Wang sucks (again), ends Yanks season
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Travis G. | Thursday, October 11, 2007 |
That’s why baseball needs a first round ‘best of seven’ series. Cleveland was a little better during this four game stretch, but I still think the Yanks were the better overall team (best record in the second half anyone?).
The sad thing is that we would have given Boston much more of a run for their money. Cleveland is highly unlikely to continue their insane hitting with runners in scoring position while the Yanks would be unlikely to continue their woeful RISP hitting. After all, during the 162 game regular season the Yankees OPS with RISP was .829 compared to Cleveland’s .743. Boston must be ecstatic to face the Tribe (5-2 in 2007) instead of us who went 10-8 against them.
I won’t kill Torre for deciding to start Wang over Moose because I agreed with it for several reasons: 1) Wang pitches much better at home, 2) short rest can be a blessing for a sinkerballer who tries to keep the ball down, 3) he only threw 94 pitches in Game 1, 4) I just didn’t trust Mussina. He sucked though and was one of the main culprits behind the series loss: 5.2 ip, 19.06 era. When your ‘ace’ gets shelled like that it’ll be tough to win any series – throw in the poor hitting (Jeter hit .176, Posada .133, Matsui .182, Melky .188) and that’s the series.
The bad news:
1. Obviously, the season’s over and the guys deserved a better ending.
2. At least a month of speculation about Mo, Pettitte and Jorge… oh wait, and a guy named Alex.
3. Boston has a better chance to win the LCS.
4. If they do win the series, I’ll have to listen to a lot of shit from my New England relatives at Thanksgiving.
The good news:
1. A far less stressful October from this point on.
2. Guys like Joba, Phil and Shelley got valuable postseason experience (and showed they could succeed) which should help them next year.
3. The possibility of bringing in a new manager. I like Joe but as some of the postgame guys said, the players have to raise their intensity level in the playoffs and it seemed like they were simply duplicating their regular season approach.
4. Their resiliency – this team seemed dead in late May (I was 80% sure they’d miss the playoffs) only for them to turn around the season and nearly clinch the best record in baseball.
4. Four months until pitchers and catchers report.
- Yanks lose – it sure looks like Torre was wrong
- Wang solid, Hughes not: Yanks second loss to Cleveland
- Yankees: Giambi wins it, Wang struggles and Mo is good
- Yankees vs. Indians LDS Game 1 preview
- Hughes saves Yankees season
- Wang dominates the White Sox
- Yanks’ Wang looks sharp
- Yankees first half awards
- Break out the brooms: Yanks sweep Sox
- St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Series Champions
- Arizona State Baseball Coach Pat Murphy resigns
- Clipping their wings- Florida Panthers beat Detroit 2-1
- LA Clipper announcers suspended for one game
- Backup power- Miami Dolphins beat Carolina Panthers 24-17
- Steve Elling of CBS Sports is jealous
- Detroit Lions put two defensive backs on Injured Reserve
- The Dirty Dozen- Milwaukee Bucks beat New Jersey 99-85
- Outdueled- Florida Panthers beat Buffalo 6-2
- Collision Course: LPGA and Champions Tour in Oregon on Same Week
- Cleveland Brown QB Brady Quinn fined by NFL
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