If the 2007 Yankees were a psychological patient, there is no doubt in my mind that they would have been prescribed massive amounts of lithium from some bearded, monocle-wearing doctor from Vienna.
In all my years of following the team, this was the weirdest season to figure out. In May and June, I was convinced that they weren't going to the playoffs. I actually thought they would struggle to finish above .500. The pitchers were injured, the lefties weren't hitting, and the boys seemed to be languishing in a comatose state.
But from the depths of despair at 21-29, the 2007 Yanks went 73-39 the rest of the way to secure a playoff birth. In many ways, this has been the most impressive Yankee year since 1998.
One of the reasons the Yanks were able to bounce back is because you never heard any of their players utter comments like these:
"We've got so much talent, I think sometimes we get bored." - Carlos Delgado
"We have so much talent that sometimes we relax a little bit." - Pedro Martinez
"Sometimes when you're a team as talented as we are - I don't know if I'd use the word 'bored,' but I guess you can get complacent at times." - Tom Glavine
Essentially, there was a market correction. And the Yanks are back in the playoffs for the 13th straight year, while the Mets rode their "talent" to a colossal collapse.
This year it took a combination of youthful infusion to right the Yankee ship. The term "Joba Rules" have entered the Bronx lexicon and, thanks to Brian Cashman and his scouts, the system is awash with talented young arms.
Of course it also helps when the best player in baseball has his best season. Watching Alex this year was a treat-day in and day out. Kudos also to Yankee batting coach Kevin Long, who was in deep water when the season began. A-Rod swears by him, so does Posada. Is it just a coincidence that they had career high offensive numbers?
So the Bi-Polar Yanks went depressive for the first three months and then turned manic. What team will show up in the ALDS?
Here's what we know: The Yanks will open Thursday in Cleveland and will play Friday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
Playing the "short" series has its own set of pros and cons, but I think this works out better for Yanks. Not only do they get to face Byrd and Westbrook at Yankee Stadium, but it also means they face Carmona only once.
This puts the pressure on probable 4th game starter Mike Mussina, who was bombed out in his last start. There is some talk that Hughes might take the mound, but that won't happen. When choosing between a veteran and rookie, Torre will take the former every time. Let's hope the season isn't on the line when Moose takes the mound next Monday.
More on the playoffs to come, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share some bizarre emails that have filtered down from the Boston region.
I've long ago stopped being surprised by the blatant stupidity of many Red Sox fans. But that doesn't mean that I'm not occasionally amused by them. Yesterday, for example, I received this email from an idiot in Gloucester:
So much for your "Yankees Juggernaut," you Joba-the-Hut looking wild card loser. Even if your Stankies would win the World Series, which they won't, it's tainted because they are a second place team. Look at the standings. Red Sox rule. -- Douggie the Sox fan, Gloucester, MA
Doesn't this moron realize that the Red Sox were the wildcard representative in 2004 when they won the World Series? This curious form of selective memory seems prevalent in RSN. He must have had too many Narragansett's at the Crow's Nest up in Gloucester. Here's another email:
……Oh and those Wild Card yanks hats are pretty snazzy looking I think, might pick one up for posterity…
So now the wildcard is to be ridiculed and bemoaned. Let's see, Boston won the wildcard in 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2005. That's makes for plenty of "snazzy hats" for their collection.
To top it all off, the most despised fan base in baseball, many of whom are bandwagon "pink hats," are putting their silliness on display now with the pathetic Presidential race for Red Sox nation. Heck, even that old homer Peter Gammons is embarrassed by it all. I hope the dog wins, maybe he can raise the relative I.Q. up there.
The states of New England threatened to secede from the Union in 1814 at the Hartford Convention…Hindsight is 20/20, but it sure would have solved a lot of problems to let them slink away quietly.
On to the playoffs, it should be fun.
Now let me check my emails.
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