Yeah, at this point it’s impossible to tell anything from the 45,341,856 dynamics in play.
This really, really hurts me to say this. But, good job BoSox. You outplayed us, bigtime.
I mean, I still hope you get trounced in the Series and all… 
Heh, check this out.
This is simply false. Even given how the Yankees behaved THIS year, it’s false. Yes, they went and spent a fortune on Gary Sheffield, but they acquired two Grade A starting pitchers - Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez.
Now, both Brown and Vazquez slumped in 2004:
BROWN 2003: 14-9, 2.39 ERA
BROWN 2004: 10-6, 4.09 ERA
VAZQUEZ 2003: 13-12, 3.24 ERA
VAZQUEZ 2004: 14-10, 4.91 ERA
Now, maybe they should have seen Brown’s decline coming, but they obvious acquired him thinking he’d keep pitching like Kevin Brown, and there was no reason at all to believe Vazquez would pitch as badly as he did.
The team ALSO went out and got a proven starter in Jon Lieber and one of MLB’s best middle relievers in Paul Quantrill. And then halfway through the year they traded for Esteban Loaiza, who pitched brilliantly in 2003 and was doing okay when they got him. They invested a huge amount of money and resources in getting pitchers in 2004. As it turns out a lot of these moves did not work, but it’s crazy to say they didn’t try. You’re confusing the fact that these moves FAILED with the notion that they didn’t make an effort.
And if we look at the Yankees’ history since beginning their current run of victories since 1995, it is clear pitching has been as big a factor as hitting:
(Year, Hitting rank in AL by runs scored, pitching/fielding rank in AL by runs allowed)
1995 - Hitting 6th, Pitching 7th
1996 - Hitting 9th, Pitching 5th
1997 - Hitting 2nd, Pitching 1st
1998 - Hitting 1st, Pitching 1st (by a mile)
1999 - Hitting 3rd, Pitching 2nd
2000 - Hitting 6th, Pitching 6th
2001 - Hitting 5th, Pitching 3rd
2002 - Hitting 1st, Pitching 4th
2003 - Hitting 3rd, Pitching 3rd
2004 - Hitting 2nd, Pitching 6th
Where is the evidence this team doesn’t emphasize pitching as much as hitting? 2004 was the first year the pitching really wasn’t as good as the hitting - and as I have illustrated, it wasn’t for lack of trying.
And that’s despite the fact that the Yankees during this run have generally not been blessed with fielding up to the standard of the pitching. Derek Jeter has never been a good defensive shortstop, and the parade of second basemen has been terrible - Mariano Duncan followed by the bad version of Chuck Knoblauch followed by Alfonso Soriano, all guys who could swing the bat but weren’t great with the leather. The catchers (mostly Posada) have been servicable at most. Williams used to be great but the corner outfielders have often been old and lousy, and the third baseman have been very good, but that middle infield - ouch. There has never been a dominant team with middle infield defense that bad.
Just FYI, next time I’m in New York, I may need to crash at your place. You see, my girlfriend lives up there for the time being, and she grew up there.
Now, she’s a Mets fan, as are her mom and sister. But her dad and two brothers are both Yankees fans. I just bought three shirts and sent them to the males in the family.
I may not be welcome there again.
Haha, brilliant!
Thanks, but it may mean the end of me.
The whole family was over at her folks’ place watching the game. After Damon’s grand slam, I called her and tried to get her to grab her throat and make choking noises. She refused, saying that she might get beaten. 
“Dewey Beats Truman”, 2004 edition. 
Just wanted to say to all the Yankees fans in this thread, I’m impressed by your class in the wake of a genuinely tough defeat.
And for us Red Sox fans, this was the Reversal of All Curses. For the Bosox’ bad mojo has had two strains: not just their consistency at losing World Series in seven games, but their inability to finish ahead of the Yankees when the Yanks actually showed up. (In the Bosox’ previous pennant-winning years of 1946, '67, '75, and '86, the Yankees won 87, 72, 83, and 90 games. While the Yankees won pennants in years when the Bosox won 99 and 97.)
This year, the Red Sox beat a Yankee team that won 101 regular-season games. AND took a 3-0 lead in the ALCS. They not only won a postseason Game 7, against the Yankees, but they did it the hard way: nobody in MLB had ever come from down 3-0 to tie a 7-game series, let alone win one.
This was bigger than any World Series. All curses are unraveled now.
Needless to say, I’d like to see them win the World Series against tonight’s winner, whoever that may be. But even if they lose, I’m willing to bet it’ll just look like a loss against a good team, and not a jinx.
Nope, the Red Sox won’t face Clemens.
I’m currently getting: “This product is temporarily out of stock.”
No picture, either, although I can guess…
Dani
Who is waiting in terpidation to see how the Sox manage to grab defeat out of the jaws of victory this time :eek:
It’s pretty cool. Navy blue with a big, silver, “CHAMPIONS” across the chest with a smaller “BACK TO BACK” at the top.
When I get mine delivered, I might remember and take a picture.
Has anyone commented yet on the irony of a Red Sox pitcher in game 6 wearing a red sock ?
I stand by my statement. Steinbrenner is not a pitching man. However, Torre and Cashman know better. Torre recently reiterated his statement, “You can never have too much pitching.” Steinbrenner’s gets personally involved with the hitters, but leaves pitching to his “baseball people” (notable exception: David Wells). Cashman has the biggest bankroll in baseball to try and bring in top flight pitching. Vasquez and Loiaza looked like no-brainers. That they didn’t work is unfortunate, but I believe both will be back next year. Vasquez pitched well in the first half of the year, but then slumped big time.
The Yankees were a better team playing base-to-base baseball than power baseball, because they were better at manufacturing runs consistently. That is not the type of team Steinbrenner wants to field, thus we get ARod and Sheffield and Matsui and Giambi (all fine players, although I think Steinbrenner expected more power from Matsui).
As to the middle infield, I have to mostly agree. Chuck “It Away” Knoblauch was baffling. That should have been a solid acquisition. Soriano was servicable, but was dynamite offensively. Jeter is good, not great. Jeter’s strength is that he’s always in the right place. He reads a field well and knows where he needs to be to make a play or backup a play. Posada has improved defensively, but you never hear of Posada getting that clutch hit. Bernie peaked about 3-4 years ago. Never had a throwing arm to speak of, and despite being fast, Bernie has no base running instincts. Matsui is the best everyday fielding outfielder they have had in quite awhile, and Sheffield impressed me. He was better than I expected (low expectations, maybe). Martinez was a better fielder than Giambi, but neither had any range. At third base, I think Brosius did much better than expected, although he, too, didn’t have much range (for a position that doesn’t require great range).
The Yankees biggest problem right now is their aging stars and lack of any minor league talent. 1996-2000 were seasons where they relied on young, home-grown talent to carry them. Now, they are veterans and should be grooming the next batch of players, but there is no one to groom.
I’m just wondering what the ramifications might be if the Sox win the series, AND the pats go undefeated and win the super bowl again. That’s two Boston teams winning three championships in two years. (And if add the previous Pats win, 4 championships in four years.)
The city itself may very well explode.
It would be wickid pissah. The place prolly won’t explode, but some zippahedz ah likely to turn ovah a few cahs.
Question for Noone Special: Is “terpidation” a nervous apprehension about the University of Maryland’s mascot?
I wondah how Nomah is doin.
Jeeziz, it’s gotta be tough ta go from Bawstin to Chicahgo the yeah aftah they win the pennant. Talk about hahtbreak.
nooommmaaaaaaahhh!!!
:d
Who would’ve thought that the Red Sox key to success would be fobbing Nomar off on the poor unspecting Cubbies?