This was an awesome series. A real treat for us fans. Credit to Cleveland too they played really hard and uncharacteristically lost some sloppy games in
NY. Yanks are battle tested and proven to not be afraid of this moment.
Battle tested? One of the easiest roads of recent memory.
This was an awesome series. A real treat for us fans. Credit to Cleveland too they played really hard and uncharacteristically lost some sloppy games in
NY. Yanks are battle tested and proven to not be afraid of this moment.
Battle tested? One of the easiest roads of recent memory.
Why is a Mets fan showing up on this thread to piss on the parade?
You don’t know a damn thing about the teams the Yankees have beaten and quite frankly, we don’t give a shit if they were given a bye for the first three rounds. Yankees are going to the World Series, baby!
While another Mets-Yankees World Series would be terrific, the most important thing for me is the Dodgers not winning.
Living in the Greater LA area, the Dodger fans are insufferable. One of the NY teams, hopefully the Mets, sends the Dodgers home empty.
The Dodgers are my number 1 root against in all of sports. Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders. Red Sox, Braves all rolled into 1.
Two of my friends are Giants and D-Backs fans. They are rooting hard for the Yankees (or Mets). They say rooting for the Yankees in this scenario is like rooting for Al-Qaeda to defeat ISIS, but they don't care they're all in. As a native NYer I don't think I realized how much people in certain places on the west coast hate the Dodgers.
I loved that Soto home run and reaction. MLB finally has some personality again. For a long time the sport felt stuffy to me, but I think the game is in a great spot now. A lot of stars who embrace personality.
a Yankees/Mets WS, and I'm looking forward to watching Game 6 tonight.
I'm still geeked up about the big win last night. That Cleveland team is tough, and there are no easy outs in that lineup. The Yankees did very well taking 4 of 5 from them. The games were all close, and as someone mentioned, there isn't a whole lot that separates a 4-game NYY sweep from perhaps a 3-2 lead for the Guards. The botched DP in the 10th--or at least a force at 2B--is going to haunt that guy for the rest of his life.
and all the regulars on the BBI Yankee threads who supported and believed in this team. Unlike me. Hopefully Stanton and Soto can keep up their fantastic hitting, Judge has a good World Series and the pitching holds up.
How awesome is that? The match up everyone wanted. Cole & Rodon have to quiet those bats down right out of the gate. They have been scoring runs like crazy lately. They laid waste to the Mets pitching.
RE: Friday and Saturday nights games 1 & 2 and a potential games 6 & 7 too
How awesome is that? The match up everyone wanted. Cole & Rodon have to quiet those bats down right out of the gate. They have been scoring runs like crazy lately. They laid waste to the Mets pitching.
I like that alot.
For the first time this year, there was a flexible WS schedule plan
according to which the start of the WS would have been moved up, if both LCS ended early enough.
If both had ended within 5 games, the first game of the WS would have been Tuesday, 10/22, which would have given the Yanks only two days rest, while the Dodgers would have had three.
The apparent logic of starting either Tuesday or Friday is to minimize competition with the NFL.
RE: For the first time this year, there was a flexible WS schedule plan
according to which the start of the WS would have been moved up, if both LCS ended early enough.
If both had ended within 5 games, the first game of the WS would have been Tuesday, 10/22, which would have given the Yanks only two days rest, while the Dodgers would have had three.
The apparent logic of starting either Tuesday or Friday is to minimize competition with the NFL.
Very smart. Yeah no Sunday games at all those series, not to mention Halloween is an off day between games 5 & 6. This series will do the best ratings in decades.
The way we grind ABs should really deplete their pitching. The equalizer will be if LA can get to Rodon and Cole. If they do what they did in ALCS, should have a huge advantage.
After 15 years, we're back in the Big Dance, and I didn't think they would be at the beginning of the year. I didn't expect the entire AL East, including Balt, to fall of as much as they did. I expected Balt to actually improve. I was NOT on board with the Soto trade until around early June when I finally realized that he's a ballplayer, not a slugger. He completely changed the tenor of the team. He made it fun.
I'm a firm believer that strong SP and a solid BP will beat the three run out come 8 times out of 10 in a short series, and the last 14 years of trying it had me exasperated. I fully expected them to embrace the same and we would see an early exit from the playoffs again, if we even made it and at season's start, I wasn't too sure they could. I was wrong, as they proved they were contenders despite a pretty prolonged midseason slump, very early on.
This lineup will beat a team that employs the bullpen starter model. The catalyst to seeing this play out, for me, was watching the transformation of Torrez at the top of the lineup. He consciously changed his game back to what had been his strength in the past: Forgo the HR and power numbers to work pitchers, go deep in the count, draw his walks, go the other way with the ball, and get on base. It's been the difference, IMHO, as he has become a table setter. Getting on base in front of Soto, Judge, and Stanton puts pressure on the defense AND the pitcher, and it's been glorious to watch. I did not expect it AT ALL. The whole lineup is working the count, seeing pitches, and setting the table.
I was pleasantly and completely surprised at Stanton's regular season. He can't run, but he did enough to contribute all season long and now in his element, he's come to the fore. If he stays this hot, I cannot see LA winning. His clutch play has led to better ABs for Judge and to degree, Stanton. Opposing pitchers can't just expect to get him to K right now. He is the wild card in this, I believe. I hope he stays hot.
We are here despite below average contributions from Judge. That's a blessing in disguise. The team, after two playoff series where his bat wasn't essentially needed to win, they won convincingly. Confidence throughout the line up should be high that they can get it done if Judge doesn't improve.
SP is going to be huge in this series. LA is going deep, deep, deep into their BP in almost every game. Their starters are not going to scare the Yanks. On the converse, Rodon has been well more than serviceable wrt what we thought we might get. And Cole has his velo back and he's locating pretty well. He may get two starts in warm LA, which helps him. Gil and Schmidt were more than fine. I believe we have a big edge here. Keep Ohtani and Betts in the ballpark, and our chances skyrocket, again IMHO.
Bullpen is the X factor. We've gotten by. Will it continue? Can you trust Holmes in ANYTHING but a mop up role 6 runs ahead? Can we rely on one pitch Hill in a big spot? They all should be rested, and it's all hands on deck. What about Cortez? Will he be able to provide long relief if a starter gets knocked around? This is the only area in which I get worried that there's a weakness. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have a solid bullpen but they've been worked a TON. If the games are close through 6 or 7 innings, look out for fireworks as the late innings settle in.
Again, just my ,02 and I'm glad I was wrong about this team.
can't really argue with any of it, other than Clay Holmes should be mop up when 6 runs down not up :)
Also, really good ABs from Volpe lately and Rizzo too. I think Cabrera should be first off the bench and should be the backup 1B as he has shown he can flat out play the position. We're lucky to have him as a utility guy.
To me the big X factor is Chisholm & Wells. Right now those 2 are a huge abyss in the order. If they can remotely start hitting, then the lineup becomes unstoppable.
can't really argue with any of it, other than Clay Holmes should be mop up when 6 runs down not up :)
Also, really good ABs from Volpe lately and Rizzo too. I think Cabrera should be first off the bench and should be the backup 1B as he has shown he can flat out play the position. We're lucky to have him as a utility guy.
To me the big X factor is Chisholm & Wells. Right now those 2 are a huge abyss in the order. If they can remotely start hitting, then the lineup becomes unstoppable.
I agree about Chisholm and Wells. The way I see it is if we get anything from them offensively it’s a bonus right now. There is enough O in the other 7 to get the job done. What we can’t have is those two taking their offensive struggles into the field with them. So far they haven’t, and they both just have to remain solid in the field.
Wells was huge defensively during the two AL series. He allowed the pitchers to throw whatever they wanted with confidence knowing he would keep everything from getting by him. Give me that same D in this WS and I’m good with anything he contributes on O.
Here's the résumé of one era for a certain big league baseball team.
It's a 14-year period. The team had a .566 winning percentage during that span, most in its league and second most overall. It never finished below .500. It had the second-most wins at home and on the road. No team had more comeback wins. Only one team scored more runs, and only one had a better run differential. Nobody hit more home runs, and it wasn't particularly close.
Of course, that's all regular-season stuff -- what about the playoffs? The answers aren't as glowing, but they are still impressive. Only three teams played more postseason games. Only five won more postseason games. Only two teams hit more homers.
These are all facts from the New York Yankees' pennant drought, the period from 2010 through 2023, which finally drew to a close Saturday night. The drought -- a descriptor some woebegone franchises would dispute -- ended thanks to one mighty swing by Juan Soto that punctuated one of his signature meat grinder at-bats. The Yankees are back, returned to the pedestal where their fans have a historical justification for feeling they belong: on top of the American League.
I know we all have high expectations, but the yanks were built to win over the past decade plus, sometimes you just chalk it up to a team that has (had) their number, Astros. It does feel like the addition of Soto has just completely changed that narrative since he gunned down that runner in Houston in April. link - ( New Window )
Boone says Nestor has a good chance of making the WS roster
He'll pitch off a mound again today, the third time he's done so. If he looks and feels good, he'll likely be added to the pen, in place of Mayza I'd assume.
and this team still has flaws. But, every team this year was seriously flawed. The Dodgers are the one team in these playoffs that really scared me because of their lineup. It is dangerous. I think the Yankees can get to the Dodgers pen, the same way they did to Cleveland. They will work counts and make pitchers walk them or make mistakes.
The keys are
1) The Yankees starters holding the Dodgers at bay the first few innings. They can't let the Dodgers get out to early leads like they did in the NLCS.
2) The Yankees have to hit with RISP (one of Jazz, Wells, Judge at the very least has to show up).
3) Torres, Soto, and Stanton must remain hot. I can't see them winning if these guys don't do serious damage.
Cleveland's pen, on paper at least, was much better
The Dodgers pitching staff really isn't terribly impressive at the moment.
Agreed. But, can the Yankees hit enough to match the Dodgers? OR better, can the Yankees pitching contain the Dodgers enough to stay with them every game?
As soon as the ball leaves Stanton's bat, look at the guy in the front row with the red shirt and the Indians cap on: he's so disgusted that he gets up from his seat and starts heading for the aisle before the baseball even lands...
So who do we think the Dodgers are throwing out there vs Cole?
With a week rest, they could go with any of their 3: Yamamoto, Buehler, Flaherty.
Buehler was really bad for a lot of the year. Flaherty hasn't pitched quite as well with the Dodgers as he had been with the Tigers. If Yamamoto can actually give them 80-100 pitches, I think he has the highest upside of the bunch right this moment.
I know Buehler's last outing was good but he's been mostly awful this year and Flaherty is nothing special. They paid Yamamoto a mint for situations like this.
Also Yamamoto pitched quite well against the Yankees
game 2 is always pivotal no matter how you slice it. You lose game 1 its near a must win, you win game 1 you can put your foot down on their throats. So its not the craziest concept to have your best guy pitch it. I love having Cole to set the tone. Also he pitches a pivotal game 5 back at the stadium. Also the added bonus is that with 2 days rest he's available to give you an inning or so out of the pen in a potential game 7.
There's been parts of the season where Flaherty was dominant
but recently he hasn't been as good. I see this as a positive thing for the Yankees.
Game 3 Clarke Schmidt versus Walker Buehler. This is not the Walker Buehler you remember--he has been ass cheeks this year. Then Game 4 a bullpen game for Dodgers versus Gil and maybe even some Nestor. We can win this series.
Played his first game of the season on 8/19 and now batting cleanup for the team with the #1 OPS in the majors for 2024. Not something you'd expect from his size and background.
Hit 6 HRs in a span of 8 days in mid-September, which were all of the HRs he hit in the regular season.
Carrying a .341/.333/.477/.811 slash for this post-season. His OBP is lower than his BA because he hasn't walked in 47 plate appearances and has one sacrifice fly. Had a HR and a 2B in the final Game 6 vs the Mets.
Handling him will be a key.
Tommy Edman....well, Suzyn, ya can't predict baseball
He'll pitch off a mound again today, the third time he's done so. If he looks and feels good, he'll likely be added to the pen, in place of Mayza I'd assume.
I think Susan just said earlier that Nestor (me paraphrasing) stated if he throws his arm out and loses next year by going for it in this series it would be worth it.
As soon as the ball leaves Stanton's bat, look at the guy in the front row with the red shirt and the Indians cap on: he's so disgusted that he gets up from his seat and starts heading for the aisle before the baseball even lands...
Amazing. I did something similar when a certain punter did a stupid thing to a certain return man back in 2010 against a certain team from Philly. I was in the concourse already during a good chunk of the collapse. Once I saw the punt heading right down the middle I turned, ran down the stairs and was on the ground floor outside by the time the play was over. Sometimes you just know.
He'll pitch off a mound again today, the third time he's done so. If he looks and feels good, he'll likely be added to the pen, in place of Mayza I'd assume.
I think Susan just said earlier that Nestor (me paraphrasing) stated if he throws his arm out and loses next year by going for it in this series it would be worth it.
All hands on deck. Fuck LA.
Hope it doesn't come to that(UCL damage). But Nestor out of the pen would be pretty nice. Not sure if Mayza or Stroman would sit or if they go with 13 pitchers vs 12 in the ALCS. Nestor after Gil (or Schmidt) would be a different feel.
As a fan, I love it. As a former player, I love it. If I were his mother, agent, or wife, I would hate it lol. At least it's way less serious than what Tua is doing.
Quote:
This was an awesome series. A real treat for us fans. Credit to Cleveland too they played really hard and uncharacteristically lost some sloppy games in
NY. Yanks are battle tested and proven to not be afraid of this moment.
Battle tested? One of the easiest roads of recent memory.
Casual
Quote:
This was an awesome series. A real treat for us fans. Credit to Cleveland too they played really hard and uncharacteristically lost some sloppy games in
NY. Yanks are battle tested and proven to not be afraid of this moment.
Battle tested? One of the easiest roads of recent memory.
Why is a Mets fan showing up on this thread to piss on the parade?
You don’t know a damn thing about the teams the Yankees have beaten and quite frankly, we don’t give a shit if they were given a bye for the first three rounds. Yankees are going to the World Series, baby!
Oh, good luck to your Mets tonight
Thanks, pjcas! And good luck tonight with your Mets. That’s gonna be a fun game to watch
Tough, tough Guardians team. Anyone who thinks it was easy doesn't know baseball at all.
Yankees are back!!!
Four more.
Living in the Greater LA area, the Dodger fans are insufferable. One of the NY teams, hopefully the Mets, sends the Dodgers home empty.
The Dodgers are my number 1 root against in all of sports. Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders. Red Sox, Braves all rolled into 1.
Living in the Greater LA area, the Dodger fans are insufferable. One of the NY teams, hopefully the Mets, sends the Dodgers home empty.
The Dodgers are my number 1 root against in all of sports. Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders. Red Sox, Braves all rolled into 1.
Two of my friends are Giants and D-Backs fans. They are rooting hard for the Yankees (or Mets). They say rooting for the Yankees in this scenario is like rooting for Al-Qaeda to defeat ISIS, but they don't care they're all in. As a native NYer I don't think I realized how much people in certain places on the west coast hate the Dodgers.
I'm still geeked up about the big win last night. That Cleveland team is tough, and there are no easy outs in that lineup. The Yankees did very well taking 4 of 5 from them. The games were all close, and as someone mentioned, there isn't a whole lot that separates a 4-game NYY sweep from perhaps a 3-2 lead for the Guards. The botched DP in the 10th--or at least a force at 2B--is going to haunt that guy for the rest of his life.
Rizzo with his bat has been consistent
Volpe with some great swings
Rizzo with his bat has been consistent
Volpe with some great swings
Yup. And Cousins, Leiter and Hill out of the pen last night
Quote:
Oswaldo Cabrera with that unassisted double play.
Rizzo with his bat has been consistent
Volpe with some great swings
Yup. And Cousins, Leiter and Hill out of the pen last night
Damn I forgot to mention them, thanks!
Looking forward to either the Mets or the Dodgers. Epic WS incoming either way.
LET'S DO THIS!
I like that alot.
If both had ended within 5 games, the first game of the WS would have been Tuesday, 10/22, which would have given the Yanks only two days rest, while the Dodgers would have had three.
The apparent logic of starting either Tuesday or Friday is to minimize competition with the NFL.
If both had ended within 5 games, the first game of the WS would have been Tuesday, 10/22, which would have given the Yanks only two days rest, while the Dodgers would have had three.
The apparent logic of starting either Tuesday or Friday is to minimize competition with the NFL.
Very smart. Yeah no Sunday games at all those series, not to mention Halloween is an off day between games 5 & 6. This series will do the best ratings in decades.
I'm a firm believer that strong SP and a solid BP will beat the three run out come 8 times out of 10 in a short series, and the last 14 years of trying it had me exasperated. I fully expected them to embrace the same and we would see an early exit from the playoffs again, if we even made it and at season's start, I wasn't too sure they could. I was wrong, as they proved they were contenders despite a pretty prolonged midseason slump, very early on.
This lineup will beat a team that employs the bullpen starter model. The catalyst to seeing this play out, for me, was watching the transformation of Torrez at the top of the lineup. He consciously changed his game back to what had been his strength in the past: Forgo the HR and power numbers to work pitchers, go deep in the count, draw his walks, go the other way with the ball, and get on base. It's been the difference, IMHO, as he has become a table setter. Getting on base in front of Soto, Judge, and Stanton puts pressure on the defense AND the pitcher, and it's been glorious to watch. I did not expect it AT ALL. The whole lineup is working the count, seeing pitches, and setting the table.
I was pleasantly and completely surprised at Stanton's regular season. He can't run, but he did enough to contribute all season long and now in his element, he's come to the fore. If he stays this hot, I cannot see LA winning. His clutch play has led to better ABs for Judge and to degree, Stanton. Opposing pitchers can't just expect to get him to K right now. He is the wild card in this, I believe. I hope he stays hot.
We are here despite below average contributions from Judge. That's a blessing in disguise. The team, after two playoff series where his bat wasn't essentially needed to win, they won convincingly. Confidence throughout the line up should be high that they can get it done if Judge doesn't improve.
SP is going to be huge in this series. LA is going deep, deep, deep into their BP in almost every game. Their starters are not going to scare the Yanks. On the converse, Rodon has been well more than serviceable wrt what we thought we might get. And Cole has his velo back and he's locating pretty well. He may get two starts in warm LA, which helps him. Gil and Schmidt were more than fine. I believe we have a big edge here. Keep Ohtani and Betts in the ballpark, and our chances skyrocket, again IMHO.
Bullpen is the X factor. We've gotten by. Will it continue? Can you trust Holmes in ANYTHING but a mop up role 6 runs ahead? Can we rely on one pitch Hill in a big spot? They all should be rested, and it's all hands on deck. What about Cortez? Will he be able to provide long relief if a starter gets knocked around? This is the only area in which I get worried that there's a weakness. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have a solid bullpen but they've been worked a TON. If the games are close through 6 or 7 innings, look out for fireworks as the late innings settle in.
Again, just my ,02 and I'm glad I was wrong about this team.
Also, really good ABs from Volpe lately and Rizzo too. I think Cabrera should be first off the bench and should be the backup 1B as he has shown he can flat out play the position. We're lucky to have him as a utility guy.
To me the big X factor is Chisholm & Wells. Right now those 2 are a huge abyss in the order. If they can remotely start hitting, then the lineup becomes unstoppable.
Also, really good ABs from Volpe lately and Rizzo too. I think Cabrera should be first off the bench and should be the backup 1B as he has shown he can flat out play the position. We're lucky to have him as a utility guy.
To me the big X factor is Chisholm & Wells. Right now those 2 are a huge abyss in the order. If they can remotely start hitting, then the lineup becomes unstoppable.
I agree about Chisholm and Wells. The way I see it is if we get anything from them offensively it’s a bonus right now. There is enough O in the other 7 to get the job done. What we can’t have is those two taking their offensive struggles into the field with them. So far they haven’t, and they both just have to remain solid in the field.
Wells was huge defensively during the two AL series. He allowed the pitchers to throw whatever they wanted with confidence knowing he would keep everything from getting by him. Give me that same D in this WS and I’m good with anything he contributes on O.
It's a 14-year period. The team had a .566 winning percentage during that span, most in its league and second most overall. It never finished below .500. It had the second-most wins at home and on the road. No team had more comeback wins. Only one team scored more runs, and only one had a better run differential. Nobody hit more home runs, and it wasn't particularly close.
Of course, that's all regular-season stuff -- what about the playoffs? The answers aren't as glowing, but they are still impressive. Only three teams played more postseason games. Only five won more postseason games. Only two teams hit more homers.
These are all facts from the New York Yankees' pennant drought, the period from 2010 through 2023, which finally drew to a close Saturday night. The drought -- a descriptor some woebegone franchises would dispute -- ended thanks to one mighty swing by Juan Soto that punctuated one of his signature meat grinder at-bats. The Yankees are back, returned to the pedestal where their fans have a historical justification for feeling they belong: on top of the American League.
I know we all have high expectations, but the yanks were built to win over the past decade plus, sometimes you just chalk it up to a team that has (had) their number, Astros. It does feel like the addition of Soto has just completely changed that narrative since he gunned down that runner in Houston in April.
link - ( New Window )
The keys are
1) The Yankees starters holding the Dodgers at bay the first few innings. They can't let the Dodgers get out to early leads like they did in the NLCS.
2) The Yankees have to hit with RISP (one of Jazz, Wells, Judge at the very least has to show up).
3) Torres, Soto, and Stanton must remain hot. I can't see them winning if these guys don't do serious damage.
As soon as the ball leaves Stanton's bat, look at the guy in the front row with the red shirt and the Indians cap on: he's so disgusted that he gets up from his seat and starts heading for the aisle before the baseball even lands...
Buehler was really bad for a lot of the year. Flaherty hasn't pitched quite as well with the Dodgers as he had been with the Tigers. If Yamamoto can actually give them 80-100 pitches, I think he has the highest upside of the bunch right this moment.
Soto did not play in that game though
Only thing I can think of is that they don't want to 'waste' their best starter going against Cole.
Game 3 Clarke Schmidt versus Walker Buehler. This is not the Walker Buehler you remember--he has been ass cheeks this year. Then Game 4 a bullpen game for Dodgers versus Gil and maybe even some Nestor. We can win this series.
Hit 6 HRs in a span of 8 days in mid-September, which were all of the HRs he hit in the regular season.
Carrying a .341/.333/.477/.811 slash for this post-season. His OBP is lower than his BA because he hasn't walked in 47 plate appearances and has one sacrifice fly. Had a HR and a 2B in the final Game 6 vs the Mets.
Handling him will be a key.
I think Susan just said earlier that Nestor (me paraphrasing) stated if he throws his arm out and loses next year by going for it in this series it would be worth it.
All hands on deck. Fuck LA.
As soon as the ball leaves Stanton's bat, look at the guy in the front row with the red shirt and the Indians cap on: he's so disgusted that he gets up from his seat and starts heading for the aisle before the baseball even lands...
Amazing. I did something similar when a certain punter did a stupid thing to a certain return man back in 2010 against a certain team from Philly. I was in the concourse already during a good chunk of the collapse. Once I saw the punt heading right down the middle I turned, ran down the stairs and was on the ground floor outside by the time the play was over. Sometimes you just know.
Quote:
He'll pitch off a mound again today, the third time he's done so. If he looks and feels good, he'll likely be added to the pen, in place of Mayza I'd assume.
I think Susan just said earlier that Nestor (me paraphrasing) stated if he throws his arm out and loses next year by going for it in this series it would be worth it.
All hands on deck. Fuck LA.
Hope it doesn't come to that(UCL damage). But Nestor out of the pen would be pretty nice. Not sure if Mayza or Stroman would sit or if they go with 13 pitchers vs 12 in the ALCS. Nestor after Gil (or Schmidt) would be a different feel.