Yankees are Champions of Baseball; World Series Game 6 Recap

You live and breathe with a team, you follow every pitch, every at bat, every out.  This doesnt start in June, it starts in the cold months of feburary.  We talk if A-Rod will come through, we talk if Pettitte's shoulder can hold up, we talk about if this is finally the year.  Though we are not the Cubs, nine years is a long time, I was 13 years old the last time the Yankees won, and it was almost foriegn to me at this point.  As fans we go through some much with a team, whether its buying tickets, or following them on the internet, reading stories, watching games, and adjusting your opinion on the team almost daily.  Its hard to describe what it feels like when your team does come through when you finally win it.  Its nothing I can explain, maybe pure joy, like everything in life is perfect, I dont know.  If you haven experienced it, you just would not understand, I will leave it at that.  I cant tell you how many state of the Yankees conversations I have had with my buddy Rapps at the end of each disappointing seasons.  They have been to many to count.  Thats all that popped in my mind after they won, how this season would not end in one of those discussions, that it would begin with "Champions."   

This one was special, going into mid Aug, I thought the Yankees would win, that they were determined and nothing was going to set them off course.  I remember talking to my buddy Rapps a few years back, and I said, if the Yankees every get by the Angels, they will 100% win the World Series.  The Angels, not the Red Sox were the real curse to break.  And when the Yankees took down the Angels, you just knew this was going to be our year.  It didnt matter if we were playing the big Red Machine, we were not going to lose focus. 

I dont know where to begin, the season is so long, so mnay ups and downs you try to remember rock bottom.  For me, it was in going into the All Star break.  Yes, they turned it around somewhat after the somewhat turning point in Atlanta.  But the Yankees were swept by the Angels going into the All Star break.  Everyone had the same feeling, we just cant beat the Angels.  What are we going do, they just never lose to us.  After the break this team just went on a run, playing over .700 baseball, and practically never losing at home.  It was a sight to see.  Once mid Aug. came around, I couldnt see the Yankees losing their grip, I couldnt see them not winning the whole thing.  They were simply by far the most talented and best team. 

This World Series does a lot for the likes of the big four (Jeter, Mo, Pettitte, Posada) and A-Rod.  For the big four, another ring which is now five for them, something you might not see for a very long time if not ever a team that has been together long enough to win five times.  Remarkable.  And for A-Rod, he gets the Peyton Manning monkey off of his back, he finally can be called a World Champion and nobody can ever, EVER take that away from him.  Not only did he win, they won BECAUSE of A-Rod.  Believe me, if A-Rod was not playing, the Yankees would have been long home right now.  Which makes me pose the question?  What would happen if some of those Yankees fans got their wish, and A-Rod opted out and signed with another team after 2007?  Remember, it was very close to happening, A-Rod opted out, and the Yankees said goodbye.  Not after A-Rod, realizing the mistake he just made, called back the Yankees and asked them to renegotiate. 

The Yankees if not for that would not have been where they are right now which is World Champions.  Pretty amazing stuff.  What if Tex not had that terrible meeting with Larry Lucchinao Theo Epstein and John Henry and signed with Boston?  The Red Sox, not the Yankees, might be celebrating title number 8.  Its just amazing how things happen, and how the team clicked this season and the lack of injuries that occured also was a huge benefit.  We worried A.J might go down, he did not, Matsui and Posada were healthy all year for the most part, Swisher filled in admirably for Nady, Damon even played 140 games. 

Matsui's performence in Game 6 will go down in Yankee lore as one of the most clutch postseason games of all time.  We will be taking about, "Hey, do you remember Matsui Game 6 of '09"  in 10 years.  Not to mention this was off of Pedro as well, most likly his last game ever against the Yankees in what was a brilliant career.  Seeing Pedro like this is like seeing Reggie Miller in his last years.  He couldnt take over like he used to; a liability more than a game changer.  The Pedro rivialry can be only parrellel to Reggie Miller vs the Knicks.  Pedro was despised like Reggie, brought the best out of Yankee Stadium like Reggie did with the Garden, and performed the best on that stage and even at home, Boston and Indiana against the Yankees and Knicks.  Playoff classics were prevelant in both rivalries.  And even though the Knicks-Pacers rivalery ended long before Reggie retired, his last game at the Garden was sort of sad.  An old enemy going away, no one to despise and be angry at anymore.  Nobody you could love to hate.  It feels the same way now about Pedro, an old piece of my childhood is gone, and there is not another pitcher in the league I can love to hate, at least not even close to Pedro stature.

The Phillies were a good match, but again, nothing was going to stop this 114 win Yankee team, who might go down as one of the most effective Yankee teams of all time.  It certainly has to go up in the top 10, absolutley has to. 

Was this different than the Giants winning, yes.  When the Giants won, I was so shocked that it did not intially sink in until a day later.  It was maybe the most euphoric I have ever felt in my life.  It was also the first time I had ever seent the Giants win, so it might have tasted sweeter.  However, this one is and will be awsome.  Winning a championship puts you on cloud nine for the whole year.  LITERALLY THE WHOLE YEAR.  You can always say, "we are the champs" whenever someone brings up the Yankees.  Not to mention those bogus "2000" and "Yankees suck" chants can go away for the whole year.  Every magazine article about baseball and preview of the 2010 season will be about the Yankees winning the previous year, and every so often during the year we will be reminded the New York Yankees are the champions.  Its great. 

Baseball is now offically over, the book shut on 2009, but the New York Yankees are back where they belong, and that is on top.  I am as happy as I can be.

- Lew

Back to the Bronx; World Series Game 5 Recap

I have to say, the this headline is very unfair. Tex helped get the Yankees to this point and also has saved games with his glove particularly Game 2 of the ALDS, Game 2 of the ALCS, and helped get the Yankees out of countless amount of jams.  With that being said, he is having an old A-Rod postseason hitting performence.  I cant say that I am surprised at that, as Tex never really embodies the "Clutch, gritty gutsy" type.  Tex is more of a pretty boy, a glamour guy who has tremendous talent but seemed to sink in the pressure.  Remember, he never won a title or championship of any kind in high school, college, and as the main guy for the Rangers, Braves, and Angels.  Just saying, I am not surprised.  Anyway, the series is headed back to the Bronx where if you thought the crowd was good for Pedro Game 2, just imagine what it will be like tomorrow.  

- We already touched on Tex, there is no need to go back on that, but what about the series Cano is having.  It makes you think if we should get rid of him sooner than later.  I am a proponet of trading Cano, but not until Jeter is done at short, and you can move him to 2nd.  However we might have to get rid of Cano sooner.  If I were Brian Cashman I would 100% look at the market to Cano, make a few calls, and see what teams are thinking on this guy.  If you can get a solid third starter, and maybe a good fielding Outfielder, which the Yankees need, than maybe you evaluate where you stand on Cano and see if you want to pull the trigger.  I think getting a very solid fielder in right and moving Swisher over to left and Damon to permenat DH and having Posada catch one more year until Jesus Monterro is ready would work.  But enough about next year, we have a World Series to win tomorrow.

- Johnny Damon quietly might be World Series MVP.  Everything the Yankees are doing is starting with him, every rally Damon is a key in.  Damon is now up to .381 and closing in on Jeter for the highest average of this World Series.  I will tell you what, if the Phillies pull off a miracle and win this series, Chase Utley would be the most clear cut World Series MVP winner since...Well maybe ever.

- A.J just did not have it last night.  I cant go too nuts on A.J unless we lose the series, because A.J came up big in Game 2 of the ALDS, Game 2 of the ALCS, pitched great for 6 innings after a disasterous 1st in Game 5 of the ALCS, and pitched his ass off in Game 2 of the World Series.  Still, A.J, you cannot give that performence in a chance to clinch the World Series.  2 innings is just inexcusable.  On the other side, Cliff Lee did not look that sharp at all.  He got guys out, but balls were hit hard, and he happend to face a lineup that for the most part was miserable last night.  Look at 5-9 and you will understand.   Good news is Lee is done for the series AND the Yankees hit him around for 5 runs, so really there is no way they are not gonna hit Pedro. 

- What can you say, the Phillies obviously needed this game, it was the last game at home for them this year, and a must win or they lose the World Series.  This has the exact feel as the Angels series, so I am not about to jump off the bandwagon that I have been riding the whole second half of the season.  This team is determined, and will not give up no matter what.  On the other hand the Phillies were pumped up, and they needed to save face.  But, to expect that performence again is just not going to happen.  Though I can see Pettitte getting hit hard, I dont see him giving up more than 5 runs and I think the Yankees are going to SPANK Pedro and that bullpen.  Whenever that bullpen comes in for the Phillies, the game is over for them.

- Its hard to imagine that going into this postseason just last month we were saying if A-Rod could come up big.  Look at him now, 6 HR 18 RBI and a Billy Fuccillo style HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE to win Game 4.  The progression is really amazing.  Nobody can say anything about him now.  You really cant.

- I thought David Robertson and even Alfredo Aceves pitched INCREDIBLY well last night, especially Robertson.  What a find this guy is, I liked him from the beginning but I never knew if he would actually come up big as a reliever.  Well your answer is yes, it is amazing that a guy like Robertson, a pretty much unknown to the MLB and to Yankees fan, has COMPLETLY outpitched Joba and Hughes combined.  Cool stuff.  Phil Coke on the other hand lost them the game.  I am almost 100% sure the Yankees would have won the World Series last night if not for Phil Coke.  The game would have been tied at 6 and Joba would have come in.  You had A-Rod leading off and I am pretty sure he would have gotten on somehow, and scored some more runs.  Then Mo, then Championship number 27.  It didnt work out that way, but I am confident it will tomorrow. 

Just wait until tomorrow, I cant wait.

- Lew

What a Comeback!!! Yankees one win Away from 27

So here we are, one win away from a championship.  The Yankees have not come this close since 2001 and all they have to do is get 27 outs and they are your World Champions.

What can you say but wow.  Tie game, the Yankees just blown a lead and have to mount a rally.  Damon steps up with 2 outs.  Yet somehow I was still confident.  It is Brad Lidge after all.  And then Damon has a series changing 9 pitch at bat and gets a single.  After awful Tex gets hit, A-Rod steps to the plate.  You knew it would come down to him, it always does.  AND BAM!!!!!  A shot one hop to the left field wall and there is your moment we all were waiting for with arod.  This hit, this moment, will change his career forever.  This series, in all honesty, is a formality.  (ok all you ridiculous people who think I just jinxed the team, I have felt that winning a World Series was a formality since middle Aug, and nothing has dettered that so far).  Whether it happens tonight or wednesday or god forbid thursday, the Yankees are going to win number 27, and when they do, A-Rod's legacy SHOULD change forever.

Mariano, Mariano, Mariano.  I would say regarding anything major happening, Mo gets World Series MVP.  Getting out of that jam in Game 2 and then shutting down the Phils in Game 3 and Game 4, I think he deserves it.  Again, you wont realize it until he is gone, but he is the greatest pitcher me and you will ever see in our lifetime.

I thought C.C should the heart of a champion and a winner last night.  He did not have his "A" stuff, but he was good enough and got out of every jam that he got himself into.  Striking out Jayson Werth in the 5th was absolutly huge.  Yes, Utley has destroyed him, but its not like Utley isnt the best second baseman in baseball.  C.C hung in there and I feel his performence will inspire A.J to go out there and give about as gutsy a performence as you can give.  Those two feed off each other, especially in the postseason, and you love to see that.  A reason why the Yankees are where they are right now.   

I think I told you so with Ryan Howard.  I realized he is not that good AN OVERALL PLAYER.  As a power hitter, one of if not the best in the game.  But as a hitter, he simply is not that good.  Against lefties he is flat out AWFUL, and against sliders and hard curves, he is equally as bad, and that is what A.J threw at him in Game 2, hard curves along with outside fastballs that he could not catch up to.  I would, however, be careful A.J because left center in Philly is 25 feet shorter than at Yankee Stadium, so Howard could go left center and hit it out of the park, which he loves to do.

I liked the Joba move, and I even liked giving him a fastball there, but Joba threw it right down the middle to Feliz and Feliz just CRUSHED IT.  At the time, a DEVASTATING Home Run, but yet good job by Joba to recover and K Ruiz.  If we are down, use Joba, if we have a lead into the 8th tonight, you have to use Mo for two.

I thought Johnny Damon's steal of 2nd and then going to third was one of the most heads up baseball plays I have seen in sometime.  What a big spot to do it in, and the cajones on Damon to actually try it.  What if Feliz tagged him out, Marc Malusis' head would have exploded.  That right there CHANGED the outcome of the game and the series, but A-Rod WON the game and potentially the series.  There is a difference, but they played as a team, and as the Yankees did all year pulled another rabbit out of their hat.  What is lost in all of this, because it did not matter, is Posada's 2 run RBI.  Ok, first off Posada DID NOT purposly get thrown out and make sure the run scored (like Harold Reynolds said) if you look at the replay, Posada was looking at dead center field and had  NO IDEA if A-Rod scored or not.

You remember how Tom Jackson on old NFL Primetime used to say, "What does Cris Carter do...He catches Touchdowns."  Well thats exactly what Derek Jeter does except with hitting.  What does Derek Jeter do....He gets hits."  Batting .412 this series and had a hit to lead off the game, and an RBI single to take the lead.  No big deal.

In what could literally be five hours, the Yankees could become World Champions, winning number 27.  Its been a long road this decade, but the Yankees could close out out baseball in both the 90's and 00's with a Championship.  Pretty amazing.  You would have to say if they win, they would be team of the 00's, which seemed EXTREMELY unliky only a few months ago.   However, they did not win yet, and I promise you, if they do, read it here because some very interesting articles about this title will appear, the team of the decade, A-Rod's legacy, and what this title means to NY.  Could this also be a return of Championship New York.  What is one the line could be a second title for me in two years, Giants in '07 Yanks in '09.
- Lew

O, By the way...LISTEN TO JOHN STERLINGS CALL OF THE A-ROD DOUBLE.  He literally pulls a Gus Johnson and screams.

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7113665&c_id=nyy&topic_id=

Two wins away; Yankees Game 3 World Series Recap

The Yankees are officially two wins away from winning the world series.  Finally, they started to hit and destroyed a laboring and almost scared Cole Hamels in route to winning game 3.  Lets get to the game.

-I thought that when it was 3-0 two out runners on first and second with Utley coming up, that this game would be a blowout.  Pettitte looked terrible that inning, he could not find the plate at all; it looked very bleak.  Then Pettitte got Utley to chase (no pun intented) on a bad pitch and suddenly you felt rather confident it was only 3-0. 

- The A-Rod homer was so, SO big.  Good job by the replay system in getting it right, and just big props to A-Rod for ignoring the whole "A-Rod is going to choke" thing.  Basically Marc Malusis said A-Rod going 0-8 with 6k's was the biggest storyline and the guy is a choke.  Well, take that Marc Malusis you clown.  It was huge to get him that hit, and it could not have come at a better time.  A-Rod is going to heat up, and it started last night.

-You know when I knew we were going to win?  When Andy Pettitte got an RBI single to tie the game.  There was no way after that we were going to lose.  Hamels threw a hanging curve and Pettitte actually put a good swing on it and drove it to center for a bloop single.  Damon followed with the 2 run RBI double and that was all she wrote.

-Cole Hamels is hurt.  He has to be, you dont go from a dominating starter, and a guy who is on the rise in this league as the next great starter, to a guy who could not even make it out of the 5th inning in Game 3 of the World Series.  He did not have good control, he was missing badly was pitches, and that hit to Pettitte blew up any confidence he had.  As for Pettitte, he was good, not great by any means, but he was clutch when you needed him.  You knew when the Yanks gave him a lead, he was not going to give it back up.

-How about Joe Girardi pushing the right button with Nick Swisher?  Give him a day off, and then watch him go 2-4 with a home run.  Great job by Girardi and great job by Swisher for coming through. 

- As of now, Mariano is World Series MVP.  He has a save, did a Houdini job of getting out of that ham in Game 2 and besides, I dont know who else you can give it to.  That is why it comes down to these next games to see who the MVP will be.  Tonight is huge, C.C vs Joe Blanton and the matchup is so heavily favored towards the Yankees.  

- Lew

THEEEE YANKEES WIN!!; World Series Game 2 Recap

The Yankees did what they needed to do; win Game 2.  That is all we were talking about, win Game 2, tie this thing up going into Philly.  That is excatly what the Yankees did, and now this is a completely brand new series.  The crowd was electric pretty much the whole night as the Whose your Daddy chants rained from the crowd.  We are now headed to a very good atmoshpere in Philly, but I expect nothing less than taking the next two of three. 

- A.J earned his $82 mil with this start.  He finally put everything together and was simply mowing down the Phillies.  He ran into some trouble into the 2nd, where he gave up a run to Matt Stairs on an RBI single, but that was it.  Also, A-Rod should have come up with that ball.  After that, he was dominating, he got into a jam in the 6th where he walked Rollins, but came out unscathed.  The 7th inning was just lights out, as he had the crowd roaring with every strike out and his last out on a weak ground ball.  He threw 54 fastballs, 46 curves, 9 changes, for 109 total pitches.  His curve was working from the get-go, and Philly did not know what hit them, just ask Ryan Howard who is wearing his nice Golden Sombrero.  On the other hand, everyone in the world thought Pedro would get lite up like a christmas tree.  What happend was shocking, he not only pitched well, he looked like the old Pedro at times.  He ended up with 8 k's in 6 innings, and you have to say, Pedro has guts.  He really is a big game pitcher and this is a nice cherry on top of his Hall of Fame career.  However, he lost the game, and all the reporters and media sounded like he won the game.  Sorry, he lost.  Get over it.  

(Terrible quality)

-The crowd was dead going into the 4th, the Yankees had not scored an earned run yet in the Series, our bats were dead as could be, until Mark Teixeira stepped up to the plate.  You just had a feeling the Yankees NEEDED to score with Tex, A-Rod, and Matsui coming up.  BOOOOM, Tex BLASTS a homer to deep, DEEP right field.  Tie game.  Thats all we needed, and the stadium ERUPTED.  Whose your daddy was chanted and the fans were back into the game.  Hopefully this can get Tex going, but he still sucked at the end of the game so who knows.

- Matsui's HR was huge as well.  A.J just got out of a HUUUGE jam and for Matsui to take Pedro deep, especially since he was 4-28 lifetime off of him, was so big.  Pedro threw a hanging curve that almost hit his shoe tops, and Matsui drove it.  If you see the highlight, notice the guy throw a beer up in the air and splashs down on everyone.  Funny stuff.  From my seats I could not see either ball land, but I knew both were gone the moment Tex and Matsui hit it. 

- Charlie Manual called on his inner Grady Little and left Pedro in too long.  The move to bring in Chan Ho Park might have been the DUMBEST decision of all time, Posada roped an RBI single, and it would have been at least 5-1 at the end of the inning if not for one of the worst calls I have ever seen by Brian Gorman.  From my seats, I was in the second level 5th row pretty much behind the foul pole in right, I saw him trap it.  Howard knew he trapped it by throwing to first.  How Gorman did not see this is a travesty.  Could you imagine if Philly tied the game??!!  This is literally getting to be too much, there ABSOLUTLY has to be instant replay next year for ALL calls BUT balls and strikes.  You have to do it, I dont care if you slow down the game, not my problem, just get the call right.  I got a good text during the game from a friend in my house it said, "Doesnt need to be instant replay, just be like hockey, get it right the first time."  Its true, hockey has their flaws in calls, but for the most part their refs are pretty accurate.  GET THE CALL RIGHT, IF I COULD SEE IT FROM 400 FEET AWAY, WHY COULDNT BRIAN GORMAN!!!!????  Mind boggling.  Not too mention he felt the need to have a make up call when he called Utley out at first on Mo's double play ball.  Clearly safe, and thats BS as well, there shouldnt be missed calls, which means there shoudlnt be make up calls.  Terrible, the whole thing sucks.

- I am not concerned YET about A-Rod.  0-8 with 6 k's is ATROCIOUS, but its only two games.  I am not going to get wrapped up in that yet.  Its only time before Damon, Tex, and A-Rod start hitting.  It will come, be patient.

- Mariano for 2 innings, I got to be honest, I didnt like the move.  I wanted A.J for AT LEAST 2 guys in the 8th and then put in Mo.  You cant keep using Mo for 6 outs saves, he threw 40 pitches and is getting exhausted.  I have a bad feeling if Giardi keeps doing that, that it will bite us back in the ass during this series.  I hope I am wrong.  However, Mo is just legendary, how he got out of trouble, and pretty much every lead is safe with him.  You wont realize it until he is gone, but you will never see a better closer, pitcher for that matter than Mariano.  He gets the job done 99% of the time, while other guys are not good for more than five years in a row.  Mariano gets better with age, and he is going on 13 years of being an absolute DOMINATING reliever.  Amazing, I will shed a tear when he finally decides to hang it up.  But you know what, he still has it, that might not be until 2015. 

(Terrible Quality again)

If this weekend does not get a Philly-New York thing going, nothing will.  The appetizer on saturday features the Knicks-76ers at the Garden.  Awful game, but it gets things going.  Later that day the Yanks and Phillies sqaure off in Game 3 of the World Series in Philly.  On sunday, the Jets play the Dolphins (no relevance, just giving a shout out to my Jets fans) the Giants play the Eagles at Philly, and at night the Yankees play the Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series. 

For those not happy on my Gmen coverage of late, I am sorry the Yankees are in the World Series, the Giants can take a bit of a back seat in coverage.  I still watched the whole Cardinals game (DVR at 3 A.M very clutch) and I of course will be glued for sunday's game. 

- Lew

World Series Game 1 Recap

That headline sums it up, and for the Knicks too.  I wish I had time to cover the Knicks, but the truth is I have a life.  No, in all seriousness, I have to drive back in an hour to go to Game 2 and have errands and stuff to run, so I am going to go over the key notes of what the hell went wrong for the Yanks last night.  I am absolutly pumped for tonight, though my seats are atrocious, I dont care, I will be in the ballpark when everyone chants "whose your daddy" (maybe??) to Pedro.  This doesnt look good from the start for the Phillies tonight, yes I can see A.J getting hit hard (he did in May against the Phillies at home) but if the Yankees cant hit Pedro, than they should not deserve to win the World Series.  I can see like a 8-5 Yankee win, something along those lines.  Bottom line is the Yankees have to win, if they lose, with Hamels going in Game 3, I just dont see them coming back.  But, if you tie it up at 1's were right back in it.  I have the upmost faith in Game 2, 3, and 4, the problem is Game 5 where you probably are going to see Chad Gaudin vs Cliff Lee.  All the Yankees need to do is bring it back to the Bronx, either up 3-2 or down 3-2 because Lee will only make an apperance in Game 7 as a reliever, and C.C will start that game.  Just get it back to the Bronx.  Now to last nights awfulness.

-Cliff Lee is dominant.  I had him on my fantasy tea, the year he won the CY Young in 2008, so I followed him everyday, the guy was lights out, but until I saw him face the Yanks that year in 08, I didnt realize how good he is.  Whats amazing is that he is even better now.  He has an unhittable fast action curve that he threw all night, a great change up, and a great tailing fastball.  What was so impressive was that he did not walk anybody.  You can give up these singles here and there, but the key is keeping down the walks.  He had it all working last night, and Game 5 is an automatic lose at this point, I dont see how any team could touch him.  C.C on the other hand was every bit as good except the home runs to Utley and the walks.  Not be fooled, C.C after the first was fantastic except for the two mistakes to Utley.  If you could have told me that C.C would have given up 2 runs in 7, I would have signed up for that in a heartbeat.

-Chase Utley might be the new Yankee killer.  We all know this guy is great, but he single handidly won last nights game.  All by himself.  Forget the later innings, and that mess of a pen we have, Utley's two bombs, the last going about 420 feet, were the game changer.  Do you know that only two players have hit three Homers in a game, Reggie Jackson, and Babe Ruth...TWICE!!  Thats how good the Babe was, he still holds records in 2009.

-The Yankees pen is a mess, and that is a HUUUUUUUGE concern for every game but when C.C starts.  The good news is that the Phillies Pen is even worse, but Phil Hughes has to get it going.  HAS TO.  You cant continue to put Hughes in these spots, he is nervous, he cant find the plate, and I would be more inclined to use Joba there.  Yes, it has come to that with Hughes.  I am going to give Robertson the benefit of the doubt, he has been great, and to let up that hit, well, it happens.  I will tell you what guy I will get on, that is Brian Bruney.  All year Bruney whines, and cries about his role.  He complains he wasnt on the ALDS and ALCS roster.  So Bruney gets a chance down 4-0 to hold the lead in the 9th.  What does he do?  He gives up 2 runs on 3 hits.  Never, NEVER do I want to see Brian Bruney, not only in this series but in a Yankees uniform again.  I am sick and tired of this guys act, all he does is complain and mess up when he is out there.  I texted my friend Ryan saying, "If this were medival times, someone would have beheaded Brian Bruney." 

-Very displeased with Girardi again, he completly mis managed this game.  C.C threw 113 pitches, you have to let him attempt to go 8.  Who knows, if this game is 2-0 going into the Bottom of the 9th, could have been a different ending.  The one thing about Girardi in the NL is that he does have experience managing the Marlins a few years back.  The bad news?  He is going to use about 9 pitchers in every game. 

-The Yankees better start hitting, and I feel they will, but there backs are against the wall now.  This is it, go down 2-0 it might be over before it started.  Not every year is '96 where we can win all three games in Philly.  Win tonight, and as I said before, we are right where we needed to be.  1-1 going into Philly is fine, especially with big game Andy in Game 3, and Joe Blanton vs. C.C in Game 4.  (Though there are conflicting reports saying Lee will go in Game 4, if that is the case then thats obviously bad because Lee could then go in Game 7, which means my theory of going down 3-2 is scratched).  I know the numbers: Teams that have won Game 1 have won the last 6 World Series, and since '99, only the '02 Angels lost Game 1 to go on to win the World Series.  I know all of this.  But the Yankees have battled adversity all year, they have come back when nobody expect them to, and I think this year is no different.  You win tonight, you win tomorrow, and have another C.C- Lee matchup in Game 4 (as being reported, not confirmed yet).  Yes, I am very, very nervous, but I am confident as well.  Just get a W tonight, and I feel we will be on our way.

- Lew