MLB 2009 Season

[Chalupa]

Dang.

Well I guess Godzilla is going to be the MVP. Still think Damon deserves it.

[Dave James]

I expect dramatics from Matsui.

Like a HR off Pedro?

Then a two runs batted in single?

Say any chance you'd be willing to give me a hand the next time I play the lottery?

Up over and out.

[Chalupa]

Even though he just hit a two run dinger..... Ryan Howard = Ms.November

[Chalupa]

Well I don't see the Phillies scoring 4 runs off of Mariano in the 9th so I'm off to bed. Congrats to the Yankees and their fans.

[Patrick]

Likewise. Congrats to the Yankees, and the Phillies. Glad to see great post-season performance by Sabathia and Lee.

[Dave James]

START SPREADIN' THE NEWS!

Up over and out.

[Noj]

Congratulations, Yankee fans!

Sympathies, Phillies fans.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Noj

[ghost of miles]

J.H., Noj and Patrick... Thanks so much.

I'm just really, really happy to see the Core 4 win another championship in what is undoubtedly the twilight of their careers. Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Posada... they truly belong in the Yankee pantheon with Gehrig, DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra and all the other past NY greats. There's a good chance that this is their last hurrah as world champs. I can't imagine that I'll ever see another generation of Yankee players like that in my lifetime.

What a likable and unrelenting team NY had this year. Lots and lots of heroic moments throughout the season from everybody, and the metamorphosis of A-Rod from where he was during spring training to where he ended up in the postseason was just amazing to watch--and moving, too.

God, they made me fall in love with baseball all over again.

Edited November 5, 2009 by ghost of miles

[Noj]

Godzilla = WS MVP. 2R HR, 2R 1B, 2R 2B, 6RBI in the decisive game. Safe to say he came to play.

[ghost of miles]

Man, hats off to Philadelphia--they are a GREAT team. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see them back in the WS yet again next year. They really gave me a sense of dread while they were blowing through the NL playoffs...I'm still a bit in disbelief that NY actually managed to win it all against them.

[MartyJazz]

All the writers and announcers act like it's a foregone conclusion that the Yanks won't keep Damon and Matsui on next season's roster. I know that Xavier Nady is expected back, but why would anyone want to get rid of either of two proven money players?

[papsrus]

Congrats to the Yankees. I really enjoyed watching the series this year.

These guys will be more dangerous next year.

[Quincy]

Best series to watch since the White Sox - Astros. It makes me feel younger seeing the 4 Yanks from '96 too. In '96 the Red Sox had Canseco DHing and Mike Greenwell & Mo Vaughn were playing. Wakefield was on the roster though. The '96 Phils finished last and had Schilling as their ace. Time flies eh?

Here's a look at how the Yankees & Phillies were built. Astonishing how similar they were in developed talent and FAs and such. Also pretty neat seeing how Pettitte wasn't even drafted, and Jorge was a 24th round pick out of high school. Added bonus that the Yankees have a middle reliever who was born in Astoria OR. Yes, some thing may fascinate you more than others, or not at all.

Congrats to my 2nd favorite AL team. :-) Highly similar story as Ghost (down to the Horace Clarke baseball card) as far as them not being very good when I was a kid just starting to follow baseball. Loved Roy White and Thurman, and was a big fan of Billy Martin. So yeah, though I've gone native with the Mariners I still like the Yankees. But lots of respect for the Phillies. Back to back appearances, and not only a great core but all throughout the lineup. Carlos Ruiz has a hell of a World Series power stroke too.

[ghost of miles]

All the writers and announcers act like it's a foregone conclusion that the Yanks won't keep Damon and Matsui on next season's roster. I know that Xavier Nady is expected back, but why would anyone want to get rid of either of two proven money players?

I'd love to see Damon and Matsui each come back for another year. The team's definitely getting older--A-Rod's 34, Jeter's what, 34 or 35, Pettite's 37, Rivera turns 40 soon, Matsui and Damon each around 36, Posada 38. They might have one more championship, or at least one more really good run at a championship, in them. CC and Tex are still young and in their prime... NY will definitely be a contender for the pennant again next year. Do you think Pettitte will come back? What I really hope they can hold onto is their sense of team--their chemistry. It came up again and again tonight in the post-game interviews, how different the clubhouse atmosphere was this year, how everybody was really focused on pulling together to win and yet having a lot of fun at the same time.

MartyJazz, Dave, other NY fans--did the Yankees exorcise the demons of 2004 tonight? I feel like they did. And 2001, to some extent, as well... that meltdown at the end of Game 7, after the incredible 9th-inning home runs in Games 4 and 5, all coming in the weeks after 9/11 (I'd say those HRs in my top 5 of all-time incredible baseball moments, emotionally enhanced considerably by the atmosphere of the city and the crowds at Yankee Stadium) always felt like a sad, wrong ending for the O'Neill/Cone/Brosius era. Even if Pettitte/Jeter et al never win another championship, I feel as if they've finally put the right punctuation mark on the story of their careers. And with that said...

Can't wait for the hot-stove thread!

[Dave James]

Thanks for the good words, guys. The first baseball game I ever saw was on a neighbor's B&W TV in the early '50's, a World Series game that involved the Yankees. I've been a fan ever since, through the thick of the '50's and early '60's to the thin of the '80's. This was a great win for a core group of guys who won't be around that much longer; Pettitte, Jeter, Posada and Rivera. To see all of them reel this in one more time was extra special. Congratulations to the Phillies as well. A well contested and thoroughly enjoyable World Series between two quality teams.

Up over and out.

[PHILLYQ]

I went to bed at midnight and I'm up at 4:30 but for now I FEEL GREAT!!!! Kudos for the Phils, they never quit and made it a very good WS. Parade tomorrow, if I could I'd take off work and go, shouild be lots of people for the parade.

[zen archer]

Congrats to the Yankees and their fans for buying another championship.........way to go.

[Neal Pomea]

Glad the MVP was Matsui and not Chase Fuckin' Utley, the blue collar hero who is really a bajillionaire, like all the Red Sox.

Edited November 5, 2009 by It Should be You

[zen archer]

Glad the MVP was Matsui and not Chase Fuckin' Utley, the blue collar hero who is really a bajillionaire, like all the Red Sox.

Utley makes 11 million he would rank number 10 on the Yankees..Damon makes more $$$ than Utley!

Your MVP makes more money than Utley !!!!

Edited November 5, 2009 by zen archer

[ghost of miles]

Two Times stories on reaction to Matsui and the WS in Japan:

Matsui goes wild, and so do his fans

Japanese fans celebrate Matsui's MVP performance

Edited November 5, 2009 by ghost of miles

[ghost of miles]

Nice quote from A-Rod in Rhoden's NY Times piece today:

I wish we could come out and play again tomorrow for no reason; that’s how much we love each other.

[blind-blake]

My Phillies put up a valiant fight, and were only one Matsui hamstring pull from sending it to a 7th game. But you have to hand it to the Yankees. They are an incredible team. Congratulations to all the Yankees fans out there.

[MartyJazz]

(snip)

MartyJazz, Dave, other NY fans--did the Yankees exorcise the demons of 2004 tonight? I feel like they did. And 2001, to some extent, as well... that meltdown at the end of Game 7, after the incredible 9th-inning home runs in Games 4 and 5, all coming in the weeks after 9/11 (I'd say those HRs in my top 5 of all-time incredible baseball moments, emotionally enhanced considerably by the atmosphere of the city and the crowds at Yankee Stadium) always felt like a sad, wrong ending for the O'Neill/Cone/Brosius era. Even if Pettitte/Jeter et al never win another championship, I feel as if they've finally put the right punctuation mark on the story of their careers. And with that said...

Can't wait for the hot-stove thread!

Losing the 2001 Series hurt especially since Mariano helped cause the loss with poor fielding in the 9th inning of Game 7 before Gonzalez' blooper hit won it. But, I was more bugged losing the 2003 Series to the Marlins, partly because I now live in southeast Florida and had to put up with the media here after, including my wife, a transplanted Yankee fan who switched to the Marlins for the Series. But also because, as admittedly, somewhat of a purist (who, BTW, detests the A.L. DH, despite what Matsui did, and would rather return to original baseball rules regarding the pitcher having to hit), I hated that a wild card team, the Marlins, a team that could not win its division, beat the Yanks and thereby became world champs.

[zen archer]

(snip)

MartyJazz, Dave, other NY fans--did the Yankees exorcise the demons of 2004 tonight? I feel like they did. And 2001, to some extent, as well... that meltdown at the end of Game 7, after the incredible 9th-inning home runs in Games 4 and 5, all coming in the weeks after 9/11 (I'd say those HRs in my top 5 of all-time incredible baseball moments, emotionally enhanced considerably by the atmosphere of the city and the crowds at Yankee Stadium) always felt like a sad, wrong ending for the O'Neill/Cone/Brosius era. Even if Pettitte/Jeter et al never win another championship, I feel as if they've finally put the right punctuation mark on the story of their careers. And with that said...

Can't wait for the hot-stove thread!

Losing the 2001 Series hurt especially since Mariano helped cause the loss with poor fielding in the 9th inning of Game 7 before Gonzalez' blooper hit won it. But, I was more bugged losing the 2003 Series to the Marlins, partly because I now live in southeast Florida and had to put up with the media here after, including my wife, a transplanted Yankee fan who switched to the Marlins for the Series. But also because, as admittedly, somewhat of a purist (who, BTW, detests the A.L. DH, despite what Matsui did, and would rather return to original baseball rules regarding the pitcher having to hit), I hated that a wild card team, the Marlins, a team that could not win its division, beat the Yanks and thereby became world champs.

I guess you being a purist you rooted against the Yanks in 07 when they were the wild card team.

[MartyJazz]

(snip)

MartyJazz, Dave, other NY fans--did the Yankees exorcise the demons of 2004 tonight? I feel like they did. And 2001, to some extent, as well... that meltdown at the end of Game 7, after the incredible 9th-inning home runs in Games 4 and 5, all coming in the weeks after 9/11 (I'd say those HRs in my top 5 of all-time incredible baseball moments, emotionally enhanced considerably by the atmosphere of the city and the crowds at Yankee Stadium) always felt like a sad, wrong ending for the O'Neill/Cone/Brosius era. Even if Pettitte/Jeter et al never win another championship, I feel as if they've finally put the right punctuation mark on the story of their careers. And with that said...

Can't wait for the hot-stove thread!

Losing the 2001 Series hurt especially since Mariano helped cause the loss with poor fielding in the 9th inning of Game 7 before Gonzalez' blooper hit won it. But, I was more bugged losing the 2003 Series to the Marlins, partly because I now live in southeast Florida and had to put up with the media here after, including my wife, a transplanted Yankee fan who switched to the Marlins for the Series. But also because, as admittedly, somewhat of a purist (who, BTW, detests the A.L. DH, despite what Matsui did, and would rather return to original baseball rules regarding the pitcher having to hit), I hated that a wild card team, the Marlins, a team that could not win its division, beat the Yanks and thereby became world champs.

I guess you being a purist you rooted against the Yanks in 07 when they were the wild card team.

I could never root against them but I was decidedly much less enthusiastic about that team and it truly did not bother me when they were eliminated. I can't even remember which team knocked them out, i.e., the Indians, the Tigers, or was it the Angels? Look, I've been a Yankee fan since I was a little tyke back in '55 - the best thing my father ever did for me - so, I can't root against them but I've seen more than my share of WS victories. Not that a Series victory is old hat, but at this point in the "back 9" of my life, I'd rather see my football team (the Jets - please don't laugh) win a Super Bowl than see the Yanks win another WS championship.