Napoli calls Tanaka ‘an idiot’:
An inconsistent and mediocre New York Yankees team hosted a worse Boston Red Sox team for a three-game set in the Bronx this past weekend. After losing the first game, the Sox prevailed by taking the last two.
Those two-losses aside, it was Mike Napoli that sparked conversation in New York City this weekend.
In Game 2 on Saturday night, Mashiro Tanaka shook off a split-call to get to a “show-me” outside fastball. The “show-me” location though was not there and Mike Napoli smashed one in his wheel-house to the right-field porch, according to NYDailyNews.com. This gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the ninth-inning, and the win as they held on.
More importantly than defeating the unbeatable Tanaka was Napoli’s comments entering the dug-out for all of America to see and hear. Napoli referred to Tanaka as “an idiot,” according to USAToday.com.
Finally, a little fire in the very recently dull Yankees – Red Sox rivalry.
Napoli claims that the words were not meant in any disparaging way towards Tanaka. He eluded that the choice of a fastball rather than his world-class splitter surprised him, especially in a 1-2 count that late in the game.
The two teams are schedule to play next on August 1st up in Boston. Retaliation might be the word of the night as surely the Yankees did not appreciate the comments towards their ace.
Yanks still mediocre:
Last Friday, starting pitcher Vidal Nuno gave the Yanks some hope by pitching brilliantly and picking up a win in the Boston series opener. He went five plus innings only surrendering two-hits on the night. That high-feeling did not last long though as they dropped the last two against the Sox.
The Yankees are now 41-39 as they sit third in an incredibly weak AL East. Amazingly enough, they have to be thankful for where they sit right now considering the brilliance of Tanaka.
They come into tonight having only won two of their last eight games and still rank in the lower-third in the majors in runs scored. Something needs to change soon or Brian Cashman will have to work drastically as we near the trade-deadline. The team has very little farm-depth and cannot afford to give up more.