Except we should have swept the Royals.

Despite a pretty humiliating week in the limelight, Joba pitched a great game.  Four hits, one earned run. And, just like old times, the bullpen blew the game.

(Well, the bullpen and Swisher, who allowed two unearned runs on an error.   But considering both his performance at the plate thus far and the fact that the Yanks still had the “W” going into the 8th, we’re going to let it slide.)

Brian “It Has To Be Nicer” Bruney, for his part, held it together.  As did Damaso Marte.  He retired the first two hitters of the frame and was yanked, inexplicably, for Jose Veras.  OK.  Not inexplicably.  Girardi wanted a righty to face pinch-hitter Billy Butler.  My only question is why?  I get the principle, but sometimes I think managers are too wed to the righty-righty, lefty-lefty concept.  If it ain’t broke.  Know what I’m saying?

Veras walked Butler, and it degenerated from there. In the span of that one out, the Royals scored three runs.  (In defense of Veras, it wasn’t all his fault.  Phil Coke helped.)

But there’s one person who hasn’t given up hope on the Yankees bullpen, and that’s Mariano Rivera. After last night’s debacle, Mo commented, “They have what it takes.  They have to believe it. It’s one thing to have it and another thing to believe it. They definitely have it, and they are capable to do that job. You just have to believe it.”

Seriously, bullpen.  Start believing in yourself like now or you’re in direct violation of an order issued by Mariano Rivera, who I’m pretty sure is your superior.  In every way.

However, despite the fact that Mo is the undisputed leader of the Pen, he doesn’t let it go to his head.  In fact, he can still get down with the best of the young guys.  According to  yankees.com he has even been known to join “the relievers in their season-long game of chasing poor Edwar ‘Flacco’ Ramirez around the clubhouse.”

I’m sorry.  Their season long game of what?  I mean, in what universe is that game?

I guess maybe the same universe in which Sparky Lyle sits in your birthday cake before anyone’s had a chance to eat it.