Q. How is Joba?

JOE GIRARDI:  He's okay.  It's just a bruise.  The X‑rays were negative.  He got hit on the outside of the elbow.  We went out there, let him throw a few, and then I looked at it and I saw some swelling, and I just was concerned that a little bit of swelling could cause some command issues, so I made a change.

Q.  You pinch‑hit for Alex there in the last inning.  Did you think about pinch‑hitting for him in the eighth?

JOE GIRARDI:  I know if I pinch‑hit, they're going to walk the lefty that I bring in.  And you've got O'Day that's got the sinker.  The one thing I want to try to stay out of is a double‑play situation.  You've got the infield in, you just want to put a ball in play, you've probably going to get a run, and we weren't able to do it.

Q.  I know it's not the best time for look ahead, so I apologize for that, but normally in a deciding game it's all hands on deck, it's everything.  Does the fact that there could be a game the next day change that at all?

JOE GIRARDI:  No, it's all hands on deck tomorrow.

Q.  All September this team has been chasing you guys.  How fitting is it now that after 22 games it's going to all come down to one between you guys?

JOE GIRARDI:  Well, it's kind of what we've been used to the whole year.  It's been a grind the whole year.  You know, it's been a fight to stay ahead of this club the whole year, and it's pretty fitting.

Q.  Talk about the character of these four games.  With the exception of your five‑run ninth in the first game, it's just been 1‑1, 2‑2 for 40‑something innings.

JOE GIRARDI:  Yeah, it's playoff baseball, and the games are extremely tight.  Usually the difference in these games is one hit.  That's basically has been the difference.  It's been very good pitching.  They controlled the bats for the most part, and it's come down to one hit.

Q.  I know you tend to say you like to sleep on it, but any thoughts about lineup changes against a righty tomorrow?  Somebody for A‑Rod maybe, maybe Granderson out?

JOE GIRARDI:  Well, I always tell you I look at ‑‑ go home and study the pitcher, and I know our guys, and I'll make decisions tomorrow.  We play a little bit earlier, so I'll have to study a little bit sooner, but I'll make decisions tomorrow.

Q.  When you see guys like Granderson struggling and everybody else in your lineup, how much of this is approach, how much of this is good pitching?  What are you seeing?

JOE GIRARDI:  Well, I think there's really good pitching.  There's guys on the other side that are struggling, too.  You're seeing some really good pitching in these four games.  With the exception of one inning, I mean, it's been really hard to come by hits.  I think that has something to do with it.

Q.  In terms of your decision making, you always like consistency, but tomorrow is it just if guys aren't looking ‑‑ they don't look good right now.  Is that a bigger factor tomorrow because one game and you're done?

JOE GIRARDI:  Like I said, I'll worry about that tomorrow.  I'm not going to rush into any decisions tonight because I don't have to.  I believe we have a 5:00 game tomorrow, so I'll have a lineup up.

Q.  Tough loss, but can you take some solace in the fact that you have your big guy in Sabathia going tomorrow?

JOE GIRARDI:  I feel good about the way he's pitching.  He's pitched extremely well.  If you have a deciding game, you want your ace.

Q.  Do you think Russell should have been on second in the seventh?

JOE GIRARDI:  I don't think he would have made it.  I don't, no.

Q.  Do you know anything more about if Derek is a guy who could play shortstop tomorrow, or do you think he's your DH?

JOE GIRARDI:  I won't know until tomorrow.  We'll have to see how he feels.  My hope is he can play shortstop tomorrow, but I'll have to wait and see, kind of like I had to today.

Q.  Did you think about putting him at short after you pinch‑hit there or you weren't letting your DH in that situation?

JOE GIRARDI:  In what situation?

Q.  After you pinch‑hit, when you put Nuñez in.

JOE GIRARDI:  No, I didn't want to lose our DH.

Q.  What did you think of Phil tonight?

JOE GIRARDI:  I thought he was pretty good.  You know, you take away a few lead‑off walks, it kind of made his innings a little bit tougher.  He threw an outstanding game.

Q.  Is there a chance that you would make a move with Joba that would mean losing him for the next series potentially?

JOE GIRARDI:  It probably depends on how he feels tomorrow.  We'll have to see.

Q.  With how evenly matched the games have been throughout the entire season, can you speak to the job that Buck has done with this team when we look at his lineup of names versus your lineup?

JOE GIRARDI:  Yeah, obviously they've done a good job over there.  They've had to deal with stuff, too.  They've had to deal with injuries, and they've done a really good job over there.