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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