Yankees/Twins ALDS Thread

[strummer 0]

I don't think Jeter is looked down at, it's just that a lot of the public equate winning with being great, which is just not true. Jeff Bagwell is a better player than Jeter and has never won a playoff series. But yet, a lot of people look at Bagwell/Biggio as choke artists because they haven't hit well in post season. A player's statistics over a 162 game season mean more than 3 weeks in October.

[Guest Anglesault]

It's harder to lead a contending team than it is to be a leader on a bad team. At least in my opinion. The Yankees are ALWAYS right there. Jeter is a big part of that. That's undenyable. His good to great play also factors into it, and, at least locally, he's ALWAYS looked down at. He's always been compared to Nomar and A-Rod, and was, for awhile at least, consistantly in third.

 

Now even more names pop up.

After Nomar sulked on the bench in what was the biggest game of the year up until that point, I never want to hear him compared to Jeter or A-Rod again.

[strummer 0]

It's harder to lead a contending team than it is to be a leader on a bad team. At least in my opinion. The Yankees are ALWAYS right there. Jeter is a big part of that. That's undenyable. His good to great play also factors into it, and, at least locally, he's ALWAYS looked down at. He's always been compared to Nomar and A-Rod, and was, for awhile at least, consistantly in third.

 

Now even more names pop up.

After Nomar sulked on the bench in what was the biggest game of the year up until that point, I never want to hear him compared to Jeter or A-Rod again.

What about Tejada?

[Guest Anglesault]

It's harder to lead a contending team than it is to be a leader on a bad team. At least in my opinion. The Yankees are ALWAYS right there. Jeter is a big part of that. That's undenyable. His good to great play also factors into it, and, at least locally, he's ALWAYS looked down at. He's always been compared to Nomar and A-Rod, and was, for awhile at least, consistantly in third.

 

Now even more names pop up.

After Nomar sulked on the bench in what was the biggest game of the year up until that point, I never want to hear him compared to Jeter or A-Rod again.

What about Tejada?

I meant to add Tejada to that list.

[Guest Coffey]

I don't think Jeter is looked down at, it's just that a lot of the public equate winning with being great, which is just not true. Jeff Bagwell is a better player than Jeter and has never won a playoff series. But yet, a lot of people look at Bagwell/Biggio as choke artists because they haven't hit well in post season. A player's statistics over a 162 game season mean more than 3 weeks in October.

I was talking about shortstops, and this was coming from someone close to the Chicago area.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Gardenhire didn't have anyone else he trusted in the pen. Romero's been horrible the last two weeks, and Craine is inexperienced and hasn't pitched very well. Plus, you'd expect Nathan could get Miguel Cairo out.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, I watched most of the game, and I can't even fathom why you would leave Joe Nathan in there. I mean I thought it was stupid enough to leave him in for the beginning of the inning, but then after one walk....and another....with 50+ pitches.....what the fuck was Gardenhire thinking. I swear, sometimes, I think I could handle all the in-game managing decisions better than a lot of these shitty managers.

 

I guess that's what's so "special" about Joe Torre. He'll just use a little bit of common sense, and not make stupid decisions to blow a series.

[MrRant 0]

After the first walk I would have pulled him. He was really off during that pitch series.

[Vern Gagne 0]

He left Nathan in the game because Romero and Craine can't be trusted.

[Fökai 0]

He left Nathan in the game because Romero and Craine can't be trusted.

So...who's going to be handling relief duties in Game Three?

 

It's already been mentioned on this board - Nathan threw nine consecutive balls out of the strike zone. With the Twins still holding the lead, only needing a double play to close the game, WHY do you keep Nathan in?

 

I'm not a fan of either team, but I was SCREAMING at the screen when Rodriguez came to the plate with Nathan still on the mound.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Nathan will back out there for Game 3. He'll be limited but hopefully it's just for the 9th and he gets the Save.

 

Gardenhire's thinking was to trust Nathan our best reliever to gut it out another inning take a 2-0 lead, and make game 3 less important for the Twins. It was a roll of the dice, and it didn't work. Time to move on.

[Fökai 0]

Was there a reason why Balfour was yanked after finishing the 7th? He threw only six pitches tonight, recording two-thirds of an inning. Of course, the announcers did attempt to make viewers squirm by saying "the pressure of Yankee Stadium in October may make Balfour uncomfortable", but can't you say that about every player on the Twins' roster?

[CanadianChris 0]

I guess that's what's so "special" about Joe Torre. He'll just use a little bit of common sense, and not make stupid decisions to blow a series.

Torre's been known to leave Rivera in in the playoffs if there's no one better to turn to (look at Game 7 last year). I don't fault Gardenhire for sending Nathan back out there, but there should have at least been someone warming up.

[alfdogg 0]

Jeter is amazing. Game was amazing. This wouldn't have happened had they left Nathan in. Now his confidence is shot, and so are the Twins.

That sounds a *lot* like the general consensus after Game 2 of the NBA Finals...and we all know what happened there.

[smh810 0]

I admire Gardenhire's balls for putting Nathan out there for the third inning and like Verne said, where else is he gonna go? When you have a chance to go up 2-0 on the Yankees you put your best guy out there to get the job done. He rolled the dice and lost but its still a split at Yankee Stadium and I would be be more than pleased with that if I was a Minnesota fan not only for the split but for the way they competed.

[Jericholic82 0]

I don't think Al or anyone is saying Jeter isn't a very good player, but he isn't an all time great if you look at his numbers.  His OBP is not that good, and his range factor at shortstop is poor.  He gets to show his "clutch abilities" because he is constantly put in that position.  He would be lost on a Kansas City or Seattle team.  He's a very good player, but he is nowhere close to being as good as A-Rod.

Sometimes, it's not about the numbers. The leadership and enthusiasm that he displays can't be shown in a box score. He steps it up and makes everyone around him better. He's like a mushroom in Super Mario Brothers. You don't NEED it, but it sure as shit don't hurt.

But Rex Hudler had a lot of emotion and was a leader, did that make him a great player? I'm not comparing the 2 in any way, but Jeter has had the opportunity to play on great teams and with other great players. Leadership is easy when you are surrounded by other all stars. Last year, Pudge Rodriquez was a "leader" and helped the Marlins win the World Series. This year he was a "leader" and "mentor" for the Tigers and they won 70 games. Did his leadership skills just disappear in a year? It's hard to measure these types of things.

UGHHHH REX HUDLER Please dont mention that guys name. Living in southern cali, I have to watch him and steve physioc verbally make love to the angels while they play the yanks. Hes still bittter the yanks dumped him after he failed to make an impact for them in the 80s. hah and he got caught with dope at the airport last year so bahahahahah

 

 

 

YANKEES WIN THAAAAAAAAAAA YANKEES WIN

anyhow, Game 2 is why I love the yanks so much. Hell while I love the sport of baseball so much. In baseball, its never over until the last out. thats what seperates MLB from the NFL and NBA. while more people watch those these day, because of their short attention spans, it is baseball that is our true pastime and the greatest sport of them all (well except for wrestling like ric flair would say)

 

 

I don't know how far they can go this year, but when you have an A-Rod on your postseason roster you can never count them out. Even if they lose they'll always be my team, becuase I am a true fan not some bandwagoner

 

Go yankees

 

 

 

 

and I am dying for someone on this board to come up wioth a reason for hating the yankees, other then their payroll and constantly being in the playoffs (screw you its great for business-ask the many teams across the leauge and how much they draw when the Bombers are in town)

can it be NY hatred and/or jealosy?

 

well as my father always says

 

"when the leaves turn brown and there's a chill in the air, look towards the bronx cuz the big show known as the world series will be played there"

 

 

and all you haters can literally kiss my NY ass!!!!!

 

 

LETS GO YANKEES CLAP CLAP CLAP LETS GO YANKEES

 

I dedicate this postseason run to the memory of my late uncle, one of the greatest Yanks fans there ever was (really, his tombstone even has the NY logo and Lets go yankees on it)

[The Man in Blak 0]

...

 

So, yeah. I know Jesse Crain has a horrible K/BB rate and he's young, but I tend to subscribe to the theory that having a live arm is better than a dead arm. The four pitches to Jeter weren't even remotely close and that should have been signal enough for Gardenhire to get the hook, converted starter or no.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

and I am dying for someone on this board to come up wioth a reason for hating the yankees, other then their payroll and constantly being in the playoffs (screw you its great for business-ask the many teams across the leauge and how much they draw when the Bombers are in town)

can it be NY hatred and/or jealosy?

 

Yes. Thanks to New York City, my county's population has nearly doubled over the last fifteen years. The crime rate is up, and the traffic is downright horrible to navigate at times. Property taxes have soared as our schools increase in enrollment, and the local department stores stock ONLY Yankees merchandise. Is that enough?

[Guest Anglesault]

I'm reading a Chicago paper, and they think they can dump Scammin Sammy on us. Where, exactly, he'd play, is a bit of a question mark, and he's in a serious nose dive right now.

 

Although, I think he's coming up on 600 homers and George scares me when he sees a milestone.

[the max 0]

Sosa complains about Chicago being a critical town?

[Guest Anglesault]

It would be rather interesting to see if he incorporates his new Stadium into his latest plan to cheat.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I'm reading a Chicago paper, and they think they can dump Scammin Sammy on us. Where, exactly, he'd play, is a bit of a question mark, and he's in a serious nose dive right now.

 

Although, I think he's coming up on 600 homers and George scares me when he sees a milestone.

Thats what happens when you stop using steroids.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I don't think this is all about steroid use. First off, there's no actual proof he did take them (honestly, I know he probably has, but until it's proven, it's all speculation). Secondly, his struggles aren't coming from lack of homers; it's lack of contact. Even when you're juicing up, you need to actually make contact with the ball for anything to come of it. Sosa really had trouble doing that this season.

 

Then again, if he was on the juice and stopped usage, he could've been trying to do more than he was capable of to make up for the difference.

[mike546 0]

God no.

 

We want pitching dammit.

 

And Beltran could help, maybe, a bit.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

God no.

 

We want pitching dammit.

 

And Beltran could help, maybe, a bit.

Making Beltran a priority if you're the Yankees is foolish. Sure this team didn't light it on fire all season like everyone figured they would, but with sufficient pitching, the offense would cover the spread.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The thing that should really worry Yankee fans is that they overperformed their pythagorean record by 12 wins. Contrary to some posters' objections, that DOES have a measure of future performance.

[mike546 0]

What in the world is your pythagorean record?

 

And I didn't say make Beltran a priority, I just said I want him in CF next year. Get rid of Giambi, and let Bernie DH.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Although, I think he's coming up on 600 homers and George scares me when he sees a milestone.

In the same vein Palmeiro is close to 3,000 hits. That wouldn't be a horrible move if you can get Palmeiro for a cheaper price. He's not a pain in the ass like Sammy and still swings a nice bat.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

What in the world is your pythagorean record?

 

The square of runs scored over the squares of runs scored and runs allowed. Essentially, its a method to predict your win/loss record.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

losing 22-0 has to account for a big chunk of that.

 

and I've tried to avoid this argument, and he's a great player to be sure, but may I say for the record that the Jeter love has reached ridiculous new highs. I knew as soon as he scored that the clutch tag-up would be invented the next morning. My favorite line actually came for Reggie Jackson, "Jeter won't be remembered for hitting .350, he'll be remembered for clutch performance"