How can anyone sum up the emotions, not to mention the actual facts, that accompanied baseball’s last night of the season? It was just too crazy, too wild, too downright bizarre to believe. Whoever says our sport is boring needs to re-wind what happened tonight in both leagues and then re-evaluate. I’m only sorry there won’t be any one-game playoffs tomorrow, as that would have been truly hair-raising.
Congrats to the Cardinals. (I’m talking to you, Jeff, in case you’re reading.)
Congrats to the Rays. (Don’t say the Yankees never did anything for you.)
Congrats to the Orioles. (They were as giddy in that dugout as if they’d won the World Series, and I actually saw Buck Showalter smile.)
On the losing side, too bad for the Braves….and see you next year, Red Sox.
I literally clasped my hand over my mouth when Papelbon blew the save – and that it was Crawford who couldn’t field Andino’s walkoff hit.
Turning to our game, it was just as bizarre. The good news? Tex finally heated up with those two homers. But Logan? Ayala? Wade? I get that Proctor’s toast and that Girardi was (rightfully) saving our A-list relievers for the playoffs. But Logan, Ayala and Wade needed to be way, way better.
And another thing. Nunez cannot play defense, he just can’t. Love his bat, but come on. TWENTY ERRORS? Go away.
And A-Rod. The knee’s acting up? Not good. We’re a better team with him in the lineup but not if he’s going to be limping around.
Montero’s x-rays were negative, so I hope that means he’ll be able to play.
Garcia’s our #3 starter and AJ will pitch out of the pen? Interesting. And scary. I don’t want to think past CC and Nova, so I’m plugging my ears. (Lalalalalalala.)
So yeah. We blew a seven-run lead tonight, and the scrappy stingrays stormed back to beat us in a game that meant a lot more to them. If the same thing happens to the Yankees during the ALDS, I’ll freak out. Tonight? I was just glad the drama was over. I was drained.
Now we can concentrate on beating the Tigers. It’ll be CC versus Verlander and it’ll be tough. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there on Friday. For now, I’m just enjoying what was a mind-blowing night of baseball.
Wow……………………………………………………………….
Come September the vast majority of discussion on the local ESPN radio station is about foootball but yesterday baseball dominated both afternoon shows. There was extensive discussion about who the Yankees would rather face, the Rays or the Sox (though they might not face either – they might face Texas!) and a lot of venting from both Sox and Yankee fans – great fun! A certain area shefan even made the female audience presence known. In the end, this exciting ending to the season has been very good for baseball and I hope the playoffs continue to provide drama (as long as the Yankees ultimately emerge triumphant).
I had gotten up early yesterday morning so by the time the Yankees went into extra innings I was starting to nod off. When Scott Proctor came on I figured that was the game so I went to bed. My husband, however, who is usually fast asleep when I get in bed after a long game, stayed up to watch both the Boston and Yankee games (thank goodness for tv remotes). In my groggy state I heard some yelling and requested updates. First I heard about Longoria’s game-winning homerun – all right, I could still sleep after that – then about Papelbon’s blown save and ultimate loss. Now that was worth getting out of bed and doing a happy dance for (but I was half-asleep so I just dreamed I did one).
My Red Sox fan neighbors have not been very gracious about my generous offer of temporary membership in the Yankee Universe. One shouted that she would never root for the Yankees, even if it meant the Sox didn’t make the playoffs. Well, she got what she wanted.
Eddie, you took the word right out of my mouth.
I was having a sort of bad day to begin with and was feeling cranky at the thought of the Sox winning.
What a night of baseball!!! I think it was the top of the eighth when my husband said we should maybe go to bed, but we decided to stay up. So glad we did!!
Another weird night for me. It felt so weird to be clapping and cheering when the opponent scored 6 runs in the 8th inning.
I had the mlb app on the O’s/Red Sox game. For those of you who haven’t seen it, when a ball is hit, you get this little line that says “In play, out(s)” or “In play, run(s)” (May not have the right words). There is a delay until the person types in what happened. So I look and see “In play, run(s)”see that the O’s tied the game. I went out of the room for something and came back and my husband said that YES reported Andino was up. I look at the app and see “In play, run(s)” and wasn’t quite sure it was a new line or the old one. I said “I think they won. I think they WON!”
And for Longoria to get that HR! I am so happy for him and the Rays.
I was also keeping an eye on the Atlanta game. At least they lost to the team with the best record in baseball. The Sox lost to a team that was 69-93. But oh, the last few weeks the Fighting Showalters were amazing!!! And yes, Buck did smile.
As for the Yankees, I just hope they got what they needed as far as “practice” for the playoffs. I’ll give the bullpen a pass – they’ve done a great job this year. Though I am not a Scott Proctor fan, I felt very sorry for him. He was in a real no win situation, it what could be his last outing in the big leagues. Not the way you want to end a career and it seemed somehow cruel. But, I didn’t want the game to go on longer so the Yankees could get home and go to sleep.
Jane, I wouldn’t be too concerned about ARod’s knee. I think Girardi was just being very cautious. If they’d been playing on regular turf, he might have played, but I think they just didn’t want him to put that extra strain on it due to the artificial surface.
Barbara, how are things at your house? Must be tough.
And Terri, our classy Red Sox fan who comments once in a while, though I can’t say I’m sorry for what happened, I offer you sincere commiseration.
So Jane, you just have to think of Scooter to come up with the right words.
“How do ya like that!” “Holy Cow!”
That was a crazy night. I don’t ever want to see the Yanks blow a 7 run lead like that again, but in this instance I’ll take it. I like seeing Boston lose almost as much as I like seeing the Yankees win. Detroit will be tough, but we can take them.
If you will indulge me I would like to make a random observation. I did not have cable for a majority of the season so I listened to a lot of games on the radio. John Sterling is an absolute pleasure to listen to when the Yanks are winning, but when they are losing it is maddening to hear him repeat the same thing over and over.
Let’s go Yankees!!!!!
What… a… NIGHT. You’re right… time to move on and focus on the Tigers, besides, the Yanks threw all the kids in there. The playoffs will be different. I can hardly wait!!!
A new curse is born! Scott Proctor is now a member of the elite Red Sox killers. Dent, Boone and now Proctor. Joe knew exactly when to put Proctor in the game. Scottie Meatball did his thing right on schedule (actually within 4 minutes of Red Sox loss).
Obviously I am basking in my desire and prediction of the Red Sox demise. I have done my blanket e-mail of the “sinking ship” and have added the offer of a lifeboat, a Yankee Fan application, to any Sox fans who can’t take it anymore.
I have had one Sox fan get real testy with me already. He claims it is not really all that important to him but he hasn’t missed a minute of any game reciently. He is truly in denial and I have just the medicine for that aliment, quick wit.
Now on to the playoffs. My prediction is Yanks will advance to ALCS and I will be rubbing some salt into wounded Sox fans in Maine next weekend.
YES had a nice season wrap up video montage. I cried because it is the end of the regular season.
I can hardly wait to see the next John Krasinski-Alec Baldwin commercial. Perhaps a flashback to the line “Go ahead, celebrate in April – we’ll dance in October.”
Jane says ‘No Words,’ I have so many words I know I can’t spill them here in a coherent fashion. I so needed all of you guys last night, just after Midnight. Hubby goes to bed (not a big baseball fan, unfortunately), I’m all alone with all of this and I just needed to high-five someone! WHAT A NIGHT! HOW COULD ALL OF THAT HAPPEN, ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY??? WHY DON’T I HAVE PICTURE-IN-PICTURE WITH MY STUPID CABLE?!! OH, I LOVE THIS GAME!
My ‘random thought’ or ‘innocent suggestion’ would be: Let’s not be so hard on Nunez just yet, Jane. I’m not a historian or great with stats, but I believe our beloved, Derek Jeter, had a horrible first year as far as errors, and look how he rebounded. Let’s give Nunie a little more time.
Gosh, I hate to say the start of the playoffs will be a little anti-climactic after last night. My sympathies, REALLY, to all Red Sox fans listening in here. Seriously, I would never want that to happen to my team, so I feel for all you dedicated fans. Braves fans, too. That hurts.
On to the playoffs – LET’S GO C.C.! LET’S GO YANKS!
P.S….SORRY, too excited to let it go. I LOVE how Girardi left Proctor out there to twist…..at that point I really felt like he was handing the win to the Rays….is Proctor on the post-season roster?? I hope not. He really did well for the Yanks a few years ago, but he is really lacking now.
you are right Ruth. In 1996, Jeter had 22 errors.in 2000, he had 24.
I also will not write Nunez off.
Well not much to be said that hasn’t already been said. Last night was easily one of the best nights ever for baseball and it’s arguable as well as one of the best nights for sports in general. Since the games didn’t matter to us, I couldn’t help but smile at that feel good comeback win for the Rays. Longoria was the star as was Johnson for that homer with 2 strikes during the last out. I commend the Yankees for fighting and not makin it boring by laying down for the Rays. Even Proctor fought a little bit. I cheered hard when Papelbon blew the save and lost the game. Every game was exciting save for the blowout Cards/Astros game.
Well said, YankeeCase. That was my first thought before I typed a single word.
Good job by your husband for staying up to watch both games, Audrey. I know it was late back east and people were dying for the suspense to be over already as much as it was a great night of baseball. I was exhausted just from all the emotional turmoil and the switching back and forth (the trigger finger that uses the remote is numb).
It was definitely a “Holy Cow” kind of night, Melissa. The Scooter would have needed oxygen. The bullpen has been good all year, but not Logan. He’s been on and off – and “off” in key moments. He scares me in the playoffs and I sure hope they put another lefty on the roster along with him. Ayala was left in too long. As for Wade, we joked on Twitter that he was a double agent, helping out his old team, much as Soriano had done the night before. And I am concerned about A-Rod’s knee – not because he was scratched last night but because he’s coming into the playoffs with a surgically repaired knee and and a surgically repaired hip and a sprained thumb, and he isn’t moving well. I want the 2009 version of him.
I know what you mean about Sterling, Darren. He has a superb radio voice and loves the Yankees dearly, but he hammers home the same thought over and over, especially when the team does something wrong, and it can be grating. Hopefully, you’ll be able to watch this series on TBS?
Congrats to you, Jeff. You must be so excited about your Cards, although going up against the Phillies won’t be a picnic, just like facing Verlander won’t be easy for us. The real tests begin.
I’m not sure Proctor is on a par with Dent and Boone in Boston, John. I think Sox fans must be hating the whole Yankees team for not beating the Rays (even more than they already do, that is). They saw we were up 7-0 and we blew that lead and lost? I’d curse us too.
I hear you about Nunez, Ruth. And Melissa came up with the numbers on Jeter to prove your point. She also made the same point about Cano when he first came up. All true. But 20 errors for a backup/utility infielder who doesn’t play everyday is a lot, especially when you project into the playoffs. Laird seems very steady and sure-handed with the glove at third and first. And I was happier with Pena when he was the backup last year.
I commend the Yankees for fighting too, Leo. They didn’t lay down. Girardi was absolutely doing the right thing by taking out the regulars with the big lead, so no one can fault him for that. His bullpen moves, on the other hand…(When I saw him get Robertson up for a game that meant nothing, I was shouting bad names at the TV.)
You know, Jane, you just can’t predict baseball… The Yankees had a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the 8th, and blew it, and yet we’re all chuckling and smirking. God, I love this game.
Oh, by the way, Jane: Happy New Year.
Good point about Nunez not playing every day, Jane (which I think Jeter probably did in 1996 and obviously in 2000). But I still hold out hope Nunie can be part of the Yankees’ future. I’m still buzzing about all this – yes, I know I need to get a life – I do have a very full life, actually, but there’s a lot of challenge to my life right now, so this is just way more fun to think about. But part of my ‘life challenge’ is financial, and since I’m self-employed and don’t get paid unless I do the work, I guess I better get to it…after all, I need to knock off early tomorrow to prepare the big Playoffs Dinner and watch the festivities! I’ll try to hold off on further comments! But, again, forgive me, I have no one to dish with over here!!
Once again, waiting ’til lunchtime to blog in means “what else is there to say”…
Okay. My brother-in-law John is a lifelong Sawx fan — he lives in Alabama, but was raised in Boston, and his “other team” is the Braves. Suffice to say, it wasn’t the best night for him.
We e-mail back & forth a lot, but I was obviously going to leave him alone for awhile. Instead, he sends me a message this morning! I was amazed; if it were me, well…it wouldn’t be polite or pretty.
I sent him a sympathetic reply. Probably seems as hollow as a pat on the back from Alec Baldwin, tho’.
Now that it’s over…here’s my “spiritual” sports take. Somebody at ESPN really angered the Sports Gods with a recent magazine cover. It was a picture of a hand, sporting “World Champions” rings on four fingers, each one representing a Boston team (they’ve all won a title in recent years). The caption reads:
“WELCOME TO BOSTON — LOOSAH!” It’s not nice, or wise, to mock the ENTIRE American sports public, but they somehow managed to do it. And now, the first big fat (choking?) chicken has come home to roost.
Happy New Year to you, Uncle Mike. And no, we cannot predict baseball nor should we ever.
Dish away, Ruth. That’s what we’re here for. I’m supposed to be self-employed too, sitting here writing a book, but my head is still on last night. Even people I hardly know have been emailing to ask what I thought of the events. But we do need to switch over to the Tigers and start beaming our laser-like focus on them.
Sorry for your brother-in-law, Dave. That’s a double whammy. I’m glad you were sympathetic and brother-in-lawly. I do wonder if those chuckleheads at ESPN are second-guessing themselves this morning. All they did was talk about a Red Sox World Championship. Oh well.
That was my point when I called our local sports radio show – that part of the animosity toward Boston this year is due to the sports press and how much they pushed Boston for the World Series. The radio host I spoke to had himself, ten days ago, adamantly declared that Boston fans had nothing to worry about, Tampa Bay was not going to win the wild card. I think a little humility is in order from the sports press but I doubt we’ll see it.
I have been watching ESPN this morning and have to say I am feeling pretty sorry for Francona and the Sox players. It is pretty sad to watch their reactions to this outcome and all the talk about which heads are going to roll. The fans, on the other hand – well, they’re leading the chorus against their own team so I don’t feel so sorry for them. After all, they had the opportunity to join the Yankee Universe temporarily and turned it down.
I watched Skip Bayless on ESPN today slam the Yankees for ‘laying down,’ not using Mariano Rivera, blah blah blah. I know, consider the source, but how stupid to blame the Yankees for this. I think they got up 7-0, which is hardly laying down, but then when they lost the lead and it went into extra innings they just thought ‘we’re not going to kill ourselves to win this game.’ I mean, you DO have to think about the playoffs…it’s not the Yankees job to help the Red Sox. And I think the Sox are crazy if they get rid of Francona….hell, if they do, I’d take him in a New York minute. I’ve never warmed to Girardi, and I always get the feeling he’ll end up in Chicago. Oh, I forgot, I’m supposed to be working……
There was definitely a lot of media hype about the Red Sox, Audrey. What galled me this morning was when I read the Globe’s Dan Shaunessey, the guy who guaranteed their championship at the beginning of the season, refer to our guys as “the laydown Yankees.” Excuse me? Girardi put our regulars on the field for most of the game last night. It was only when we got to the later innings when he pulled the regulars and threw Proctor out there, resting our top relievers as any playoff-bound manager, including Francona, would have done. Laydown indeed. Made me so mad.
Oh, so Skip Bayless said the same thing as Shaunessey, Ruth? Now I’m even more mad. Let him ask Francona or any manager worth a damn if he would have used Mo in that situation. It’s preposterous. But, as you say, consider the source. On your other point, I don’t think the Sox should fire Francona, but I’ll keep Girardi!
I love the references to Dent, as he was my first baseball crush. Still wear my Dent t-shirt to the games and was told in June when we went to see the Boys play the Cubs at Wrigley, “Dent? How old are you? That shirt is a classic!” As always, ANYONE has a chance at becoming the hero in baseball. Now that the Red Sox have been knocked from their preseason throne, it will be interesting to see how the sports media covers the postseason play. Yes the Phillies have a loaded rotation but on any given day….
It has been fun to see some of the up and coming talent in the minors. We’ve all seen what Jesus Montero can do at the plate. Let’s just hope that it all comes together behind the plate for him also as he matures. I’ll be interested to see what Andrew Brackman does too, as I always love to watch those TALLLL guys hurl from the mound. Nunez is young too and hopefully will get a chance to show that he can improve on the field. I will miss the Scissorhands reference though!
I look forward to Friday–go Yankees!
The references to Dent have been fun, Jane. Now it’s Andino of the O’s who’s their nemesis and you’re right about how anyone can be a hero in this game. Yes, the Phillies are now the front runners to win it all, although I’ve been reading that the Tigers might be this year’s “team of destiny.” We shall see.
What a great night for baseball. I have never in all my years been so happy to see my beloved Yankees lose. And when I saw it was Papelbon who gave up the game winner in the Sox/O’s game? Be still my heart…. I had to jump out of bed and do the happy dance! I yelled down to my husband, who was also flipping between the 2 games.. he has always hated Papelbon… just something about him. (I feel the same way about Pedroia.. kinda thing he looks like a serial killer).
I actually had tickets (and decent seats, too) to go to the game tomorrow, but I had to sell them. Aaahhhhhhh… the life of a busy wedding photographer… money trumps all unfortunately! But I will record the game, just in case… and of course run out to check the score on the radio when I can!! At least Saturday night I will be home, so I can do MY thing for the playoffs…. order my lucky pizza, wear all my Yankee gear, then start doing jumping jacks and ab crunches in the late innings to keep myself awake…. might have to adjust that a bit, as I am almost 5 months pregnant, but some form of exercise to get the blood pumping!!!
GO YANKEES!!!!
So sorry you had to sell your tickets to the game, Missy. That must have been hard to do (I’m groaning just thinking about it), but I’m glad your photography business is hopping; that’s great. Maybe the wedding will end early. Haha. I went with lucky pizza and my Mo shirt last year but I think I’ll change things up this time around. How exciting that you’re pregnant and soon to bring another Yankee fan into the world!
Those same chuckleheads are calling for the Tigers to beat the Yankees. From almost everyone on MLB Network that I’ve seen anyway… Same people who said Boston all the way back in March. So what do they know?? I know the Tigers are tough. They’ve got Verlander, and Fister, and decent pitching after them. And oh yeah, a pretty good offense too. But we still owe them for what happened in ’06….. It’s not going to be easy, but champions never take the easy route.
Those people that say the Yankees were ‘laying down’ are complete frauds in my opinion. It’s so funny to hear these undercover Boston fans whimper and cry about how the Yankees didn’t do their best! Lol! Sounds like they were rooting for the Yankees pretty hard, huh? How about taking a 7-0 lead into the eighth? Does that sound like ‘laying down’? How about all the regulars in most of the game, with the exception of A-Rod and Martin in a meaningless game for the Yanks? How about Luis Ayala and Cory Wade, two of our regular bullpen pitchers at the end? How about Girardi announcing on SUNDAY that he would be using relief pitchers that wouldn’t be on the postseason roster for the last game? And he still used Logan, Wade, Ayala, Hughes, Valdes, and even AJ! So he got too cute with all these pitchers, trying to get people some last little shine before the end of the regular season, but it was our regular bullpen that failed, minus Soriano, Robertson, and Rivera. Why tax those guys for a meaningless game? They’re sure to be needed in the next two games that count. And if Mariano had given up that walk-off? Then what? We’d be hearing how Mo just served an easy one in there… Come on! These people need to go cry in their ‘waa-waa’ blankets… If the Yankees were trying to lose the game on purpose, then why try to beat the Red Sox in the second game on Sunday, sending Soriano and Mariano out there for what was still a meaningless game for the Yankees?
Oh, how they prayed their little Boston hearts for some Yankee magic to finally go their way…
Some people you just can’t please, Jane. How about giving the Tampa Bay Rays some credit for what they’ve done??
I’m not feeling all super happy that Boston didn’t make the playoffs. I really don’t care. I root for my team, I don’t go around hating on others’. But their collapse has given us a great retort for when those unruly Boston fans mention 2004. And I think it’s a hell of a lot easier to lose four games in a row than it is to lose a nine game lead with less then 30 games to play. And with all the expectations… Guess we won’t be hearing about 2004 from them for a while… Which brings to mind the now infamous, immortal, and almost NostraYankeeDamus-like quote from Alec Baldwin in that first New Era commercial, “Go ahead. Celebrate in April. We’ll dance in October.”
Because being a Yankees fan is like being a huge fan of winning. Which we do. Relentlessly.
But other than that, I’ve got no words either, Jane… No words…
Except that I’ll be there Saturday night for Game 2!
Let’s Go Yankees!!!
http://yankeecase.mlblogs.com/
Eddie! You are going to game 2!! That is so exciting. A friend offered me tickets to the games that his company had, but they were too expensive for me. Love the line about people crying in their waa waa blankets. LOL.
For someone with no words, you sure said a lot of words.
So they celebrated in April – now they have a hangover and we’re the ones dancing.
Very exciting that you’ll be at Game 2, YankeeCase. Wave to us, please. Where are you sitting? Your line about winning sounded dangerously close to something Charlie Sheen would say, but I’ll give you a pass. You were pretty wound up there. LOL. I’m glad NostraYankeeDamus is predicting a championship. I know it’ll happen now.
Too bad you couldn’t take those tix, Melissa, but I can imagine how expensive they must have been. I spent a bundle to go in ’07 and that was at the old Stadium before prices went up.
I love the image of the haters talking about the ‘integrity of the game’ and crying into their little blankies, Melissa! lol Would Girardi have let his ‘A’ players go almost the whole game and finally take some of them out with a 7-0 lead if he wasn’t really trying to win the game? And then call upon two pitchers in his regular bullpen rotation? If the game really meant nothing, with no Wild Card implications or anything else, and had he used some of his better players for a meaningless game and was unable to use them in three days time, those same idiots would be calling Girardi the dumbest manager ever for not resting his guys. They need to shut up. And go find those blankies…
Well, Jane, the winning line is also Alec Baldwin’s. It’s one of those lines I’ve said many a time to Yankee haters and fellow Yankee fans since first watching the commercial. It’s just classic now :D.
Yup, I’ll be there Game 2 in section 227B, (second tier, just a little past third base). I had to make last minute arrangements to take the day off, but there was no doubt that I’d be there. I was at Game 1 for the ALDS in 2009, and that turned out ok… I also went ahead and bought tickets for the ALCS, Game 2, just in case… And if they make it to the World Series, you’d better believe I’ll be there too!
http://yankeecase.mlblogs.com/
Eddie, the point about Boston’s September collapse eclipsing the Yankee collapse of 2004 is probably my favorite part of this story. It’s pretty hard for a Sox fan to throw that one in our faces now.
Great rant, btw – Have a ton of fun at Saturday’s game and LET’S GO YANKEES!
Late to the boat on this one due to a terrible illness (and PTSD perhaps?) but all I have to say is that…
The Red Sox didn’t deserve to be in the playoffs this year. Just didn’t. Even though the Rays didn’t muster much once they made it in, the bigger story for me was that my team needs to remember how to be a team again. However that happens.