OK, so I was wrong (a month, second place, and all of that). And I couldn’t be happier about it.
Now go get one of three, fellas, that’s it.
Mea Culpa
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sf, you’re always wrong…what made you think this time would be different? ;) …i’m going to need one of your patented pep talks when this week is over…help
While you’re at it, why don’t you take the next week off? I’m sure Paul will be happy to join you…..again.
I am taking the week off, Woosta – on vacation (first in a year) and probably unable to see much ball. So there you have it.
SF, before you go, please have the Yankee game threads ready. You did an excellent job last night.
have a good vaca! Woosta will be here… professional Bottle-Deposit Redeemers dont get much vacation time ;)
Hey Woosta, how about another lengthy and insightful post about how all the Yankee players are so vastly superior to the Red Sox players?
why do i have a feeling that this won’t end well?
Last night’s post-game interviews and analysis on YES turned me from a rather self-righteously oriented fan annoyed at Mike Mussina and not caring what happens to him as long as he exits stage right, to someone who feels genuinely sorry for the guy.
He not only was a clearly beaten man, but also one confronting (pretty suddenly I might add) the end of his career staring him in the face – just 3 wins shy of 250.
David Justice (especially), Al Leiter, and even Michael Kay did an admirable job I thought stressing just how hard this will all be on Mussina without, I thought, throwing him under the bus any more than he already is thanks to his under-performance.
It was really sad. I of course always want to see the Yankees in the post-season, but every once in a while it is good for me to remember that these guys are human.
I actually turned the TV off feeling more bad for the guy then bothered by the loss – though taht coudl also have been due to the fact that I had to get used to the idea of the loss a couple hours earlier almost right out of the gate…
In Mussinas defense, hes been getting lit up by good hitting teams of late…
I feel badly for Mussina too. Once upon a time, he was one of my favorite pitchers. I had to *learn* to hate him after he became a Yankee, and I always hoped that he’d one day get shipped off somewhere else. I wonder where he could go now though.
I’m also reminded of when Mussina became a Yankee. I found out while I was on shift at the Wonder Bar in Allston. Pete the YF bartender informed me of it. We were both convinced that that move would just continue the line of Yankee championships for bunch of years.
So to echo SF, it’s good to be wrong sometimes.
Ric,
I’d agree with you, except for the fact that we are not talking about getting hit 4-5 runs in 6-7 innings – we are talking about twice not being able to get through 4 innings.
And on a deeper level – not to get psychoanalytical – he says he is hitting is hitting his spots. In other words, he is not wild – he just doesn’t have the stuff he used to. What is weird to me is that it is not just the drop in fastball,which you expect. It is that his curveball is also not biting. Kay suggested that he has dropped his arm slot to 3/4 to try to get more on his fastball and that this in turn is flattening everything lese – curveball and change.
Whatever it is, I really think this goes deeper than a couple bad outings against great hitting teams.
His only chance is to reinvent himself, develop another pitch – i.e. slider – but none of that can be done in 1 week. At best, he can try to do that in the offseason to work toward a new Mussina in 2008.
Now go get one of three, fellas, that’s it.
Hell no! Put the boot to the throat and sweep ’em right out of wild card contention. Much as I love those epic Sox v. Yanks playoffs, there’s nothing in the world that would make me happier than seeing the Yankees out of the playoffs entirely.
Amen Jackie, Amen.
I didn’t mean to imply that I wanted the Sox to only take one, but only taking one would have to be considered a fine result, and I would certainly be pleased if that happened. Anything but getting swept. That’s what I meant.
Sure, a sweep of the Yankees would be awesome, but not realistic to ask for, I don’t think.
True, SF, true. And heck, even if we get swept we’re still in fine position to win the division. But why be so tentative? I’m not saying “I won’t settle for anything less than a sweep” but I also don’t want them aiming for one of three.
Basically, I want revenge for the last eight years (or whatever it is) that they finished on top of the division. I want no mercy, bloodlusty, balls-to-the-wall (where does this expression come from, btw?), kick em while they’re down, humiliate them in front of their grandparents, etc baseball. Why settle for less? :)
Given Boston’s ever-fluctuating Division lead, I don’t think they can afford to settle for one win.
but I also don’t want them aiming for one of three
I take it as a given that they aren’t doing this. I imagine many fans would be content with this happening, though, myself included. That said, let’s sweep*.
*or, one or two of three!
Hahaha. Your well-reasoned reply does nothing to diminish my bloodlust! (More seriously: point taken.) I guess what I should be saying is that I won’t be ready to fling myself from the
TobinGolden Gate if we only take one of three, but I will be severely disappointed.As I saw someone else say, elsewhere on the net, today: The Yankees are like Alien. They just keep coming and coming and coming until you annihilate them with the most firepower you can possibly unleash. I don’t want to take one of three, let the Yanks slip into the postseason via the wild card, and have them go on another statistically unbelievable streak of .900+ OPS ball to win the whole enchilada. I know that’s an overly pessimistic view of things, but anything is possible.
let the Yanks slip into the postseason via the wild card, and have them go on another statistically unbelievable streak of .900+ OPS ball to win the whole enchilada. I know that’s an overly pessimistic view of things, but anything is possible.
I think this is a totally viable scenario. The Sox can only dent the WC chances for the Yankees this series, though, they can’t eliminate that possibilty. Steel yourself for the chance of facing the Yanks in the ALCS, should both teams make the playoffs. It’s a distinct possibility, to me at least.