Hector Noesi throws pitch, gets 2 balls back

Seattle Mariners pitcher Hector Noesi must have thought he was seeing double during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Twins when— after having a pitch land in the dirt— his catcher and the umpire got their signals crossed and each threw a ball back at the surprised Noesi.

In the third inning, the former New York Yankees pitcher threw a strike to catcher John Jaso.  Jaso dropped the ball, picked it up and threw it back to the mound at the same time the umpire tossed one back to Noesi.

Noesi was able to catch Jaso's toss-back while dodging the umpire's lob.

A new rule in baseball says that any ball hit into the dirt must be replaced.  It looks like Jaso didn't get that memo.

Noesi laughed it off.  He gave up four hits in seven innings and the Mariners went on to win the game 5-2.

Yankees Rookies Bring '80's Music Stars and Bad Outfits Back to Life

It was a decade of one hit wonders and The Go Go's around Yankee Stadium.  No I'm not talking about Jack Clark or Billy Ball, but the '80's-- a decade the Yankees would rather mostly forget.

Yesterday,  seven rookie players dressed up as some of the end-of-that decade's most famous pop stars during the Yankees annual rookie hazing, and brought back memories of the only ten year-run the team didn't win a World Series.

Some of these players were too young-- or not even born-- to remember when skinny ties with a tee-shirt and big hair were the rage.  A man could actually wear pajama pants to a bar and be the toughest guy in the room. It was a time when MTV actually played music videos and Don Mattingly won an MVP.

Music had G & R's "The Spaghetti Incident" while the Yankees had the pine tar one.

There was Flock of Seagulls and Rickey Henderson, George Michael (before the public bathroom arrests) in Wham with that other guy while the Bronx had "Mr. May," Dave Winfield.

Sadly, people actually dressed like that.  Any John Hughes movie will attest to that.

Hope this photo brings back good memories, except for the duds. The players look like they're having fun parodying the new wave look.  If they only knew that this was considered cool back then until Kurt Cobain and Nirvana went grunge.

Taking their show to Danceteria are (from left) Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances (Milli Vanilli), George Kontos (George Michael), Hector Noesi (Prince), Joe Girardi, Austin Romine (Madonna), Jesus Montero (MC Hammer), Brandon Laird (Slash).

Girardi Pieces Together Yankees Playoff Clinching Monster

New York Yankees starter Phil Hughes was scratched today due to back spasms and manager Joe Girardi did a masterful job of piecing together a mosaic of pitchers to help the team beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2, and clinch a playoff berth this afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees trailed for seven innings until Eduardo Nunez smashed a solo home run into the left field seats to tie the game at two.  Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter followed with singles and Robinson Cano doubled to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead they would hang on to.

Less than a work of art, Girardi created a sort of Frankenstein starter by using the arms of seven different pitchers through eight innings-- to make up for the loss of Hughes and not upset the rotation-- before Mariano Rivera came in to get the save in the ninth.

The managers' creation would go toe-to-toe with Rays starter James Shields who allowed one run and four hits through seven innings-- using one spare part after another.

The head of Girardi's monster was Hector Noesi who was making his first Major League start.  Noesi lasted 2.2 innings and gave up four hits and allowed the only two runs Tampa Bay would score.

After that, the mad scientist Girardi would stitch in Raul Valdes for 1.1 innings.  Valdes allowed one hit and stymied the Rays with three strikeouts.

Next, Girardi would utilize George Kontos, Aaron Laffey, Corey Wade and Boone Logan in small roles until the seventh.  Each of those pitchers, except Wade, would go 0.2 innings and allow a single hit apiece.  Wade would last 1.1 innings.

Luis Ayala (2-2) struck out two Rays batters for the final outs in the eighth and was the beneficiary of the Yankees three-run eighth.

Mariano Rivera came in and got the last three Rays hitters out for his 44th save of the season and No. 603 for his career.

The Yankees clinched a playoff berth today for the 16th time in the last 17 years.  The come-from-behind victory put the team 6 1/2 games in front of the second place Boston Red Sox.

Shields (15-12) got the devastating loss; which dropped the Rays 2 1/2 games behind the Sox in the wild card race with only eight games left.  The team has now lost 5-out-of-9 and looks like it is running out of steam.

The only bad news for the Yankees was the updated condition of Hughes back spasms.  After the game, Girardi was asked if the scheduled starter's injury was serious.

"Hughes went for an MRI," he reluctantly told the YES network.  "I think he went for an MRI."

 Dr. Girardistein now has to hit the laboratory and put together a four-man playoff rotation.  Where's Igor when you need him?