The Bitter Rivals Thread

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by YankeeMan
You'll have to excuse Ken -- 85 years of fustration has taken its toll.

Don't be silly, Ortiz hasn't even let a slow roller get past him yet. Perhaps some other time, but after the Yanks go on a 10-year romp, I guess we can let them get to the WS. This time, the Cubbies will win it!

Hey, Ken, 85 more years for you and all of yours!

[Joy]

Since the Blue Jays are out of it I hope, if the Red Sox don't win the World Series, they at least knock the New Yorkers out of it... That would be almost as good!

[Hammerin Hank]

Re: How Do You Motivate Millionaires?

Originally posted by KenFougere
The difference is... come June 15th Boston's intensity go's on vacation for the summer!

How did he know?

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by Joy
Since the Blue Jays are out of it I hope, if the Red Sox don't win the World Series, they at least knock the New Yorkers out of it... That would be almost as good!

Aack! This from a fan whose team posted ads of pigeon poop on your beloved NYY caps?!

Anyway, please enjoy 3rd place, since if you don't, then Baltimore surely would. To Baltimore fans, enjoy 4th place, or Tampa Bay would. To TB fans, enjoy last place.

To Ken: just as Julius Caesar had to beware the Ides of March, so should you with "Game 7". Don't forget, Game 6 can either be the happies moment (1975) or the heart-ripping one (Mookie & Buckner), but Game 7 will always do you in.

Now then, feel free to wave your red flags and eat your chowda. You'll never win.

Ahhhhhhh, that feels much better.

[yo2255]

the sox will win someday, and this is as good a year as any. the yanks are flawed, and so is the rest of the league. don't forget that the yankees did not win it last year, nor did they win it the year before. a couple years ago i said that getting rid of scott brosius, tino martinez, and paul oneill would hurt them in many ways. those guys could will the team to win. the current yanks have talent, but do they have enough guys like that? that being said, it is a flawed bunch of teams going to the playoffs, so its anyone's race. (including the red sox)

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by yo2255
the sox will win someday, and this is as good a year as any. the yanks are flawed, and so is the rest of the league. don't forget that the yankees did not win it last year, nor did they win it the year before. a couple years ago i said that getting rid of scott brosius, tino martinez, and paul oneill would hurt them in many ways. those guys could will the team to win. the current yanks have talent, but do they have enough guys like that? that being said, it is a flawed bunch of teams going to the playoffs, so its anyone's race. (including the red sox)

True, nobody like Paulie bust open the water coolers, Tino and Scottie to jack one out, nor Chuckie to get on base all the time, then steal tons.

Heck, last season, they were pancake-flat against Anaheim. They looked better facing Beantown. This year, I consider the best inspirer to be: Joe Torre. Just today, I heard him being asked about the "magic number", and he'd said something about not caring about this, that he was he was only worried about winning each game, letting the magic number take care of itself.

I'll deal w/that, since it sounds good. Yep, no June Swoon, as you guys are still winning, when 2 seasons ago, you guys looked like us the prior September when we barely managed to come out ahead (almost like 1978 in reverse).

Anyway, Larry Bird, when coaching his old stomping grounds by Indiana, said that he'd take each game one game at a time. That's what I'm liking, and people like Posada is stepping it up, having put on extra weight to begin the season, Soriano and Giambi are busting out of their slumps (and busting up a few balls, too), Jeter's still hitting (hey, tell Mueller and Manny to slow down, darn it!), and even Boone is starting to hit a few licks.

Yeah, we've still got holes, but how Andy's done, Roger, Moose, Boomer, Contreras, heck, even Mo Rivera's annual summer meltdown is over. Overall, I like the way this team's going.

Gentlemen, start your ENGINES!

[KenFougere]

The results of teams past, don't mean squawt...

Originally posted by Mattingly
To Ken: just as Julius Caesar had to beware the Ides of March, so should you with "Game 7". Don't forget, Game 6 can either be the happies moment (1975) or the heart-ripping one (Mookie & Buckner), but Game 7 will always do you in.

Now then, feel free to wave your red flags and eat your chowda. You'll never win.

Ahhhhhhh, that feels much better.

I am looking SO forward to the playoffs this year because when the Red Sox advance further than you New Yorkers, and I'm confident they will, I am going post copies of all your cocky statements, (and there's more than enough to fill a book) and post a couple of them every week in the Rivals Thread along side a picture of the morbid Yankee bench when they suddenly realize they've been eliminated
and they know George is waiting for them in the locker room !


You're not the team you were in past seasons
. . . but more importantly, niether are we!

[Sandman]

Posada's defense is as bad, or worse, than Piazza's. Look at how many swipe bases off of him each year.

[yo2255]

too bad pedro wont win the cy young this year because his shaky bullpen cost him too many wins. he has the league's best ERA and highest strikeout total. he is clearly the best pitcher. in a perfect world, he would win it. unfortunately, they will proably give it to halladay, with his 20 wins and 3 something ERA.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by yo2255
too bad pedro wont win the cy young this year because his shaky bullpen cost him too many wins. he has the league's best ERA and highest strikeout total. he is clearly the best pitcher. in a perfect world, he would win it. unfortunately, they will proably give it to halladay, with his 20 wins and 3 something ERA.

Halladay? What about Loaiza?

[yo2255]

esteban seems to be fading. but i suppose if he can get to 20 and keep that ERA under 3, he'll win it

[Mattingly]

Re: The results of teams past, don't mean squawt...

Originally posted by KenFougere

I am looking SO forward to the playoffs this year because when the Red Sox advance further than you New Yorkers, and I'm confident they will, I am going post copies of all your cocky statements, (and there's more than enough to fill a book) and post a couple of them every week in the Rivals Thread along side a picture of the morbid Yankee bench when they suddenly realize they've been eliminated
and they know George is waiting for them in the locker room !


You're not the team you were in past seasons
. . . but more importantly, niether are we!

Ken, make sure you post in the "wager'" thread, so that *when* your team falls flat, you won't be able to deny it.

Don't forget, you guys have never beaten the Yanks to advance in the postseason, and you won't this time either. In the meanwhile, I'll have to think of several things for you to wear this winter. I think we should make it *all* winter long if we meet in the ALCS. I'd also like VT and Biggerin to get in on the action also. You'll all be *properly attired*.

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by Sandman
Posada's defense is as bad, or worse, than Piazza's. Look at how many swipe bases off of him each year.

Yikes, I hadn't realized he was in 3rd place for the most SB allowed: 70.

Some of those were defensive indifference, but I'm sure every catcher's fan will say that. I see he leads in PBs also. Nothing I can say about that one.

At least offensively, he's good, and unfortunately, some of the speed demons have been running on him. OK, my 10,000th cheap excuse since I've been here. Now, would you like to hear #10,001?

[Sandman]

Which is why I'd say Piazza is the better all around Catcher of the two (because Pudge Rodriguez is the undisputed best all around catcher). Piazza may have more runners steal on him, but he always ranks among the lowest in PBs, and has lead the league in Fld % a couple of times and usually ranks at the top. I'm not taking away anything from the Yankees or Posada, and I'm not trying to over-rate Piazza and the Mets, but when Piazza is behind the plate, his pitchers do a lot better (Look at Al Leiter since Piazza's return).

[Mattingly]

Originally posted by Sandman
Which is why I'd say Piazza is the better all around Catcher of the two (because Pudge Rodriguez is the undisputed best all around catcher). Piazza may have more runners steal on him, but he always ranks among the lowest in PBs, and has lead the league in Fld % a couple of times and usually ranks at the top. I'm not taking away anything from the Yankees or Posada, and I'm not trying to over-rate Piazza and the Mets, but when Piazza is behind the plate, his pitchers do a lot better (Look at Al Leiter since Piazza's return).

I think that Leiter did pretty well today also.

What about Glavine, another vet? How come he's had so much trouble this season?

So who are the Mets pitchers you think have done well with Piazza? Both vets and newbies.

For Posada, I think the following have done well this season: Clemens, Moose, Pettitte, Contreras (except for the Boston game). BTW, Jeff Weaver's hopeless (almost).

From the pen, I'd also include Mo Rivera, Gabe White, Felix Heredia as doing nicely with Posada.

As to comparing the two, I'm not so sure. Posada is an OBP/walk machine who's done this quite a bit. He's missed his share of foul tips, but he's also thrown out a few. I'm not sure I could really compare the two. I remember that while Piazza does great at blocking the plate, popups seemed like an adventure, and Posada does get lots of those, including leaning into dugouts or the 1st row, and a few at the edge of the back screen.