Major League Baseball 2009

[Alidar Jarok]

I don't blame them, I just said it's saddening. There already is a luxury tax and revenue sharing to balance it out (I think it was only the Tigers and the Yankees that pay into it). Maybe they could consider raising the penalty a bit, but it's not going to stop them. I know it's not how much you spend, but how you spend it, but going after probably the best three free agents (and it had to be three, I wouldn't be pissed off if they had just signed CC, Burnett, or Teixiera) is almost poor sportsmanship. You get the impression that if every person was a free agent, they would have signed an MLB All Star Team with however much money it would take.

 

[RAMA]

Yankees gambled and it paid off.

I wish I could say I'm angry, embarrassed, or disappointed, but really I'm just sad. I'm sad that the Yankees proved you can outspend everyone and still win. I'm sad that the little breaks we could have had early in this series didn't go our way. Mostly I'm just sad that Shane had to get the final out. Nobody wanted it more and he kept fouling pitches away, but it had to end eventually.

Phillies proved they were a great team by winning last year and making it back this year. Things weren't clicking in the end and some things weren't clicking all year. I feel if they had been, it would have been a different result, but it's not to be.

Utter nonsense. They outspent everyone for 8 years and didn't win till now(not to mention for 17 years till 1995). Aren't you pissed OFF the PHILLIES OUTSPENT 25 OTHER MLB teams?? You have to have chemistry and good big game pitching to win! Pettitte is from the Yankee farm system. Cano, Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Cabrera, Joba Chamberlain are all from the farm system!!

The Yankees spent 420 million on three people. The Phillies signed pretty much one guy in the off season - Raul Ibanez. The Yankees went after the best free agent pitcher, the best free agent first baseman, and another really good free agent pitcher. They started winning because arguably the best player in baseball started hitting in the post season. They also spent their money more wisely, instead of on overrated players like Giambi, Sheffield, and Abreu.

Jeter played very well (should've been MVP, imo). He's from their farm system and from the teams that were actually built from the ground up instead of imported like they do now. Posada didn't even play two of the games because he wasn't as effective with one of their mercenary pitchers, so he's a poor example to use. Cano and Cabrera filled their roles, but that's all you can really say about them. Compare that to Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth. The Yankees production was not from their farm system.

I have no problem with a big market team spending in the market. I have a problem when a team can outspend all others and get any player they want. No other team could get CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixiera and that's the reason they won.

AJ and Tex, Swisher didn't contribute much in the postseason. So the Yankess won with pretty much what they had. Who had the highest PS BAs? ARod, Jeter, Cabrera, Damon, Posada and Matsui. That's 3 of 6 from the farm system. The three others played in last year's Yankee team which didn't even make the playoffs!

Let's face it free agency is nothing new. This is how baseball is played these days. You can regard any potential free agent as a mercenary but in reality its only bad when they are not on YOUR team, right...

RAMA

 

[bbailey861]

^Absolutely right. Its my team that let A.J. go.

 

[J.T.B.]

Congratulations to the World Champion Yankees. That was hard to type, but you can't argue with winning, and the team was really strong all around. I have to admit, I just can't hate the Yankees players like I could back in the '70s and '80s.

Any fans here keep score watching tv when their team is in a big game, or just me?

So, who thought that Hit-deki would make MVP?

Some BoSox fans who remember 2003, maybe? He didn't have the most runs or RBIs, but he always seemed to get a hit when they needed him.

The first world series I really watched and was interested in, I rooted for the Phillies to win so there would be a new episode of Real People on.

Yes, I've dated myself.

I remember it well. I think my mom had a crush on Mike Schmidt.

This was a perfect way to christen the new stadium. As one of the many banners said last night: "NOW it's home."

Too bad the Yankees' success won't get the taxpayers any money back for their stadium.

--Justin

 

[Skywalker]

I'm definitely glad the Yanks won this at home. It wouldn't have been at all the same if this had happened in Philly.http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091104&content_id=7618306&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

I agree, it's always nice to see a team win the Series on their own turf. It makes it that much more special.

I really wish the Red Sox had won the 2004 World Series at Fenway, but then again, the damn stadium probably would have collapsed from all the celebrating if that had happened.

 

[clint g]

Too bad the Yankees' success won't get the taxpayers any money back for their stadium.

--Justin

No use crying over spilled milk?

 

[RAMA]

So who is going to win MVP? CY Young? Rookie of the Year?

RAMA

 

[Finn]

I don't believe the system is fair and random when until just three years ago, the Yankees was the only team to win double digit world series championships. Most teams never won more than three. It's not just the money. It's the allure of the team. I'm willing to bet that if Babe Ruth never played for the Yankees (only four championships), Yankees wouldn't have won over 10 by now.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't believe the system is fair and random when until just three years ago, the Yankees was the only team to win double digit world series championships. Most teams never won more than three. It's not just the money. It's the allure of the team. I'm willing to bet that if Babe Ruth never played for the Yankees (only four championships), Yankees wouldn't have won over 10 by now.

On the other hand, it could well have been that the Yankees were simply the better team?

 

[JonathonWally]

No other team could get CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixiera and that's the reason they won.

That's false. The Red Sox were going after Teixiera for a while, and they serious about it, in the end, they were stupid and shot themselves in the foot. Yankees came in after the Red Sox had already fucked themselves on the deal. And, to boot, Tex offered the Orioles a drastically reduced rate on his salary because that was him home town.

Phillies didn't waste time going after Cliff Lee hardcore either, did they?

I'm willing to bet that if Babe Ruth never played for the Yankees (only four championships), Yankees wouldn't have won over 10 by now.

It's not just Babe Ruth, it's Lou Gehrig, Micky Mantle, Roger Marris, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Don Mattingly, Joe DiMaggio, Thurman Munson, Phil Rizzuto, Reggie Jackson..

The list goes on. The NY Yankees go back in history to the beginnings of Baseball.

It's the allure of playing in New York City, the biggest city in the country, the city whom people from all over the world like to refer to as "The Capitol of the World". It's the allure of putting on those pinstripes.

As to why I'm a Yankees fan, I live year, I'm mere miles from Yankee Stadium, I used to live in The Bronx, I come from a long line of Yankee fans in my family, dating back to my grandparents getting off the boat from Italy, when it was a big deal that the New York Yankees had an Italian guy on their team when Italians faced a lot of prejudice, they had Joe DiMaggio to look up to. He was a great source of pride.

 

[Finn]

^^^yeah, a better team HOW?

Without Babe Ruth, the 1920s and 1930s would have been different for them. Many of those players wouldn't have ended up with the Yankees, a ripple effect. Without Ruth, the team might not have the ability to sign on DiMaggioo. Boom! 1940s would have been different. And it goes on...

You just made my point. How many players dreamed about playing for the Mariners or the Royals compared to the Yankees outside of the NYC area?

 

[bbailey861]

Its hard to deny that the Yankees have an allure as does the stadium and the city. Cheer them on, or not, if you are a fan of the game it is pretty magical to sit in Yankee stadium. More so if you are a fan, like my wife. We've been twice to NYC and both times we went to games. The first time, in '05, we managed to see the Mets play an interleague game. The second in '07 we were there 3rd of Aug against KC, 1 day before ARod's 500th HR. Lord, that was an electric game; its just too bad we didn't get to see him crack it over the wall. I would add that for both games I had my Jays hat on, and the people there were great. Of course there was a lot of ribbing and jibes tossed about, but it was fun! Brenda was beside me all decked out in her Yankee finery, right down to the earrings. It was hilarious as everyone had a great laugh about us being married and cheering opposing teams. We're planning our return visit to NYC; next time I'd like to to be there to see the Jays in Yankee stadium. We have been to many many Jays/Yankees games in the Skydome.

 

[bbailey861]

I just read this, and I don't know if anyone else is aware of this story:



New York (CNN) -- It was a busy night for New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi -- not only did he lead his team to the World Series championship, but on his way home, he also helped the victim of a car accident get out of harm's way.
According to Jason Zillo, spokesman for the Yankees, Girardi was heading home after his team's World Series win and celebration Wednesday night when he spotted a car that had crashed along a busy, curving stretch of highway on the outskirts of New York near the suburb of New Rochelle.
The car was jutting into traffic. Girardi immediately stopped to check on the driver and help her out of the car, Zillo said.
"He wanted to make sure that if someone was in the car they were OK," Zillo said. "And then he wanted to help her get away from a dangerous position in the highway."
Zillo said police officers arrived at the scene of the accident moments later.
According to CNN affiliate WABC, the accident happened around 2:25 a.m. on the eastbound lanes of the Cross County Parkway at the Hutchinson River Parkway, when a woman lost control of her car along a long blind curve and crashed into a wall.
Marie Henry, 27, of Stratford, Connecticut, said Girardi sprinted across three lanes of traffic to come to her aid.
"She had no idea who I was," Girardi said in a radio interview Thursday.
A Westchester County police officer who arrived at the scene described Girardi in the good Samaritan role as "totally surreal."
"The guy wins the World Series, what does he do? He stops to help," Officer Kathleen Cristiano told local news Web site LoHud.com.
The Westchester Police Department did not return calls from CNN.
"A lot of people know him as 'Joe Girardi, the manager of the New York Yankees,' but Joe is someone who puts other people first," Zillo said. "The easy thing would have been for him to just drive by. But I think it shows a lot about his character."






I think this show a lot about his character, too. I can't help it, I just cannot not like this guy.

 

[BRG]

Well done Yankees!

Belated congratulations to the New York Yankees on their 27th World Series, an amazing achievment.
And also well done to the Phillies, back-to-back National League titles, and just fell short of regaining the big prize. Pretty good for the team some always label as the worst in baseball history.

Unfortunatly, this is the first World Series I've missed in almost a decade as Channel 5 in the UK ditched MLB, and coverage switched to subscription channel ESPN. Hopefuly this great sport will get back on free-to-air British TV someday.
BRG

 

[Alidar Jarok]

No other team could get CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixiera and that's the reason they won.

That's false. The Red Sox were going after Teixiera for a while, and they serious about it, in the end, they were stupid and shot themselves in the foot. Yankees came in after the Red Sox had already fucked themselves on the deal. And, to boot, Tex offered the Orioles a drastically reduced rate on his salary because that was him home town.

I said and Teixiera, not "or Teixiera". My point is that no other team could have gotten arguably the best three free agents available.

Phillies didn't waste time going after Cliff Lee hardcore either, did they?

We got him in a trade where we gave up prospects. We didn't get him through free agency along with two other great free agents. We got Raul Ibanez, who did a good job for us, but had lots of questions in the off season about being old. There's a big difference between Raul Ibanez and Teixiera, Sabathia, and Burnett.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

How many players dreamed about playing for the Mariners or the Royals compared to the Yankees outside of the NYC area?

I neither know nor care.

Okay, so there is an 'allure' about playing in New York. Fine. I get that. So what? You can't blame the Yankees for that. They are a team that just happens to call NYC their home (and which has decades of history behind it). Are you saying their location gives them an unfair advantage? Gimme a break. So what would you suggest, forcing them to move?

 

[Tom Servo]

No other team could get CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixiera and that's the reason they won.

That's false. The Red Sox were going after Teixiera for a while, and they serious about it, in the end, they were stupid and shot themselves in the foot. Yankees came in after the Red Sox had already fucked themselves on the deal. And, to boot, Tex offered the Orioles a drastically reduced rate on his salary because that was him home town.

Phillies didn't waste time going after Cliff Lee hardcore either, did they?

A few things, yes the Red Sox were very serious about Mark Teixiera, however, the fact of the matter is, he was always going to the Yankees...period, despite what the reports say. He didn't offer the Orioles anything, that was just a theory. Boras used the Red Sox to cause the Yankees to up their bid for him, because he knew they would. That is why they had such a falling out with the guy after the incident, because they knew they had gotten played by him. And, according to Tex himself, it was always going to be the Yankees.

And Im sorry, but there is a big difference between the Cliff Lee TRADE, and the Yankees signing the AJ, CC and Tex. The Phillies had to give up talent to get something. Its not like they just overbid for him or something. If, a few years ago, the Yankees traded for Santana, that would not be an issue with me, because they used their drafting and minor league resources to aquire a part.

Im not saying either way is right or wrong, but you really can't compare those two things.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I really wasn't planning on making a big deal of this. I mentioned it as one of many things. The series wasn't lost by the Phillies because the Yankees could outspend other teams, it was because our left-handed bats were cold, our pitchers had been inconsistent all season, and we caught a few unlucky breaks. I said I was disappointed that the Yankees could spend their way to a championship, but other teams obviously have to cooperate as well.

I was planning on leaving at my initial comment on the issue, but apparently Yankees fans take issue with it, which is why I have to keep elaborating on it.

 

[Scout101]

Andy Pettite is now the answer to a kinda cool trivia question.

Q: Who is the only player to start and win the clinching game in all three rounds of the MLB post-season?

(thanks to Mike & Mike)

Thought that was True of Derek Lowe in 2004 as well?

Edit: Actually, think he came in in relief in one of those series (ALDS maybe?), but was still the winning pitcher in the clinching game for all 3 rounds that year. Only difference is being the starter in all 3, I guess.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Apparently so. Wikipedia says this about Lowe in 2004:

He was the winner in the final game of all three postseason series — American League Division Series against the Anaheim Angels, American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, and World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals