"Next Year"

So with that said, Douggy Bombs would like to offer you his insights on next year's team:

AROD IS GONE
A-Rod was told all along, as was Boras, if he opts out he's gone. Stick to your guns and let him walk. Even if he is brought back, it will seem half hearted and inconsequential to sway the minds of New Yorkers. As a Yankee fan, I am 100% disappointed with A-Rod that he decided to opt out. The signs were there that if he stayed he would continue to be embraced, and he should have known better.

No, you cannot replace his production. However, you can move to fill the lineup differently. Betemit should become the everyday 3B, assuming he does as he is told and loses 15 pounds to improve his flexibility, endurance, and quickness.

Robinson Cano has the ability to become one of the top defensive 2B's in all of baseball. Leave him at second. The greater crime would be if Cano is forced to shift positions because of A-Rod's departure.We still have a lot of great young players coming up, and A-Rod has chosen to not be a part of it. I have no doubt had he remained, he would have proven himself with big moments in both the regular season and playoffs. Now, to me, he's just another ballplayer. I am not so classless as to boo him, but I will not cheer him or otherwise show any appreciation for what he's done while he was here because of the way he (mis)handled his contract situation. Players like Tino Martinez, Joe Girardi, etc. who came back deserved their cheers. A-Rod, because of this, just deserves indifference.

A-Rod is probably going to San Francisco. Boston is a perfect fit for Mike Lowell because of his swing, and even A-Rod isn't THAT stupid. The Angels will not overpay for A-Rod, and the Cubs (in the process of changing ownership) would have a tough time convincing A-Rod both to move back to SS and take less money. In any case, A-Rod will find himself with a very familiar sinking feeling in his stomach around August in San Fran, if that's what ultimately happens, because he will be looking up at the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres in the standings. It doesn't matter how much money he gets. When he retires without a ring, then he'll realize the mistake he's made. And if he doesn't get the money Boras so desperately seeks, it will be interesting to see if he comes begging back to be a Yankee again.

GIRARDI IS LIKELY IN
Joe Girardi has handled a young pitching staff before, so I am comfortable with that aspect. However, it remains to be seen how he handles the egos and personalities on the team. Without A-Rod, that may have gotten easier. Of course, all this assumes he accepts the offer, of 4.5 million over 3 years. Judging from the fact he came back to YES to be around the Yankees and declined the Orioles' offer, I'd say it's pretty much a lock he'll be managing the Yankees next season. However, the disparate impact, and more pressing concern, is what this does for Don Mattingly, Tony Pena, and Ron Guidry. All three could be gone. Girardi may need to bring in his own staffers. At least it appears Kevin Long will be here. The Yankees will need a good hitting coach to preach consistency in a lineup that will lack the firepower of recent memory, but still be quite capable. And you could do a lot worse than Dave Eiland as pitching coach. There are those who feel he's an upgrade over Guidry.

THE RED SOX WIN
Big deal, couldn't give a shit. The fans in Boston are already rioting and getting arrested, and if nothing else, this series called attention to the fact that they are ignorant, pompous blowhard prick douchebags. To the Rockies and their fans, congratulations on an outstanding season. I like your team and I really hope you can keep it up. Stay classy.

OFFSEASON PREVIEW - OUR BIG FA'S
A-Rod is gone. We know that. But so too could be free agents Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte. Pettitte needs to exercise a player option, and the Yankees have given him 16 million reasons to do just that. But for AP, it's never been about the money. His kids will be going off to college in a few years, and I bet he wants to spend as much time with them as he can while they're in high school. With all the changes, and the fact the Yankees' serious WS contender timetable sits at 2009, it's unclear if Pettitte would want to exercise the option for the purposes of what necessarily must be a transition year.

Posada wants respect. The Yankees cannot afford to lose him. Make him a serious offer and get him signed. He is one of the best catchers in baseball and a career Yankee. Furthermore, there is no one suitable to replace him. This should be a done deal. 3 years, 40-42 million.

Rivera wants to feel love. The front office to him is too cold and calculating. Another Yankee lifer, there is no one with a better closer mindset in the history of the game. When Rivera gets beat, it's never mental. However, at his age, most teams are not looking to break in a new 38 year old closer, so it's likely he returns for 2 years for between 26 and 30 million.

Bobby Abreu has a 16 million dollar team option, and despite the high cost, it's likely the team will bring him back because it is effectively a one year deal. With the team in transition, the goal is to avoid signing older players to long deals.Jose Molina is also a free agent, and proved a steady, reliable, and defensively superior, backup. Bring him back as well. 2 years, 5 million, should do the trick.


At first glance, it appears "I'm bringing them all back," but I'm not. Pettitte's decision is his choice, and there's always the option of letting Abreu walk. Posada, Rivera, and Molina, however, are pretty much necessary. Of those, Molina is most expendable, but only if you liked watching Wil Nieves hit...er, not hit...four times a week last year.

THE REST OF THE OFFSEASON PREVIEW
With A-Rod gone, Wilson Betemit is now a starting player. That means FA Miguel Cairo is an option for utility. Cairo has been extremely reliable in his various stints with the Yankees, and deserves the chance to come back.

Betemit needs to lose some weight, however. The bulk made him slower in the field, at the plate, and on the bases. He has a very quick powerful stroke when fit, however, he needs to lay off those low breaking balls. If he comes back in shape, a full season's work with Kevin Long should pay off to the tune of .265 20-25 HR, and 70-80 RBI. It's not A-Rod, but it will do.

Robinson Cano needs to stay at second.

Damon and Hideki Matsui need to split time between LF and DH. This will keep both of them fresh year round. Melky Cabrera is now the full time, every day centerfielder.

Jason Giambi needs to stay on the bench. Really, I just wish this guy wasn't on the roster anymore. He's nothing more than a waste of space, and aside from 2002 and 2005, was never really that serviceable. He came to this team as Jim Thome, and will go out as John Jaha. However, they're going to make every effort to get something from him, so he will likely be in there at first base. Cross your fingers and hope he can stay healthy. If Jaha can hit 35 homers and knock in 111 in 1999, maybe Giambi can do the same this year.

Bringing Abreu back would most certainly not be the wrong move. However, given the team's age, I believe it may be a better option to sign Japanese free agent Kosuke Fukudome. Aside from Norihiro Nakamura (who never really got a shot) and the awful Tsuyoshi Shinjo, no Japanese hitter has disappointed. Fukudome is billed as - get this - not Japanese Abreu, but Abreu. Furthermore, he has more range defensively, is young, and is known for conducting himself with class, humility, loyalty to the team, and simplicity. That means no orange armbands or dyed blonde hair. If you combined Abreu's skills with Hideki Matsui's personality, you'd have Fukudome. And you can sign him for a few years. He's only 29. There will be an adjustment period (particularly those darn two seam fastballs!) but 2-3 years down the road, the Yankees will be a better team as a result.

Also going with the Japanese flavor, sign Hitoki Iwase. He's 32, but he throws a good fastball and splitter. Furthermore, while Japanese starters have struggled to adapt to MLB, Japanese relievers have done a great job. Guys like Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Kaz Sasaki, Akinori Otsuka, Takashi Saito, and regrettably Hideki Okajima, have all come over and produced strong results. And the best part about Iwase? He's left handed.

For some American flavor, sign Kerry Wood as a reliever for 2 years and 8 million. Offer him incentives based on appearances that could make the deal worth up to 12 million. He instantly becomes an option as setup man.

Invite Ron Villone back to spring training. It's always good to have a guy who can eat innings, and it's helpful to have two lefties in the pen. Villone's a good guy and a hard worker, and he'd help with the new guys in the pen.

Let Luis Vizcaino walk. I know Viz had that great stretch last year, but his stuff just isn't that great, and neither is his control. He got overused this year, and that's a concern for his durability and effectiveness going forward. He'd command too much anyway.

If Andy Pettitte doesn't exercise his option, leave Mike Mussina in the rotation. If Pettitte exercises the option, trade Mussina. The rotation should therefore be Wang, Pettitte/Mussina, Hughes, Kennedy, Chamberlain. Mussina would likely draw interest from the Cardinals, Brewers, Rangers, and Braves. Any trade consummated would have to net us at least one legitimate hitting prospect, but it's also got to be a reasonable offer, because I don't think the Brewers are aching to part with Ryan Braun, who coincidentally plays third base.

Do NOT trade for Johan Santana. In 1999, Pedro Martinez was the best pitcher in baseball. We won without him. You do not need the best pitcher in baseball to win. In the case of Santana, it's a matter of what we'd be giving up to land him, which is a lot.

Here's a preview of the usual lineup and roster:
LF Johnny Damon
SS Derek Jeter
RF Kosuke Fukudome
1B Jason Giambi
C Jorge Posada
DH Hideki Matsui
2B Robinson Cano
3B Wilson Betemit
CF Melky Cabrera

Not bad, huh? Not 1,000 runs good, but 900 is still possible.

Bench
C Jose Molina
1B Andy Phillips
1B/OF Shelley Duncan (will start vs. tough lefties in place of Giambi)
IF/OF Miguel Cairo

Strong bench, but too many first basemen. Cairo is great because he can play OF as well as IF. Two birds, one stone. If the team decides Phillips isn't needed (unlikely because Giambi is listed as the everyday 1B - can you spell "defensive replacement?"), then another option would be to pursue a FA utility outfielder (such as Brady Clark, who would be perfect in this role), and hope that Cairo learned enough from playing first base this June that he could replace Giambi in the late innings. Either way, you have options.

Rotation
SP Chien Ming Wang
SP Andy Pettitte OR Mike Mussina
SP Phil Hughes
SP Ian Kennedy
SP Joba Chamberlain

That's pretty good right there. However, don't assume Joba will be lights out as a starter. I fully expect him to have difficulty adapting, but think that he remains an incredible prospect who will be lights out by 2010.

Bullpen
CL Mariano Rivera
SU Kerry Wood
SU/MR Hitoki Iwase
MR Kyle Farnsworth
MR Chris Britton
LR Ron Villone
LR Ross Ohlendorf

A very solid bullpen as the young arms mature in the minors. JB Cox and Humberto Sanchez return from injury this year, so it will be interesting to see how they continue to develop.

ANOTHER NOTE:
If anyone goes down on the pitching staff, there are plenty of alternatives.
Starters: Kei Igawa (YIKES!!!), Darrell Rasner, Jeff Karstens, Chase Wright, Matt DeSalvo, Tyler Clippard
Relievers: Sean Henn (YIKES!!!), Sanchez, JB Cox, Edwar Ramirez, Brian Bruney.

SUMMARY
In total, I see this club building for the future. As I mentioned, 2008 would be a transition year, largely because of the pitching. It would have been a transition year had A-Rod stayed. However, there is enough offense to get us through next year, with a few additions and subtractions. Ultimately it will be our pitching that gets us back to the upper echelon of the league, and that will take time, but I do think next year's team (this team) can make the playoffs if it stays healthy. The more important issues are that we don't trade promising young players for veterans (we can trade unpromising ones for veterans), and that we don't panic if we miss the playoffs. Keep an eye toward the future, and we can recover from this dark and ambiguous day to a future as bright as the 90's dynasty we left in the brilliance of the Yankee Stadium lights in 2001 to the chant of "Paulie, Paulie, Paulie."

Welcome to the Suck

In 24 hours, a lot can change. Ask Jack Bauer.

Alex Rodriguez, one of the best hitters in baseball and most assuredly the 2007 American League MVP.
-GONE.

The Colorado Rockies, battling valiantly to stave off elimination, to give us a potentially interesting World Series for the first time since 2003.
-ELIMINATED.

Don Mattingly, a tremendous bench coach the past few years, lauded for his player communication skills and integrative, hard working approach.
-LIKELY GONE AS WELL.

Joe Girardi, a managerial candidate with one year of managerial experience, and one year of broadcast experience.
-OFFERED THE JOB.

And of course, there's your 2007 World Series champion
-THE BOSTON RED SOX.

...and the very fact, by nature, that their largely ignorant and classless fanbase is
-HAPPY.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the suck.

For the first time since the early 1990's, the New York Yankees are an organization at a crossroads. A true crossroads, not the "Mussina or Manny" crossroads. We find ourselves with a core of pitching prospects, and some decent hitters, but without our cleanup hitter, without a manager per se (Girardi has not made a decision on the job), and with an entire coaching staff, front office, and much of our major player personnel in turmoil.

The bottom line, is this day comes every so often for every organization, and how it is handled is arguably the single most important thing attributed to an organization. It happened in 2001 to the Mets. Suddenly, Robin Ventura was old, Edgardo Alfonzo went from one of the most underrated players in the game to one of the most overrated, and Mike Piazza started to fall apart. It happened in 2006 to the Braves. The pitching staff that was once the best in baseball had sprung leaks, and continuing the pipe-on-boat metaphor, wet paper towels (bad pitchers) were plugged into the holes in the pipe to try and stop the ship from taking on more water. It didn't work. It happened to Texas in 2000, when suddenly Rusty Greer and friends were no longer productive hitters, and Juan Gone really was Gone. It even happened to Cleveland in 2002, as the Roberto and Sandy Alomar / Jim Thome / Omar Vizquel core grew older. As Travis Fryman, Manny Ramirez, and Kenny Lofton worked their way out of the organization.

What matters most is recovery. The Yankees, Yankee fans, and the Yankee organization have got to stop living in the past.

The bottom line is Boston has won 2 of the last 4 World Series. Granted, all 4 of them were boring and awful (even this year, sorry Rockies...you guys are awesome but it just didn't make for a very exciting series - 1995 through 2003 were all great Series and that's as far back as I remember). The Yankees have won 0 of the last 7. So while it feels nice to gloat in 26 rings, the majority of us have been alive for 4. "26" is no longer a suitable fallback.

So Girardi will likely get and take the job as manager. And so begins a new era. The dynasty of the late 90's is gone. It's been gone since 2001, when Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez left, and when the dynasty's last breath was a gasp of final effort, as Derek Jeter lunged for a Luis Gonzalez bloop. Since, as pieces of the puzzle slowly scattered, we held the appearance of remaining The Dynasty, but we weren't. Few of the players on last year's 2007 team were previous winners, and many of those that were hadn't done so with the Yankees. Sportswriters loved to give us the edge for "intangibles" come playoff prediction time, but the reality was they weren't there. Aside from Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera, it was a new team.

However, history comes full circle. Just as the great Indians and Braves teams of the 90's were eventually dismantled, or how the Orioles changed completely. We find ourselves exactly where those teams were a few years back. And amazingly, all three responded differently to the crisis, and achieved different levels of success. The Indians went with youth, recovered, and won. The Braves couldn't quite make up their minds, but held their veteran talent, and stayed in contention for most of the year. The Orioles went partially with veterans and partially with youth, but poor scouting and poor signing, as well as a cheap fiscal policy, doomed them to several fourth place finish. They've never finished higher than third.

So as Maximus might say in Gladiator, what we do in life echoes in eternity. The moves and non-moves we make will be remembered forever as the start of a new dynasty, or that interim period of "what the hell were they doing?" It's not easy. New ownership, a new manager, a new coaching staff, and significant uncertainty as to whether 3 of the 4 players who WERE there for the last dynasty (Posada, Rivera, Andy Pettitte), will be there for what could be the next one. A gaping hole at third base, a lack of run production, and a couple big fat useless contracts weighting down our options (Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano). The time is now to initiate the rebuilding project that should have started after 2003, or else we will find ourselves in a Baltimore-esque existence, riddled with the Bronx apathy of the 1980's.

It is so easy to own these fucking second rate shithacks...

My responses to some (yes, there are more) idiots, copied from FB and amended. The tone is half serious, half joking. I'm owning these people because they are inbred moron douchebags, not because of any obsession with hating the Red Sox (believe me, I couldn't give less of a shit, even if I was constipated and trying to hold it in!):

BUTTTT....This needs to get out. I think you'll enjoy it:

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What the FUCK is the deal, talking about any fan of a team, and really as a whole internet phenomenon as a whole, with people hiding behind their computers and connections to act ballsy and tough and intelligent? I am so sick and tired of people posting stupid shit that they wouldn't even dare say to a paralyzed midget for fear of retaliation, on the internet. Just so you know what inspired this, these were taken off the Rockies' group last night and earlier today. I listed the names of some of the posters, some of what was said by them collectively, and put my responses:

Connor Weed (Manchester, NH)
Peter Crane
Josh Pingel (Plymouth)
Mike Plummer (Mass Colleges)
Dylan Penkethman (Cape Cod, MA)

FUCKING CLUELESS, STUPID, AND CLASSLESS. These people are a legitimate reason for both euthanasia and capital punishment. I hope someday their prospective employers Google their names and read this post, only to realize what classless, insensitive douchebags these people really are. Can you say "NOT HIRED???"

"Schilling was Beckett before Beckett was Beckett"
-Good one. I guess when Beckett was born his name wasn't Beckett. It must have been Schilling. Or maybe it was Dickhead. Good one, dumbass.

"the national league is a fucking joke, absolute rookie bullshit"
-So I guess NL teams haven't won 3 of the last 6 world series. in fact, the last time there was a world series, the NL was so bad, it didn't even send a representative. Dumpfuck.

"Ortiz will play first 'til we have the lead in 6th or 7th, and he's really not that bad of a fielder if you look at his history"
-no, he's not. he just has a career .989 fielding percentage at a position that generally everyone achieves at least .99. to put that in simple terms, if there are a hundred grounders hit to OTHER infielders, he drops at least one throw. and he doesn't have any range whatsoever, nor can he throw very well. but you're right. yes, looking at his history, he's really not that bad of a fielder. Cockbreath.

"yes i kno we are arrogant asshole fans, but get used to us cause you got 3 more games to go!!!"
-guess what the rest of the world is getting used to you smegma loving faggots now, and hates you. get ready to be smeared across america as the pieces of shit that you really are.

"is this kid serious????? did he NOT see our pitchers and other players running around dancing in their jock straps last week?? you fucking dumb shit. look at this video...and yes this is the guy that will be fucking dominating your team in the 8th/9th inning strikin everyone of you bitches out...but we dont have fun??? hahaha fuck you and welcome to RED SOX NATION bitches."
-this entire post is stupid. dancing around in your fucking cups does not mean you are having fun. it means you are GAY. the very fact that you are using this to defend your team proves that you are a faggot as well. and welcome to red sox nation? please. this whole country couldn't give a shit about you and your northeast bias. as much as i hate NASCAR, more people in this country would rather watch that the boston faggot fucking red sox.

"lol you all have no clue, and its funny. we only like the red sox since 04'...ok dipshit, you kidding me in mass you get a redsox shirt on yah when you first born....dont act like you all know shit...go sox"
-another idiot post from the resident remedial student of the group. yeah, i'm sure when you fucking come out of your mother's filthy stank vagina, you are born with a red sox jersey on. nowadays, if this is true, then you are probably born with one that says "2004" and "dipshit" on it. rockies, yankees, and most other teams' fans know more about baseball than you do about your own fucking sorry team.

"AHAHAHA national league fans are such dumbasses. NL teams are such shit compared to American League. It's like watchin the pros beat up on some division 3 college you fucken stupid bastards. the sox will continue to DOMINATE you fucks"
-more bullshit from fucking stupid assholes. the old 'i haven't heard of you so you must suck' logic. well guess what i never heard of this fucking asshole before so he must suck too then.

"Listen up you pencil necked dante bichette and vinny castilla fans, you go into that humidor and smoke cigar sized cuban cocks. The blake street butt bombers are in this series like a candle in the fuckin wind. Doug Mirabelli takes rocky mountain sized shits in your dugout for todd helton to use as his chewing tobacco. Go back to triple A"
-good one. dante bichette and vinny castilla both play with the rockies right? and where's brian bohanon. yeah, go ahead and make a darryl kile joke you fucking shitstain. and bichette played for the red sox you fucking cumprocessor. but no you wouldn't know that. and doug mirabelli? of all people would take shits in the rocky dugout? oh, right, he's the only fucking red sox idiot who might have time for that because since wakefield is injured, he has damn near zero chance of getting in the series. but you wouldn't fucking know that. you're too busy drinking the red sox nation kool aid that mirabelli took a shit in. and go back to aaa would imply that the rockies played there at any point in there existence. secondly, it is unclear if you are addressing the rockies, or their fans. if you are addressing the rockies, guess what, you are a random turd from new england. they are not listening. if you are addressing their fans, i'm sure they'd be honored to go to triple a and try and make a baseball career.

"FUCK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, THE ROCKIES PLAY IN THE FUCKIN NATIONAL LEAGUE, DID U SEE WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT THEY CAME TO THE AMERICAN LEAUGUE AND LOST 13 TO MOTHA FUCKIN 1, I GAURANTEE A SWEEP BY THE RED SOX, MATT HOLLIDAY CANT DO IT BY HIMSELF, SUPPOSIDLEY ONE OF THE BEST YOUNG ARMS IN THE NL JEFF FRANCIS, WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, O YEAH WE FUCKIN SMOKED HIM, BEST BULLPEN IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE HUH, YEAH IT SHOWED LAST NIGHT, U GUYS FUCKIN BLOW"
-the absolute fucking stupidest post in the history of the internet. the bigger the caps, the smaller the dick, and the fact that this douchebag's name is connor weed just takes the cake. oh my god. one game. one game. 13 to one. oh my god. oh my god. matt holliday can't even do it by himself? nope, wasn't watching the game. because tulowitzki was the one doing it by himself last night. and jeff francis is one of the best young arms in BASEBALL, not just the NL you fucking toolbox. best bullpen in the league. nice. how bout you bring in eric gagne with a one run lead and see how your pen holds up. plus this guy is absolutely the biggest vagina mcginesteen of them all. must have a ton of friends posting this shit on the net. maybe his boyfriend dumped him and its just that fucking time of the month where this cumdumpster vaginally bleeds all over the fucking internet.

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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS TIME TO START THE MOVEMENT. IT IS TIME TO MAKE RED SOX FANS THE MOST REVILED FANS IN ALL OF AMERICAN SPORTS. IT IS TIME TO MAKE RAIDERS' FANS IRRELEVANT WHEN IT COMES TO DOUCHEBAGGERY IN SPORTS.

Marty Schneider (UConn) wrote
at 12:10am
You guys better get used to Red Sox fans talking shit in your group... they did it all series in the Indians group. They are some of the least classy fans I know. As an Indians fan, the Rockies have my full backing though. Go Rox!

GOOD MAN, MARTY.

START THE MISSION TODAY. FUCK THESE FAGGOTS UP. LETS RUN THEM TO THE POINT OF BEING HATED BY EVERYONE AND TO THE POINT OF BEING NOTHING. OUR WORK WILL NOT BE DONE UNTIL GIRLS WEARING BOSTON HATS CANNOT GET SERVED IN A BAR OUTSIDE NEW ENGLAND EXCEPT TO HAVE BEER SPILLED ON THEM, AND WHEN GUYS GET KICKED IN THE MOUTH FOR WEARING ANYTHING WITH THE "B" FOR BITCH. SCARLET LETTER THIS YOU FUCKING INTERNET TROLLING PUSSY MOTHERFUCKERS.

300 REFERENCE: "TO THE CLIFF!!!"

More Stupid Fucking Boston Fans

My computer is still in the shop, and a team of welders, plumbers, electricians, deep sea miners, subway track repairmen, and New York City cabdrivers are still hard at work trying to restore it to working condition.

ANYway, found this rough in the diamonds in the Colorado Rockies fan group, because I joined, considering that the Rockies are my 2nd favorite team in baseball after the Yankees. And no, that's not because they're in the World Series against the Red Sox, but rather because I admire the way they built their team, I admire the traits their manager Clint Hurdle stands for, and I admire the way they play the game - with class and with respect both for the opposition and the game itself. To prove that I am not a Douggy-come-lately bandwagoner of the Rockies, I will point out that I have picked Brad Hawpe on fantasy teams for two straight years, because I followed the team well enough to know that his breakout year was coming soon. I also was smart enough to pick up Garrett Atkins the last two years as well, and I stuck with Atkins when he struggled this year. Why? Because the team has talent, and because they are hard workers. Rarely do players with that combination slump for a whole year. The difference was this year their pitchers figured it out too.

So Douggy loves the Rockies, just not as much as the Yankees.

Anyway, here's the piece of crap. He was addressing the Rockies fans:

Paul Buono (St. Michael) wrote 13 hours ago
ive been hearing lots of shit from you so let me explain myself...it has nothing to do with being in the NL but instead tradition (and the rockies have NONE of it) because there is nothing in the world more traditional than baseball. in cities like BOS, NY, PHI, STL, CLE, DET, PIT, BAL, CHI and a few others there are generations of fans in the same family where baseball is not just one of the city's tourist attractions where the people get excited just because they're city is in the national spotlght for one month but its in the blood of the inhabitants. Particularly in BOS baseball is an inheirent thing that you've grown up idolizing along with its 100 years of history (albeit alot of it being misery). You've got a real hot team right now but for the sake of the sport teams like AZ, CO, FL, TB, SEA and others should not be in the WS. it contradicts everything baseball stands for and it sould be saved for cities where people's great grandparents grew up following their team...now go home and put on your broncos jerseys...

Clearly one of the biggest idiots to have ever been born. After several Rockies fans wrote in to defend their team (all of them did so with class, I might add, not resorting to foul mouth insults, or anything stupid), he replies with this:

Paul Buono (St. Michael) replied to Chris's post 12 hours ago
when a team wins a WS its more than just the players that win, its the city. if there was an imaginary trade between every player on the rockies with every player on SF, you would still root for the rockies (hence the expression "you're only rooting for laundry").with that said, i am obviously a baseball purist and would like to see about a half dozen teams (CO included) removed from the league and the potential impact that a WS has in BOS is much greater than in a state like CO. i highly appreciate the idea of a bunch of no names winning it al i.e. NE PATS in '01 l (and up until yesterday the only player people in new england could name on the rockies was Larry walker and he hasnt played inabout 5 years) but for the purity of the sport BOS is a much more apprioriate champion (as elitist as that sounds its true)...

Now this just pissed me off. This dump truck (hmm...what rhymes with dump truck?) actually thinks that Boston deserves to win because it is a better city. As someone who would rather live in Somalia than Boston, I completely disagree. So without further ado, here is me tearing this douchebag Boston bandwagon dumbass an asshole big enough to stretch from Boston to Somalia:

You replied to Paul's post 5 hours ago
Posts like this are the reason that once the Yankees are eliminated, fans like myself root for teams like the Rockies. The whole point of life is change, it's kind of stupid to sit there and think, "Oh, they should contract baseball teams that dont have 100 year history." Well what about all those fans living in those areas who wouldn't have a team to go see? "Well they could have teams, they shouldn't be allowed to win the WS." Then whats the point of having a team? The point is everyone gets a shot.

The bottom line is the Rockies did this right. They built their team mostly from within, and added a few key pieces (Torrealba, Matsui, Taveras, Fogg, Julio, Hawkins) through acquisitions. Because of this and because of idiots like you who post this pro Red Sox brand of shitstain all over the internet, millions of BASEBALL fans throughout the world will be pulling for the Colorado Rockies in the World Series this year. And Rockies fans, you have the full backing of Yankees fans in this. Some because you guys aren't the Red Sox, but the more knowledgeable ones because you stand for what's right in that your organization and fans have conducted themselves with class this year.

Red Sox: You are obnoxious, classless, and clueless. You hate the Yankees so much for our payroll, and our signings and trades, but look at your own team.
Ortiz: Acquired.
Manny: Acquired.
Lowell: Acquired.
Drew: Acquired.
Lugo: Acquired.
Crisp: Acquired.
Beckett: Acquired.
Schilling: Acquired.
Matsuzaka: Acquired.
Okajima: Acquired.
Kielty: Acquired.
Cora: Acquired.
Timlin: Acquired.
YOUR TEAM IS BOUGHT TOO!!! So you can't knock us, or ANYONE, for acquiring players. And besides, if your team HAD the money to sign players and didn't, wouldn't you be PISSED at ownership for "not trying?" Acquiring and spending money on players is part of the game. We live in an age of free agency. If you don't like it, go follow college sports exclusively or something.

And "go home and put on your Broncos jerseys?" Please. That's pathetic. Last year, once you Red Sox assholes faded in September, I started seeing the Patriots paraphernalia popping up all over New England before baseball season even ended.

Yeah, you love to try and rub our noses in shit about 2004, what about last year? "So where were the Red Sox huh?" "I stopped watching." Well guess what, it didn't stop happening. You and your classless fanbase just proved it.

Go take your shitty fanbase and shitty organizational culture to a fatass frat boy softball league, and get the fuck away from the real baseball fans in MLB. The stupid shit you post is a waste of the time of every person who has been so unfortunate as to read it.

FROM A YANKEES FAN: GO ROCKIES

"and up until yesterday the only player people in new england could name on the rockies was Larry walker and he hasnt played inabout 5 years)"

-The fact that your fans DONT know about the Rockies is inexcusable and demonstrates their lack of true fanship and their selfishness. A real baseball fan knows what's going on around the league. MAYBE excusable in April, May, perhaps even August or September. But once the playoffs start, you should know what's going on and who plays where. If you don't, it's not the Rockies' fault, it's your fault for not following the game. And besides, it's not like Todd Helton playing in Colorado is a secret. He's only been doing it for like 11 fucking years.

"but for the purity of the sport BOS is a much more apprioriate champion (as elitist as that sounds its true)..."

-The purity of the sport? The Rockies run out ground balls. They don't engage in excessive showboating, and classless celebration. They allow their players to be individuals without turning it into a freak show. You wanna talk about purity of the game, talk about that. Put a tent over Fenway. It's a fucking circus.

You stay classy Boston:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007/news/story?id=3075195

Seriously I want Sox fans to die

On this stupid Sawx blawg, this schmuck writes about this Mike Vaccaro article from last year that was saying the Yankees need to hit David Ortiz or brush him off the plate. I agreed and still do. I haven't been able to find it, but from the start of the 2004 season through the early 2005 season, Red Sox pitchers had hit nearly twice the number of batters that Yankee pitchers had hit. They've hit A-Rod and Jeter many times. Ortiz NEVER EVER gets hit or pitched inside. Not by Yankee pitching. Not by anyone. He needs to fucking get drilled with a fastball in his back or on his wrist/elbow and knocked off the plate. Anyway, here's what the douchebag writes in response:

Can't wait to see the reaction on NYYfans.com - or hell, the New York Post, - next time, say, Tony Mazz decides to suggest Josh Beckett let one fly toward Giambi's gargantuan, sweaty melon.

Fuck you, douchebag. Seriously. If it were the other way around, and Yankee pitchers were the ones hitting Red Sox batters constantly, then I would not disagree with the Red Sox writer if he wrote that. I would not WANT to see it, but I could understand it.

And here's some other shit that this guy has written:

Bernie Williams tossing his batting helmet at Charlie Relaford when he struck out looking in the seventh. Delmon Young got 50 games for tossing his bat at an ump. How many games will Bernie get? Or will his True Yankee status innoculate him from further censure?

Delmon Young flung his bat hard at the umpire and it hit him in the stomach. That could have seriously injured the umpire. Bernie simply tossed his helmet towards the umpire in disgust. Maybe he shouldn't have done it (though knowing how umpires can be total douchebags, it's understandable), but to compare flinging a bat at a high speed, a potentially lethal weapon, towards an umpire to tossing your helmet towards an umpire's feet...that's not even apples and oranges. That's like apples and bird shit. Go fuck yourself, dipshit.

After pointing out how A-Rod's error led to Ortiz reaching, he writes:

Why did A-Rod win that MVP award last season? Oh yeah, it's because he plays the field everyday.

Wow you're an idiot of the highest order. A-Rod won the 2005 AL MVP award instead of Big Floppy because (or rather, he SHOULD have won it because)...

A-Rod: .321/.421/.610, 48 HR, .352 EqA, 12.8 WARP3
Big Floppy: .300/.397/.604, 47 HR, .336 EqA, 9.6 WARP3

A-Rod was worth over 3 more wins to his team and just plain and simply had a better year. If you're going to bring up all of Ortiz's "clutch" hits, go fuck yourself. Clutch doesn't make a guy with inferior numbers a better player. And as I've written before, clutch is overrated and totally misunderstood.

This guy also writes about how Giambi and Andy Phillips took curtain calls after hitting 3-run homers off Beckett last June. Basically, he says,

After the Yankees were upset with Manny's admiring his HRs at Fenway, they take curtain calls in the second innning. In June.

OK, I think the curtain calls are a bit much. However, to compare a curtain call, which consists of coming up to the top step of the dugout and tipping your helmet, to standing at home plate admiring your home run, showing up the pitcher (which pisses me off to no end), is another moronic comparison. The only fair point he made here was A-Rod stealing second up 6 runs after the Yankees complained about Patterson stealing second up 6 runs the previous night. That's fair. But comparing curtain calls to showing up a pitcher on the field after you bomb one, stupid.

These fans know absolutely nothing about the game. And yet they think they do, so they write blogs. Please, Cleveland. Win tonight. I can't take living in Massachusetts with the Red Sox being anywhere near a World Series. Forget about them actually being in one. I'd have to break the 5th Commandment numerous times should that happen.

If I were MLB commissioner...

Several things I would do:

(a) rid MLB of steroids, HGH, and all sorts of illegal substances
(b) raise the mound
(c) put Questec in every ballpark and implement an instant replay challenge
(d) put an end to unnecessary showboating

Obviously, (a) is necessary. I would do (b) because I'm sick of ridiculous offense and double-digit run-scoring games. I would do (c) because I hate inconsistent strike zones and blown calls. I want umpires to be held accountable for being inconsistent and I also want teams to protect themselves from getting fucked by a terrible call.

Lastly, I would do (d) because it's really fucking annoying. When I see a guy do this, I feel like I'm watching a Little League game. What are you, 10? You're in the Major Leagues. It's a fucking privilege to play the game of baseball at the professional level and get paid shitloads for it. At the very least, be professional. I'm not saying you can't celebrate or show emotion, but don't do shit that shows up the pitcher. If you stand there and admire your home run, or flip your bat, or stand at home plate for 30 seconds like Manny did against K-Rod and Lewis the other night, you should be punished for it. Or if you strike somebody out, and you gesture/shout towards the other dugout or the guy you just K'd, then you should get punished. It's fine to pump your fist or yell "Yeah!" after a big strikeout or a big HR. I would try my best to act like it's not a huge deal, but you can get pumped up after that big K or HR without being a total douchebag. So here's what I would do for a hitter:

First time you do it, you get a warning.

Second time you do it, the guy batting behind you has to hit in an 0-1 count.

Here's why I do it that way. Hitting in an 0-1 count is a bit of a detriment for an obvious reason. But it's just one plate appearance. Typical everyday player gets 600 to 650 plate appearances. That is between 0.15 and 0.17% of all of your plate appearances throughout the year. So it obviously does nothing to a guy over the course of a season. However, it does piss your teammate off, as well as the rest of the team that you would rather indulge yourself in douchebaggianism than keep it to yourself for your team's own sake. Plus, it punishes the team a little bit and rightfully so. As a manager, you should drill professionalism into your players. A rule should help you do it. If you got a guy on your team that breaks the rule anyway, then as a manager you aren't doing a good enough job of keeping your players in order. Plus, the only time this could make a difference is in a close and late game. If Manny homers off Scot Shields in the 8th inning closing a 2 run game to a 1 run game, and he acts like a cocksucker and shows Shields up, then Mike Lowell has to hit with a strike on him. Let's say hypothetically that Shields historically owns Lowell, so hitting down 0-1 is detrimental to Lowell because in a fresh count he's already in a ditch. But aside from that, if your team has a huge lead or is getting killed, I don't think the 0-1 count rule would be the blame if you lose either type of game. If you blow the huge lead, blame it on the fact that your closer is Mike Myers. If you lose the blowout, blame it on the fact that your starter is Kei Igawa. Not the fact that ONE guy in your lineup had to hit in an 0-1 count. Because even if a guy hits a solo home run and that's your only bit of offense for that whole game, that affects 1 out of the 28 total plate appearances. That's 3.6%. If the other 96.4% can't do shit against opposing pitching, that's why you lost. And also, hitting in an 0-1 count is quite common even without the rule. Aaron Hill this year, for example, had to hit with an 0-1 count about 310 times (sac flies and sac hits not listed for these situations). So it's obviously not excessive punishment. However, it's a minor annoyance to the guy hitting behind you, and it will likely piss off some if not all of your teammates. And it will reflect badly on the manager. So it's a fair punishment in my opinion.

Third time you do it, you get a suspension with a fine that's proportional to your salary. And every time that you do it after that, the suspensions and fines are double the previous ones.

If you still do it after a warning and a punishment landing on your teammate, then obviously you need to face some sort of serious punishment.

For a pitcher, he must follow the same rules. However, the next batter gets to hit with a 1-0 count.

More rules I would implement to follow whenever I feel like posting them.

Douggy's Computer Went to the Doctors

...Broken hard drive. All data gone (at least for now), but it should be repaired by the end of the week. Just like Douggy's wrist injury, it's taken longer than expected to heal. Douggy's computer starts its rehab assignment next week (barring any further setbacks) and it's going to be a real bitch to get that sucker back up to normal operating standards, so bear with Douggy as he coaxes his computer through this most difficult of times.

The Pwnage Awards, Part 1

Here are the Pwnage Awards followed by my nominations:

The Better to Be Lucky than Good Award

There are always several candidates for this, but my vote goes to:

Curtis Granderson

As stated before, he's a terrible leadoff hitter. Leadoff hitter's job is to be on base as much as possible, which he sucks at doing. And batting a guy with 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and 20 steals in the leadoff slot is stupid for obvious reasons.

Despite his terribleness as a leadoff hitter, he had a great year statistically. But is he really this good? Let's look this over:

Line Drive percentage: 21.0% (22.2% in 2006)
Home Run/Fly Ball percentage: 11.4% (12.3% in 2006)
Ground Ball percentage: 34.2% (38.9% in 2006)

Seems like he hit the ball pretty similarly to how he hit the ball last year. Let's see how he did with strikeouts and walks:

Plate Appearances per Strikeout: 4.79 PA/K (3.90 AB/K last year)
Plate Appearances per Walk: 13.00 PA/BB (10.29 PA/BB last year)

He cut down on his strikeouts, but that's nothing to congratulate him on. That's like congratulating Rosie O'Donnell for dropping 30 pounds from 350 to 320. He also was more of a free swinger this year, as he walked a good deal less frequently. Overall, I'd say he had a pretty similar year this year as he did last year. But oh wait, what?

2006
.260/.335/.438
31 2B, 9 3B, 19 HR

2007
.302/.361/.552
38 2B, 23 3B, 23 HR

Whadafuck? THT has Granderson second in the AL in PrOPS overachieving this year. Second only to his teammate Magglio Ordonez. Technically Ordonez is luckier, but Ordonez is actually a good hitter who was still good even if you took away the luck element. However, Granderson, without the luck element, he's really not much better than league average. His PrOPS last year .767 and actual OPS was .773. What was his PrOPS this year? .785, only 18 pts higher than last year and only 12 pts higher than what it actually was last year. Some guys are consistently above their projected numbers, like Jeter. He's always higher, so you can usually disregard the luck element in his PrOPS overachieving. However, with other guys it's good because it's usually correct in pointing out the lucky fucks. Granderson is very likely one of these people, which is why he gets my nomination for the "Better to Be Lucky Than Good" Award.

The He Didn't Collapse, He Just Sucks and Came Back Down to Earth Award

Jose Reyes. No question about it in my mind.

It was so sweet to see him absolutely suck Flushing nutsack as he got showered with boos in September. Here's how he did in September:

.205/.279/.333

This showboating, overrated, loafing douchebag slumping like that put a nice smile on B.A.'s face. Look at how he hit the ball this year versus last year:

Line Drive percentage: 18.5% (20.9% last year)
Home Run/Fly Ball percentage: 5.5% (10.6% last year)
Ground Ball percentage: 41.6% (45.2% last year)

Also:

Infield Fly Balls/Total Fly Balls: 13.4% (11.8% last year)

Combine all of the factors (he hit fewer groundballs, fewer line drives, more infield flies) and there you have his suckitude.

This is the future of the Mets, people. A guy who doesn't hustle on ground balls. Just takes off for 2nd or 3rd whenever he feels like it...which is all the time. A guy, whose biggest tool is his speed, that has a Ground Ball/Fly Ball ratio of 1.07. I'm sorry everybody. The guy just isn't that amazing. Halfway through this year I thought that maybe he was an excellent player, but unless he magically stops hitting pop ups and fly balls so he can use his speed more and picks up his walk rate from the first half of this past year, I don't see him being within an order of magnitude of being "one of the best players in the game". So he gets my nomination for "He Didn't Collapse, He Just Sucks and Came Back Down to Earth" Award.

Love for the Red Sox impedes rational thinking

From FJM last night:

It finally happened, you guys!!!

Joe Buck, bottom 6, Red Sox' diminuitive caucasian 2B Dustin Pedroia at the dish:

"He's a lot like David Eckstein -- he makes the most out of what he's got."

Finally. Someone pointed out the superficial/wrong.

Pedroia, in 2007, his 23 year-old rookie year: .317/.380/.442. .292 EqA.
Eckstein, Cherry Picking Best Ever Result in Every Category Throughout his Entire Career: .309/.363/.395. .274 EqA.

Eck's career SLG is .362. His career high in doubles is 26. Pedroia had 39.

But hey. They are both short. And white. So that's something.

Buck's right, KT. Take Dustin Pedroia out of that puke-colored, 5 century old, populated by overly hairy, obnoxious dirtbags who think chanting a player's name like "Rooooo-ger, Rooooo-ger" is funny, take their shoes off to count beyond 10 and can't name anybody other than Ortiz, Ramirez, and Varitek in starting lineup, piece of shit haven for hitters who would suck if they hit on the moon, he IS David Eckstein.

Dustin Pedroia (career):
Home: .334/.391/.482
Away: .265/.335/.365

David Eckstein (career):
Home: .297/.367/.375
Away: .276/.336/.350

There you have it everybody. If you take the unfortunately most probable choice for AL Rookie of the Year out of that ginormous-green-eyesore-ought-to-be-dynamited-piece-of-shit, he is David Eckstein. That's right everyone. Dustin Pedroia is David Eckstein. David Eckstein is Dustin Pedroia. By the way, Pedroia ought to shave that retarded chin goatee. You're like 5'2", 70 pounds soaking wet and look like you're 10. Growing facial hair won't make you look more badass. It will make you look more like a pussy because you're a pussy who's TRYING to look tough. And even more annoying is his swing. It looks like a drunk beer league softball player's swing. That ridiculous load-up followed by the war hack. The only reason it works at all is because of Fenway. I want Fenway to be burned down to the ground, or I want the Red Sox to suck so terribly for the next 100 years that all their bandwagon cumsumers all kill themselves, or I want the Red Sox to keep getting off to hot starts every year, giving their dumbass fans hope, and then collapsing in August/September every year so I can call out the bandwagon fans who will claim they don't care after bragging about AL East standings 15 games into the season.

I want David Ortiz to have Pesky's Pole shoved up his ass, then smashed with the giant Coke bottle, then electrocuted by the John Hancock sign...

CAN ANYBODY GET THIS FAT, ARROGANT, SELF-IMPORTANT PIECE OF SHIT OUT?????

David Ortiz (2007 Postseason)
.777/.882/1.555
2 HR
8 BB

I want him to fucking die. Not to mention one of his home runs he didn't deserve to hit. He was fooled on the pitch from Weaver and was lucky to even get his bat on it, let alone get it out of the ballpark. I want Manny to die, too. Is he still standing at home plate watching his walk-off home run like a fucking puerile 7 year old spoiled bratty fuckface that's never been shown a shread of discipline or taught the concept of sportsmanship? Shoot him in his scrotum. Then take his gay dreadlocks, shove them up his ass, then stuff them down his mouth.

That sucked

Let me just get a mild frustration rant out of my system.

Negatives:

Wang - Allowed over 10 earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched. That's fucking awful. He would have redeemed himself by pitching a solid 6-7 innings in Game 4 but instead can't get an out beyond the first inning. Sinker not sinking. Slider doing absolutely nothing.

However, the Yankees don't even get to the playoffs without Wang. He was the best starter the Yankees had this year. He had a 1.294 WHIP with a 117 ERA+. Groundballs were not nearly as frequent this year for him, but his strikeouts went up. It really got me angry because I was at this game expecting a gem and before I could blink, Sizemore had given the bleacher creatures a souvenir and after I'd realized that, Mike Mussina was throwing warm up tosses with Indians hanging out on each base. Wang's very good but he needs to figure out how to get his sinker working again. The guy frequently this year did not have his best stuff, as evidenced by the sharp decrease in G/F ratio as well as just watching the guy pitch.

Posada - couldn't hit anything in this series, going .133/.235/.200. Also did not call great games in my opinion. And I also think he could have at least blocked one of the Joba wild pitches.

That said, gotta resign the guy. He came up through the system and I can't and don't want to see him anywhere else. And the Yankees don't exactly have a Joe Mauer waiting in Triple A either.

Jeter - struggled mightily in this series. .176/.176/.176 in this series, hit into THREE double plays. THREE. He twice did it with a runner on third, in instances which you need to get a run home somehow. In fairness to Jeter, the second one was a hard hit ball right up the middle that looked like a hit off the bat, but Cabrera had it played perfectly. Ugh, it was also just frustrating to see Jeter struggle like that. I wanted to see him and ARod just go nuts this series, but oh well.

Now some positives:

Cano - hit very well this series. .333/.375/.800, with 2 HR. Hope this guy continues his 2nd half from this year for the whole season in 2008.

ARod - .267/.353/.467. Not great, but certainly not terrible. Had a rough first two games, but hit pretty well in games 3 and 4. Anyone in the press that shits on ARod for not "hitting when it mattered" can go disembowel themselves. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE AROD.

Hughes - pitched 5.2 innings striking out 6, walking none, and allowed just one run on a Garko homer when the Yanks were already down 8 runs. Cannot wait to see how the rotation looks next year with him, Kennedy and Chamberlain. Another interesting thing that I noticed. He only throws about 92-93 mph, but everybody tends to be late on it. It looks harder than the gun says. And considering the fact that, being 21 and still not done maturing physically, he may pick up more velocity as time goes by, he could be like a young Mike Mussina.

Pettitte - pitched reminiscent of 1996 WS game 6 in game 2. Just gutty as hell and was sharp as hell. Hope to see him return next year.

Also, I must say, I don't dislike Cleveland. I like their team. Sizemore, Hafner, Martinez, Sabathia, Carmona, Betancourt, Perez, etc. They're a good team. Despite the fact they knocked off the Yankees, I want to see them go all the way. It pissed me off that every team that I don't like won in all of the other series. I wanted Philly to win. They lost. I wanted Chicago to win. They lost. I didn't really want Anaheim to win, I just hate the Red Sox more and just wanted them out. Anaheim lost. I fucking hate this baseball season. If the Red Sox win, then this baseball season will officially be declared as the most annoying baseball season ever next to 2004.

2007 was a disappointment. But not to despair Yankees fans. This team has some young talent that will be great to watch in 2008 onward.

The Most Important Post. Ever

IF YOU ARE GOING TO GAME 3, do not boo Alex Rodriguez.

Do not boo him before he bats. Do not boo him if he doesn't get a hit. Do not boo him if he goes 0 for 4 and the Yankees are losing. Do not boo him if he makes an error. Cheer for him. Applaud him, even after he makes an out. Keep the MVP chants going.

And this is about a whole lot more than that stupid opt out clause. This is about our integrity as fans, our reputation for being in tune with our team, our history of undying loyalty to our team, and our legacy as the greatest team in professional sports.

It's easy to say that these are professional athletes, that they are making a lot of money. That they should get a hit every time. But we are Yankees fans, not fair weather fans. We are not Johnny come lately Bandwagoneers bailing water as we prepare to grab the last life jacket and swim off a ship that has taken on a little bit of water. We are Yankees fans, and that demands a higher standard of our behavior going into Game 3 of the ALDS, and at all points beyond this season.

Is falling behind 0-2 not cause for concern? It certainly is. It certainly is disheartening. But I will go first and say that I am not angry, only disappointed. Disappointed that a team that led the AL in runs during the regular season has been able to score only 4 in 2 games, including 1 that had extra innings. Disappointed that our 19 game winner and ace wasn't able to make it out of the 5th inning in game 1. Disappointed that our ace setup man blew a lead without giving up a hit. But not pissed.

The fact is, we have been in this situation before. We have seen worse. We fell behind the Braves, 2-0, in a 1996 World Series, looking completely outplayed. It looked like another World Series was headed to Georgia. But slowly, we turned it around. First Game 3, then Game 4, then an epic battle in Game 5, and the clincher in Game 6.

There was 1998, when we felt the immense pressure of living up to our regular season reputation having fallen behind the Indians 2-1. A loss would have meant needing to win 3 straight. But El Duque pitched the game of his life, and the bats came through, and we won in 6.

No margin for error? We've been there too. There was 2001, in the ALDS, when the Oakland A's shocked us twice at home to take a 2 game lead. We went to Oakland, needing 2 wins on the road to stay alive, no easy task. Posada homered off Zito. Jeter made the play of the year on Jeremy Giambi. We won that game. 2 games later, we were celebrating our victory. We have stared down defeat and triumphed. We even rallied for 3 runs, with 6 outs left, in the 2003 ALCS. Mariano Rivera gave us 3 scoreless innings, and Aaron Boone, who entered hitting well under .150, came up with the biggest hit of his life to send us to the World Series.

All is not lost. It is easy to look at our immense payroll, as sportswriters do, and analyze baseball as that. But it isn't. That's the business aspect. Players are paid because they are a brand. You are not paying Alex Rodriguez $25 million per year to get big hits for you. You are paying Alex Rodriguez $25 million per year because he draws fans, because he promotes the team, because he is a recognizable brand who based on past contributions, should give the team a chance to win. You are paying Hideki Matsui because he is the key to the Japanese market. Because he sells Yankee hats and Matsui jerseys in Tokyo. Because the price is what it took to lure him over.

But this is not what baseball is about. Baseball is pure, played between the lines on the field. It is a game of pitches, swings, fielding, throws, and decisions. Not of contracts, money, politics, or back alley psychology. We lost Game 1 because we didn't pitch. Without good pitching, we never had a chance. We lost Game 2 because we refused to change our approach against a dominant pitcher. Because we made mental mistakes in a game in which there was room for none. Not because of bugs, or bad calls, or an inconsistent strike zone. Not because of one player.

So the media will speak of fire. They will speak of passion. They will speak of the intangibles that they claim guide October baseball. Well, what is so special about October baseball? We have been playing for our lives since July. Why should this be any different? It is the same game. It's easy to say there is no fire, or passion. It's hard to have passion when you aren't hitting, or winning. What is there to celebrate with a fistpump? A meaningless 2 out single? Do you want to see frustration? A tossed helmet after an out? That sort of behavior is counterproductive and disruptive, unless displayed by a player who has been that way his whole career. It shows resignation, not dedication. The passion is there, the fire is there. The results are not. We're working hard, but we're not working smart.

So there isn't much of a lifeline left. We are at the point in our season where one mistake may finish us. But we still have a chance, and we owe it to this team as fans to hang onto that chance, until it materializes into victory, or until it disappears forever. This goes way beyond A-Rod. If we go three and out, A-Rod may wind up an 0-fer. But him, and all Yankees, and all MLBers, have gone through these stretches during the season. Do you want to ensure A-Rod playoff success? Get him to Game 4. Then get him to Game 5. Then get him to the ALCS. Then get him to the World Series. The more at bats he has, the better he will seem to do. Kind of like the Yankees. Their fates are intertwined. But don't be fooled. ALL the players' fates are intertwined with the team. And that is what it means to be a team.

So what does it mean to be a fan? It means to be confident in your team. Be resolute, convinced, and dedicated. Do not be fickle, excitable, easily angered. Cheer for our Yankees, and pull as hard you can. You are a Yankees fan. You have been born into royalty. We are not Red Sox fans, and as tempting as it is to want to smash them in the face, we can never behave like them. You have 26 World Championships under your belt, including at least 4 in your lifetime. Put stock in that.

So if you're at Game 3, don't boo A-Rod. Don't boo anyone. We aren't happy to "just make the playoffs," and rightly so. We invented that notion. Is it a failure to not win the World Series? Absolutely, otherwise you are not a Yankees fan. But does that mean the team is a failure? No. Only the season.

Consider this a test. On any given Sunday, you can win or lose. But can you win or lose like a man...like an adult. On this Sunday, we can win or lose. But can we win or lose with class, with the attributes that made our fanbase the best in baseball. Or will we turn on our own team with the venom of Boston fans, given in to a selfish childish urge to be pissed off, to break something. I for one will choose the right way, the Yankee way. The traditional high road we have taken. And so should all of you.

Besides, we only have to win 3 games in a row. Not like we haven't done that before.

Has he ever saved a game?

I really think that all those career saves are made up. I've never seen this guy save a game. And I don't know how you can feel comfortable as a Padres fan when he takes the ball with a 1 run lead in the 9th inning against a good offense. He's blown a World Series game, an All-Star game, the one time he's faced the Yankees in recent years (back to back homers by Matsui and...KENNY LOFTON) at least 2 games against the Mets, blew a game in which Peavy went 7 innings, no runs, 16 strikeouts, last night, etc. THIS GUY SUCKS. Anyone who wants to put him in the top echelon of closers is an idiot. He isn't worthy of sniffing Mariano Rivera's jockstrap.