Local News

• May 17, 2008 4:46 pm US/Eastern
• Digg | Facebook | E-mail

  Close WindowE-mail This Page

  RECAP: WCBSTV.com Subway Series Game 1 Blog

  Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

  ---

  • Recipient E-mail:* 
  • • Your Name:* 
    • Your E-mail:* 
  • Add a Message:
  •   Send me a copy of this e-mail.

  • Type the characters in this picture:* Click here to refresh with new letters

  ---

  The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

  Send E-mail

  | Print

RECAP: WCBSTV.com Subway Series Game 1 Blog

Senior News Producer Jeff Capellini Gives His Thoughts On Saturday's Game 1 Between The Yankees & Mets

NEW YORK (CBS) ― In its continuing quest to be New York City's leading television news Web site, WCBSTV.com has decided to give you a minute-by-minute rundown of the goings on during the Subway Series this weekend at Yankee Stadium and then later in June at Shea.

Senior news producer Jeff Capellini is a lifelong fan of the Bronx Bombers, and has covered them professionally. Despite his allegiance to the Yankees, he is respectful of the Mets and their fans and hopes to give you some objective musings during this brief two-game set.

If you would like to offer your thoughts or ask Jeff a question, please Click here.

So please sit back and enjoy as Jeff gives his take on this weekend's games.

SATURDAY:

1:15 p.m.: Andy Pettitte looked tremendous in the first inning, popping his fastball on his way to striking out the side. The veteran left-hander often has great stuff early, but this year has run out of steam by around the fourth or fifth inning. So, despite the strong start, Bombers fans need to keep their fingers crossed.

1:17 p.m.: I told my dad on Friday morning that with the way the Yankees have been hitting, I wouldn't be at all surprised if today was the day Johan Santana pitched a no-hitter. The Mets have never thrown one in their four-decade-and-a-half history so what better day to do it than today, against the Yankees, whose decision not to trade for the All-Star left-hander will be debated all season. Johnny Damon just walked so their goes the perfect game ...

1:25 p.m.: Well, Santana's vaunted change-up forgot to change on that one as Derek Jeter just hit a moonshot to left, giving the Yankees a quick 2-0 lead. Jeter's power numbers are usually low, but over the last season and 43 games he's hit only 14, his total from all of 2006. This guy owns the Mets, batting over .380 with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in 61 career games.

1:36 p.m.: Six outs ... five strikeouts and a pick-off. Yeah, Pettitte is on his game today, no question. But again, his stamina has been an issue this year. The good news is, with Friday's rainout, the Yankees' bullpen should be well-rested, so if Andy can get through six innings with a lead, the Yanks should be in good shape.

1:40 p.m.: Since the start of the 2007 season, Santana has given up 42 home runs, including Jeter's 1st-inning blast. The Venezuelan lefty has never lost to the Yankees in the regular season. Coming in, he was 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA, with 35 Ks and just 37 hits allowed in 40 2/3 innings. He just fanned Chad Moeller to end the second, stranding a man on second. This guy is so good, it's scary ... The Yankees know that getting to him early is their best shot, because once he's locked in he's the best in the game.

1:53 p.m.: With the way Pettitte is throwing today, 2 runs may be enough. The Mets opted to pitch Santana in the opening game of this series, but with the rainout Friday Santana got two extra days of rest. This could explain why he's not yet found his groove. Some of these pitchers, Mike Mussina being the perfect example, really don't like it when their schedule is thrown off. I, for one, say get out there and pitch big boy. Damon just led off the bottom of the third with a single to left ...

1:59 p.m.: Bobby Abreu just doubled to right and Damon tried to score all the way from first. With the naked eye, Damon looked clearly safe, but Mets catcher Brian Schneider blocked the plate with his left foot and Damon never got there. The home plate umpire's out call was spot-on correct, so Yankees fans, relax. It was perfect execution and the correct call. Yankees are hitting Santana. It may be just a matter of time before they push a few more runs across. End of 3, Yanks 2-0. Then again, Schneider's play may jump-start the Mets ...

2:07 p.m.: As if on cue, Pettitte is in big trouble in the fourth inning. Ryan Church, David Wright and Carlos Beltran have hit singles to start the inning, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Pettitte's ERA in innings 4-6 this season is 8.10. There's no one out and the Mets are poised for a huge inning ...

2:11 p.m.: Pettitte walks Moises Alou to load the bases with no one out. Carlos Delgado is up. He is 6-for-39 with runners in scoring position this season.

2:13 p.m.: Delgado pops up to short. This guy has lost it completely. Damion Easley is up. Pettitte needs to make pitches.

2:25 p.m.: Pettitte battles back from 3-0 and strikes out Easley looking. Huge ... The pitch was inside off the plate, but you can't let that one go by if you're Easley. However, Pettitte loses a battle with Schneider, walking him on a 3-2 fastball that missed badly. Score tied at 2. ... With Luis Castillo at the plate, Moeller saves another run with a great block on a Pettitte fastball that traveled about 45 feet. He's a mess right now. ... Castillo hits a weak chopper that dies between home and third, Mets take 3-2 lead. This is truly a Murphy's Law inning. ... Part of Pettitte's problem is he's not getting calls on the corners. ... Jose Reyes pops out to short to end the inning. The Mets hit one ball hard in the frame but have the lead.

2:30 p.m.: Yankees go 1-2-3 to end the 4th. I know Santana throws strikes, but for all their talk about working counts, the Yankees do not take pitches. They haven't all season. If you look back at the great Yankees teams from 1996-2001, they took more pitches and got more pitchers in trouble than anyone. The last few years have been a series of impatience and embarrassment at the plate for this team. It's infuriating to watch someone like Robinson Cano swing at everything ... and he's not the only one who does it. ... Pettitte's 4th inning took 24 minutes, while Santana's took all of 2 minutes and 8 seconds. It's comical ...

2:40 p.m.: After two quick outs, Pettitte gives up a soft single and hits Alou. But he comes back to strike out Delgado, who is still clueless at the plate. Pettitte is over 100 pitches, so his day may be done. Ross Ohlendorf is warming up. I like him. He throws hard and has good command. Getting him in the deal for Randy Johnson was one of the better moves the Yankees have made in the last few years ... 3-2 Mets heading into bottom of the 5th.

2:46 p.m.: Yeah, I'm back again quickly because, you guessed it, the Yankees went 1-2-3 in the 5th in about 2 minutes. Santana is in a groove, and the Yankees aren't helping themselves by being undisciplined at the plate. Petttitte comes out to start 6th ...

2:53 p.m.: Mets go 1-2-3 in top of 6th. Pettitte is nearing 120 pitches. Something tells me Joe Girardi wants to get this guy a win, but with the way Santana is cruising along, the Yankees better strike in the 6th because I can't imagine Andy coming out to start the 7th. But then again ...

2:56 p.m.: Santana threw a combined 12 pitches in the 4th and 5th innings. There's one out in the 6th.

2:59 p.m.: Jeter hits shot in left-center gap that Beltran cuts off before it reaches the wall. Jeter tries for two, but slides about 12 feet before second and never makes it. Castillo applies the tag. If you've seen the movie "Major League" and remember Wesley Snipes' character, he did something similar, but his was much funnier. ... Hideki Matsui looks foolish against Santana to end the inning. Mets 3-2 heading into the top of the 7th, but Kyle Farnsworth is coming in for the Yankees so it could be 6- or 7-2 soon. I know he's been better of late but he's hardly proven himself over the long haul. ...

3:07 p.m.: I hate being right all the time. Reyes hits a Farnsworth slider that didn't slide into the lower seats in right. Mets lead 4-2. Farnsworth may be the worst Yankees free agent signing ever. He just walked Church, so no one out, man on first. If you have pinstripes on and something better to do, now may be the time to do it. ...

3:19 p.m.: I REALLY hate being right all the time. Wright takes a Farnsworth cutter and hits it just over the fence in right-center. Imagine my surprise that it's 6-2 Mets right now. I hate regurgitating things that others say, but when it comes to Farnsworth I am left with little choice. Bro, you throw 100 mph. Do you know how impressive you could be if you just used your God-given talents? Girardi, Hank? When is enough enough? ... Delgado just blooped a single to center that Jeter lost in the sun. Two outs, man on first. ... Easley strikes out looking on a slider, naturally. Farnsworth is booed unmercifully by the Yankees fans. They are now doing a moment of silence in the 7th inning stretch. God only knows the malevolent thoughts the fans are thinking about Farnsworth right now ...

3:23 p.m.: Giambi homers off Santana to lead off the bottom of the 7th. I have always liked Jason. He's a good egg ... despite his problems with flaxseed oil ... Santana gets Cano looking on a pitch that was way off the plate. Somewhere, Pettitte stews ...

3:29 p.m.: Santana shuts door on 7th with 6-3 lead. It will be interesting to see if he starts the 8th. Maybe the Wilpons will call Willie in the dugout and say, "Let's stick it to Hank a little more." ...

3:33 p.m.: Edward Ramirez is on for the Yankees. He's got a 0.00 ERA in eight appearances this season. He's another young arm I like. If you remember Mariano Rivera when he first came up, he was physically the same as Ramirez -- skinny as hell and you wonder how he gets the ball up there with such velocity. Ramirez's best pitch is his change-up ...

3:37 p.m.: Strike 'em out, throw 'em out DP ends the top of the 8th, Mets lead 6-3. ... If you ranked in order the Yankees relievers I trust not named Mariano or Joba, I'd say Ohlendorf, Ramirez and ???? ...

3:41 p.m.: Santana is starting the eighth. Why not? He's only thrown about 40 pitches today. ... Joe Smith is warming up for the Mets. ...

3:44 p.m.: Abreu homers to center with two outs, making it 6-4. Maybe Santana just doesn't want Farnsworth to feel bad. That's three homers Santana has allowed today and now 44 over the last season and a quarter. ... Jeter doubles with two outs and now has three hits today. ... Santana leaves after throwing 99 pitches. It was an OK performance by his lofty standards. If the Yankees could hit at all on a consistent basis he would have been KO'd long ago. ... WOW! Billy Wagner brought in. ... Joba warming for Yankees. ... Matsui up. ...

3:51 p.m.: Matsui overmatched, grounds out weakly to second, stranding Jeter. Mets lead 6-4 after 8. Chamberlain on to pitch the 9th. ...

4:07 p.m.: With one out, Beltran triples after Melky Cabrera's full-out dive in left-center just comes up short of the spectacular. ... Alou caught looking at a real slider. ... Joba throwing 94-96 mph. ... Delgado misses one slider by two feet. ... Alberto Gonzalez misreads a foul pop that lands in the third-base box. ... Give Delgado credit. He's battling. ... Hammers single to right to give Mets 7-4 lead. Gonzalez's miscue comes back to haunt the Bombers. ... Nothing is working right now for the Yankees. Joba has looked quite human of late. ... Pinch-hitter extraordinaire Marlon Anderson strikes out on off-speed pitch. ... Last licks coming for the Yankees down 7-4.

4:09 p.m.: Giambi hits excuse-me single to left. I could go on and on about Giambi's refusal to adapt to the shift, but I don't have that kind of time. ... OK, things getting interesting. Cano gets infield single to third, so two on, no out with Melky at the dish. ... What does he do? He swings at the first pitch and pops out to right. It's mind-boggling how impatient this team is. ... Shelley Duncan pinch-hits. ...

4:16 p.m.: Duncan pops up to the catcher. ... Morgan Ensberg pinch-hits. Yankees are 0-for-6 with RISP today. ... 3-2, 2 outs, 2 on, bottom 9th. ... Ensberg strikes out swinging to end it. At least he swung.

Well, it was what it was.

Both of these teams have a multitude of problems. The Yankees, unbelievably, have a better record through 43 games this year than they did last year, but they look awful. The one saving grace is they are just a handful of games out of first and will get both A-Rod and Jorge back soon.

The Mets needed this win, mostly because of all the internal bickering going on over the last week. I say, good for Willie. He's such a classy guy.

Hey, I'll be back Sunday night with live updates from the Stadium. My dad and I will be there, eating hot dogs, drinking beer and imagining life as it once was ... when the Yankees were the Yankees, not this joke of a team.

But ... then again ... it is still early.

I had fun. Thanks for checking in.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---