By FRED KERBER
June 23, 2008
The two shortest time frames on the planet, according to most scientific research, are how long it takes for a hard-batted ball to get back to a Major League mound, and how long it takes the guy behind you to honk his horn when the red light turns green.
Now you know about how much time Kyle Farnsworth had to react yesterday to Brandon Phillips' eighth-inning smash up the middle, a shot that left the Yankees reliever literally in stitches.
"If I had time to think about it, there's no way I would have done it. It happened so quick - it was just reaction," said Farnsworth who stuck out his right - pitching - hand to deflect Phillips' shot over to Alex Rodriguez.
A-Rod hurried his throw into an error that put Phillips on second. As the play subsided, Farnsworth took a look, rolled his eyes in disgust and called for the trainer.
There was blood. Farnsworth needed three stitches between his right ring and pinkie fingers but said he doesn't expect to miss significant time. It happened before.
"In (Class) A ball. It happened in the same exact spot. I got four stitches. I didn't miss any time. They just taped it together and I still pitched," recalled Farnsworth, who seemed more relaxed than his manager.
"I feel better if he catches it, if it doesn't get by and a runner gets on," said Joe Girardi. "That's always a little bit scary. A lot of times, probably more than 50 percent, when it hits it doesn't work out real well for them."
