Wild Cards
During the Yankee dynasty of the late 90’s, one World Series there was a cartoon with Joe Torre holding four cards - all aces - with the pitchers’ names on them. I can’t remember who the four were (it’s a good guess Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were two, but I can’t remember the others). I asked myself in what other situations are cards deadly? Then I remembered the magician’s trick of throwing knives, and just substituted the cards here. And some comments were made.
Geoff the Ref
Thursday, September 27, 2007
"Geoff the Ref"
Yankees gone wild
By Geoff Walter / SNY.tv
The Wild Card has lost its stigma over the past few seasons, mostly due to the fact that many of the teams have either advanced to or won the World Series. All that really happens is that you lose one game at home. For the Yankees the AL East crown has always been step one in the plan to bring the baseball crown back to the Bronx for yet another stay; not this year. The Wild Card is nothing new to the Yankees, having gotten into the playoffs in 1997 via that route but being routed by the Indians. How appropriate it is that that is the same franchise they will face in the first round of October. Anyone who knows me knows I never like to concede anything, but facing Cleveland is a far better fate than if the Yankees had won the division and would have to face the Angels in a short series, especially given the postseason history the two teams have with each other in 2002 and 2005, and the regular season record of three and six in favor of Anaheim in 2007.
A lot can change in an offseason; even during a season. Who would have expected this when Carl Pavano was the Opening Day starter? When GM Brian Cashman insisted that his plans for younger players be put into motion? The paradigm shift has officially become complete, moving from winning at every stage to just securing a postseason berth along with the youth movement the Bombers are currently enjoying. You have to be in it to win it after all, so by that logic the goal is just to get to October any which way you can.
Let Boston have the AL East crown. Let the Angels and Red Sox have tons of jet lag over the first week flying back and forth between the coasts. Let both teams bash each others' bullpens and brains in because it softens them both up for the Yankees (the Red Sox lead the regular season series six games to four). Let the Red Sox come into the ALCS tattered and torn and have to face the Yankees so we can have another epic series of battles for the ages.
Why am I so confident about them making the ALCS, you ask? The Yankees have swept Cleveland every single game this season, outscoring them 49-17 over the six games. Of course, I'm not so foolish as to forget that a similar prediction was made last year against the Tigers with the expectation that that series was but a mere formality for a trip to the World Series. The result as everyone knows was much more stomach-churning and ulcer-inducing. This postseason match ups look absolutely in favor of New York. Maybe it was planned that way all along.
Wanna argue with the Ref? Don't like the call? Go ahead and make your own!
