For every other major league team, getting into the post-season playoffs denotes a successful season, and anything from there on is considered gravy. The Yankees consider the post season as their birthright; not getting there constitutes a failure of titanic proportions, and being eliminated in any of the series, including the World Series, justifies wholesale firings, drastic changes and raiding of opposition rosters.
The ALDS begins tonight, with the Yanks meeting the Minnesota Twins. The Twins' team salary is $65 million. Three players on the Yankees total MORE than that, and the Yankee team salary is more than TRIPLE the Twins!
Despite the disparity of numbers, the pesky Twins have competed pretty well, and have managed to get to the post season with a regularity that speaks volumes for their management's baseball knowledge and the team skill of their players. They play with a selfless and exciting team spirit the Yankees haven't had since the 60s.
Let's Go Twins! Beat the rich guys!
Give it a rest, please. This is New York, the City, the Big Apple, the Center of the World! Why shouldn't its team take advantage of its position, status and the revenue that NY media size commands? The Twins are a nice, small city story, and theirs is a touching and inspiring. I wish them the best. But the Yankees are New York's team, and a true reflection of what their residents, fans and the rest of the world expects from the greatest city in the world.
ReplyDeleteYour characterization of the Yankee attitude is a vestige of the teams of yesteryear, when they were arrogant and mechanical. But look at a replay last night's game and watch how the Yankee players reacted when A-Rod homered to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, or when Mark hit his walk-off home run. These are not the hardened and blase professionals from your childhood memories. They are hugging and jumping up and down as the runners cross the plate, smashing pies in each other's face. They smile, joke and show us that they are having fun -- and winning. The proof-positive of this infectious adolescent view of the game is that this team psyche seems to have actually impacted Rodriguez, loosening him up and making him look comfortable in his skin. So cast off your preconceptions and prejudices and sit back and enjoy it. If the Yanks take the Series, rejoice as a New Yorker; if they don't, well you can revert.
I agree 1.000 per cent that Limbaugh and Hannity are traitors to a duly elected democratic government, and all who advertise with them are aiding and abetting the enemies of our democracy.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand the Yankees represent the diversity of a great city against the those who were unfortunate enough to be born elsewhere (including NJ).
I will admit that this year's Yankees are the most likable in decades, but I disagree that the teams of 'yesteryear' were blase and mechanical. The 50s and early 60s Yanks (and their fans) were consummate professionals. They lost with grace, they won understated elegance. Back then, when the World Series meant significant added income for the players, the Yankees always made news with their democratic distribution of winning shares -- to the clubhouse manager, the bootblack, the bat boy, etc.
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