NEW YORK | The New York Yankees entered Thursday down 1-0 in the World Series, which wouldn’t be grounds for panic except for the fact that they needed to win Game 2 at home to prevent needing two wins in Philadelphia, where the Phillies have lost just once in the postseason since 2007.
So with that in mind and Pedro Martinez on the mound, the Yankees made an abrupt lineup switch.
Manager Joe Girardi benched slumping right fielder Nick Swisher, putting little-used reserve Jerry Hairston in the lineup instead. Hairston entered the game 10-for-27 lifetime against Martinez, though he hasn’t faced him since 2004 - when he went 2-for-3 off Martinez.
Swisher had faced Martinez only twice, but there were other reasons to bench him; he was 4-for-35 this postseason with one extra-base hit.
“Like any other player, like I was when I didn’t start in some of the World Series games, I want to really be out there,” Girardi said. “But Swish is a team guy, and he understands, and I told him be ready because you never know when we might need you, and he said, ’OK.’ ”
And as he did in A.J. Burnett’s three previous starts this postseason, Girardi pulled catcher Jorge Posada for Jose Molina, sacrificing offense for a steadier receiver behind the plate.
Girardi has been accused of overmanaging before, and the moves might reek of that to some.
But he said there were several times former Yankees manager Joe Torre made a similar decision on the way to World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and saw it work out.
“There’s a reason we’re here, and it’s because of the way the guys have played,” Girardi said. “And at times you’ll see a matchup during the course of a season that will catch your eye, and you’ll say, ’You know what, I’ve got to think about that,’ and you’ll look into it, you’ll look into the numbers, you’ll look into the way the pitcher throws and how you think your hitter hits, and sometimes you make a change.”
Jeter wins Clemente Award
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was named the 2009 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the player who best combines community service with outstanding play on the field. MLB commissioner Bud Selig presented Jeter with the award in a ceremony before Thursday’s game.
Jeter won the award for his “Turn 2 Foundation,” which awards grants to the various communities in Jeter’s life - the western Michigan area where he grew up, the Tampa, Fla., area where the Yankees hold spring training and New York.
His foundation has awarded more than $10 million in grants since 1996 to create and support programs to keep children off drugs and alcohol, and it recently established an outpatient counseling center for troubled teens in the Tampa area.
“I don’t want to embarrass Derek, but [with] a player like Derek Jeter, it makes me very proud to be the commissioner of baseball,” Selig said before turning the microphone over to Jeter, who immediately deadpanned, “I’ve got the commissioner fooled, too, huh?”
MLB recognizes a Clemente Award nominee from each team (the Washington Nationals’ 2009 nominee was pitcher John Lannan) before presenting the award at the World Series each year.
“I think, you know, people in our position, they should take advantage of it,” Jeter said. “They should try to give back as much as possible.”
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