Hats off to the Red Sox

[Chairman-of-TheBoard]

It hurts to say this, but the Yankees have simply not played with any fire or pep this year, so far. The Sox look like they are having fun out on the field. The Yanks look like they will be facing a firing squad after a potential loss. As a life-long Yankees fan, I never thought I would see such unspirited play from such an assemblage of talent.

They did not deserve a split with Boston in this series. Boston far out-played New York. This is to be expected, because Boston is hungry and New York is not.

I refuse to bash any player, because these no-emotion games are team efforts.

Individually, my hat is off to players like Jeter, Brown, Sheffield and Posada who are at least climbing above the fray in these early disappointments. But, first and foremost, my hat is off to the Red Sox, who are displaying the desire to be the best.

Maybe it is time to bench Bernie or Matsui and play a go-getter like Crosby. Then again, maybe the Yanks have a log jam of hitters... Somewhere, something is very wrong with this team...

[SuperMario66]

Originally posted by Chairman-of-TheBoard

Maybe it is time to bench Bernie or Matsui and play a go-getter like Crosby. Then again, maybe the Yanks have a log jam of hitters... Somewhere, something is very wrong with this team...

Bernie is out centerfielder. I don't know how long it is going to take for people to figure that out. A Rod is sucking, let's bench him too!

[Pomp]

As someone pointed out in another thread, Dennis Eckersley (does Sox post-game in Boston) said that it isn't that the Red Sox played so well, it is the fact that the Yankees played so bad. The Yankees look like they have never played baseball before. The Yankees are having a hard time beating anyone. If hats off to Boston, then hats off to Tampa and the White Sox too. Boston has a great team, no question about it. We knew that coming into the season. But it doesn't matter who plays us right now, the Yankees will have a hard time beating them.

[Bosox Guy in Chitown]

Originally posted by Pomp
As someone pointed out in another thread, Dennis Eckersley (does Sox post-game in Boston) said that it isn't that the Red Sox played so well, it is the fact that the Yankees played so bad. The Yankees look like they have never played baseball before. The Yankees are having a hard time beating anyone. If hats off to Boston, then hats off to Tampa and the White Sox too. Boston has a great team, no question about it. We knew that coming into the season. But it doesn't matter who plays us right now, the Yankees will have a hard time beating them.

I hate to agree, but I will. Truth be told, I was nervous about this series coming in given that the Sox are without Nixon, Nomar and BK Kim. I was expecting a split, so 3 of 4 is treat given how beat up the regulars are.

[indianyanksfan]

we stunk and u didnt...

they played poorly....plain and simple...

[ACPS]

I may vomit.

[Rich]

What is pep? If they were hitting, everything would look different.

[Chairman-of-TheBoard]

I completely agree. I sat in amazement as we split a series with the White Sox. There is another team that is playing their hearts out.

There is a serious log jam of hitters on this team and it has screwed the chemistry up really good. All it takes is for one player to step up and lead consistently by example.

I just hope no one EVER confused Alex Rodriguez for being a consumate team leader. That isn't happening. Jeter and Sheffield have more leadership skills and always will.

Regarding Bernie, if his slump continues, it will be doing so for the second consecutive season. If Bubba can do a more effective job, then you bench Bernie for a spell. I really like what I have seen from Crosby. He is a hustler, and a spirited player -- in other words, a spark plug.

[SuperMario66]

Originally posted by Rich
What is pep?

That is what they preach to cheerleaders.

I had none when I was a cheerleader, I have none today.

[Chairman-of-TheBoard]

Uh, pep is energy and enthusiasm. If the Yankees had any, God forbid they may have a few more victories this year.

[nahzo]

The guys just need to get it together, have all the wheels working at the same time, and we'll get there. They just seem to be trying to get into the right pace all individually, so the end result isn't so hot, like with Arod's 9th inning single, gee thanks. And on top of that they've all had their individual little screw ups that have wound up costing us an arm and a leg, like Matsui's little boggle today and Arod's bad throw (or Enrique's slow feet, couldn't quite tell). I won't take my hat off to Boston, they didn't do anything spectacular. I will take off my hat and do a little Dusty Baker because of how our boys are playing. But we'll do it, no problemo...

[Jeter&Johnson]

I think that there was some ****ty pitching going on on the Yankees side. I know that the sox have some great hitters, but they also have at laest 3 black holes in their line up today in Kapler, Crespo and Reese, and we let a few of those guys beat us. Even Brown didn't pitch great today, I was worried based on the large number of fly balls, even early when he appeared dominant it seemed like it was just a matter of time before a fly ball became a HR. And where was the offense that destroyed Lowe, after beating up on Lowe we've just died especially to the sox bullpen.

[YankeePride1967]

Originally posted by Jeter&Johnson
I think that there was some ****ty pitching going on on the Yankees side. I know that the sox have some great hitters, but they also have at laest 3 black holes in their line up today in Kapler, Crespo and Reese, and we let a few of those guys beat us. Even Brown didn't pitch great today, I was worried based on the large number of fly balls, even early when he appeared dominant it seemed like it was just a matter of time before a fly ball became a HR. And where was the offense that destroyed Lowe, after beating up on Lowe we've just died especially to the sox bullpen.

Good hitting can also do that (to a pitching staff). I give them credit, they got the job done. Gabe Kapler is not a bad player.

[nahzo]

Originally posted by SuperMario66
That is what they preach to cheerleaders.

No, I think my neighbor's Pomeranian was named pep...

[Jeter&Johnson]

Originally posted by GoRocket


Good hitting can also do that (to a pitching staff). I give them credit, they got the job done. Gabe Kapler is not a bad player.

I'm not talking about hits by Mueller, Manny, Ortiz Tek and Damon, but more by hits by McCarty, Crespo, Kapler and Reese. Those last 4 guys seem like outs 9 of 10 times to me.

[WindRavenX]

Originally posted by Pomp
As someone pointed out in another thread, Dennis Eckersley (does Sox post-game in Boston) said that it isn't that the Red Sox played so well, it is the fact that the Yankees played so bad. The Yankees look like they have never played baseball before. The Yankees are having a hard time beating anyone. If hats off to Boston, then hats off to Tampa and the White Sox too. Boston has a great team, no question about it. We knew that coming into the season. But it doesn't matter who plays us right now, the Yankees will have a hard time beating them.

Yeah I saw the post game analysis w/ stats, Sox left 32 men on base VS the Yankees 39. With those types of numbers, it became not a matter of which team was better; but which played the least sloppily. The Sox didn't look stellar, but man, with the way the Yanks played...it wouldn't take much to beat them.
ARod going 1-17? Oy vey.
He's pressing himself just like Giambi did 2 years ago, I think that's now very obviously clear.
Our pitching wasn't that great either- Mussina looked bleh, Conteras looked horrible,Vazques was eh- but neither was Boston's pitching that great either. Schilling wasn't so hot, Arrojo wasn't good at all- I mean, looking back, both these teams played pretty damn bad.

[penfold]

Well... the Sox seem to be playing like a team right now. If one guy muffs a play, another guy picks him up and they end up winning the series. The Yanks are still playing like 9 individuals. They need to get in sync. (no boy band puns intended there. I just want my team to get into gear!)

[BombersBlvd]

The series overall was not spectacular, but the Red Sox hung in there and continued to use resources well. Today, they got good production from the bottom of the order.

What impresses me most from them is today's boxscore - scattered runs inning after inning - continuing to put the pressure on despite Millar, Nixon and Garciaparra out of the lineup. Contrast that w/ the Yankees and they couldn't plate another run after Giambi's blast. Also, they benefitted from the effectiveness of Malaska and Siebol in yesterday's game, and got a serviceable performance today out of their #5. Damon is getting out of the gate well and Meuller appears to have found his swing in this series. It doesn't get easier tomorrow.

The Yankees appear to be fighting one-dimensionally - it's almost as if they don't get that 7-inning, 8K, 4 hit performance out of their starters and the offense isn't permitted a big, fat 6 run outburst, they might as well give up (this is nothing new, dating back to 2002.) Their opponents have appear to continue to beat the Yankees w/ guerilla style offense, scattering runs, forcing errors, and getting the timely big blast out of their clean-up guys from time to time. Also, opposing mediocre starters and relievers are coming across as geniuses right now when, in some cases, they are anything but. True, injuries have hurt us, but that's every team - the Yankees need to bring the game to their opponent more often, otherwise our bullpen guys are going to wear themselves out every game, playing from behind all the time. I know it's not their game, but I just wish the Yankees tried to scrap a little more. These games count right now, unfortunately.

[pacewon]

The Yanks played like ass in this series from start to finish.

[WindRavenX]

Originally posted by pacewon
The Yanks played like ass in this series from start to finish.

Dude, that's the best post-series analysis I've seen yet
It was painful to watch them leave runner after runner on....

[TannerBoyle]

At least it's not 15 years ago.

2004>1989
Sheffield>Barfield
Rodriguez>Pags
Posada>Slaught
Jeter>Alvaro
Brown>Hawkins
Vazquez>LaPoint
Moose>Parker
Contreras>Cadaret
Mo>Rags (at that stage of his career)

[Chairman-of-TheBoard]

Call me an amateur, but isn't it the manager's job to wake these "professionals" up when they are playing like this? I sometimes wonder if Torre sits back with his sun glasses on in the locker room the way he infinitely does in the dugout.

Somebody wake these guys up!

Billy Martin, where are you when we need you?

[Bosox Guy in Chitown]

Obviously the Yanks are still finding their groove. Heck, the Sox are still looking for theirs as well - especially with two big bats out of the lineup.

But I wouldn't say the Sox pitching was "lucky" in this series either.

The bullpen was solid (though Foulke gave up one run the other day after a defensive indifference steal). Schilling did a nice job, as did Wakes. Arroyo was OK for a #5 starter. DLowe needs to get it in gear.

Yeah, the Yanks will improve. But don't tarnish the pitching of Wakes, Schilling or the bullpen, either. They did their jobs when called upon.

[pacewon]

Originally posted by Bosox Guy in Chitown
But don't tarnish the pitching of Wakes, Schilling or the bullpen, either.

It's hard for me not to. The Yankees had guys on base in every inning against those guys and NOBODY could deliver a huge hit. They did what they had to do and picked up W's but it's hard for me to give them too much credit when I see the Yankees offense sleep walk for an entire 4-game series (save for 2 innings).

[jonnyc39]

Originally posted by SuperMario66


Bernie is out centerfielder. I don't know how long it is going to take for people to figure that out.

I do not understand this mentality. What's wrong with benching a player for a while if he is not contributing, and giving someone like Bubba a chance and let him prove he deserves to be on the team?