All But One...

 ...contributed to the grand plan ( and play ) in the last innings of yesterdays glorious victory. 

It ranged from amazing at bats ( Grisham and others )  to amazing defense ( I'll insert Ben Rice for this one ). Multiple big hits ( Wells gets the carrot, but there were several by others).  A rare game-changing deliverance by GS in a pinch hitting role.  And on it goes.

But our third base position remains a black hole.  Vivas was given a second chance ( he fanned on his first visit to the stadium ).  He had to know he was given this opportunity because Paraza was all glove and no bat.  So what does Vivas do in his first at bat?  He goes down looking at strike three. 

Even I remember that every coach who ever spoke to me said," if it is close...when you are in a two strike count...you swing at it. "  Vivas didn't get that message ( same for too many yankees ).

Vivas also looked lost on that pop up that he called for, and required Dominguez to catch.  Vivas has a glove?

So fast forward now to Paraza.  He finally gets a critical at bat, and his job is to move the runners over to second and third, by laying down a sacrifice bunt.  This is a redemption moment.  A chance to contribute and earn another shot at hitting a pitch one day.

So what does he do?  He blows it.  His bunting technique was like a foreign soccer player getting his first at bat ever in an American baseball game might do.  He stuck out the bat, and stabbed at the ball....thereby assuring a pop up or a foul ball.  Lucky for the yankees it wasn't a double play ( that's why the Yankees had him bunting.....he is a double play magnet when he doesn't strike out looking ).

I keep hoping that Paraza's glove can buy him more time. That some of those hard hit balls will go elsewhere than to a waiting fielder. 

I don't have that hope any longer.   

And Vivas ain't looking like the answer either.