Writing the Pine

AP Photos / Chris Carlson

To be fair, Nick Swisher didn’t strike out to end Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.  He popped up on a 3-2 count in the top of the 9th inning with the bases loaded and his team down a run to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.   (It just makes for a better title for this entry.)

I’m a big fan of Nick Swisher, a.k.a. “Jolly Old St. Nick or Swishalicious” as John Sterling refers to him on Yankees radio broadcasts.  I like his high OBP, his long,grinding at-bats, and switch-hitting power.  I just wasn’t a fan of the popup to end the inning and the two outs he made in the 6-run Yankees 7th inning.

AP Photos/Chris Pizzello

Aside from that, it was a helluva game.  A back and forth affair with momentum switching between the two teams.  Teix’s monster three-run double to finally break through in the series.  Second-guessing managerial decisions.  3-2 count, w-outs, Top of 9th inning in a one run game?

Drama that only baseball can build into a slow, methodical crescendo — only to burst into pure, unadulterated joy for one fanbase and tortured anguish for the other.  Great game.

I only wish Nick didn’t take hitting advice from his girlfriend Joanna Garcia (according to Rick Reilly):

There are three things in this world everybody seems to like — Italian restaurants, refund checks and Nick Swisher, especially “Gossip Girl” actress Joanna Garcia. She’s dating the 28-year-old Swisher and can be seen at most Yankees home games.

“She understands baseball,” Swisher says. “I’ll come home some nights after an oh-fer and she’ll go, ‘Your swing looked a little different tonight, Honey. Maybe your hands didn’t get back early enough?’ So I’m like, dang, maybe I need to start my swing a little earlier?”

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Game 6 is very important.  We don’t want to use C.C. for Game 7.  We want him for Game 1 of the World Series.  We don’t want to be fighting for our playoff lives in a Game 7 matchup with the Angels.

Let’s wrap it up and get ready for a tough Phillies team, the defending world champions.

They have a secret weapon and quite frankly, we’re not ready for it.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

Greenman!