Thanks for the recap, Cliff.

As this was a must-win game, I made sure I was far, far away from any televisions, radios, and computers all evening.

This team does best when not distracted by my fandom.

Sweep.

"giving the Yankees their first series win against the Devil Rays this season"

It took a moment for the patheticness of that line to sink in. Their first series this season against the D-Rays? My God, we stink!!!!

Anyone seen Sin City? I swear Small has the same features as Mickey Rourke playing Marv. (very similar to Hellboy as well). Anyone??

A game with so many runners LOB could have been agony if they lost. On the other hand, all those two-out hits! Boy they give a team a lift.

I'm with Rich - let's break out the brooms!

BTW Cliff, if that pitch by "the Pride of Worcester, Massachusetts" ends up having saved the season, I will find it to be poetic justice.

(Side note: A lot of Yankee fans in/around Worcester - just 45 minutes from Boston - many of Italian descent who's parents/grandparents followed the Yanks because of DiMaggio. A radio station out there actually carried Yankees game for a few years, but not this year.)

Yes, this is the first series win against the damned Rays. The closest we've come before is a 1-1 split.

It was a great win. This time, the Yankees showed patience at the plate, making Hendrickson throw a lot more pitches. And they used the Rays' strengths against them, as with the pitch out that ended the game.

Sturtze isn't pitching as well as he was earlier in the season, but I think it's because he's being put into tighter situations. I fear he's just not the type who thrives when you put him in with men on and a narrow lead. He needs some time to settle in, get adjusted, and in situations like last night's, he doesn't get that.

I think Small looks like Archie. You know, the comic book Archie.

A few weeks ago Randy Johnson spoke about how mentally exhausting it is to pitch at his age. I feel as if watching these kinds of games at this time of year, given the circumstances, are exhausting too. I was spent by the end of the game last night.

One thing I noticed was how well Bernie looked. He didn't have that graying stubble that he sported often during the start of the season. He was clean-shaved and he looked fit, and happy. Just looks like a sweet guy, you know?

Also, I hate to be a downer but I fear that Small will get pounded tonight...I'm probably going to "predict" this until he finally does too. So it's imperitive that the Yanks out-pound the Rays.

Just to revisit the MVP debate, our old pal Sully has an interesting debate with a commentor over at his site today about Ortiz and Rodriguez. Check out the thread...http://www.blairwasdin.com/deweyshouse/wordpress/archives/2005/09/14/nl-wild-card-and-mazz-is-doing-the-inanity-thing-again/#comments

One of Sully's main points:

A-Rod, good 3rd Baseman Playing Home Games in a Tough Hitters Park: .321/.421/.600

David Ortiz, Designated Hitter Playing Home Games in a Bandbox: .297/.397/.600

If Ortiz continues to hit big dingers, the debate will become even more heated in the weeks to come.

I'm with Alex...I don't have a good feeling about Small against the Rays...but then again, Aaron's surprised everyone all year.

Mussina is the only pitcher I've felt comfortable with against the Rays this year. I hope the Yanks can pound McClung, or at least wear him down.

It's nice to have the series in hand. But apart from the obvious need to continue to win as many games as possible, doing well on the road trip is crucial...because it sets the stage for the final 7 game road trip that ends the season. We've been depressingly mediocre on the road all year -- turning that around this week gives the team confidence for those nerve-wracking final games.

Wang pitched well last night, but his inability to make guys swing and miss was frustrating - especially against a fast team and on artificial surface (which makes it hard to rely on your defense). It just seemed like he was getting ahead all night, only to give up a hit on defensive swings. No wonder he's struggled against TB this year.

As much as I hate to do it....I must disagree with Alex on this one. I've become a huge Small fan.....no pun intended.

Small has guts beyond anything on the Yankee pitching staff, save Mariano. His stuff isn't devastating, but his attitude is, and in the stretch run that's as valuable as "stuff".

The guys that put us over the top during our best years were Jimmy Key, David Cone, Orlando Hernandez, and David Wells. These guys are all top shelf pitchers, but their guts during the pressure games kept the line moving from win to win. Small strikes me as the same kind of player.

He hasn't made his name yet, but this is where it could happen. I'm going to predict a 7-4 Yankee win with Small pitching into the 8th. A-Rod will go deep and the other runs will be provided by Matsui and Jeter.

For what it's worth.

Cliff wrote: when Carl Crawford blasted a 1-1 pitch off the base of the wall which Sierra and Bernie Williams played into an easy triple. ///

Cliff, the ball was one foot away from being a home run, it was a bullet, Bernie and Ruben didn't have a prayer.

Alex, I agree, I was absolutely exhausted by the time the game ended last night, and I've found myself to be almost zombie-like during the day over the past week or so, despite getting more sleep than I usually do.

To that end, I missed two very important details in my recap, but thankfully randym go them both:

1) Mo didn't so much pitch around that Lugo walk, as Torre or Stottlemyre called a pitch_out_ that enabled the sore-shouldered Posada to throw out Lugo stealing to end the game. With the lefty Crawford at the plate the pitch went into the right-handed batters box, and Posada's throw tailed right into Lugo as he went into his slide. Jeter, racing over from short stop, caught the ball on the run and made big sweeping tag, getting Lugo on the shoulder just before his foot hit the bag.

2) Unlike last time they faced Hendrickson, when he got through 7 2/3 innings on 85 pitches, the Yankees had good at-bats against Hendrickson all night, forcing him to throw 113 pitches through five. And wouldn't you know it, they beat him for the first time all year. We've only been saying it here all summer: take pitches! make these guys work! (grumble grumble)

I too have confidence in Small, because even when he's pitched poorly, he's done alright. The offense always seems to support him, as well - 31 runs (while was he was pitching) in his 6 starts, a little over 5 runs/start.

Thanks for pointing us to Sully's debate, Alex. On "Mike & Mike" this morning, they seemed to be arguing the case for Ortiz as MVP - quote: "A-Rod is the best player but that's not necessarily what MVP means" - and were definitely in favor of Jones in the NL. Sad, isn't it?

Posada's throw to get Lugo was awful- Jeter was the MVP of last night's game at the bat and with the glove...

Speaking of MVP, Larry Manhken over at RLYW (http://yankeefan.blogspot.com/2005/09/mvp.html) makes the argument for Giambi as MVP. I think its a strong argument.

Of course, Giambi won't come close, though he should, for the reasons Larry gives. If he finishes in the Top 10 in the voting, I'll be floored.

Yet another MVP argument by Larry, this time why A-Rod is the MVP and Ortiz isn't. At heart, its the same points Sully made, but I think the excellent description of replacement level and how that factors in is worth the read:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/how-not-to-use-statistics-why-david-ortiz-shouldnt-be-mvp/

Something's also got to be said for the fact that Ortiz has hit in the same spot all year long, right in front of Manny and his huge bat.

How many different spots in the lineup has A-Rod occupied? It's definitely an adjustment and a different mentality when you're hitting 2nd as opposed to 4th or 5th.

Ortiz just has to swing for the fences- and he does, seemingly every time at bat. Sox games are like glorified batting practice for this guy.

Further,

I think the song they are playing on Boston radio, Papi for MVP, is reason alone to exclude him. I heard it on Mike and Mike and just about dropped my coffee.

Put a stop to those silly jingles once and for all. I suppose there is one called "Manny being Manny" "I'm just a boy who's intentions are good, oh fans please don't let me be misunderstood" as well. At least the Yankee Mambo wasn't that bad.

And now, the time has come, to face, the final curtain . . . I must run but I shall leave you with this, and I am sure no one will buy it.

I am not sure who, but someone was nice enought to post the rules given to the voters for the MVP award yesterday. Although there is a clear intent expessed in the written "letter" of the rule to include the DH, as they say in the law, as practiced by writers in the past, the "spirit" of the rule has always, as a practical matter, excluded them.

I feel in my heart of heart heart, that the the writers simply will not give a DH the award so long as a viable alternative exists who plays defense, and in Arod's case, Gold Glove defense -- although I secretly pine for Giambi as my Dark Horse. The addittional energy expended in having to play the field, addittional time spent preparing for hitters' strengths and weaknesses. By virtue of the foregoing, less time spent on hitting and all the tangeltials included. A DH is able to commit virtually all of his practice time to hitting, spend alomst no time on defensive drills and practice, virtually no time practicing situational defense and pre-formulated plays, research, prep. etc. I think the writers, yes, even the writers, get that.

For these and other reasons, not the least of which I think most writers understand:

It's bad for baseball.

Further, I am still waiting for someone to explain to me how Earplugs won the Gold Glove in 1999 while playing only 28 games on defense, please?

Stormer., Can I say agreed.... Take Manny off that 4th spot and Ortiz would never get anything to hit and you will definitely see him struggle. I mean really, he should be worshiping Manny, without that insurance, why pitch to him at all. The problem is., if a pitcher plays the corners with this guy and walks him, their risking alot with Manny coming up to bat. That is why he gets so many solo homers.

Mikeplugh..,
I fear that I also have a bad feeling about tonight, I think that while Small is great, he is due for a whooping. I have a bad feeling, but I do hope it doesn't happen till sometime next year or something like that...

Allow me to repeat my comment on Giambi's candidacy from yesterday's MVP thread:

"You can't compare Rodriguez's total package from day one to Giambi's offense-only contributions over the past two and a half months [which included a wicked slump when he DHed in August], no matter how impressive Giambi has been."

There's just no contest.

FWIW, I missed most of the past two games, and I intend to be out for most of tonight's game too.
Oh and condolences to the Rocket & his family.

Cliff, may I repeat the word "valuable."

However, I understand your argument.

Further,

No more bad vibes amount my man, my playoff savior, my 1980s sitcom phenom "Small Wonder."

Aaron Small will come through!

Shaun P great post on the MVP argument.

One thing I did notice last night, when ARod was batting in the 7th he had the bases loaded and all he could do was hit a fly ball to center. Not long after I turn to the Red Sox game and Ortiz is jacking one out of the park vs. Towers. Papi comes up big in the situation where his team needs him most -- basically delivering the big blow. ARod again has that opportunity in the 9th but hits a first pitch pop-up, I'm not saying ARod isn't worthy of the MVP but he does frustrate many Yankee fans like myself when you need him to really deliver that big blow to deflate that other team. The HR against Schilling (in July) was f-en awesome, it deflated that team and any chance they had of winning that game was deposited over the CF wall.

Anyhow, my point is that ARod's inability to do that is what makes the MVP argument into a debate -- and it really shouldn't be. If ARod is able to string together a few big blows in the next two weeks then the case is closed, but if he can't, then I find it hard to believe that he'll be this year's AL MVP. I wish him well but I want to see him put the nail in the coffin in the next two weeks. Be A-God, not ARod.

I have faith in Biggie Small.

Incidentally, who knew anyone cared this much about the MVP award. I'd happily give Ortiz and Manny the next five awards if at some point during each of those postseasons they find themselves sitting at home watching the Yankees play on TV.

Dimelo, beware the selective memory. Ortiz has gotten a lot of game winning hits, especially in the last week or so, but Alex has done the same this year, albeit fewer times with home runs--in fact, I'm sure I remember reading that Rodriguez actually has more hits that plated what turned out to be game winning runs. Don't forget that one of the reasons that Ortiz is constantly up to bat in situations like that is that the Sox's pitching is complete garbage, and the bullpen likes to keep their games close. Ortiz would be hitting those balls out were the game tied or were they up by 6 runs. Also, Alex has saved games with his bat AND his glove. Voting for Ortiz for MVP is perpetuating the valuation of "clutchness", a truly sinister non-stat. Ortiz is an incredible hitter, but Rodriguez plays awesome third base AND has better numbers!

let Papi win the MVP! Who cares? The obvious thing about the last few weeks up in Boston is that he is singlehandedly keeping the Sawx afloat...without his big hits, this Sox team would be playing sub-.500 ball. I guess that simply supports the argument that maybe he is playing as a legit MVP-calibre candidate.

The reason I say this is that Papi will NOT be hitting like this for the rest of the this season. He is HOT HOT HOT right now, but eventually teams will stop giving him anything to hit...and then that'll spell the doom of this current Sawx team (what with Manny being less-than-stellar right now, no bullpen at all, Damon hurt, Kapler out, Varitek slumping, etc.).

As long as the Yanks win the games they need to win, I think we have a very strong chance to take 1st place. And if we do, and the Tribe takes the WC, well then that'll kill Papi's chances for the MVP.

Cliff, I absolutely agree, and I bet A-Rod would say the same thing. It just rubs me the wrong way that people are even considering Ortiz so strongly. I think, first of all, that it's an affront to much of the progress fans have made in terms of the way we think about baseball now (i.e., how much we value clutchness); second of all, I can't help but think that Ortiz is getting so much attention because he's such a jolly portly media darling, whereas Rodriguez is the arrogant pretty-boy who people love to hate. Maybe that's my own paranoia, but either way, it's Alex's award right now.

unpopster, if the award is going to go to a non-positional player who is consistantly successful in high-lev situations, how about K-Rod, or Rivera?

I agree, Cliff. Give me rings over individual awards any day.

That said - much of the 'substance' of this MVP debate really irks me. I guess its because I feel that the story ("Ortiz is a beloved clutch god!") is driving the argument ("Ortiz should be MVP!"), which is backwards from how it should be. Its a lot of highlight-driven BS. Since when has "number of 'clutch' home runs" determined value? Its so ridiculous as to be irritating.

tom yf, you took the words right out of the post 32 that took me 25 minutes to write - and put it better than I did. =)

Ortiz is 1/2 the player that A-Rod is, so, RSN need to have something to point to, in order to try and bridge the gap. And, they're pointing to the timing of his HRs, in terms of inning and score.

But, at the end of the day, it's about total production - and, A-Rod owns Papi there.

Besides, how many of those late and clutch opp's for Ortiz and just the luck of playing for a team with a terrible bullpen?

Ortiz makes out in big situations just as much, well more, then he gets hits, it just seems different because he hits HRs. BEsides, Ortiz's home runs seem ALWAYS to be in tied games.

But beside that, Arods #'s are better around the board other than RBI, the one stat he has less control over. I honestly just can't see them giving the award to a DH too many oldtimers...And the argument that the Sox wouldn't be where they were without him is garbage too, where would the Yanks be without A-Rod? Or Mariano? Or Giambi? And the Sox without Clement? Or Wells? Or Tek? Or Manny? Its just not possible in baseball to narrow it down to such narrow terms...

But as Cliff said, who cares about the MVP if we win in the playoffs

In the interest of humor, Netshrine, the Yankees bullpen is just as terrible dammit, give Franklin, Proctor, Rodriguez, Sturtz, and Embree their due!

Zack,

I agree about the RBI. I was watching LA vs. Colorado, Kent got his 100'th RBI last night, and to me, is right up there with the biggest accomplishments this season, well other than Andruw Jones mastery of the whizzinator, he must have Adrian Beltre on speed dial. 100 RBI for Kent, that is like 350 (exageration), for the Red Sox or Yankees, is there some reason Kent never was r