a) The most obvious one here is Carlos Beltran. Unless he really doesn't want to play in a big market, only George will be able to fork up the dough to please Scott Boras.
b) I may take a lot of flak for this one, but I see Sammy Sosa in pinstripes next year, as a DH. He received a huge fine for skipping the last game of the season last year and has clearly worn out his welcome in Chicago. The Cubs would love to find a taker for his $17 million contract.
Back in 2000, George wanted Sosa very badly. He couldn't get him, and instead had to settle for David Justice. And when George wants somebody, he'll get the guy even a few years later, when the guy is past his prime. Think Kevin Brown. The Yankees wanted him from back in his Texas Rangers days, and when they finally had a chance to get him, they took advantage. The fact that he was an old man, an injury risk, and ridiculously expensive? No big deal.
Who will the Cubs take for Sosa? I see them getting Bernie and in essence trading bad contracts. They're losing Alou to free agency, and because they've got Corey Patterson already, they'll probably put Bernie in left. Perhpas they hope his numbers will improve in Wrigley.
And ESPN's Rumor Central now reports that the Mets want Sosa. (Typical stupid Schmets move- they're doing it just for PR). If the Mets are trying to get him, that'll make it all the more important for George to get this guy he's coveted.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Yankees: Watch Out for Boston in '05
One of the sweetest things about the Red Sox winning the World Series (I love the sound of that - the Red Sox winning the World Series), aside from the fact that it sticks it to Yankee fans, is the idea that the Yankee fans have to watch out for Boston next season.
Until the Sox proved that they could beat the Junkees, Junkee fans didn't take Boston seriously. After all, they'd say, they've never beaten us in a big spot, and the so-called Curse still lives. Well, no longer! They can beat the Yankees (they're not intimidated), there's no more curse (not that I thought there ever was), and you have to admit that Theo Epstein is a hundred times better at what he does than Brian Cashman is, so Yankee fans, beware of Boston!
It'll be sweet to see Joe Snorre and the other Junkees next season as they watch the Red Sox accept their World Series rings. If you thought Snorre looks 85 now...
Life is beautiful!
Until the Sox proved that they could beat the Junkees, Junkee fans didn't take Boston seriously. After all, they'd say, they've never beaten us in a big spot, and the so-called Curse still lives. Well, no longer! They can beat the Yankees (they're not intimidated), there's no more curse (not that I thought there ever was), and you have to admit that Theo Epstein is a hundred times better at what he does than Brian Cashman is, so Yankee fans, beware of Boston!
It'll be sweet to see Joe Snorre and the other Junkees next season as they watch the Red Sox accept their World Series rings. If you thought Snorre looks 85 now...
Life is beautiful!
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Message to Yankee Fans
Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the World Series. Then again, you losers didn't watch it. At least the Cardinals didn't pull off the biggest choke in history, unlike some other team out there.
Yeah, those "1918" t-shirts? You can throw 'em out. Or try selling them on eBay. 2004's the year now.
And the Curse of the Bambino? No longer. The only curse in town is the Jeff Nelson curse, or the curse of George Steinbrenner's bonehead spending.
Speaking of which, the Despiser and I have a new chant: TWO THOUSAND! That's the last time your team won. Been a while, huh? Hope it stays that way.
And don't even bother talking about your 26 World Championships. Stop living in the past. Get with it. Your team sucks now.
By the way, if you haven't done so already, throw out the "Who's Your Daddy?" t-shirts. I think they're at 75% off in Modell's by now, if they're not paying you to take them.
And if you got that stupid "Bucky/Boone" poster in the NY Post last week, you can tear it down. Put David Ortiz or Johnny Damon up there instead.
Bill Buckner & Grady Little? Welcome back to Boston. Bucky and Boone can come too. Just for a good laugh.
The best team in baseball is the Boston Red Sox. The biggest chokers? Your team. All $190 million worth of the biggest chokers money can buy. Haha. Get used to it.
I heard Buster Olney's putting out a book called "The Last Night of the Curse."
And someone tell Joe Torre he can't put half his team on the All-Star roster next year. John Flaherty's just gonna have to wait a while for his first appearance.
Look forward to seeing you next Opening Day at Fenway, when the Sox get their World Series rings.
Yeah, those "1918" t-shirts? You can throw 'em out. Or try selling them on eBay. 2004's the year now.
And the Curse of the Bambino? No longer. The only curse in town is the Jeff Nelson curse, or the curse of George Steinbrenner's bonehead spending.
Speaking of which, the Despiser and I have a new chant: TWO THOUSAND! That's the last time your team won. Been a while, huh? Hope it stays that way.
And don't even bother talking about your 26 World Championships. Stop living in the past. Get with it. Your team sucks now.
By the way, if you haven't done so already, throw out the "Who's Your Daddy?" t-shirts. I think they're at 75% off in Modell's by now, if they're not paying you to take them.
And if you got that stupid "Bucky/Boone" poster in the NY Post last week, you can tear it down. Put David Ortiz or Johnny Damon up there instead.
Bill Buckner & Grady Little? Welcome back to Boston. Bucky and Boone can come too. Just for a good laugh.
The best team in baseball is the Boston Red Sox. The biggest chokers? Your team. All $190 million worth of the biggest chokers money can buy. Haha. Get used to it.
I heard Buster Olney's putting out a book called "The Last Night of the Curse."
And someone tell Joe Torre he can't put half his team on the All-Star roster next year. John Flaherty's just gonna have to wait a while for his first appearance.
Look forward to seeing you next Opening Day at Fenway, when the Sox get their World Series rings.
It's the Pitching, Stupid
If there's anything the last two weeks have taught me, this is it. The age-old lesson. To win in the postseason, you better have the pitching.
The Yankees didn't have it. Not with Brown and Vazquez. Not with a tired bullpen. Not with Leiber unable to outduel Curt Schilling. And they had plenty of offense, but Boston's pitching stymied that offense. Derek Lowe and Schilling got the job done. And aside from Jeter's double, so did Pedro. And so did Timlin, Foulke, and Arroyo out of the pen.
And the World Series. I wanted the Cardinals to make it. Now we all see why. These guys can hit, but they can't pitch. And against Schilling and Pedro, they couldn't hit, either. I don't pin the blame on Rolen for slumping. It's just that Morris and Suppan just don't match the Red Sox guys.
It's amazing. The Red Sox #4 guy, Derek Lowe, may be better than the Cards' #1 guy Woody Williams. If Lowe puts in a performance tonight like last week's, the Bambino should turn over in his grave.
And even if he doesn't, I don't see a Yankee-esque choke coming if the Sox have Curt and Pedro lined up to pitch. Pitching wins in the postseason. That's all it boils down to.
The one exception: the 2002 World Series. Both the Angels and Giants were dealing with the Kirk Reuters and John Lackeys of the world. But I would argue that the Angels' deep bullpen of Weber, Donnelly, Rodriguez, and Percival gave them a big edge.
And if not for Byung-Hyun Kim in '01, Arizona's pitching would've discarded the Junkees a lot sooner.
The Cardinals got a lot of their wins from the injured Chris Carpenter and from beating weak teams in its division like the Brewers, Pirates, and Reds. They need dominant postseason pitching to stay in this one. Is Jason Marquis the answer? We'll find out.
The Yankees didn't have it. Not with Brown and Vazquez. Not with a tired bullpen. Not with Leiber unable to outduel Curt Schilling. And they had plenty of offense, but Boston's pitching stymied that offense. Derek Lowe and Schilling got the job done. And aside from Jeter's double, so did Pedro. And so did Timlin, Foulke, and Arroyo out of the pen.
And the World Series. I wanted the Cardinals to make it. Now we all see why. These guys can hit, but they can't pitch. And against Schilling and Pedro, they couldn't hit, either. I don't pin the blame on Rolen for slumping. It's just that Morris and Suppan just don't match the Red Sox guys.
It's amazing. The Red Sox #4 guy, Derek Lowe, may be better than the Cards' #1 guy Woody Williams. If Lowe puts in a performance tonight like last week's, the Bambino should turn over in his grave.
And even if he doesn't, I don't see a Yankee-esque choke coming if the Sox have Curt and Pedro lined up to pitch. Pitching wins in the postseason. That's all it boils down to.
The one exception: the 2002 World Series. Both the Angels and Giants were dealing with the Kirk Reuters and John Lackeys of the world. But I would argue that the Angels' deep bullpen of Weber, Donnelly, Rodriguez, and Percival gave them a big edge.
And if not for Byung-Hyun Kim in '01, Arizona's pitching would've discarded the Junkees a lot sooner.
The Cardinals got a lot of their wins from the injured Chris Carpenter and from beating weak teams in its division like the Brewers, Pirates, and Reds. They need dominant postseason pitching to stay in this one. Is Jason Marquis the answer? We'll find out.
Still Can't Believe It
When I watch the World Series on TV, I still have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not dreaming - the Red Sox really did beat the Yankees in the ALCS and really are in the World Series!
The Junkee fans are already claiming to be over it. Nonsense! When your team is up 3-0 in a best-of-seven series, you're high on your team, especially if you're a Junkee fan, who is pompous to begin with.
After Game 3, Pedro Martinez told Chris Myers on the postgame show that although the BoSox are up 3-0, they are not taking anything for granted. Pedro added that he had read in the papers during the ALCS that Gary Sheffield had become "arrogant" and that has made the ALCS victory all the more sweeter.
I'm not getting arrogant about the Red Sox winning it all until it happens. And if they can win that one game, that'll really stick it to Yankee fans. It'll be the quickest offseason ever!
The Junkee fans are already claiming to be over it. Nonsense! When your team is up 3-0 in a best-of-seven series, you're high on your team, especially if you're a Junkee fan, who is pompous to begin with.
After Game 3, Pedro Martinez told Chris Myers on the postgame show that although the BoSox are up 3-0, they are not taking anything for granted. Pedro added that he had read in the papers during the ALCS that Gary Sheffield had become "arrogant" and that has made the ALCS victory all the more sweeter.
I'm not getting arrogant about the Red Sox winning it all until it happens. And if they can win that one game, that'll really stick it to Yankee fans. It'll be the quickest offseason ever!
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Yankee Fans: Not Real Baseball Fans
I read in the paper that many Yankee fans will NOT be watching the World Series this year because their team isn't in it (thank God!). You know what that means? These people aren't real fans, that's all.
To me, if you love baseball, you can't be happy about Steinbrenner and his idiotic ways. The guy singlehandedly ruined baseball, which is why the true fans of baseball can't warm up to the Yankees.
Not only that, but I find that a lot of Yankee fans have very little knowledge of the other teams. All they care about is Yankees, Yankees, Yankees. They probably can't name five players on the Colorado Rockies. I wonder if they ever heard of Miguel Cairo before he became a Junkee.
I despise the Yankees, but I still watch the World Series when they're in it, because I love baseball, and whatever happens goes in the books, so I want to know what happens so I can remember the games. I sat through painful moments such as Tino's grand salami against the Padres in the '98 World Series, Jeter throwing out Jeremy Giambi in the '01 ALDS, Armando Benitez's blown save in game 1 of the '00 World Series... Then again, I got to enjoy the final inning of the '01 World Series when the unstoppable Mariano Rivera allowed two Arizona runs to score to beat the Junkees.
So I'm loving the '04 World Series. It might be the best I've ever seen. And if the Red Sox can win two more and become champions of the world... I can't wait to see the Junkee fans then! Oh, how sweet it'll be. Manny Ortiz, you thought the ALCS win was the best night ever?
To me, if you love baseball, you can't be happy about Steinbrenner and his idiotic ways. The guy singlehandedly ruined baseball, which is why the true fans of baseball can't warm up to the Yankees.
Not only that, but I find that a lot of Yankee fans have very little knowledge of the other teams. All they care about is Yankees, Yankees, Yankees. They probably can't name five players on the Colorado Rockies. I wonder if they ever heard of Miguel Cairo before he became a Junkee.
I despise the Yankees, but I still watch the World Series when they're in it, because I love baseball, and whatever happens goes in the books, so I want to know what happens so I can remember the games. I sat through painful moments such as Tino's grand salami against the Padres in the '98 World Series, Jeter throwing out Jeremy Giambi in the '01 ALDS, Armando Benitez's blown save in game 1 of the '00 World Series... Then again, I got to enjoy the final inning of the '01 World Series when the unstoppable Mariano Rivera allowed two Arizona runs to score to beat the Junkees.
So I'm loving the '04 World Series. It might be the best I've ever seen. And if the Red Sox can win two more and become champions of the world... I can't wait to see the Junkee fans then! Oh, how sweet it'll be. Manny Ortiz, you thought the ALCS win was the best night ever?
Last Year's Big Talker
I forgot one point in the Schilling discussion: he provides a stark contrast to David Wells last year.
In one of '03's top Yankee Despiser moments, Wells bragged about how he's a great pitcher even though he doesn't work out at all, unlike Roger Clemens and his rigorous routine.
And two days later, Wells lasted only an inning due to his back and had to be replaced by Jose Contreras. Not the guy you want on the mound in the World Series. Needless to say, that shut Wells up.
And by the way, one more good Yankee Despiser moment (well, not quite a "moment") of '04. Seeing Wells, Clemens, and Weaver put up good numbers for their new teams. Not to mention ex-Yankee farmhands and '04 All-Stars Jake Westbrook and Ted Lilly. All this while the Yanks' starting pitching was a question mark all year long. Too bad Andy Pettitte was injured for a good part of the year.
In one of '03's top Yankee Despiser moments, Wells bragged about how he's a great pitcher even though he doesn't work out at all, unlike Roger Clemens and his rigorous routine.
And two days later, Wells lasted only an inning due to his back and had to be replaced by Jose Contreras. Not the guy you want on the mound in the World Series. Needless to say, that shut Wells up.
And by the way, one more good Yankee Despiser moment (well, not quite a "moment") of '04. Seeing Wells, Clemens, and Weaver put up good numbers for their new teams. Not to mention ex-Yankee farmhands and '04 All-Stars Jake Westbrook and Ted Lilly. All this while the Yanks' starting pitching was a question mark all year long. Too bad Andy Pettitte was injured for a good part of the year.
Yankee fans: Jealous of Schilling
Like everyone else out there, I keep hearing a lot about Schilling's sutures and how he's played through pain. I think it's not only up there with Kirk Gibson, but much greater. Gibson has one at-bat. Schilling's done this for 13 innings.
But the New York media is tired of it. The Post had a bunch of articles yesterday saying that even though Schilling is an arrogant, full-of-himself, selfish player, you've gotta respect what he's done.
And then I hear ESPN's Mike and Mike say that Schilling is the one who doesn't stop talking about it. He's the one drawing the attention to himself.
Come on, Yankee fans. Talk about a double standard.
When Derek Jeter dove into the stands, the Yankee fans talked about it for weeks. They thought it was the greatest catch ever. They talked and talked about how he giving of himself for the team, willing to get hurt to make the catch.
And if Mariano gets the job done in Game 4 of the ALCS, we'd still be hearing about his courage in pitching after his relatives were killed. But after his two blown saves in a row, the courage we heard about after Game 1 has gone the way of the aura and mystique of Yankee Stadium. History.
And throughout the year, we heard about how Gary Sheffield was thinking of retirement because of the pain in his shoulder. Hey Gary, after your pathetic ALCS performance in Games 4-7, it looks like a pretty good idea.
And why do you think Schilling talked so much about the injuy? Because he was asked about it so much, that's why! What do you expect him to do-- pull off a Mike Mussina and snub the media? And Schilling's been classy about the deal, discussing his faith in God and how he was enocuraged by the fans' signs of support on his way to the ballpark.
Who was the last Yankee to do like Schilling? Was it Kevin Brown, pitching with an injured left hand after his moronic wall-punching incident? And we all now how that turned out. And then Vazquez, the guy the Yankees got instead of Schilling. Gave up the grand slam that basically capped off the Yankees' choke.
As it is, when I went to Citizens Bank Park in Philly this year, they had a video of Schilling discussing the '93 Series. Schilling was wearing a "Yankee-hater" cap during the interview. The guy is classy.
And the jealous Yankee fans should just shut up. You're getting Carlos Beltran in a few weeks. Maybe he can pitch.
But the New York media is tired of it. The Post had a bunch of articles yesterday saying that even though Schilling is an arrogant, full-of-himself, selfish player, you've gotta respect what he's done.
And then I hear ESPN's Mike and Mike say that Schilling is the one who doesn't stop talking about it. He's the one drawing the attention to himself.
Come on, Yankee fans. Talk about a double standard.
When Derek Jeter dove into the stands, the Yankee fans talked about it for weeks. They thought it was the greatest catch ever. They talked and talked about how he giving of himself for the team, willing to get hurt to make the catch.
And if Mariano gets the job done in Game 4 of the ALCS, we'd still be hearing about his courage in pitching after his relatives were killed. But after his two blown saves in a row, the courage we heard about after Game 1 has gone the way of the aura and mystique of Yankee Stadium. History.
And throughout the year, we heard about how Gary Sheffield was thinking of retirement because of the pain in his shoulder. Hey Gary, after your pathetic ALCS performance in Games 4-7, it looks like a pretty good idea.
And why do you think Schilling talked so much about the injuy? Because he was asked about it so much, that's why! What do you expect him to do-- pull off a Mike Mussina and snub the media? And Schilling's been classy about the deal, discussing his faith in God and how he was enocuraged by the fans' signs of support on his way to the ballpark.
Who was the last Yankee to do like Schilling? Was it Kevin Brown, pitching with an injured left hand after his moronic wall-punching incident? And we all now how that turned out. And then Vazquez, the guy the Yankees got instead of Schilling. Gave up the grand slam that basically capped off the Yankees' choke.
As it is, when I went to Citizens Bank Park in Philly this year, they had a video of Schilling discussing the '93 Series. Schilling was wearing a "Yankee-hater" cap during the interview. The guy is classy.
And the jealous Yankee fans should just shut up. You're getting Carlos Beltran in a few weeks. Maybe he can pitch.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Top Ten Yankee Despiser Moments in 2004
(10) Big mid-season acquisition: Estaban Loaiza. (And not getting Randy Johnson.)
(9) Derek Jeter’s 0-for-32 slump in April.
(8) Mets sweeping Yankees at Shea in July.
(7) Red Sox sweeping Yankees at Yankee Stadium in April.
(6) Bill Mueller’s walk-off home run off Mariano Rivera to win that wild game in Fenway, on July 24th.
(5) Kevin Brown punches wall, breaks hand, misses a month.
(4) David Ortiz’s extra-inning walk-off home run in Game 4 of ALCS.
(3) David Ortiz singles in Johnny Damon to win Game 5 of ALCS in extra innings.
(2) Indians 22, Yankees 0.
(1) Red Sox overcome 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees in the ALCS 4-3. Enough said.
(9) Derek Jeter’s 0-for-32 slump in April.
(8) Mets sweeping Yankees at Shea in July.
(7) Red Sox sweeping Yankees at Yankee Stadium in April.
(6) Bill Mueller’s walk-off home run off Mariano Rivera to win that wild game in Fenway, on July 24th.
(5) Kevin Brown punches wall, breaks hand, misses a month.
(4) David Ortiz’s extra-inning walk-off home run in Game 4 of ALCS.
(3) David Ortiz singles in Johnny Damon to win Game 5 of ALCS in extra innings.
(2) Indians 22, Yankees 0.
(1) Red Sox overcome 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees in the ALCS 4-3. Enough said.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
al-Yankzeera does it again
In this town full of pro-Yankee media, it's refreshing to see someone who tells it like it is. NY Daily News media pundit Bob Raissman has ripped the biased Yankee-loving broadcasters for years, and was right on the money in his Friday column. I liked his piece so much I've decided to put it up on here.
"Anyone surprised that the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network was the place to be if you were looking for some spin on the biggest gag job in baseball's postseason history?
It happened at the bitter end of what, up to that point, had been a fine and informative Game 7 postgame show.
As he wrapped things up, Michael Kay said the Yankees had had a "great season," but acknowledged it hadn't ended the way they would have liked it to. He pointed out that the Bombers had won 101 games while also setting "attendance records" at the Stadium. Kay said that "superstars up and down the lineup" had provided excitement in 61 come-from-behind victories.
"Again, they fell short, but have nothing, nothing to be embarrassed about. It didn't end the way they wanted it to end. And the Red Sox made history tonight as they go to the World Series," Kay said. "But the Yankees certainly don't have anything to hang their heads about when you look at the entire season as a whole."
It would be too easy just calling this a typical Al Yankzeera moment. It was pure fantasy.
Even Kay's primary benefactor - George Steinbrenner - wouldn't buy this jive.
Would anyone be shocked if, behind closed doors, Steinbrenner himself is embarrassed by the Yankees' performance? Does anyone actually believe Steinbrenner or Joe Torre is finding any solace in the Yankees' regular-season performance?
How many times have you heard Kay say the Yankees are "built for October." The regular season? Regular season come-from-behind victories? Attendance records? When October comes and goes, those subjects are rarely discussed in Yankeeland.
The Yankeecentric, and all other interested parties, know Steinbrenner's blueprint begins and ends with winning the World Series. How many times have you heard that line?
It's no darn secret.
The Yankees are unlike any team in baseball. Other clubs are satisfied with just making it to the postseason. So if they lose, no matter how it goes down, there is still a feeling of satisfaction. When a team in rebuilding mode contends for the playoffs, and just misses, its regular season might mean something.
These notions are so foreign to the Yankees they don't even exist. The Boss sets the bar high. Did Steinbrenner throw crazy money at Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez to finish in first place during "the regular season?" Did Steinbrenner throw millions at them so that they could be key components of Operation Choke?
For Kay to say the Yankees have nothing to "hang their heads about" when "you look at the season as a whole" contradicts every statement he has ever made about the "Yankee way."
The 2004 regular season already is a distant memory. Is anyone going to remember - or care - about the Yankees finishing first when that achievement is compared with the memory of becoming the first and only team in baseball history to blow a 3-0 playoff series lead? The Red Sox factor makes this a double whammy.
And the statement about the Yankees having "nothing, nothing" to be "embarrassed about" strongly suggests Kay is taking on ostrich-like qualities.
Only someone with his head in the sand - or looking to play Dr. Feelgood for heartbroken Yankee fans - would not realize the Bombers have everything to be embarrassed about. This is an eternal embarrassment for everyone in the organization - especially the players.
In the future, when people reminisce about all those Yankee World Series titles and pennants, they also will bring up the year the Bombers blew it like no other team ever has. That's what usually happens when a dubious achievement is authored.
Nobody knows this better than Steinbrenner. In this respect, he is a realist. This isn't a man inclined to let someone blow smoke up his gasket. After all these years of owning the town, moving easily among moguls, politicians, celebrities and everyday working stiffs, Steinbrenner knows when the praise is real and when it's false.
False praise. Or Kay attempting to say it ain't so bad. In Steinbrenner's world, it's the same as someone telling you "keep your chin up" or "wait till next year."
Those are the only lines the Yankees are left holding.
And it is embarrassing.
"Anyone surprised that the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network was the place to be if you were looking for some spin on the biggest gag job in baseball's postseason history?
It happened at the bitter end of what, up to that point, had been a fine and informative Game 7 postgame show.
As he wrapped things up, Michael Kay said the Yankees had had a "great season," but acknowledged it hadn't ended the way they would have liked it to. He pointed out that the Bombers had won 101 games while also setting "attendance records" at the Stadium. Kay said that "superstars up and down the lineup" had provided excitement in 61 come-from-behind victories.
"Again, they fell short, but have nothing, nothing to be embarrassed about. It didn't end the way they wanted it to end. And the Red Sox made history tonight as they go to the World Series," Kay said. "But the Yankees certainly don't have anything to hang their heads about when you look at the entire season as a whole."
It would be too easy just calling this a typical Al Yankzeera moment. It was pure fantasy.
Even Kay's primary benefactor - George Steinbrenner - wouldn't buy this jive.
Would anyone be shocked if, behind closed doors, Steinbrenner himself is embarrassed by the Yankees' performance? Does anyone actually believe Steinbrenner or Joe Torre is finding any solace in the Yankees' regular-season performance?
How many times have you heard Kay say the Yankees are "built for October." The regular season? Regular season come-from-behind victories? Attendance records? When October comes and goes, those subjects are rarely discussed in Yankeeland.
The Yankeecentric, and all other interested parties, know Steinbrenner's blueprint begins and ends with winning the World Series. How many times have you heard that line?
It's no darn secret.
The Yankees are unlike any team in baseball. Other clubs are satisfied with just making it to the postseason. So if they lose, no matter how it goes down, there is still a feeling of satisfaction. When a team in rebuilding mode contends for the playoffs, and just misses, its regular season might mean something.
These notions are so foreign to the Yankees they don't even exist. The Boss sets the bar high. Did Steinbrenner throw crazy money at Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez to finish in first place during "the regular season?" Did Steinbrenner throw millions at them so that they could be key components of Operation Choke?
For Kay to say the Yankees have nothing to "hang their heads about" when "you look at the season as a whole" contradicts every statement he has ever made about the "Yankee way."
The 2004 regular season already is a distant memory. Is anyone going to remember - or care - about the Yankees finishing first when that achievement is compared with the memory of becoming the first and only team in baseball history to blow a 3-0 playoff series lead? The Red Sox factor makes this a double whammy.
And the statement about the Yankees having "nothing, nothing" to be "embarrassed about" strongly suggests Kay is taking on ostrich-like qualities.
Only someone with his head in the sand - or looking to play Dr. Feelgood for heartbroken Yankee fans - would not realize the Bombers have everything to be embarrassed about. This is an eternal embarrassment for everyone in the organization - especially the players.
In the future, when people reminisce about all those Yankee World Series titles and pennants, they also will bring up the year the Bombers blew it like no other team ever has. That's what usually happens when a dubious achievement is authored.
Nobody knows this better than Steinbrenner. In this respect, he is a realist. This isn't a man inclined to let someone blow smoke up his gasket. After all these years of owning the town, moving easily among moguls, politicians, celebrities and everyday working stiffs, Steinbrenner knows when the praise is real and when it's false.
False praise. Or Kay attempting to say it ain't so bad. In Steinbrenner's world, it's the same as someone telling you "keep your chin up" or "wait till next year."
Those are the only lines the Yankees are left holding.
And it is embarrassing.
Pitching for the Yanks: Too Much to Handle?
An ESPN.com writer pointed out that Tom Gordon was so overwhelmed by the pressure in Game 6 of the ALCS that he threw up in the bullpen. Seems like Gordon is the latest casualty to fall to the pressure of pitching for the Yanks. And with the casualties mounting over the last few years, it seems like more pitchers will do like Greg Maddux in '92 and pass up on a chance to go to the Bronx.
It all started with Kenny Rogers back in '96. Rogers was awful in New York, but has done well in Texas and Minnesota. But back then, guys like Jimmy Key were able to deal with it. Seemed like it wasn't a big deal at the time.
Then in '00, there was Denny Neagle, whose experience in the Bronx was only 2nd-worst to his tenure with the Rockies. Jay Witasick was solid for the Padres in the beginning of '01, then morphed into Ed Whitson after joining the Yanks.
After that the list gets longer. Weaver. Contreras. Gabe White. Felix Heredia. The latest? Javier Vazquez and Tom Gordon. All of the above have succeeded at some point for another club. But Yankee pressure got the best of them. And it seems that this pressure is reaching the point where many players don't want to join the Yankees.
Carl Pavano, one of the top arms on this year's free-agent market, has said that he doesn't want to sign with the Junkees. And even if the Yankees dangle enough $$$ to get a guy like Eric Milton, who's to say he'll do well in the Bronx after stints in Minny and Philly?
Seems like if you want to do well for the Yanks these days, you better get your ego ready. The aloof Mike Mussina and surly El Duque fit nicely with the Yankees. Maybe Jon Lieber is an exception to this rule. But for most pitchers, it's "enter at the risk of your sanity." And ask the Orioles of the late '90's about trying to win with lots of egos on the team. Doesn't work.
Hitters don't suffer as much (but don't forget Chuck Knoblauch and Rondell White), simply because they're not in the spotlight like the pitchers. After all, a struggling hitter usually has 8 other guys to bail him out. But a stinky pitcher is out there all alone on the mound.
With Yankee craziness, desperation, and pressure at an all-time high, Yankee Stadium is gonna start looking about as appealing as Coors Field to free-agent pitchers. Once again, the madness of King George may come back to hurt the Yankees.
It all started with Kenny Rogers back in '96. Rogers was awful in New York, but has done well in Texas and Minnesota. But back then, guys like Jimmy Key were able to deal with it. Seemed like it wasn't a big deal at the time.
Then in '00, there was Denny Neagle, whose experience in the Bronx was only 2nd-worst to his tenure with the Rockies. Jay Witasick was solid for the Padres in the beginning of '01, then morphed into Ed Whitson after joining the Yanks.
After that the list gets longer. Weaver. Contreras. Gabe White. Felix Heredia. The latest? Javier Vazquez and Tom Gordon. All of the above have succeeded at some point for another club. But Yankee pressure got the best of them. And it seems that this pressure is reaching the point where many players don't want to join the Yankees.
Carl Pavano, one of the top arms on this year's free-agent market, has said that he doesn't want to sign with the Junkees. And even if the Yankees dangle enough $$$ to get a guy like Eric Milton, who's to say he'll do well in the Bronx after stints in Minny and Philly?
Seems like if you want to do well for the Yanks these days, you better get your ego ready. The aloof Mike Mussina and surly El Duque fit nicely with the Yankees. Maybe Jon Lieber is an exception to this rule. But for most pitchers, it's "enter at the risk of your sanity." And ask the Orioles of the late '90's about trying to win with lots of egos on the team. Doesn't work.
Hitters don't suffer as much (but don't forget Chuck Knoblauch and Rondell White), simply because they're not in the spotlight like the pitchers. After all, a struggling hitter usually has 8 other guys to bail him out. But a stinky pitcher is out there all alone on the mound.
With Yankee craziness, desperation, and pressure at an all-time high, Yankee Stadium is gonna start looking about as appealing as Coors Field to free-agent pitchers. Once again, the madness of King George may come back to hurt the Yankees.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Not Nelson's Curse, But George's
I had also been a believer in the curse of Jeff Nelson, but not after last year.
After not being re-signed afer '00, Nellie said "the Yankees won't win without me." And it was true in '01 and '02.
But in '03, Nellie was back. So the Yankees should've won. But they didn't.
In my not-so-humble opinion, the biggest Yankee curse is George Steinbrenner.
Stick Michael was able to build the cornerstones of the dynasty in the early '90's when George was suspended and low-key. Michael let a core of home-grown players develop and added importnat pieces like O'Neill and Cone.
As for the late '70s dynasty-- Gabe Paul built the core of that team in the early '70's, making excellent trades to obtain Lou Piniella, Graig Nettles, Sparky Lyle, and others. George deserves credit for getting Reggie, but that's it.
Once George got too involved and got duds like Dave Collins and Doyle Alexander, the team went south.
If George was active in the early '90's the way he is now, Mariano Rivera would be on the Braves. Derek Jeter would be on the Dodgers. And Bernie and Pettitte would've performed in different uniforms. There would have been no dynasty, no World Series rings.
Now that George is too involved and has let key players like Pettitte leave, and has encouraged lousy moves like Giambi, Brown, and Vazquez, the Yankees are going back to their '80's ways. Lots of overpaid, overage hitters and lousy pitching.
George can tease the fans by spending enough dough to make this team crush the Devil Rays and Orioles 35 times a year and win 100 games. But a team like that can't and won't succeed in October.
After not being re-signed afer '00, Nellie said "the Yankees won't win without me." And it was true in '01 and '02.
But in '03, Nellie was back. So the Yankees should've won. But they didn't.
In my not-so-humble opinion, the biggest Yankee curse is George Steinbrenner.
Stick Michael was able to build the cornerstones of the dynasty in the early '90's when George was suspended and low-key. Michael let a core of home-grown players develop and added importnat pieces like O'Neill and Cone.
As for the late '70s dynasty-- Gabe Paul built the core of that team in the early '70's, making excellent trades to obtain Lou Piniella, Graig Nettles, Sparky Lyle, and others. George deserves credit for getting Reggie, but that's it.
Once George got too involved and got duds like Dave Collins and Doyle Alexander, the team went south.
If George was active in the early '90's the way he is now, Mariano Rivera would be on the Braves. Derek Jeter would be on the Dodgers. And Bernie and Pettitte would've performed in different uniforms. There would have been no dynasty, no World Series rings.
Now that George is too involved and has let key players like Pettitte leave, and has encouraged lousy moves like Giambi, Brown, and Vazquez, the Yankees are going back to their '80's ways. Lots of overpaid, overage hitters and lousy pitching.
George can tease the fans by spending enough dough to make this team crush the Devil Rays and Orioles 35 times a year and win 100 games. But a team like that can't and won't succeed in October.
The ’05 Yankees Will Go the Way of the ’04 Mariners
If the ’04 ALCS proves one thing, it’s this: prayer really does work.
Looking ahead to next year, the Junkees are in trouble, and I’m delighted:
1B – They have Giambi locked up for another few years, and no team will be dumb enough to take him, so they can either leave him at first, with his horrid defense and his .208 batting average or move him to DH, which would preclude them from getting Beltran, because Bernie would have to remain in centerfield. I wonder if the Yanks wouldn’t mind having Jeremy Giambi instead…
2B – They’ll probably try to get Jeff Kent. Typical, typical, typical… Then again, Kent didn’t have a great experience in New York when he was on the Mets, so he might opt for a smaller market team. That leaves
SS – The overrated Derek Jeter, who would get no attention if he played for the Devil Rays. He’s nowhere nearly as good as Tejada, Nomar, or Michael Young.
3B – Alex Rodriguez has shown that his great ’01-’03 numbers were due to batting in the hitter-friendly Ballpark at Arlington. Worth all that dough? No way.
LF – Shemp had a pretty good postseason, but he’s a tad overrated. He hit 16 homers in ’03, but once the Yanks got Sheffield and Rodriguez, his total increased to 31 because he had more pitches to hit. If he were on the Pirates, I wonder if he’d have 10. And his defense leaves much to be desired.
CF – Bernie has one more year on his contract, and George will not cut him, so he’ll be in centerfield, unless they get Beltran, in which case Bernie DHes and Giambi plays first. The media seem convinced that the Junkees are getting Beltran, but you never know. If Houston goes further in the postseason, he just might accept a 5-year $60 type of deal. Unlikely, but it’s possible. But even if they get Beltran, having Giambi play first everyday with those gimpy knees will be a joy to watch.
RF – Sheffield is excellent, there’s no denying that, but he’ll be 36 and has had nagging injuries over the past couple of years, so who knows if he’ll stay healthy. But I give the Junkees props on this one, even though many teams can’t afford to pay a guy $13 million a year.
C – Posada is looking a little long in the tooth, so I can see him slowing down both offensively and defensively, where he was never a bargain anyway.
DH – They still have Lofton signed through ’05, who I can see George dumping, but the logjam of Giambi and Bernie will make it tough to sign anyone.
So right away you see that the Junkees don’t have much space to put anyone, except second base, of course, and Bernie is getting old, as is Sheffield, Shemp (who looks like he’s 55), Posada, Giambi (who aged about 10 years since 2001), and we haven’t even gotten to the pitchers!
SP – Mussina doesn’t impress anyone with his 4.59 ERA, gives up a lot of home runs, and hitters batted .276 off him this past year. He’s become a #2, #3 type starter making #1 type money. Lieber is not signed past this year – they have an option on him – but hitters batted .301 off him in ’04. El Duque cannot be relied upon long-term, and the Dodgers look like geniuses dumping Brown and his $15 salary. He’s shot, so forget him being effective, but he’s under contract for ’05. Who else is there – Loiaza?
Pavano looks like he’s going to Boston, so the Junkees will have to settle for a second tier pitcher like Eric Milton, Russ Ortiz, or Derek Lowe, so don’t expect the rotation to resemble the ’98 Yankees.
RP – After the two blown saves in the ALCS, I think it’s fair to say that Mariano is no longer invincible. He’s been around for a long time now, and his contract extension may prove to have been a mistake. Gordon, Quantrill, and the other guys are most likely goners, so the Junkees will look to pick up relievers off the scrap heap. So you’ll have the Tanyon Sturtzes and Antonio Osunas of the world once again.
All in all, I like what I am seeing, so I think I’ll re-subscribe to the baseball package on Direct TV and enjoy watching the Junkees miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Looking ahead to next year, the Junkees are in trouble, and I’m delighted:
1B – They have Giambi locked up for another few years, and no team will be dumb enough to take him, so they can either leave him at first, with his horrid defense and his .208 batting average or move him to DH, which would preclude them from getting Beltran, because Bernie would have to remain in centerfield. I wonder if the Yanks wouldn’t mind having Jeremy Giambi instead…
2B – They’ll probably try to get Jeff Kent. Typical, typical, typical… Then again, Kent didn’t have a great experience in New York when he was on the Mets, so he might opt for a smaller market team. That leaves
SS – The overrated Derek Jeter, who would get no attention if he played for the Devil Rays. He’s nowhere nearly as good as Tejada, Nomar, or Michael Young.
3B – Alex Rodriguez has shown that his great ’01-’03 numbers were due to batting in the hitter-friendly Ballpark at Arlington. Worth all that dough? No way.
LF – Shemp had a pretty good postseason, but he’s a tad overrated. He hit 16 homers in ’03, but once the Yanks got Sheffield and Rodriguez, his total increased to 31 because he had more pitches to hit. If he were on the Pirates, I wonder if he’d have 10. And his defense leaves much to be desired.
CF – Bernie has one more year on his contract, and George will not cut him, so he’ll be in centerfield, unless they get Beltran, in which case Bernie DHes and Giambi plays first. The media seem convinced that the Junkees are getting Beltran, but you never know. If Houston goes further in the postseason, he just might accept a 5-year $60 type of deal. Unlikely, but it’s possible. But even if they get Beltran, having Giambi play first everyday with those gimpy knees will be a joy to watch.
RF – Sheffield is excellent, there’s no denying that, but he’ll be 36 and has had nagging injuries over the past couple of years, so who knows if he’ll stay healthy. But I give the Junkees props on this one, even though many teams can’t afford to pay a guy $13 million a year.
C – Posada is looking a little long in the tooth, so I can see him slowing down both offensively and defensively, where he was never a bargain anyway.
DH – They still have Lofton signed through ’05, who I can see George dumping, but the logjam of Giambi and Bernie will make it tough to sign anyone.
So right away you see that the Junkees don’t have much space to put anyone, except second base, of course, and Bernie is getting old, as is Sheffield, Shemp (who looks like he’s 55), Posada, Giambi (who aged about 10 years since 2001), and we haven’t even gotten to the pitchers!
SP – Mussina doesn’t impress anyone with his 4.59 ERA, gives up a lot of home runs, and hitters batted .276 off him this past year. He’s become a #2, #3 type starter making #1 type money. Lieber is not signed past this year – they have an option on him – but hitters batted .301 off him in ’04. El Duque cannot be relied upon long-term, and the Dodgers look like geniuses dumping Brown and his $15 salary. He’s shot, so forget him being effective, but he’s under contract for ’05. Who else is there – Loiaza?
Pavano looks like he’s going to Boston, so the Junkees will have to settle for a second tier pitcher like Eric Milton, Russ Ortiz, or Derek Lowe, so don’t expect the rotation to resemble the ’98 Yankees.
RP – After the two blown saves in the ALCS, I think it’s fair to say that Mariano is no longer invincible. He’s been around for a long time now, and his contract extension may prove to have been a mistake. Gordon, Quantrill, and the other guys are most likely goners, so the Junkees will look to pick up relievers off the scrap heap. So you’ll have the Tanyon Sturtzes and Antonio Osunas of the world once again.
All in all, I like what I am seeing, so I think I’ll re-subscribe to the baseball package on Direct TV and enjoy watching the Junkees miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Astros or Cardinals?
With the ALCS over and the Sox in it, the question is who should we root for tonight?
The Cardinals have a slightly better offense and deeper lineup than the Astros. Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen, and Larry Walker are all threats. Even though the 'Stros have the killer B's, guys like Mike Lamb and Brad Ausmus water down the lineup.
With Tavarez looking sharp last night, The Cards' pen is still the one to beat. The Astros have the unhittable Brad Lidge, but guys like Qualls and ex-Schmet Dan Wheeler are nothing special.
The Astros' big edge? Starting pitching. Clemens and Oswalt are solid, and after an excellent Game 5 start, Brandon Backe is starting to look real good. Woody Williams and Jeff Suppan just don't cut it.
With that in mind, I've got to say the Sox have a better chance at beating the Cardinals. The Sox should be able to feast off the mediocre starters like Morris and Williams. On the other hand, I see Pedro being dominant against the Cards, simply because they aren't the Yankees. If they can get two starts from Schilling, that's two wins right there. And perhaps not being used to Wakefield's knuckler, the Cards won't be able to get him. Plus, don't forget the resurgent Derek Lowe.
Clemens, Oswalt, and Backe could shut down guys like Damon, Manny, and Ortiz. And if those starters go long enough, the Sox won't have a chance to feast on the Dan Wheelers of the world. Brad Lidge looked incredible last night. And Carlos Beltran just plain scares me. He can hit anybody right now.
Let's go Cardinals!
The Cardinals have a slightly better offense and deeper lineup than the Astros. Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen, and Larry Walker are all threats. Even though the 'Stros have the killer B's, guys like Mike Lamb and Brad Ausmus water down the lineup.
With Tavarez looking sharp last night, The Cards' pen is still the one to beat. The Astros have the unhittable Brad Lidge, but guys like Qualls and ex-Schmet Dan Wheeler are nothing special.
The Astros' big edge? Starting pitching. Clemens and Oswalt are solid, and after an excellent Game 5 start, Brandon Backe is starting to look real good. Woody Williams and Jeff Suppan just don't cut it.
With that in mind, I've got to say the Sox have a better chance at beating the Cardinals. The Sox should be able to feast off the mediocre starters like Morris and Williams. On the other hand, I see Pedro being dominant against the Cards, simply because they aren't the Yankees. If they can get two starts from Schilling, that's two wins right there. And perhaps not being used to Wakefield's knuckler, the Cards won't be able to get him. Plus, don't forget the resurgent Derek Lowe.
Clemens, Oswalt, and Backe could shut down guys like Damon, Manny, and Ortiz. And if those starters go long enough, the Sox won't have a chance to feast on the Dan Wheelers of the world. Brad Lidge looked incredible last night. And Carlos Beltran just plain scares me. He can hit anybody right now.
Let's go Cardinals!
The Curse Lives On... The Curse of Jeff Nelson, That Is!
After his spat with Joe Torre in 2000 over being left off the all-star roster, Jeff Nelson, the great middle reliever for the Yankees was not resigned and became a Seattle Mariner. Upon leaving, he cursed the Yankees that their great run would end. How right he was!
Every year since then, the Yankees have done a great Atlanta Braves imitation. They've found ways to lose. And for the fourth year in a row, they're denied their rings. Oh baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can finally sit back and enjoy the World Series not having to worry about the Junkees ruining my year. Thank you, Yankees!
This year has made all my years of being a Yankee despiser worthwhile. Does it get much better than this?
And how about Mike Mussina, who joined the Junkees after 2000 to get his ring? Hey pal, your contract's gonna run out soon, and like Karl Malone joining the Lakers just for the ring, I hope you never get yours. Go do your crossword puzzles in the locker room, you preppie!
And A-Rod, go slap the ball out of Arroyo's glove, huh? A-Schmuck is exactly right.
Shemp Matsui, go back to Japan!
Jason Giambi, do we have to call the cops for all the money you stole this year? At least Bonds could still hit after getting off the juice...
Hey Cashman, how'd that 4-year $45 million contract for Javier Vazquez work out for you?
Hey Manny, wanna go to Boston and party?
Every year since then, the Yankees have done a great Atlanta Braves imitation. They've found ways to lose. And for the fourth year in a row, they're denied their rings. Oh baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can finally sit back and enjoy the World Series not having to worry about the Junkees ruining my year. Thank you, Yankees!
This year has made all my years of being a Yankee despiser worthwhile. Does it get much better than this?
And how about Mike Mussina, who joined the Junkees after 2000 to get his ring? Hey pal, your contract's gonna run out soon, and like Karl Malone joining the Lakers just for the ring, I hope you never get yours. Go do your crossword puzzles in the locker room, you preppie!
And A-Rod, go slap the ball out of Arroyo's glove, huh? A-Schmuck is exactly right.
Shemp Matsui, go back to Japan!
Jason Giambi, do we have to call the cops for all the money you stole this year? At least Bonds could still hit after getting off the juice...
Hey Cashman, how'd that 4-year $45 million contract for Javier Vazquez work out for you?
Hey Manny, wanna go to Boston and party?
Best Night Ever
No, this can't be real. I'm not even excited yet. I'm just shocked. I can't believe this. Too good to be true.
During the game, my other favorite moments flashed before my eyes.
--'97, the Sandy Alomar HR. Not too great, because it was before the Yanks really killed baseball
--'01 Luis Gonzalez' bloop hit. Wow. Everyone thought it was over after Byun-Hyung Kim blew two saves in a row, a feat matched by Rivera in this series, oddly enough.
--'02 David Wells just not giving a damn anymore after Bernie screwed up catching a fly ball.
--'03 Beckett baffling the Yankees.
But '04 leaves all those in the dust. Wow.
I wrote "Game Over for the Sox." Gee, what the hell was I thinking? But that was so long ago. 4 incredible nights later, the tables have turned.
Game 7, aside from the Pedro inning, was heavenly. Kevin Leary getting his $17 million butt kicked. Javier Trout giving up the slam to Damon, followed by 5 walks. And encores of Esteban Loser and Felix Headcase. Flush Gordon giving up a few runs, and Rivera coming in just to leave the fans something to go home with.
And Damon and Bellhorn, how about those guys. Did nothing all series, and they provided the offense in games 6 & 7. Gotta give Francona credit for keeping those guys in the lineup.
And then there were Mo's two blown saves. How sweet! Especially after everyone made a big deal following his save in game 1.
Face it, Torre screwed up big-time in handling his bullpen. Rivera, Gordon and especially Quantrill were overused during the season and didn't have it. And Grand Tanyon, Headcase, etc. just weren't the answer.
David Ortiz is awesome. You gotta love the guy. But what the hell happened to Manny? The fact that the Sox won without him makes it all the more incredible.
And Derek Lowe. What a job the guy did tonight. Nobody saw this coming. He deserves a lot of credit, more than he'll probably get, especially being preceded by Schilling's incredible effort.
The amazing thing is, this happened so quickly. Saturday night, I felt like it was done. I was freaking depressed.
And then, Sunday night, the Yankees three outs away. Rivera on the mound. Okay, it's over. Sweep.
Monday night, 4-2 Yanks going into the 8th. Okay, we got teased, but the Yanks have beaten Pedro again. Or have they? Flush Gordon wears out his welcome, and the Sox tie it up.
And now, a few nights later, the Red Sox have finally beaten the Yankees.
I gotta see George's face. Worth a million bucks, that's for sure. Like seeing Michael Moore election night if Bush wins.
Cashman should be fired. Brown and Vazquez? Awful. Sierra and Tony Clark? Terrible.
But right now, with the ESPN-radio guy lamenting, it's starting to hit home. I'm going stop blogging now and enjoy the moment. Wow!
During the game, my other favorite moments flashed before my eyes.
--'97, the Sandy Alomar HR. Not too great, because it was before the Yanks really killed baseball
--'01 Luis Gonzalez' bloop hit. Wow. Everyone thought it was over after Byun-Hyung Kim blew two saves in a row, a feat matched by Rivera in this series, oddly enough.
--'02 David Wells just not giving a damn anymore after Bernie screwed up catching a fly ball.
--'03 Beckett baffling the Yankees.
But '04 leaves all those in the dust. Wow.
I wrote "Game Over for the Sox." Gee, what the hell was I thinking? But that was so long ago. 4 incredible nights later, the tables have turned.
Game 7, aside from the Pedro inning, was heavenly. Kevin Leary getting his $17 million butt kicked. Javier Trout giving up the slam to Damon, followed by 5 walks. And encores of Esteban Loser and Felix Headcase. Flush Gordon giving up a few runs, and Rivera coming in just to leave the fans something to go home with.
And Damon and Bellhorn, how about those guys. Did nothing all series, and they provided the offense in games 6 & 7. Gotta give Francona credit for keeping those guys in the lineup.
And then there were Mo's two blown saves. How sweet! Especially after everyone made a big deal following his save in game 1.
Face it, Torre screwed up big-time in handling his bullpen. Rivera, Gordon and especially Quantrill were overused during the season and didn't have it. And Grand Tanyon, Headcase, etc. just weren't the answer.
David Ortiz is awesome. You gotta love the guy. But what the hell happened to Manny? The fact that the Sox won without him makes it all the more incredible.
And Derek Lowe. What a job the guy did tonight. Nobody saw this coming. He deserves a lot of credit, more than he'll probably get, especially being preceded by Schilling's incredible effort.
The amazing thing is, this happened so quickly. Saturday night, I felt like it was done. I was freaking depressed.
And then, Sunday night, the Yankees three outs away. Rivera on the mound. Okay, it's over. Sweep.
Monday night, 4-2 Yanks going into the 8th. Okay, we got teased, but the Yanks have beaten Pedro again. Or have they? Flush Gordon wears out his welcome, and the Sox tie it up.
And now, a few nights later, the Red Sox have finally beaten the Yankees.
I gotta see George's face. Worth a million bucks, that's for sure. Like seeing Michael Moore election night if Bush wins.
Cashman should be fired. Brown and Vazquez? Awful. Sierra and Tony Clark? Terrible.
But right now, with the ESPN-radio guy lamenting, it's starting to hit home. I'm going stop blogging now and enjoy the moment. Wow!
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Bottom of the 9th Blog
Here are my thoughts throughout the bottom of the 9th. Sterling and Steiner blaring on the radio. My sick pleasure.
--Steiner and Sterling talking about Mickey Mantle's birthday. Coming into a Game 7, who would've thought they'd be talking about him?
--Matsui gets a hit. I've never heard Sterling less enthuiastic. I guess John figures George will have other things on his mind.
--Shemp is among the more clutch Yanks.
--I don't care if it's a 7-run lead. I can't relax till it's officially over.
--"If the Yankees stage this kind of comeback, it will be remembered forever." -Sterling
Wake up and smell the choke, Johnno.
-- 3-1 Timlin can't find the plate!
-- Reese with the forceout. 2 outs to go. Posada grounding into a DP would be perfect.
--Posada swinging first pitch-- pops out. 1 more to go.
--Season comes down to Lofton and Olerud. I feel a little better.
--"The Yankees were half an inning away from sweeping the Red Sox"- Charley Steiner
Thanks, Mariano.
-- 3-0 on Lofton? Come on! End it!
--He walked him!!
--Olerud trying for a Kirk Gibson moment. Let's see. They're putting Embree in. Good move. Seems like Francona is making up for the Pedro gaffe. What the hell was he thinking there?
--Commercial break. I'm officially sick of the Foxwoods jingle
--"As the clock strikes midnight, literally and figuratively"- Steiner
What's with the cringe-worthy cliche-- trying to compete with Hickman.
--Sierra grounds out.
BALLGAME OVER BOSTON WINS
BOSTON HAS TO BE CONGRATULATED.
THEY'VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE IN THE WORLD SERIES
PHENOMENAL COMEBACK
-Sterling
YANKEES SUCK!
YANKEES SUCK!
--Steiner and Sterling talking about Mickey Mantle's birthday. Coming into a Game 7, who would've thought they'd be talking about him?
--Matsui gets a hit. I've never heard Sterling less enthuiastic. I guess John figures George will have other things on his mind.
--Shemp is among the more clutch Yanks.
--I don't care if it's a 7-run lead. I can't relax till it's officially over.
--"If the Yankees stage this kind of comeback, it will be remembered forever." -Sterling
Wake up and smell the choke, Johnno.
-- 3-1 Timlin can't find the plate!
-- Reese with the forceout. 2 outs to go. Posada grounding into a DP would be perfect.
--Posada swinging first pitch-- pops out. 1 more to go.
--Season comes down to Lofton and Olerud. I feel a little better.
--"The Yankees were half an inning away from sweeping the Red Sox"- Charley Steiner
Thanks, Mariano.
-- 3-0 on Lofton? Come on! End it!
--He walked him!!
--Olerud trying for a Kirk Gibson moment. Let's see. They're putting Embree in. Good move. Seems like Francona is making up for the Pedro gaffe. What the hell was he thinking there?
--Commercial break. I'm officially sick of the Foxwoods jingle
--"As the clock strikes midnight, literally and figuratively"- Steiner
What's with the cringe-worthy cliche-- trying to compete with Hickman.
--Sierra grounds out.
BALLGAME OVER BOSTON WINS
BOSTON HAS TO BE CONGRATULATED.
THEY'VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE IN THE WORLD SERIES
PHENOMENAL COMEBACK
-Sterling
YANKEES SUCK!
YANKEES SUCK!
A-Schmuck
The Despiser already recapped game 6, but I'd like to focus on one thing he just mentioned in passing.
Maybe it's all the pro-Yankee writers in this town, but it's easy to get the impression that A-Rod is a classy guy, a professional. He was even willing to move positions when he came to New York! What a team player!
And the same guys praised the classy A-Rod for fighting with Varitek back in July. "Now he's a true Yankee."
Shut up. A-Rod's an unprofessional jerk. And he proved it again last night.
What the heck was the guy thinking, trying to swipe the ball away? Hey, A-Rod, you screwed up again in a big spot. You should be used to it by now. Take the out like a man, and sit down.
Then A-Rod says, "what, do they want me to knock the guy down?" Moron.
Excellent job by the umps last night. And kudos to Francona for arguing it calmly. If he goes nuts over that play, I don't know if he gets the call. And then crybaby Torre argues for 10 minutes. Just shut up!
If anything, A-Rot screwed up in that Jeter would've been safe at second and in scoring position had he kept his hands to himself. But because of A-Rod, Jeter was stuck at first.
And need I mention what happened to Seattle after they let the guy go? They got better. A lot better. 116 wins in '01. True, the addition of Ichiro Suzuki made a difference, but you can't tell me the M's would've won more games if they had A-Rod.
Fast-forward to 2004. Texas goes from cellar-dwellers the last few years to baseball's biggest surprise, staying in the AL West chase till the last week of the season. And many were saying that Texas had the best infield in baseball. This after dumping A-Rod.
Hey, maybe the Schmets weren't totally off in not signing the guy. Then again, I'll take him any day over Kaz Matsui.
And I love hearing people say how Michael Young (A-Rod's replacement in Texas) is a borderline MVP candidate. And nobody's saying that about A-Rod this year. Loser.
Maybe it's all the pro-Yankee writers in this town, but it's easy to get the impression that A-Rod is a classy guy, a professional. He was even willing to move positions when he came to New York! What a team player!
And the same guys praised the classy A-Rod for fighting with Varitek back in July. "Now he's a true Yankee."
Shut up. A-Rod's an unprofessional jerk. And he proved it again last night.
What the heck was the guy thinking, trying to swipe the ball away? Hey, A-Rod, you screwed up again in a big spot. You should be used to it by now. Take the out like a man, and sit down.
Then A-Rod says, "what, do they want me to knock the guy down?" Moron.
Excellent job by the umps last night. And kudos to Francona for arguing it calmly. If he goes nuts over that play, I don't know if he gets the call. And then crybaby Torre argues for 10 minutes. Just shut up!
If anything, A-Rot screwed up in that Jeter would've been safe at second and in scoring position had he kept his hands to himself. But because of A-Rod, Jeter was stuck at first.
And need I mention what happened to Seattle after they let the guy go? They got better. A lot better. 116 wins in '01. True, the addition of Ichiro Suzuki made a difference, but you can't tell me the M's would've won more games if they had A-Rod.
Fast-forward to 2004. Texas goes from cellar-dwellers the last few years to baseball's biggest surprise, staying in the AL West chase till the last week of the season. And many were saying that Texas had the best infield in baseball. This after dumping A-Rod.
Hey, maybe the Schmets weren't totally off in not signing the guy. Then again, I'll take him any day over Kaz Matsui.
And I love hearing people say how Michael Young (A-Rod's replacement in Texas) is a borderline MVP candidate. And nobody's saying that about A-Rod this year. Loser.
Yankee Fans: Shaking in their Boots
These past three games have been so sweet, I can't even begin to describe. In my mind, I wrote off the Red Sox, so I wasn't expecting anything. After game 4, with the Ortiz walk-off homer, I said, okay, at least it won't be a sweep. Then was game 5, where Ortiz drove in Damon in the bottom of the 14th, and I said, cool, at least they made it somewhat interesting, so that when they lose game 6, we'll be able to say that we took it to 6 games. But after winning game 6... ooh boy!
I turned it on shortly after the Bellhorn home run (until then my wife was hogging the TV watching the WB network), and watched Shilling mow down the Junkees. Sierra looked like the old man that he is in his strike outs, and Tony Clark reminds me of the Tony Clark who hit .203 a couple of years ago. The Tigers didn't want him!
In the 8th, Arroyo got the first out, then gave up a double to Cairo. I turned off the TV. I'm not going to watch them blow the lead. It's one thing to get blown out, but to lead and then blow it? But I couldn't control myself so I turned it back on a couple of minutes later to see the score 4-2. I shut it.
A few minutes later I turned it on and the score said 4-3. The umps were reviewing a play (the A-Rod play, although I didn't know that at the time), and I just shook my head.
A half hour later or so I turned on ESPN and saw "Boston defeated New York 4-2, series tied 3-3."
If the Junkees lose tonight, it'll be sweeter than Sandy Alomar, Luis Gonzalez, and Josh Beckett combined.
I turned it on shortly after the Bellhorn home run (until then my wife was hogging the TV watching the WB network), and watched Shilling mow down the Junkees. Sierra looked like the old man that he is in his strike outs, and Tony Clark reminds me of the Tony Clark who hit .203 a couple of years ago. The Tigers didn't want him!
In the 8th, Arroyo got the first out, then gave up a double to Cairo. I turned off the TV. I'm not going to watch them blow the lead. It's one thing to get blown out, but to lead and then blow it? But I couldn't control myself so I turned it back on a couple of minutes later to see the score 4-2. I shut it.
A few minutes later I turned it on and the score said 4-3. The umps were reviewing a play (the A-Rod play, although I didn't know that at the time), and I just shook my head.
A half hour later or so I turned on ESPN and saw "Boston defeated New York 4-2, series tied 3-3."
If the Junkees lose tonight, it'll be sweeter than Sandy Alomar, Luis Gonzalez, and Josh Beckett combined.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Whew!
What a game. What a game. What a game. I was going nuts from the tension. Thanks to David Ortiz's single off Esteban Loser, I can go to sleep. Till tomorrow night, that is.
a) I've had it with Pedro. Let George have him. I don't think it's a matter of him vs. the Yankees. I think his stuff isn't what it used to be. Look at his numbers this year and compare to last year. Above average? Yes. Pedro-esque? No.
In March, Peter Gammons said he saw a toughness in Pedro that he hadn't seen since '00. It sure didn't carry over in the numbers.
b) What a pleasure seeing the Flash flood and Mo blow again. I think Torre had a Grady Little moment in leaving Gordon on in the 8th. After Ortiz hit the homer, he should've gone straight to Mo.
Otherwise, I was disappointed that the Sox couldn't hit the Grand Tanyon, Felix Headcase, or Quantrill more than they did. If they want to win this thing, they've gotta batter those guys.
c) How much will Schill have in Game 6? Can the Red Sox figure out former #8 starter Jon Lieber? I thought this series was over, but it seems like it's just getting started.
d) Stat of the night: Jeter, A-Rod, Sheff, Shemp: combined 2-21. The Sox have to keep their bats quiet if they want to go anywhere.
a) I've had it with Pedro. Let George have him. I don't think it's a matter of him vs. the Yankees. I think his stuff isn't what it used to be. Look at his numbers this year and compare to last year. Above average? Yes. Pedro-esque? No.
In March, Peter Gammons said he saw a toughness in Pedro that he hadn't seen since '00. It sure didn't carry over in the numbers.
b) What a pleasure seeing the Flash flood and Mo blow again. I think Torre had a Grady Little moment in leaving Gordon on in the 8th. After Ortiz hit the homer, he should've gone straight to Mo.
Otherwise, I was disappointed that the Sox couldn't hit the Grand Tanyon, Felix Headcase, or Quantrill more than they did. If they want to win this thing, they've gotta batter those guys.
c) How much will Schill have in Game 6? Can the Red Sox figure out former #8 starter Jon Lieber? I thought this series was over, but it seems like it's just getting started.
d) Stat of the night: Jeter, A-Rod, Sheff, Shemp: combined 2-21. The Sox have to keep their bats quiet if they want to go anywhere.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)