What a beating.
Jack Nicholson was on hand to watch the blood drain out of the Yankees' season. Who says he can't handle the truth?
The Yankees came into this series hoping for a sweep, announcing they needed at least two out of three. When they dropped the opener Tuesday, they were forced to put their season into the jittery hands of one Sidney Ponson. It's not a good sign when the only thing standing between you and virtual elimination is Sidney Ponson. The Yankees would have been better served by Sidney Wicks. Or Sydney Greenstreet.
The Tub of Goo was gone before the end of the fifth, and the Yankees are gone before the end of August. Ponson is now 3-13 in 22 career starts against Boston. The humanity.
Today, the Sox play their final game ever in Yankee Stadium, and they have a chance to drive another nail into the Pinstripe coffin. With 30 games remaining, the Yankees are 10 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East and seven games behind the Sox in the wild-card hunt.
"When they put an 'X' next to your name is when you've run out of days," said overwhelmed Yankees manager Joe Girardi. "It's not for lack of effort. We still have baseball left. I've said all along I believe in this team. We've had two games that haven't went the way we wanted it to."
Girardi could be on a short leash. Hank Steinbrenner, son of George, was in the building last night (a rare appearance) and stayed until the bitter end. He's not getting much bang for his $200 million payroll.
If they hadn't inflicted so much pain on New England, it would be tempting to feel sorry for these Yankees. They are going to finish out of the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. They are going to close out the House That Ruth Built in a regular-season night game against the Orioles. Mr. October will be asked to turn out the lights Sept. 21. Yankee Stadium will be dark when the playoffs commence at the hardball aquarium in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Oh, and those New York kids moving into Boston College this weekend can prepare for a lot of verbal abuse from their New England brothers and sisters.
