OT: 2012 New York Yankee's Postseason

Post #21 » by **jerseyjac** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 4:12 pm

jerseyjac wrote:Go back to '97 vs the Indians in the ALDS when Mo gave up that HR to Sandy Alomar in game 4 and then the Yanks being edged by Cleveland again in game 5 losing the series 3-2...or go back to to game 7 of the 2001 World Series vs Arizona and the dreadful bottom of the 9th...with this series being played just after September 11th, I can remember how personal and painful that World Series loss was...or go back to 2003 and the 3 game skid vs Florida and losing the world series to the Marlins with the final game being closed out by the Florida Marlins at Yankee Stadium...or if you prefer, maybe you remember the 3-0 series lead the Yankees blew vs the Red Sox in 2004's ALCS...the 4 straight losses, each loss to Boston more devastating than the last, ultimately losing 4-3 and the Red Sox breaking the curse of the bambino...

Over the years the Yankees have bounced back eventually making you forget about some really tough series losses...I even believe the Yankee's 2009 world series championship made up for a tough postseason stretch from 2002-2008 (missing the postseason in 2008 first time since '93 and making the move from the old stadium to the new one)...despite some classic baseball through the regular season and into the postseason you usually only remember the wins and the good times and bury the bad ones deep within your memory...

For whatever reason, maybe the fact that I am born and raised a Yankee fan instilled with the never say die mentality and how every game is not over until the fat lady sings...

Last night felt like time stopped for a minute and every bad memory as a Yankee fan came crashing back...

Some how, the loss to the Tigers last night has to be one of the most painful Yankee losses in the last 25 years...maybe not as bad as the World Series loss to Arizona or the wind knocked out of you feeling you had when Boston finished us off in sweep like fashion in 2004...However, the way the Yankees lost last night, the emotional roller coaster of a game, with a good portion of fans walking out of the stadium or turning off their televisions after the 6th inning saying, "yeh this game is over", summed up everything this game was about...

If you were one of these fans, you were right...

In one single game I cannot remember hating the Yankees and loving the Yankees equally over such a short period of time and then finally regaining the anticipation of an extra inning win...the unparalleled anticipation feeling that we started to get so used to again with RAooool bringing back the Yankee magic, only to witness Derek Jeter break his ankle and the Yankees crumble to defeat...

I truly believe if you were the portion of fans who stayed at the ballpark or kept watching straight through to the 12th, you woke up this morning still shaking your head in disbelief wondering did that really happen...

Yeh we all know this is only Game 1 of the ALCS, the Yankees already have had their work cut out for themselves before the postseason started and how fortunate we were to beat Baltimore 3-2...but lets be honest...

If you are as tired as I am, as shell shocked and devastated by last night's Yankee's loss and the dismay of Derek Jeter's season ending injury..you definitely watched last night's game and you know this could quite possibly be the beginning of the end...

If you believe Derek Jeter can do more for the Yankees in street clothes than in pinstripes, the Yanks can fill the SS position with Nunenz and or Nix while making up for the loss of our lead off and some how give new life to the Yankee's bats...you are a believer, maybe a dreamer and I hope I make it there by four o'clock...

If this was one game, or one series or a run like Hostetler had with the New York Giants when Simms went down taking over winning 5 straight games (only *3 playoff games)...then I could truly believe your dream and the miracle run the Yankees need to accomplish...but this is not one game, this is not 3 games or one postseason series...this could potentially be 13 games over two series having to win 8 out of the next 13 games...throw out taking this one game at a time, throw out the odds, throw out the turnaround this Yankee club has to embrace...

When all is said and done, the Yankee's 2012 postseason is more likely to end as a statistical nightmare and a spiritual torture chamber than a story book comeback of a baseball team's postseason miracle...

...but then again, I guess you could always be a Mets fan...

therealbig3 · Post #22 » by **therealbig3** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 6:43 pm

Losing Jeter is an emotional loss imo, and I do think the Yankees can overcome it if they stay strong mentally. If Cano and A-Rod can find their swings again, the offense will be fine, and Jeter's defense hasn't been good for a while.

Of course, if the Yankees believe they're defeated, then they'll lose. Because at the end of the day, they still have a solid pitching rotation, they still have a strong lineup, and they're only down 1-0 with 6 games left.

Post #23 » by **jerseyjac** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:12 pm

This team starts and ends with Jeter...from fielding to the clubhouse to getting things done as the lead off hitter...he has had his stretch of difficulties through his career as of late, but one thing is for sure, Jeter keeps this ship moving forward because of his presence...he's the glue we need and my biggest worry is how easy things can come unraveled with him out of the lineup...

Cal Ripken said it in the Baltimore series...when Eddie Murray was out of the lineup, it just didn't feel right...same goes for Jeter...

This team has enough talent 1-9 and our pitching has obviously shown what it can get done in difficult situations...but pitching can't score runs and eventually you have to start putting some numbers up on the board...not taking advantage of smart batting opportunities, stranding runners and not producing the walks we are used to seeing has dug ourselves in a serious hole in the batter's box...we keep digging this hole deeper and deeper...

Jeter is not only an emotional loss he is a void that is almost impossible to fill...especially when you are batting as bad as we are (minus a few players)...the talent and names are without question, but eventually without results they become just that, names in a lineup...

I do not believe the Yankees have any issues of who they are or feeling defeated...I believe its just the opposite...they're having such awful at bats its become contagious...pressing, trying to do too much and the more the missed opportunities pile up the more they almost become numb to the situation...(although at the same time, this can work for you quickly, if you can turn it around)...

Bad luck, freak plays and some suspect calls at the plate has not help us...we're just struggling so terribly we cannot find the daylight...hey the schedule and extra inning games has not helped either but come on, it does not look good at this point, no excuses...

Top of the 7th and the ball slips out of Cano's hands trying to make the double play...wow...1-0 Tigers

And just for the record, my little rant also had to do with a little run in with a Mets fan...he was special...

Go Yanks

Post #24 » by **jerseyjac** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:31 pm

You gotta give Kuroda some big time credit, pitching a gem...

Post #25 » by **jerseyjac** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 11:50 pm

Paul O'neill stated after the game, "I have never seen a playoff team look so confused at the plate..."

therealbig3 · Post #26 » by **therealbig3** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 1:53 am

Cano might be having the biggest chokejob ever. He's now 2/32 in the PS (.063). He's 0-10 through the first 2 games.

How does a guy go from being absolutely on fire to end the season to this???

I don't think A-Rod at his worst was ever this bad...

jeff1624 · Post #27 » by **jeff1624** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 2:11 am

I can't even sit here and call out a single player. A-Rod, Cano, Swisher and Granderson have been all complete and utter s***. These are normally our 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th hitters, mind you.

I wouldn't really mind it because teams sometimes get shutdown as a whole in a series... but it happens EVERY SINGLE YEAR. Nick Swisher (who hilariously thinks he's worth a triple digit contract) is one of the worst post season hitters in history. His OPS is under 550 with the yankees in 123 AB's.

This is probably the least likable yankees team I have ever witnessed. If it weren't for our awesome pitching, we would have been swept in the ALDS.

Post #28 » by **jerseyjac** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 4:50 am

jeff1624 wrote:I can't even sit here and call out a single player. A-Rod, Cano, Swisher and Granderson have been all complete and utter s***. These are normally our 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th hitters, mind you.

I wouldn't really mind it because teams sometimes get shutdown as a whole in a series... but it happens EVERY SINGLE YEAR. Nick Swisher (who hilariously thinks he's worth a triple digit contract) is one of the worst post season hitters in history. His OPS is under 550 with the yankees in 123 AB's.

This is probably the least likable yankees team I have ever witnessed. If it weren't for our awesome pitching, we would have been swept in the ALDS.

After overcoming Mo going down, other injuries throughout the season and then coming through at the end of the regular season when they needed to (going something like 26-12 since late Aug.) there was a certain level of confidence you felt from this team...maybe now we can call it a false sense of confidence...

I was honestly pulling for an aging veteran Yankee team, I thought this was going to possibly be Jeter's last real run for a shot at another ring...who knows about next year...but thats me...I really liked the moves made and the depth we have...My expectations were based on a competitive team which was going to produce offensively and give us chances to win games with competent pitching riding CC...at the same time, I obviously knew we were not the best team in American League nor did I feel we were going to be favorite to win any series...(regardless of our best record in baseball)

I was hoping for a grind it out, high scoring long ball team who would take advantage of the majority of chances to score...

This simply was not the case...

Cano is the biggest disappointment...Swisher is who he is...Arod besides 2004 and 2009 you know the deal...Granderson swings at everything out of the strike zone and it looks like he makes up his mind whether to swing or not prior to every pitch...

Pauly O'Neill also mentioned the fact that this team should be embarrassed with their play and you really don't see that emotion...maybe try to play mad for once, it couldn't hurt...

Shappy · Post #29 » by **Shappy** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:50 am

Rain delay! We last another day!

jeff1624 · Post #30 » by **jeff1624** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:00 pm

All the A-Rod scrutiny is getting on my nerves. Cano has reached base ONCE in the last 6 games games yet no one talks about him... come on now.

If he doesn't start today then Girardi needs to be effing fired. I mean, NICK F***ing SWISHER was on the on deck circle in the 4th game with a lefty on the mound and A-Rod on the bench. What an idiot.

therealbig3 · Post #31 » by **therealbig3** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:09 pm

Yep, Cano has gotten off scott-free in terms of scrutiny, which is really strange.

But I guess what I heard earlier was kind of true: if you "grew up" with the Yankees (Jeter/Pettitte/Posada/Mo), you'll be given leniency when you don't play well. Cano has come through in previous years, and he did help us win a WS already, so I think he's being given a pass for this PS...and as always, A-Rod is just really fun to criticize...remember 04, in the last 4 games against Boston? Just like this year, NOBODY else hit anything either, and Mo blew two saves, but A-Rod was considered the reason we lost.

jeff1624 · Post #32 » by **jeff1624** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:34 pm

therealbig3 wrote:
Cano has come through in previous years, and he did help us win a WS already, so I think he's being given a pass for this.

Fun Fact: When you factor in 2012, Cano has a career OPS of .699 in the postseason.

In 2009, the year the Yankees won, Cano had an OPS of .546 so he didn't really help us that year. A-Rod in comparison belt 6 homeruns and had an OPS of 1.308.

jeff1624 · Post #33 » by **jeff1624** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:39 pm

Good riddance, you poor excuse for a team. This is the most unlikable rosters I've ever rooted for. From coaching, to relief pitching... 80% of this team is just unbearable to watch.

I know it's unreasonable to believe that next year's roster will be any different, but boy am I hoping that Swisher, Girardi, Kevin Long and/or Teixeira are off this team.

vincecarter4pres · Post #34 » by **vincecarter4pres** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:24 am

Oh hey, I heard the Yankees lost?

jeff1624 · Post #35 » by **jeff1624** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:26 am

vincecarter4pres wrote:Oh hey, I heard the Yankees lost?

Yeah... but I'm surprised you didn't hear about it sooner. I mean it's not like you have the Mets to occupy your time. 8-)

vincecarter4pres · Post #36 » by **vincecarter4pres** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:48 am

jeff1624 wrote:
vincecarter4pres wrote:Oh hey, I heard the Yankees lost?

Yeah... but I'm surprised you didn't hear about it sooner. I mean it's not like you have the Mets to occupy your time.

We were supposed to suck though. I think I'm going to become a Rays fan anyway! :lol:

Ronito · Post #37 » by **Ronito** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:48 am

Disappointing season, but ah well. I hope Pettitte and Kuroda come back, but some work to do and decisions to be made with the outfield. Personally, I think it's time to move Jeter to the outfield and it may be in his best interest to do so now with his injury.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/w ... index.html

Ronito · Post #38 » by **Ronito** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:59 am

Trade Cano for Andrus, Kinsler. Move Jeter to a corner outfield spot or 3B -- it's time. Bring back Andy, Kuroda. I'd like to see Ichiro back too.

Post #39 » by **jerseyjac** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:14 pm

vincecarter4pres wrote:Oh hey, I heard the Yankees lost?

another Mets fan...

Post #40 » by **jerseyjac** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:16 pm

vincecarter4pres wrote:
jeff1624 wrote:
vincecarter4pres wrote:Oh hey, I heard the Yankees lost?

Yeah... but I'm surprised you didn't hear about it sooner. I mean it's not like you have the Mets to occupy your time.

We were supposed to suck though. I think I'm going to become a Rays fan anyway!

Always?

Rays? you moving to Tampa?