Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Meditations on a 8-1 lead, bottom 6.

Joe Torre is gone. There's no way George is going to keep him around after blowing a 3-0 series lead. Cashman also, probably, for failing to get Schilling and Johnson and Vlad Guerrero. (We all know how George's mind works.) If so, this is probably the beginning of the next 1979-1994-style fallow period, 'cause George will probably dig Billy Martin's corpse up to manage next year. (Seriously, I'm not sure who would be the next manager. Maybe Larry Bowa?)

If Cashman stays, then expect to see Carlos Beltran and probably Pedro in pinstripes, since Cashman will have his yearly mandate to get back to the Series.

The Yankees lost this series because they failed to do the things that they did to win those four World Series titles under Torre. The worst thing that happened to them in this series was running up that 19-8 win in game three. They spent so much time after game three trying to kill the ball instead of playing small ball. Example. Matsui sitting 3-1 against Wakefield in the 14th on Monday with Sheffield on first. Two mistakes here. First, Joe should have put Lofton in to run for Sheff. Second, Matsui swings at ball four and hits a weak grounder to force Sheff at second. Instead of 2 on, none out when Wakefield uncorks the three passed balls in a row, it's 1 on, one out, and Matsui only gets to third. This team, instead of playing for runs, was trying to end the game with one swing.

The rainout killed the Yankees and helped the Red Sox because they have Wakefield, who pretty much pitches every day, and the Yankee bullpen is abysmal.

The Red Sox are probably going to win it all, because they are functioning like a team, which the Yankees seem to have forgotten about.

Ironic that Damon is the hero tonight, seeing as he sucked so badly the rest of the series. But I think Schilling, Damon and Wakefield should all share the MVP, though Lowe is certainly making a case here, with a 1-hitter through 6.

And I'd like to think that we can officially retire this "Curse" bullshit once and for all tonight. Even if the Sox don't win the Series, coming from 3-0 down to vanquish the hated Yankees, making Major League history in the process, pretty much puts paid to the Bambino's bill, thank you very much, drive through. (Though that said, the Red Sox winning the World Series makes them ordinary. The misery officially transfers to the Cubs.)

If it's Sox-Houston, I have to root for the Sox for obvious reasons. If it's Sox-Cards, I'm probably just going to root for a good 7-game series.

3 Comments:

Blogger Brendan said...

I will bet you cash money the next manager is Bucky Dent. He's a talisman against the Sox, George loves him, and he's the manager in Columbus- the only guy to survive a Yankee minor league purge a bit back. He's the groomed child, and I pretty much expect him to be managing the team next year.

10/20/2004 11:50 PM  
Blogger Jon M. said...

You know, I hadn't even thought of him, and he was even on TV tonight, throwing out the first pitch.

10/21/2004 12:02 AM  
Blogger Thom Guthrie, Bassist and Adventurer said...

Red Sox. Yay, beer.
Oh...Red SOX. Whatever.
Bucky Dent is the Man.

10/21/2004 5:44 PM  

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