Girardi as genius?

CC Sabathia torching the Angels for eight innings is the best thing for my blood pressure.

I can't handle Joe Girardi running back and forth between the dugout and the mound, issuing instructions. I blame him for the Vlad touching up Pettitte. Whatever he said to Pettitte and Posada was the reason Vlad hit the home run. It had nothing to do with Vlad's preternatural ability to hit impossible pitches a long, long way. I wish Girardi would just park his butt and let his players play. Just try it, Joe. If your pitcher is getting guys out, let him get guys out.

With Sabathia, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I'd love to know what's in that giant book Girardi keeps on the bench, and, as one friend of mine pointed out, how does he find anything in it? Is it indexed? Bookmarked. He probably memorized. This would not surprise me at all.

There's a circle of Hell reserved for bad umpires, ruled by Doug Harvey, who goes home to his cushy pad in Umpire Heaven at the end of the day. Tim McClelland punched his ticket last night. Dale Scott, too. Jerry Lane didn't do himself any favors either. Oddly, Laz Diaz is the worst of that bunch and he's looked great by comparison.

Happily, I pronounce the Angels finished. Bring on the Phillies.