No Reason for Celebration

With their best starter on the mound, and with their season on the precipice, the Yankees couldn't touch Pedro and committed four errors, almost blowing for the second straight time an excellent performance from Mussina. By rights he should be 8-1. That Wagner and the Mets elected to make a gift of this game should not in any way hearten Yankee fnas about the quality of this team. Their four run ninth came on a walk- and plunk-a-thon featuring but 2 hits. Yes they got out of the way (or in the way) as the mighty Mets shot themselves in the foot, and that is a crucial part of any grinder's playbook, but their insouciant fielding is bound to kill a team now living, of necessity, on the edge. I'm sure Torre believes his charges are too professional and too elite to require anythin so mundane as daily fielding workouts or pre-game fielding warm-up. Let me assure himm they are neither.

At least Mo recovered from last night's beating. The question is: when, no if, he's going to be able to string twenty or more successful save outings together. Cause that's what they've come to expect and, more importantly, that's what they're going to need.