Thursday, May 15, 2008
NY Daily News: Mike Mussina, Robinson Cano lead Yanks to win after Hank’s rip
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Can scathing comments from an owner or a closed-door meeting called by the manager spur a team to victory?
When that team gets a performance like the Yankees did from Mike Mussina Wednesday night against the Rays, it certainly makes things much easier.
The Bombers’ struggling bats didn’t do much in support of their starter, but the two runs they scratched out against Tampa Bay’s James Shields proved to be enough to put the Yankees back in the win column with a 2-1 decision over the first-place Rays.
“We needed one really bad,” Mussina said. “We haven’t played very well, we didn’t look very good in Detroit and we haven’t really looked very good here to say the least.”
Joe Girardi held the first closed-door meeting of his pinstriped tenure, spending about 35 minutes with his players before batting practice. Mussina described the session as “just a bunch of guys sitting around,” adding that he has been involved in “much more intense” meetings during his lengthy career.
Neither the manager nor his players revealed details but the message was believed to stress the concept of team above the individual, hustling on every play and having the look of a winning club - subjects that address the team’s sluggish performance of late.
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The win moved the Yankees within a game of .500 at 20-21. Despite their record, the Yankees stand just 31/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the American League East.
Robinson Cano finally passed The Mendoza Line and Moose pitched another great game, lowering his ERA on the season to 3.99.
Cano is hitting .350/.381/.550 in 42 May plate appearances.
Moose is 5-0 with a 2.76 ERA over his last five starts.
Tough draw tonight with Scott Kazmir facing Ian Kennedy, who did well in his brief minor league demotion. A split after losing the first two games would be huge if the Yankees can pull it off.
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