Mum on the ump

No Yankee had any public rebuke for the umpire who publicly rebuked them -- and the Red Sox -- though Derek Jeter did a good job of taking a dig at Joe West without actually taking a dig at him.

"I don’t see what’s pathetic or embarrassing about it," Jeter said, using two of the buzz words West used Wednesday in an interview with the Bergen Record. "As opposed to what, if it was 20 minutes shorter it’s not pathetic or embarrassing? At what point is it not embarrassing? I think that’s the question you probably have to ask him. I can’t answer it. what, if you go over 3:12, it’s embarrassing? I don’t know."

Alex Rodriguez said it's not just the fact the Yankees -- and Red Sox for that matter -- take a lot of pitches and draw a lot of walks. He said the Yankees lineup also features hitters that strike out, which he said takes time as well.

“When guys strike out, it actually prolongs the game in a weird way,” Rodriguez said. “Because usually on average when you strike out, you have to see at least five pitches. If you’re a contact hitter, you usually put the ball in play right away. Teams that strike out a lot and walk a lot prolong the games. And we have plenty that strike out, too.”

Joe Girardi wasn't taking West's comments personally, though he said his team won't be changing its approach. Nor does he expect the Red Sox to either.

“You have two organizations that have really focused on hitters that work the count,” Girardi said. "We’re not going to ask our hitters to change their approach to speed the game up, we’re not going to do it…We’re trying to win games. Not see how quick we can play them.”