Nothing and I mean nothing sums up this series quite like this title and it would be more perfect if this suicide mission took place in the Bronx.  There isn’t much to say here except that this team has quit.  They’ve quit doing what they need to do to win games despite a manager that has been outclassed every step of the way, which brings me back to my comment about Tito that was made last week. 

Tito does not put his team in a position to win. 

It’s an impossible concept for him to grasp.  If anything he’s consistent, but when you’re desperate consistency means as much as a hug from your ex-girlfriend who just broke up with you 2 minutes prior.  I’m curious what drives him to make the same mistakes over and over again.  To steal a quote from 40 Year Old Virgin “When what felt right for 40 years hasn’t worked it’s time to try some wrong” which is exactly what Tito needs to do.  Last night’s game summed up everything that is inept with Tito.  Let’s take a look at the conversation that Tito has with himself shall we?

Pop quiz Tito.  In the 7th inning you are up by two runs.  Your players load the bases with one out and the right handed Scott Proctor is on the mound AFTER the lefty Mike Meyers has already been used.  What do you do when WiMo is your batter and the left-handed swinging Hinske and the late inning defensive replacement Gabe Kapler is on the bench?  Now let’s think about it.  A single puts the game away for good and a sacrifice fly just about locks it up.  What do you do Tito?  You bring in the Hinske as a pinch hitter and put Kapler in right field for the 8th and 9th inning.  That’s what you do.  It’s probably a really bad idea to leave the free swinging WiMo up there, especially with Mirabelli, who is hitting under .200, on deck.  I guess if WiMo screws up I can bring Hinske in for Mirabelli and let Lopez catch the rest of the way.  Nahhhh.  Too risky.  I don’t want to blow this game.

OK so that one backfired and it’s the top of the 8th.  Hmmmmm.  Decisions.  Decisions.  Well my team has played so badly that my only reliable pitcher in the bullpen is working on 4 days rest.  Hmmmm.  Starters get 5 days rest to hopefully pitch 7 innings per start.  I wonder if Papelbon can go 2 innings?  That might be asking too much since we have an afternoon game tomorrow and that grueling west coast trip ahead of us.  I better save him just in case.  Let’s stick with the plan and bring in Timlin for the 8th, just like we have been all season.  Sure he has a dead arm and has been horrible for a month and last time he pitched he got lit up for 7 earned runs.  On top of that this same EXACT plan backfired against the Tigers this week so there is no way this can happen again.  The odds are in our favor.  Damn Timlin let the lead-off batter on.  Hey, that’s Johnny Damon.  I think he has speed.  I wouldn’t know because I never exploited it, but my gut tells me he does.  Well I should bring in Papelbon now and swallow my pride.  No I shouldn’t.  Timlin has been a warrior for us.  He can do it especially since he wears that camouflage shirt under his uniform.  Oh CRAP.  He hit Jeter.  I better take him out.  Thankfully Papelbon is warmed up so I think I’ll bring in that Lopez kid.  He’s only retired half of the batters he’s faced and walked the rest.  At least it’s a lefty on lefty match-up.  GOSH DARNIT!  He walked Abreu.  Hey look, the bases are loaded and there are no outs.  I think Papelbon can come in now.  I probably should have done this when the inning started huh?

The only mistake Tito didn’t make was in the 9th when Mirabelli allowed the past ball.  If he stopped that and Cabrera stayed on second base then Melkey doesn’t score on Jeter’s bloop, because he’s too slow and Kapler’s arm is too strong.

In the span of 5 outs Tito had the opportunity to put the game away and shut the door, but he had to stick with the plan.  That same plan also came into play in the 10th inning when Craig Hansen entered the game.  Can you honestly tell me when was the last time Hansen came into a game and didn’t let up a run?  You can’t can you?  The WHY bring him in?  Tavarez, who hasn’t been Mr. Consistency had his best appearance of the season on Friday, where he looked downright nasty.  Why not roll the dice and try that option?  If not, why not bring in recently activated Ketih Foulke?  You’ve got nothing to lose right?  I bet he looked for Seanez to warm up and was reminded that he was released three months too late.

Yes there is a grace period for winning that World Series, but there is no grace period for making consistently bad decisions.  For two seasons Joe Torre has had to work with a patchwork pitching staff, one that is now anchored by Sidney Ponson and yet they still win the AL East.  It’s sad to watch.  Actually it’s quite painful and since I’ve been averaging no sleep for 6 weeks I actually hate this more than I should even care about.