Daily Archives: October 5, 2004

Open Thread

It’s going to be mad chilly in the Boogie Down tonight. I won’t post my thoughts on the game until tomorrow morning, but for those of you who are following the game within typing distance of your computer, feel free to start a conversation in the comments section below.

Let’s hope for a good game tonight. I’m headed out to Brooklyn after work to get a hair cut from my favorite barber. Figure I’ve got to represent and look sharp: it’s the Yankee way, right? Before the game I’ll say the same prayer I say every year as the post-season starts–although two games will already be in the books by the time the Yankee game begins: that is, no matter what happens, I just hope the Fates don’t have it out for some unsuspecting zhlub. I know we love to have heroes now, and that means somebody will be labled as the goat as well. But please, don’t let anyone–even if he’s a Red Sox–become the next Fred Merkle or the next Bill Buckner. I don’t wish that on anyone, least of all a Yankee. (Shudder.)

Enjoy the game and stay warm.

If anyone is following the Angels-Red Sox game this afternoon and wants to share their observations and impressions, feel free to do it in the comments section below. I’m going to miss it, and y’all know that I love to hear how the other have lives.

The New York papers are replete with previews, puff pieces and predictions this morning. While there is nothing especially remarkable, Jack Curry has an informative piece on Johan Santana. Meanwhile, Aaron Gleeman, Seth Stohs preview the series from the midwest. I asked a couple of writers about their thoughts on the Yanks-Twins match-up. Here is what they’ve got to say:

Allen Barra (author of “Brushbacks and Knockdowns: The Greatest Baseball Debates of Two Centuries”):

To tell you the truth, I feel the Yankees will win, but that they’ll win in some way that is just not apparent to me.
Though the Yankees swept the Twins last week, the unpleasant truth is that they were behind in both games (as I recall) when both Santana and Radke were lifted, which doesn’t bode well for this series.
Yet, I’ve got to hand it to Mussina. After a horrible first inning, he gutted it out and kept the Yankees in a position to win. I don’t suppose he’s likely to have a second stright game with a horrible first inning, particularly at Yankee Stadium. My gut feeling tells me that the Twins will probably be tougher than whoever the Yankees play in the second round.

Tim Marchman (NY Sun):

I think this will be a really telling series for the Yankees. Their offense is structured around the walk and the home run, and Santana and Radke are going to take away the walk. (Carlos Silva will, too- 70-some Ks and 35 BBs in 200+ IP! An unnoticed and bizarre season.) Theyíre not good at hitting for average and theyíre not going to get much better at it with the Twinsí defense in the picture, and that leaves them with the home run.

For a team that hit 241 HRs, this isnít a team of power hitters. Matsui, Jeter, Sheffield and Rodriguez all wait out the pitcher and swing for line drives, which often go over the wall. If they can change their approach, swing at more fastballs early in the count and swing for the fences, I think theyíve got a decent shot at winning one against Santana and a great shot at splitting the other two. Whether they can do that is an open question, and, I think, points up how remarkable the OíNeill/Martinez Yankees were, because what they did better than anyone was adjust their approach to take advantage of their opponentís weaknesses. The Twins arenít a great team, and past Santana Iím not even sure theyíre a very good one, but in my mind theyíre the slight favorites here. (Of course, I said the same thing last year