Favorite: July 14, Fenway. Yanks tie the game 6-6 in the 8th, then Schilling enters in the 9th, his first relief appearance. Standing ovation, cameras flash ... but then Sheffield's nearly knocks the left field wall down with a double, followed by A-Rod's gargantuan home run to left center. 8-6 Yankee win.
Least favorite: Game 3, ALDS. Randy Johnson and the Yankee pitchers stink up the place, leading to an 11-7 loss. Awful awful awful.
Great place to start Paul, and allow me to choose Mariano's performance in same game against Boston. After Alex tattooed that homer in the top of the ninth, Mariano stepped in, and here is ESPN's summary of his work:
M Rivera relieved T Gordon.
J Damon struck out swinging.
E Renteria struck out swinging.
D Ortiz struck out swinging.
As for a least favorite momnet, I think choosing to sign Wright and Pavano and passing on Beltran set the tone for a sub-par year. It was a crushing moment for me when Beltran held up the Mets jersey.
But after all was said and done, I was really proud of the team coming from behind to keep their division title and their ass-kicking sencond half.
The ARod homerun was great, but I loved the dramatics of this September. It caps off for me with the Crosby homerun vs. the O's. That homerun gave me goose bumps when I watched that, I remember being so proud to be Yankee fan that day. I was really happy for him. I would give my left arm to experience what Crosby did that day. The stadium was roaring. The other homerun was Giambi's vs. Pittsburgh that was sweet.
The low point has to be that awful June road trip: being swept by the Royals,the Brewers winning 2 - 3 and the Cards winning 2 of 3, it was all set-up by the Pavano shellacking vs the Sux. It's hard not to think about the ALDS, but everything it took for the Yankees to get to that point filled me with so much joy-and-pain (its a Rob Base world) that it was easy for me to forget about their post-season collapse (RJ's meltdown and ARod's DP).
The best game of the season has to be the RJ vs. Wakefield game. What a game, what a game. Plus it was the start of football season that day, so the bar was hopping with 1 o'clock football and baseball. It was great day to be a man, a sports fan and a Yankee and Giant fan.
Fave: I know it's Kansas City, but August 27, 2005: Yanks had been pushed around by the Royals in a previous series, so I almost feel like this is where the team turned it around and made their run towards winning the division.
Yanks were down 7-3 going into the last half of the 9th - I remember it well because I had just jumped in the car for an hour's trip to my in-laws, and obviously not being in the best of moods because it looked like we were about to lose another one to KC. I drove all the way down with my mouth agape, listening in disbelief as the Yanks banged out hit after hit to come back and win it... I pounded the steering wheel and blew my lungs out as A-Rod delivered that last RBI to make it 8-7 Yanks.
Sterling was in rare form, and the rest of the day I was floating....
Worst moment of 2005: I know it was early in the season, but I felt nauseous after watching Mariano give up 5 runs in the 9th inning to the defending World Champion Red Sox on April 5th. He had also blown a save the day before (Yanks returned the favor to Foulke and won it), and it was starting to look like Mo was starting to break down a bit. Scary few weeks for all Yankees fans as we held our breath and waited for the Rivera of old to make his 2005 debut...
Yanks went into a tailspin for the remainder of the month, and it was not shaping up to be a fun ride...
The Rodriguez dinger against Schilling was definitely a high-point for me. It was made even sweeter by Rivera's performance against the Sox 1-2-3 hitters in the ninth to end the game too.
1. August Friday night game against KC--Bernie homered twice. I thought I might never get to see him play a home game in the Bronx ever again, and he made it worthwhile.
2. Game 4 of the ALDS was a pretty excellent baseball game, and Rivera's ninth inning performance is yet another example of why I love having him on this team.
I was living in Boston at the time of the Schilling-ARod homerun, so it was especially sweet. Definitely the high-point for me.
I'm pretty sure one of Eduardo Perez's 4 billion homeruns off Randy was the low-point for me. Although, A-Rod bouncing into that DP in game 5 hurt a lot.
My favorite Yankee moment had to be leaving the Big Ballyard in the Bronx on May 28. The crowd had mostly departed by the fifth or sixth inning of this 17-1 game and weren't on hand to hear the remaining few thousand singing "Dirty Water" while marching down the ramps to the street below.
Da Breeze - Wouldn't that be your favorite Red Sox moment vs. the Yankees this year? The following words by Alex - "what were some of your favorite..." - are meant to be a positive connotation on the Yankees season. Your favorite is a low point in the Yankees season, but a favorite moment for a Red Sox fan. Maybe you should preface with "My favoirte moment as a Red Sox fan was...".
Thanks for reminding me of that KC game. It was truly incredible, one of those experiences that reminds you of why baseball is the most amazing game ...
I'll remember the Royals game because I summoned the power of rock for the rally. Just as The Yes Album fueled their comeback against Pedro in Game 7 of the '03 ALCS, I like to think that this one was triggered when I muted the TV and put on the Dead from Harpur College, 1970. The entire rally strangely coincided with the Cryptical> Drums> Other One> Cryptical suite. The Cosmic Comeback!
Another game worth mentioning, in addition to all the great moments listed already, was the mid-June game against the D-rays, where they LIT UP Travis Harper and the Rays pen for a 17-run swing and a victory. I know Randy got shellacked that night, which did take some of the luster off it after some sober retrospection the next day, but it sure was sweet to watch as it unfolded. The scoring from that 8th inning:
- R. Sierra grounded out to second, R. Cano scored, D. Jeter to second
- A. Rodriguez singled to left, D. Jeter scored, G. Sheffield to second
- H. Matsui doubled to deep right, G. Sheffield scored, A. Rodriguez to third
- B. Williams tripled to deep center, A. Rodriguez, H. Matsui and R. Johnson scored
- J. Posada homered to deep right, B. Williams scored
- G. Sheffield homered to deep left, D. Jeter and R. Sierra scored
- A. Rodriguez homered to deep right
- H. Matsui homered to deep center
Dimelo,
Well, Alex did say high and low. OK, that was my favorite Yankee and my favorite Sox moment this year. In all fairness, I should cop to my least favorite. That would have to be watching the Yankees dance around the Fenway mound on October 1.
And, if we're projecting ahead, my favorite 2006 Red Sox moment, if I could choose it, would be to watch Curt Schillng delivering lunch to George Bush through the bars at Leavenworth.
As for post 12, I suspect most of the posters here enjoy toying with me as much as I enjoy toying with them. I've never sensed a moment of hostility. My favorite times here, I'll admit, were watching guys ready to jump from the Empire State building during awful games of the last season. If you go through the archives, you'll note that I never posted during tough Yankee games. This is a friendly place, I've found, and I'm not one to pour salt in your wounds. My comment above refers to a wound I suspect is long since healed.
Da Breeze is like our adopted brother who killed our mother when we were 12, but after years of suffering we've decided that forgiveness is the best way to deal with our tragedy and so we decided let him back in the family.
I think that #12 was a little off, I don't feel that way. This is bronx-BANTER, so the fact that Da Breeze comes here and gives us a hard time and keeps us flying straight is not a bad thing. That's my .02.
UpperDeck come on back, #8's not meant to be taken seriously.
Overall getting back into the AL East and winning it after the geniuses declared us dead in May was sweet. Giambi's turn around was also great. I found myself rooting for him on a personal level. I can't believe I'm going to say this about Giambi but there was a quiet dignity about the way he approached things that made him appear noble. Dignity and noble in a sentence about Giambi, who would have thunk it? My favorite Yankee moment for me was Cano tossing my son a ball while he was taking outfield. He gave him a wink, a nod, a thumbs up and a ball now he has two fans for life.
Most favorite baseball happenings involving the Yankees, in no particular order: Mike Mussina's complete game shutout that started the Yankee recovery in May, the eventual, long overdue benching of Tony Womack, the comeback against Cleveland Indians started by A-Rod and finished by Giambi, winning game after game after game in September to keep the AL pennant streak alive, watching Shawn Chacon and Aaron Small pitch.
Least favorite: Watching Tony Womack play for a lengthy period of time (although, I do wish to thank him for being selfless in playing any fielding position that the Yankees wanted him to play), watching Randy "4 HR in an inning" Johnson, general suckitude against Devil-Rays, Redding-May-Franklyn combo etc. etc..
Zero, although I expected someone would make a stupid comment like that.
I don't know how the lowest moment can't be the Crosby/Sheffield collision and all the missed opportunities in Game 5 of the ALDS. Or watching the White Sox roll over a team that wasn't as good as the Yankees on their way to the WS.
Favorite moments:
- Jeter finally hitting a grand slam (we never have to see that stupid "most as bats without a GS" graphic anymore.
- 9/11 vs. BoSox. Johnson and Wakefield in a classic duel. The game was decided by an early Giambi dinger.
- 9/17 vs. Blue Jays. We took a road trip to Toronto and got to see this gem. One of the best defensive games of the year and it solidified my love for Chacón.
- 9/25 last home game of the regular season. It was a Bernie love-fest.
Not-so-favorite moments:
- ALDS game 3 (noted without comment)
- every Saturday game I attended at the Stadium. Aside from Wang's debut and the Cubs game, they always seemed to lose (and lose ugly) on Saturdays when I was there.
- Bubba and Sheff colliding during game 5.
The Damon/Renteria/Ortiz swinging K extraction by Mo cannot be topped. That was incredible.
RJ's Game 3 suckitude was the worst.
In other news, I appreciate debris's candor as a Red Sox fan here. S/he keeps everybody pretty honest without being base.
You don't have to travel far in the blogosphere (I hate that word) to find Yankees/Red Sox forums that resemble Romper Room. I appreciate a well timed FU as much as the next guy (almost certainly even more than the next guy, actually), but there's nothing to learn from an internet rock fight, and there's not much to learn from an internet cheerleading session, either. Not that BB is a cheerleading session, but I think you get my drift.
One day, some Red Sox goon will find Bronx Banter and stink up the joint, and that will be a bummer. But debris isn't that guy/gal.
debris! You make me think critically about baseball! You make others bring their A game! That's great! Keep it up!
Good luck to the 2006 Red Sox and their fight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for third place in the AL East! I think they have a chance!
Some favorites of mine that haven't been mentioned yet:
- Tino catching fire and carrying the team with homerun after homerun when the team really needed him
- Cano replacing Womack and becoming an everyday player
- Wang getting a chance to show that our farm system isn't really THAT bad.
Some moments that stung:
- Johnson getting rocked by Perez and the Rays
- The KC sweep
- The David Wells pitched Sunday night game when the Sox spanked the Yanks.
- Game 3 and 5 of the playoffs go without saying (but I have to say it anyway)
My personal favorite was being at the Stadium to watch Chacon's Yankee debut v the Angels. He pitched a gem only to have the bullpen try their damndest to lose the game. Mo came in to steady the ship and K-Rod suffered a meltdown, allowing 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th for a Yankee victory. Both Bernie and the Giambino homered, Matsui had a game winning 2-RBI double, and Tony Womack had probably the best game of his season (2 for 3 with a walk and 3 SB).
Alan Embree also threw his first pitch in pinstripes that afternoon, although I'd rather forget that.
HIGHLIGHT: July 31 vs. the Angels. 2nd crazy "come from behind and beat Franscico Rodriguez like a gong" victory in a row! First time all season I thought, maybe, they could pull it off. Plus the 2 Giambi homers (2nd was #300) added to that whole Season of Redemption thing, very fitting.
LOW-WATER MARK: Game 5 - 9th Inning. Arod's nervous little swing resulting in "The DoublePlay Heard 'Round The World".
Yeah, debris is our version of Scalia's liberal clerk. We need to have someone throw it back at us (and we've scared off Sully).
Plus, as someone else pointed out recently, his moniker is also the title of a great Faces song. That he reminds of that song everyday is a good thing.
You know what else was a real highlight: Randy Johnson's game vs. Felix Hernandez in Seattle. The 2-0 win. And so was, the 2-0 defeat when Johnson fell to Halladay and the Jays earlier in the year. Although the Bombers lost the game, it was just a gem to watch.
Good memories, folks — the rollercoaster of '05 is now replaying in my head. One image that stuck with me was Giambi striking out against Jeff Nelson in the top of the 9th with the bags loaded in Seattle in May, losing 7-6, ending our 10 game win streak after the infamous mark of 11-19. Great headline from the NY Post: "Sweepless in Seattle". We went on to win 6 of the next 7 and began feeling good. Until the dropping 2 of 3 to the BoSox and getting swept by KC to drop us back to .500.
Also, the 13 run bottom of the 8th vs Tampa, with Posada, Sheff, A-Rod and Matsui all homering.
I gotta say, that A-Rod homer off closer-Schilling + Rivera striking out the side in the 9th was a pretty amazing game. Unfortunately, (a) I'm a Sox fan and (b) I was at that game. Being part of the HUGE high of Fenway as Curt took the mound to the wind-out-of-our-sails feeling when A-Rod knocked it over the Monster...man, you NY fans would've loved to be there!
// Good luck to the 2006 Red Sox and their fight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for third place in the AL East! //
It's still a little early to be writing off the Sox, isn't it? Sure they don't have a SS or CF right now, but this time a few years ago the Yankees didn't have a 3B. In 50 days we can all start making better predictions...
Almost forgot about the 13 run inning vs. Tampa. Good job, BklynBomber. The reason that game is funny was because of the way Sterling sounded almost as if was about to have a heart attack calling Bernie's triple.
You can listen again if you paste the following onto your browser's address bar:
javascript:void(playMedia2({w_id:'431738',w:'2005/open/teams05/nya/audio/062105_williams_triple.wma',pid:%20'gen_audio',gid:%20'2005/06/21/tbamlb-nyamlb-1',cid:%20'mlb',fid:%20'gen_audio12',v:'2'}))
This isn't exactly a high-point; it's more a holy shit! moment:
The A-Rod homer that landed parallel to the left field bleachers. That shot and Juan Encarnacion's bleacher homer a few years back were the most unbelievable bombs I've seen by righties at Yankee stadium.
Thanks for the link, Dimelo. That is funny, Sterling was hyperventilating. I think Kitty was doing the TV for that and even he was really amped up. Man, hearing that just takes you back to that night and gives you goosebumps. Good thinking on the audio link!
Don't write off the Sawx, not in December. But I wouldn't go around bragging about what they've done or what they're about to do or are gonna do either. They're in trouble but they scare the hell out of me, always have always will. That's what's great about this rivalry. That's why I want them to be good; its just more fun that way.
It was just two weeks ago in this very blog that the restless natives were crying foul and conspiracy; seems that all of MLB was dumping their talent in New England and asking nothing in return.
no contradiction there: you might remember that since then, the Sox lost a player. Until they fill that hole, some yanks fans are going to think the Sox are a 3rd place team.
I assume they'll do a decent job addressing this issue but we'll see.
Yeah, that A Rod Bomb way back into left field was momentous. Said it was the farthest ball he'd ever hit. The weird part is half the team missed it cause they were still congratulating Sheffield, hit moments earlier. I was at that Encarnacion game a few years back. Man, was that ever a shot. But I believe A Rod's was even farther.
The A-Rod Bomb off Schilling was definitely my favorite. I think the Fenway faithful had a huge gasp when that happened, realizing Schilling couldn't be their savior.
The worst moment? Any game during which Tony Womack was a leadoff hitter. I didn't get to see those games on TV as I was in school in Boston, but it was still painful following it on MLB.com.
It's relevant because in two short weeks, the Sox have gone from beneficiaries of a world wide conspiracy to also rans despite the fact that they have gone undefeated during that same time period.
Debris, Lets see, the Sawx do the Burnett deal which gave rise to conspiracy talk. They then, after the Burnett deal mind you, traded their starting shortstop for a minor league third baseman and allowed their starting centerfielder to walk. This gave rise to a discussion concerning the holes currently found on the Sawx 25 man roster. Seems a logical progression.
I have read no comment here relegating the Sawx to the status of an also ran; except perhaps your own. I find it amusing that you, of all bloggers, should find a perceived inconsistency so disturbing. What's the matter Trashman, you finding it a little warm in the kitchen. Don't be so obvious it doesn't become a member of a once proud nation. Ah, the gifts just keep rolling in.
That was Marlins fire sale, and I dont think given the question marks over Beckett and Lowell's last year performance, that the Marlins did all that bad. But Sox get more proven talent, and Loria's previous connections with Henry was what prompted the conspiracy theories, fair or not.
The two most ridiculous trades were Renteria for Marte and Mirabelli for Loretta. I think it is the last one that has the tongue wagging for conspiracy theorists, given past relationship of Lucchino to that franchise, and with other previous trades (Payton and Vazquez for Dave Roberts etc.).
Okay, the best ones have pretty much been covered; however, ONE of my favorite '05 moments happened in late July. Aaron Small (Aaron WHO?) was making his debut for the Yanks. That night, after taking my girfriend to dinner, we went to a local pub to catch the last few innings of the game, and Small had pretty much shut the other team (I forget which) down. To say that his performance was a pleasant surprise would be a huge understatement.
My Yankee highlight was the final out of the season, knowing that was the end of Kevin Brown, a curse too hurtful for any team. Lowlight was being in town only long enough to see one game this year, a loss to Tampa Bay.
Given the terrible physical issues he faced, along with becoming the 'poster boy' for steroids in baseball, I believe what Giambi faced coming into the '04 season was emotionally, the most difficult task since J. Robinson/the integration of baseball.
The sheer hatred he faced, the totality of all of the steroid mania falling on his shoulders (as the only admitted or proven user at the time), along with finding a tumor in his body, made for an almost impossible situation. I don't remember the game, but Jason's upper deck walkoff HR was my highlight. It was the beginning of his comeback, shortly after being 'asked' to go to the MINORS, and a few weeks later he caught fire.
The reception from his teammates he got at the plate, was truly heartwarming. I really wished I was there to say welcome back.
It might not be on a par with the Lance Armstrong comeback, but I believe it was a truly historic moment, and a gutty against all (most?) odds comeback.
// I believe what Giambi faced coming into the '04 season was emotionally, the most difficult task since J. Robinson/the integration of baseball. The sheer hatred he faced... //
Comparing Giambi to Robinson? You've GOT to be kidding me! People hated Jackie because they were racist. People hated Giambi because he "allegedly" cheated.
He wasn't comparing Giambi to JR, he was saying no player has had to overcome such intense emotional baggage or public turmoil SINCE Jackie Robinson. Which very well may be true, given the extent to which Giambi was reviled. The only other candidate I could think of is Hank Aaron.
best moment : again, that july 14th at fenway, but if anyone remembers sports center from that day, big mo and the big schill crossed paths on the way to their respective bullpens and schilling winked at mo.... we know the outcome, it was just great to see mo show him and the sox how its done... too bad it wasn't like that the previous october.
giambi was a blast to watch after that game winning home-run against the pirates in extra innings.
when sheff comes to the plate, and its always a fireworks show, especially his game winning rbi (i think against the red sox?) by hitting a single down the RIGHT field foul line.
worst moments? a few kc games, a few devil rays games. and especially game 3 alds - sitting in the rain watching big randy choke after commenting on the radio that the fans should be loud, boo or cheer, because he feeds off that energy. big let down. and the thought of sheff and crosby spread eagle in mid-air trying to catch adam kennedy's hit in game 5 is still a knife to the heart.
I didn't hear about Giambi getting death threats like Aaron did. I think he still got to stay in the same hotels as all of the other Yankees, too.
I think every non-white player's experience in MLB 20-30 years after Jackie Robinson first broke the color barrier makes Giambi's self inflicted condition pale in comparison.
// he was saying no player has had to overcome such intense emotional baggage or public turmoil SINCE Jackie Robinson //
That makes more sense; I guess I misinterpreted it. Still, the difference in what Jackie faced and what Jason went through is huge. Plus, I know that many players go through a lot of private turmoil, too (Olerud's daughter, Foulke's divorce & overall suckiness, Contreras' separation from his family, etc.).
And now back to our regularly scheduled discussion.....
Speaking of Giambi, I wonder what kind of year he'll have in 2006. It's scary to think what his season would have been like if he hit like he did post-July all season.
KJC
I am not comparing Giambi to JR.... especially the social ramifications or the importance of issue at hand. I am saying just what you said... "People hated Giambi because he "allegedly" cheated". You see, he was HATED.
Did you see any of the Giambi comments on THIS site, early last season (when Giambi was stinking it up on the field)? Horrid stuff.. from Yankee fans. I can only imagine what everyone else was thinking.
Can you think of a player that has had a tougher 'row to hoe'... in the last 50 years (not even considering the serious health issues he had)?
Anyway.... I'm really proud of the guy. I predicted B4 the season started that the Yankess could NOT make the PS without a good year from Giambi (I predicted .290/.390/.490... Cliff said 'good luck'). His HR was more then a game winner, it was a true 'feel good' movement.
As a Red Sox fan, my favourite moment was the ring ceremony at the Fenway home opener - Joe Torre tipping his cap to salute Terry Francona and Rivera taking the ironic cheers from the Boston crowd in his stride. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.
Favorite: July 14, Fenway. Yanks tie the game 6-6 in the 8th, then Schilling enters in the 9th, his first relief appearance. Standing ovation, cameras flash ... but then Sheffield's nearly knocks the left field wall down with a double, followed by A-Rod's gargantuan home run to left center. 8-6 Yankee win.
Least favorite: Game 3, ALDS. Randy Johnson and the Yankee pitchers stink up the place, leading to an 11-7 loss. Awful awful awful.
M Rivera relieved T Gordon.
J Damon struck out swinging.
E Renteria struck out swinging.
D Ortiz struck out swinging.
As for a least favorite momnet, I think choosing to sign Wright and Pavano and passing on Beltran set the tone for a sub-par year. It was a crushing moment for me when Beltran held up the Mets jersey.
But after all was said and done, I was really proud of the team coming from behind to keep their division title and their ass-kicking sencond half.
The low point has to be that awful June road trip: being swept by the Royals,the Brewers winning 2 - 3 and the Cards winning 2 of 3, it was all set-up by the Pavano shellacking vs the Sux. It's hard not to think about the ALDS, but everything it took for the Yankees to get to that point filled me with so much joy-and-pain (its a Rob Base world) that it was easy for me to forget about their post-season collapse (RJ's meltdown and ARod's DP).
The best game of the season has to be the RJ vs. Wakefield game. What a game, what a game. Plus it was the start of football season that day, so the bar was hopping with 1 o'clock football and baseball. It was great day to be a man, a sports fan and a Yankee and Giant fan.
Yanks were down 7-3 going into the last half of the 9th - I remember it well because I had just jumped in the car for an hour's trip to my in-laws, and obviously not being in the best of moods because it looked like we were about to lose another one to KC. I drove all the way down with my mouth agape, listening in disbelief as the Yanks banged out hit after hit to come back and win it... I pounded the steering wheel and blew my lungs out as A-Rod delivered that last RBI to make it 8-7 Yanks.
Sterling was in rare form, and the rest of the day I was floating....
Worst moment of 2005: I know it was early in the season, but I felt nauseous after watching Mariano give up 5 runs in the 9th inning to the defending World Champion Red Sox on April 5th. He had also blown a save the day before (Yanks returned the favor to Foulke and won it), and it was starting to look like Mo was starting to break down a bit. Scary few weeks for all Yankees fans as we held our breath and waited for the Rivera of old to make his 2005 debut...
Yanks went into a tailspin for the remainder of the month, and it was not shaping up to be a fun ride...
1. August Friday night game against KC--Bernie homered twice. I thought I might never get to see him play a home game in the Bronx ever again, and he made it worthwhile.
2. Game 4 of the ALDS was a pretty excellent baseball game, and Rivera's ninth inning performance is yet another example of why I love having him on this team.
I'm pretty sure one of Eduardo Perez's 4 billion homeruns off Randy was the low-point for me. Although, A-Rod bouncing into that DP in game 5 hurt a lot.
Thanks for reminding me of that KC game. It was truly incredible, one of those experiences that reminds you of why baseball is the most amazing game ...
- R. Sierra grounded out to second, R. Cano scored, D. Jeter to second
- A. Rodriguez singled to left, D. Jeter scored, G. Sheffield to second
- H. Matsui doubled to deep right, G. Sheffield scored, A. Rodriguez to third
- B. Williams tripled to deep center, A. Rodriguez, H. Matsui and R. Johnson scored
- J. Posada homered to deep right, B. Williams scored
- G. Sheffield homered to deep left, D. Jeter and R. Sierra scored
- A. Rodriguez homered to deep right
- H. Matsui homered to deep center
Definitely ranks up there.
Oh yeah - Hi fellas. I'm new around here.
Well, Alex did say high and low. OK, that was my favorite Yankee and my favorite Sox moment this year. In all fairness, I should cop to my least favorite. That would have to be watching the Yankees dance around the Fenway mound on October 1.
And, if we're projecting ahead, my favorite 2006 Red Sox moment, if I could choose it, would be to watch Curt Schillng delivering lunch to George Bush through the bars at Leavenworth.
As for post 12, I suspect most of the posters here enjoy toying with me as much as I enjoy toying with them. I've never sensed a moment of hostility. My favorite times here, I'll admit, were watching guys ready to jump from the Empire State building during awful games of the last season. If you go through the archives, you'll note that I never posted during tough Yankee games. This is a friendly place, I've found, and I'm not one to pour salt in your wounds. My comment above refers to a wound I suspect is long since healed.
I think that #12 was a little off, I don't feel that way. This is bronx-BANTER, so the fact that Da Breeze comes here and gives us a hard time and keeps us flying straight is not a bad thing. That's my .02.
Overall getting back into the AL East and winning it after the geniuses declared us dead in May was sweet. Giambi's turn around was also great. I found myself rooting for him on a personal level. I can't believe I'm going to say this about Giambi but there was a quiet dignity about the way he approached things that made him appear noble. Dignity and noble in a sentence about Giambi, who would have thunk it? My favorite Yankee moment for me was Cano tossing my son a ball while he was taking outfield. He gave him a wink, a nod, a thumbs up and a ball now he has two fans for life.
Least favorite: Watching Tony Womack play for a lengthy period of time (although, I do wish to thank him for being selfless in playing any fielding position that the Yankees wanted him to play), watching Randy "4 HR in an inning" Johnson, general suckitude against Devil-Rays, Redding-May-Franklyn combo etc. etc..
I don't know how the lowest moment can't be the Crosby/Sheffield collision and all the missed opportunities in Game 5 of the ALDS. Or watching the White Sox roll over a team that wasn't as good as the Yankees on their way to the WS.
- Jeter finally hitting a grand slam (we never have to see that stupid "most as bats without a GS" graphic anymore.
- 9/11 vs. BoSox. Johnson and Wakefield in a classic duel. The game was decided by an early Giambi dinger.
- 9/17 vs. Blue Jays. We took a road trip to Toronto and got to see this gem. One of the best defensive games of the year and it solidified my love for Chacón.
- 9/25 last home game of the regular season. It was a Bernie love-fest.
Not-so-favorite moments:
- ALDS game 3 (noted without comment)
- every Saturday game I attended at the Stadium. Aside from Wang's debut and the Cubs game, they always seemed to lose (and lose ugly) on Saturdays when I was there.
- Bubba and Sheff colliding during game 5.
RJ's Game 3 suckitude was the worst.
In other news, I appreciate debris's candor as a Red Sox fan here. S/he keeps everybody pretty honest without being base.
You don't have to travel far in the blogosphere (I hate that word) to find Yankees/Red Sox forums that resemble Romper Room. I appreciate a well timed FU as much as the next guy (almost certainly even more than the next guy, actually), but there's nothing to learn from an internet rock fight, and there's not much to learn from an internet cheerleading session, either. Not that BB is a cheerleading session, but I think you get my drift.
One day, some Red Sox goon will find Bronx Banter and stink up the joint, and that will be a bummer. But debris isn't that guy/gal.
debris! You make me think critically about baseball! You make others bring their A game! That's great! Keep it up!
Good luck to the 2006 Red Sox and their fight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for third place in the AL East! I think they have a chance!
Some favorites of mine that haven't been mentioned yet:
- Tino catching fire and carrying the team with homerun after homerun when the team really needed him
- Cano replacing Womack and becoming an everyday player
- Wang getting a chance to show that our farm system isn't really THAT bad.
Some moments that stung:
- Johnson getting rocked by Perez and the Rays
- The KC sweep
- The David Wells pitched Sunday night game when the Sox spanked the Yanks.
- Game 3 and 5 of the playoffs go without saying (but I have to say it anyway)
Alan Embree also threw his first pitch in pinstripes that afternoon, although I'd rather forget that.
LOW-WATER MARK: Game 5 - 9th Inning. Arod's nervous little swing resulting in "The DoublePlay Heard 'Round The World".
Plus, as someone else pointed out recently, his moniker is also the title of a great Faces song. That he reminds of that song everyday is a good thing.
Also, the 13 run bottom of the 8th vs Tampa, with Posada, Sheff, A-Rod and Matsui all homering.
// Good luck to the 2006 Red Sox and their fight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for third place in the AL East! //
It's still a little early to be writing off the Sox, isn't it? Sure they don't have a SS or CF right now, but this time a few years ago the Yankees didn't have a 3B. In 50 days we can all start making better predictions...
You can listen again if you paste the following onto your browser's address bar:
javascript:void(playMedia2({w_id:'431738',w:'2005/open/teams05/nya/audio/062105_williams_triple.wma',pid:%20'gen_audio',gid:%20'2005/06/21/tbamlb-nyamlb-1',cid:%20'mlb',fid:%20'gen_audio12',v:'2'}))
The A-Rod homer that landed parallel to the left field bleachers. That shot and Juan Encarnacion's bleacher homer a few years back were the most unbelievable bombs I've seen by righties at Yankee stadium.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/wrapup.jsp?ymd=20050621&content_id=1098721&vkey=wrapup2004&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
http://tinyurl.com/dlyls
A-rod's 3 homer game against Colon was fantastic.
I assume they'll do a decent job addressing this issue but we'll see.
The worst moment? Any game during which Tony Womack was a leadoff hitter. I didn't get to see those games on TV as I was in school in Boston, but it was still painful following it on MLB.com.
It's relevant because in two short weeks, the Sox have gone from beneficiaries of a world wide conspiracy to also rans despite the fact that they have gone undefeated during that same time period.
I have read no comment here relegating the Sawx to the status of an also ran; except perhaps your own. I find it amusing that you, of all bloggers, should find a perceived inconsistency so disturbing. What's the matter Trashman, you finding it a little warm in the kitchen. Don't be so obvious it doesn't become a member of a once proud nation. Ah, the gifts just keep rolling in.
I assume you mean the Beckett deal.
That was Marlins fire sale, and I dont think given the question marks over Beckett and Lowell's last year performance, that the Marlins did all that bad. But Sox get more proven talent, and Loria's previous connections with Henry was what prompted the conspiracy theories, fair or not.
The two most ridiculous trades were Renteria for Marte and Mirabelli for Loretta. I think it is the last one that has the tongue wagging for conspiracy theorists, given past relationship of Lucchino to that franchise, and with other previous trades (Payton and Vazquez for Dave Roberts etc.).
Please, anyone but Scalia.
The sheer hatred he faced, the totality of all of the steroid mania falling on his shoulders (as the only admitted or proven user at the time), along with finding a tumor in his body, made for an almost impossible situation. I don't remember the game, but Jason's upper deck walkoff HR was my highlight. It was the beginning of his comeback, shortly after being 'asked' to go to the MINORS, and a few weeks later he caught fire.
The reception from his teammates he got at the plate, was truly heartwarming. I really wished I was there to say welcome back.
It might not be on a par with the Lance Armstrong comeback, but I believe it was a truly historic moment, and a gutty against all (most?) odds comeback.
Comparing Giambi to Robinson? You've GOT to be kidding me! People hated Jackie because they were racist. People hated Giambi because he "allegedly" cheated.
giambi was a blast to watch after that game winning home-run against the pirates in extra innings.
when sheff comes to the plate, and its always a fireworks show, especially his game winning rbi (i think against the red sox?) by hitting a single down the RIGHT field foul line.
worst moments? a few kc games, a few devil rays games. and especially game 3 alds - sitting in the rain watching big randy choke after commenting on the radio that the fans should be loud, boo or cheer, because he feeds off that energy. big let down. and the thought of sheff and crosby spread eagle in mid-air trying to catch adam kennedy's hit in game 5 is still a knife to the heart.
I think every non-white player's experience in MLB 20-30 years after Jackie Robinson first broke the color barrier makes Giambi's self inflicted condition pale in comparison.
That makes more sense; I guess I misinterpreted it. Still, the difference in what Jackie faced and what Jason went through is huge. Plus, I know that many players go through a lot of private turmoil, too (Olerud's daughter, Foulke's divorce & overall suckiness, Contreras' separation from his family, etc.).
And now back to our regularly scheduled discussion.....
I am not comparing Giambi to JR.... especially the social ramifications or the importance of issue at hand. I am saying just what you said... "People hated Giambi because he "allegedly" cheated". You see, he was HATED.
Did you see any of the Giambi comments on THIS site, early last season (when Giambi was stinking it up on the field)? Horrid stuff.. from Yankee fans. I can only imagine what everyone else was thinking.
Can you think of a player that has had a tougher 'row to hoe'... in the last 50 years (not even considering the serious health issues he had)?
Anyway.... I'm really proud of the guy. I predicted B4 the season started that the Yankess could NOT make the PS without a good year from Giambi (I predicted .290/.390/.490... Cliff said 'good luck'). His HR was more then a game winner, it was a true 'feel good' movement.
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