A-RUSTYGATE

This has been a fascinating and exciting play-off series. The pitching has been great, the drama has been extraordinary and A-RustyGate was pinch hit for.

Last night was another extra inning marathon. Phil Hughes pitched real good, getting himself out of jams and keeping the Yankees close. The bullpen did a real good job but what it came down to was the fact that the Yankees are not hitting, at all. Every phase of the offense has gone stagnant.

Last night was another night that ARustyGate should have been pulled. This time it came in the bottom of the eighth and the Yankees had runners at second and third with one out and here comes A-RustyGate. He takes three feeble swings at three pitches and all of a sudden you have two outs. A-RustyGate didn't even come close at putting a ball in play so the Yankees could have a chance at scoring. No, A-RustyGate waved at three pitches like a guy shooing away flies at a restaurant.

I know, the Yankees as a team, are just not hitting, which brings me up to Dr. Girardi, Brain Surgeon. His reasoning for not bringing in a pinch hitter for A-RustyGate was because he thought that Schowalter would walk the pinch hitter. Hey Dr. Girardi, Buck Schowalter saw A-RustyGate coming up to the plate and he called my house to see if I could pitch to him because A-RustyGate isn't hitting water if he fell out of a boat. Hey, Dr. Girardi, what does that say to you when Schowalter won't walk A-RustyGate to set up the double play but your afraid to use a pinch hitter out of fear of him being walked? The whole world knows A-RustyGate was going to do nothing in that situation. Dr. Girardi, you basically gave the Orioles one free out and they didn't even have to field a ball. After A-RustyGate cooled off the front row of Yankee Stadium with his swings, Swisher came up and flew out to right to end the inning.

It now comes down to today. Not sure what bright ideas Dr. Girardi has for today but he definitely needs to look real hard and use his instinct on making his order today because I sure can't take seeing A-RustyGate come up in another crucial situation and doing what he does best this time of year, nothing.

Win and your in. The Yankees have CC going for them and if the Yankees can not win with their ace on the mound then they don't deserve to move on.