I’m somewhat surprised that Ron Washington is getting second guessed about not using Neftali Feliz in the eighth. Washington had a plan and stuck to it. I suppose that after Darren Oliver walked two, and while O’Day is coming in, Feliz could warm up. to be ready for Robinson Cano. At that point, however, the game would be 5-4, and Neftali would be facing the best hitter of the team this season. Remember, also, that A-Rod hit the first pitch, so it’s not clear that Feliz would have had time to warm up before Cano came to the plate.

The other thing that argues against using Feliz early was that this was game 1. The series was not on the line. The team hit the Yankees best starting pitcher, and they still haven’t thrown their ace. If Washington brings in Feliz and Neftali fails, he would have been accused of panicking. Washington had a plan, he stuck to it, and his pitchers didn’t execute. Sometimes that happens.