2003 ML Baseball Playoff Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Excellent win by the Yanks tonight. The Twins played a tight game, but Pettite was on fire and Hawkins lacked patience and couldn't get it done. Twins could have used a clutch hit or two, they did have chances. Pettite had some nasty stuff, so I'm not too upset. I'll take the away split. Best played game of the playoffs IMO, it was fun to watch Radke and Pettite go at it.

I think the A's will finish it this weekend. How goes the old saying...good pitching beats good hitting. heh. But you never know, the Sox could put up 20 runs both games

 

[LewB]

Mr. Pettitte was 'dealin' ! I think that performance should go a long way to remove any doubt that the Yanks have no choice but to give him whatever he wants to stay.
You see the way that Jeter was flexing the shoulder. I read an article where he said that it 'barked' in cold weather and that surgery (scope) might be needed at the end of the year to tighten it up. Sorriano is giving me Knoblach flashbacks ! A 'W' is a 'W', on to the twinkie-dome.

 

[Andrew_A_Paul]

think that performance should go a long way to remove any doubt that the Yanks have no choice but to give him whatever he wants to stay.

See thats the problem, the yanks will give him what he wants. They just buy off another player, and buy another ring.

 

[LewB]

See thats the problem, the yanks will give him what he wants. They just buy off another player, and buy another ring.

Andrew: Time for my rant regarding the Yanks and payroll...
Agreed, the Yanks spend a ton of money. They fly in the face of today's current business 'plan'. They spend money to make money instead of sucking out every dime they can. They have a $180 million dollar payroll, they also drew 3.5 million fans at home to a 70+ year old ball park where the beers cost $7 and the box seats up to $80. They draw more fans on the road than any other team, this puts $ into the pockets of the 'small market' teams. They also pay revenue sharing to just about every other owner in the league. The owner is then under no obligation to spend the money on his team. 'King George' is only 1 owner, the others could change things to limit him but they don't because they are really making money then crying poverty. George has always thrown money around, no one else complained when we got Ed Whitson or Kenny Rogers. Money helps a lot, but it does not guarantee success. Look at the Orioles, the Dodgers, etc. They spend money and don't make the post-season. Baltimore was still paying Albert Belle this year ! My fear is that Gene Michael will leave, then George will once again start spending $ in the wrong places. Even worse would be for something to happen to George and the team be bought by a corporation. Who else could afford to buy them ? You think a corporation will spend like George ? They'll milk it for all it's worth and leave the team a shambles, remember when CBS owned the Yanks ?
OK, ranting and history lesson are over.

 

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Andrew_A_Paul: The Twins are as good as the Yanks, at 1/4 the price Also...I hope we don't get into this debate in the playoffs thread. It's been played out 1000 times.

Pettite is from Texas, and the announcers last night were implying that he might sign with the Rangers for that reason. I have no other info on that possibility, maybe someone else does.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Mariano Rivera breaks the record for 2-inning saves in the postseason, now with 7 career saves of that duration or longer. He's also got 26 total postseason saves, which is an astounding number in this day and age.

 

[Marvin]

Not taking anything away from Rivera - after all, he's my favorite player - but I think a number like that would only be possible in this day and age, due to the additional playoff rounds, and the additional use of relief pitching in general. I don't know how fair it is to compare pre-1969 "postseason" stats, which consisted just of the World Series, with totals run up since 1969, and especially since 1995.

 

[Patrick Sun]

But you have to be effective in those situations.

 

[Steve_Tk]

See thats the problem, the yanks will give him what he wants. They just buy off another player, and buy another ring.

They have not won anything yet. They at least look beatable this year.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Baltimore was still paying Albert Belle this year !

Well, their insurance company was (but it probably counted against Baltimore's for luxury tax/revenue sharing purposes). Part of the reason you're not seeing so many long contracts any more is that it's tougher to get insurance for them.

 

[John Thomas]

To address the Yankee payroll problem, the issue of baseball's finances in general must be addressed. It has gotten way out of control, with the MLBPA biting the hand that feeds them. I really wish (and hope) that they look at their situation objectively and perhpas go to a system more like the NFL.

 

[Phil L]

To address the Yankee payroll problem

They don't have a problem. Nor do the Red Sox, Dodgers, or Mets. The rest of you have a problem

 

[Eric Paddon]

"Talk about another punch to the gut there."

As a Yankee fan, watching the Red Sox write a brand new chapter to their history of infamous postseason chokes, brightened me considerably after Game 1 of the Twins series.

It also brightens me to see how these writers who were picking Boston to win based on "destiny" and their offense, and conveniently ignoring the one-dimensional nature of this club (bottom line is Boston has the same flaws the Yankees have which make the Yankees no longer invincible. Lack of good defense and a weak bullpen, though the Yankees still have the edge with a closer in Rivera) are starting to develop egg on their faces. That will teach them to stop looking at the Red Sox through the lens of the phony Curse of the Bambino mythology and instead assess their ability to win on the playing field.

 

[Andrew_A_Paul]

Twins are good, yanks are better. But on any given day a bad team can beat a good team (not implying the twins are weak). I hope the twins beat them, nothing would please me more. After all is said and done, the yankees are the perfect example as to why they need to impiment a sal. cap.

 

[Eric Paddon]

"After all is said and done, the yankees are the perfect example as to why they need to impiment a sal. cap"

Oh really? What about Boston, the Mets, the Dodgers, the Orioles and other teams that have overspent considerably the last few years? And how about those Texas Rangers who really threw the salary structure out of whack more than ever with their insane contract that they gave A-Rod? (not to mention the Dodgers overpaying Kevin Brown).

There is never going to be a salary cap in baseball. Not unless you manage to give every player who is part of the Union a lobotomy (and the Union management too).

But the bottom line is that even in baseball's existing system more teams have a shot at winning a championship then in any other sport. Yet strangely enough the people who complain about the Yankees success always kept their mouths shut during the days of the Michael Jordan Bulls and the current Lakers dynasty and never carped about how worthless the competition in the NBA is.

 

[Lew Crippen]

And how about those Texas Rangers who really threw the salary structure out of whack more than ever with their insane contract that they gave A-Rod? (not to mention the Dodgers overpaying Kevin Brown).

I was just going to post something along these lines. It is one thing to spend money and another to spend it getting the right players.

Actually I don’t mind A-Rod’s contract so much—at least he puts up the numbers every day. The one that drives me crazy (on the Rangers) is Chan Ho Park. Now there is some money I’d like to see put to better use.

And don’t forget that Oakland is somehow managing to win their share of games without an excessive payroll.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Moneyball! Will it bear fruit this season?

 

[Andrew_A_Paul]

I meant it as the supreme example. I know others are grossly overpaid in every other sport. Athletes are greedy, bottom line. Whether it a single player (A-rod) or a whole team (take your pick) there needs to be an adjustment. And the thing that really chaps my ass is baseball players still go on strike. And a close second to that is it is forgotten in month.

 

[Patrick Sun]

The Cubs-Braves game 4 was a dicey one because I fear Smoltz may have re-aggravated his tender right elbow in his valiant effort to save the game for the Braves in the 9th inning. As the announcers noticed, Smoltz high-fived everyone with his left hand while holding onto to his glove with his right hand. So the prospects of having Roberto Hernandez as the Braves closer for game 5 is almost enough to cause a sleepless night for Leo Mazzone and Bobby Cox.

But congrats to the Braves to force a game 5 tomorrow.

The NL wildcard team, the Marlins outslug the Giants and put them away at home to advance to the NLCS. Bonds might have to also learn how to pitch if he's get back to a World Series next season.

The Yanks have a 2-1 lead going into game 4.

The Red Sox are fighting for their playoff lives in game 3 tonight as the A's have a 2-0 lead.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Insane Sox-A's game. Insane. Especially when you consider that the A's secret weapon this season has supposedly been some sort of proprietary defensive analysis method. I can't believe the A's got out of that second inning with only one run.

(And the suspense continues, as tomorrow I get to see I set my VCR properly for Dragnet after the local ABC station picked up the game )