BOSTON -- Thinking of taking in a New York Yankees game in the near future? Because you love the Yankees? Because you scored tickets to your local team's game and they're going to be playing the Yankees?
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| The Red Sox must miss Johnny Damon after facing him in this series. (Getty Images) |
Because you're going to be there awhile.
The Yankees, who finished their slaughter of Boston with a 2-1 tap dance on the Red Sox grave Monday, have taken their tried-and-true formula of grinding out at-bats and forcing opposing pitchers into high pitch counts and they've turbo-charged it this year. First they added Johnny Damon. Then Bobby Abreu.
Their first four hitters -- Damon, Derek Jeter, Abreu and Jason Giambi -- are more patient than a mother of 12.
This might be the statistic of the year: In Friday's doubleheader, Damon and Abreu combined to see 98 pitches. Ninety-eight! Two guys!
"That's a big number," Yankees pitching coach Don Mattingly said. "I've never seen anything like it."
For the series, the duo saw a total of 201 pitches -- and Damon was given Monday off.
"It's nothing by design by us," Mattingly said. "The way Bobby hits, he's very comfortable with two strikes. Johnny fights pitches off. Bobby's more patient. He takes balls just off the edge of the plate. Johnny's more hacking."
Listen, I'm not exactly in the advice business. I have no interest in being Dear Abbey. But speaking as someone who just sat through every last second of the 19 hours and 45 minutes the Yankees and Red Sox played during five games over four days, let me tell you.
Don't forget your seat cushion, either.
My butt is sore. My eyes are glazed. I've been pitch-counted into submission.
"Bobby takes more pitches than I do," said Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi, a noted on-base percentage fiend, the amazement evident in his voice.
