The Magic Carpet

By Vagabond Guru

2011 American League Division Series - Yankees v. Tigers

Bombers and Bruins revisit their 2006 tilt (Les Tigres won 3-1), sans creepy Kenny Rogers, Mayor Bozo - Sean Casey (Tigers), Torre on fumes in Da Bronx. Granderson is a Yankee, Austin Jackson is in the bigs for the Tigers and talent is all over the field on both sides. The Leyland squad of today is amongst the most respected of Yankee opponents and there is nothing but good competition ON the field in the air between these two. Should be nothing edgy but the tension of win/loss, a beautiful thang, in Guru's estimation. Taking a look at the squads and the flow from The Aerie, reasonably sober (its 2PM).

Pumpage is required.

AL Eastern Division Champion New York Yankees (97-65) Preview

'I'll take Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island too...

Roster Moves

Yankees left RH Relief Pitcher Hector Noesi off the ALDS Roster, having been thrust into spot starts twice recently and seeing his ERA jump from 3.42 to 4.47 in September, he got the dustoff. Cory Wade and Luis Ayala, who turned in sub 2.00 ERAs right up to their mutual meltdown in Game 162 against the Rays, will occupy the final two spots in the pen. Also left off were Bartolo Colon, whose velocity dropped from 96 to 90 as year progressed and whose short relief possibility is met by Hughes and AJ. Colon is terrific and should be asked back, in a reduced role that saves something of that magic for now, when it would have helped. Austin Romine sits, but has probably moved ahead of Francisco Cervelli (out with concussion) for backup job next year, Montero looks too good to sit and Russell Martin tough to let go, with Gary Sanchez moving up through minors as well, these are chips Yankees must deal in '12 and choose who will go forward as the Catching tandem (likely to be Martin/Montero, at least for next year). Two of Romine/Sanchez/Cervelli must go.

Start spreading the news...

Starters

CC Sabathia (L) 19-8, 3.00
Ivan Nova (R) 16-4, 3.70
Freddy Garcia (R) 12-8, 3.62

Teeth gnashing about Yankee starters was a given coming into 2011. With Andy Pettitte hitting bible camps, and Manny Banuelos/Dellin Bettances lurking, most looked at retread ancients like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia as half season answers, at best. Colon did diminish with time but provided dominance early and Garcia, helped by some DL downtime, seemed solid later in September in a shutdown start over hungry Tampa Bay earning Game Three shot in this series.

Ideal mix of styles for these three between CC's Lefty Power, Nova's Righty power and Garcia's Righty Junkatron mixamatic, Tigers will need to be in adjustment mode from game to game.

CC has looked bored of late, and has trouble locating when he doesn't bend his back (look at his waist and its easy to understand), if his pitches are darting to the glove - he's near unhittable, if he opens up and leaves a lot of stuff high, he will walk guys early and go on guts. He can beat lots of teams that way, but will need his 'A' stuff for Verlander in Game one.

Nova has not lost since June 3 (12 straight) and can be casually dominant. He struggled last year with surrendering leads and maintaining his stuff through middle innings, this year he was shutdown when given the advantage and his head is as solid as any rookie Pitcher can have. If Yankees get to Fister early, comeback on Nova will be tough in Game two.

Freddy is known to all, will seem to be Moyeresque after two days of 97 mph from either side, and look to keep Yankees in it through six.

CC would go on short rest, famously his forte, if Game 4 and Nova is Game 5 choice.

Exit life, enter night...

BullPen

AJ Burnett
Phil Hughes
Cory Wade
Luis Ayala
Boone Logan
Rafael Soriano
David Robertson
Mariano Rivera

Bullpen is the Yankees strength in 2011, something that seemed impossible when Joba Chamberlain blew out his arm, Pedro Feliciano broke down for good and Soriano, Hughes had arm ailments deep into the season. Wade and Ayala gave Yankees terrific middle inning work all season before their spectacular failures against Rays the other night, both should see little or no time against Tigers - if either IS in the game, chances are it's a striped sort of deal for that game.

And not pinstripes.

Hughes is able to dominate for 3-4 inning stretches, just cannot maintain velocity required of a starter, he can be electric in the Pen as evidenced by his '09 Ring. AJ Burnett is similar, though his problem is concentration on the task at hand, he can strike out any hitter with top stuff still and is ideal as a change of pace agent in either CC's or Freddy's starts. Logan is erratic, dominant, then wild, then mediocre, he will be used for 1-2 lefties exclusively. Soriano has pitched better of late, BOMB to Matt Joyce in Game 161 notwithstanding. He has electric stuff, but, like AJ seems to lapse in decision making at key moments - solid 7th inning sort, if needed, but he might defer to Hughes here. Robertson has been best Reliever in MLB this season, with surreal strikeout stuff and low ERA. He has been vulnerable to nerves in the past, and walks too many (35), if you can really bitch about a season with 1.08 ERA, 100 Ks in 66 Innings, 40 hits and .170 batting average against...I won't of course, unless he walks a few and gives up a pop to the pip.

Mo is Mo, his velocity actually is up this year to 93-94 after several seasons 91ish (when announcers refer to his declining velocity, they mean mid '90s and, lets face it, if you throw harder now, you were a hatchling in those days). His stuff and composure are still electric, his great weakness is simply his longevity - veteran Tigers like Cabrera, Peralta and Martinez all know his stuff sooo well and have had some success in past. Still, its Mo and Yankees will take him five times to win three, while expecting him to win 'em all. Mo was sub 2.00 again, with .215 average against and only E-I-G-H-T walks in his 64 games, only six of them unintentional.

I'm catching a greyhound, on that Hudson river line...

Lineup

Derek Jeter. SS (r)
Curtis Granderson. CF (l)
Robinson Cano. 2B (l)
Alex Rodriguez. 3B (r)
Mark Teixiera. 1B (s)
Nick Swisher. RF (s)
Jorge Posada. DH (s)
Russell Martin. C (r)
Brett Gardner. LF (l)

Jeter hit .327 after his June DL stint, with good power and slugging to all fields. His defense has been strong as well.

Granderson had a terrible September, after being a likely MVP through August, he strikes out too damn much (but will make a better candidate than Jimmy McMillan, Mayoral aspirant on the 'Rent-is-too-damn-high- ticket), when his big brain and solid character hit the political scene. His breakthrough dominant season should insure that will have to wait. He has gigantic power to RF, is a stolen base/extra base threat at all times and runs down everything in CF.

Cano is the best hitter on the Yankees, with line to line thump from the left side. Making his first steps into the #3 hole he should have inherited from Strikeout prone Teixiera in '10, Cano should be avoided and Tigers will let Alex prove he still can be a force with his battered body.

Alex is hurt, his knee, his thumb, his shoulder...he looked incredible in Spring, but that guy has not been able to shine through since all the pain set in. Yankees will have modest expectations, Tigers will go right at him. If Alex is Alex, the Yankees probably cannot be denied. Without him, they may not get full value of Cano thump.

Tex finally broke out with two BOMBS in game 162, after struggling for all of September. He is a shell of the hitter he was in '09, morphing into Jason Giambi style power and popups into the shift interspersed with two K's per game. He has hit .125 in his two Yankee postseasons and does not make enough contact to be dependable when a single is whats needed. Had a swinging chopper to the Shifted 3B at deep SS the other day, which was an easy infield hit and thought, for a brief moment, the ego would come under control ('must hit HR') and the light would come on. Next at-bat, bases loaded, single would break open a win...Tex popped up the first pitch with a Herculean swing. Hit or miss here, much better from #5 than #3 in the Yankee lineup.

Swisher had a nice comeback from abysmal early season struggles Left Handed, he was one of the best hitters in AL through the summer but tweaked his arm late season and has shown less power since. Seems to be making better contact than previous Playoff years, so might be in for an upside surprise if feeling good physically.

Posada is still strong against Righties, which is all they use him for since his RH bat is no longer MLB able. He has shown consistent power, but less contact ability and teams will attack him. Sitting in the Matsui role of '09, knowing his Yankee days are waning, but having a champion's heart and a boppers stick. He will get two starts to show thump, and likely sit for Montero in game three if he struggles.

Russell Martin is another guy (like Swish, Grandy, Alex, Tex) whose health is the key to his offense. He has serious thump from RH side but purely a guess hitter, who will take his shots off Verlander and Fister and hope to get lucky and run into one deep. They will see this bottom third of Yankee order as a place to get quick outs, and Martin must give good at bats to lengthen pitch counts.

Gardner is hitting more of late, after weeks of brutal offense. He is slap hitter with occasional jumpy thump and is speed incarnate on basepaths. If Brett is on base a lot, Yankees will win. If Posada/Martin/Gardner struggle to contribute, Tiger hurlers will go deep into games.

Peanuts Here!

Bench

Eric Chavez 1B/3B (l)
Andruw Jones OF (r)
Chris Dickerson OF (r) - Pinch Runner/Defensive Replacement for Swisher
Jesus Montero C/DH (r)
Eduardo Nunez IF (r)

This is the best group of Yankee bench players in some time. Chavez has been solid all year, Lefty bat is reliable and, if Alex can't go, his 3B glove is still elite. Likely in Lefty PH role for this series. Andruw was on the Lance Berkman (Fat Elvis) plan from 2010, arriving in Da Bronx somewhat lax about approach, but getting into it when he hung around workout fiend Manager Girardi and other detail obsessed pinstripers. His thump has been huge of late and his Defense improved when he shed some of the stove (imagine that?). RH Pinch Hitter duties are his. Nunez is terrific Offensive player with thump, purely insurance this series and glove is too erratic to see playoff action. Dickerson can fly and chuck, won't hold a bat but can make things happen with legs and arm if called upon to run/field.

Jesus Montero is the difference maker in this series. Already he is the second best hitter on the Yankees (Cano). He is a RH with line to line thump and tape measure power, great eye and poise, a decade plus sort of impact player in his first MLB Month. He got knicked on the fingers in 8th Inning of Game 162, so might not have healthy hands, but will likely sit first two games anyway to give Posada a chance to contribute. Girardi and club realize this kid is gifted and will turn to him at some point in this playoff run to put them over the top, will be hitting cleanup opening day 2013,

Tigers match up well with Yankees and this series is a legitimate tossup, it provides Yankees with much better first round test than perennial visit to Twin Cities and a hard won victory over Detroit would be a springboard to dispatching either Rays or Rangers in next round. That is the call here, but purely a homer hitter here, so take it as a tossaroni and see me at its conclusion with kudos/brickbats as appropo.

Posted by Staff at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Matthew Barron Storey

For those of you who might otherwise fail to make the correct rooting decisions, NY Yankees, SF Giants and Atlanta Braves are the teams you want to see win their respective races versus Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres. Rays and Padres represent the dregs of the game and of America. All you need to know: Dick Enberg is SD Padre announcer!

Rays manager Joe Maddon is a genius on a baseball field, but an unrepentant creep of the lowest kind. They play in a concrete tomb on carpet, meaning the Metrodome LIVES on in Playoff baseball. Awful.

Padres have made me miserable all season, nothing I hate more than an unheralded team getting by on effort and management rather than sheer talent. I dislike the city, the announcer and the manager...nuff said.

Yankees are the reason that Baseball matters. Love 'em or hate 'em, nobody outside the home cities involved remembers Postseasons without the Bombers. Try and remember '08, or '07...hometeam fans not included...nada!

Giants play in America's second best city, have compelling pitching, gorgeous ballpark and great fans.

Braves are a terrific blend of youth and veterans, Bobby Cox's last playoff and Heyward's first? Nuff said, redux.

Posted by M. Hannington at 05:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes life throws you, well, pieces of crap.

And sometimes it gives you bon bons.

And sometimes it is just life.

For a long, long time TSN was a big part of my life. My “father-in-law”, Grouchy, got me into fantasy football and it became a source of income in a time that income was hard to come by. A major source of frustration to the stockbrokers in his league that eventually realized it was a woman that was relieving them of their cash!

They had assumed it was his son, Slouchy.

Slouchy couldn’t make income from a wide open ATM machine!

Anyhow, I became known as “The Wife” in this league, which I never really was, because Slouchy and I weren’t married and we weren’t really a couple, just old business partners trapped in a cycle. In six years I made a pretty nice pile off these boys.

Then Grouchy left us and it just wasn’t the same, it all faded away.

Sometimes big parts of our lives do.

I used TSN advice, draft kits and what not to give me a leg up in this one Yahoo league and it proved to be helpful and there would soon be other leagues, including a keeper rotisserie baseball league (never thought I’d be such a geek as that!) which is extremely difficult, but I came out okay, until TSN cancelled that too.

I had Albert FUCKING Pujols! Dammit!

One of my friends, a Liverpudlian cinematographer named Collin, has a son, who thinks I’m brilliant because of this love of fantasy sports. He is eight and is so into sports that he calls himself Sporge (really George) and I suppose if nothing else impressing an adorable eight year old that belongs to someone I adore is a benefit.

I had long ago signed up for a, long time unused, blog because TSN had ENCOURAGED it.

And after a while, in 2006, I got the idea that a woman’s advice on fantasy sports might be something that would grab me an audience.

Um… nope.

Though I did notice that you men, especially in the football leagues became far too attached to the players (Brett Favre comes to mind) even when it was apparent they were waiver wire fodder and you NEEDED advice. It was the stats and being able to spot trends that netted me the stupid plastic trophies, cash (in money leagues) and the digital medals that decorate my TSN profile, but it wasn’t really sports that you wanted.

You wanted to hear about my life.

That’s how I really connected to all of you. Sure sports simmered in the background, but it was the human element that drew me to all of you.

Bartolis was having a baby, Madman was still in love with his fifth wife (?) I lost count, Backell once lived in South Africa and Lew, oh Buddha, Lew and his comas, Shaky, how can you not love him? or Big Toke?

I have talked to Guardian of the Galaxy on the phone. How cool is that?

To be able to say you just hung up with the Guardian of the Galaxy?

The two of us continue to find serendipity in our lives.

I once talked to enova, yeah he was Bucky Kentucky, I’m letting that cat out of the bag, for four freakin’ hours until three in the morning! And I think I actually know his real name, but the voice mail he left me was garbled.

Dude, call me back!

And Southern Lion you still owe me a version of “Little Wing”!

And I ain’t gonna forget!

Mo and I are forever connected, in ways none of you will ever know. His father and mine died of the same disease, but there is more to the story than that. I can’t imagine not having him in my life, even if it is just a Facebook poke every once in a while.

I can be found on Facebook as Mal Volio and under my real name, which any of you ning nongs ought to be able to figure out.

I also started a group there for TSN bloggers.

Yes, I started a war here at one point (okay it was a rally). It seems so ridiculous now, but I still can’t seem to post a column without it being thumbed down. I’m proud of it now, though I must confess at times it hurt. It doesn’t matter anymore.

Most of all, I found one of my best friends here, an exotic dancer, a talented writer (someone who wakes me up with shots of his ass at 3:00AM, what’s not to love?) and a thorn in many a side. Realizing TSN was NOT the best place for him and I, I built a web site around him, a place where we both could be ourselves and use those (expletives) that we both adore. It is really cool looking, disorganized as hell, but I love it.

And I will shamelessly sell it to you as long as TSN allows it. (Apparently not that long.)

My life has changed in so many ways.

I drifted away from all of you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss you.

I started working on films again, something I hadn’t done in years and it sure has shaken up my life and bitten into my time. It has caused me endless problems and screwed over lots of things that I had dreams of being different. But there are times that creating something becomes glorious and that is why I continue to pump my time into movies and VG.com.

The love of creating…

That’s what we did here. We created something. TSN only ever gave us space, it is what we did with that space that was special. That will outlast time and be a memory forever.

My latest saying is “I’m not in love with anyone, but I love everybody.”

It is true I love you all.

Yup, that's me as I sit typing at this computer doing a TSN column for the last time.

Note: Since 2006 I wrote a column on The Sporting News. I tried to post at least once a week and was mostly successful at that. But it was the folks I met and the games we played that mattered most. I won't ever forget that time.

Posted by M. Hannington at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

By Matthew Storey

I usually don't read prognostications from other writers, and don't watch ESPN...

But I always do when I know what the deal is, and want to hear others make fools of themselves.

I've seen Eric Allen (Eagle) and Chris Carter (Eagle/Viking) explain for three consecutive weeks why the Cowboys are not the team we've watched these past years or past weeks. A lot is made about mythology in Sports, and in Politics, and in Economics..

But not by smart people.

Smart people root, fight, fuck, pray just as hard as idiots.

They do so, however, not based upon fantasies or mythology, but upon D-A-T-A.

Not just stats, not just trends. Data. Stats, Trends, Anecdotal.

Anecdotal data is NOT mythology.

Here is the difference.

Anecdotal data is the Observation of Derek Jeter playing Shortstop. Watch him play and you see a guy who impacts Defensively on almost every game he plays, who has a gun and may retire having thrown out more runners from the outfield grass than any SS in history, who might have tracked down pop-ups over a larger range of ground than any SS, who is brilliant on the Double Play.

Statisticians disagree.

None of them ever played the position.

Luckily, for YOU.

Guru did.

Onward.

The NFL Quarterfinals are upon us, and lo and behold, these might be the most impressive Eight NFL teams since the early '90s and the Pre-Cap Era - after a long adjustment period and ahead of an uncapped year, its apparent, the NFL is back on the cusp of a Golden Era.

Thank Asimov!

Here's the breakdown:

Saturday January 16, 2010

Arizona Cardinals (NFC West) #4 Seed (10-6) at New Orleans Saints (NFC South) #1 Seed (13-3)

Arizona is better in every facet, and they will advance.

Baltimore Ravens (AFC North Wildcard) #6 Seed (9-7) at Indianapolis Colts (AFC South) #1 Seed (14-2)

A much more interesting game, between two evenly matched teams.

I like the Colts because their most important players are seasoned, the same reason I like the Chargers.

But on TALENT. Tough one to call.

I made mine.

Sunday January 17, 2010

Dallas Cowboys (NFC East) #3 Seed (11-5) at Minnesota Vikings (NFC North) #2 Seed (12-4)

The Cowboys are better in every phase of the game and will advance.

New York Jets (AFC East Wildcard) #5 Seed (9-7) at San Diego Chargers (AFC West) #2 Seed (13-3)

Despite the stench of being #2 (thanks Steve!), the Chargers are the best team in the NFL, courtesy of an 11 game winning streak and their game against an in-form Cowboy team in which they won and looked like the better squad despite the score (20-17) and the flukish circumstances (Boys missed chippie FG with since-released injured K and failed to register ANY points despite driving down the field relentlessly and going oh-for-final yard.

The Jets are the dominant team of the AFC East present and, a future conqueror of these Chargers.

That ain't now.

Posted by Matthew at 03:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

By Mary Hannington

Vagabond Guru was once one of the most constant and prolific sportswriters on the planet... well, okay sometimes he went off the deep end, but he ALWAYS came back? Right?

It is my sincere wish and one that I'm sure that you share with me that he come back to us whole and full of that great insight of his.

Since I have been examining my own psyche these days and like Guru I have tormenters (good and bad) of my own that keep me from doing what I wish. I've noticed that Freud's death instinct applies to me. Freud divided the Id into two categories. "Life Instincts" (Eros) - Food/Sex and "Death Instincts" (Thanatos) - the wish to end the struggle for happiness, essentially the desire to escape from reality. Lately, there hasn't been much of a chance for indulgence - no time for food (I can't even count the skipped lunches over the past few months) and sex? What's that?

So I start looking for peace, for some escape, the more I am thwarted the angrier I get - it's classic "Death Instinct".

Armed with this knowledge we have concocted a little experiment on our beloved Guru.

We're figuring if we can keep him in a state of aggression for longer periods of time that eventually he'll go all haywire and concentrate more on the food, the sex and oh yeah, the SPORTS!

Me? I'll just go back to Yoga.

But before I do... the Facebook hackers have taken over a lot of my friend's profiles and my In Box is again full of links to "Fuck Buddy" sites, maybe I'll have just a little peak (freudian slip) er peek...

Posted by M. Hannington at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

By Matthew Storey

'Here come the YANKEES
Let's get behind and cheer the YANKEES
They're gonna learn to fear the YANKEES
Everyone knows they play to win, cause...

They're the New York YANKEES'

Yankees theme song, 1966.

When I was a kid, this song used to signal the start of the Yankee games on WPIX, channel 11, and I learned its lyrics and knew them cold by the end of the 1970 season.

But my Yankees, those Yankees, didn't 'play to win' or win much of anything, the New York Mets were the World Champions and the talk of the town. I loved the Yankees though, so I read about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe D, MIckey and Yogi...and I learned that being a Yankee fan wasn't about this team, this year - it was about the FRANCHISE, about all the Yankee teams over all the years.

They had three glimmers of hope on those teams, a classy Center Fielder named Bobby Murcer and a fiery Ohio kid catcher who was the 1970 Rookie of the Year, Thurman Munson and a left handed Closer with a bushy mustache they got from the Red Sox. Murcer was a connection to Mickey and past glory, Munson and Sparky Lyle, the first cornerstones of future glory.

In 1973, George Steinbrenner bought the team and began to live up to the song. He made it clear, from the start, they're the New York Yankees and they WILL play to win. He tore down the beaten up old ballpark I loved and put in a state of the art version, hired '50s Yankee hero, Billy Martin, to manage, traded for talented young players on the rise (Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss, Willie Randolph, Mickey Rivers, Lou Piniella, Ed Figueroa, Mike Torrez) and a big Free Agent pitcher, 'Catfish' Hunter, by 1976, their first year in the New Yankee Stadium, they matched the accomplishment of the 1923 Yankees who opened the original, by winning the AL Pennant on a 9th Inning Walk-off HR by Chambliss.

They got swept that year in the World Series, by the incredible Big Red Machine and Yankee fans hardly cared, they were young and exciting. But Steinbrenner cared, the hadn't WON. He went out and signed the best power hitter in Baseball, Reggie Jackson and added ANOTHER closer, Goose Gossage, to their existing Cy Young winner, Sparky. Fans all over baseball cringed - this was overkill.

The Yankees won the next two World Series, Goose and Reggie are in the Hall of Fame. Steinbrenner, who bought the team for 10M in 1973, had a brand new ballpark, a two time champion and the best brand in the game by 1978, a year when the Yankees stormed back from 14 1/2 games behind to catch the Red Sox and defeat them when a guy named Bucky Dent went yard and Yaz popped up into Nettles glove.

Munson died in a plane crash the next year, 1979 and George flew into a rage when his 103 Win 1980 team got beat on a George Brett HR off Goose, and fired Manager Dick Howser. They went to one more series, in 1981, but lost this time to the Dodgers. Winfield was the new Free Agent, Don Mattingly the next homegrown hero, but the team stumbled through a series of missteps in the '80s, Steinbrenner eventually pushing too hard and getting suspended for two years. The break gave him a chance to take a step back and that 1970 Yankee Shortstop, Gene 'Stick' Michael, used the opportunity to stuff the Yankee pipeline with draft picks and young talent. Yankee lifer Buck Showalter was brought in to teach fundamentals and captain Don Mattingly was joined by Paul O'Neill from the Reds, David Cone from the Blue Jays and the Yankees were back in the Playoffs. But, the Boss was back now, and when the Seattle Mariners ousted the Yankees, that was not winning. Close don't count.

Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada all came up from the system. Tino Martinez took over for the broken down Mattingly, veteran Catcher Joe Girardi was brought in to handle the pitching staff and a guy who'd never won anything took over for Showalter.

Guy named Joe Torre.

Yankees won it all that year, lost the next, won 3 more, lost one in brutal fashion with a 9th Inning blown save in 2001 and then lost to a young talented Marlins squad in the 2003 World Series. Red Sox came back to beat them in the 2004 ALCS, they won division titles in 2005 and 2006 but lost first round playoff series, then settled for a wildcard in 2007 and saw Torre depart. Former Catcher, Girardi came in to replace him and suffered through a playoff less 89 win season in 2008. The Steinbrenner family looked at the lost season and decided, Girardi, the Yankee core and the Yankee homegrown talent was strong enough to handle the bullpen and the lineup, but they needed more starting pitching and a 1B to replace Jason Giambi. They signed CC and AJ and Tex, got big years from Jeter, Posada, Rivera, Pettitte and newer Yankees, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and aging free agent winners Johnny Damon and a Japanese superstar named Hideki Matsui.

They started cold, got superstar Alex Rodriguez back from injury and went on to win 103 games, sweep the Twins, beat the Angels in six and the Phillies in six more.

World Champions. Number 27 for the franchise, and #7 in the Steinbrenner era.

After all, they're the Yankees.

Everyone knows, they play to win.

Posted by Matthew at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

By Matthew Storey

Finally!

After an interminable five seasons with no World Series for the Yankees, the Bronx Bombers put together a terrific 103-59 regular season, spotting the rival Red Sox and defending AL champion Rays some ground early but blowing by mid-season and finishing with a flourish. They took out the red-hot Twins in 3 well contested ALDS games and overcame some shoddy play to defeat long-time nemesis, the LA Angels, in 6 for the ALCS and the 40th Pennant in 90 Seasons (an ASTOUNDING 44%).

So, with 110-61 in the books, it is time for the new Yankee Stadium to do what the first two did (Stadium opened in 1923, Yankees won World Series, re-opened after 2 season renovation in 1976 and Yankees went to World Series for first time in 12 years, got swept but came back to win the next two) and host a World Series in its first year.

For their part, the defending World Champion Phillies ruined the dream matchup of Yankees/Dodgers, with all the built in magic of Joe Torre, Manny Ramirez and Don Mattingly returning to NYC, but they did so honestly, by thrashing the Dodgers convincingly for the 2nd straight year. LIke the Yankees, there can be no doubt these Phils earned their slot.

Competitively, the Phillies are lacking in NYC story lines (Pedro being the one interesting player from an AL standpoint) and are a genuine NL Power - they play that chippy, competitive style that will remind Yankees of Red Sox - they chatter (already Jimmy Rollins has called for Phils in 5) and all of that hoped for mutual respect we'd have seen from Torre/Girardi is lost. Charley Manuel is a comical figure, a cocky hick who makes for a tough root in these parts, but he's done one hell of a job in a place where men like Terry Francona and local legend Larry Bowa could not break through, Reliever Brett Myers is a redneck jackass who punched his wife on a Boston street but has a big arm when healthy and throttled the Yankees in May, Shane Victorino is like Nick Swisher, an attention seeking showman, but his energetic style makes things happen for the Broad Streeters...and all-time creep, '80 Manager Dallas Green actually was a Yankee manager for a year or so, probably the lowest moment in Franchise history...its a team who aren't much like the Yankees, don't have much history with the Yankees and want to grab the spotlight and the aura of winning from the Yankees. If the Phillies get under Yankee skin and draw them into confrontation, that will be to their advantage. For the Yankees, the key is to treat the Phillies as if they are anonymous, punch the clock, do your thing, ignore the opponent - that's the Yankee way and was instrumental in helping them finally overcome the Angels.

If its a fight, advantage - Phillies. If the games are played low-key, the low-key Yankees will thrive.

And there it is...the best team in the AL and the best team in the NL, what a World Series is supposed to be.

Similar construction, opposite personalities - should make for a classic!

Lets take a look at the individual matchups;

1B

Ryan Howard, Phillies LH
The engaging and majestic presence that is Ryan Howard is heading to First Ballot Hall of Fame status (as is the man who plays next to him and maybe the entire Infield on the other side), his frightening power to all fields and newfound agility on the basepaths and in the field make him a better player than the Howard who already has an MVP and a World Series rings and leads all MLB in HR/RBI since 2005. However, Howard is a dreadful hitter against quality LH pitching (.207 overall) and the Yankees will throw Southpaw starters in 4 or 5 of the potential 7 game series, one of them might be the best LH in MLB and the other one has more Postseason wins than any MLB pitcher in history, LH OR RH. He will have to stay patient and wait for a mistake and hope that the ones he catches up with will find J-Roll, Victorino and Utley on base. For all this thump and expanded fitness, Howard is an all-or-nothing sort who will strike out - look for Yankees to alternate Coke and Marte in late inning situations trying to find an advantage against him as they do with Papi in Boston.

Mark Teixeira, Yankees, SH
Teixeira is a rare commodity, a 1B whose glove is so dynamic it changes game outcomes, he saves errors, throws out runners from anywhere and is always in the right place (witness that Melky to Jeter to Teixeira relay that caught Bobby Abreu off of 2B in the ALCS). That Defensive brilliance has been in full evidence this postseason, but, at least for the first 7 games - his powerful, switch hitting Bat was absolutely NOWHERE to be found, the way it was back in April. He did get a huge 3 Run 2B late in Game Five and then was effective in Game six as well, so may be coming back to form - he needs to if the Yankees have a chance with the Phillies. For Mark, like several Yankees, he can become too HR conscious and too dependent upon catching up to a Fastball. Both the Twins and the Angels feature starters who are not flamethrowers, but who can throw strikes with off-speed and breaking stuff. Teixeira and Swisher both saw an endless series of 70 MPH slow curveballs and 80 MPH change-ups and the Philly staff is built upon similar lines - Mark needs to cut back on the power stroke and give himself a chance to stroke singles off of the junk he will be CERTAIN to see in a heavy dose from Lee, Pedro, Hamels and Blanton.

2B

Robinson Cano, Yankees, LH
Cano is a terrible cold weather player and was shut down effectively for the two freezing ALCS games in The Bronx, making two horrible errors on easy chances, but otherwise played his typically jaw-dropping Defense throughout this postseason. He has incredible range to either side, and a gun for an arm as well as the best damn pivot in MLB on Double Play balls - something that accounts greatly for Andy Pettite's resurgence. Offensively, Cano too was undone by the junk ball and the swinging for the fences mindset early on, but he is a more flexible hitter than either Swisher or Teixeira and was back to spraying effectively all over the field by the tail end of the ALCS. Cano is capable of carrying this Yankee team if he gets hot, and should be effective against all Philly starters since he is equally adept with LH or RH, heat or junk. The key for Robby is to swing at STRIKES, not expand the zone chasing and let them walk him - as they are likely to prefer pitching to Swisher and Melky hitting behind him.

Chase Utley, Phillies, LH
Utley is the only MLB 2B who probably has even more ability than Cano, but the 2009 version of Utley is a great player who is nursing some injury problems. He made two uncharacteristic errors on Double Play attempts that were costly to the Phillies and would have been devastating in a more tightly contested series, the Yankees proved against both Minnesota and the Angels, teams that might be the two best fundamentally in MLB, that if you give them extra outs - they will beat you. Utley is an all-time Great and is capable of dominating, he just doesn't appear to be moving well or driving the ball with as much authority as usual. He is still a .300 hitter with huge thump against either LH or RH pitching and requires rapt focus on every plate appearance by Yankee pitchers.

SS

Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, SH
J-Roll is the Phillies leader, his charisma, all around game, energy and smarts light up the ballpark and his trash-talking Bay Area chatter is never delivered with ugly undertones - he's not a guy to hate, or even to dislike, he wants to beat you, says so and plays hard as nails. Pure respect from the Magic Carpet. But he is not Derek Jeter, who hit a full 85 points higher, stole one fewer base in four fewer attempts and hit 3 fewer HR's, 3 that he's hit so far in the postseason, for all of his switch-hitting, dynamism and presence, Rollins hit .250 with a pathetic .296 ON-Base percentage in 2009 and the Yankees will challenge him to beat them. He can run into a pitch, as he did to open up the interleague series back in May against AJ Burnett and give the Phillies the dramatic extra-base hit as he did to defeat the Dodgers in the NLCS, but at-bat to at-bat, he is not a consistent threat this season.

Derek Jeter, Yankees, RH
Jeter is displaying his all-world ability in this postseason, maybe even more so than in previous years, which is saying a bit for a guy with 4 rings, 3 Gold Gloves, 7 seasons above .320 (11 times .300+), the alltime SS in hits, alltime Yankee in hits, alltime MLB postseason player in hits, 3rd alltime in postseason HR's, 1st in runs...he has made three game altering defensive plays thus far with sheer mental awareness, hits for big power or slap hitting situation with equal dexterity, has the big arm and makes all the plays and stole 30 bases for the 4th time (in 35 attempts) at 35. Jeter has cut back on his strikeouts since moving into the leadoff role and had an on-base percentage over .400 for the 4th time in his career, .112 points better than Rollins, which means something as leadoff men in front of the power. Rollins will engage the fans and the Yankees, psyche himself up. Jeter will remain above the fray, chilly, and waiting for the one thing that can beat the Phillies.

3B

Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, RH
Those of us who watch every inning of every Yankee game, year after year, know that Jeter and Alex carried the Yankees when those around them were being schooled by soft tossing pitching or tightening up in pressure playoff atmosphere. Its rare when two players are so locked in at the plate, on the field, on the bases at the same time and that those two would both be First Ballot Hall of Famers playing side by side only adds to the majesty. Alex was at his very best in the first two rounds and his best is in the short conversation for the best that's been seen on a Baseball field. His bat speed is at the best its been since his freakish MVP year of 2007 and he is running the bases like Alex for the first time all season after the Hip Surgery turned him into more of a stationary type from May through August. Enormous power all over the field, base running, smarts, big glove, bigger arm. The Phillies cannot afford to let Alex beat them and figure to stay away and let him take walks or try and make him chase out of the zone.

Pedro Feliz, Phililes, RH
One of the great fielding 3B in all of Baseball, Felix is the weak link amongst both lineups in terms of Offense, but he still managed to drive in 82 runs and does make contact, which is important on a Philly team that has huge power but several guys who strike out an inordinate amount of the time (Ibanez, Werth, Howard). In a series where both teams are going to live over the wall, it is the team that hits them with men ON BASE that will prevail and the Yankee On-Base percentage dwarfs that of the Phillies and they proved in rounds one and two that they can beat small-ball teams at their small-ball game.

LF

Raul Ibanez, Phillies, LH
Of all the much ballyhooed HR power witnessed in the New Yankee Stadium in its inaugural year, none was more prodigiously struck than the 477 foot BOMB Ibanez hit off a hurt shoulder Chien-Ming Wang in May. Ibanez is one of those MLB players who has gotten better and better as he has gone (Werth is as well) and until being hurt this season, he was right there for NL MVP, but groin and abdominal injuries have greatly reduced his game (.232 with 12 HRs in 2nd Half). Yankees need to right after Rollins, Utley and Ibanez and tread carefully with Howard and Werth, this will result in some long fly HR's from those capable bats, but should keep them off the bases for the most part of the series. Ibanez injuries likely will have him at DH for tonight and tomorrow, with Francisco in LF.

Johnny Damon, Yankees, LH
Like Ibanez, Damon is two different players, when his calves are hurting and his vision is bothering him, he can be easily handled, especially by LH starters, but when his body is cooperating he can devastate teams as he did the Angels in the ALCS with huge HR power and critical RBI hits. He also has played an inspired LF, chasing down balls, diving for critical grabs and making smart throws in the playoffs. He is a marginal fielder overall, but a hustler whose legs are still good enough for 12 of 12 stolen bases in 2009 and is hot right now, if he stays hot, tough to see NY losing this series.

CF

Melky Cabrera, Yankees, SH
Melky looked a little tight in the ALDS, striking out on the same sorts of junkballs that have bedeviled Swisher and Teixeira, but came roaring back with a big ALCS (9 for 23, 4 HUGE RBI). He plays a terrific CF and his big arm catches baserunners, even Bobby Abreu, who played next to him for two years and should have known better. The Phillies will test him and he will throw them out, look for such a play in game one or two and say 'Guru told me so!'. the same Guru who told you this switch-hitting 25 year old would have a big year and was still improving, he is confident now and should have a good series at the back of the Yankee lineup.

Shane Victorino, Phillies, SH
Victorino is as extroverted and self-promoting as Melky is relaxed and team focused, a quirk of personality that leads many to consider him a far better player. The numbers tell a different story, as their power numbers are similar (Melky hit 3 more HR, drove in 6 more runs in 135 fewer at-bats). Both are switch hitters with some thump who can go get it in CF, but Victorino lacks Melky's big arm and Yankees will go 1st to 3rd on him. Victorino is an agile and successful basestealer who will put pressure on Yankee catchers if he is on base. He is also a proven Postseason winner. Still the numbers say he and Melky are similar, Melky hits 9th and Shane 2nd.

RF

Jayson Werth, Phillies, RH
For Guru's money, this is the player the Yankees have to work around to have success in this series. Yankee LH starters will limit some of the damage from Howard and both Utley and Ibanez have physical problems, Rollins will get his if he is feeling it, but Werth is the RH bat with serious thump who could make the Yankees pay for working cautiously to Howard, he singlehandedly destroyed the Dodgers and his game has come so far in such a short time it can be easy to look at him through a previous season's eye - this aint that guy. Werth is a classic mistake hitter with awesome power all over the yard and must be pitched carefully or walked to avoid crooked number-itis. He also showed a big arm in the series back in May. If Werth is in the running for MVP, this is going to be a Philly repeat.

Nick Swisher, Yankees, SH
Nicky, Nicky, Nicky...its a good thing he is such a genuinely nice guy. Like Teixeira, Swish is a power hitter from both sides who works the count and gets on base. Also like Tex, Swisher can be fastball happy and lacks the fluidity in his swing to adapt during at-bats, he takes a stiff arm hack like an axe wielding chopper and if he guesses right on pitch/location, he can send a ball into the stratosphere or tweak it neatly down the opposite line. But he is purely a guess hitter who is likely to be exposed continually by smarties like Lee, Pedro and Hamels. He is an agressive and enthusiastic RF with an average arm.

C
Jorge Posada, Yankees, SH
Jorge was clutch, big power from both sides, great defense in the ALDS and ALCS. He controlled the Angel running game and came through with the bat time and time again. He's caught 23 World Series games, more than 100 postseason games (by FAR, the most in MLB history) and is a sleeper in this series. Amongst veteran Yankees, Jorge is a fighter and an emotional leader on a business like squad, he is most likely to get into with old nemesis Pedro and some of the chattier Phillies.

Carlos Ruiz, Phillies, RH
Many analysts are calling this matchup 'even', I am not sure what they are talking about. Ruiz is a nice player who has made himself a much better hitter, but his career HR total of 22 is one more than Jorge hit in 383 at-bats during 2009. He makes great contact (more walks than strikeouts) and can thump (he hit a huge 3 Run HR to beat Yankees back in May). A nice player matched with a legendary one.

DH

Ben Francisco RH and Matt Stairs LH, Phillies
Francisco is a 5 tool sort with big potential who the generous Indians sent along to the Phillies, believing the gift of a reigning Cy Young winner was not enough! He has limited playing time in his MLB career but has shown flashes of big power and a big arm in the OF (he will play LF for Ibanez in AL park). Yankee pitchers have to avoid relaxing deep in the Philly lineup or they will get lit up by Francisco, Ruiz and Feliz. Stairs is the veteran LH thumper, very similar to Yankee reserve, Eric Hinske, he takes tough at-bats and buries mistakes from RH pitchers in the seats.

Hideki Matsui, Yankees, LH
The great Matsui has surged and been dominant this season when his surgically repaired knees have been drained and feeling strong and the two days off will do him a great deal of good (his best game of both earlier rounds came off a break between them). Yankees will probably benefit from the rest he'll get in Philly without a DH as the Interleague break helped him to a huge year (28HR/90 RBI) in 2009. Unflappable, experienced and huge power, Matsui will lay in the weeds and strike if ignored following Tex and Alex.

Rotation

CC Sabathia LH, AJ Burnett RH, Andy Pettitte LH, Chad Gaudin RH/Yankees
Yankee starters have been dominant thus far. CC has shut down the Twins once and the Angels twice with a minimum of threat and benefits from extra rest and a LH heavy Philly lineup, as well as the desire to make up for a terrible NLDS start in 2008 when he was asked to pitch on 3 day fumes for the umpteenth time in a row, his '09 performance is as good as it gets and shows the difference of not overusing a horse. He has ample rest to pitch three times, but Yankees are likely to throw Gaudin in game 4 unless trailing and desperate. Gaudin is a reliable 4-5 inning type who get strikeouts and need to avoid walks ,but might be a HR magnet against Phillies in their yard for game 4. AJ Burnett is a maddening enigma, who choked horribly in his ALCS start against the Angels, surrendering 4 runs before a single out and then putting two runs on base after his team had stormed back to take a 6-4 lead late. In between however, his dominant fastball and sharp breaking curve shut the Angels down cold - which his ability can do in any start. The season long sample says he will be great once and mediocre once if he gets two starts. Andy Pettitte has been lights-out, winning his all-time record 16th Postseason game, closing out his all-time record 5th series. He has been better than anyone could have imagined and guaranteed himself a job for as long as he wants one in MLB.

Cliff Lee LH, Pedro Martinez RH, Cole Hamels LH, Joe Blanton RH or JA Happ LH/Phillies
In one sense, the Phillie lack of power pitching is a concern - they are not strikeout types and may allow some baserunners here and there, but the Yankees are a fast ball centric sort of Offense who punish the sort of hard throwers who come right after them. Cliff Lee, Pedro and Cole Hamels all have the ability to throw changeups and breaking pitches for strikes in any count and keep Yankee sluggers swinging at air - meaning they WILL be strikeout pitchers! (did you follow all that?). Yankees will pummel Blanton and Phillies will pummel Gaudin, making game 4 the right one to bet the 'Over', Happ is a terrific young LH pitcher, but after Saunders twice with the Angels, Lee and Hamels, he will up against a lineup who has seen every type of LH starter and has 4 everyday switch hitters. Key for Phillies is Yankees being over aggressive, if the Yankees are swinging for fences, the Philly starters will thrive, if they relax and play small-ball, they can break them and feast on fastballs from the pen.

Bullpen

Ryan Madsen RH, Chad Durbin RH, Chan Ho Park RH, Scott Eyre LH

As indicated above, Yankees handle hard throwers better than any team in MLB and Madsen, Durbin and Park figure to get lit up if used for multiple innings. They need 7 innings per start to win.

David Robertson RH, Brian Bruney RH, Damaso Marte LH, Phil Coke LH, Joba Chamberlain RH, Alfredo Aceves RH, Phil Hughes RH

Yankee pen is a power pen, big arms and big velocity, strikeout stuff. Robertson has had some arm issues of late, but was terrific when called upon, Bruney got some needed rest and will be up close to 100MPH, can he throw it over the plate? Marte and Coke give them two different LH looks. Aceves, Hughes and Joba were the keys to the plan and all struggled at times in the playoffs, seemingly more with their nerves than with their stuff. Yankees need regular season like dominance from Aceves (10-1), Hughes (1.44 ERA as reliever, 5-1 K/BB ratio) and Joba (dominant and mediocre in maddening variety).

Closer

Mariano Rivera RH
The best. The numbers are ridiculous, not going to belabor them here for the 1,000th time. If he's in the game and the Yankees have a lead, bet Yankees.

Brad Lidge RH
Exactly the sort of pitcher that Yankee bats thrive against (Joe Nathan), and they beat him at the Stadium in May on an Alex Rodriguez HR and Melky Cabrera line drive. If the Philies have a one run lead, its 50/50.

Yankees are strong where you NEED to be to defeat Phillies with LH pitching and several slumping Offensive players who appeared to be coming out of it late against LA. If Jeter and Alex stay hot and are joined by Cano and Teixeira, there isn't anything the Phillies can do to stop them. Says here we'll be bundled up for a parade before we bundle up for ANOTHER parade in Manhattan this November. hold back those SuperHero floats for Thanksgiving and give us pinstripes in six.

Posted by Matthew at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)