Daily Archives: October 10, 2005

As a whole, the players that made up the New York Yankees overachieved this year. Hamstrung by the worst offseason in franchise history and besieged by injuries to their pitching staff, the Yankees dug themselves out of a 11-19 hole, building momentum as the season went on, finally breaking free of .500 as July began, posting a 56-28 (.667) record from July 2 through the end of the regular season. As the season drew to a close, they played their best baseball, winning 15 of 18 at one point in September and clinching their eighth-straight AL East title by defeating the Red Sox in the penultimate game of the season.

Ever since the Yankees won four of five World Series from 1996 to 2000, it has become common for those around the organization, both in and out of uniform, to say that any season that does not end in a World Championship is a failure. I disagree. That the Yankees were unable to win the American League Division Series, while certainly a tremendous disappointment to fans, players and front office alike, should not be seen as a failure, but as the inevitable outcome of a season that extended beyond it’s rightful endpoint.

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After last night’s stirring Yankee victory, both teams are making the long haul back out to the coast for tonight’s Game Five. Both starting pitchers–Mike Mussina and Bartolo Colon–are already in California, and presumably well-rested. My gut feeling is that tonight could be a lot like Game Three–wide open. I felt good about Moose in Game One, but I can’t imagine he’ll be that impressive this time out. Sure do hope I’m wrong. And just why can’t the Yanks catch up to Colon again? Randy Johnson could play a big role out of the pen. Let’s hope that the bats do their thing–Mr. Rodriguez we turn out eager eyes to you. So long as it is a clean-played game like the one we saw yesterday, I’ll be able to live with the outcome. May the best team win.

Go Yanks. Bombs away.