Way back in April the Yankees were supposed to fail immediately out of the gates. Joe Torre's book, despite his presence being all the way in Los Angeles, was supposed to distract the franchise. Alex Rodriguez's admission of steroids was going to kill the clubhouse. The Yankees' third place finish in 2008 and the emergence of the Rays was supposed to keep New York out of the playoffs once again despite all the money it restored in its payroll by purchasing pieces the team felt were missing.
Instead we're left watching champagne parties on the post-game shows while the players talk about how all the off season adversity brought the team together. Now instead of fearing which major Yankees' player was going to struggle in the playoffs, we were stuck debating whether A-Rod or Sabathia deserved the ALCS MVP. We could have been discussing who was going to replace Mo, who was fresh off a shoulder surgery; now we're celebrating his six out save in Game Six.
The Yankees were going to battle with the Twins, the Twins were going to give them a run for their money with a can-do attitude and a group of Baseball Players instead of the Yankees' group of guys who get paid a lot of money to do some foreign job.
New York swept them.
The Angels were going to out-athletic the Yankees because they were swimming with confidence and a sense of destiny after finally knocking off the Red Sox, and in convincing fashion by completing a sweep against Papelbon at Fenway.
Instead they played terrible defense, made base-running mistakes and trailed in all six games before finally losing their fourth one. The Angels were said to have the great home field advantage because in the past they owned the Yankees there.
Nobody really mentioned the Yankees and how they have the best home field advantage in baseball this season. Or how New York was 3-1 against LA in the regular season during home games. Ironically, all the reasons LA wasn't going to win this series were only in the present. It was Yankees' fans concentrating on the now and haters reflecting on the past.
This was a series where critics expected the Angels to win for all the reasons they ignored about the Yankees. The writing was on the wall in this series the second the Red Sox dropped their dominance card on a Vlad single.
Let me say this: The Angels make me more nervous than the Red Sox. They truly have a pesky team with a So-Cal vibe about them in the late innings. What a completely well-run team and organization with the best manager in the game leading the way. Nobody in that stadium tonight was comfortable until Gary Matthews was dismissed.
Now the Yankees are back on top of the AL world and as fans we're going to hear more and more payroll complaints, salary cap pleadings and overall whining because that's what other fans do when they get jealous and bitter. I for one will welcome it.
Because the New York Yankees are once again hated because their winning instead of just being hated.
I was in attendance for tonight's game, and I will supply the full story and events leading up to it in a few installments tomorrow. On Tuesday I will make my World Series predictions in preparation for Wednesday's Game One. Let it be known I don't take the Phillies lightly even if I did think the Dodgers were the more complete team (who knew Philly's bullpen would be that much more dominant?).
For now we as Yankees' fans can relish the fact there will be no Game Seven. There will be no sixth consecutive elimination game loss. The monkey, whether it be of the Rally or the Finishing A Series variety, is off the back. The Angels no longer own New York because nobody in the AL does.
This team came from being labeled a bunch of overpaid superstars to becoming a team which never gives up in a game and plays every game all the way through. They went from a cold new stadium with no atmosphere to the toughest place to play in the sport if you're the other team (5-0 in the playoffs won't hurt that argument).
When the cards have been stacked against the Yankees in 2009, they have had their opposition right where they wanted them. When the Yankees lead late in the game, it's pretty much over. That's been the calling card for New York. Win close games whether they're trailing or leading late in the game. This team has played like a champion ever since Francisco Cervelli hit a long ball in Atlanta. Now they have a chance to become one.
This series was a microcosm of the season and this game was a microcosm of the series. They said the Yankees couldn't play superior defense, and the Angels were officially flattened on a Scott Kazmir throwing error. They said the bullpen was unreliable, but it obtained eight outs and protected a two run lead against the second best comeback team in the league. They said CC and Alex would choke, and instead one single-handedly pitched his team to two victories while the other one hit .400 and reached base all five times in Game Six. They said when the Yankees moved across the street they lost one of the best home field advantages, but finishing off the Angels continued an undefeated home playoff record to build on a MLB best regular season. And the Yankees did it in front of a record attendance, both in population and noise.
Critics say a lot of stuff. Fans say a lot of stuff. I think I speak for all Yankees' fans when I say I honestly had moments this season where I wasn't sure what team I was watching. Even when the Yankees were destroying the league in the second half of the season, it's hard not to expect the other shoe to drop when you've seen five consecutive teams break your heart with lackluster play when it matters most (please don't self destruct Pirates fans, if any of you are reading this.)
It's hard to expect to defeat adversity when you're seeing you're team in the middle of it.
This team has played out like a movie script in 2009 and part of it has now run straight through Hollywood. The bright lights of Broadway won out this time and we're finally going to get to see how this theater all plays out in the end.
As a baseball fan I'm excited for this World Series because at the end of the day I think these are the two best teams in the game.
As a Yankees' fan I'm hoping I don't wake up from my dream for another week.
Recent Comments