Results tagged ‘ Philadelphia ’
Somehow I knew it would end like this…
Sad but realistic…
Well, the Yankees lost a series that they could have and should have won. I can’t say that I am as disappointed as I’ve been in past years during play-off failures as I recognized the team had its fatal weaknesses that would be exposed the deeper it got in the play-offs. Clearly, starting pitching has been a problem. CC Sabathia has been great, but he hasn’t been Justin Verlander- or Roy Halladay-great. He is still the ace and legitimately so, but the weaknesses in the rotation behind him put more pressure on CC to be perfect. That’s a tough for anyone. Even if the Yankees had gotten past the Detroit Tigers, I am not so sure that they would have fared well against the Texas Rangers.
When the season began, I felt that on paper the Boston Red Sox had a superior team. My picks for the World Series were the Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. I was wrong on both counts, but I felt that the Yankees weak rotation would put too much pressure on the hitters. When the big bats go cold, there just haven’t been the consistent key hits off the bench. There have been a few here and there, but nothing like the critical and timely hits that Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui used to deliver. I was concerned that this would be the final fatal blow for the Yankees chances in 2011, and that’s exactly what happened.
At the trading deadline, I had hoped the team would at least make an attempt to acquire a clutch hitter if they weren’t able to find any pitching depth. They stood pat and did nothing. I agree that it was the right decision if the moves would have cost talent like Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances or Jesus Montero, but other teams found ways to spend a little to acquire a lot like the Tigers with their pickup of pitcher Doug Fister.
The priority move – sign Cash…
Although the 2011 season was a “failure” as per owner Hal Steinbrenner, I clearly hope the team decides to bring back GM Brian Cashman. No one understands the Yankees or the city of New York better than Cash, and he’s still the right man for the job. With so much to do in the off-season, the Yankees need to move quickly to sign Cash. With CC likely to opt out of his contract, the Yankees will need to be equally as quick to renegotiate a replacement contract so that they can turn to ways to improve the team as opposed to sustaining the current depth of talent. I would hate to see the Yankees lose other opportunities because they are too focused with the Cashman and Sabathia negotiations. Last off-season, it appeared that the team was only capable of dealing with one issue at a time. When they were chasing Cliff Lee, it seemed as though that’s all they did. They let other matters sit, including the topic of Andy Pettitte, until Lee surprised everyone and returned to Philadelphia. I am not quite sure why the organization is incapable of multi-tasking, but they do need to ‘divide and conquer’ if they intend to be the dominant force in 2012.
Looking forward to Jorge Posada Day…
Jorge Posada played very well in September and October, and he’s been a fantastic Yankee, but the time has come for him to go. I hope that he decides to put the bat down and simply walks away. I’d really hate to see him try to play again in 2012, which most likely would be with a different team. His legacy is secured in Yankees history, and he’ll always be treated as royalty by the organization. He was the greatest catcher since Thurman Munson, and he’ll certainly be remembered in the same room with Munson, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, and Elston Howard.
The “Opt-Out” I wish would happen…
How great would it be if Rafael Soriano opted out of his contract? Sadly, that’s not going to happen and the Yankees are stuck with the guy who is trying to be the next Jose Veras rather than the next Mariano Rivera…
Bay Area Losses…
Northern California has certainly suffered great losses this week with the passing of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and now legendary Raiders owner Al Davis. Davis is one of the guys that you just thought would live forever. I am not a Raiders fan, but he revolutionized the game and was one of its most colorful characters. I admired his strength and resolve, and it’s unfortunate that his final Raider seasons were filled with losses. The game certainly won’t be the same without Davis…
–Scott
Here we are, Game 5 — Play Ball!…
The Yankees are playing an elimination game, so of course, I need something to take my mind off the game! 
Maybe we’ll see the new White Sox manager run toward the Texas Rangers owner’s box in a fit of rage…
I was surprised to hear the announcement that former Yankees third baseman Robin Ventura had been named the manager of the Chicago White Sox. I think Robin’s a great guy and he should be a good manager, but he’s definitely the anti-Ozzie Guillen. I thought that Jerry Reinsdorf and company would go for a more experienced manager. Personally, Terry Francona would be at the top of my list but I am sure that Reinsdorf had good reasons for taking a chance with Robin.
I have not done any research to see what Ventura has been up to in recent years but hopefully he’s prepared for the rigors of managing in a big city with high expectations. If the Chicago Cubs somehow managed to land GM Theo Epstein and/or Terry Francona, it would put pressure on Ventura to produce quickly in the Battle of the Windy City.
Now you see them, now you don’t…
I was equally surprised to see the quick exit from the play-offs by the Tampa Bay Rays. After they successfully caught the Boston Red Sox in September and captured the Wild Card, I did think they were a team of destiny. They certainly have the starting pitching to contend, but it was not meant to be. Red Sox fans were so hoping for the ouster of the Yankees and Rays on the same night. Fortunately, they were disappointed. I really hope the Yankees get the chance to play the Texas Rangers in the ALCS to, hopefully, avenge the play-off loss last year. Texas has an incredible offensive machine, but they are not unbeatable.
Weren’t the Cardinals left for dead just a month or so ago?…
It is interesting that all division series, except Rangers-Rays, have gone the full 5 games. I don’t expect the St. Louis Cardinals to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, but they’ve certainly shown they can play on the same field. The Phillies remain the team I think will win the World Series, but I’d be foolish to underestimate the heart of the Cardinals. The Arizona Diamondbacks were able to dig out of a 0-2 hole against the Brewers, but I don’t really expect them to beat the Brewers in Milwaukee on Friday night. I think the NLCS will feature the Phillies and the Brewers, with the Phils advancing to the World Series.
The Vikings are dead…
Football has definitely not been fun this year as my team, the Minnesota Vikings, have lost all four games to open the season. Every game has been close, but the Vikings simply do not know either how to win or how to close out games. Is that the coach or the players? I really want to see Head Coach Leslie Frazier succeed, but I am not a big fan of QB Donovan McNabb (he will never again approach the success he enjoyed in Philly). Also, I was not a fan of Mike Singletary when he was coach of the San Francisco 49ers and now he has Leslie’s ear as his chief confidant and close friend. Perhaps Frazier would be better off without Singletary and with Christian Ponder as the starting QB…
Thanks for my iPod…
The Yankees and Detroit Tigers are getting ready to play Game 5 so I’d better cut this short. But before I go, I’d like to say my condolences to the family of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. His passing this week was difficult news to hear. Somehow it seems as though we’ve lost a great friend and the world will never be quite the same. He is missed by so many and rightfully so. When he stepped down as the CEO of Apple in late August, I didn’t realize that he was so close to the end. Nevertheless, he lived his life his way and on his own terms. He left a legacy for all of us to learn from. If we could accomplish 2% of what he did, we’d be wildly successful…
–Scott
First Place, but hardly reason to gloat…
I am an Iowa Hawkeyes fan, I am used to build up then disappointment…
It’s ironic that the Yankees currently hold the lead in the American League East since it has seemed as though the Boston Red Sox and their fans have had more reason to gloat this year. Every time I get excited about the Yankees, they do something to temper the excitement. Headed in September, the team was playing at an incredibly high level, with solid pitching from the entire rotation including A.J. Burnett (well, one start). During the first two games of a four game set with the Baltimore Orioles and the manager I love to hate, Buck Showalter, the Yankees looked like they could hang with the Philadelphia Phillies in a 7-game play-off series.
But alas, all good things must end, and the Yankees promptly lost two consecutive extra-inning affairs with the O’s. Fortunately, the Red Sox were struggling with the Toronto Blue Jays, losing 2 of 3, so the Yanks didn’t lose any ground (they currently lead the Sox by 2 ½ games).
For the record, I don’t take any joy in the health issues surrounding Josh Beckett and Kevin Youkilis. I’d rather beat a Red Sox team at full strength than one depleted by critical injuries.
Many Yankees fans are probably already counting on the AL East Flag, but like last year, I know how easy it can slip away and of course a 2 ½ game lead is nothing on September 9th. The Sox have plenty of time to make up the difference and they are certainly a team capable of getting on a roll. That’s why I consider those two O’s losses as lost opportunities. It doesn’t get any easier for the Yanks as they are now in Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angels. Tonight, they are pitted against Jered Weaver who is arguably the best pitcher in the American League not named Justin Verlander. Plus, the Yankees generally do not fare well on those West Coast swings. So, the Red Sox certainly have a golden opportunity to re-take the AL East.
Hip-hip, Jorge!…
While I am one that feels this should be the last year in the Bronx for Jorge Posada (almost a virtual certainty given how well Jesus Montero has performed), I do hope that he gets his moment in Yankee Stadium like Paul O’Neill did when the fans started chanting his name. Posada can leave knowing that his name will rank up there with Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey, Elston Howard, and Thurman Munson. It will be odd seeing Posada in a different uniform if he chooses to play next year, and I definitely hope that he is not one of those who travel north to Boston. I’d rather see him play for the Tampa Bay Rays. Best case scenario would be the National League, but I doubt he’d switch leagues at this late juncture in his career. Of course, his catching days are behind him so a team with a DH is where he is best suited. I am sure that he’ll be more prepared for DH next season.
Random thoughts…
I am ready for the Scott Proctor reunion to end…
So, how can we convince some team to offer Rafael Soriano a ridiculous amount of money to walk away from his contract with the Yankees after the season? Sadly, I think he’ll be a Yankee for all three years…
Tell me again why we kept Phil Hughes and traded 19-game winner Ian Kennedy? Okay, I can’t fault the Yankees on this one as I was ready for Kennedy to leave and he probably would not have achieved the same level of success in the pressure cooker known as New York…
Funny how Derek Jeter drop-kicked Minka Kelly on the eve of her becoming a national sex symbol with the new Charlie’s Angels TV series. When you are DJ and you can have any girl in the world, why settle for one? I am sure that he has no shortage of friends, and he can certainly buy a few if he needs them…
When I saw the photo of Cameron Diaz “pregnant” (costuming for a movie), my first thought, thinking it was real, was definitely about Alex Rodriguez and additional future child support payments. But fortunately, A-Rod has been able to afford “protection” and he doesn’t have to worry about any unexpected A-Rod, Jr’s in the world…
Are you ready for some football?…
Getting a little off-topic, it was disappointing to see that Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning had to undergo a second surgery on his neck that will keep him out of action for 2-3 months, if not all season. Some are saying that he should just retire rather than risk further injury, and I’d certainly agree that he doesn’t have any more to prove. He’ll definitely go down in history as one of the great ones. Kerry Collins has a good knack for being in the right place at the right time…
Two years ago, as a Vikings fan, I had to learn to root for a former hated quarterback (Brett Favre). Now, as a former resident of the Philly area who witnessed the fan apathy toward Donovan McNabb, I have to pull for him as the QB of my team. I am a fan of Christian Ponder, and I suspect that he’ll get his opportunity to take a few snaps at some point in the season. Actually, I hope McNabb proves me wrong and leads the Vikings to the promised land. But I see this as just another attempt to capture glory from a faded star…
I keep hearing how great it is that LB Erin Henderson has landed a starting role with the Vikings (alongside his brother, E.J.) as an undrafted free agent. But in the year of his draft, I was somewhat surprised that he did go undrafted. It was evident that he was a quality player at Maryland, and I would have thought some team would have taken a shot in the later rounds. Just as I liked Erin that year, I like RB Caleb King this year. He didn’t make the final cut when the team pared its roster to 53 players, but he was retained on the practice squad. Hopefully, a position on the roster will materialize before some other team realizes the diamond in the rough…
If I am Mike Shanahan, and my choices for starting QB are Rex Grossman and John Beck, I am retiring to see what NBC Sports has to offer…
As a resident of Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis, I am really hopeful that the city will find a way to step forward to retain the Vikings. Presently, the proposal is for a new stadium in Arden Hills, and I know the ownership group is highly in favor of the area. I’d really like to see the Vikings stay in Minneapolis with the Twins and the Timberwolves. The options are either the existing Metrodome/Mall of America Field area or the Farmer’s Market. I’d prefer the latter. But all things considered, I would accept Arden Hills over Los Angeles. Whatever it takes, I hope Minnesota does the right thing to retain the Vikings. It would be horrific for the Land of 10,000 Lakes to lose a second professional team to the city of Los Angeles…
I saw that Buddy Ryan was delaying surgery (he has been diagnosed with cancer…again) so that he could witness the Week 1 match-up between Rex Ryan and the New York Jets and Rob Ryan and the Dallas Cowboys. I am hopeful that he’ll see a Jets victory, but then again, the Cowboys have always been my second favorite team so I won’t be disappointed if Tony Romo and company pull out the victory. Buddy apparently has a history of beating cancer so hopefully this is just another one of those dominating Ryan situations…
I know that I kept jumping back to the Vikings (hey, I am a Vikings fan!), but I have to say that I really like what I’ve seen from new head coach Leslie Frazier. I have not always been a big fan of the team’s coach. When you grow up with Bud Grant as the man, it’s hard to see others in the role. The worst, of course, was Les Steckel, but there have been varying degrees over the years. I did like Mike Tice but recognize that he was limited from a coaching perspective. Leslie Frazier is the first coach since Grant that I’ve been able to fully embrace. I hated to see the Vikings lose former defensive coach Mike Tomlin when he was named coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I felt the Vikings were facing the same situation with Frazier (just like they had with Tomlin and Tony Dungy in previous years). Fortunately, the Vikings canned Brad Childress (sorry Brad!) and promoted Frazier to the top job. I was slow to accept Joe Girardi as the Yankees manager (I was a Don Mattingly supporter), but today, there’s not really anyone that I’d rather see as manager of the Yankees. I feel the same way about Leslie Frazier.
We are now in the midst of perhaps one of the best sports months of the year. It is the pennant race in baseball, and the opening of the NFL Season. Granted, my focus is on baseball, but it will still be fun to watch some football this Sunday. Down, set, 247, 247, hutt, hutt…
–Scott
Blue versus Red…
Blue meet Red, Red meet Blue…
The American League and National League Championship Series will feature Blue versus Red albeit different shades of blue…and red. My choices for the World Series reside exclusively in the land of Blue…
Of course I am going to pull for the Yankees. I’ve been doing it for 35 years, so there’s no reason to change now!
FOX Sports released the ALCS Schedule today:
|
American League Championship Series |
|
|
Angels vs. Yankees |
|
|
Game 1: Angels at Yankees, Friday, Oct. 16, 7:57 p.m. ET, FOX |
||
|
Game 2: Angels at Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:57 p.m. ET, FOX |
||
|
Game 3: Yankees at Angels, Monday, Oct. 19, 4:13 p.m. ET, FOX |
||
|
Game 4: Yankees at Angels, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7:57 p.m. ET, FOX |
||
|
Game 5: Yankees at Angels (if nec.), Thursday, Oct. 22, 7:57 p.m. ET, FOX |
||
|
Game 6: Angels at Yankees (if nec.), Saturday, Oct. 24, 4:13 p.m. ET, FOX |
||
|
Game 7: Angels at Yankees (if nec.), Sunday, Oct. 25, 8:20 p.m. ET, FOX
Courtesy http://www.foxsports.com |
||
Game 6 would move to 7:57 pm ET if the NLCS is over.
I will be in New York City on Saturday, but unfortunately, I won’t get there in time to go the Bronx. It’s a business trip so no pleasure, but it will still be fun to watch Game 2 highlights from a New York perspective.
The Yankees are considering a three-man rotation, which would be CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte. The 7th through 9th innings would belong to the trio of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera. Chad Gaudin and Alfredo Aceves would be available for long relief if necessary. I feel better with Chamberlain in the bullpen, so naturally I am in favor of the shortened rotation.
Courtesy silive.com
I am hoping that this is the year the Yankees finally avenge their ouster from the 2002 ALDS at the hands of the eventual champion Angels.
Courtesy sportnews.com
By the way, I heard Derek Jeter call the Angels “Anaheim” so it’s good to know that I am not the only one that has trouble saying Los Angeles Angels. Heck, I think they should go back to California Angels. It’s not like LA is going to claim anything in Orange County as their own…
In the National League Championship Series, I have to side with Joe Torre and Don Mattingly. I understand Julia’s reluctance to pull for any team that has Manny Ramirez on its roster, but the other guys in blue are a deserving crew. It’s not that I don’t think the Phillies deserve to be where they are, but I’d prefer to see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series.
|
National League Championship Series |
|
|
Phillies vs. Dodgers |
|
|
Game 1: Phillies at Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS |
||
|
Game 2: Phillies at Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 16, 4:07 p.m. ET, TBS |
||
|
Game 3: Dodgers at Phillies, Sunday, Oct. 18, 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS |
||
|
Game 4: Dodgers at Phillies, Monday, Oct. 19, 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS |
||
|
Game 5: Dodgers at Phillies (if nec.), Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS |
||
|
Game 6: Phillies at Dodgers (if nec.), Friday, Oct. 23, 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS |
||
|
Game 7: Phillies at Dodgers (if nec.), Saturday, Oct. 24, 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS
Courtesy http://www.foxsports.com |
||
Here is my order of preference for World Champions:
1. New York Yankees
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Los Angeles Angels
I’m sorry, Julia, there seems to be a team missing. I know, that’s mean. But c’mon, she did, after all, burn the ‘Yankees are better!’ sign…
Courtesy Julia’s Rants
This year’s World Series Champion will feature at least one past (or hopefully present) Yankee. The Angels include Juan Rivera and Bobby Abreu, the Dodgers include Jeff Weaver (aside from the aforementioned Torre and Mattingly), and the Phillies include Miguel Cairo. Interesting. But of course, you could say the same thing about Julia’s team. The ex-Red Sox include Pedro Martinez (Phillies), Manny Ramirez (Dodgers), Johnny Damon (Yankees), and Darren Oliver (Angels). I am sure that there are plenty of other variations, but any way you slice it, this is a great year for the AL and NL Championship Series. In my mind, baseball got it right. The four best teams in the league this year meet to decide the ultimate champion. It doesn’t get any better than that…
Good luck to all the teams, but I’ll close with GO BLUE!
–Scott
Fid
Recent Comments