2009 MLB Playoffs

[ctyankee]

The Phillies two Achilles heels got to them---Ryan Howard's slump in the post season and their starting pitching rotation. Matsui proved to be a one man wrecking crew and deserved the MVP. He drove in six of the Yanks' seven runs, and had a great Series. He even outshone Jeter, Damon, A-Rod, Teixeira, and Posada. America is such a great country that a star from another country can come here and then be the MVP in the World Series! Baseball really is an international sport, and this is further evidence of that.

Baseball is now out of the Olympics because it isn't a international sport of note. So, they didn't want to force host cities to build the infrastructure for it when it wasn't warranted.

The 'experts' were talking up the Phillies gloves as putting them at an advantage over the Yankees - specifically in the outfield and at catcher. The outfield of the Phillies looked mediocre at best. They even looked hesitant on fairly routine outs.

[Lefty-Golfer]

[QUOTE=ctyankee;387112]Baseball is now out of the Olympics because it isn't a international sport of note. So, they didn't want to force host cities to build the infrastructure for it when it wasn't warranted.

The 'experts' were talking up the Phillies gloves as putting them at an advantage over the Yankees - specifically in the outfield and at catcher. The outfield of the Phillies looked mediocre at best. They even looked hesitant on fairly routine outs.[/ QUOTE]

Sadly there is truth to what you say. The gloves have been outstanding forthe last 3 years. I will put them against anyone...but against LA and again against NY they were average at best...and i think that is being a little kind.

[Lefty-Golfer]

nice guy.....

He may not be nice...but I kind of agree with him.

[zrlaegel]

He may not be nice...but I kind of agree with him.

lol. thanks

[bogeyhitter25]

Me being from Massachusetts, I wasn't very happy that the Yankees won. It's not because they are dirty ballplayers, or lack the talent. It's just that I think the Salary Cap has got to have lower limits. The amount of money Steinbrenner spent was absurd. The only players I actually tolerate on the Yankees are Jeter, Texiera, and Rivera (even though his strike zone is 3x bigger than every other pitcher in the MLB.

[Grndslmhttr3]

The 'experts' were talking up the Phillies gloves as putting them at an advantage over the Yankees - specifically in the outfield and at catcher. The outfield of the Phillies looked mediocre at best. They even looked hesitant on fairly routine outs.

The Phillies' outfield was infuriating

[bnz506]

where were you the other 26 times?

Im not that old lol... I am only twenty-seven, twenty-seven, *sigh*... Gosh I am old, It feels like just yesturday I was only sixteen, where did the time go?

Anyway, like many younger fans, I became a fan in the early 90's. I actually barely remember being a Greg Jefferies fan in the late 80s (dont recall why), but in the early 90s when I became old enough to start playing baseball at the school yard I became a HUGE Don Mattingly fan. I never had a favorite team as a child but because of Don Mattingly, I became a Yankees fan, and eventually played first base on school teams (95 totally a sad year). I guess Ive been there since the last dynasty started (like most younger fans). It wasnt till I got older (towards the end of highschool I think) that I developed a loyalty for my state teams (with one exception). One day at the school library I decided what all my favorite teams would be, I was already a Yankees and Knicks fan, so I decided I would be a Rangers, and Giants fan aswell. The one exception, I lived in MI for 4 years of my life, and really wanted to attend the University of Michigan, and so that is my favorite college sport team (The only thing I hate coming out of Michigan is Tom Brady).

[ctyankee]

It's just that I think the Salary Cap has got to have lower limits.

There is no salary cap in baseball. There is only a luxury tax (which might as well be called the New York Yankees tax). A salary cap is quite unlikely for baseball because the baseball union would fight it and the owners wouldn't stop the game for a year plus to get their way.

The New York Yankees tax doesn't stop them from spending what they want, it only pools the tax to the other teams. The sad result of it is that the smaller market teams become the unofficial farm clubs for the big market teams.

[Grndslmhttr3]

The Yankees have billions of dollars; the luxury tax is pocket change for them.

[bnz506]

I wrote a blog predicting, that the moment the Yankees won the World Series, forums would light up with salary this and salary that (actually it wasnt much of a prediction more like an inevitability) . The salary complaint is absurd, here is a argument from another Yankees fan (I couldnt have said it better myself):

There has been A LOT of hate today. I really don't know what to make of it. Go look at the ESPN boards, or the conversations where people can leave comments on articles. Some yankee fans don't get bothered by it, I do because of the double standard and the hypocricy in it. There was no outcry last year when the Phillies beat the Rays, despite that the Phillies payroll was over 200% higher than that of the Rays. In fact the difference between the opponents in the world series this year was closer than last year. There was no one up in arms talking about a salary cap when Boston offered $170 million for Tex, despite that they have an "all star" first baseman in Youklis. Where was the uproar when Boston acquired Beckett because they were able to also take on Lowell's contract? Or how about paying $30 million simply to TALK to Dice. Nope, the only uproar comes when the Yankees win. When they do "fans" say "well the Yankees bought another championship." When the Yankees have lost these past 8 years these same "fans" say, "the Yankees should learn they can't buy championships." Which one is it? You can't have it both ways, either the Yankees buy their championships or they don't. There is a philly fan who works with me and is new so I don't know him that well but he actually said to me today that the "Yankees broke the rules" I nearly fell out of my chair and said "what rules?" Then he cried for a salary cap. I am glad that I root for a team that decides to put the money I spend on this team back into the team and the product on the field. What would make me more upset as a fan of another team is spending $100 to go to a game and finding out the money simply lines the owners pockets. I think if anything these past 8 years have shown that money in fact does not win championships. The Yankees went out spent money and acquired pieces that fit well into this team. They plugged what every baseball expert said was gaping holes and did what any business would do, spent money to make money.

I absolutely agree with this point, I am a season ticket holder and I spend a lot of money going to these games (more so this year) and I expect them to reinvest that money that I spent on tickets, beer, and merchandise into top tier players (and thank God for clean bathrooms, bathrooms in the old stadium was pretty nasty).

[Grndslmhttr3]

As much as I hate the Yankees (and I really do hate them a lot) they won fair and square. Although their unlimited supply of money might give them the competitive edge, they don't always win (look at last year); they're not unbeatable.

[golf_junkie27]

Me being from Massachusetts, I wasn't very happy that the Yankees won. It's not because they are dirty ballplayers, or lack the talent. It's just that I think the Salary Cap has got to have lower limits. The amount of money Steinbrenner spent was absurd. The only players I actually tolerate on the Yankees are Jeter, Texiera, and Rivera (even though his strike zone is 3x bigger than every other pitcher in the MLB.

This spoken from a fan whose team, until this year, held the record for the highest payroll of any WS winner, the 2004 Red Sox and their $152 million dollars.

It's amazing. When the Yanks win, it's always about money. When they lose, it's because they "don't spend it right." I keep hearing how they "bought" this championship. Pure bull . 15 out of the 25 guys on the roster came through the farm system including six everyday starters. Furthermore, until anyone can claim that their team has 25 homegrown players or the starting 9 is all "homegrown," then you can bitch and moan about "buying a WS." Until then.....

[golf_junkie27]

face it you are not going to win any arguements here.

And how did that prediction work out for you? What's more pathetic? Living in New York and claiming to be a Red Sox fan? Or living in New York and claiming that your second favorite team happens to be the one that's playing the Yankees in the World Series? Hmmm hmmm, "For $800, I'll take "How to act like a 12 year-old child, Alex." Most Yankee fans, myself included, and most other sports fans, could really give two s that some other fan base does not like them. Welcome to the real world.

[ctyankee]

There was no one up in arms talking about a salary cap when Boston offered $170 million for Tex, despite that they have an "all star" first baseman in Youklis. Where was the uproar when Boston acquired Beckett because they were able to also take on Lowell's contract? Or how about paying $30 million simply to TALK to Dice. Nope, the only uproar comes when the Yankees win. When they do "fans" say "well the Yankees bought another championship." When the Yankees have lost these past 8 years these same "fans" say, "the Yankees should learn they can't buy championships." Which one is it? You can't have it both ways, either the Yankees buy their championships or they don't.

Let's cut through the nonsense. Complaining about others also having money doesn't change the Yankee's situation. So let's eliminate the "Johnny was fighting too' craplogic. The Red Sox have the second largest payroll which is considerably larger than most teams. While the Yankees don't disclose their revenue, even those that follow the Yankees in the media believe that their revenue stream is more than DOUBLE any other team.

The reason that the Yankees haven't won isn't because they haven't spent money. The reason is that the Yankees starting pitching and long relief prior to this year has been sub-championship quality. Big dummy George treated Pettitte like a leper with reports that calls from Hank and other Yankees getting him to stay. Without Pettitte this year, who knows what would have happened. Without Sabathia ... as they say in New York, forgetaboutit. Of course the Red Sox wanted Tex as he has a big bat AND a great glove. They also wanted A-Rod. Not only can the Yankees outspend the Red Sox without dipping into their own pocket they have the advantage of the nightlife of Manhattan and rubbing elbows with celebs. So, players use the Red Sox to get big offers from the Yankees - that doesn't mean they were ever going to Boston. Sure, some don't want the media spotlight of New York, but a good argument could be made that those sort of players won't bring you many championships either.

I am glad that I root for a team that decides to put the money I spend on this team back into the team and the product on the field. What would make me more upset as a fan of another team is spending $100 to go to a game and finding out the money simply lines the owners pockets.

If you have $100 seats at some other park, those are $1,000+ seats at Yankee Stadium. Get real. But, hey, if the Yankees want to agree that they can ONLY use the revenue generated by ticket sales to spend on the "product on the field" the rest of the league would agree to do likewise and would be doing cartwheels in their happiness to toss the Yankees cable advantage to the sidelines.

It's not that the Yankees are breaking any rules that makes people dislike them. It's really two things. (1) An competitive advantage in a sport that should be competitive and (2) Yankee fans living in denial not just being a river in Egypt.

[flap]

If I am not mistaken Boston has its own station does it not?The Red Sox want to keep a dingy old small stadium for 1010 years instead of building a new state of the art to maximize the income so be it.Do not blame the Yankees for being good bussiness people,thats why it is called capitalism.Then again Obama is trying to do away with it so maybe Dirt Mound Alabama can have a Major League team next.

[ctyankee]

If I am not mistaken Boston has its own station does it not?The Red Sox want to keep a dingy old small stadium for 1010 years instead of building a new state of the art to maximize the income so be it.Do not blame the Yankees for being good bussiness people,thats why it is called capitalism.Then again Obama is trying to do away with it so maybe Dirt Mound Alabama can have a Major League team next.

The new Yankee Stadium was built with taxpayer money. Plans for a new Fenway Park have come and gone and come and gone as taxpayers won't fund it and politicians fought various options the Red Sox brought forward. So screw that good business people stuff. George got his way because he could leverage taking the Yankees to Manhattan or (even better) taking them to New Jersey and STILL keep his season ticket holders. The Red Sox don't have those like options.

[Golf'nBiker]

"DIRT MOUND ALABAMA"...watch yer tounge Flap, we got running water here AND 'lectricity!

[PEZGolf]

It is very SIMPLE: in this century, the Boston Red Sox have won TWICE AS many World Series as the Yankees. The highest TV ratings for a World Series in this century were in 2004 when the Red Sox won. The Red Sox are #1, and the Yankees have to dump Damon, Swisher, Matsui, and Pettitte and get some YOUNG BLOOD, or they will NOT win the World Series in 2010. And we all know that.