breakdown:

CC Sabathia = 3pts
AJ Burnett = 3pts
Hideki Matsui = 2pts
Derek Jeter = 2pts
Mariano Rivera = 1pt

Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children

The RJG will continue to donate to Johnny Damon's homerun club throughout the post season. We believe that our $1.00 donations build just enough good will to push the Yankees into their next World Series title. We expect a ring Bronny Cash.

Yankees hit two homeruns last night, Matsui and Teixeira being the bash brothers from different mothers, and continents, and cultures.

Post Season Homeruns:

Derek Jeter 3hr = $3.00
Hideki Matsui 2hr = $2.00
Alex Rodriguez 5hr = $5.00
Mark Teixeira 2hr = $2.00
Jorge Posada 2hr = $2.00
Johnny Damon 2hr = $2.00
Total = $16.00

Regular Season Total = $244.00

RJG Donation Total = $260.00

If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page. Live it. Love it. RJG.