It finally happened tonight. The Yankees were eliminated from baseball’s postseason. Even more delicious for this Red Sox fan was that it was a Boston victory that knocked them out.
With Boston’s win over the Indians tonight, the Yankees 1,000 year playoff streak was finally broken. Millions and millions of hours of my prayers and church going were finally answered! The Yankee Dynasty is dead.
Will it return anytime soon? My first reaction is with that much cash, there’s no doubt that the Bronx Bombers will be a serious threat to the BoSox claim to the mantle of the “New Evil Empire”. Of course, there will be challenges and questions to answer along the way.
Let’s take a quick look at some of them!
Brian Cashman – is he a genius or is he highly over-rated? Will he come back or will he bolt at the thought of coming back with deminished powers?
The Steinbrenner Boys – probably should have put them at the top of this list. Will they be as hungry to win as their dad was? Will they be as undisciplined in that quest for winning as their pop was? If so, you’ll start to see it this off season as they persue every just past his prime free agent with the gusto of a prostitute at the GOP and/or Democratic national convention chasing after drunken superdelegates.
Joe Girardi – So… He came to the Yankees with exactly how much experience? He was supposed to be Mister Tough guy to Torre’s old softie act. Somehow Girardi didn’t crack down as much as let the franchise crack up in year one.
Joba, Joba, Joba – Jorge Posada says he belongs in the pen. Chamberlain says he doesn’t care so long as he isn’t forced to bounce between two jobs. And Cashman actually raised the idea of starting him in relief AGAIN and then converting him to starting later in the seaons. Hmmmm… Maybe Cashman isn’t a genius. As I’ve long said, pick a role for Joba and keep him there.
Old Guys – Posada is an old injured catcher. Giambi is old and no first basemen. Jeter (and lightning may strike me down now) looked older this year. Alex plays old in the clutch if you believe in that kind of thing. Godzilla isn’t getting younger and was hurt this year. Damon has aged rapidly and you’ve got to wonder how many years he’s got left. Mussina has made me eat my words and he may yet win 20, but how many will he get next year? Does Andy Pettite want a next year and if you’re the Yankees do you want that with you?
Under Achieving Young Guys – Just about every young Yankee pitcher underachieved either by their play on the field, getting hurt or in most cases all three. Can someone from among Hughes, Kennedy or Rasner and their ilk step up and throw strikes for a full seaon? And then there’s Robinson Cano and Melkey Cabrera out to show that not only young pitchers underperform. What’s their true value?
Wow! That’s a lot to tackle and I barely follow the Yankees. Good luck to them and their fans. But not too much. This is one Red Sox that wants to appreciate them when they’re down cause it likely won’t last long. It may not be classy but after suffering for the first 30 years of my fandom at the Yankees’ rough hands, what else can you expect from me?
One last thought on the Yankees’ demise. It makes the Rays a fun story for me again. When it became clear the Rays weren’t going away earlier this season, I was worried between a Red Sox slump and Bronx surge that Boston might be left watching October baseball from the sidelines. I went from almost rooting for the Rays to actively rooting against them. It was maddening and incomprehensible that the Sox weren’t able to catch them. After all, what’s it worth being the New Evil Empire if you can’t crush the Tampa Bay Rays?
Anyway, with the Yankees safetly dispatched, I can now go back to rooting for Tampa. That is, until Boston plays them in the playoffs should either team get that far…
Yankee fans, it was a great run. You earned a little break. Enjoy the time away and see you next spring!
