Yankees: Objects in Mirror are Closer then they Appear

[JohnT]

I also had no idea the Yanks team ERA is as high as it is: 4.72, 20th in the Majors.

[Stuie]

Originally posted by JohnT
Well, with 31 games left to play, my Bravos are sitting pretty with an 8.5 game lead, primed for another playoff exit.

As a Phillies fan, all I can say is "Watch out for the Marlins!"

They've got 32 games left, with 7 sure victories vs. that team from Philly. Throw in 7 games vs. the Expos and the Braves could be in trouble.

Then again, the Braves start this month playing 11 games against the Phils and Expos combined, so they could build a pretty insurmountable lead by the middle of the month.

[Stuie]

Oh, and "22-0"....

[pchang]

Unfortunately 22-0, still only counts as 1 game. More importantly, the Red Sox beat Anaheim. The lead is now down to 3.5.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Actually, we laughed at you when you said the division WAS over (months ago). And then we laughed again when you suddenly reversed course and stated with absolute certainty that the Sox will win (recently). And neither time did you "keep quiet."

you might be right ....


whats the difference between 22 - 0 and 1 - 0?



21 runs

sox on espn tonite - we can listen to joe morgan and jon miller - two yankee lovers.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Stuie


As a Phillies fan, all I can say is "Watch out for the Marlins!"

They've got 32 games left, with 7 sure victories vs. that team from Philly. Throw in 7 games vs. the Expos and the Braves could be in trouble.

Then again, the Braves start this month playing 11 games against the Phils and Expos combined, so they could build a pretty insurmountable lead by the middle of the month.

Tom Verducci begs to differ:

The September Comeback Myth

The Florida Marlins have a mathematical shot at the wild card, but if they are going to earn a chance to defend their World Series championship, they'll have to overcome history to get into the postseason.

While a four-game deficit in the wild card to start September doesn't sound like much, it's huge. Big September comebacks are a myth, at least in the wild-card era. No team in the history of the wild card (since 1995) has ever reached the playoffs after starting September more than 2 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.

What about the 1995 Mariners? Yes, they did make up a 7 1/2 game deficit on the Angels in the AL West, but Seattle actually started that September tied for the wild-card lead with Texas.

You have to go all the way back to the 1993 Braves to find a postseason team that came back from more than 2 1/2 games out of playoff spot in September. In the Last Great Race, Atlanta caught San Francisco that year after starting September 3 1/2 games behind the Giants in the pre-wild card NL West.

The standings don't change all that much in September. Of the 72 postseason teams in the wild-card era, 62 of them, or 86 percent, began September either n the lead or tied for a playoff spot. In the nine-year history of the wild card, only 10 clubs came back to make the playoffs, including three teams who made it last year (see chart, right). None of the 10 teams stayed hot enough to win the World Series. They are a combined 5-10 in postseason series.

Comeback Kids
Teams that overcame September deficits
Year Team Deficit Result
2003 Cubs 2.5 Lost NLCS
2003 Twins 1.5 Lost ALDS
2003 Red Sox 1.5 Lost ALCS
2002 Giants 1 Lost WS
2001 Cards 2 Lost NLDS
2000 A's 2 Lost ALDS
1998 Rangers 2.5 Lost ALDS
1997 Giants 2.5 Lost NLDS
1996 Cards 2.5 Lost NLCS
1995 Yankees 2 Lost ALDS

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/tom_verducci/08/31/yankees.starters/index.html?cnn=yes

(At bottom of article.)

[Arrian]

Originally posted by JohnT
I also had no idea the Yanks team ERA is as high as it is: 4.72, 20th in the Majors.

Is that before or after yesterday's game?

I'm surprised it's that LOW! I've watched most of the games this year, and let me tell you - this is the worst yankee pitching staff I've seen (I've been watching consistently since 1998) by a long shot. They're terrible. 4.72 doesn't even seem that bad... until you consider the excellence of Mariano and Gordon. Take them out and think about what's left!

Mussina is a shadow of his former self.
Brown beat up on Tampa Bay and has gotten smacked around by everyone else.
Vasquez looked ok for a while, but continues to serve up taters like a short order cook at a greasy spoon.
Lieber has a ~5 era, but I give him a pass due to his comeback from surgery. And at least he does what he does quickly.
Loiaza really needs his gotee back. Or some cowbell.
Tanyon Sturtze is... immortal, as noted earlier.

This brings me to the only competant starting pitcher currently employed by the Yankees: the reincarnation (or perhaps reanimation via necromancy) of El Duque, Orlando Hernandez. He's good for about 6 innings of solid pitching.

The Yankees need miracles to get them past the first round in the playoffs. At this point they need to start thinking about making sure they MAKE the playoffs. I think they will, but stranger things have happened.

-Arrian

[Lawrence of Arabia]

tanyon sturtze tried to choke gabe kapler - and got taken out by shillin, ortiz, and nixon. and its been all downhill since then.

[Imran Siddiqui]

And this year, he has taken a cast of no-names and cast-offs and fashioned a Majors leading 3.74 ERA (tied with St. Louis) with them.

What is also amazing is that St. Louis has that low of an ERA as well!! Talk about no names, the Cards got them as well (more like cast offs). Though that offense is something else, they jettisoned Drew and they don't miss a beat and even get better... yikes! They'll be tough to beat in the playoffs.

[Arrian]

As long as LaRussa doesn't overmanage them into defeat, yes they will be.

-Arrian

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Arrian
As long as LaRussa doesn't overmanage them into defeat, yes they will be.

-Arrian

Always a concern for StLouis sports fans. "Blessed" with both Tony LaRussa and Mike Martz.

[Vlad Antlerkov]

Sturtze sucked before that. And IMHO, the cause is more Varitek decking A-Rod than that.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by JohnT
I can't believe it either. In many ways, this is the most pleasing season the Braves have had since '91.

And yes, I agree about Mazzone: definite HoF material. His pitchers have won 6 Cy Youngs in an 8 year period with 3 different winners, but even more importantly, he has gotten amazing production out of the #3-#5 guys on the staff.

And this year, he has taken a cast of no-names and cast-offs and fashioned a Majors leading 3.74 ERA (tied with St. Louis) with them. Amazing.

I agree with you 100%.

The first half, or so, of the season was mediocre at best, but the team has seemd to gel since the All-Star game. This happened a lot in the early 90's if you remember.

Chipper has turned it on a little recently, as well

I expect another early post season exit, but I actually have hope of something more.

Probably because they weren't even supposed to be where they are right now.



ACK!

[Lawrence of Arabia]

LAR-EEEE

[Lawrence of Arabia]

btw, i heard that what varitek said to payrod to get him all ticked off was


"we dont throw at .260 hitters"