ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN RED SOX NATION
Red Sox win first World Series since 1918, but now what?




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 28, 2004

It looks like the Ghost of the Babe can now sleep forever. Last night the Boston Red Sox fully exorcized “The Curse of the Bambino.” With their 3-0 win over the hapless St. Louis Cardinals the Sox ended eighty-six years of frustration. Eighty-six years of watching the New York Yankees win championship after championship. Congratulations Boston for becoming the champions of the baseball world. Now what? What can the Sox do for an encore?

Let’s face it a large part of the passion fueling the so-called rivalry between the Sox and the Yankees was the long suffering Sox always coming up just a little bit short to the Yanks. From 1918 until yesterday it was one bad break after another. Even when the Sox got into the World Series something always happened. In 1946 the Sox faced the same St. Louis Cardinals. The Second World War had just concluded and players, including Ted Williams, had returned from active duty. The Sox won the first game 3-2, and then lost the second 3-0. The series ebbed and flowed and the series got set for Game 7.

With the game tied at three the Cardinals went to work in the bottom of the 8th inning when Enos Slaughter singled and then went home on a hit ripped past Johnny Pesky by Harry Walker. With the score now 4-3 the Sox tried to answer St. Louis. With one out and a runner on 3rd base Red Sox catcher Roy Partee popped out to Cardinals’ first baseman Stan Musial. The game ended on a ground out by Tom McBride to second baseman Red Schoendinst.

Ted Williams, who is probably the best pure hitter ever produced, batted a paltry .200 with no home runs and 1 RBI.

The next time the Sox made it to the World Series was 1967. Once again they faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals. This series had different names, but the result was just the same. It all came down to Game 7 as Bob Gibson faced Jim Lonborg. Both pitchers had won two games and up to that point Gibson had only surrendered four runs in eighteen innings pitched. Lonborg had only surrendered one run and four hits in eighteen innings. Unfortunately for the Sox they were facing the best right-handed pitcher of the day and Gibson completely dominated Boston’s line up winning 7-2. Once more the Sox went home without a ring. The frustration grew.

In the meantime, the Yankees rolled up an impressive number of World Series championships. In the same period of time New York had already won titles in 1923, 1927-28, 1932, 1936-39, 1941, 1943, 1947-53, 1955, 1958, 1961-62. That was nineteen titles. The legend of the Curse of the Bambino grew.

Boston’s next entry into the World Series came in 1975. Their opponents were the Cincinnati Reds, better known as the “Big Red Machine.” The Sox had Jim Rice, Dwight Evans, Carlton Fisk and Carl Yastremski. The Reds countered with Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, George Foster, Ken Griffey Sr. and Pete Rose.

The ’75 series produced one of the all-time highlight reel scenes ever as Sox catcher Carlton Fisk in Game 6 hit a long fly ball down the left field line. Fisk doing a jumping side step and waving his arms to the fair side of the line mentally willed the ball to stay fair. The Sox season was riding on that ball as they had entered Game 6 down three games to two. The ball hit the foul pole for a home run and gave the Sox a 7-6 victory. They lived to fight another day.

Boston took control of Game 7, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. But, the Reds were just as resolved as the Sox. The fought back to tie the game at three as Pete Rose scored on a single by Tony Perez in the 7th inning. The Reds took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth and held on as the Sox went down in order. It was another seven game series and another no brass ring for the cursed Red Sox.

Meanwhile back in New York the Yankees won titles in 1977 and 1978. The frustration grew more and more in the not so sleepy town of Boston.

The hatred Red Sox fans have for all things New York hit an all-time high in 1986 when the Red Sox faced the New York Mets. With the dogma of the Curse in full effect and Boston’s resolve to finally shake it they went into the contest. The Sox had a fireballer by the name of Roger Clemens who was 24-4 and had set an MLB record by striking out 20 hitters. The Mets had a few good pitchers of their own as they showcased Dwight “Doc” Gooden and Ron Darling. It was set to be a great series.

The battle started out overwhelmingly in favor of the Sox as they won Games 1 and 2 beating Darling and Gooden at Shea Stadium. The Mets battled back to take Games 3 and 4 at Fenway. Fast forwarding to Game 6 the Red Sox played to the same script they had in past series. The Mets trailed in the series 3-2 and were one strike away from elimination. With the Sox leading 5-3 the Mets got clutch singles from Gary Carter and Kevin Mitchell off Calvin Schiraldi.

Ray Knight was the next batter and Schiraldi worked him to an 0-2 count. Knight made contact on the next pitch and scored Carter. Mitchell moved to third base and Knight stood on first. It was now 5-4. Bob Stanley replaced Schiraldi and faced Mookie Wilson. Wilson made Stanley work and Stanley uncorked a wild pitch allowing Mitchell to score from third to tie the game at five. Knight moved to second. Wilson continued to work the count as he fouled off a couple of more pitches Wilson finally hit a soft roller fair down the first base line toward Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. As the ball moved toward Buckner you just know there was a gasp of anticipation as the guys in the Boston dugout and fans around the country thought this was it. We finally beat the Curse. In an incredible turn of events the ball went under Buckner’s glove and between his wickets rolling into left field. Knight ran in from second to give the Mets a 6-5 victory. Once again the Curse of the Bambino had stopped the Red Sox. Bill Buckner, a fine fielder and hitter, was unjustly crucified for years for the error. In fact Buckner was playing on two badly sprained ankles. He was in agony and should have been replaced for defensive purposes. He wasn’t and his bad feet betrayed him.

Once more, the Sox were thrust into a Game 7 situation. The outcome, of course, was patented. The Sox lost, again, snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory. Unbeknownst to anyone the ’86 series would be the last the Boston Red Sox would see until this year.

Meanwhile in the City of New York the Mets after winning the ’86 World Series were followed by the Yankees who won titles in 1996, 1998-2000. The frustration and hatred grew more and more in Boston. Since the sale of Babe Ruth from Boston to the Yankees had gathered 26 titles and the Red Sox zero. What was it going to take for the Sox to finally reach the mountain?

In 2003 the Yankees and Sox met in one of the all-time classic playoff series ever played on the baseball diamond. The Red Sox felt last year was their year and it was felt they had what it took finally extricate the Yankees as kings of the American League and pretty much all of baseball. The Sox “cowboyed up” and took the Yankees to task. It was like two heavyweight fighters going hammer and tong for 15 rounds. It all came down to the 11th inning in another Game 7 for the Sox. Aaron Boone’s solo shot into the left-field seats off two-game winner Tim Wakefield sent the Yankees to the World Series and the Sox home for another in an almost countless number of long winters.

However, that one home run might have cost the Yankees more in the long run. It became a rallying point for the Sox and their fans. They came oh so close. They knew they could beat these guys. They started proving it early this year as Boston beat the Yankees six out of the first seven games. Boston eventually took the season series 11-8. But, it was the Yankees which won the division for the 7th straight time.

As only the script could be written the Yankees and Sox met in the 2004 ALCS. Boston was a slight favorite as their pitching and offense was viewed to be better. The Yankees must not have read the papers, because it was their pitching and hitting which proved superior in the first three games of the series. With the Yankees leading the series 3-0 it was all, but over wasn’t it?

Without rehashing what everyone knows the Red Sox, with their backs against the wall, became the aggressors. It was the Sox who played like champions winning the next four games to win the ALCS at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees became the first team in history to lose a seven game series after leading it by a margin of three to zero. It was a tale of the greatest comeback and greatest choke ever accomplished in baseball. The Boston Red Sox had finally beaten the New York Yankees in a playoff series. There was only one more task to complete in order to finally exorcize the Curse forever. That was to win the 2004 World Series.

As I said in an earlier article I felt the Sox would win the World Series, because they were a team of destiny. Nothing was going to stop them. Nothing did. The St. Louis Cardinals, which won 105 regular season games, proved to be nothing more than window dressing as the Red Sox swept them 4-0 to win their first world series in eighty-six years. Congratulations to you and your fans. The question begs, “Now what?”

In winning the World Series the Boston Red Sox and their fans no longer have their rallying cries. No longer do they have the hated Yankees to whine about. No longer will they hear “1918! 1918! 1918!” The Yankees fans will be tearing up their signs and throwing away their gear bearing that date. What is the Red Sox Nation going to use now to fuel their passion and fury? It one fell swoop what has propelled the Red Sox and their fans for 86 years is gone.

Last year most people wanted to see a Red Sox - Cubs World Series. Why? Obviously, it was because neither team had won a World Series in decades. Casual or other teams’ fans felt sorry for those two franchises, because of their long droughts. Well, half of the wish has been fulfilled. Now only the Cubs will have the nation’s sympathies. The Red Sox now have a huge target on their back. You are the king of the mountain and everyone will be gunning for you now. No one will feel sorry for you. So enjoy the moment and the winter Red Sox Nation. Learn a new rallying cry. “Cowboy up” and “Why not us” don’t fit anymore. Additionally, you have a lot of free agents coming up this winter. A lot of them have raised their antis with their playoff performances. You won’t be able to keep them all. It’s always harder to defend your crown than it is to win it. I think you’ll find that out soon enough. See you in April.


PLAY BALL!



© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

Redistribution, rewriting, rebroadcast, or republication of this story is prohibited without the prior written consent of Yankees Talk Shop and it's affilitates

A CHANGE IN FORTUNES
Yankees spend more, get less for effort




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 27, 2004

It seems an eon ago since the Yankees last stood on top of the baseball world. The last time the Yankees hoisted the World Series championship trophy was in 2000 when they vanquished the cross-town rival Mets in five games. Who can forget the tears streaming down Joe Torre’s face as he walked off the field after the final game? Who can forget Bernie Williams raising the trophy in the midst of his teammates? The memories are still there, but they’re starting to get a little fuzzy.

In 2000 the Yankees posted the worst win-loss record in Joe Torre’s tenure as Yankees’ manager. With an 87-74 record the Yankees finished 2.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. The team still had a large part of its roster together. Bernie Williams was the highest paid player on the team. Of the four playoff teams in the running that year the Yankees had the worst record. However, this team dug down deep, beating the Oakland Athletics (and Jason Giambi) 3-2 in the LDS and the Seattle Mariners 4-2 in the LCS. The Yankees went on to beat a very determined Mets team in five games.

The Yankees won the East Division again in 2001. They finished 13.5 games in front of Boston, who failed for the second year in-a-row to make the playoffs. In fact the playoff participants were exactly the same as the year before. The Yankees finished the season with 95 wins, trailing Seattle (record 116 wins) and Oakland (102). The Yankees were nearly eliminated in the LDS by an Oakland team who came close the year before in bouncing the Yankees out of the playoffs. Home field proved to play a big role in the LDS, but not initially as the Athletics swept the Bombers in Games 1 and 2. Oakland headed home full of confidence. If not for the highlight reel play by Derek Jeter taking an overthrow from left field by the first base line and flipping it to Jorge Posada, who tagged out Jeremy Giambi the Yankees fortunes would have ended that day. The play energized the Bombers, who went on to win that game and the next two to win the LDS three games to two.

The Yankees, who had won an AL record 114 games in 1998, made a statement against the team who beat their record by two games. They beat the favored Seattle Mariners in five games to go on to meet the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series.

The 2001 World Series was one for the ages. The tandem of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling proved to be as good as advertised and the Diamondbacks took a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 was crucial to the Yankees as they returned home hoping to change the flow of the series. Roger Clemens proved to be an invaluable stopper as he beat the Diamondbacks 2-1 to get the Bombers back in the series. Games 4 and 4 were both nail biters as the Yankees came back in both games to beat the Diamondbacks to take a 3-2 lead in the series. The series headed back to Arizona. Randy Johnson got the Diamondbacks even in the series as he beat New York 15-2. The season all game down to Game 7.

Game 7 pitted Roger Clemens against Curt Schilling, who was pitching for the 3rd time in the series. It was a classic pitching duel as the Diamondbacks were able to get a run across in the 6th inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Yankees scored a run in the 7th and 8th innings to take a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th inning.

Torre handed the ball to his trusted closer Mariano Rivera. As we all know Rivera made a throwing error to second and Scott Brosius failed to throw to first after getting the force at 3rd base, which kept Arizona alive. The Diamondbacks were able to tie the game at two and with the bases loaded and Jay Bell on third Luis Gonzalez blooped a single over the head of Derek Jeter to score Bell. Rivera was distraught and the Diamondbacks were the champions of the world. After the season ended Scott Brosius and Paul O’Neill retired and Tino Martinez signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 2002 season had so much promise and so little results. In the off-season the Bombers signed Jason Giambi who rewarded the Yankees with a .314 average, 41 home runs and 122 RBI. The Yankees 103 victories again won the East and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Unfortunately, the heavily favored Bombers ran into a buzz saw by the name of the Anaheim Angels. The Angels, who made the playoffs as a wildcard team for the first time since 1986, took 16 years of frustration out on the Yanks as they convincingly beat them three games to one. The Yankees went home and the Angels won the 2002 World Series.

Last year, the Yankees still stinging from their early exit from the 2002 playoffs, vowed to get back to the World Series and win their 27th championship. The Yankees had a lot of obstacles to overcome. Injuries to Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams seriously hampered the Yanks in their quest. However, other guys stepped up to help the Yankees secure their 6th straight division title. Thanks to a change in the All-star Game format the winning league would secure home-field advantage for its representative in the World Series. No more alternating Game 1 between the National and American League venues. If your league wins the All-star Game your team wins the home-field. Such was the luck for the Yankees.

The Yankees had a rough time getting through the 2003 playoffs. The Minnesota Twins proved to be a very testy team, taking Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, before dropping the next three games. Taking the ALDS set the Yankees against their long-time and hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

The 2003 American League Championship turned out to be one of the greatest playoff series in baseball history. The emotional ebb and flow was almost unbearable. With the series tied 3-3 and Game 7 in the bottom of the 11th inning Aaron Boone ended Boston’s bid to go to the World Series with a home run to left field off Tim Wakefield. The Yankees were off to their 39th World Series. The Red Sox were off to ponder another frustrating loss to their chief tormentors.

The Yankees met the upstart Florida Marlins, who were the National League wildcard team. The Marlins had done the improbable. Not given a chance to go far in the playoffs Florida beat both the heavily favored San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs. Remember Steve Bartman? The poor guy had to move out of Chicago after dropping a ball hit into the stands, but was catchable by Moises Alou. After the play the Cubs lost the lead, lost the game and lost the NLCS to add another year to the "Curse of the Goat!"

Once again, the Florida Marlins were huge underdogs. The Bombers had the offense and the pitching to beat these upstarts. Sadly, as Yankees’ fans remember, the team suffered a power outage and Florida’s pitching trio of Brad Penny, Josh Beckett and Carl Pavano were better than the Yankees trio of Roger Clemens, David Wells and Andy Pettitte. The Marlins beat the Yankees in six games.

During last winter’s off-season wheeling and dealing the Yankees and Red Sox engaged in a bidding war for free agent Curt Schilling. The Red Sox won the battle and signed Schilling, making him their number one starter. The Yankees needed to counter the move and they landed superstar Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers. In exchange the Yankees traded popular second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a minor leaguer to the Rangers. Which team made the better acquisition? At least for this season, we got the answer to that question.

Alex Rodriguez, who has been called the best player on the planet, spent much of the year trying to find his stroke with runners in scoring position. He had a very quiet year batting 19 points under his career average. His home run and RBI production was also slightly down. The glaring stat was how he batted with RISP. Meanwhile, Schilling was putting together a Cy Young Award type season going 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA.

For all the problems the Yankees had with pitching and an average team batting average (although they set a team record with 242 home runs) Joe Torre and his players managed to win 101 games and captured their 7th straight division title. The Red Sox, who lead the American League in team batting and was third in team ERA, finished three games back and made the playoffs as the wildcard.

Anyone with half a brain knew the dye was cast. The baseball gods demanded another American League Championship Series between the Sox and Yanks. After Boston swept the Anaheim Angels and the Yankees vanquished the Minnesota Twins in four games the scene was set for another classic confrontation.

However, this year’s results were nothing like the emotional rollercoaster series of 2003. The Yankees went into the ALCS a slight underdog. For the first three games they hardly played like also rans. The Bombers swept the Sox at home and took Game 3 by crushing their opponents 19-8. It was the most runs scored on an opponent in playoff history. The Yankees also collected 22 hits, which is also a record. Now with the Yankees being up on the Red Sox three games to none it appeared to be a matter of time before the pinstriped crew popped the Champaign corks on a 40th trip to the World Series. Win one more and the series was theirs. That one victory never came.

The change of fortunes came in the 9th inning of Game 4 when the greatest closer in playoff history came into the contest protecting a 4-3 lead. Mariano Rivera faced Kevin Millar and did the unthinkable. He walked him on five pitches. As is usually the case that lead off walk came around to score to tie the game at four. Boston eventually won the game in the 12th inning on David Ortiz’ two-run shot off Paul Quantrill. It was all down hill from there.

The Yankees whose one through five hitters batted .484 in the first three games all but disappeared batting a woeful .182 the rest of the way. The Sox, in the meantime, played like a wounded animal. With every game being an elimination game they came back and beat the Yankees. The Yankees became the biggest chokers in playoff history by losing the last four games and the series to Boston.

On what would have been Mickey Mantle’s 73rd birthday the Red Sox celebrated their first series victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The impossible had been accomplished. So what were the differences in the winners and losers? How about Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Terry Francona and wanting it more than your opponent?

Curt Schilling, who was battered by the Yankees in Game 2, was basically pitching on one wheel. With a tendon separated from and flopping around his right ankle Schilling came back to pitch Game 6. This was after the tendon was sutured down so he could throw. Schilling gutted out seven innings and completely dominated the Yankees. The Yankees big acquisition, in the last four games hit .118 with 0 home runs and 2 RBI. Although David Ortiz was voted series MVP in my mind Curt Schilling was the inspirational catalyst for the Red Sox amazing comeback.

Since 2000 the Yankees posted opening day team payrolls** of $109,791,674 (2001), $125,928,583 (2002), $153,749,814 (2003), $182,835,513 (2004). The four teams who have beaten them posted smaller payrolls. Each of those teams went on to win the World Series. So what does this mean? What it means that no matter how many times people tell you the Yankees buy championships you can’t point to the last four seasons and say no it doesn’t.

In 2001 the Arizona Diamondbacks had an opening day payroll of $81,206,513 and the 2003 the Florida Marlins had a payroll of $49,050,000. The teams that have beaten the Yankees have done more with less. Maybe it’s time for George Steinbrenner to learn this lesson. Not always does obtaining the highest paid players mean getting the highest results. The Boston Red Sox, who have the second highest payroll for 2004 still spent over $57,000,000 less than the Yankees. Today they are one game from winning their first World Series since 1918. Yankees’ fans will have to throw out a lot of gear bearing any reference to that date.

Steinbrenner has almost hocked the farm system going after big names with big salaries. The Yankees used to have the best farm system in baseball. It’s time to regain that reputation. Of the players still left over from the 2000 team only Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada are left. Bernie is slowing down and there’s a lot of mileage on Posada’s legs.

As much as I hate to say this the Yankees need to rebuild. Build it up from the inside like they did in years past. They’re proving throwing money away isn’t getting it done anymore. The fans better get ready for some lean years, because they are coming. Sooner or later the bubble is going to burst and the Yankees will have to bite the bullet. Money is not unlimited. The choice, of course, is George Steinbrenner’s. He writes the checks. He’s the one who has to look at his checkbook and ask himself, "Am I getting my money’s worth?" For the past four years George the answer is a resounding "NO!" I’m willing to wait for a better day when home grown talent and not money win championships. How about the rest of you?

PLAY BALL!

**Stats provided by The Associated Press



© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

Redistribution, rewriting, rebroadcast, or republication of this story is prohibited without the prior written consent of Yankees Talk Shop and it's affilitates

APOCALYPSE
Boston Wins ALCS; Celebrates In House That Ruth Built




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 21, 2004

They say the end of days will be foretold by unmistakable and wondrous signs. If that is true then we are truly entering the end of days. Last night we witnessed the greatest collapse by a team in baseball history. We also saw the greatest comeback in baseball history. Depending on whose team you were rooting for dictates how you view the 2004 American League Championship Series. As a Yankees’ fan I choose the former view.

The 2004 New York Yankees will go down in Major League Baseball history as the biggest choke artists ever to play the game. No team after getting their opponent down three games to none has ever lost a seven-game series. No team has ever let the other team get to Game 7. The New York Yankees allowed the Boston Red Sox to do both.

The Red Sox as if we all didn’t know by now was a beaten team. Down three games to none with four possible more games to play the Sox had just taken the worst beating ever in playoff history. The Yankees clobbered them for 19 runs on 22 hits and after it was all over looked poised to take their 40th trip to the World Series.

Baseball is, as I have said, an unpredictable game. It’s the same as warfare. You can write books upon books about how to engage in a battle, but once the first shot is fired you can throw the books out the window. Nothing ever goes as scripted. Game 4 is a perfect example of that. The Yankees lead the game 4-3 when they brought closer Mariano Rivera into the game. Mariano is the greatest playoff closer in history. When Sandman enters a game it’s supposed to be ballgame over. This is where the fortunes of war changed in favor of the Red Sox.

Rivera who is supposed to be murder on left-handed batters walked Kevin Millar on five pitches. Lead off walks will kill you every time. Dave Roberts replaced Millar and stole second base. Bill Mueller singled home Roberts tying the ballgame at four apiece. The Yankees offense went to sleep. Boston won it in the 12th inning on David Ortiz’ 2-run home run. Rivera, who blows saves about as often as Haley’s comet comes around, unknowingly released the Hounds of Hell upon the Yankees.

Without drumming up everything that went wrong suffice it to say Game 5 went nearly the same way as Game 4. It was another game of extra innings, a blown save and another win for the Boston Red Sox.

What had happened to the Yankees’ offense? The 1-5 hitters who batted a combined .484 in the first three games only hit .182 in the last four. Derek Jeter had a miserable series, looking like he did the first part of the year, when he couldn’t buy a hit. Jeter was six for thirty-one (.193 BA) with no home runs, 4 RBI, and six walks.

It was hoped playing in the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium and in front of a rabid pro-Yankees’ crowd would re-energize the team. It did not. Once again the 1-5 hitters failed to generate much against Boston’s pitching staff. They faced a one-legged ace by the name of Curt Schilling and failed to exploit his injured ankle. With blood filling up his right shoe and sock Schilling took the measure of the Yankees and gave his overtired and overused relief corps a much needed rest. Jon Lieber pitched a fine game himself. He had one bad inning when the Sox struck for four runs. However, like a man in a rubber raft, surrounded by sharks, and a thousand miles from land Lieber had no help coming his way.

Gradually, the Yankees, who were cruising into the World Series, found themselves backed into the opposite corner and on the verge of defeat. Mystique, Aura, the Ghost of the Babe and all the other legends swirling around Yankee Stadium had followed Elvis and left the building. The immortal New York Yankees were suddenly a very mortal team.

Last night, the line was drawn in the sand. You can use all the clichés you want. Do or die, all or nothing, win one for the Gipper or my favorite “Who’s your Daddy?” It didn’t take Boston long to rub that line out.

Kevin Brown, who in my estimation, has been the biggest waste of $15 million started the game. He quickly gave Boston a lead when he grooved one right down the pipe and into the wheelhouse of new Yankee killer David Ortiz. Brown last just 1-1/3 innings, but the damage was done. He gave up five runs on four hits, including setting up a grand slam to Johnny Damon, and Boston never looked back.

Not only did they win the series, but they humiliated their hosts in doing it. Yankees’ fans were treated to something neither they, nor several generations before them had ever seen. The Boston Red Sox celebrating a playoff series victory in the House that Ruth built. It will be long remembered by those of us who follow the interlocking NY and pinstripes as a “day of infamy.”

For the Boston Red Sox and their fans this series victory has gone a long way in exorcizing the ghosts and curses that have plagued them since 1918. The final hurdle will be in winning the World Series. As much as I hate to admit it I think they will do just that. Like the Anaheim Angels of 2002 the Boston Red Sox are a team of destiny. It’s always said the road to the World Series goes through New York and Boston not only took that road they steamrolled down it. This writer can do nothing, but congratulate the Sox on earning their right to go to the Show in a way no other team has ever done it before.

To the New York Yankees I can only say this team is a major disappointment. For all the money paid these athletes they proved a huge payroll guarantees you nothing. Maybe George Steinbrenner will learn a lesson from this. Maybe less is more. Every team that has beaten the Yankees in the playoffs since their last World Series victory in 2000 has had a payroll less than the Yankees.

It is going to be a long, bitter and cold winter for the Yankees and their fans. It is an almost guaranteed certainty the coaching staff and roster for 2005 will look very different than the one seen slinking off the field last night. It is time to blow this thing up and start rebuilding once again from the inside. Over the past several years Steinbrenner and the Yankees have hocked their farm system to pay for overpriced players who don’t deliver the goods. The bill came due last night.

If I were anything, but a Yankees’ fan, I’d say good luck to the Sox. I can’t do that. I will be rooting very hard against you. Unfortunately for me my heart and head aren’t in agreement on this one. My heart says you will lose, but my head says……..

PLAY BALL…..sometime in February, 2005!


© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

Redistribution, rewriting, rebroadcast, or republication of this story is prohibited without the prior written consent of Yankees Talk Shop and it's affilitates

CURSES! FOILED AGAIN
Sox once down 0-3 in ALCS ties series behind gusty performance of Curt Schilling




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 20, 2004

Last Sunday morning the New York Yankees awoke to find themselves up three games to none in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. They had their archrivals, the Boston Red Sox, on the verge of capitulation. This morning they find themselves in a dog-fight of epic proportion as they are also on the brink of elimination. The Boston Red Sox has done what no other team in Major League history has done. They have roared back after losing the first three games in a playoff series to force a Game 7.

In Game 3 the Yankees pounded the Red Sox for baseball records of 19 runs and 22 hits. The two teams combined set many new offensive records. After the game the faces on the Red Sox players was anything, but confident. They looked dead. If you were a Yankees’ fan you were loving life. If you were rooting for the Red Sox you had to be looking toward the heavens and saying to yourself, “What, again!?”

As I said in an earlier article I wasn’t going to be dumb enough to count the Sox out. You can’t predict an unpredictable game. Oh sure, you can use the past to gauge a team’s chances of winning, but the bottom line is you have to go out and play inning by inning. The Red Sox have done exactly that. They have gone out and played inning by inning.

In my mind the change in momentum came when Mariano Rivera came into Game 4 in the bottom of the ninth inning. The first man he faced was Kevin Millar. Mariano, if he has had troubles against any teams it’s the Red Sox, walked Millar on five pitches. Dave Roberts pinch ran for him and he promptly stole second base. Bill Mueller, who has been a thorn in the Yankees’ side, singled and Roberts scored to tie the game at 4-4. Blown save. From that point on the Yankees’ couldn’t rub two nickels together to fashion a run and the game ended in the eleventh inning as David Ortiz knocked out a two-run home run off reliever Paul Quantrill to win the game for the Sox. No worries though. The Yankees were still up 3-1 in the series. We had history on our side, right?

Game 5 was nearly a carbon copy of Game 4. The Yankees got to Pedro Martinez and were leading the Sox 4-2 behind a great pitching performance by Mike Mussina. Tom Gordon came into the game and promptly gave up a home run to, you guessed it, David Ortiz. Gordon’s troubles didn’t stop there as he walked Kevin Millar and gave up a single Trot Nixon. Boston manager Terry Francona got the two swiftest guys on the team to run for Millar and Nixon. With Dave Roberts and Gabe Kapler occupying first and third manager Joe Torre went to Rivera. Poor Rivera was being asked to get the team out of Gordon’s mess and once again Mo proved he’s human. He gave up a sacrifice fly to Jason Varitek and the score was tied 4-4.

As in Game 4 the play went into extra innings. Francona’s bullpen was thin and tired. Somehow, Timlin, Foulke, Arroyo, Myers, Embree and Wakefield kept the Yankees off the scoreboard. Like the October Missile Crisis, who was going to blink first? Unfortunately, it was the Yankees. Esteban Loiaza had pitched three scoreless innings in relief. He was matched by Boston’s Tim Wakefield. Once again, a walk issued by a Yankees pitcher was the Bombers’ undoing, as Loiaza issued a free pass to Johnny Damon. He walked Ramirez, moving Damon to second. This set the stage for this series one-man wrecking ball to stick another knife in the Yankees’ heart. With two on David Ortiz dueled with Loaiza for 10 pitches. On the 10th pitch he blooped it into shallow center and Boston nipped the Yankees 5-4.

Now a team who was left for dead was suddenly alive, gaining momentum and heading back to Yankee Stadium where they play very well. Another bad sign for the Yankees was Curt Schilling was going to pitch Game 6 on his bum right ankle. How long he would last nobody knew. Well, as we all know now he lasted too long for the Yankees’ liking.

It was suggested to Joe Torre that the Yankees should bunt, bunt, bunt and make Schilling move around to field his position. Torre’s response was that isn’t how the New York Yankees play their game? Huh? Since when don’t you take advantage of an opponent’s weakness and exploit it? This line of thinking is what has sunk the Yankees in the last three games.

Curt Schilling did a masterful job, basically pitching on one wheel. He threw seven strong innings and only gave up a single run in the process. That was a solo shot by Bernie Williams in the 6th inning. With blood soaking his ankle Schilling gutted out a cold night in New York and held the Yankees’ offense at bay. He gave his bullpen a much needed rest.

On the other side of the coin, Jon Lieber also pitched well. He had one bad inning when the Red Sox tagged him for four runs. He threw for 7-1/3 innings and also gave his tired bullpen some rest. Regrettably for Lieber the vaunted Yankees’ offense took the night off and couldn’t pick up an otherwise good outing.

What we saw in the Red Sox dugout after Game 3 is exactly what we saw in the Yankees’ dugout after Game 6. There were vacant expressions and slumped shoulders leaving for the clubhouse while the Red Sox celebrated their series tying victory near the mound.

So what has changed over the course of three games. Two things that I can see have been the difference. Management and execution. Terry Francona has clearly out-managed Joe Torre in these past three games. He has changed his team’s approach to the Yankees. He and his team are doing the little things to make things happen. They get timely hits and they steal bases, or at least try when conditions call for it. They are manufacturing runs. Plus, Francona’s bullpen as tired as they are has answered the call above and beyond what is expected.

The Yankees, conversely, instead of making things happen seem to be waiting for things to happen. They’re not attacking, they’re sitting back. The Yankees are clearly playing back on their heels. They haven’t changed their approach when the need arises, such as Curt Schilling’s ankle. They didn’t do anything to try and take advantage of his injury. The patience the Yankee hitters had in the first three games has disappeared. Their captain, other than one good at bat when he knocked in three runs, has disappeared. He is hacking and not showing patience at the plate. Same goes for most of the rest of the offense. Instead of waiting for pitches to drive, they’re swinging out of the strike zone making them easy prey for Boston’s pitching staff. No one exemplifies that more than Tony Clark, who looks lost at the plate, with a series high eight strikeouts.

Now, it’s do or die time for both teams. The Yankees have clearly released their chokehold on this series, while Boston has seized the moment. Today, it’s Brown vs. Lowe. The winner goes to the World Series and the loser goes home to contemplate over a long winter what might have been. The Boston Red Sox have never celebrated a playoff series victory in the “House that Ruth built.” This Yankees’ team doesn’t want to be the first team to let the Sox do that. If that happens there will be no living with us as Yankees’ fans. There will absolutely be no living with Boston Red Sox fans that will mete out 85 seasons of frustration upon us. I’ve got a big bottle of Maalox ready for the game. I’d suggest you do the same.

PLAY BALL!


© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

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THE WALK
Rivera’s issued walk to Millar sets up tie; Ortiz’ bomb in 12th wins it for Sox




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 18, 2004

Oh, how many times have I said it? How many times have you said it? Lead off walks will kill you. That’s exactly what happened to Mariano Rivera last night in the 9th inning of Game 4 of the ALCS.

Rivera is the greatest closer in post-season history. Nine times out of ten when Rivera enters the game with a lead it’s. “Ball game over! Yankees Win! Theeeeeeeee Yankees Win.” Alas, last night was not one of those nights.

With the Yankees leading 4-3 going into the bottom of the ninth Mariano Rivera entered the game and was three outs from a win and a four-game sweep over their archrivals. Three outs and the Yankees win their 40th American League Championship. Three outs and the Yankees go for their 27th World Series ring.

Rivera looked into face Kevin Millar who has had a good series batting .500. The pro-Red Sox crowd was praying to the baseball gods to let this series go on another day. Unfortunately, for the Yankees the gods must have stayed up late, because before anyone knew it Rivera had thrown three balls before throwing a strike. With the count at 3-1 Rivera threw another ball just outside the zone and Millar was on with a walk. Red Sox manager Terry Francona swapped speedy Dave Roberts for the slow moving Millar to set up the tying run. Roberts quickly stole second while Rivera pitched to Yankee killer Bill Mueller.

Mueller, who has had success against Rivera, promptly did what Yankee killers are supposed to do. He singled to center, scoring Roberts to tie the game 4-4. The Red Sox continued to threaten as the next batter Doug Mientkiewicz sacrificed a bunt to Rivera, moving Mueller over to second base. Things got dicey when first baseman Tony Clark bobbled a ball hit by Johnny Damon putting Red Sox runners at first and third. However, shortstop Orlando Cabrera struck out and after loading the bases Rivera induced designated hitter David Ortiz to pop up to end the inning.

At this point I had a sense of foreboding and the feeling got worse when I heard FOX color commentator Tim McCarver tell us the longer the game went the more it favored the Yankees. This was because of Boston’s shallow bullpen. I knew it was a sure kiss of death statement.

Terry Francona indeed had a thin bullpen. He kept trotting guys out the Yankees, the night before, were hitting all over Fenway. He had no choice. This time Keith Foulke, Alan Embree, Mike Myers and Curt Leskanic held the line and kept Yankees from crossing the plate. They gave their offense a chance to win it. They did just that in the bottom of the 12th.

Yankees manager Joe Torre who’s had his own problems with starting pitching has been forced to use his bullpen to match Francona’s moves. After Rivera exited the game after the ninth inning Torre turned to Tom “Flash” Gordon to keep the Sox in check. Gordon did just that pitching two scoreless innings and after 11 of them it was still knotted at four.

The Yankees failed to score again in the top of the twelfth inning and Torre trotted out Paul Quantrill to face the heart of the Sox order. Quantrill has been a tale of two seasons. He was rock solid in the first half, but has become ineffective in the second half. The speculation is Quantrill has a lot of pitches on that arm of his and overuse has caused his second half vulnerability.

There wasn’t much suspense as Manny Ramirez singled to left, which brought the always dangerous David Ortiz to the plate. With the count at 2-1 Quantrill tried to throw a fastball inside to Ortiz who got his bat around on it and promptly sent it over the right field fence to give the Red Sox a hard earned 6-4 victory. The blow also gave the Sox added life to live and play baseball another day.

The Yankees had their chances to win this thing, but couldn’t pull the trigger on the same bullpen they beat like a red-headed step-child the night before. Mariano Rivera proved he is human by blowing the save, which allowed the Red Sox to stay in this series, which up to this point has clearly been the Yankees’ series for the taking.

Game 5 is today at 2:00 p.m. at Fenway Park. It’ll be Game 1 starter Mike Mussina vs. Game 2 starter Pedro Martinez. The Yankees want to close this series out today, because every game they give the Sox just adds to their confidence. For both teams its win one more game. For the New York Yankees it means another trip to the World Series. For the Boston Red Sox it means another day of survival. It’s Empire vs. Nation. Let’s get it on!

PLAY BALL!



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EVEN THE ’27 YANKEES WOULD BE IMPRESSED
Yankees hand Sox the worst loss in their playoff history




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 17, 2004

Four hours and twenty minutes later the latest rendering of the Boston Massacre mercifully came to an end. Never in Boston’s history had they been so shabbily treated by an opponent in the playoffs. After 402 pitches the beating stopped. Numerous playoff records were set, including the most hits by two teams, the most runs scored and the longest game. It was an absolute downer for Red Sox fans and an absolute high for Yankees’ fans.

Prior to this series starting the Boston Red Sox were prohibitive favorites to finally beat the Yankees and exorcize the ghosts that had been plaguing them for the past 85 years. The Yankees’ starting rotation, which has been shaky since the first week of the season, was viewed at the main weakness in the Yankees arsenal. Get to their starters early and into the bullpen and the Yankees would crumble like a house of cards. Unfortunately, for Boston it was their starters who did the crumbling.

In Game 1 Curt Schilling lasted just three innings after giving up 6 runs. His delivery was obviously affected by his ankle injury, which altered his mechanics. Now, because he tried to tough it out by apparently downplaying the serverity of the damage he may not be able to pitch at all the rest of the series. Welcome to the curse Curt. Funny how things happen when you don that Red Sox uniform huh?

Game 2 was a classic pitching duel between a guy coming off Tommy John surgery by the name of Jon Lieber and a crafty three-time CY Young award winner in Pedro Martinez. Guess who won that game? Did you say the Tommy John guy? That would be correct.

With the series shifting to Boston and the Yankees owning a commanding 2-0 lead the Sox players were ready for a little home cooking. The Sox had one of the best home win-loss records in baseball this year. Players like Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez figured they would get jumped started by being surrounded by the friendly confines of Fenway Park and a few thousand Sox fans. Not only were they returning home, but Game 3 was rained out Friday night giving the organization hope Curt Schilling might will his body to pitch Game 5, if there is to be a Game 5.

In a playoff game, the likes I’ve never witnessed before, the Yankees’ bats came more than just alive. They became lethal. Hideki Matsui has been swinging the bat like he was a member of Murderer’s Row. He has been phenominal at the plate. In the three playoff games he is hitting .600 with nine hits in fifteen at bats, including three home runs and thirteen RBI. Matsui is just begging for the ALCS MVP award.

Not to be overshadowed Gary Sheffield and Alex Rodriguez have been inflicting their fair share of devastation as well. Sheffield is batting .692 with a two home runs and seven RBI. Rodriguez is hitting .429 with two home runs and six RBI. In fact as a team the Yankees are hitting over .300, which is well-over and above their .268 regular season average.

Meanwhile the much maligned pitching staff has held the triumverate of Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon and David Ortiz to a .270 average with no home runs and only 3 RBI. The Yankees pitching staff has done a better job on the Sox hitters than anyone ever thought they would.

However, not everything was rosey in tonight’s one-sided victory. Starter Kevin Brown, after overpowering the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, lasted just two innings after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits. To be honest Brown, who came over from the Dodgers in an off-season trade involving ex-Yankee Jeff Wearver has been a major disappointment. After starting off the season red hot Brown has fallen way off and has not been the dominating pitcher they thought they had acquired.

Nonetheless, it is the Yankees offense that is the story of Saturday’s game. From the first inning to the last the Yankees kept rounding the bases. If there was a mercy rule the game would’ve been called in the seventh inning. The hitting was so prolific all of the Yankees’ greats looking down from that great diamond in the sky had to be puffed up with pride. No other team I can remember has done what this team did Saturday. It was an incredible game to watch no matter which team you root for. You had to be impressed by what you saw.

By the way, the quiet man Bernie Williams became the all-time post-season leader in hits and RBI tonight with his contributions.

Sunday the Yankees go for the knockout sweep. The Red Sox will attempt to become the first and only team in MLB history to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win the series. The chances of that are slim and none and Slim just left town. It’s going to be Orlando Hernandez vs. Derek Lowe. The Yankees’ nation may be the evil empire, but in the words of Mel Brooks, “It’s good to be king.”

PLAY BALL!


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WHO’S YOUR DADDY….JON LIEBER THAT’S WHO
Quiet Iowan out-duels Pedro and shuts down Sox offense




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 14, 2004

Hemingway couldn’t have written a better Ah Shucks story than this one. The boy from rural Council Bluffs, Iowa vs. the three-time CY Young winner from the Dominican Republic. It was another David vs. Goliath setting. For the past decade Pedro Martinez has dominated opposing batters. He has had his way with pretty much every team in the American League. All, that is, except for the New York Yankees. More on that later.

Lieber, on the other hand, was a promising pitcher originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He had his career placed in jeopardy when he blew out the tendon in his pitching elbow. He underwent “Tommy John” surgery to repair the damage in 2002. The Yankees took a chance on Lieber, snatching him off the shelf prior to the 2003 season knowing he wouldn’t be able to pitch the entire season.

Lieber rehabbed hard during 2003 and he made his pitching debut on May 1, 2004 against the Kansas City Royals. Lieber looked very impressive as he pitched seven strong innings, allowing only three runs in the process. However, in his next outing against a very mediocre Seattle Mariners club Jon was lit up for six runs in six innings of work. In fact his whole season was a mixed bag of results. Lieber ended the season 14-8 with an ERA 4.33. Not too shabby for a guy who hadn’t thrown a ball in a game situation for over a year and a half.

Pedro Martinez, who is in a contract year, has had a long history against the Yankees. He has been one of the players on the Red Sox Yankees’ fans love to hate. Last year, in a game at Fenway he plunked both Derek Jeter and Alfonso Soriano on the hands. Both left the game and went to the hospital for check ups. Both missed game time because of injuries caused by the pitches. Yankees’ bench coach Don Zimmer harbored a grudge against Pedro from that point on.

That grudge boiled over in Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS when the Yankees faced off against Pedro at Fenway. In the top of the 4th inning with the Yankees leading 3-2 right-fielder Karim Garcia came to the plate. Pedro, who has been long suspected of intentionally throwing at batters, threw a 90+ mph fastball directly at Garcia’s head. Garcia was able to duck the pitch which fortunately struck him on the upper shoulder. What followed was a very ugly scene. The Yankees yelled at Martinez from the bench. Pedro was pointing to the Yankee dugout, specifically Jorge Posada, and then pointing to his head. What he meant by those gestures is up to conjecture. The inning ended without further incident.

However, in the next half-inning with Roger Clemens on the mound and emotions at a fiery peak Clemens threw a high fastball past Manny Ramirez. Ramirez ducked thinking the pitch was closer than it actually was. Replays showed the ball was over the inside of the part of the plate. Had it been in the zone the pitch would’ve been called a strike. Ramirez charged the mound with a bat in his hand towards Clemens. Clemens, not one to back away from a confrontation, came off the mound towards Ramirez. Both players were held back by other players. In the meantime, Don Zimmer exited the Yankees’ dugout and circled the huge scrum developing around the pitcher’s mound. He was seeking out one guy and that was Pedro Martinez. He found him seconds later, in front of the Sox bench, only to be thrown on the ground by Martinez. Order was eventually restored but the bitter feelings still remained. The Yankees went on to win Game 3 and eventually the series, which turned out to be one of the most memorable playoff series ever played.

Fast forwarding to last night’s playoff game Pedro Martinez was once again on the hill. He came into the game with a season record of 1-2 with a 5.47 ERA against the Bombers. In his two losses, both of which came at the end of the season Martinez gave up 13 earned runs in 12-1/3 innings. In fact, Martinez lost his last four regular season starts, which boosted concern from Red Sox management about their star pitcher. During a news conference after his second loss Pedro called the Yankees “his daddy.” Memo to Pedro: Never give Yankees’ fans sound bytes they can later use against you.

Pedro seemed to turn aside concern in the ALDS as he pitched well against the Anaheim Angels in an 8-3 Sox victory. The Sox swept the pesky Angels in three straight games to move to the championship series against their storied rivals.

In the meantime, Lieber started Game 2 of the Yankees’ LDS match up against the Minnesota Twins. Jon wasn’t great, but he kept the Yankees in the game as he gave up three runs in 6.2 innings of work. The Yankees repeated the series outcome by besting the Twins three games to one. The stage was set for another classic confrontation between the Red Sox and the Bombers.

Game 1, which started out to be a laugher for the Yankees, turned out to be a thrill ride where the wheels came off the roller coaster. The Yankees, which led the game going into the seventh inning 8-0 held on for dear life to beat a very determined Sox team 10-7.

In last night’s Game 2 skirmish it was blue collar Jon Lieber vs. the masterful artist Pedro Martinez. With the most potent line up in the regular season the Red Sox were poised to leave Yankee Stadium with a 1-1 split. Once again, the unsung heroes came to the fore.

Jon Lieber was absolutely masterful against Boston’s offense. He completely shut down Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. With a nasty slider and precision fastballs Lieber kept the Sox’ lineup off-balance all night long. In fact, Boston waited until the eighth inning to get their hardest hit of the night off Lieber. It was a laser shot by Ortiz to Gary Sheffield in right field. That signaled the end of Lieber’s night. With Ortiz standing on first base Lieber handed manager Joe Torre the ball and quickly walked off the mound toward the Yankees’ dugout. The 55,000+ crowd knows how to acknowledge a great performance. Lieber was given a standing ovation. It must be Lieber’s rural upbringing, because he didn’t doff his cap and he didn’t come out for a curtain call. He calmly and quietly went to the bench to become a spectator like the rest of us. He turned over a 3-0 lead to Tom Gordon. He only allowed three hits while throwing 82 pitches. Fifty-seven of those pitches were for strikes. Gordon surrendered a run (charged to Lieber), but he handed the game to Mariano Rivera who closed out the Sox without any further damage.

Pedro Martinez didn’t exactly pitch poorly. Unfortunately for him the Yankees’ line up took patient at bats making the right-hander throw pitch after pitch. He gave up six free passes to first base and gave up a two-run home run to Jon Olerud in the sixth inning to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. The expression on Martinez’ face after Olerud’s ball left the park was one of “well I’m not surprised.” The pitch Olerud hit was up and over the plate. It was one of the few poor pitches Pedro made.

While the rest of the game unfolded the FOX Sports camera crews kept taking shots of Lieber sitting on the bench. Lieber just stared out at the field with his near crew cut and boyish face peering out without expression. The only show of emotion was a slight shaking of his legs as he as we awaited the outcome.

On a night where Pedro Martinez was good, Jon Lieber was better. He accepted the challenge of getting the Yanks a quality start and he responded admirably. The guy who worked hard for nearly a season and a half to get himself back to the professional arena rewarded himself and the Yankees’ with his best outing of the year.

Now the Yankees have beaten the Sox number one and two starters and head to Fenway Park with a commanding 2-0 series lead. The Yankees’ starting rotation, which was supposed to be the big Achilles’ heel, has been better than the Sox rotation. Kevin Brown gets the ball for Game 3 as does Bronson Arroyo for Boston. Brown overpowered the Twins in his only ALDS start and it is hoped he can continue in that trend. For the Sox it appears Curt Schilling’s ankle problems may keep him from starting Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. Pedro’s next start is slated for Game 6 at Fenway. Neither is scheduled to start Game 7 if the series gets that far. Things are looking very good for the Yankees to clinch their MLB record 40th American League Championship. Nevertheless, no one should be dumb enough to predict anything in an unpredictable game. The Yankees are half way there, but they have two more wins to gather in. The Boston Red Sox will have something to say about that. In the often, overused words of Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over until it’s over.” But for now, enjoy your victory Jon Lieber, you’ve earned it.


PLAY BALL!


© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

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MO THE MAGNIFICENT
Closer saves Game 1 after burying two relatives in Panama on the same day




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 13, 2004

As I watched Game 1 of the ALCS unfold inning by inning I was deeply struck by what I saw in the bullpen in the 5th inning. Mariano Rivera emerged to a bevy of warm and sincere hugs from his teammates. The Yankee faithful in the crowd acknowledged the presence of arguably the greatest closer in baseball history with chants of “Mo. Mo. Mo.” Everyone knew where Mariano Rivera had just returned from. He had just come back from an arduous journey in Panama where he had buried the cousin of his wife Clara and her cousin’s son earlier in the day. Both had been electrocuted in a freak accident involving an electrified pool at Rivera’s mansion in Puerto Caimito, Panama on Saturday. Mariano flew home Sunday to arrange for the funerals of his wife’s relatives.

As the Yankees built an 8-0 lead I kept thinking to myself Mariano has got to be dog tired. It will nice not having to use him in Game 1 as starter Mike Mussina was cruising. Through six innings he had a perfect game going. No worries I kept thinking. Then the unimaginable happened. After getting an out in the seventh inning the Moose suddenly turned human again and surrendered four runs on four hits. His replacement, Tanyon Sturtze, gave up a two run shot to Jason Varitek (one run charged to Mussina). Varitek had been previously been 0-35 at Yankee Stadium. Suddenly, the score was 8-5 Yankees. Now what had been a laugher was now a save situation.

It got worse as Tom “Flash” Gordon entered the game in the eighth inning and was very ineffective. Gordon lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up three hits and two earned runs in the process. With the score now 8-7 Joe Torre bounded out of the dugout and headed toward the mound. He pointed to the bullpen with his right arm. Torre knew who he wanted. Mo! As the lanky closer jogged from the bullpen in left field toward the mound Mo’s signature music “Enter Sandman” played through the stadium speakers. With David Ortiz standing on third and Kevin Millar standing at the plate Captain Derek Jeter simply said to Mo, “get him out.” That’s just what Mo did. He induced Millar to pop up to Jeter to end the inning.

In the bottom of the frame Bernie Williams gave the Yankees some breathing room by slapping a two-out double to left center and over the head of Manny Ramirez, scoring Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield. With the score now 10-7 Rivera went back to work and set the Red Sox down 1-2-3.

Rivera was all smiles after the game. As the team met on the field to high-five each other I saw Mo break into that infectious smile of his. It was great to have him back. It was greater to watch him perform after such an emotional roller coaster as the one he had been on that day. It was an unbelievable feat to bury two relatives in a country approximately 2,200 miles away, fly six hours in a private jet, land at the airport, drive to Yankee Stadium and get in uniform ready to play.

To me it is very symbolic that Mariano Rivera wears #42. As we all know Major League Baseball retired #42 on every team in the league in honor of Jackie Robinson the Dodger great who was the first to break the color line in 1947. Any player wearing #42 at the time the number was retired by MLB is allowed to wear it until he is no longer active. When Rivera retires he will retire as the greatest closer in baseball history. The Hall of Fame awaits Mo five years after he steps down from the mound. The number 42 will be featured twice in the Hall of Fame and at Yankee Stadium. One is for Jackie Robinson and one will be for Mariano Rivera. I can think of no greater way to honor a player and a man of Mariano Rivera’s character. I am very thankful he is a New York Yankee.

PLAY BALL!



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IS IT TIME OR JUST ANOTHER SEASON OF HEARTBREAK?

Red Sox, Yankees prepare for another classic confrontation




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 12, 2004

The old adage of “be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it” has never been truer than it is at this moment. Forget the Astros – Cardinals series starting Wednesday in St. Louis. All eyes in baseball land will be firmly locked on Yankee Stadium where the latest round in the storied Red Sox – Yankees rivalry takes place starting Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.

Only wishful thinkers could have hoped for a different outcome leading to this year’s American League Championship Series. Angels’ fans desperately hoped for a rekindling of their 2002 magic. The Sox swept them in three games, outscoring the Angels 25-12. The Minnesota Twins, who were knocked out by the Yankees last year in the divisional playoffs three games to one, suffered the same fate again this year. The Yankees fought back in every game to eliminate a very determined and testy Twins team. No way were any pretenders going to stand in the way of destiny. It was ordained that the two biggest arch-rivals in sports were to meet on the field of battle.

In nearly an identical replay of last year’s match ups the Boston Red Sox, once again, invade Yankee Stadium for Game 1 of the ALCS. In exactly six World Series games and 162 regular season games the Yankees and Sox pick up right where they left off last season. This time, however, there are a few new wrinkles in the mix. The Sox maintained most of their core players and added Curt Schilling making their team one of the best in the Sox history. They have a potential Cy Young pitcher in Schilling and two legitimate MVP candidates in David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. For the Yankees the change was much more noticeable. Gone were Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Alfonso Soriano. Newly arrived were Javier Vazquez, Gary Sheffield, Jon Lieber and Alex Rodriguez. On paper the Yankees looked as formidable as anyone. But, that’s why you play 162 games.

The Yankees started off with one of the worst Aprils in their recent history. They barely finished above .500 in winning percentage with a 12-11 record. They suffered six of those defeats at the hands of the Red Sox, who won three of four at Fenway and then swept the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Boston roared out of the gate while the Yankees stumbled. Initially, it looked like Sox might just make all the early prognosticators look like geniuses by running away with the East Division. Eventually, reality returned and the Red Sox came back to earth. The Yankees, meanwhile, took off like a juggernaut and by the middle of June lead the Red Sox and the East Division by 10-1/2 games. With a struggling offense and inconsistent pitching no one could figure out how the Bombers were leading by that much of a margin. As with the Red Sox, the Yankees weaknesses became exposed.
The Yankees struggled over the next two months and they saw their bulging lead over the Red Sox dwindle from 10-1/2 games to just 2-1/2 games on September 4th. On June 24th the Yankees and Red Sox became embroiled in another one their legendary brawls triggered by Alex Rodriguez getting drilled by Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo. As we all remember Rodriguez was barking at Arroyo while slowly moving down the first base line. Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek got between Rodriguez and Arroyo and said a few choice adjectives to Rodriguez. Rodriguez invited Varitek to come and dance with him and Varitek obliged by shoving his catcher’s mitt into A-Rod’s face. The benches cleared and bodies went flying. Several players were given time on the beach. The brawl seemed to energize the Sox, while somewhat deflating the Yankees.

From June 19th to September 4th the Red Sox re-wrote the Boston Massacre. At one stretch they won 19 out of 21 games. The Yankees weren’t playing bad ball during that stretch it was just that the Red Sox were playing out of their minds. The Yankees were in danger of being overtaken. However, history has a way of repeating itself. The Yankees who were winning ugly in September looked to the weekend series with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. After dropping the first game 3-2 the Yankees won the remaining two games by scores of 14-4 and 11-1. The Yankees had stemmed the tide and led the East by 4-1/2 games. It would take a complete collapse by the Yankees for Boston to wrest the division from them. Not that they didn’t try. On the very next weekend the Sox swept the Yankees for the second time this season. However, the Yankees played just well enough to dog paddle to the finish line three games in front of Boston.

It has been 86 years since the Sox have won a World Series. From Teddy Baseball to Yaz to Manny none of them ever raised a World Series banner. They play their fans like jilted lovers. Give them hope, and then dash them year after year. Last year Sox fans all over the country could smell the World Series only to have it yanked away by Aaron Boone’s 11th inning bomb in Game 7 off Tim Wakefield. There was a great wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Let’s face it. There is no love lost between these two clubs. The guys in red want to shove it down the throats of the guys wearing pinstripes. If you believe any of these players saying they don’t give hoot about the curse and the rivalry I’ve got some swamp land in Flor…..Louisiana I‘d like to sell you. They care. A Red Sox series victory over the Yankees would go a long way to take the bad taste of 1949, 1975, 1978, 1986, 1999 and 2003 seasons out of the Sox’ mouths. Personally, I want the Yankees to be a bottle of Tabasco sauce, not Listerine.

Prediction: Yankees in 7

PLAY BALL!



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RISING FROM THE ASHES
Tanyon Sturtze is revitalizing a sagging career in New York




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 7, 2004

The most important play in baseball for a pitcher is strike one. When a pitcher gets ahead in the count he can do all sorts of nasty things to the opposing batters. For a guy like Tanyon Sturtze it has taken him quite a while to get that part of the game through his head.

With the departures of Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, David Wells, Jeff Nelson and a plethora of other relievers the Yankees pitching staff needed a major overhaul, including the bullpen. That is when Brian Cashman went out and snagged 33-year old Tanyon Sturtze off the rubble pile.

Sturtze was picked up on May 15th of this year from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was floundering in the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas where he had amassed a 3-0 record with a 2.50 ERA. He held opposing batters to an average of .206. Sturtze had made the rounds in eight previous major league seasons. Sturtze began his career with the Chicago Cubs before moving through Texas for one season, the White Sox for two, Tampa Bay, Toronto and Los Angeles.

Tanyon didn’t have what you would call quality numbers. His lifetime win-loss record was 29-39 with an ERA of 5.20. His career highlight was when he was named the Most Valuable Player for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after the 2001 season by the Tampa Bay chapter of the BBWAA. He pitched 195 innings, led the staff in starts (27) and was tied for the club lead in wins (11). He also had 12 losses.

Like most observers I took a wait and see attitude. New team, new beginning. It didn’t take Tanyon long to disappoint. In his first outing with the Yankees on May 21st Sturtze pitched two innings and was tagged for three hits (two were home runs) and four earned runs. He left the game with an 18.00 ERA. However in his next four outings Sturtze pitched 11 innings and allowed just two earned runs. His ERA dropped like a stone to 4.15. Right about then everyone in Yankee Land couldn’t be happier for how things were working out. Cashman was looking like a genius.

From that point on Sturtze’s season was a topsy-turvy combination of outings, ranging from outstanding to just plain lousy. His season began to seriously spiral downward after he was suspended for three games for his involvement is the July 24th brawl between the Boston Red Sox and the Yankees. Sturtze was pitching at the time the brawl started and he was injured and had to come out of the game. From that point on Sturtze’s ERA blew up like a weather balloon. His low point came during a 22-0 blowout loss to the Cleveland Indians. Sturtze added his can of gas to the blaze by giving up seven earned runs on six hits. His ERA hit a then-season high of 5.90. After that debacle manager Joe Torre didn’t use Sturtze for the next ten days.

Tanyon pitched again on September 9th against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and worked 3-2/3 innings without giving up a run. However, his next outing was a reverse for the worst as he gave up another seven earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. Sturtze’s ERA hit the ceiling. He was now carrying an ERA of 6.47. No one wanted to see this guy in a game. However, Joe Torre, for whatever reason, stuck with the hard luck pitcher. Joe and the team were rewarded. Over Tanyon’s last six outings he worked 12 innings. He gave up only three hits and no earned runs. He struck out 14 batters and walked four. His ERA plummeted from 7.25 at the end of August to 4.20 at the end of September.

What Tanyon Sturtze is doing now is going after batters and getting ahead in the count early. More strike one counts have given Tanyon the ability to use his repertoire more effectively. His strikeout to walk ratio has gotten much better. Last night, in Game 2 of the ALDS he gave up a solo shot to Torii Hunter, but hung in there without letting the damage get worse.

A month and a half ago I’d have been yelling at the TV screen at Joe Torre for even thinking about bringing Tanyon Sturtze into a pressure situation. Now, I’m hoping he gets the guy up and brings him before anyone else. The guy has been through the grinder this season. He hasn’t complained and has taken the ball every time he’s had the opportunity. He has moved from the doghouse to the penthouse over the past month or so, and is one of Torre’s go-to-guys. What the future holds for Tanyon Sturtze no one knows, but I sure am enjoying the present. You should too.

PLAY BALL!

?© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

Redistribution, rewriting, rebroadcast, or republication of this story is prohibited without the prior written consent of Yankees Talk Shop and it's affilitates

PICKING YOUR POISON
Twins, Angels and Red Sox All Prove They Have What It Takes To Beat Yanks




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
October 5, 2004

Once again the New York Yankees finished the division race in their customary position, first place. However, the road to the top of the first mountain peak wasn’t as easy as the 101-61 record would indicate. In a topsy-turvy season that saw a revolving door between the clubhouse and the disabled list the Yankees put on their shoulder pads, their helmets, lowered their heads and crashed through to the division title. A SEVENTH straight division title I might add. No small feat even for a team as highly decorated as the New York Yankees are.

In Joe Torre’s eight seasons with the Yanks his teams have averaged a little over 98-1/2 victories per season. They have won the division 8 out of 9 years. They have won six AL Championships and four World Series titles. No team and no manager can even touch those achievements. This year they did it with a team who’s pitching staff ERA was a disappointing 4.69 and a batting average of .268. Looking at those two numbers alone you’d have to think what in the world are these guys doing here? Well, it’s not so much the numbers that matter. It’s what they did in the context of those numbers.

The Yankees led the major leagues in home runs (242 – tied with Chicago White Sox), and were second in the majors with 863 RBI. Boston led the majors with 912 RBI. The Yankees made the most of their opportunities. They were third in OBP and fourth in slugging percentage. The Boston Red Sox lead in those two categories. Plus they had a better staff average with a team ERA of 4.12. So how did the Yankees end up three games in front of their arch-rival? From a statistical standpoint I have no idea. To take this a little further the Yankees trailed all the AL playoff teams in team ERA, WHIP, hits allowed and strikeouts.

This team is an enigma to be sure. Their star first baseman has been on the shelf with a plethora of injuries throughout the year. In fact, Jason Giambi will not be on the playoff roster. Who would ever think that a playoff team with Jason Giambi on its payroll would leave the former MVP and 2004 All-star off the list? The Yankees also landed Alex Rodriguez in a trade that sent popular second baseman Alfonso Soriano to the Texas Rangers. After the Yankees landed A-Rod most observers thought with Rodriguez, along with a line up of Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Bernie Williams, Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada, the league should just shine up the World Series trophy and hand it to the Yankees.
However, that’s why you play 162 games.

Now that the playoff match ups have been set the Yankees set out to take on the Minnesota Twins and their all-world pitcher Johan Santana in Game 1 of the ALDS. Santana is in a dead heat with Curt Schilling of the Boston Red Sox for this year’s Cy Young Award. He is 20-6 with an amazing 2.61 ERA. He has allowed over one-half a run less per start than Schilling. Santana has faced the Yankees twice this season, gaining a 1-1 split. He lost at Yankee Stadium on September 29th 5-3. However, he only gave up three hits and one earned run in five innings of work. The Yankees will counter with Mike Mussina. Mussina has had his own problems this year. He started off the season very slowly. Mussina, who has been a model of consistency throughout his career, went a deceptive 9-6 with an ERA of 5.20 before landing on the DL with elbow problems after July 6th. He came back and pitched on August 18th, losing 7-2 to the Minnesota Twins 7-2. His opponent was Johan Santana. Mussina then went on a roll going 6-3 and lowering his ERA to 4.59. He won his last five games, beating Santana and the Twins on September 29th 5-3. It appears the Moose is back and if he can avoid early trouble Game 1 of the ALDS should be a doozy of a pitching match up.

If the Yankees get by the Twins, the next round won’t be any easier. Either of the two potential winners in the other ALDS series poses problems for the Bombers. The Anaheim Angels beat the heavily favored Yankees in the 2002 ALDS three games to one to go on and win the World Series as a wild card entry for their first world title. The Yankees would love some payback. However, that might prove harder than they’d like. The Angels after losing four of six games on the both coasts the Angels traveled east in August to sweep the Yankees to take season series 5-4. The Angels have always proven to be a nasty thorn in the Yankees’ side. The Boston Red Sox, should they win won’t be an easy task either. Last year the Yankees and Sox played a seven game classic in the league championship series, which ended on Aaron Boone’s 11th inning solo shot into the left field seats off Boston’s Tim Wakefield. In head-to-head playoff competition the Sox have never bested the Yankees. Could this be the year the worm has finally turned?

The Sox started off the year blazing hot besting the Yanks six out of the first seven games. Since that hot April start by the Sox the Yankees have taken seven of twelve from Boston. However, the Sox took the season series 11-8. For the first time since the Yankees have started their remarkable post-season run they are underdogs to make it to the big show against the eventual National League champion.

Let’s remember a couple of things. A little word association if you please. What do October, playoffs, mystique, aura, curse and history have in common? Those are all the things the Yankees have going for them in the post-season. Until some team officially buries them during this year’s playoffs never count them out. Remember the Aaron Boones, Bucky Dents, Scott Brosius’s and Tino Martinez’s in this world. The Yankees always seem to pull something out of their hats. It’s the most exciting time of the year folks. In the words of Bette Davis, “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

PLAY BALL!



?© 2004 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

Redistribution, rewriting, rebroadcast, or republication of this story is prohibited without the prior written consent of Yankees Talk Shop and it's affilitates