From: New York Daily News
http://myurl.com.tw/c0gc
Alex appears glove-struck
Botched play turns the tide
BY ANTHONY McCARRON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
ANAHEIM - Alex Rodriguez is viewed as the best choice for AL MVP by some
observers because he is a fine third baseman as well as a great hitter. But
A-Rod's fielding hurt the Yankees last night in a game where they handled the
ball as if it were made of lava.
Orlando Cabrera led off the sixth inning with a grounder to Rodriguez that
glanced off his glove for an error. It set up an unearned run that tied the
score at 2-2, changing the complexion of a game the Yankees had in their
control.
"It was as routine a play as you can get and it just didn't happen,"
Rodriguez said. "When I looked down I couldn't believe the ball wasn't there.
It was just a simple mistake, a simple hop, just a real bad play."
It was his first error in 28 career postseason games, though he played 15 of
those at shortstop for Seattle earlier in his career.
After starter Chien-Ming Wang retired the next two hitters, with Cabrera
advancing into scoring position on a grounder, Bengie Molina ripped an RBI
single to center. After Molina's hit, Rodriguez stood at third with his hands
on his hips and glared into the outfield. At the same time, the Rally Monkey
made his first appearance on the scoreboard and pitching coach Mel
Stottlemyre came to the mound to calm Wang.
Wang quickly got out of the inning with a ground ball, but the damage had
been done. The Angels scored two more runs in the seventh inning to take the
lead, helped by Wang's throwing error.
When A-Rod was thrown out stealing in the Yankee half of the seventh, some
Angel fans derisively chanted, "MVP, MVP" at Rodriguez as he was dusting
himself off following his slide.
It has been a strange series for Rodriguez. In the opener, he was 0-for-3
with two strikeouts and a double play and was also drilled in the back by
Bartolo Colon. Last night, the Angels seemed afraid to pitch to him - he
grounded out in his first and last at-bats, but walked in his middle three
plate appearances.
The Yankees were one of only six AL clubs to make fewer than 100 errors this
season, but they were spotty last night. Rodriguez, Wang and Robinson Cano
made errors. Cano, who was shaky defensively in the ninth inning of Game 1,
dropped a flip from Derek Jeter in the second, but that gaffe ultimately
didn't cost the Yanks.
Rodriguez, who owns two Gold Gloves at shortstop, could win another Gold
Glove this year in only his second year at third. After a rough start in
which he already had seven errors by late May, Rodriguez made only five the
rest of the season.
However, his one playoff error hurt.
Originally published on October 6, 2005
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