Late-Night Learning Session

This game stings. It's going to sting for about 12 more hours, and then it's going to be time to move on. Yes, it was horrible to lose this game, in this way. But we did learn a few things:

1. Roy Halladay is good.
2. The Yankees refuse to give up
3.  The Sox aren't going to completely roll over and die (At least not when Beckett's on the hill)
4. Joe just might know his players better than we do.

Any Yankee fan out there who wasn't calling for Joe pinch hit for Giambi in the bottom of the ninth, please raise your hand. If you have your hand in the air right now, you're a liar. I was up out of my seat for about 5 seconds when Giambi strode to the plate with the tying run on third base, two out, and a tough lefty on the hill. The Yankees had scratched three runs across against Roy Halladay and Co., and Giambi looked helpless in his first at bat. Joe stuck with his guy, and Giambi delivered an opposite-field single on the first pitch to tie the game, tie the game, and remind me just how special this group of Yankees is.

The Blue Jays weren't quite ready to give up their spoiler role, and they withstood three amazing innings from Mo and Joba, one shaky inning from the Viz, then finally broke the tie against Bruney in the 14th. It's a shame someone had to lose this game, and an even bigger shame that it had to be the Yanks.

The deficit in the East is back to 2.5 games, 2 in the loss column. The Tigers also picked up a game with a comeback win against the Royals.

The true cost of this loss won't present itself until tomorrow. Joba isn't available, the Viz may not be either. Ian Kennedy was scratched from the start today, so Roger Clemens will take the hill, and the Yanks need some length out of him. I'm not sure why Farnsworth wasn't in the game tonight, I'm assuming his neck is still bothering him. If he's available tomorrow, that'll be a boost.

It's a tough night, Yankee fans. But keep this game in the back of your mind. There is no quit in this team, and something like this will always be possible come playoff time, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Player of The Game: The Giambino.

One last thing: A-Rod sure looked like he's broken out of his slump tonight. He finished 2 for 6, but could've easily had 5 hits.