Damon's Two-For-One Special

For years, the Yankees have been celebrated for their ability to work the count. Take, for instance, Paul O'Neill's epic 10-pitch at-bat against Mets closer Armando Benitez in the 2000 World Series. After fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch, O'Neill finally drew a walk, setting into motion a series of events that would, eventually, lead to a Yankees come-from-behind win in Game 1. The Yankees, as we all know, would then go on to win the World Series in five games. In hindsight, O'Neill's at-bat was, really, the turning point of that series, and the high-water mark of the Yankees' last championship team.

Cut to last night. Top of the ninth. Johnny Damon against Brad Lidge. For nine pitches, Damon battled Lidge, fouling off three pretty nasty 2-strike pitches before finally lining an hard-earned, opposite field single to left. Damon's at-bat was every bit as impressive as O'Neill's. Not only did Damon make Lidge throw more pitchers than he would have liked, Damon kept the inning alive for the heart of the Yankees' line up. Exactly what the No. 2 hitter is supposed to do.

What Damon pulled off on the base pads, though, was even more important, even more memorable, than what he did in the batter's box. After easily swiping second, Damon immediately took off for third, taking advantage of the Phillies' defensive shift against Mark Teixeira. The double-steal seemed to rattle Lidge, who quickly drilled Texiera before serving up a go-ahead double to Alex Rodriguez. It's no accident that A-Rod saw two fastballs during his at-bat. Lidge, it seemed, was not about to throw his slider with a man on third. He couldn't risk a wild pitch. Damon changed the whole complexity of the game, as they like to say in the FOX broadcasting booth.

With a gritty at-bat and some heads-up base running, Damon put the Yankees in a position to capture their 27 World Series Championship. In Yankeeland, Damon's at-bat will always rival O'Neill's and, like it or not, his double-steal will go down as one of the most famous stolen bases in postseason play, certainly the most famous since 2004.

BEN:

Sure, I guess. If ever there's a discussion of "the postseason's most famous stolen bases," I feel sure it would be on there. It was a heads-up play in a tight inning in the World Series, and lord knows the media loves to talk about those things. (By the way, does anyone doubt that if Jeter, rather than Damon, had made that play, it would be the only thing we heard about this morning? That at least one columnist would've claimed that no player but Jeter is capable of such magic?) But I digress. So: should we give Johnny Damon the Dave Roberts Memorial Stolen Base Award? Ok, I'll agree to that. For me, though, the narrative of that inning takes place inside Brad Lidge's head. He's made his career--such as it once was--on throwing that slider for strikes. To be too scared to throw it with a runner on third, that says more to me about why he can't get it done than about Damon's steal. Ever since that Pujols homer, Lidge has been scared of the big hitters, and it's a shame Philadelphia doesn't have anyone better to turn to.

If hindsight is what we're speaking about, I have to say, I don't think anyone will remember this as a close series. Maybe something like "Yankees 4, Cliff Lee 2." (If they even win tonight.) Or "The October of A-Rod." Personally, I'm disappointed that the Phillies haven't put up more of a fight these last three games--I think they're the only National League team good enough to beat the Yankees on a good day.

There's really nothing any Yankee team can do that will ever rival the momentousness of that 2004 series. 86 years, the Bambino the 3-0 lead, Ortiz's pyrotechnic clutch hitting--come on now. But, yes, a very heads-up play, another big situation in which Brad Lidge didn't come up with it. And a great at-bat by Damon, forcing Lidge to display his full arsenal, and not even get an out.

You don't want to jump to conclusions--they still have to play at least one more game--but I admit I'm disappointed in this series so far. It's never fun for a Sox fan, especially one living in New York, to watch the Yankees win it all, but at least the Phillies could've made a race of it. But who knows, maybe Cliff Lee can turn it around tonight.

MILES:

I just arrived in sunny California. Specifically, sunny San Francisco. I have to say, it's not a bad place to visit. A man can get used to this.

I'll admit, too, that this World Series isn't particularly exciting. Nobody in the Golden State seems to care. At least not so far. This, of course, could very well change if Pedro comes up big tomorrow night, and, following that, either Cole Hamels and his 25-cent head or J.A. Happ come through in Game 7. Unlikely, I think. That's simply too many "ifs."

Speaking of which, if it weren't for Cliff and Chase Utley, this series would have been over Sunday night. I'm not trying to be reductive or dismissive of the Phillies. They are, like you pointed out, a very good baseball team, and the idea of Ryan Howard finding his swing somewhere along the Jersey Turnpike sends shivers down my spine, just as much as the specter of the Jersey Devil. But, outside of Lee and Utley, the Phillies have yet to rise to the occasion, or have yet to take advantage of the Yankees' so-so play.

Somehow I don't see that changing tomorrow night. I wonder, though, if a World Series is won in the Bronx, and there's no one in California to witness it, does it, in fact, happen? I'm going to have to ponder that down on Haight-Ashbury.