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David Schoenfield thinks that the 2009 Yankees were the 10th best Yankees champoinship team ever. And, Dayn Perry agrees with that slotting.

Where would you place the 2009 Yankees, all-time, compared to all other Bronx Bomber ring teams?

Many Yankees fans happen to know someone who was at Game Six of the 2009 World Series. In fact, maybe it was themselves? But, many others don’t know someone who was there – and perhaps have missed out on a chance to get a first-hand account of what it was like to be there.

While I did not get to attend the game, I do know someone who was there – Keith Uklist – and here’s his story of what it was like to be there on that magic night.

My thanks to Keith for his willingness to put this into words and for allowing me to share it with you all. It’s a great read.

Being a lifetime Yankee fan, my expectations were as high as my anxiety level as I headed out of work in Downtown Manhattan to meet my friend and head up to the Bronx for Game Six. We left extra early because we wanted to get to the Stadium and have a pre-game dinner at the Stadium’s upscale steakhouse NYY Steak.

The subway ride was typical New York…crowded 4 train the whole way but mostly normal commuters…not a lot of fans at 4 p.m. We arrived around 4:45 to find a moderate crowd waiting for the gates to open.

NYY Steak is usually a first-come-first-served facility but apparently for the World Series it becomes reservation only. My friend and I tried to finagle our way in past security only to be turned away and told to go through the now open Gate 6. At least I got to meet Kurt Russell who was completely decked out in Yankee garb…very cool.

By the time we got up to the restaurant there was already a wait-list of about 10 people to get one of the five bar tables that are left open for walk-ins. Need less to say, and despite the hostess’ prediction of a 45 minute wait, it did not look good. The bar itself was already packed and four deep as we decided to try to wait it out. After an excruciating 90 minute wait, I was finally able to convince the bar table waitress that it would be worth her while to get us a table by promising to spend an ungodly amount of money accompanied by a tremendous tip. We had a table within 10 minutes…

Even in the restaurant the scene was electric…visiting dignitaries as Paul O’Neill (really nice guy) and Entourage’s Jeremy Piven (not so nice) added to the eclectic mix of Wall Streeters and construction workers. People of all walks were showing up in droves to unite in solidarity at an outrageously steep price (both for dinner and seats).
Dinner was fantastic…both for the food and the company…but enough about that.

We arrived at our seats to find one occupied (of course) but the gentleman vacated without incident. As the pitches started flying from Andy Pettitte’s battle-proven hand the tension was reaching a fever-pitch. Started off well enough with Rollins grounding out to Jeter…but when Victorino got on with an infield single the crowd was noticeably hushed. Not for long…Utley’s infield shot to Cano led to a tremendous double play that sent the entire stadium into a frenzy.

I have to admit that around this point I had turned to my friend to comment on next year’s prospects, espousing that I believed that the Yankees could not keep both Damon and Matsui, and based on the post-season play so far that I would have to go with Damon and they should let Matty get away. Uh, ok…let’s see how that plays out…

I’ll skip the play-by play for the rest of the first…Jeter, Damon and Tex sat down pretty quickly and it looked like Pedro could possibly cash those checks his ego had written.

With the exception of a walk and advance on a wild pitch, Pettitte retired the side and Pedro took the mound. A-Rod walks…and Matsui steps up and slams one to right…2 RBIs. The stadium EXPLODES! Do you think he heard what I said last inning? If that’s his response, you can thank me later.

High fives all around…hugs and kissing babies…unbelievable how much Yankee fans can appreciate each other…especially at moments like this. Everyone is in ecstasy…Matsui chants are reverberating through the stands…Godzilla fills the big screen. Takes a little while for everyone to calm down and by that point Posada strikes out, Cano lines out and Swisher flies out…2-0 Yanks. Good start.

Pettitte’s back and allows Ruiz to score on a sac fly by Rollins…here we go again…but hope springs eternal. 2-1 Yanks.

Pedro…Gardner strikes out…Jeter singles, Damon walks, Tex hit by pitch…A –Rod takes the plate and…strikes out looking! What?!?! Fans get a little incredulous…fickle-much?

Here comes Matsui again…singles to center and both Jeter and Damon score…

Massive eruption from the stands! The bleachers are literally writhing! It looks like a Chinese New Year’s dragon…undulating with exuberance…waves of bliss visibly emanating like heat off of a desert highway.

Posada flies out to left…great…4-1 Yanks.

Damon pulls a calf muscle (Really? Seriously?) and Hairston takes his place in left.

Utley strikes out, Howard lines out , Werth walks and moves to second on a passed ball by Posada (can you tell I’m not a fan?). Ibanez walks and Feliz grounds out to third. Pettitte is doing a great job for an old guy and the crowd is showing their appreciation. Chants of An-dy Pett-itte are loud enough for people watching in Brooklyn can hear them.

Cano, Swisher, Gardner…sit back down but by this point the fans can smell victory…and no one is sitting down.

Top of the 5th…Francisco strikes out…Ruiz walks and Rollins hit into another outstanding double play. Can you say road kill?

Pedro leaves, apparently the paternity suit has been decided…Durbin comes in to pitch and Jeter abruptly sends the ball to center field for a double. Hairston lays down a beautiful bunt that sends the Yanks captain to third and up steps Teixeira who singles bringing Jeter home. A-Rod walks, again, moving Tex to center and Durbin is gone, replaced by Happ. Hideki takes the box and slams a double to center scoring both Tex and Rodriguez. Gotta love the Phils’ bullpen, always good for a few add-on runs.

Posada and Cano strike out swinging…seriously…can I step in and play for either one of them?

7-1 Yanks…no one is quiet and no one is sitting down….I would be surprised in the city of Philadelphia has not spontaneously combusted by now from the massive amounts of psychic energy being generated by Bomber fans in the Bronx. Can someone call Geno’s or Tony Luke’s and see if the ceiling has collapsed?

But fear not Fanatics…we do like to keep things interesting. Pettitte, still pitching a fantastic game, forces Victorino to ground out to short. Utley walks and is brought in by a crushing left-field, first-pitch homer by Howard. Whoops! A pitcher’s mound conference commences and everyone thinks Andy is done but Skip shows faith and it pays off with a next batter strike out. Werth sits down and the crowd is showing massive amounts of love for Andy. Even after Ibanez doubles to right…the crowd is cradling the veteran hurler in their ample bosom. As he walks off, with a tip of his hat, and is replaced by Joba Chamberlain, the fans give him a standing ovation and extra-long chorus of An-dy Pett-itte…

Joba closes out the top of the inning and we move on…

A few more pitching changes for Philly (six in all, I think???) and Marte replaces Joba in the seventh. No more runs come in for either side but that in no way diminishes the electricity in the air and the jubilation in all of our hearts. The Stadium is still rocking and no one is leaving (except for the four guys sitting in front of us…are you kidding me???).

When the familiar strains of Enter Sandman hit the air in the top of the eighth with two outs left…the atmosphere explodes! I read today that the three astronauts on the International Space Station all turned to each other at the same time and exclaimed (“Did you hear that? Rivera must be taking the mound!”)

Mo finished the inning with a Werth strike-out and Feliz pop-up to Posada.

Uneventful bottom of the inning did not quell the excitement in the least and by the time Matt Stairs wobbles up to the plate (nice of him to take a break from the pro-bowling tour to join us…I mean, seriously I’ve seen golfers in better shape than this guy! He’s a pro-athlete?!?) you cannot hear yourself think. Although it wouldn’t matter…everyone was thinking the same thing anyway…three more outs to go!

Stairs lines out…Ruiz walks…Rollins flies out and Ruiz takes second…Victorino steps up and fights hard to stay alive…so many foul tips…it was hilarious to watch everyone try to catch the last pitch of the season on their cameras…having to delete the previous shot after each swing. Finally Vic grounds out to Cano and the Bronx is burning once again. As the players rush the mound the fans begin hugging and high-fives…

The crew immediately starts to build the podium for the trophy presentation off of second base and the Yanks, led by a flag-waving Chamberlain round the warning track high-fiving fans and rejoicing with each other. The first of a seemingly endless string of Sinatra’s New York, New York begins to play and it is literally impossible not to sing along (for the first 6 times anyway). The trophy is presented to Hank Steinbrenner…and then comes Girardi, Pettitte and a few more players to thank the fans. Very classy. The MVP was presented to Matsui and through his translator he expresses his love and admiration for his teammates and the fans and is understandably a bit cryptic in his response to queries about his future with the organization. The fans show him a tremendous amount of love and support. Walking out of the stadium for the last time this season was surreal…a surging crowd of crazed fans all showing love for each other as much as for their team. Dancing in the streets, cheap $10 knock-off t-shirts and half-naked guys with bloated beer-bellies…high-fives all around. Gotta love New York.

It continues all the way back down to Times Square…walking to port Authority to get the car getting random high-fives, cat-calls and back-slaps from people on each corner.

And so the season ends and the celebration begins…next stop the parade. Luckily I can watch from my office on the 2nd floor in our building on Broadway.

One thing I do have to say is that I was summarily impressed with the amount of respect shown by Yankee fans throughout the game, and entire series for that matter.

Not once during the entire day did I hear any disparaging comments made to any of the Phillies’ fan in attendance. I truly believe that Yankee fans are the epitome of class. We love our team and show support without needing to denigrate anyone else. The fans and players were gracious and magnanimous in victory just as we would have been in defeat and I am proud to count myself as one of their number.

One of the best things about watching your team win the World Series is enjoying the OFFICIAL DVD & BLU-RAY™ that MLB releases after the post-season.

Here’s what I know, so far, about this year’s edition:

Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory are bringing baseball fans the ultimate insider’s look at the New York Yankees’ quest to win this year’s World Series title during the thrilling 6-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The official 2009 World Series Film: Yankees vs. Phillies, available nationwide on DVD on November 24, 2009, and on Blu-ray™ in high definition on December 15, 2009, gives fans the opportunity to re-live the long awaited record 27th World Series title in Yankees history and the team’s first in nearly a decade.

The collectible 2009 World Series Film provides extensive coverage of this year’s Fall Classic and will be sold at the official team store of the New York Yankees, online at MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, and at retailers nationwide. The collectible DVD has the suggested retail price of $19.99 and the Blu-ray™ is priced at $29.99.

Through Major League Baseball Productions’ unparalleled access to the entire World Series experience, the official “2009 World Series Film” is loaded with adrenaline-filled feature-length program presentation, incisive bonus features, and pristine hi-def video and audio on Blu-ray™ with 5.1 surround sound on DVD, as well as highlights from the American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series, American League Division Series, National League Division Series, the official World Series and extensive bonus content.

19 days and counting! Once I have seen it, I’ll share a review.

So, I had a very busy day at work today – since I was on vacation for the first three days of the week. No chance to get out during the day, at all. Further, I had a work-related function after work – which did not end until about 9:30 pm ET.

Much to my surprise, when I finally got near home, I saw that my local Modell’s was still open. So, I parked and jumped out of the car…and saw that they were closing in 45 minutes at 11 pm. Oh, joy – figuring I caught a break…but…no…

They had nothing left in the store. Zip. Zero. Nada. All the World Championship gear was gone except for maybe six hats and a handful of T-Shirts in sizes like XXXL.

Wow. That was fast.

They said that they’d be getting more in…and, I hope so, because, sans a few size 5 and 7 T-shirts that I was able to get for my kids, right now, I got…shutout. Goose-egg. White-washed. Oh, how, sad…

Then again, at least I was able to get something for the kids.

While I did say that I was going to lay off the keyboard for a bit and enjoy the win for a while, my buddy Chris just sent me some pictures from last night – that I thought you might enjoy as well. So, “I’m back!” albeit for just a quick one.

Chris was hanging out at Stan’s and outside the Stadium last night during the game. (Now, that’s a Yankees fan! I say this because he doesn’t live anywhere near the Stadium and had to hike to get there – just to hang out at a bar near the ballpark on the night of the big game.) Here are the pictures…

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God, it feels like I’ve been waiting 29 days to exhale.

And…man…it feels great to breathe again!

I’m so happy to see two of my favorite Yankees, Andy Pettitte and Hideki Matsui, have big contributions towards this wonderful win. And, if this has to be Godzilla’s last game as a member of the Yankees, there’s no better high note to exit on…

The 2009 New York Yankees are the World Champions of Major League Baseball!

Hey, give the Philadelphia Phillies some credit. They were the defending champs. They made it back to the World Series this year. And, they pushed it to Game Six before checking out. In the end, they will lament Game Four. But, on the whole, the Phillies did not embarrass themselves in this Fall Classic.

And, now, I’m just going to shut up and allow “the sound of the crowd” to tell the story.

Yankeeland, the comments section of this entry is all yours to enjoy. Go for it, rejoice, and, when you’re done, celebrate a little more. There’s no such as having too much fun – as long as it’s in good taste – after your team has just won a World Championship.

I’m going to take the next 48 hours, or so, off in order to kick back, let this all permeate, and smile a whole helluva lot in the process.

But, before I go, here’s Frank. Play him loud. Play him often. For, in Yankeeland, there’s no better soundtrack to get a ring party started right…

Headline says it all…

…anyone that wants a place to rant, feel free to do it here.

-Posted by MJ

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The eighteen times in Major League history where a team was down 3-2 in the World Series and they have come back to win it all:

Year Team      Opp.
2002 Angels    Giants
2001 D-backs   Yankees
1991 Twins     Braves
1987 Twins     Cardinals
1986 Mets      Red Sox
1985 Royals    Cardinals
1982 Cardinals Brewers
1979 Pirates   Orioles
1973 A's       Mets
1968 Tigers    Cardinals
1958 Yankees   Braves
1952 Yankees   Dodgers
1946 Cardinals Red Sox
1940 Reds      Tigers
1934 Cardinals Tigers
1926 Cardinals Yankees
1925 Pirates   Senators
1924 Senators  Giants

There have been only six times where a team won Games 6 and Game 7 on the road for the title: 1926 Cardinals over Yankees, 1934 Cardinals over Tigers, 1952 Yankees over Dodgers, 1958 Yankees over Braves, 1968 Tigers over Cardinals and the 1979 Pirates over Orioles.

Hopefully, today, the Yankees will stop the Phillies from making these lists of nineteen and seven.

Via MTV with a H/T to BBTF -

The New York Yankees are nine innings away from winning the World Series. If everything goes according to the Yanks’ plan on Wednesday night (November 4), Mariano Rivera will take the mound for the final handful of outs, leading the team to its first championship since 2000 and further cementing his reputation as the greatest closer in baseball history.

Rivera will have an unlikely fan pulling for him, one who’s become a pop superstar with a record-breaking four #1 singles off her debut album but who continues to see something of herself in the future Hall of Famer: New Yorker Lady Gaga. She’s a lifelong fan whose family bleeds Yankee pinstripes. As she told MTV News, Gaga believes her approach to pumping out hit song after hit song and outrageous performance after outrageous performance is not unlike Rivera’s approach to closing out a tight game.

“I’ve actually been making a lot of Yankee analogies in my interviews lately because I get asked, ‘Do you feel pressure? How do you feel when someone says this? Or do you feel like you have to top yourself?’ ” she explained. “I say I do feel like I have to top myself. But I feel like I’m Rivera. I’m a closer.”

Is it time for Mariano to ditch his usual entrance music, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” and rush onto the field under the blaring electropop of “Poker Face”?

I believe we’ve found Ronan Tynan’s replacement…

Are you like me, walking around like a zombie, with your head in a fog, waiting for Game Six of the World Series to begin? Here’s something, in case you need a laugh to settle your nerves, before tonight’s game…

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Via Ed Price -

Hideki Matsui couldn’t be a big part of the Yankees offense the past three World Series games because there was no DH for the games in Philadelphia.

As for Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira, what’s their excuse?

Actually, Teixeira was glad to offer up an excuse.

“Unfortunately, during these playoffs, it’s been tough to get into a rhythm,” Teixeira (hitting .172 in the postseason) said Tuesday before the Yankees worked out. “When you’re in a rhythm during the season, you’re going to fail seven out of 10 times. When you’re not in a rhythm, you’re going to fail a lot more than that. And unfortunately for me, that’s kind of been the case right now.”

Oh, so it’s all those off days in the postseason schedule. Even though the Yankees played five of the past six days.

Funny, Derek Jeter, Jayson Werth and Chase Utley don’t seem bothered.

“I’m not going to make any excuses, because everyone’s got to deal with it,” Teixeira went on, before returning to his excuse. “But it hasn’t been easy. It definitely hasn’t been easy.

“You have more time so you watch more tape, you take more batting practice. Maybe that works against you, I don’t know. Maybe during the season when you’re a little tired, when you just kind of just go out there and play the game because you’ve played 20 games in a row, your natural ability just takes over.”

So, of course, Teixeira was the first one in the indoor batting cage Tuesday and, according to hitting coach Kevin Long, took even more swings than he has lately.

And then, there’s that darn postseason schedule again.

“I don’t make excuses, I’m not going to make excuses, because everyone has to deal with it,” Teixeira said. “But being a switch-hitter, being a guy that kind of lives off hot streaks, lives off rhythm, it doesn’t help.

“Over a 162-game schedule, the approach that I’ve had my entire career has always worked. When you play a game here, a day off, two games, day off, four days off — sometimes that approach doesn’t work.”

Cano has definitely been chasing, and he admitted it.

“I feel I was a little off,” he said. “I was trying to hit everything way out front, not waiting. I feel much better right now.”

Cano did hit the ball hard a couple of times in Game 5, including a single to center.

Of course, the message from Yankees fans, now, to Tex and Cano is…just do it.

Via Wallace Matthews -

Because if the Yankees don’t win Wednesday night with Andy Pettitte, 37 years old and just three days removed from a start in which he said he “felt terrible” and if they then don’t win on Thursday, with CC Sabathia being asked to pitch on short rest for the third time in two weeks, the questions will only have begun.

And when they do, it won’t only be sportswriters asking them.

The Yankees may still survive Girardi’s Gambit, his reckless decision to try to win four World Series games with only three starting pitchers. Then, and only then, will Girardi truly be able to eliminate “that question.”

If they don’t, he will be answering “that question” and a lot more for a long time, the rest of the winter at least, and maybe for the rest of his managerial career.

For better or worse, Girardi’s Gambit will forever be remembered as the defining moment of the 2009 World Series, the decision that either brought the Yankees their 27th World Championship, or ensured their third straight World Series failure.

And if the Phillies go on to rally behind Pedro Martinez on Wednesday night and whatever they cobble together for Game 7, it will be remembered as more than that.

It will have been the turning point.

There was some desperation in Girardi’s decision, to be sure.

Between the season-ending injury to Chien-Ming Wang, the failure of Joba Chamberlain to develop as a starter despite all the Yankees’ carefully laid plans, the inability of anyone else Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, Phil Hughes to decisively grab the fourth starter role and the trading deadline paralysis of GM Brian Cashman, who apparently decided the Yankees could get by on what they had, Girardi was left with pretty much no other choice.

There was also some hubris, an arrogant assumption not exactly alien to this franchise that somehow they did not have to conduct business the way mere mortals did let the Phillies take a chance starting a Joe Blanton in the World Series, the New York Yankees don’t mess around with guys like that and that their players were not subject to the normal frailties inherent to the human body.

After coddling their pitchers all season long, carefully monitoring pitch counts, rest days and throw days, the Yankees have now decided that pitching on three days’ rest is no different from pitching on four days’ rest, a laughable assertion coming from the organization that devised the Joba Rules.

Plus, throw in a healthy dollop of stubbornness. The more Girardi has been asked about his decision, the deeper he seems to entrench himself in the process of proving himself right.

And now, the only way he can do that is by winning the World Series, something that seemed like a sure thing on Sunday but a very iffy thing now.

Some very interesting questions, at least for me, come out of this whole issue:

• Is it Joe Girardi’s fault for riding three starting pitchers this post-season, or, is it Brian Cashman’s fault for not giving Girardi a 4th starting pitcher that he can trust?
• Is it Girardi’s fault that Chad Gaudin sat since season end and therefore was not an option to start Gave Five of this World Series, or, is it Cashman’s fault for acquiring a starting pitcher, Gaudin, so questionable, that Girardi had no choice but to not have him work during this post-season?
• And, of course, is it Girardi’s fault that Chamberlain and Hughes were handled they way they were, and therefore were not reliable starting pitcher options this whole year, both regular- and post-season, or, is it Cashman’s fault for not having a better option at backing them up besides Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin?

Sure, the injury to Chien-Ming Wang was the reason all this came up – and neither Girardi or Cashman can be blamed for that. However, things happen, and, then, it’s up to the team to have a “Plan B” to address that situation. And, the Yankees “Plan B” to replace Wang was Hughes, Mitre, Gaudin, etc. – and none of those worked out in the starting rotation.

And, that “Plan B” failure has now carried over to the post-season – forcing Girardi to go with only three starting pitchers.

When this is said and done, if the Yankees lose, many will want to pin this on Joe Girardi. But, is that correct? Or, should Cashman get his share of the blame here too?

Via the Post – five days ago:

And now it turns out Pedro Martinez not only has rabbit ears, admonishing a first-row fan last night at one point for using foul language around his daughter, but also remembers more than elephants.

As we learned at Wednesday’s press conference, the self-described “most influential player” at Yankee Stadium has, in his old age, become almost as adept at holding runners as holding a grudge.

“One of your colleagues [once] had me in the papers with red horns and a tail, a sign of the devil,” said Martinez. “I’m a Christian man, I don’t like those things.

“Those are things that sometimes influence people to believe you are a bad person, like an ogre.”

Well, Petey, the Post didn’t give you horns in today’s edition, but….

You know…maybe this is just the nervous Yankees fan in me…but…maybe it’s not a great idea to give Martinez some extra motivation today? Yeah…sure…I know…he should be motivated enough considering the situation with this game…and he probably is…I just don’t think it’s a great idea to give him any more motivation…

Some Yanks insiders have concern over the team’s “sort rest” plan in this World Series. Via Jon Heyman with a h/t to WW reader “ken” -

Longtime Yankees postseason star Andy Pettitte told several teammates he had absolutely “nothing” after hanging in six innings to win Game 3, and now he is being entrusted to summon something better with only three days’ rest in Game 6 Wednesday. Pettitte is the all-time winner in postseason play with 17 victories, but if a younger A.J. Burnett lost so much in the three days from Game 2 to 5, there is wonder even within the Yankees clubhouse about how this will all work out.

Pettitte won more respect from teammates for hanging tough in a game where he not only didn’t have his best stuff but by his own private accounts to longtime friends actually had zero. Zip. Nada.

Three Yankees teammates recounted how Pettitte told the team he took “nothing” (his word of choice) out to the mound for Game 3. But even beyond his self assessment, the plan for short rest for the Yankees’ three vaunted starting pitchers was always seen as by far the most worrisome in the case of Pettitte, who at 37 is five years Burnett’s senior. Plus, Pettitte is 5-7 lifetime on three days’ rest (compared to Burnett’s 4-0 mark going into his Game 5 disaster), and Pettitte hasn’t done it once since he was a youngster of 34.

“Andy will be ready to go. He’s a competitor,” Cashman said after Burnett’s Game 5 debacle, when Girardi was still officially leaving the door slightly ajar to turn elsewhere. “All these guys wanted to take the ball. Andy’s looking forward to it.”

That’s somewhat reassuring. Yet, one person in the Yankee hierarchy said, “The only thing that worries me (about Games 6 and 7) is that both (Pettitte and Game 7 starter CC Sabathia) are going on three days’ rest.” So even within the inner circle of the storied franchise, there is still a smidgen of unrest about the lack of rest.

Here’s the thing with Andy Pettitte – look at this pitch counts since 9/21/09:

9/21: 91 pitches
9/27: 97 pitches
10/3: 95 pitches
10/11: 81 pitches
10/19: 95 pitches
10/25: 99 pitches
10/31: 104 pitches

So, if Pettitte is only good for, on average, 95 pitches when throwing on normal or extended rest, how many pitches will be be good for on three-days rest? Say, maybe, 85 pitches? Is that going to be enough for the Yankees in Game Six? Time will tell…

I know that Nick Swisher, to date, has ALDS/ALCS/WS batting averages of .083/.150/.167 this post-season. And, Robbie Cano’s mark is .167/.261/.167, to date. Also, Mark Teixeira’s line is .167/.222/.105 through Game 5 of the World Series. But, has any Yankee “choked” this off-season as much as A.J. Burnett?

Yeah, there’s Phil Hughes…facing 33 batters so far this post-season and allowing 15 of them to reach base…

And, true, Burnett had an effective start in the ALDS and a very good start in Game Two of this World Series…

But, look at Game Five in both the ALCS and the World Series this year. Both times, the Yankees were up, three games to one, with a chance to finish off the series with A.J. Burnett on the hill.

What happened? In Game Five of the ALCS, Burnett allowed four runs in the first inning. And, in Game Five of the World Series, Burnett allowed six runs before he could retire his seventh batter.

Talk about being in the spotlight and just melting…

Burnett may be a great teammate and all that; but, when it comes to being in a big spot, I don’t feel comfortable with him on the mound…based on these two Game Five situations…do you?

Demand is up for Yankees World Series tickets. Via Neil Best -

The Yankees have won the World Series at home only three times in the past half century – and never, of course, at the new Yankee Stadium.

So it is no surprise that fans eager to witness history have been driving up the price of tickets to Game 6 since it became clear the Phillies would win Monday and force the teams to return to the Bronx.

Until Monday, the average sales price for Game 6 on StubHub.com was $814. The average for tickets sold yesterday was $1,044 as of late morning.

Other sites saw comparable price rises. The game was on its way to beating Game 2 as the highest-grossing event in StubHub history.

Might prices fall as game time approaches Wednesday night? Not necessarily. That did happen for Game 1, on a misty night. For Game 2, prices rose on game day.

Just imagine if there’s a Game Seven. The last time the Yankees played a Game Seven in the World Series at home? October 10, 1957. Needless to say, that was not a good day.

The last time the Yankees played a Game Seven in the World Series at home where New York won the game? October 6, 1947. Yeah, nineteen-forty-seven.

Whoooa, that was a looooong time agooooo….eh?

Yup, where’s the craziest place for a Yankees fan to go following Game Five of the 2009 World Series? Well, if the Philadelphia Zoo isn’t the top answer, it’s got to be in the team picture.

And, that’s where my family was today. By the way, it’s a very nice zoo. This was our second time there – and first time since we’ve had kids.

I saw many, many, people there with Phillies gear on today. Really, I would say that 25% of the people attending – at least the ones I saw – had something Phillies related on today…like a cap, or a shirt, etc.

I wonder if the Bronx Zoo had a ton of people visiting today wearing Yankees gear? Then again, Philly is a one-baseball-team town…so, basically, if you live in the area, you’re rooting for the Phillies.

This whole thing got me to thinking about something Ozzie Guillen said, on the FOX pre-game, before Game Three of this World Series. The Chisox skipper said that, during Game Two, in New York, he snuck down to one of the Yankees gift shops during the 3rd inning to get some stuff for his kids – thinking that was a great time to get in there, with the game going on, and quickly get out. But, much to his surprise, he said the store was packed and he thought he was in a “shopping mall.”

Think about that…and then think about how loud the Phillies fans were in Games Three, Four and Five of this World Series at Citizens Bank Park. Seems like the Philadelphia Zoo, in their new park, has a louder (and more “into it”) crowd than the Bronz Zoo, in their new park.

Then again, there is a theory that Game One of the World Series is the “corporate crowd.” And, for this Series, it was cold for Game Two (in New York). And, that’s why the Stadium was somewhat quiet…at least Mike Francesa suggested this theory…and I’m sure he’s not alone in having it.

It will be interesting to see the Yankee Stadium crowd, and their intensity, etc., for Game Six tomorrow. Hey, it’s going to be cold. But, it was cold for many an October game in the old place and it rocked. So, really, that’s no excuse. Time will tell…

Here’s one requested by WasWatching.com reader Left Coast Mike…

Please consider taking the following poll:

Thanks in advance. And, please feel free to add comments on your opinion in the comments section below.

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Did you know that, since 1996, there have been just five “Game Six” situations played in the World Series – and the Yankees have played in three of those five?

New York’s record in these: One win in 1996 and two losses in 2001 and 2003.

In fact, the last “Game Six” in the World Series was the last World Series game played at the “last” Yankee Stadium…which the Yankees lost.

In any event, so, what are you thinking about the World Series so far? Most exciting one in baseball since 2002? It just may be…if you ask me.

Damn. Soooooo close. But, not even the Yankees Comeback Kids of 2009 could pull this one out…

Well, Commander Cashman & General Joe elected to go with “Choice One” when it came to starting pitching assignments for this Series, which I said, a week ago, was “crazy – because you’re asking everyone to pitch on 3-days rest at some point. ” And, now we’re heading to Game Six.

And, between now and then, the second-guessing will be aplenty…

A.J. Burnett, on three-days rest, pitching on the road, was terrible for the Yankees in this one. Cliff Lee, pitching on full-rest, kept the Yankees under enough control to for his team to be on the winning side of the ledger.

Next stop: Pettitte and Pedro in Game Six.

And, by the way, Andy Pettitte will also be pitching on three-days rest – something he hasn’t done in the regular or post-season since 2006.

If the Yankees somehow manage to screw up Game Six, then they’ll turn to CC Sabathia for Game Seven – pitching on three-days rest for the second time in a row this World Series. Is that going to the well too many times? Well, let’s hope not…because Pettitte will not be available for Game Seven. And, do you want Burnett backing up CC, with A.J. having just two-days rest, in a Game Seven situation? That means it will be Gaudin, Aceves, Coke and Robertson following Sabathia if he gets an early hook in Game Seven.

No pressure Andy…really…no pressure…

We won’t even bring up your history in Game Six situations…

Bitter Beer Face Burnett now joins some bad company…

Player         Date       Series G Opp GmReslt App,Dec    IP   H  R ER  BB SO HR
+----+-----------------+-------------+------+-+---+----+-------+---------+----+-
Kevin Brown    2004-10-20 ALCS   7 BOS  L  3-10 GS-2  ,L   1.1  4  5  5  2  1  1
Andy Pettitte  2001-11-03 WS     6 @ARI L  2-15 GS-3  ,L   2    7  6  6  2  1  0
Roger Clemens  1999-10-16 ALCS   3 @BOS L  1-13 GS-3  ,L   2    6  5  5  2  2  1
Kenny Rogers   1996-10-23 WS     4 @ATL W  8-6  GS-3       2    5  5  5  2  0  1
Bobo Newsom    1947-10-02 WS     3 @BRO L  8-9  GS-2  ,L   1.2  5  5  5  2  0  0
Bump Hadley    1937-10-09 WS     4 @NYG L  3-7  GS-2  ,L   1.1  6  5  5  0  0  0
   

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Hey, Yanks…

…because you don’t want to end up like the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals, 1979 Baltimore Orioles, 1968 St. Louis Cardinals, 1958 Milwaukee Braves, or 1925 Washington Senators, do a solid, tonight, and…

Via The Fabulous Forum in the LA Times -

Now it can be told.

Although Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman is widely credited with making this year’s Yankees successful by signing the likes of CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett, it may have been something he said rather than something he did that got the team to the World Series.

New York was limping along in second place, five games off the pace in the American League East, when the team went into Atlanta for an interleague series in late June. Cashman met the team there and gave a clubhouse pep talk, after which the Yankees went a baseball-best 65-27. Including the playoffs, New York has won nearly 72% of its games since the Cashman speech.

“We were barely picking up wins and not playing good ball,” outfielder Johnny Damon said. “And when Cashman came and had a talk with us down in Atlanta, we got it going. And we’ve been able to battle every night because we know that every team out there was gunning for us.”

Know what?

Should the Yankees win one more game in this World Series, and earn a championship ring, instead of designing their ring with an interlocking “NY” as the jewel in the center, New York should commission rings with the likeness of Brian Cashman’s face, made out of diamonds, as the centerpiece of everyone’s ring.

Really, they should…

Betcha Cash opened that meeting with something like this:

The mind is a strange thing, men.
We must begin by asking it… …
“What is losing?”
Losing is a disease…..as contagious as polio.
Losing is a disease…..as contagious as syphilis.
Losing is a disease…..as contagious as bubonic plague…… attacking one… … but infecting all.
But curable.
Now, I want you to imagine…..you are on a ship at sea…
…gently rocking.
Gently rocking.
Gently rocking.
Gently rocking.

Yup. We’re sooooo lucky to have him on our side!

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Inspired by CC Sabathia’s effort/success this season…and this October…

Where would you rank CC, in terms of best SP imports, in the Steinbrenner Era?

Took the family out for lunch today at Bobby’s Burger Palace. Lots of fellow Yankees-jackets wearers in there this afternoon. Since it’s all counter-style sitting, I had the chance to listen in on a couple of conversations around me about the Yankees, the Series, etc.

It’s amazing how many people watch SportsCenter, or something like that, and become armed just enough to be able to talk about the team, or the Series, in terms of knowing a few immediate facts, and then talk about it all as if they really know what’s going on with the team, etc.,…but, in reality, the more they talk the more it becomes obvious that they’re no more knowledgeable about the game, Series, etc., than most people are knowledgeable about quantum mechanics…

As we left, my wife asked me “How many times did you want to correct those guys sitting next to us?” And, my answer was “So many times that I lost count…and then stopped caring, completely, about having a curious interest in what they were saying…”

If you check any Yankees players baseball-reference page, under their post season stats section it will list the 2009 World Series stats for that player. Under the result column, it will say W (for win). Sure, it doesn’t mean anything, but it’s pretty awesome.

Here’s A-Rod’s for example.

- Posted By Corey

Lohud’s Sam Borden has the news :

It’s believed Cabrera could have suffered a full hamstring tear during Game 4

This shortens the line-up that much more in an NL ballpark.

- Posted By Corey

Via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, it’s:

2002-2009
Leaders in OWP, with PLATE APPEARANCES >= 4000
HIT BY PITCHES displayed only–not a sorting criteria

OWP                             OWP      HBP      PA
1    Albert Pujols              .781       60     5406
2    Manny Ramirez              .734       58     4722
3    Alex Rodriguez             .716      102     5364
4    Lance Berkman              .713       47     5143
5    Chipper Jones              .708       10     4524
6    Jim Thome                  .697       29     4353
7    Todd Helton                .690       30     5016
8    David Ortiz                .688       23     4828
9    Jason Giambi               .685      116     4052
10   Vladimir Guerrero          .676       49     4782

Pitchers are more than happy to get inside on A-Rod, and hit him, if that’s result, than they are when facing other great sluggers like Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez or Lance Berkman. Why do you think that is?

Go ask Roger Clemens about Game 4 of the 2000 American League Championship Series, and he’ll tell you…

Pitchers know that you can get inside A-Rod’s head. And, many of them probably don’t respect him all that much, as a person. So, it’s a perfect storm, of sorts.

Alex Rodriguez should be used to getting peppered with pitches by now. It’s what pitchers do to him. Why would this change just because we’re now in the World Series?

Title here says it all. And, according to my quick scan, the last time this happened was Game 5 of the 1995 World Series.

And, the last time a team lost Game 5 of a World Series, at home, after losing Game 4 and being down three games to one, was the 2000 World Series. And, in case you forgot, the Yankees won that one in five games.