This weekend, one of our readers anonymously opined about the difference between Squawker Jon and me. Jon, the reader said, sounds "like Eeyore" (hmmm, does that make me Tigger?) Meanwhile, I assume "every game should be a Yankees victory, and any decision that is slightly against [my] team is a travesty." And that's a problem, why, exactly?
Fortunately, this season it appears that the Yankees feel the same way; Johnny Damon was recently quoted saying something like that. No, not that Squawker Jon is Eeyore, but about how the Yankees have swagger this year. "We think we can win every game," Damon told the New York Post.
And Nick Swisher posted this on his Twitter account yesterday: "Comeback kids strike again. Awesome game today. Never quit attitude. Amazing."
Anyhow, it's getting to the point where no matter what kind of hole the Yanks are in, you can expect them to make some sort of thrilling comeback rally in late innings. I missed hearing parts of the first half of yesterday's game (like the Jeter bunt controversy) but I did listen to the last few innings, so I got to hear the great Yankee comeback. (But hearing it isn't as exciting as seeing it, and doesn't really paint the full picture of what happened!)
Squawker Jon told me the other day that it's no surprise the Yanks keep on having all these come-from-behind wins, giving that they have a great lineup playing in a bandbox. But yesterday's rally had more to do with small ball than the long ball.
Squawker reader Bostowned said this last week about the Yankees, and I tend to agree:
This team is different. As a fan, I see a 3 game sweep I immediately think...well lets see how they do in the next series against a better team. Then they sweep them. Then I start thinking...hmm....well I wonder how well they'll respond after they finally lose a series. Will they lose all confidence as I've seen so many times in the past? Nope, went on to take the next 2 series. After the last 20 games, Im ready to believe that this team isn't the 2004-2008 teams at all. Nothing seems to get them down and break their confidence. Every game appears winnable no matter what the score is or who's on the mound.Yesterday not only had a thrilling rally, but Mariano Rivera earning the WWE belt for his save, which included getting Evan Longoria out this time! But the real MVP of yesterday's game, and the unsung hero of this season, was Alfredo Aceves, who pitched two scoreless innings to keep the Yankees in the game. He mentioned something about wanting to be like Ramiro Mendoza in Suzyn Waldman's postgame interview with him. As Suzyn pointed out, he's done his homework!
Good stuff.
I'm guessing, though, that Joba Chamberlain's performance yesterday will push Mike Francesa to go on yet another rant about how he should pitch in the bullpen. Good grief.
What do you think? Leave us a comment!
11 comments:
Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when the Yankees were comeback kids. Now, even the veterans feel like kids again.
I'd love to believe this team is performing like a champion. Of course, there's always the elephant in the room, which is, "How is A-Rod going to blow it for the Yankees THIS time?"
Well, so far, he isn't blowing it for them. Instead, for the first time, he's actually making a teammate better. It's Mark Teixeira, who, after a tough start is, right now, the (lower-case) most valuable player in the American League.
Right now, the Yankees are clicking on all cylinders, which is good, because this could very well be the defining stretch of the season: Nine games, at home for defending Pennant winners Tampa Bay, three games on the road against Boston, and three games at home against The Other Team.
At least six out of nine are, I believe, essential. So far, two out of three, meaning four out of six to go. Considering the way both the Sox and the Mets have been playing, I'm a little optimistic.
Then again, this is the Sox, one of two teams who've really had the Yankees' number since 2004. (The other is the Whatever They're Calling Themselves This Year Angels of Anaheim, and in their case it's been for even longer.) So they really need to step up, and do one of the things that great Yankee teams have always done to prove their greatness, which is turn Fenway Park into a little green pinball machine.
Shred the Sox!
Got to Fenway for the first time this year yetsrday and despite the loss it was a nice day at the park with good friends and cold beer (not Bud!). I called the comeback as soon as I saw bases loaded...what happened to TB? Is that 5 or 6 errors over the last two games?
Uncle Mike - not sure if 6/9 is essential but 6/9 sure would be a giant excalamtion point. Yankee fans have every right to be feeling good about their team and their chances over the next two series. Not that I'm conceding anything, but I am giving credit where it is due. Let's see what Mother Nature has to say. Weather looks dreadful over all three days.
Speaking of weather - hope its ok in NY tonight. No Sox so I'm relying on ESPN to keep my attention span in order.
have a great day all!
AVG OBP SLG OPS
.237 .361 .485 .846
Uncle Mike, these are your MVP's numbers away from your little league field. Apparantly he doesnt want to pay the roaming charges for his "Tex Messages"
Ryan...
The reason the away numbers are so low away is the fact that Tex's worst month was April and the Yanks played 15 away games as opposed to 8 home games.
I'm sure the numbers will even out in due time. He's been mashing the ball at home AND away since Alex returned. Let's see where the numbers stand at the END of the season. If he keeps up at this rate he's right up there for MVP...no doubt about it.
Peggy
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
Whoops, I didn't realize this was a "wraparound series," four games, Friday through Monday. This is what happens when you don’t pay attention. Actually, this is what happens when I don’t pay attention.
So forget about 6 out of 9... 6 out of 10 would be okay, but 7 out of 10 would send a much better message.
Now I see that Ryan O has called Yankee Stadium II a “little league field.” Right, it will certainly look like one once his team, the Mets, comes in. I may not have a problem with Citi Field – okay, one, the plane situation seems to be even worse – but it’s not the park that’s “little league,” it’s the home team: If they don’t win, it’s the same!
Thanks for boosting Tex before I could, Peggy.
And, Paul, I’m going to follow your example of trying to be sociable, and not take any chances. While I still want the Yankees to shred the Red Sox, I’m going to take them completely seriously as a tough team. You know, like I didn’t do with the Rays last year.
Still no sign of Rays fan Geno, right? Does he even know this post-Daily News Squawker site exists?
Sociable? but aren't you always sociable Uncle Mike?
I, too, wonder what happened to Geno...you two were quite entertaining but I doubt it would be as much fun this year with the Rays not quite tearing it up (at least for now).
By the way, it was a wraparound but you had the rainout on Friday so I think you're back to 6/9.
Cheers!
Are you saying that Texeira's numbers have nothing to do with the benfit of hitting at Yankee Stadium??
His splits so far are worse than Matt Holliday in 2007 when he didnt win the MVP because he played so much better at home.
Every fly ball goes out...they had to hit 4 home runs to score 5 runs tonight. Its a joke, your 1.5 billion dollar stadium is a joke. Arod doesnt even need steroids to hit them out.
Johnny Damon is on pace to hit 36 home runs. 9 of his 12 are at home. jeter 6 of 8, Tex 12 of 18, ARod 7 of 8.
So yes Uncle Mike its a little league field.
Let's see, Ryan has given us "benfit," "didn’t," "Its," a second “its,” “doesn’t,” and two different ways to type Alex Rodriguez’s nickname: “Arod” and “ARod.” He also failed to capitalize “jeter.” (Figures, his Mets don’t seem to know how to capitalize on anything.) At least he spelled “MVP” right, not that he would know, since none of his Mets have ever – from 1962 through 2008 – won the National League’s Most Valuable Player award.
So, Ryan, if you want to criticize Yankee Stadium II, go ahead. But if you’re going to call something “little league,” with or without capitalization, at least make it look like you can spell and/or type better than a Little Leaguer.
Of course, look who the Mets are playing, weather permitting. They may be the defending World Champions and a very good team again this season, but what’s a “Phillie”? That’s even sillier than “Red Sox.”
There's no need to worry about your grammar or spelling with the comments section. Heck, I don't always have the best grammmar or spelling myself in my blog entries!(I had an incorrect verb tense in a headline the other day, and didn't notice until hours later.
On another subject, I emailed Geno to tell him to come see this thread!
Professor Mike, I'll take the below average grade for grammer. But I'll take an "A" for content since you didn't seem to disagree with any of it.
Now if you don't mind, the Germans are bombing Pearl Harbor.
Isn't a phillie a racehorse?
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