Yankees win 7-3 to take world series 4-2. Some great hitting by Matsui, who knocked in 6 of the 7 NYY runs including another HR. I can catch up on some sleep now.
Damon is a class act for sure. He is now one of only 2 players with world series wins playing for both yanks & Sox. Looking fwd to opening day hostilities next season v R Sox. Boston need to come up with something close season, they struggled badly at the end of season. Boston Globe predicts doom & gloom with Veritek & Ortiz fading fast and Jason Bay looking set to leave.
[cite]Posted By: Bermuda_red[/cite]Damon is a class act for sure. He is now one of only 2 players with world series wins playing for both yanks & Sox. Looking fwd to opening day hostilities next season v R Sox. Boston need to come up with something close season, they struggled badly at the end of season. Boston Globe predicts doom & gloom with Veritek & Ortiz fading fast and Jason Bay looking set to leave.
Yep. Big Papi is a spent force and the Tek only has a year left in him at best. Not so sure Bay will leave - but that depends almost entirely on whether the Sox make the right moves in the offseason. If he goes and no big names come in with decent offensive numbers there's no way they're making the playoffs next year.
Veritek should retire, and eventually get into coaching. The Red Sox won't take up his $5m option for the next season, but he will likely take his $3m option ... since he may need the cash after his divorce.
Bay may be back with a competitive offer. Holliday is an option. Adrian Gonzales from the Padres is trade possibility.
Ortiz still hit 28 home runs and drive in 99 in a bad year. That level of production shows that it wasn't a bad year as much as a wildly inconsistent one.
Before writing off the Red Sox in 2010, remember that it is still mostly about pitching ... and they are still good there. Bats are easier to come by than quality arms, so they may be fine.
Gotta love this board. The Evil Empire won something or other last night, but it is all Red Sox talk. Like it should be.
AA, Something is clearly not right in Red Sox nation and I don't think it can be corrected by adding a couple of bats. Red Sox looked flat post all star game and will need to add in all areas of staff. I agree thats its all about the pitching, but their pitching looked ordinary over the last half of the season and even Paplebon was not his invincible self. Something is clearly wrong with a team that concedes a mid season lead in the AL East without a fight. They seemed unable to react to the Yankees amazing turn in form, maybe the timing of Big Papi's steroid confession didn't help matters. Tek is a key member of clubhouse and handling his fall from grace will be interesting, as it goes beyond just getting a new catcher. The manner of their post season exit must be a worry also, no fight and a 9th innings meltdown at Fenway v the Angels. It all seemed very unreal, almost seemed like watching the end of an era. That said I think Terry Francona is no fool and will be up to the challenge of turning things around. He may need time though. Gotta be said, but things haven't been the same since Manny left! . Personally I want to see a strong Sox team its good for baseball and makes the AL east interesting.
Say what you will about the yankees, and Most Sox fans do, but they do have a lot of guys who came through their system, so good luck to them. They also have a bunch of guys (Jeter/Rivera/Pasada/CC/Matsui etc) who are good role models. They do not conduct themselves like Man Utd. They did well in getting pitchers who can handle the pressure of pitching in New York. It appears that they have a good team spirit, similar to the 2004 "Idiots" and you can't begrudge Joe Giradi success, like Terry Francona he is a decent bloke. Lets not forget that the sox have a pretty high payroll themselves compared to the rest of MLB and also have had a couple of steriod assisited players on that payroll. The Yanks are world champions, thoroughly deserved as their regular season record was better by some considerable distance than any other team and they came up with the goods in the clutch situations during post season. Yanks dominence may also force the idiot baseball presenters on NESN to eat a little humble pie! As for A-Rod, I don't buy it . He still doesn't convince me in terms of being a real team player. His PR guys have been working overtime this year. However his ability can no longer be doubted.
Roll on April 2010, first game in AL East Yankees @ Boston.........
I think Red Sox fans would say they secretly respect Jeter and Rivera. But felt used by Teixeira, and, of course, they hate A-Rod, as most baseball fans do (and a lot of Yankees fans, too).
The Yankees - ManU connection is that they both buy their way to the top. ManU has developed more of their own players recently. The key players that came up through the Yankees system have been there a long time, like Jeter, Rivera and Posada, plus Petitte, who left and came back.
The fact that Yankees could, and did, buy the top three free agents on the market - CC, Teixeira and Burnett - and about 26 of the 32 teams go into seasons knowning they don't have the financial muscle to compete, is what non-Yankee fans resent about them. They pay individual players more than some whole teams spend on their payrolls.
Whether they conduct themselves with class or not, it is still like rooting for the bully. Although the bully doesn't always kick sand in your face on the beach, he's still a bully.
I agree with you on most points (but you missed out jealousy!) and oddly the yankees organisation represent a lot of what I hate about "corporate" sport. But one visit to Yankee stadium with the history/tradition and I was hooked. My then 8 yr old son was in awe. It was an amazing introduction to MLB. Thing is major sport needs teams like this. They are good for business. Most teams record their best attendences when the yankees come to town. They are also the best team in the world, with great players and are worth watching because they never give up. Maybe if I had gone to Fenway I would be a sox fan?! Probably not because I might have witnessed a 30 yr old Red Sox "legend" push a 72 yr old man called Don zimmer to the ground. Bullys, class, sand in face, examples to kids. Give me a break..............
However, I'm taking the fact that the 2010 season both starts AND ends with a Sox v Scum series at Fenway (for the first time in 60 years) as some kind of crazy good omen.
As regards our mid-season collapse, I think that whole 'moneyball' thing has run its course. Just look at the rapid decline of Oakland, and bear in mind the mighty BoSox were the biggest team to buy into the Billy Beane ethos and arguably owe '04 and '07 to it.
[cite]Posted By: Bermuda_red[/cite]They are also the best team in the world,
I must say I've started to develop an interest in Baseball but cannot stand the "best in the world" cobblers that Baseball continues to promote. It is not a world game end of.
[cite]Posted By: Bermuda_red[/cite]I agree with you on most points (but you missed out jealousy!) and oddly the yankees organisation represent a lot of what I hate about "corporate" sport. But one visit to Yankee stadium with the history/tradition and I was hooked. My then 8 yr old son was in awe. It was an amazing introduction to MLB. Thing is major sport needs teams like this. They are good for business. Most teams record their best attendences when the yankees come to town. They are also the best team in the world, with great players and are worth watching because they never give up. Maybe if I had gone to Fenway I would be a sox fan?! Probably not because I might have witnessed a 30 yr old Red Sox "legend" push a 72 yr old man called Don zimmer to the ground. Bullys, class, sand in face, examples to kids. Give me a break..............
Wow, Don Zimmer charged at Pedro, who stepped aside and pushed him away like a matador and a bull.
BTW, I have met Zim on several occassions as a sports journalist, and I have always liked him.
There has been no bigger bully in sports than George Steinbrenner.
That Yankee Stadium that you speak of is now rubble. Forget history. Not enough luxury boxes. It was a great stadium that was torn by corporate greed, nothing money.
If you want history now, go to Fenway or Wrigley.
[cite]Posted By: Bermuda_red[/cite]They are also the best team in the world,
I must say I've started to develop an interest in Baseball but cannot stand the "best in the world" cobblers that Baseball continues to promote. It is not a world game end of.
[quote][cite]Posted By: American_Addick[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: Bermuda_red[/cite]I agree with you on most points (but you missed out jealousy!) and oddly the yankees organisation represent a lot of what I hate about "corporate" sport. But one visit to Yankee stadium with the history/tradition and I was hooked. My then 8 yr old son was in awe. It was an amazing introduction to MLB. Thing is major sport needs teams like this. They are good for business. Most teams record their best attendences when the yankees come to town. They are also the best team in the world, with great players and are worth watching because they never give up. Maybe if I had gone to Fenway I would be a sox fan?! Probably not because I might have witnessed a 30 yr old Red Sox "legend" push a 72 yr old man called Don zimmer to the ground. Bullys, class, sand in face, examples to kids. Give me a break..............[/quote]
Wow, Don Zimmer charged at Pedro, who stepped aside and pushed him away like a matador and a bull. BTW, I have met Zim on several occassions as a sports journalist, and I have always liked him.
There has been no bigger bully in sports than George Steinbrenner.
That Yankee Stadium that you speak of is now rubble. Forget history. Not enough luxury boxes. It was a great stadium that was torn by corporate greed, nothing money. If you want history now, go to Fenway or Wrigley.[/quote]
Excellent! Defending Pedro for assaulting an old man! Sox fans kill me, you must have some Millwall in your genes.
Old Yankee stadium was destroyed in the 70s with a typically tasteless redevelopment by your favourite sand kicking bully. Not visited new stadium, but it looks great and includes many of the great features of old stadium. Can't argue against progress I'm afraid. Most football grounds bear no resemblence to the ones we grew up with. The Valley included. Rob Lee's turnstile, East Terrace, Valley club. All gone. Not visited Fenway but it looks pretty shabby on TV could do with a dose of the bulldozers. Start by taking down that ridiculous green monster it looks very "Old Den". Maybe you could ask ailing bully boy George Steinbrenner for a few ideas, as the sox fans need a much bigger ball park to accomodate all those large chips they carry around on your shoulders..........
[cite]Posted By: Bermuda_red[/cite]Excellent! Defending Pedro for assaulting an old man! Sox fans kill me, you must have some Millwall in your genes.
Old Yankee stadium was destroyed in the 70s with a typically tasteless redevelopment by your favourite sand kicking bully. Not visited new stadium, but it looks great and includes many of the great features of old stadium. Can't argue against progress I'm afraid. Most football grounds bear no resemblence to the ones we grew up with. The Valley included. Rob Lee's turnstile, East Terrace, Valley club. All gone. Not visited Fenway but it looks pretty shabby on TV could do with a dose of the bulldozers. Start by taking down that ridiculous green monster it looks very "Old Den". Maybe you could ask ailing bully boy George Steinbrenner for a few ideas, as the sox fans need a much bigger ball park to accomodate all those large chips they carry around on your shoulders..........
That is amazing revisionist history.
Zimmer charges at Pedro, who standing still. Pedro steps aside and semi-tosses the charging Zimmer to the ground.
Zimmer holds a press conference, and apologizes for his behavior and actions.
So who was it that assaulted whom?
I believe it was the one that made the apology.
Check YouTube if you need a reminder.
No Millwall in my veins. Perhaps you were watching the incident with Arsene Wenger or Mick McCarthy, and happen to miss it.
The old Yankee Stadium was great. In its original and its rebuilt versions.
The new Yankee Stadium, while offering amazing amenities, was unnecessary ... a testiment to corporate greed and taxpayers getting ripped off.
There was nothing wrong with the old stadium, except the number of luxury boxes that the team wanted. If the team built and paid for the new stadium then there wouldn't be reason to complain. But it was the taxpayers, footing the bill for the most profitable franchise in baseball.
The mighty Red Sox as ever for me. Normally go over in mid-April to catch a few games, but going early September instead this year (for 2 x White Sox, 1 x Tampa).
Thoroughly recommend anyone who wants to follow the game from the UK subscribes to MLB.TV. It's only 100 bucks for the season (120 if you want fancy multi-game windows) which gets you live (plus archived) coverage of 2,430 games... BARGAIN!
I am going to the Chicago White Sox vs Clev Indians tonight. I hope it doesnt get rained out. Jake Peavy on the mound for the South Side Pride! Cubs fans will always be losers!
Pedro threw out the first ball on Opening Night for the Red Sox (even though he hasn't officially announced his retirement and may pitch again). And Don Zimmer is going to be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame for his years as Boston manager.
Maybe they should have Pedro introduce Zip at the induction dinner? ;-)
Zimmer can charge the podium and Pedro can pull the placque away at the last moment!
Comments
Want the Phillies to do it. Can't see them winning the last two in New York but you never know.
Damn Yankees.
Oh well, spring training starts in a a few months time. Come on you Cards.
Bay may be back with a competitive offer. Holliday is an option. Adrian Gonzales from the Padres is trade possibility.
Ortiz still hit 28 home runs and drive in 99 in a bad year. That level of production shows that it wasn't a bad year as much as a wildly inconsistent one.
Before writing off the Red Sox in 2010, remember that it is still mostly about pitching ... and they are still good there. Bats are easier to come by than quality arms, so they may be fine.
Gotta love this board. The Evil Empire won something or other last night, but it is all Red Sox talk. Like it should be.
Say what you will about the yankees, and Most Sox fans do, but they do have a lot of guys who came through their system, so good luck to them. They also have a bunch of guys (Jeter/Rivera/Pasada/CC/Matsui etc) who are good role models. They do not conduct themselves like Man Utd. They did well in getting pitchers who can handle the pressure of pitching in New York. It appears that they have a good team spirit, similar to the 2004 "Idiots" and you can't begrudge Joe Giradi success, like Terry Francona he is a decent bloke. Lets not forget that the sox have a pretty high payroll themselves compared to the rest of MLB and also have had a couple of steriod assisited players on that payroll. The Yanks are world champions, thoroughly deserved as their regular season record was better by some considerable distance than any other team and they came up with the goods in the clutch situations during post season. Yanks dominence may also force the idiot baseball presenters on NESN to eat a little humble pie! As for A-Rod, I don't buy it . He still doesn't convince me in terms of being a real team player. His PR guys have been working overtime this year. However his ability can no longer be doubted.
Roll on April 2010, first game in AL East Yankees @ Boston.........
I think Red Sox fans would say they secretly respect Jeter and Rivera. But felt used by Teixeira, and, of course, they hate A-Rod, as most baseball fans do (and a lot of Yankees fans, too).
The Yankees - ManU connection is that they both buy their way to the top. ManU has developed more of their own players recently. The key players that came up through the Yankees system have been there a long time, like Jeter, Rivera and Posada, plus Petitte, who left and came back.
The fact that Yankees could, and did, buy the top three free agents on the market - CC, Teixeira and Burnett - and about 26 of the 32 teams go into seasons knowning they don't have the financial muscle to compete, is what non-Yankee fans resent about them. They pay individual players more than some whole teams spend on their payrolls.
Whether they conduct themselves with class or not, it is still like rooting for the bully. Although the bully doesn't always kick sand in your face on the beach, he's still a bully.
However, I'm taking the fact that the 2010 season both starts AND ends with a Sox v Scum series at Fenway (for the first time in 60 years) as some kind of crazy good omen.
As regards our mid-season collapse, I think that whole 'moneyball' thing has run its course. Just look at the rapid decline of Oakland, and bear in mind the mighty BoSox were the biggest team to buy into the Billy Beane ethos and arguably owe '04 and '07 to it.
Everyone else got wise, gadnammit.
I must say I've started to develop an interest in Baseball but cannot stand the "best in the world" cobblers that Baseball continues to promote. It is not a world game end of.
Wow, Don Zimmer charged at Pedro, who stepped aside and pushed him away like a matador and a bull.
BTW, I have met Zim on several occassions as a sports journalist, and I have always liked him.
There has been no bigger bully in sports than George Steinbrenner.
That Yankee Stadium that you speak of is now rubble. Forget history. Not enough luxury boxes. It was a great stadium that was torn by corporate greed, nothing money.
If you want history now, go to Fenway or Wrigley.
Isn't that the American way?
Oh come on they play it in Hondurus :-)
Wow, Don Zimmer charged at Pedro, who stepped aside and pushed him away like a matador and a bull.
BTW, I have met Zim on several occassions as a sports journalist, and I have always liked him.
There has been no bigger bully in sports than George Steinbrenner.
That Yankee Stadium that you speak of is now rubble. Forget history. Not enough luxury boxes. It was a great stadium that was torn by corporate greed, nothing money.
If you want history now, go to Fenway or Wrigley.[/quote]
Excellent! Defending Pedro for assaulting an old man! Sox fans kill me, you must have some Millwall in your genes.
Old Yankee stadium was destroyed in the 70s with a typically tasteless redevelopment by your favourite sand kicking bully. Not visited new stadium, but it looks great and includes many of the great features of old stadium. Can't argue against progress I'm afraid. Most football grounds bear no resemblence to the ones we grew up with. The Valley included. Rob Lee's turnstile, East Terrace, Valley club. All gone. Not visited Fenway but it looks pretty shabby on TV could do with a dose of the bulldozers. Start by taking down that ridiculous green monster it looks very "Old Den". Maybe you could ask ailing bully boy George Steinbrenner for a few ideas, as the sox fans need a much bigger ball park to accomodate all those large chips they carry around on your shoulders..........
That is amazing revisionist history.
Zimmer charges at Pedro, who standing still. Pedro steps aside and semi-tosses the charging Zimmer to the ground.
Zimmer holds a press conference, and apologizes for his behavior and actions.
So who was it that assaulted whom?
I believe it was the one that made the apology.
Check YouTube if you need a reminder.
No Millwall in my veins. Perhaps you were watching the incident with Arsene Wenger or Mick McCarthy, and happen to miss it.
The old Yankee Stadium was great. In its original and its rebuilt versions.
The new Yankee Stadium, while offering amazing amenities, was unnecessary ... a testiment to corporate greed and taxpayers getting ripped off.
There was nothing wrong with the old stadium, except the number of luxury boxes that the team wanted. If the team built and paid for the new stadium then there wouldn't be reason to complain. But it was the taxpayers, footing the bill for the most profitable franchise in baseball.
Grand Slam from Albert
Yadier Molina wasn't it? Albert hit a brace of big ones though. Carps and Franklyn a little wobbly but a nice start nonetheless.
Thoroughly recommend anyone who wants to follow the game from the UK subscribes to MLB.TV. It's only 100 bucks for the season (120 if you want fancy multi-game windows) which gets you live (plus archived) coverage of 2,430 games... BARGAIN!
Maybe they should have Pedro introduce Zip at the induction dinner? ;-)
Zimmer can charge the podium and Pedro can pull the placque away at the last moment!