Seeing Mark Teixeira getting plunked was a very scary moment last night. And seeing CC Sabathia not get his 20th win was depressing.
But I have to say I'm all pleased to see Joe Torre's Dodgers tanking so hard this week. Here's my Faster Times piece on it.
What do you think? Leave us a comment!
i hate ALL the plunking that goes on in mlb
ReplyDeleteLisa, I know you want to throw away everything Joe Torre ever did with the Yankees -- 1978 wasn't THAT long ago, after all -- but did it ever occur to you that the Dodgers' current difficulties are due to something else?
ReplyDeleteIt's the Curse of Donnie Baseball. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: No team with Don Mattingly in uniform has EVER won a Pennant, and none ever will.
Mattingly as a player: Yankees 1982 to 1995, winning the Pennant the year before he arrived and the World Series the year after he left, and the Pennant every year but one between 1996 and 2001 -- 1997, the year his number was retired and his Monument Park plaque awarded.
Mattingly as a coach: Yankees 2004 to 2007, starting the year after what's still the last Yankees Pennant; Dodgers 2008 to present, making the Playoffs both years, but... to be continued. (With a chance of being resolved, but don't bet on it.)
Blame Torre all you want for various managerial mistakes, but he was the greatest manager/head coach in New York sports since Casey Stengel. (And I don't want to hear about Al Arbour: With all that talent, a lot of guys could have won a Stanley Cup or two.) But a team with Donnie Regular Season Baseball on it is doomed to be flagless.
Forget it Lisa, Pope Josephus will never be called out by the media for his failings; it will always be the players' fault.
ReplyDeleteWell, Joe and the Dodgers clinched but their poor play may end up catching up with them - it reminds me of 1985 when Toronto (managed by Bobby Cox) had to hold off a resurgent Billy Martin-Yankee team, winning the division on the next to last day of the season (a win over the Yankees pitched by the immortal Doyle Alexander). But the Jays had little left for the playoffs and were picked off by the Dick Howser-led KC Royals. Let's see what Joe can do against LaRussa.........
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteAt least no one had 20 wins so CC is tied for the most and the Yankees finished the season with an awesome record. Do you have a preference on who you want to play in the first series? I assume Detroit for revenge, but either way, the Yankees (sigh) are the favorite this year.
Noreen
Hey Noreen ...
ReplyDeleteMy feeling is that if you are going to be the WS champs you should be able to beat any team therefore I don't even try to choose between opponents. As Alex said yesterday ...be careful what you wish for. Hopefully the Yankees stay healthy and play great ball and the rest will take care of itself.
Twins and Tigers certainly are making it interesting by taking it down to the wire..shades of 1978.
As a Yankee fan this has been one of the most fun and exciting seasons. I love this whole team !!!
Anyway ...when the playoffs begin it's a whole new ballgame. May the best team win ...I'm hoping it's My Yanks !!!!
Peggy
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
Good point Peggy! At least we have one more regular season game to watch. I am glad to have a few nights off before the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteI think your team came together great this year. Whatever funk was going on in the clubhouse seems to have been exorcised. It was definitely a good year for the opening of the new stadium.
Aren't we lucky to have a dog in this fight? Good luck!
Noreen