Girardi's Musical Chairs Collapse Again

Last night's game between the Yankees and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field was the last 8 Yankee seasons (2010 through 2017) in a nutshell.

Masahiro Tanaka started for the Yankees, and he fell victim to Onebaginningitis. Aside from the bottom of the 3rd inning, he went 5 innings, allowing no runs on 2 hits and no walks. But in that inning, he allowed 4 runs, including 2 home runs. Gopher balls remain his biggest stumbling block.

After 6 innings, the Yankees trailed 4-3, with Aaron Judge's 32nd home run of the season helping. (This one went "only" 396 feet.) They had a chance to win. But because Joe Girardi is an idiot who does not know how to handle a pitching staff, and Tanaka had already thrown 97 pitches, Girardi took him out.

Now, this could have been the right idea, had he allowed Chad Green to go the rest of the way. Indeed, Green pitched a perfect 7th inning. And, thanks to an infield single by Brett Gardner, a double by Clint Frazier and a sacrifice fly by Matt Holliday, the Yankees tied the game in the top of the 8th, taking Tanaka off the hook. And it's not like Green was exhausted: He'd thrown just 14 pitches in his inning.

But because Joe Girardi is an idiot who does not know how to handle a pitching staff, he took Green out. David Robertson, once our closer, was brought in for the bottom of the 8th. And he allowed a home run to former Yankee Robinson Cano, to make it 5-4 Seattle.

The Yankees tied it in the top of the 9th inning, but Girardi made another pitching change, bringing in Tommy Kahnle. He struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th. The "Wrath of Kahnle" jokes are underway. On to extra innings.

The Yankees did not score in the top of the 10th. Surely, with Kahnle having struck out the side on 16 pitches, he had earned another inning.

But because Joe Girardi is an idiot who does not know how to handle a pitching staff, he brought in Adam Warren. How many times does Warren have to fail as a Yankee before Girardi stops bringing him in? Apparently, as many as Tyler Clippard did. Warren allowed a leadoff double to Ben Gamel (another former Yankee), an intentional walk to Cano, and a game-losing single to Nelson Cruz.

Mariners 6, Yankees 5. WP: Tony Zych (4-2). No save. LP: Warren (2-2).

Once again, Joe Girardi went to his binder, and played musical chairs with the pitchers. Once again, the chair collapsed. And bringing back Robertson and getting Kahnle didn't help. I mean, let's face it: Would having Clippard in there instead have been any worse? The score might have been, but the result would have been exactly the same. Unless, of course, Clippard would have actually pitched well. Nah...

The Boston Red Sox lost, so the Yankees blew a chance to gain a game in the American League Eastern Division standings. They enter today's finale with the Mariners 3 1/2 games behind the Sox, 2 in the loss column.

The starting pitchers for today are set to be Caleb Smith for New York, and Yovani Gallardo for Seattle.