MLB post season: 2009

[sweepkick]

Although I pay little attention to sports these days, I am a lifelong Yankees fan. I have memorabilia that goes back to 1972 or so, including pennants, programs, and a baseball signed (in pen) by the 1976 team.

So count me as a happy guy when I saw the final score of tonight's game!

Go Yankees!

How perfect.

Someone who really doesn't care enough about baseball to actually watch the game, but is happy to "find out" that the Yankees won. Wow... go YOU, baseball fan!!

[Crawlspace]

If you can figure out a way to get 8 million people to not care enough about 55,000 seats a night (.006% interest in each game), let me know. We Pennsylvanians will get on it right away. :)You might want to call Omar Minaya. He seems to have it figured out pretty well.

[Crawlspace]

How perfect.Indeed. You've certainly exhibited how little the Yankee's winning bothers you.

[sweepkick]

Indeed. You've certainly exhibited how little the Yankee's winning bothers you.

Do you like puppies?

[Crawlspace]

More than most, Mr. Scrooge. Why? What do you plan to do to them?

[sweepkick]

More than most, Mr. Scrooge. Why? What do you plan to do to them?

About as pertinent to the argument as anything you have said in this thread.

In all seriousness.. *congratulations*. Have your fun.

*snicker*

[Crawlspace]

About as pertinent to the argument as anything you have said in this thread.Strong words coming from a man who's only other posts let everyone know how little he cares that the Yankee's won. (Well that and some random bit about puppies.)

And I will have fun. The parade is always phenomenal. ;)

[E-Sabbath]

I just want to say, despite the fact that the Yanks won in 6, this was a much tighter series than the final scores showed, thanks to the tendency towards big final innings.

Philly played a great game, and it was only a matter of very slight degree who came out on top a few times. The two teams in the series _were_ the best teams in baseball, this year, and it was a delight to see them play.

That said, I'm glad the Boss got to get one last series win in, cause I don't know if he'll make it to the next season. And it was a good way to wind up the new park.

But I've been calling the lineup 'Murderer's Row' all year, and I think they lived up to the name. Me? I'm going over the bridge, folks. See you next year.

[Southern Yankee]

Yes, it was one of the better Series in a few years, competition-wise. Two very good teams; memorable plays (the Damon double-steal will go down as a classic WS moment); great performances (Utley; Matsui; Jeter; Lee in Game 1.) I wouldn;t mind if they played a few more games (as long as the Yankees still get to win.. )

[BobLibDem]

Matsui sure made up for his lack of timely hitting in the previous rounds. This was one of the better World Series in recent years. The Damon running was an all time classic. Loved MLB.com's headline the next day: "Everybody Loves Damon".

[What Exit?]

It was fun and Utley and Lee were sensational for the Phillies. Rollins on the other hand should really learn to shut up.

Even though Teix barely hit, his hits were usually timely and his gold glove work was sensational throughout all the rounds and all year.

Swish and Cano really looked lost but thankfully their teammates picked them up.

Yanks need to get Andy back on another one year contract and fast.

[RickJay]

Woo, the Yankees bought another one.

Incredibly, at least to me, this is the second time someone has hit five home runs in a postseason series and still had his team lose.

[Tom Scud]

Woo, the Yankees bought another one.

Incredibly, at least to me, this is the second time someone has hit five home runs in a postseason series and still had his team lose.

Who's the other? My guess was Barry Bonds in the SFO-Anaheim series, but he "only" had 4. (To go with his 1.994 OPS for the series).

[RickJay]

Who's the other? My guess was Barry Bonds in the SFO-Anaheim series, but he "only" had 4. (To go with his 1.994 OPS for the series).
Juan Gonzalez in the 1996 ALDS between Texas and New York.

[Marley23]

By the way, the Yankees finished the series with an outfield of Jerry Hairston Jr., Brett Gardner, and Nick Swisher. That's not a Murderer's Row - it's three guys you might not recognize if they were behind you in line at Subway.

[What Exit?]

By the way, the Yankees finished the series with an outfield of Jerry Hairston Jr., Brett Gardner, and Nick Swisher. That's not a Murderer's Row - it's three guys you might not recognize if they were behind you in line at Subway.
:D

[D_Odds]

I'd recognize Gardner from his misshaped skull. Kid should not go with a shaved head.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Congrats, Yankees fans. The best team won.

Figures that after years of arguing with Yankees fans about how their anti-A-Rod complaints were silly, the year he blows up and wins a World Series it's against the Phillies.

Fucking Lidge, man.

[mhendo]

By the way, the Yankees finished the series with an outfield of Jerry Hairston Jr., Brett Gardner, and Nick Swisher. That's not a Murderer's Row - it's three guys you might not recognize if they were behind you in line at Subway.Well, Hairston was a defensive replacement for Damon when the Yankees had a 4-1 lead. Not a bad move, considering Damon is not a great fielder and throws like Bernie Williams. So it's not exactly like Hairston was part of the regular outfield; he had 6 at-bats in the whole series.

Gardner is a good fielder, and a decent choice when the Yankees can use Matsui as a DH. And even he only had 10 plate appearances in 5 games.

As for Swisher, he hit 29 homers with 82 RBIS and an OPS+ of 126 this year, and earned five and a half million dollars. Only in Yankee-spending land could this type of player be paraded as an example of anonymous mediocrity.

[Tom Scud]

Fucking Lidge, man.

Yeah, Lidge is NOT a sufficient Billy Wagner replacement.

[Lamar Mundane]

Anyone know why they did the awards outdoors and didn't show any of the champagne spraying in the locker room like they usually do?

[Marley23]

Well, Hairston was a defensive replacement for Damon when the Yankees had a 4-1 lead. Not a bad move, considering Damon is not a great fielder and throws like Bernie Williams.
No, Damon strained a calf muscle running home on Matsui's single. Damon's defensive shortcomings are inarguable but that's not why he came out of the game.

I think you may have missed what I was going for: because of injuries, the Yankees finished the Series with three subs in the outfield. Swisher had a pretty good year and became a fan favorite, but he was supposed to be a utility player and became the starting right fielder when Nady went down in April. He hit for some quality power and was a big help at the start of the year, and I like him, but he was really bad in the playoffs. He was benched in game two in favor of Hairston, who was a trading deadline pickup. I like watching Gardner be a pest on the basepaths - and in point of fact, Gardner won the starting CF job in the spring and then lost it back to Melky - but he was only there because Melky got hurt.

Which reminds me that I am very grateful Girardi didn't get a chance to pull some of the ridiculous pinch running moves we saw against the Angels.

In any case, despite Swisher's decent salary and good production, he was not supposed to start on this team, and Hairston Jr.-Gardner-Swisher is not exactly a fearsome outfield. And that wasn't a late inning defensive lineup; that was the outfield for the last six innings.

[mhendo]

OK, so i was wrong about why Damon came out, but the fact is that, with a 4-1 lead in a game that could win them the World Series, the Yankees didn't lose much by having a better fielder out there.I think you may have missed what I was going for: because of injuries, the Yankees finished the Series with three subs in the outfield.

<snip>

In any case, despite Swisher's decent salary and good production, he was not supposed to start on this team.But you're making my argument for me.

When a player who hits 29 homers, 82 RBIs, an OPS+ of 126, and makes $5.4 million is your backup guy, that means you're the Yankees. The fact that Swisher had a bad post-season is irrelevant; he's still a good player. A-Rod has had bad post-seasons before too, but you're not going to leave him out of your lineup.

[The Other Jeffrey Lebowski]

While Swisher was certainly lacking at the plate in the post season, he was the best option defensively (his doubling up of Vlad was a gem).
Congratulations to the Phillies for making it to the series, they were a worthy representative for the Senior Circuit, and are truly a great team.

[Marley23]

OK, so i was wrong about why Damon came out, but the fact is that, with a 4-1 lead in a game that could win them the World Series, the Yankees didn't lose much by having a better fielder out there.
I didn't say they lost much. I said the guys they had out there were not big names. Two of them were backups, and the other was supposed to be a bench guy and was on the pine in game two.

But you're making my argument for me.
I think you've misunderstood what I was saying, because it wasn't an argument, it was a simple observation in the form of a joke. They're not scrubs, but they are far from big names. Gardner and Hairston were reserves going into the Series who were only in the game because of injuries. I'd have to check to see if they saw action in the home games even as defensive replacements. But they weren't even there as late inning defensive replacements. Gardner was there the whole game and Hairston played the last six innings.

When a player who hits 29 homers, 82 RBIs, an OPS+ of 126, and makes $5.4 million is your backup guy, that means you're the Yankees.
Who said otherwise?

The fact that Swisher had a bad post-season is irrelevant; he's still a good player. A-Rod has had bad post-seasons before too, but you're not going to leave him out of your lineup.
I never said Swisher was a bad player, and I never said that about Rodriguez either. (That whole thing was stupid, but I was glad to see him have a historic postseason this time out.) I said that that outfield was pretty anonymous, particularly on a star packed team. Which is true.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Yeah, Lidge is NOT a sufficient Billy Wagner replacement.

I didn't say I wanted him dead.

[Tom Scud]

Hey, I can't keep track of what y'all in Philly do with the relief pitchers the Astros keep sending you. You did pretty well with that Schilling kid a while ago, too, I guess.

So I guess Lidge ends up in Boston in 3 or 4 years, then?

[pricciar]

Congrats to the Yankees fans! The Yanks were truly awesome. I think the Phillies have a great team. But, this year they weren't quite good enough. 27! Awesome.

I'm hoping that the Phillies can get back again next year! If Hamels gets his head on straight they have a very good staff with Lee, Happ and Blanton. And, hopefully Rollins won't be quite as bad next year. While Werth, Utley and Howard can hopefully maintain their superstar status.

Great job Phillies and Yankees! Really good series.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Eventually Hamels, Lee, Happ, Blanton and Drabek, god willing.

I'd really just like to see Lidge get his head on straight again. I enjoy rooting for him, and it's just awful having that sense of impending doom about a guy on your team.

But if he does end up in Boston, he'll have to die, of course.

[ElvisL1ves]

That won't happen. If Papelbon takes the money and runs, the next Sox closer will be Daniel Bard. He may be ready already, in fact.

A fine Series all-around, and the Yanks came through when they needed to. Yes, A-Rod and Teixeira are there instead of Boston because they went to the highest bidder with the deepest pockets, but they did have to go out and hit too. Well done.

[Hawkeyeop]

That won't happen. If Papelbon takes the money and runs, the next Sox closer will be Daniel Bard. He may be ready already, in fact.

A fine Series all-around, and the Yanks came through when they needed to. Yes, A-Rod and Teixeira are there instead of Boston because they went to the highest bidder with the deepest pockets, but they did have to go out and hit too. Well done.

What percentage of the time does the "closer in waiting" become an effective closer for a team? 10%? It almost never works out.

Oh and on Teixeria I don't believe the Yankees were the highest bidder or at least any higher than the Red Sox. Teixeria decision was more about his wife's distaste of Boston and the Red Sox leaking too much info to the media if I recall correctly.

[What Exit?]

What percentage of the time does the "closer in waiting" become an effective closer for a team? 10%? It almost never works out.

Oh and on Teixeria I don't believe the Yankees were the highest bidder or at least any higher than the Red Sox. Teixeria decision was more about his wife's distaste of Boston and the Red Sox leaking too much info to the media if I recall correctly.
I have heard in the end it was what you said and less than $1 million a year. But there was some extra money involved.

[Marley23]

What percentage of the time does the "closer in waiting" become an effective closer for a team? 10%? It almost never works out.
Beats me. But most closers don't have a long shelf life no matter how you slice it, and everybody wants their closer in waiting to be the next Mariano Rivera.

Oh and on Teixeria I don't believe the Yankees were the highest bidder or at least any higher than the Red Sox.
There may have been other issues, but the Yankees got him for $180 million over eight years and I think the Sox had offered $170 million.

[ElvisL1ves]

What percentage of the time does the "closer in waiting" become an effective closer for a team? 10%? It almost never works out.See Rivera, Mariano. You'll find him in the Wiki article for John Wetteland.

Oh and on Teixeria I don't believe the Yankees were the highest bidder or at least any higher than the Red Sox.They were. But he did want to go to NY; Boras was just using Boston to drive up the price until Boston realized it.

[E-Sabbath]

By the way, the Yankees finished the series with an outfield of Jerry Hairston Jr., Brett Gardner, and Nick Swisher

Murderer's Row refers to the first six or so hitters.
If I'm remembering right, I may have swapped someone, it was
Jeter, Damon, (Hairston), Teix, A-Rod, Matsui, Posada, Cano, Swisher, Gardner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murderers%27_Row
I'll compare that fairly favorably to the 'real' row, of Combs, Koenig, Ruth, Gehrig, Meusel, Lazzeri, Dugan, and Collins.

[dougie_monty]

Well, the Yankees won another World Series.
They can CHOKE on it! :mad:

[gonzomax]

Why Lee did not pitch games 1, 4 and 7, I do not know.

[DSYoungEsq]

Maybe because there was no game 7? :confused:

[Marley23]

Murderer's Row refers to the first six or so hitters.
Fair enough. And yes, the Yankees won because those top six guys hit so well and worked over the Phillies' pitchers.

Why Lee did not pitch games 1, 4 and 7, I do not know.
What does it matter? They won both of his starts. The problem was that they did not win a game started by anyone else.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Why Lee did not pitch games 1, 4 and 7, I do not know.

I believe he said he didn't want to pitch on short rest.

[Hawkeyeop]

I believe he said he didn't want to pitch on short rest.

Lee was willing. The manager chose not to as Lee had never done it before.

[gonzomax]

Maybe because there was no game 7? :confused:

There would have been.
Pitchers who don't do it regularly seem to shine when they go out on short rest. What was he saving it for, marriage?

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Interesting trade rumors. The Yankees are supposedly interested in Curtis Granderson.

[Marley23]

There would have been.
I'm dying to hear the reasoning here. Are you saying that if he'd pitched game for, they would have won game four AND game five even though Lee no longer pitches game five? Because like I said earlier, they didn't win a single game he didn't start. Do you think Blanton or Martinez would have magically pitched better knowing Lee had been good the previous game and would be there to pitch the seventh game? Because even if Lee pitches three games, they needed to win a game behind someone else in order to force a game seven.

[mhendo]

Interesting trade rumors. The Yankees are supposedly interested in Curtis Granderson."Yankees interested in expensive, talented players. Pope still Catholic."

By the way, this stuff is now being discussed in the Hot Stove League (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=539088) thread.

[gonzomax]

Granderson is 272 life time. he hit 30 HRs this year. He turns singles into doubles and doubles into triples with his speed. He covers the outfield pretty well. His on base percentage is low for a leadoff hitter. He is only 28 so he can get even better. I wonder what the Yanks would give up? Tigers need a left hand power hitter. That is kind of what Grandy has become. He is still signed for the next 2 years ,I think.