162 games.
There is no lengthier season in professional sports than that of Major League Baseball. Starting at the beginning of April (or sometimes the last day of March), the season begins. It comes to an end on or around the last day of September. That's six months.
For those people who are not true fans of the game, 162 games seems excessive. It seems like overkill. For those that are not true fans of the game, shortening the season sounds like a brilliant idea. After all, the games at the beginning of the season really don't matter, it's just the ones at the end that make the difference.
Tell that to the Atlanta Braves, who lost a "meaningless" game on April 21st to the Los Angeles Dodgers, losing in the 12th inning after blowing a one-run lead in the ninth.
Tell that to the Boston Red Sox, who started their 2011 season 2-10 in April, finally getting themselves back on their typical track.
Tell it to both the Braves and Red Sox, who saw their 2011 seasons come crashing down on the final day of the regular season. Game 162.
Believe it or not, they all matter!
I've been a baseball fan since I was probably about six years old. As a kid, you dream about playing baseball in the big leagues. Some of my fondest memories are of playing catch in the backyard with my father. I remember pitching in grade school, looking off to the side and seeing my grandfather leaning against a tree, watching me. It's personal memories like that which make baseball such a special sports.
My first real memory of dramatic baseball came during the 1986 World Series. I was just starting to truly understand the game and what it meant. Being only eight years old, I had no real comprehension of what that World Series meant to the Boston Red Sox. When I saw the Red Sox lose Game 6 after Bob Stanley blew a save opportunity, leading to the infamous Bill Buckner error, I knew something dramatic and memorable had just happened, and I was hooked! It wasn't until years later that I truly understood the significance of that moment.
I had the great fortune of being in attendance at the Metrodome for the 1987 World Series, to see the Minnesota Twins win their first of two World Series championships. I've never heard a building louder. I was only nine years old at the time, but I knew that what I had just seen was something so unprecedented, so "special", that I figured out; only baseball could provide moments like that.
I remember spending a fall evening in October of 1988 at my grandparents' house. I got ready for bed early so I could just lay in bed in the spare room and watch Game One of the 1988 World Series. The Oakland A's, by all accounts, should have made quick work of the Los Angeles Dodgers. But, a funny, amazing thing happened as I was laying there watching the game, even more amazing to me than the '87 series. A hobbled, injured Kirk Gibson hit an improbable walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth off A's closer Dennis Eckersley, who was absolutely untouchable during the regular season. As a ten year-old, I'd never felt goosebumps like that.
In 1991, the Twins reached the World Series again, and once again, I was lucky enough to be there for all four games. I'm 13 years old now, and seem to already have a wealth of baseball history in me just in the past fives years. And yet, it's about to get even deeper. An amazing jumping catch against the plexi-glass wall in left center by Kirby Puckett, followed by a storybook walk-off home run in the 11th inning of Game 6 by Kirby himself sends the Twins and Braves into a Game 7. There was no way to top the emotion from Game 6. Not a chance anything could be more exciting than that!
Wrong. Game 7 proved to be, what I still consider, the greatest baseball game ever played. A game with everything riding on it, with a "win or go home" finale assured. There would be no tomorrow. Twins pitcher, Jack Morris, took to the mound for one of the most amazing, guttiest pitching performances in the history of Major League Baseball; a 10-inning, 1-0 Twins victory, giving them their second World Series title in five seasons. In a word: Epic!
Over the last 20 years of my baseball-watching life, I've seen some amazing things happen, both live and on television. I've seen a World Series clinching walk-off homer by Toronto's Joe Carter in Game 6 of the '93 World Series. I watched the drama unfold in 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chased down Roger Maris's home run record of 61, with McGwire breaking it first. I saw the Arizona Diamondbacks break the unbreakable Mariano Rivera to win the 2001 World Series in Game 7. Seeing the 2004 Red Sox exercise their 86 year-old demons and win their first World Series since 1918. I was in attendance at the Metrodome once more in 2009 for Game 163, a one-game playoff between the Twins and Detroit Tigers in which the Twins won a back-and-forth game in extra-innings on a walk-off single to advance to the playoffs.
I've seen quite a bit in my lifetime so far. However, nothing I've seen rivaled what I saw Wednesday night. Four teams; the Cardinals and Braves in the National League, and the Red Sox and Rays in the American League. Two playoff spots; the Wild Cards. One winner. A season where 161 games all led up to this night. Game 162.
The Cardinals made quick work of the Houston Astros, doing their part for the night, leaving it up to Atlanta to decide whether they'd be playing in the post season, or playing a one-game playoff against the Braves on Thursday. Atlanta led Philadelphia 3-2 entering the ninth inning.
The Red Sox, needing a win and a Tampa Bay loss to secure the Wild Card, led 3-2 in the seventh inning before a rain delay kept them waiting, and watching, what was happening in Tampa.
The Rays trailed the Yankees 7-0 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. Many fans in attendance had already left as it seemed an insurmountable lead to overcome. They just needed to hope the Red Sox choked, as they'd been doing throughout September, in order to play a 163rd game on Thursday.
As the Cardinals watched from their clubhouse, the Braves proceeded to blow their one-run lead, allowing the Phillies to tie the game in the top of the ninth, ultimately sending them into extra-innings in Atlanta. As this was happening, the Rays began mounting a minor assault on the Yankees, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth, allowing Evan Longoria to come to the plate with two runners on. Longoria hit the first pitch he saw into the left-center field stands for a three-run homer, bringing the Rays to within one at 7-6. The Red Sox could only sit and watch as the rain fell in Baltimore.
Once their game resumed, the Red Sox attempted to hold their 3-2 lead, learning that the Rays had just tied their game with the Yankees at 7-7 with a two-out, two-strike, pinch-hit home run by Dan Johnson, a guy who hadn't hit a home run since April. The Red Sox entered the ninth inning leading 3-2.
As the drama unfolded in both Baltimore and Tampa, the Braves succumbed to the pressure of the moment first, allowing a run in the top of the 13th inning, and falling to the Phillies 4-3. The Cardinals were going to be the National League Wild Card winners.
Back in Baltimore, the Orioles start the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2, facing the ever-intimidating Jonathan Papelbon. After their first two hitters struck out, the Orioles get a double, ground-rule double, and a single from the next three hitters to win the game 4-3, sending the Red Sox into waiting mode to find out if the Yankees could beat the Rays to create the need for a one-game playoff on Thursday.
Boston wouldn't be waiting long. Within three minutes of the Red Sox losing, Evan Longoria comes to the plate for Tampa Bay with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning, and lines the 2-2 pitch over the wall in left field for a walk-off, Wild Card-clinching 8-7 victory.
The drama within those 90 minutes was, as far as I'm concerned, unmatched in baseball. Having all four games taking place at the same time, having two of the four go into extra-innings, having three teams (Braves, Red Sox, and Yankees) all blow ninth-inning saves with two-outs, having three incredible clutch home runs hit by Tampa Bay in the 8th, 9th, and 12th innings...having it all happen within 90 minutes, on the last day of the regular season. Words can hardly describe it and give it justice.
If you're somebody who thinks the regular season is too long, and that baseball is boring, there are some people that might agree with you. For me, however, I couldn't imagine it being any other way. Wednesday night WAS baseball. Nights like that may not happen often, or ever, for that matter. But, when they do, they're nights you will always remember!
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
This Twins Downfall Started In 2007
With the Twins' season coming to a close this week, there have been some positive discussions and quite a few negative ones. To be fair, I've been one who has chosen to see more of the negative aspects of this club than the positives, after all, there have been almost twice as many. We've beat the injury excuse to death already. I've hinted that perhaps it's the coaching staff who should be to blame, although I'm beginning to back off that idea a little bit. Just this past week, I heard the ultimate reason for the Twins demise this season: The Curse of Wally The Beer-Man.
In all reality, the Twins' demise this season, their ineptitude in postseasons of the past, and the potential struggles yet to come in future seasons, can be traced back to one fateful day back in September of 2007. It was then that Mr. Bill Smith accepted a promotion from Vice President, Assistant General Manager to Terry Ryan to become the new Senior Vice President, General Manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Smith was immediately handed a difficult task: Finding a way to either keep center-fielder Torii Hunter and two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana, or to make the most out of their departure. It was clear from the start that it would be impossible to hold on to both players. Hunter was a free agent after the 2007 season, and Santana would be after the 2008 campaign. If Smith opted to throw the necessary money at Hunter to keep him, then Santana would be lost. If he decided to let Hunter go and focus his attention on Santana, he'd risk losing both without getting anything.
The Twins made an offer to Hunter in August of 2007; a three-year, $45 million offer. The offer was made by then GM Terry Ryan. Smith took over the reigns in mid-September as the GM, and failed to make another offer. Whether it was something lost in the shuffle of the transition, or just a decision that they couldn't go any higher, the Twins lost Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels for a five-year, $90 million contract. Although disappointing to lose someone of Hunter's character and talent, it opened the door for Smith and the Twins to focus their attention on keeping the best pitcher in baseball, Santana.
Smith turned his attention to Santana, knowing it would either be a "re-sign him or trade him" outcome. The club offered him a five-year, $96 million deal. Santana's people countered with a seven-year, $126 million deal. It quickly became clear that Santana's price would be too high, and the club's best chance would be to trade Santana and get some good value in return. In hindsight, Santana has missed the entire 2011 season and part of the 2010 season with elbow injuries, so signing him may have proved to be a mistake, however, I'm not sure that mistake would compare to the colossal blunder that was about to happen.
Deciding to trade Santana, the Twins put everyone on notice, entertaining offers from the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox. As you would expect they would, the Yankees and Red Sox began battling with each other to try and land Santana. The Dodgers, seeing what the Sox and Yankees were offering, quickly decided to pull out of the running. Smith had exactly what he should've wanted: a bidding war of sorts between the Yankees and Red Sox. First the Red Sox upped their offer, and then the Yankees threw in another stud, which caused the Sox to make another change. In the end, the offers sat there for a couple weeks.
They sat until Smith had done the impossible. He'd actually annoyed the Yankees enough by not making a decision that they'd lost interest and pulled their best offer off the table. That offer included outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitcher Phil Hughes. That left the Red Sox and Mets. The Red Sox began to lose interest, as well, having waited long enough for an answer. Smith continued to push them for more and more, even after they'd improved their original offer dramatically. In the end, the Red Sox offered a trade with one of two centerpieces: either left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, or center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, coupled with two young prospects, pitcher Justin Masterson and infielder Jed Lowrie. Smith asked for all four. The Red Sox said no. So, Smith did the only thing he could do.
He accepted the Mets offer.
The Mets offered outfielder Carlos Gomez and three pitchers; Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. Gomez had played a few games for the Mets in 2007 and showed some promise, but was very rough around the edges. The three pitchers had little to no big league experience, and would be projects. Hindsight, again, is always 20/20, but taking a look at the cornerstone players involved in the deals with Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets since 2008 (the year they would've been Twins), it's clear that Smith's run as General Manager of the Twins would be nothing short of disappointing.
If you want more proof, here you go:
In all reality, the Twins' demise this season, their ineptitude in postseasons of the past, and the potential struggles yet to come in future seasons, can be traced back to one fateful day back in September of 2007. It was then that Mr. Bill Smith accepted a promotion from Vice President, Assistant General Manager to Terry Ryan to become the new Senior Vice President, General Manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Smith was immediately handed a difficult task: Finding a way to either keep center-fielder Torii Hunter and two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana, or to make the most out of their departure. It was clear from the start that it would be impossible to hold on to both players. Hunter was a free agent after the 2007 season, and Santana would be after the 2008 campaign. If Smith opted to throw the necessary money at Hunter to keep him, then Santana would be lost. If he decided to let Hunter go and focus his attention on Santana, he'd risk losing both without getting anything.
The Twins made an offer to Hunter in August of 2007; a three-year, $45 million offer. The offer was made by then GM Terry Ryan. Smith took over the reigns in mid-September as the GM, and failed to make another offer. Whether it was something lost in the shuffle of the transition, or just a decision that they couldn't go any higher, the Twins lost Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels for a five-year, $90 million contract. Although disappointing to lose someone of Hunter's character and talent, it opened the door for Smith and the Twins to focus their attention on keeping the best pitcher in baseball, Santana.
Smith turned his attention to Santana, knowing it would either be a "re-sign him or trade him" outcome. The club offered him a five-year, $96 million deal. Santana's people countered with a seven-year, $126 million deal. It quickly became clear that Santana's price would be too high, and the club's best chance would be to trade Santana and get some good value in return. In hindsight, Santana has missed the entire 2011 season and part of the 2010 season with elbow injuries, so signing him may have proved to be a mistake, however, I'm not sure that mistake would compare to the colossal blunder that was about to happen.
Deciding to trade Santana, the Twins put everyone on notice, entertaining offers from the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox. As you would expect they would, the Yankees and Red Sox began battling with each other to try and land Santana. The Dodgers, seeing what the Sox and Yankees were offering, quickly decided to pull out of the running. Smith had exactly what he should've wanted: a bidding war of sorts between the Yankees and Red Sox. First the Red Sox upped their offer, and then the Yankees threw in another stud, which caused the Sox to make another change. In the end, the offers sat there for a couple weeks.
They sat until Smith had done the impossible. He'd actually annoyed the Yankees enough by not making a decision that they'd lost interest and pulled their best offer off the table. That offer included outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitcher Phil Hughes. That left the Red Sox and Mets. The Red Sox began to lose interest, as well, having waited long enough for an answer. Smith continued to push them for more and more, even after they'd improved their original offer dramatically. In the end, the Red Sox offered a trade with one of two centerpieces: either left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, or center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, coupled with two young prospects, pitcher Justin Masterson and infielder Jed Lowrie. Smith asked for all four. The Red Sox said no. So, Smith did the only thing he could do.
He accepted the Mets offer.
The Mets offered outfielder Carlos Gomez and three pitchers; Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. Gomez had played a few games for the Mets in 2007 and showed some promise, but was very rough around the edges. The three pitchers had little to no big league experience, and would be projects. Hindsight, again, is always 20/20, but taking a look at the cornerstone players involved in the deals with Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets since 2008 (the year they would've been Twins), it's clear that Smith's run as General Manager of the Twins would be nothing short of disappointing.
| Jacoby Ellsbury | Melky Cabrera | Carlos Gomez | ||||
| Avg | .298 | .274 | .244 | |||
| AB | 1902 | 2012 | 1412 | |||
| H | 566 | 552 | 344 | |||
| HR | 48 | 43 | 22 | |||
| RBI | 215 | 234 | 132 | |||
| XBH | 168 | 164 | 101 | |||
| SB | 165 | 46 | 81 | |||
| Justin Masterson | Phil Hughes | Philip Humber | ||||
| G | 146 | 105 | 48 | |||
| W | 28 | 31 | 11 | |||
| L | 38 | 20 | 10 | |||
| ERA | 3.92 | 4.49 | 4.05 | |||
| IP | 613.2 | 369.1 | 202.2 | |||
| SO | 485 | 310 | 138 | |||
| BB | 238 | 125 | 58 |
If you want more proof, here you go:
- November 29th, 2007: Smith trades pitcher Matt Garza (career 51-54, 3.84 ERA, 761 SO) and SS Jason Bartlett (career .275, 31 HR, 282 RBI) to Tampa Bay for outfielder Delmon Young (career .287, 69 HR, 402 RBI) and SS Brendan Harris (career .260, 29 HR, 158 RBI). Although this trade happened before the Santana trade, it's significance wasn't known until the Twins failed to acquire a legit replacement for Santana at the top of the rotation. Garza had potential to be a top tier starter, and proved so in Tampa Bay's run to the World Series in 2008.
- December 9th, 2010: Smith trades SS J.J. Hardy (who was acquired a year earlier from Milwaukee for Carlos Gomez) and SS Brendan Harris (who was acquired for Garza and Young) and $500,000 to Baltimore for pitcher Brett Jacobson and relief pitcher Jim Hoey. The move was made to clear room, both under the cap and on the field, for the Twins to bring in SS Tsuoyshi Nishioka from Japan. No need to say anything more on that.
- July 29th, 2010: Smith trades prized catching prospect Wilson Ramos to the Washington Nationals for closer Matt Capps. With Joe Nathan missing the entire 2010 season with Tommy John surgery, it was important for the Twins to get someone to seal up games at the end. Although his 2011 was less than desired, Capps filled the critical role perfectly last season. The issue with this deal, you ask? With the health of Joe Mauer a question even last season, to trade a valuable back-up catching option like Ramos for a closer in the heat of the moment was a terrible decision. To put it in perspective, Ramos' 2011 season: .269, 15 HR, 52 RBI, 38 XBH, and a On Base+Slugging % of .784. The Twins two back-up catchers, Drew Butera and Rene Rivera combined in 2011: .160, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 16 XBH, and a combined On Base+Slugging % of .436. A decision that no doubt affected the Twins this season.
Unfortunately for Twins fans, I don't think we've seen the last of Mr. Smith. This offseason will prove to be an interesting one, to say the least.
Friday, August 26, 2011
It's Time To Play...Whose Fault Is It Anyway?
It's been a head-scratching last week and a half for the Twins. With the team losing its sixth consecutive game for the third time this season, many Twins fans have been at a loss for words. We've been accustomed to blaming this dismal 2011 season on the barrage of injuries the team has fallen into, but to use that as an excuse is the coward's way out. With what we've seen over the last 10 days, blame should be, not so much focused on the players, but more heavily on the coaching staff.
The Twins came back into the friendly confines of Target Field after a rough road trip, only to find the New York Yankees waiting for them in the third base dugout. As usual, the Bronx Bombers laid waste to the hometown nine, beating them two out of three, ending the series with a 3-0 shutout. Thankfully, or so it seemed, the Twins welcomed in the last place Baltimore Orioles for a four-game series, which, for all intensive purposes, should've been a chance for this club to save a little face and redeem themselves a little bit toward the end of this season.
That didn't happen.
The Twins were swept by the Orioles in a four-game series for the first time in their franchise's history. Adding insult to (numerous) injuries, the Twins scored only one run in each of the four games. After falling to the Detroit Tigers 8-1 in the first game of their three-game series on Friday night, that brought the total to five runs in six games (counting the final game of the Yankees' series). Five total runs in 54 total innings. Truly a sad state of affairs.
Sure, there were a few mental lapses in the field. Of course, the pitching staff had its problems, namely Francisco Liriano, who landed on the disabled list with shoulder pain after pitching only two innings in Thursday's loss to Baltimore. However, to score only one run in five consecutive games is down-right pitiful, and that can't be blamed on anyone but hitting coach, Joe Vavra.
As of August 26th, the Twins offense as been absolutely offensive:
The Twins came back into the friendly confines of Target Field after a rough road trip, only to find the New York Yankees waiting for them in the third base dugout. As usual, the Bronx Bombers laid waste to the hometown nine, beating them two out of three, ending the series with a 3-0 shutout. Thankfully, or so it seemed, the Twins welcomed in the last place Baltimore Orioles for a four-game series, which, for all intensive purposes, should've been a chance for this club to save a little face and redeem themselves a little bit toward the end of this season.
That didn't happen.
The Twins were swept by the Orioles in a four-game series for the first time in their franchise's history. Adding insult to (numerous) injuries, the Twins scored only one run in each of the four games. After falling to the Detroit Tigers 8-1 in the first game of their three-game series on Friday night, that brought the total to five runs in six games (counting the final game of the Yankees' series). Five total runs in 54 total innings. Truly a sad state of affairs.
Sure, there were a few mental lapses in the field. Of course, the pitching staff had its problems, namely Francisco Liriano, who landed on the disabled list with shoulder pain after pitching only two innings in Thursday's loss to Baltimore. However, to score only one run in five consecutive games is down-right pitiful, and that can't be blamed on anyone but hitting coach, Joe Vavra.
As of August 26th, the Twins offense as been absolutely offensive:
- Rank 11th in Batting Average (.248)
- Rank 14th in Home Runs (81)
- Rank 13th in Runs Batted In (458)
- Rank 13th in Extra Base Hits (311)
- Rank 13th in On-Base Percentage (.306)
- Rank 12th in Runs (347)
Looking at those numbers, regardless of injuries in the lineup, is shameful. Unfortunately, it appears that it's "OK" to produce that quality of play, given the lack of accountability.
Through July 20th, a total of four Major League hitting coaches had been relieved of their positions, including the American League West-leading Texas Rangers. At the time of Thad Bosley's firing on June 8th, the Rangers ranked second in the American League in Batting Average (.264) and second in Home Runs (72). The Twins currently have nine more home runs than Texas had...over two and a half months ago. The Rangers' batting average at that time was almost 20 points higher than that of the Twins...for the entire season.
The Rangers let Bosley go primarily because it appeared that his message had been lost. The players seemed to not respond to his coaching, and thus, a change needed to be made. At the time, the Rangers held a 2.5 game lead over the Seattle Mariners, and had gone 7-3 in their previous 10 games, yet, manager Ron Washington felt that it was a move that would improve his team overall. Fast forward to the here-and-now, and the Rangers hold a three-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels.
So, why is it that Joe Vavra remains untouchable, or more importantly, remains immune to accountability? Other hitting coaches have been held accountable for their teams' poor performances, so why hasn't he? The Indians, Dodgers, and Marlins joined the Rangers in dismissing their hitting coaches. Some of them had even better numbers than the Twins do currently, but it wasn't good enough for those organizations to keep them around. So, why is it good enough for the Twins?
Now, I'm not saying that it isn't difficult to coach players who are playing ahead of themselves. The Twins have had to play a number of not-ready-for-prime-time players this season. That's not something that's lost on me. However, there needs to be a line drawn in the sand, and there needs to at least be some action taken to show the Twins' faithful fans that this isn't something that is "OK" or that will be tolerated.
Vavra may be one of the nicest guys in baseball, as has been said many times by a number of different people close to the Twins and their players. But, just because you're a "nice guy" doesn't mean you're the "right guy" for the job. The blame can not fall solely on the players themselves. The definition of a coach, however, is to "train and instruct," or "give someone extra or private teaching." When a team looks as undisciplined at the plate as the Twins have looked this season, some instruction and/or extra teaching seems like it would be necessary.
Scoring only one run per game in five consecutive games is embarrassing, and there's no two ways about it. There are teams out there with far less talent than the Twins, namely teams like the Oakland A's or the Baltimore Orioles. Those teams have better numbers; hitting for higher averages driving in more runs. So, to say the reason is because the Twins don't have their best players in the lineup is a complete cop out, especially when lesser teams are making due with what they have.
What has always set the Twins apart from other teams is that they do things their own way, and don't always conform to the "norm" in baseball. There's no greater example than the fact that, different from any other team, they refuse to make the necessary coaching changes, and decide to make it a "player issue". The sooner they are honest with themselves, the sooner we can expect to be near the top of the American League again.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Money Isn't The Only Difference Between The Twins And Yankees
With the exception of a few teams in baseball, such as the Red Sox or the Phillies, most teams think of themselves as being different than the Yankees because they don't spend as much money as the Bronx Bombers. The Twins are no exception to that. There are those Twins fans that believe they can't compete against the Yankees because their payroll is twice that of the Twins. The money argument is a stale one, considering the success of teams like the Cardinals and Giants over the last couple of years. The truth of the matter is that it doesn't have as much to do with the amount a player makes, but more with the talent he has and what the team does with it. Right now, it doesn't appear the Twins have done enough with the talent they do have, and continue to feel sorry for what they don't have.
With the Twins now 13 games back in the Central Division, 2011 has quickly become a lost season. Injuries ravaged the team from the start, and made it clear that if they were to succeed this season, it truly would be a total team effort. For the most part, the Twins and their fans tend to be a bunch that lives in the past, rather than a bunch that looks at what's going on in front of them or in the future. You'll hear statements such as, "we've won six division titles under Ron Gardenhire," or, "he's a three-time batting champion," or, "he was the MVP back in 2006."
It can be said that teams like the Twins or like the defending World Series Champion Giants have to make the most with what they have. This is very true. At the same time, teams like the Yankees and Red Sox do the same, making the most of the players they have, and in many cases, making them better than they were. People can complain about them buying all the "great" players, but what matters is what those "great" players do for the Yankees when they're there.
A prime example of this is evidenced by the breakout season of Curtis Granderson. Granderson was always a fantastic player for the Detroit Tigers, but seems to have taken his offensive game to a new level with the Yankees. Upon arriving in New York, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Granderson, an already proven big-league hitter, on his stance, calming his movements down at the plate. The result has been noticeable, with Granderson leading the league in Runs, RBI's, and Extra-Base Hits, and currently sitting second in Home Runs.
What the Yankees don't tend to tolerate is mediocrity. If a player isn't getting the job done, the Yankees will find a solution, either through a trade during the season, or the free agent avenue after it. Yes, often times that requires the check book to come out. But, what it does show, to both the Yankee players and their fans, is that the team is willing to do what it takes to win.
When the Yankees come to town, boos can be heard throughout the Twin Cities. Those boos are for Alex Rodriguez. Those boos are for Derek Jeter. Those boos are for Nick Swisher. Those boos are even for Mariano Rivera. Sadly, those boos are incredibly misplaced. OK, maybe the boos for A-Rod are placed pretty well.
When a team continues to allow its star player to average an extra-base hit in every 17.9 at-bats, that should be booed. When a team allows its rookie shortstop to struggle immensely at the plate and in the field without even an attempt to find a better solution, that deserves to be booed. When a team's "power-hitting" first baseman sits out a game because he fouled a pitch off his foot the night before, while his counterpart in the other dugout who fouled three pitches off his feet in one at-bat in that very same game plays, that should be booed. When a team continues to accept mediocre-at-best performances from its starting rotation, as well as pathetic displays from its bullpen during important close games, that needs to be booed.
Just because a team comes into town with the willingness and desire to actually succeed, regardless of the financial cost, they shouldn't be booed. They're doing only what we would want our own team to do, and that's be as competitive as possible. If people think that booing the opposition for wanting to be the best is something that helps their own team, they're mistaken. It really only shows how little respect those people have for the game. If you're booing that, then you're accepting the very mediocrity that your own team continues to march onto the field, which only means that you can expect to continue seeing that level of mediocrity in the future.
But hey...you've won six division titles in the last 10 years, so, it's not that big a deal, right?
With the Twins now 13 games back in the Central Division, 2011 has quickly become a lost season. Injuries ravaged the team from the start, and made it clear that if they were to succeed this season, it truly would be a total team effort. For the most part, the Twins and their fans tend to be a bunch that lives in the past, rather than a bunch that looks at what's going on in front of them or in the future. You'll hear statements such as, "we've won six division titles under Ron Gardenhire," or, "he's a three-time batting champion," or, "he was the MVP back in 2006."
It can be said that teams like the Twins or like the defending World Series Champion Giants have to make the most with what they have. This is very true. At the same time, teams like the Yankees and Red Sox do the same, making the most of the players they have, and in many cases, making them better than they were. People can complain about them buying all the "great" players, but what matters is what those "great" players do for the Yankees when they're there.
A prime example of this is evidenced by the breakout season of Curtis Granderson. Granderson was always a fantastic player for the Detroit Tigers, but seems to have taken his offensive game to a new level with the Yankees. Upon arriving in New York, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Granderson, an already proven big-league hitter, on his stance, calming his movements down at the plate. The result has been noticeable, with Granderson leading the league in Runs, RBI's, and Extra-Base Hits, and currently sitting second in Home Runs.
What the Yankees don't tend to tolerate is mediocrity. If a player isn't getting the job done, the Yankees will find a solution, either through a trade during the season, or the free agent avenue after it. Yes, often times that requires the check book to come out. But, what it does show, to both the Yankee players and their fans, is that the team is willing to do what it takes to win.
When the Yankees come to town, boos can be heard throughout the Twin Cities. Those boos are for Alex Rodriguez. Those boos are for Derek Jeter. Those boos are for Nick Swisher. Those boos are even for Mariano Rivera. Sadly, those boos are incredibly misplaced. OK, maybe the boos for A-Rod are placed pretty well.
When a team continues to allow its star player to average an extra-base hit in every 17.9 at-bats, that should be booed. When a team allows its rookie shortstop to struggle immensely at the plate and in the field without even an attempt to find a better solution, that deserves to be booed. When a team's "power-hitting" first baseman sits out a game because he fouled a pitch off his foot the night before, while his counterpart in the other dugout who fouled three pitches off his feet in one at-bat in that very same game plays, that should be booed. When a team continues to accept mediocre-at-best performances from its starting rotation, as well as pathetic displays from its bullpen during important close games, that needs to be booed.
Just because a team comes into town with the willingness and desire to actually succeed, regardless of the financial cost, they shouldn't be booed. They're doing only what we would want our own team to do, and that's be as competitive as possible. If people think that booing the opposition for wanting to be the best is something that helps their own team, they're mistaken. It really only shows how little respect those people have for the game. If you're booing that, then you're accepting the very mediocrity that your own team continues to march onto the field, which only means that you can expect to continue seeing that level of mediocrity in the future.
But hey...you've won six division titles in the last 10 years, so, it's not that big a deal, right?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Is Thome's Accomplishment Being Under-Sold?
Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa...and now, Jim Thome. Those are the only eight members of baseball's 600 home run club. It's not necessarily the most elite record there is. After all, there are only two members of the 4,000 hit club (Pete Rose and Ty Cobb), only two members of the 2,000 RBI club (Aaron and Ruth), and only one member of the 1,000 stolen base club (Rickey Henderson with 1,406). But when it comes to records in baseball, there has always been something special about those involving the long-ball.
Thome hit home runs number 599 and 600 on Monday night, to very little fanfare leading up to the feat. When Derek Jeter got hit number 3,000 a few weeks ago, MLB Network cut into their programming to show every Jeter at-bat from 2,998 through 3,000. ESPN ran story after story about what Jeter's accomplishment would mean, given no one had ever achieved 3,000 hits with the New York Yankees. Even HBO got into the mix, airing a special only one week after Jeter reached the milestone about his quest to get there.
Yet, it seemed only fans of the Minnesota Twins were aware of how close Thome was to joining the "Elite Eight". Some would say that the lack of emphasis on the 600 milestone had to do with the Twins' struggles this season. Others would say that it's because Thome is playing in Minnesota, a smaller market, and as a result, Jeter playing in New York brought more attention. A third suggestion is that the home run has lost its luster now that we're in the post-steroid era.
Regardless of the reason for such little hype, the baseball media, and fans alike, need to understand the significance of the accomplishment because it's conceivable we may not see such an accomplishment again.
Looking through the list of eight, we know that three have been directly tied to steroid use (Bonds, Rodriguez, and Sosa). Taking that into account, that leaves only five considered to be "genuine" members of the club. Suddenly, the club seems more elite. Now, looking to the future, only one active player in the top 50 has a legitimate chance to reach the 600 milestone, and that player is Albert Pujols (currently with 437 homers). Pujols, like Thome, is widely regarded as a guy who's "done it right" throughout his career. Given his age (31) and the average number of home runs he's hit in each of his first 11 seasons (39.7 per year), it's assumed that Pujols will reach the 600 milestone sometime around the end of the 2015 season. He would be 35 at that time, and would have a reasonable chance to overtake Bonds as the all-time home run leader by the time he's 40.
It's possible that Thome could be the second-to-last person to ever achieve that magical milestone, yet, the accomplishment seemed to fall by the wayside. Looking at it all, it truly seems a shame that one of the true "good guys" in the game became one of the greatest sluggers of all time, and some people are still questioning whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame. I think he deserves a little more respect than that.
With talk of realignment, the possible shortening of schedules to prevent November baseball, and cleaning up the game of performance-enhancing drugs, these types of records and accomplishments shouldn't be taken for granted. There's nothing certain about Albert Pujols reaching the 600 club, albeit likely. There's nothing to say that a young, up-an-coming slugger might not reach that mark in 15 more seasons. However, as with anything in life, we just don't know.
Make sure Thome is getting the credit he's due. More so than anything, he's earned it!
Thome hit home runs number 599 and 600 on Monday night, to very little fanfare leading up to the feat. When Derek Jeter got hit number 3,000 a few weeks ago, MLB Network cut into their programming to show every Jeter at-bat from 2,998 through 3,000. ESPN ran story after story about what Jeter's accomplishment would mean, given no one had ever achieved 3,000 hits with the New York Yankees. Even HBO got into the mix, airing a special only one week after Jeter reached the milestone about his quest to get there.
Yet, it seemed only fans of the Minnesota Twins were aware of how close Thome was to joining the "Elite Eight". Some would say that the lack of emphasis on the 600 milestone had to do with the Twins' struggles this season. Others would say that it's because Thome is playing in Minnesota, a smaller market, and as a result, Jeter playing in New York brought more attention. A third suggestion is that the home run has lost its luster now that we're in the post-steroid era.
Regardless of the reason for such little hype, the baseball media, and fans alike, need to understand the significance of the accomplishment because it's conceivable we may not see such an accomplishment again.
Looking through the list of eight, we know that three have been directly tied to steroid use (Bonds, Rodriguez, and Sosa). Taking that into account, that leaves only five considered to be "genuine" members of the club. Suddenly, the club seems more elite. Now, looking to the future, only one active player in the top 50 has a legitimate chance to reach the 600 milestone, and that player is Albert Pujols (currently with 437 homers). Pujols, like Thome, is widely regarded as a guy who's "done it right" throughout his career. Given his age (31) and the average number of home runs he's hit in each of his first 11 seasons (39.7 per year), it's assumed that Pujols will reach the 600 milestone sometime around the end of the 2015 season. He would be 35 at that time, and would have a reasonable chance to overtake Bonds as the all-time home run leader by the time he's 40.
It's possible that Thome could be the second-to-last person to ever achieve that magical milestone, yet, the accomplishment seemed to fall by the wayside. Looking at it all, it truly seems a shame that one of the true "good guys" in the game became one of the greatest sluggers of all time, and some people are still questioning whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame. I think he deserves a little more respect than that.
With talk of realignment, the possible shortening of schedules to prevent November baseball, and cleaning up the game of performance-enhancing drugs, these types of records and accomplishments shouldn't be taken for granted. There's nothing certain about Albert Pujols reaching the 600 club, albeit likely. There's nothing to say that a young, up-an-coming slugger might not reach that mark in 15 more seasons. However, as with anything in life, we just don't know.
Make sure Thome is getting the credit he's due. More so than anything, he's earned it!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Derek Jeter: The Newest Member To The 3,000 Hit Club
There are some players in sports you just want to dislike. It's easy to dislike guys like LeBron James. It's not tough to root against guys like Alex Rodriguez. Heck, some could make the argument that Michael Jordan, possibly the greatest basketball player of all time, was the most hated man in the NBA. In many cases, we dislike the successful players who play on the best teams. It's safe to say that the New York Yankees and their players could be the team in sports more hated and disliked than any other.
Try and try as you might, there is one Yankee player that is difficult to dislike. That player is Derek Jeter.
Throughout his 17-year career, Derek Jeter has been nothing but the consummate professional. He's not a trash-talker. He's not a hot dog. He is the definition of a "team leader". Within baseball, he is one of the most respected players in the game. "The Captain" is as appropriate a nickname as any in the game. On Saturday, Jeter became the 28th player in Major League history to reach the 3,000 hit milestone, going 5-5 in the game, and reaching the magical number with a solo home run in the third-inning.
Over the last 20 years, with players embracing the free agent idea more and more, it's rare to see someone of Jeter's caliber remain with the team that drafted him, but, he has. He is easily one of the greatest Yankees to ever play the game, and when you're mentioned with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Babe Rute, Joe Dimaggio, and Lou Gehrig, that is truly saying something. Of those Yankee greats, Jeter became the first of them all to reach that amazing feat. Truly a special moment in that team's rich history.
Being a Minnesota Twins fan, the Yankees have been our playoff nemesis over the last few years. We have nothing compared to the great rivalry between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Regardless, both Twins and Red Sox fans, as well as all baseball fans alike, have to respect what Derek Jeter has done over his career. In this day and age, it's difficult to find players like him. We've seen some fantastic shortstops come and go over the last 20 years, but Jeter stands head and shoulders above them all. His yearly numbers may not be as great as some others (Alex Rodriguez when he was with the Rangers, Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins, Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies to name a few) but there hasn't been a better leader and a more consistent guy in baseball over that time. If you're building a team from scratch, Jeter is the type of player you would want to build around.
Congratulations to Derek Jeter. Easily one of the greatest Yankees of all-time, and a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer!
Try and try as you might, there is one Yankee player that is difficult to dislike. That player is Derek Jeter.
Throughout his 17-year career, Derek Jeter has been nothing but the consummate professional. He's not a trash-talker. He's not a hot dog. He is the definition of a "team leader". Within baseball, he is one of the most respected players in the game. "The Captain" is as appropriate a nickname as any in the game. On Saturday, Jeter became the 28th player in Major League history to reach the 3,000 hit milestone, going 5-5 in the game, and reaching the magical number with a solo home run in the third-inning.
Over the last 20 years, with players embracing the free agent idea more and more, it's rare to see someone of Jeter's caliber remain with the team that drafted him, but, he has. He is easily one of the greatest Yankees to ever play the game, and when you're mentioned with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Babe Rute, Joe Dimaggio, and Lou Gehrig, that is truly saying something. Of those Yankee greats, Jeter became the first of them all to reach that amazing feat. Truly a special moment in that team's rich history.
Being a Minnesota Twins fan, the Yankees have been our playoff nemesis over the last few years. We have nothing compared to the great rivalry between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Regardless, both Twins and Red Sox fans, as well as all baseball fans alike, have to respect what Derek Jeter has done over his career. In this day and age, it's difficult to find players like him. We've seen some fantastic shortstops come and go over the last 20 years, but Jeter stands head and shoulders above them all. His yearly numbers may not be as great as some others (Alex Rodriguez when he was with the Rangers, Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins, Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies to name a few) but there hasn't been a better leader and a more consistent guy in baseball over that time. If you're building a team from scratch, Jeter is the type of player you would want to build around.
Congratulations to Derek Jeter. Easily one of the greatest Yankees of all-time, and a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Closing The Door On Closers
Another day, another blown save. That's been the story for the 2011 Minnesota Twins. Between Joe Nathan early in the season, and Matt Capps shortly thereafter, the Twins have been having a very difficult time showing confidence in their closers. With Saturday night's blown save and subsequent loss against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Twins ran their total to 17 of 30 in save opportunities this season. Something to think about, especially for a team sitting nine games under .500 for the season. Imagine what those additional 13 games could mean in the standings, considering the Twins are only 8 games back of the Cleveland Indians for first place in the American League Central.
So, exactly how important is it to have a reliable closer in baseball? It's something we've heard about for many years, that having that "terminator" type hurler at the back of the bullpen is a must for any team considering a run at the World Series Championship. Would you believe that in 2009, the Phillies advanced to the World Series after having blown a total of 22 saves during the year? Strangely enough, the 2010 Texas Rangers blew 20 saves and still made it to the World Series, only to go down to the San Francisco Giants. Are saves really the end-all-be-all when it comes to making it into the playoffs? For that matter, are closers even really that important?
With the roller coaster ride that's been the Twins' season thus far, it's obvious that it hasn't been just the bullpen that has cost them many games. It's also fair to say that they are where they are in large part to the bullpen's ineffectiveness throughout the first half. Nathan and Capps have both been the reason for many nervous stomachs in Twins Territory, but the middle relief has been equally to blame. In fact, during the Twins 8-game win streak earlier in June, it almost seemed clear to everyone that Ron Gardernhire and Rick Anderson had such little faith in their bullpen that the phrase "pitch count" seemed to escape both of their vocabularies. We saw pitch counts in the 110-120 range for almost all of the starters at one point during that stretch. Kudos to the starters for putting the team on their backs and throwing some of the best baseball they have in a long time. But at some point, the bullpen needs to hold its own.
Given Capps recent tendency to give up the lead late, it seemed as though Gardy was sending a message on Sunday afternoon, handing the ball to Glen Perkins to close the game out. His reasoning was almost as nonsensical as the defense's closing arguments in the Casey Anthony murder trial. His explanation for allowing the left-handed Perkins to face Prince Fielder of the Brewers was more about the "match-up" than it was about a lack of confidence in Capps. Really? Since when do you play the match-up card when dealing with closers? I'm sure we'll hear the same logic from Joe Girardi of the Yankees when he decides to lift Mariano Rivera for the left-handed Boone Logan to face two lefties in the top of the ninth.
The save is the most over-rated statistic in all of sports. The object in baseball, as in any sport, is to win the game. What I've never been able to figure out is why the idea of match-ups are forgotten when it comes to closers. As fans, we can sit and watch managers come in and out of the dugout three or four times in the seventh or eighth inning, going from lefty to righty to lefty again based on which side of the batter's box the next hitter steps in to, yet, in the ninth inning, we will see that same manager bring a right-handed closer into the lineup to face the middle of a team's lineup comprised of all left-handed hitters. Really? So...the match-ups don't matter now? How does that work?
What the Twins need to do is just win games. If that means playing the match-up game in the ninth inning instead of giving the ball to either Capps or Nathan, then that's what Gardy needs to do. The closer-by-committee option isn't a bad one, it's just not the norm.
So, exactly how important is it to have a reliable closer in baseball? It's something we've heard about for many years, that having that "terminator" type hurler at the back of the bullpen is a must for any team considering a run at the World Series Championship. Would you believe that in 2009, the Phillies advanced to the World Series after having blown a total of 22 saves during the year? Strangely enough, the 2010 Texas Rangers blew 20 saves and still made it to the World Series, only to go down to the San Francisco Giants. Are saves really the end-all-be-all when it comes to making it into the playoffs? For that matter, are closers even really that important?
With the roller coaster ride that's been the Twins' season thus far, it's obvious that it hasn't been just the bullpen that has cost them many games. It's also fair to say that they are where they are in large part to the bullpen's ineffectiveness throughout the first half. Nathan and Capps have both been the reason for many nervous stomachs in Twins Territory, but the middle relief has been equally to blame. In fact, during the Twins 8-game win streak earlier in June, it almost seemed clear to everyone that Ron Gardernhire and Rick Anderson had such little faith in their bullpen that the phrase "pitch count" seemed to escape both of their vocabularies. We saw pitch counts in the 110-120 range for almost all of the starters at one point during that stretch. Kudos to the starters for putting the team on their backs and throwing some of the best baseball they have in a long time. But at some point, the bullpen needs to hold its own.
Given Capps recent tendency to give up the lead late, it seemed as though Gardy was sending a message on Sunday afternoon, handing the ball to Glen Perkins to close the game out. His reasoning was almost as nonsensical as the defense's closing arguments in the Casey Anthony murder trial. His explanation for allowing the left-handed Perkins to face Prince Fielder of the Brewers was more about the "match-up" than it was about a lack of confidence in Capps. Really? Since when do you play the match-up card when dealing with closers? I'm sure we'll hear the same logic from Joe Girardi of the Yankees when he decides to lift Mariano Rivera for the left-handed Boone Logan to face two lefties in the top of the ninth.
The save is the most over-rated statistic in all of sports. The object in baseball, as in any sport, is to win the game. What I've never been able to figure out is why the idea of match-ups are forgotten when it comes to closers. As fans, we can sit and watch managers come in and out of the dugout three or four times in the seventh or eighth inning, going from lefty to righty to lefty again based on which side of the batter's box the next hitter steps in to, yet, in the ninth inning, we will see that same manager bring a right-handed closer into the lineup to face the middle of a team's lineup comprised of all left-handed hitters. Really? So...the match-ups don't matter now? How does that work?
What the Twins need to do is just win games. If that means playing the match-up game in the ninth inning instead of giving the ball to either Capps or Nathan, then that's what Gardy needs to do. The closer-by-committee option isn't a bad one, it's just not the norm.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Biggest Chokes In Sports History
Coming off an NBA Finals where the "best player in the game" decided to phone it in for a few games, I started thinking about the biggest choking performances I've seen in sports. I didn't think a whole lot about it, until I started watching a little bit of coverage of the U.S. Open, seeing the first round leader's name on the leader board. Twenty-two year old Rory McIlroy shot a six under par 65 to open the first round of the 2011 U.S. Open. Outstanding performance for anyone, but even more so for McIlroy, coming off what could've been considered a major choke in this year's Masters. So, what are some of the other "chokes" in sports, either specific plays, matches, games, or series?
Given McIlroy's age (22) and virtual inexperience at the top of the leader board in major championships, it might be hard to actually consider his 2011 Masters fourth round performance a "choke", but it does have to be put into the conversation. However, when it comes to the Masters itself, one performance in my mind sticks out as an even bigger collapse. Back in 1996, Greg Norman entered the final round of the Masters up by six strokes. After his final round on Sunday, he finished a total of five shots behind eventual winner Nick Faldo. For someone widely considered to be one of the better golfers of his generation, this was easily one of Norman's darkest hours, and definitely ranks up there as one of the greatest chokes in all of sports, not just golf.
Boxing saw one of it's biggest choking performances back in 1990, when Mike Tyson was knocked out for the World Heavyweight title in Tokyo to little-known James "Buster" Douglas. For a lot of people, this was one of those events in history where, if you were old enough, knew exactly where you were when you heard the news. Tyson was always a little off-key, but the loss to Douglas was just the beginning of the downward spiral Tyson's career would see. Was it a choke? Maybe. Or, maybe Tyson just took Douglas a little too lightly. Hard to say, but regardless, it goes down as one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
When it comes to choking in a playoff series, the most recent that comes to mind is that of the 2004 New York Yankees. Up 3-0 in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the hated rival Boston Red Sox, it was considered a lock that the Yankees would end up in yet another World Series. It had never been done before in Major League Baseball history, that a team trailing a series 3-0 had come back to win the series...until 2004. Boston scrapped and clawed their way back, eventually winning four straight games, and moving on to the World Series, where they went on to win their first World Championship in 86 years. Definitely an amazing performance by Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, and the rest of the Boston Red Sox...but, an equally impressive meltdown by the New York Yankees.
Sometimes, it's difficult to distinguish between a "choke" and a hard-fought comeback. This was definitely the case in the 1993 NFL Playoffs, when the Buffalo Bills overcame a 32 point deficit, to comeback and defeat the Houston Oilers in a Wild Card playoff game. The Oilers had looked very impressive for the first half of football, seemingly steam-rolling over the powerful Bills. The second half, however, saw a completely different game. The Oilers looked nothing like they had in the first half, and the Bills looked twice as hungry as they had to start the game. So, was it a choke, or did the Bills just outplay the Oilers? Always a tough call, but I think any time you lose a 32 point lead, there has to be some choking involved.
So...help me out everyone. What are some of the other choking performances in sports history? Give me your thoughts. Let's see how many we can come up with.
Given McIlroy's age (22) and virtual inexperience at the top of the leader board in major championships, it might be hard to actually consider his 2011 Masters fourth round performance a "choke", but it does have to be put into the conversation. However, when it comes to the Masters itself, one performance in my mind sticks out as an even bigger collapse. Back in 1996, Greg Norman entered the final round of the Masters up by six strokes. After his final round on Sunday, he finished a total of five shots behind eventual winner Nick Faldo. For someone widely considered to be one of the better golfers of his generation, this was easily one of Norman's darkest hours, and definitely ranks up there as one of the greatest chokes in all of sports, not just golf.
Boxing saw one of it's biggest choking performances back in 1990, when Mike Tyson was knocked out for the World Heavyweight title in Tokyo to little-known James "Buster" Douglas. For a lot of people, this was one of those events in history where, if you were old enough, knew exactly where you were when you heard the news. Tyson was always a little off-key, but the loss to Douglas was just the beginning of the downward spiral Tyson's career would see. Was it a choke? Maybe. Or, maybe Tyson just took Douglas a little too lightly. Hard to say, but regardless, it goes down as one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
When it comes to choking in a playoff series, the most recent that comes to mind is that of the 2004 New York Yankees. Up 3-0 in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the hated rival Boston Red Sox, it was considered a lock that the Yankees would end up in yet another World Series. It had never been done before in Major League Baseball history, that a team trailing a series 3-0 had come back to win the series...until 2004. Boston scrapped and clawed their way back, eventually winning four straight games, and moving on to the World Series, where they went on to win their first World Championship in 86 years. Definitely an amazing performance by Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, and the rest of the Boston Red Sox...but, an equally impressive meltdown by the New York Yankees.
Sometimes, it's difficult to distinguish between a "choke" and a hard-fought comeback. This was definitely the case in the 1993 NFL Playoffs, when the Buffalo Bills overcame a 32 point deficit, to comeback and defeat the Houston Oilers in a Wild Card playoff game. The Oilers had looked very impressive for the first half of football, seemingly steam-rolling over the powerful Bills. The second half, however, saw a completely different game. The Oilers looked nothing like they had in the first half, and the Bills looked twice as hungry as they had to start the game. So, was it a choke, or did the Bills just outplay the Oilers? Always a tough call, but I think any time you lose a 32 point lead, there has to be some choking involved.
So...help me out everyone. What are some of the other choking performances in sports history? Give me your thoughts. Let's see how many we can come up with.
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