Jeremy Guthrie seems to be at his worst against the Yankees. I don't know if it's Girardi getting in his head around the HBPs or if it's just the long history of losing over the years, but he just seemed out of sync against them today as well as the starts earlier in the season (although I guess the 2nd start wasn't TOO bad). It brings up questions about his competitive fire.
Maybe it's me, but he seems like a nice guy and I wonder if the Girardi comments affected him. Pitching is all about confidence, but sometimes you have to generate it yourself and not be suckered by the gamesmanship. Can you imagine if Girardi made those comments about Roger Clemens? The first pitch would be in Jeter's ear on purpose and he would just glower into the Yankee dugout as if to say "keep f--king talking". Clemens wasn't a "good guy", but he's the guy I'd want out there in the must win game and the last guy I'd ever want to give "bulletin board material" to.
I like Guthrie, but if this were fight or flight, he is always"flight". It's almost like he needs someone with that fire to come in and teach him how to get pissed at the Yankees.
