The Mariners and Yankees--May the best team win (1 Viewer)

[Tomoko Noguchi]

I will be hoping the Mariners will beat the Yankees and would guess many would hope the same thing. Gambatte Seattle!

 

[Graeme Clark]

And no 17-2 games!
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[RAF]

In my opinion the "real" World Series just ended with the Yankees' victory over the Oakland A's.
Good luck to Seattle, but don't bet too much money that they will beat the "real" record for wins: 125 wins by the 1998 Yankees.
If they dethrone the champs then they will deserve it. However, I honestly don't think that they will. The Mariners have had a great season, but they will have a very hard time beating the Yankees, no matter what statistics will tell you. Everyone quoted the number of games that Oakland had won in a row at home, etc. etc. etc. to "prove" why they would beat the Yankees, and the number of times that Oakland beat the Yankees this year.
And a similar argument could be made for the Mariners vs. the Yankees. Except for one thing.
This is not the regular season.
This is the post season, and the Yankees have been there before. Anyone who still can't understand my position after seeing what the Yankees just did to the A's is thinking with his/her heart rather than looking at it logically.
I'm predicting a Yankees/Braves series once again. And the American League will be the world series winner once more, whether it be the Yankees or the Mariners.
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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
Link Removed

 

[SteveRS]

I have not been so excited about a baseball player since I was a kid watching Willie Mays. Go Ichiro!
I feel sad for the baseball fans in Japan. Losing Ichiro to the Mariners must be a heartbreaker for those who enjoy the excitement Ichiro brings to the game.

 

[Tomoko Noguchi]

Robert,
I don`t really worry about the record of 125. It just doesnt matter. And the same can be said about what the Mariners did to the Indians. I do hope you watched some of their games this weekend.
We Japanese don`t miss so much about Ichiro. We are proud of him and are happy for his success.

 

[John Thomas]

First, how could that be the 'real' World Series when it involved the wildcard team? It, along with every other series, was very entertaining. Even though the Braves swept, that was a great series as well.
As far as beating the Yanks' 125 wins, you're counting their post-season wins I suppose. They've got a good shot at it, since they tied to ML record for wins in a season (tied with the 1908 Cubs).
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The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. -Franklin D. Roosevelt.
My Top 10 of 2000 My Top 10 of 2001

 

[Jeff_A]

Go, Seattle! You are now representing all of the small-markets.

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The Dark Tower

Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)?

 

[RAF]

I, too, admire the talent and feats of Ichiro. He is one of those rare players who comes along every so often and would be an asset on any team. He could play for my team any day, any time.
We (The NY Yankees) have a pretty good rookie ourselves in Soriano and, in "normal" times he would have run away with the rookie of the year honors based on his performance. However, he has the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, since Ichiro is clearly a superior player and fully deserving of the Rookie of the Year honors he is about to receive.
I'm looking forward to another exciting series. My reference to the "real" world series was based on my opinion that the winner of the NY-Oakland series will be the eventual winner of the world series this year. I was more concerned about Oakland than I am about Seattle because of the short series and the match-ups.
However, all this is speculation and will be proven on the field. That's why I only offer opinions and tend to keep away from rash statements. Those things can come back to bite you in the butt, as was evidenced by all the people who took some relish in prematurely predicting the Yankees' demise.

The Yankees were clearly the Team of the Century in the 20th Century. I now look forward to the first series of the 21st Century to see if a new team will pick up the mantle or whether the remarkable streak of the past 80 or so years will continue.
Let the games begin.
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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
Link Removed

 

[RicP]

quote: Go, Seattle! You are now representing all of the small-markets[/quote]Sorry Jeff, but if you think Seattle is a "Small Market", you're kidding yourself. They're not Yankee-size, but they are far from a "Small" market. Oakland, Montreal, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee... Those are Small Market teams. Just because The M's didn't pony up to keep A-Rod doesn't mean that they don't have $$.
That being said, I think this will be a great series. Most likely 7 but I'm hoping the Yanks can close it out in 6. Both teams went 5 games in hard fought Division Series, so it should be a pretty even start.
Torre HAS to start Mussina in game 1, so that the Yanks have him for at least 2 critical starts, If they can get a win from El Duque, that leaves one more to get...with either Clemens or Pettite.
I'm pulling for AZ in the NL, but I'm not sure they can get more than 2 wins (both from Schilling).
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Ric Perrott - My DVD's
[Edited last by RicP on October 16, 2001 at 09:14 AM]

 

[Yoshi Sugawara]

I bought tickets to one of the ALCS games yesterday - in Oakland. I was hoping the A's would beat the Yankees so I get to see an ALCS game with Ichiro - but the A's lost yesterday.
The A's played so sloppily yesterday. The only person on the team who seemed really hungry for the win was Jason Giambi, who went 4 for 4. The homerun by Justice and then Jeter's catch into the stands basically sealed the victory.
Well at least the M's and Ichiro are in the ALCS - I think it's pretty obvious who i'm rooting for
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[John Thomas]

My reference to the "real" world series was based on my opinion that the winner of the NY-Oakland series will be the eventual winner of the world series this year.

I'm of the opinion that the winner of the Atlanta/Arizona series will win it all. All of this attention on the Yankees and no one has mentioned that the Braves won their 10th consecutive division title. That's another feat that is to be respected.
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My Top 10 Movies http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum9/HTML/005503-6.html#146

 

[Patrick_S]

Sorry Jeff, but if you think Seattle is a "Small Market", you're kidding yourself.....Oakland, Montreal, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee... Those are Small Market teams.

Unfortunately Ric but your statement is wrong. Your inclusion of Oakland in the "small market" category is not supported by the facts.
Oakland is part of the SF metropolitan area and this area happens to rank 5th in total population in the US with 7 plus million.
In comparison, the Seattle metropolitan area ranks 13th with a total population of only 3.5 million.
So if you consider Oakland to be a small market team then Seattle would also have to be considered small market team.
Just as a point of reference, if you consider Oakland to be a small market team, then all teams except the NY, LA and Chicago teams would also have to be considered small market teams.
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[MikeM]

Unfortunately Ric but your statement is wrong. Your inclusion of Oakland in the "small market" category is not supported by the facts.

No, Ric isn't wrong. You're talking population, we're talking baseball. (Oh jeez, I'm backing up Ric, God help us all!)

In baseball, many things dictate the "market". This is the TV contract, the effective selling of the teams products, the stadum, the attendance, but most of all, the deep pockets of the owner(s).
The A's don't have the new stadium of like the nearby SF Giants. They don't have the TV contract of other clubs. Their attendance was way up from last year, but it's still a constant issue of the local press, and oh yeah, the owners are in a feud and have the team up for sale. All of this in combination makes the A's well within baseball's definition of a "small market" team.
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[RicP]

quote: No, Ric isn't wrong. You're talking population, we're talking baseball. (Oh jeez, I'm backing up Ric, God help us all!) [/quote]

That's ok Mike...I promise to back you up next time!
Patrick,
As Mike said...we are talking Baseball here, not population. In Baseball "Small market" is determined by the total Payroll of a given team as well as the other factors that Mike pointed out. Oakland's payroll is very low (3rd from the bottom I believe) and Seattle's is 11th in the league. If you divide the league evenly, then you'll find that Seattle is basically in the upper third of Payroll ($76M I think). In addition they have a more lucrative TV contract, and a brand new ballpark, and some muscle behind them as far as ownership is concerned. That makes them a "Big" market team as far as Baseball is concerned.
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Ric Perrott - My DVD's
[Edited last by RicP on October 17, 2001 at 09:52 AM]

 

[Marvin]

With all due respect, that stuff about "small market" teams is a lot of hogwash. Most teams are owned either by billionaires or billion dollar corporations. Aren't the Mariners owned by Nintendo? Even owners that are mere millionaires didn't, I would assume, buy a team in order to get rich.
Of course some owners may CHOOSE to have a small payroll (and in most cases, limit their team's chances of winning and attendance). But rooting for those teams will just encourage that behavior.
Go Yanks!

 

[Jack Gilvey]

Good point about the owners, some just don't want to spend, I suppose. Anyway, enough minutiae...
Good first game. Pettitte was right on his game, very impressive. Some close calls at second, but good ones based on the replays. Mussina's on a roll, so we'll see what happens tonight.
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[Joseph S]

quote: but good ones based on the replays.[/quote]
So Posada was safe, but Giambi was definitely out at home? Then again, I heard Yankee fans say this was an out in the '99 ALCS.
Link Removed
It's too close for me to call. Link Removed
[Edited last by Joseph S on October 18, 2001 at 11:09 AM]

 

[Graeme Clark]

Link Removed Out by a mile.
The M's might have an impromptu "tagging at 2nd" school this morning.

 

[John Tillman]

Ahem... Left foot on grass = out of baseline = out.

 

[Joseph S]

quote: Ahem... Left foot on grass = out of baseline = out.[/quote]
See I knew these folks with altered vision existed. Unfortunately grass is not in the rulebook and he was in the baseline.(3ft to either side of a direct path to the base) Though according to rule he could have gone further than the 3ft in this case to avoid being called out for interference of the fielder. However he did not even stray the normally allowed 3ft.
I had a very good view of the play, as did the 1B umpire Dale Scott who was in my line of sight. Scott had the gall not to make the correction. (Scott then later blew a call of his own in the same game where Nomar beat out a grounder by a fair margin. He then proceded to blame Jimy for his own incompetence and claimed Jimy Williams was arguing only to incite the crowd.)
quote:
Hard to believe it, especially after seeing yet another blown call go against the Boston Red Sox in a key spot of the American League Championship Series.
Rather than shouting ''Out!'' or ''Stee-rike!'' this is what umps are now sputtering too often: ''I blew it.''
[/quote]
- http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/99play/playfs03.htm
(Actual searches may vary, but these do work with google. Is this irony or coincidental?)
[Edited last by Joseph S on October 18, 2001 at 03:39 PM]