To whom it may concern: I am very depressed. Okay, well, maybe depressed isn't the right word. Perhaps chagrined, disgruntled or disappointed would be more accurate. Actually, no?I think depressed functions best?at least from the perspective of an ardent Yankees fan.
As you all probably know by now, the Evil Empire made its (what has now become) annual flop in the postseason on Monday, falling to an upstart Cleveland Indians squad in four games to exit the postseason in round one for the third consecutive year.
But it wasn't the fact that New York hasn't won a title since 2000 that got me down, nor another poor performance by Scott Boras's prime puppet and future $30 million-per-season-man, Alex Rodriguez (four for 15 with one RBI; might actually go down as his best postseason with the Yanks to date believe it or not); it was that manager Joe Torre had all but managed his final game in pinstripes.
After a heartbreaking Game Two loss that saw an influx of gnats prove to be Yankee reliever Joba Chamberlain's toughest opposition yet, tyrannical owner George Steinbrenner issued a statement saying, in a nutshell, that if New York failed to win the series, Torre would in all likelihood be canned faster than you can say Isiah Thomas.
And when longtime catcher Jorge Posada struck out swinging on a Joe Borowski curveball Monday night for the final out, that was it: Joe Torre was going to be fired.
Ever since I can remember, Torre has been New York's manager?my manager.
I don't know any differently. This is the same guy that brought New York four championships in five years.
If he leaves, then it's highly probable that (potential) free agents and long-time constituents Posada, Mariano Rivera, Roger Clemens (even though he's older than sin), Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, and of course, A-Rod might decide to leave as well?just think of those ramifications.
But right now, it's Friday, and there has still been no word of Torre's dismissal.
Now I'm not saying that I am against his going, because in all honesty, he is annually supplied with all the weapons he needs to win a title, but hasn't harnessed them very well since 2004. But on the other hand, I'm certainly not calling for his head either, for if he does in fact go, a part of me will go with him.
And inevitably, the New York Yankees that we all knew so well will cease to exist.
But enough with all this sappiness, there's still baseball to be played! So without further ado, I give you the League Championship Series previews:
NLCS: Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Anyone who predicted this at the beginning of the season can have the rest of my Polar Points. In what could (I should say will) go down as the most random match-up in NLCS history featuring a pair of 2006 bottom dwellers, both NL West foes will duke it out for bragging rights, a trip to the World Series, and the better postseason slogan: Rock-tober vs. Back-tober.
Clearly both clubs are well aware that there's only one OCTOBER! Thanks, Dane Cook.
Before I lay it all down here, let me just try to express how overjoyed I am with this series.
This is tremendous for the culture of baseball: for the first time since 2002, there is a team from the "forgotten" NL West playing in the NLCS, but more importantly, for the first time in league history, there are two teams from the NL West playing each other for a trip to the Fall Classic.
Arizona had the best record in the National League this year at 90-72, winning its first division title since the days of Randy and Curt in 2002.
How, you might ask, did they do it? I have no idea. The D-Backs are built on speed (Eric Byrnes), youthful exuberance (Chris Young) and Cy Young favorite Brandon Webb?that's really it.
On the other side you have the Rockies, who, after sweeping the Phillies in the first round in their first postseason appearance since 1995, have won 17 of their last 18 games led by solid pitching, and the relentless bats of MVP-hopeful Matt Holliday, New York Met calamity Kaz Matsui, and Peyton Manning's former collegiate backup Todd Helton.
Colorado also won the head-to-head match-up during the regular season with a 10-8 record. Oh yeah, did I mention Webb went 1-3 in those games? John Denver doesn't have to tell you twice. It's Rocky Mountain High, Colorado.
Rockies in 5.
ALCS: Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox
It's the return of FOX! No longer will we be forced to listen to Chip Caray regale us with his knowledge of Yankee "homegrown talent" like Kei Igawa (Japan is apparently New York's new Double-A affiliate?who knew?) on TBS, with the imminent reemergence of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on the top baseball network.
Even though I will miss those priceless ads for FrankTV, the velvet-mixed-with-peanut-butter voice of Buck juxtaposed with the expert analysis of McCarver will more than compensate for my loss.
Now onto the series: sure the Sox won the season series 5-2, but don't count out the Tribe who just made mincemeat of a dangerous New York squad.
Let me make the unpredictability of this series more clear: Game One features a 20-game winner and Cy Young contender against a 19-game winner and Cy Young contender.
Game Two features a three-time Cy Young runner-up and former World Series MVP against another 19-game winner and Cy Young contender.
Game Three features a future Cy Young contender (in his first year up from New York's Double-A affiliate) versus Jake Westbrook.
And Game Four features another?albeit a dark house?Cy Young contender against a Yankee killer?whether or not you can name everyone not named Jake in this sequence is a toss-up.
Regardless, both teams are extremely hot coming into the series, and both had identical records at season's end. Both teams have relatively new managers and a giant green wall in left field.
But the Red Sox currently have two-thirds of the Indians' past outfield, while Cleveland has just one-third of Boston's past outfield.
This may be enough to offset the balance and be the determining factor in this series (if that makes ANY sense at all; hey, I needed something here).
Although I picked the Indians to win it all at the beginning of the season, and if they somehow beat Boston it would be the sweetest thing since last year's AFC Championship game, there's really no stopping the Sox. Thanks again for the memories, though, TBS.
Red Sox in 7.