Sights, Sounds and Nuggets from the field, pre-game: WS Game 5
Biff Henderson from the David Letterman show interviewing our own Kenny Singleton and former Yankees General Manager Bob Watson … he also interviewed Joe Buck.
Johnny Damon continues to be my new BFF because whenever we ask this guy for an interview he is, dare I say, Johnny on the spot. Joe Auriemma is busily editing it and it will be up on the site later, as well as my interview with Kenny Singleton.
I asked a lot of beat reporters, radio hosts or just people here working for various media outlets what their gut feeling was for tonight — about 80-85 percent of the people I asked thought this Series was going back to New York for Game Six. This is not exactly a Quinnipiac or New York Times poll, but still a good one.
Brett Gardner starting in center field tonight. Melky is done. Ramiro Pena is now on the roster.
Kenny Singleton’s 1983 Baltimore Orioles were the last team in World Series history to lose Game One and then win the next four. They did it about 300 yards away from where we are sitting right now, at Veterans Stadium.
Four times a team lost Game One and went onto take the next four games.
1983 Orioles (vs. Phillies)
1969 Mets (vs. Orioles)
1942 Cardinals (vs. Yankees)
1915 Red Sox (vs. Phillies)
Will this be the third time the Phillies surrender that fate?
Also interesting to note: the Yankees have been up 3-1 in the World Series eight times. They are 8-0. They have won Game Five six times and Game Six twice.
Year Opponent Game 5 Result
2000 Mets Won 4-2
1977 Dodgers Lost 10-4 (Won Game 6)
1961 Reds Won 13-5
1949 Dodgers Won 10-6
1943 Cardinals Won 2-0
1941 Dodgers Won 3-1
1937 Giants Won 4-2
1936 Giants Lost 5-4 (Won Game 6)
Off The Wall with Chris Shearn 
There will be a lot of couch managers saying “What was Joe thinking?” by starting AJ on 3 days rest.
How about this:
If we lose this game with Chad pitching we have three pitchers for two games. Two of the remaining three are lefties (Pettitte and CC). Which two would you prefer to pitch at the Stadium?
If we start AJ and he has a good game, we just might catch lightning in a bottle and steal the game and then the series. Obviously AJ did not have a good game.
Imagine what would be the scene if Joe had started Chad, lost and then started AJ on normal rest and he STILL blew up?
3-3 with CC going on three days rest and it’s a crap shoot.
If you think for a moment that this was not the real reason for starting AJ then you have not followed the Yankees long enough.
I did not think it was the right move initially (to start AJ), but in hindsight, it was.
I would MUCH rather have Pettitte start game 6, at the Stadium, even on short rest, than take a chance on an erratic AJ on full rest.
That, my fellow fans, was the real choice.