Thursday, September 22, 2005

The Hunt for Red October

It's been a two month quest of scratching, clawing and fighting through every start. Now this morning finds my beloved New York Yankees alone at the top of the American League East standings. They haven't been the top dog since July 18th and it's been one helluva rollercoaster ride to this point. You can forget breaking out the Bacardi Breezers to celebrate this occasion since the lead is only a razor thin ½ game spread between first and 2nd place (damn, it feels so nice to type that) Boston. Just reveling in the notion that if the season ended today, the defending champs would miss the playoffs entirely is almost orgasmic.

When you take into consideration the frustrations of how maddening the 2005 campaign's been, how poorly they've played through excruciating stretches against the bottom feeders, how many bouts of acid reflux were induced due to the failed Felix Rodriguez/Scott Proctor/Alan Embree experiment in middle relief and how many key pieces of the puzzle have suffered injuries are all added up, it's simply amazing that this team is still in position to win their eighth consecutive division title. The magic number now stands at 11.

Beyond the team dynamics, the race for AL MVP is coming down the homestretch between two of the game's best sluggers who just happen to on either side of this battle royale. In this corner we have Boston's David Ortiz and in the other, New York's Alex Rodriguez. The edge in RBI's, HR's and an eye-opening 54-point differential for RISP are on Shrek's side while batting average, hits and a Gold Glove caliber year at third base work in A-Rod's favor. Do you reward a power hitter that causes migraines with one swing of the bat but only comes off the bench as a DH? Or crown the best, all-around player in the game who's in the upper echelon both offensively and defensively with the kind of fielding that's separates the cream from the rest of the crop?

So after all the stats, offseason maneuverings and a bitter end to the curse of the Bambino in the House that Ruth Built, here we are. The fiercest rivalry in sports kicked up another notch for what promises to be an exhilarating photo finish. Shades of 1978 all over again with the final showdown at Fenway Park. Will another unsung hero become this year's Bucky Dent reincarnated? It doesn't get any better than this.

Labels: baseball, New York Yankees

link | Shot from the lip by TriniPrincess at 11:48 AM |

 Felicite commented at 9/22/2005 06:08:00 PM~  

Yes our boys are back!!! They had us real worried earlier this season!

 Laylah Queen of the Night commented at 9/22/2005 09:53:00 PM~  

I used to work at Yankee Staduim as a teen selling hot dogs and man I used to get tips up the wazoo! Well, thats the only thing I dig about Baseball, lol...

 TriniPrincess commented at 9/23/2005 11:26:00 AM~  

*does the happy dance with Mealone* We won again last night! Magic number's now down to 9. *crossing fingers*

Laylah, I'm jealous...I would give my right arm just to clean the bleachers, LOL. Expensive as snacks are, I'm sure you made out like a bandit! =)

 ghettogeisha commented at 9/23/2005 12:20:00 PM~  

I know my husband and I may RIOT if "Big Papi" takes the MVP over Alex. Just the absurdity of awarding a "DH" the MVP. IT BETTER NOT HAPPEN, that's all I'm saying. I'm doing the happy dance with y'all, Yankees wins means a happy husband for me (wink, wink)

 TriniPrincess commented at 9/23/2005 12:56:00 PM~  

"Magic number's now down to 9."

^ The anxiety has me looking so crazy right now...it's actually still in the double digits, but down to 10. Hopefully a win against Toronto will make my typo a reality.

@ Will

((((big hugs))))) *handing you my box of Puffs Plus*...LOL
We're on the same wavelength on so many other things and knowing that you're a fellow fan of the Bombers is one more notch on the coolness scale. ;o)

@ ghettogeisha

I'll happily join you if the voters have a brain fart and give the award to Shrek instead of A-Rod. It's easy to pad your stats when you don't have the play the damn field! The wait for a regular season MVP from the Yanks has been a LONG 20-year wait already. LOL @ the happy husband...I know that's right!

Let's Go Yankees!!!!!!

 Rell commented at 9/27/2005 04:36:00 PM~  

A Rod win the MVP. I'm not a Yankees fan at all (being from the South we're all bred as Braves fans) but people never give him credit.

Not only is he a gold-glover at a position he's only been at for 2 years -- but he also is just a good a hitter as Ortiz, who doesn't play a position.

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