A Manager's Worst Nightmare

    John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman are the radio voice of the New York Yankees. This is a fictitious play-by-play dialogue in a critical game against the arch-rival, Boston Red Sox.

  

   "The cards have been dealt. You could say, Suzyn; the ducks are on the pond, as one of the oldest baseball cliche state ... it's a manager's worst nightmare, a two-out walk putting the game-tying run on base, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate ..."

    "And that go-ahead run, John, is the Yankee nemesis, David Ortiz, Big Papi as the beloved Red Sox fans call him. He hits the Yankees very, very well, and has gotten his fair share of big game winning hits. And this ... is a big game."

    "That's right. We all know throughout his career he has feasted on the drama, the antithesis to his opponent, coming up to bat at the most in-opportune times. Today is just another page to his script. I could make an argument and say David Ortiz is probably the greatest clutch-hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox, no offense mind you to the likes of Ted Williams, Carlton Fisk or Manny Ramirez."

    "Well, that could very well be true, but he will have to face probably the greatest closer of all time and a sure first ballot Hall of Famer, number forty-two, Mariano Rivera."

    "It's puzzling to me, Suzyn; I don't know why Girardi waited. Why would he wait till now to summon Rivera from the bullpen? It became a save situation after Ellsbury hit the home run off of Joba Chamberlain and trimmed the Yankee lead to two. Then Pedroia singled and Youkilis walked, both at the expense of David Robertson. A hit up the gap could easily score two and tie the game. Joe has played the righty-lefty scenario perfectly the entire series, but today, game seven, the pitchers have not come through. When you have the greatest closer of all time in your bullpen, you take it right to them, with the best."

    "Mariano's made five relief appearances so far in this seven game series, John, and last night he pitched two innings for the save. His pitch count isn't high ... he has had Mariano-like appearances, dealing strikes, low pitch counts, three up and three down innings the whole series. Could he have a tired arm?"

    "Tired or not, we both know Mo is the consummate competitor. He wants the ball. There is no tomorrow. As the great Leo Durocher was once quoted saying, 'You don't save a pitcher for tomorrow. Tomorrow it may rain.' The Yankees lose tonight, season over. They win; they're headed for the World Series. It's as simple as that! ... Okay, Suzyn, Rivera's warm-up tosses are complete and we're set to go ... the umpire gives the nod and Ortiz steps into the batter's box. We're in the top of the ninth, two out and two on, Yankees lead five to three. Pedroia stands on second and Youkilis on first as the tying run. Now ... Rivera deals ... striiiiiike on the outside corner, the count, oh and one."

    "John, that was Rivera's eighty-seven mile an hour cutter. As we've seen watching him over the years and his mastery over most batters, his cutter is more effective on the lefties than on the righties. Bafflingly how it tails away from them."

    "Or, it can run in on the batter's hands like a buzzsaw and shatter the bat. How many times have we seen that?"

    "Plenty! John. Plenty. It reminds me of the ... 1999 World Series against the Atlanta Braves when Ryan Klesko broke three bats in one plate appearance against Rivera. Three bats ... one plate appearance, John!"

    "That at bat was incredible," John pauses until the batter is almost ready. "Ortiz is two for three in the game with an intentional pass. One of his hits was a home run off Boone Logan, a towwwering moon shot that hit the second deck facade in the sixth inning, which tied the game at three. Logan didn't get the job done. As a lefty specialist, he is supposed to get lefty batters out. But, this is baseball and the words supposed to can't be found in the glossary. Okay ... Ortiz is back in the batter's box ... Rivera ... sets ... checks the runners, the pitch ... juuussst missed the outside corner! The count evens at one."

    "WOW! John, Mariano wanted that one. It's a rare case of emotions showing from the man with ice water flowing in his veins. A look at the replay shows the ball just off the plate, John. Mariano usually gets that call because of his pinpoint control. But Rapuano, the home plate umpire, made the correct call."

    "Runners at first and second, two out and Ortiz the batter ... it doesn't get any better than this. Oh, baby, here we go. The Yankees need one more out for the victory and a trip to the World Series. Mariano gets the sign from Martin ... he's set at the belt ... he deals ... Ortiz swings and misses. Mariano jumps ahead on the count, one and two."

    "Mariano came in on the wrists of Ortiz with that one. You could see David's knees buckle with that pitch causing him to swing over the ball ... John, I've been watching Pedroia getting a large walking lead from second, going almost halfway to third. Doesn't bother Mariano any, he knows his run is meaningless; it's Yukolis he has to keep from scoring and tying the game."

    "With two strikes on Ortiz, the Yankee sell-out crowd of 50,287 is on their feet. It'll be a one-two pitch to Ortiz ... Rivera checks the runners ... the pitch ... its low and in the dirt! The ball gets away from Martin and the runners advance to second and third. Ohh, the drama builds in the Bronx ... Rivera tried to get Ortiz to chase a ball out of the strike zone, but David had no part of it. The count evens up, two and two."

    "The crowd is alive after that pitch, John. It feels like the stadium is rocking, everyone's standing, sensing the moment of drama. How many times have we seen this match-up over the years?"

    "This is a typical Yankee-Red Sox series, Suzyn. Every pitch has meaning. Every batted ball, each base runner, and each manager's decision is so critical, possibly game changing. The teams are so evenly matched. Wouldn't you know it, after playing each other nineteen times during the regular season, then six complete playoff games, it now comes down to this ... Rivera against Ortiz. You couldn't write a better script. Ortiz called time and went to the on-deck circle and rubbed his bat handle with some stick'em ... He knows what's at stake. Okay, he walks back towards the plate. Big Papi, spits into his batting gloves, claps and rubs his hands together and steps into the box ... Rivera looks at his catcher ... gets the sign from Martin. Goes into his stretch ... his hands at the belt ... sets ... deals ... the pitch ... it's drilled deeeeep to right ... it is high ... it is far ... it is ... CAUGHT AT THE RIGHT! ... FIELD! ... WALL! ... Ichiro with his back to the wall ... leaped, his glove over the wall in front of the fans ... robbed David Ortiz of a game-leading three-run homer. What a play by Ichiro Suzuki, BALL GAME OVER! ... YANKEES WIN, THEEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!!!!!"