The Bronx Daily

The Babe Ruth Era, part 1

As we settle into the euphoric post-season as Yankee fans we spend the off-season reliving the past season and sometimes the more distant glorious past of the Yanks.  I thought we would begin the off-season going over the Babe Ruth Era of the New York Yankees....

1920 dawned with the Baseball world moving into a world of turmoil.  The  powerhouse White Sox had just lost the Series to the huge underdog Cincinnati Reds and in a few short month it would be learned the Series was fixed.  A baseball Commissioner was elected who would rule baseball with an iron fist till the 1940's and the Boston Red Sox traded a great pitching-great hitting outfielder named George Herman Ruth to the New York Yankees.  Each of these items would change the face of baseball forever.

The Yankees were coming off a third place 80-59 .576 -8.5 finish.   So, hopes were high in NY for the 1920 season.  It turned out to be one heck of a season with the Yankees pounding the American League with a 95-59 . 617 -3 in 3rd place behind the Indians and White Sox.  Babe shattered the then HR single season record with 54 shots and also led the AL with 137 RBIs, 160 BB, 847 SLG  and 158 Runs.  He led the Bombers with 14 SB and a .376 BA.  Other batters who led the team were Pipp with 610 AB, Del Pratt with 180 hits and 37 doubles and Ping Bodie with 26 3bs. 

The pitching staff was led by Carl Mays with 26 wins, 45 games, 37 GS, 26 CG and 312 IP.  Bob Shawkey led the team with 126 Ks and a 2.48 ERA.

All in all it was a great season for the Yankees and while the 3rd place finish was disappointing little did the Yankee fans know that some of the greatest years were to begin in just another year.  Come back for part 2 very soon in this series...

 

WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES

The Tradition Continues At The New Yankee Stadium

Congratulations to the World Series MVP Hideki Matsui.

The season began with the new Yankee Stadium being opened and ended with its first Championship being brought home there.  What a ending to one heck of a season.  After a slow start the Yankees eventually caught fire and roared to a Eastern Division Title and then a Pennant.  Then, tonight on the great arm of Andy Pettite and the big bat of Hideki Matsui the Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 to take the Series 4 games to 2 and win their 27th World Championship!

This night was especially sweet to me for I have been a huge Matsui fan since he came to the Yankees and seeing him crush the ball was a fantastic thing to see.  Hats off to Johnny Damon who had a heck of a Series and had to leave tonight's game with a injury.  A big cheer for Mariano who once again came in and got the job done.  A big thumbs up for Joe Girardi, who despite his driving me crazy all season with his moves, really made me cheer this series for I thought he was brilliant!  Just keep it up Joe.

Seeing Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada celebrating brought back flashes of the Championships past. 1996 was special for it was the year my son was born and it made the third generation of sons in our family born in a year the Yanks won the Series. 1998 was special for that was one of the best, if not the best team in baseball history.  This one is special for its the first one in the New York Stadium. 

I have had people ask me if it ever gets old seeing the Yankees win the Series.  No, it doesn't.  I get just as excited as the end nears and the last outs are slowly.. and I mean slowly made.  I still hold my breath on each of the last few pitches.  I still cheer like crazy when they win it all... I always will for it is a special moment.  It is a moment that always brings back my first baseball memory.... a memory of seeing a old Mickey Mantle for a brief shining moment looking young again as he slammed a pitch into the upper deck.  I always cheer then pause and remember him and all the others who have worn the pinstripes.  After all, that is why they are the New York Yankees.

Before I end I take my hat off to the Philadelphia Phillies.  They are one classy, great team. They were great champions and they still are great NL Champions.  There will be those out there who will berate them for losing, others who will say how they are no good for they didn't win it all. I hear it every year about the teams that lose the big game.  However, I don't feel that way.  The Phillies are a great team and one I expect to see back in the Series this next year.  They have nothing to feel bad about for they made it to the World Series.  God Bless the Philadelphia Phillies and be proud of them Phillies phans, for they are a great team!

Well, I have a bottle of 50 year old scotch that I take a shot out of for big events to celebrate. It hasn't been drank out of in several years now.  Tonight it will be.... big smile. 
Thank you for reading and all I have to say now is...

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW YORK YANKEES, WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!

Matsui!!!!

At the time of this writing Hideki Matsui has driven in 6 of the 7 runs the Yankees have so far.  A two run homer in the 2nd, a 2 run single in the 3rd and a 2 run double in the 5th has been his production tonight. 
He is, at this moment hitting .667 with 3 homers and 8 RBIs .  A monster series for Godzilla and if the Yankees win the Series tonight we at THE BRONX DAILY believe Hideki Matsui should be the World Series MVP.  If they don't win tonight we want to honor him for his great effort tonight!

The score is 7-3 in the 6th.  Lets see what happens... GO YANKEES!!!!

picture by Keith Allison

The Yankees

As you know the Bombers are in their 40th World Series appearance and need only one more win to make it 27 World Championships.  Having made the playoffs 14 of the past 15 years and in their 4th World Series this decade and their 7th since 1996 the Yanks are continuing to roll along in the Success Express.

Of course the Yankee haters are out in droves now.  Its sort of amusing to Yankee fans to watch these hippocrits scream about the Yankees and how much they hate them for... well for winning!  Imagine that.  Hating a team for doing what a team is supposed to do... win!  Of course we know its much more than that.  Its because their team isn't winning that they cry and whine.  For years I heard from various fans about how the Yanks were buying it all.. that is until their team started buying up free agents then amazingly it was okay to do so. 

Then we heard about how the Steinbrenners were idiots and ruining baseball by spending tons of money and firing managers and getting on their players when they didn't perform.  Hmmm.... seems like if ya spend money you should have a say in what goes on with your team.  If you pay a guy to lead your team and he isn't getting the job done you spend your money on someone else.  This of course was all horrendous to baseball "purists."  Again, that is till their teams started doing the same.

So, we hear we need a salary cap in baseball.  But, here's a fact for ya. In the last 20 years more different baseball teams have won the Series than different football teams have won the Super Bowl.  Hmmm.. that doesn't work so well either does it?  So, then they come up with baseball welfare.  Thats where you tax the snot out of teams who spend money to win (the name of the game in sports the last I looked) and give it to the "smaller market" (read cheapskate owners instead) like the piece of garbage Pittsburgh Pirates who have gotten tens of millions of dollars and have had a losing season for each of the eighteen years.  Of course, this year they had a chance to get there, but traded their young talent away to rebuild for the future.  What a laugh.  They don't have to put a winning product on the field for they get baseball welfare money to support them, get nice talent in the drafts they can sell for cash or trade for even cheaper labor.  Yeah, that worked really well also.  How about letting the market decide if a team succeeds or fails.  Can't make it in Pittsburgh with the garbage you put on the field, move the team to another city and find a decent owner who will spend the money on it.

All of the reasons above of course fans will use to hate the Yankees and root against them in the Series this year.  Of course, we won't mention the team they are facing is pretty much built in a similar fashion.  But, I ain't complaining for I admire how the Phillies went for it and spent to get to the Championship, just like the Angels and Red Sox did.  They didn't sit around and cry.. boo hoo... they went out and did the best they could do to get talent to their clubs so they could take on the Yankees.

You see, these clubs figured out what the Yankees figured out years ago.  If you win ppl will come to see your team whether they love you or hate you.  Lots of these whiny fans who hate the Yankees so bad should be grateful for the Yankees since their team's biggest gate receipts come when the Yanks come to town.

As for those "purists" out there whining about the Yankees here is some baseball history for ya.  The best team in baseball before MLB was the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869.  Seems they spent money to get the best players.  Then, in 1871 when the National Association was formed a team called the Boston  Red Stockings who won all four NA pennants.  Get this, they bought up most of the Cincinnati players to win!  In 1876 the NL was formed and the Chicago White Stockings (today's Cubs) bought up most of the Boston players to win in the early years of the NL.  Guess what the Yankees are doing is pretty much the "purist" way to go history wise isn't it?

But, I am sure none of this phases the Yankee haters.  They just hate the Yankees because they win and their team doesn't.  Thats fine, but don't buy any of their other bullcrap excuses for hating the Yankees for they are false.  They hate the Yankees because they win and their team doesn't. They hate the Yankees for they do what a baseball team should do... WIN!  Thats the bottom line and in the end the joke is on them for their hatred brings as much money to the Yankees as those who love them does.  It is in fact the genius of the Yankee Dynasty that they figured out that if people love you or hate you they will tune in, turn out and spend money on I love Yankee or I hate Yankee team items that keep the money rolling in.  So, go ahead, keep hating the Yankees for winning for those like me, who love the Yankees laugh as we know it feeds the success express.

Whether the Yankees win or lose the Series the team will reap huge financial rewards.  Those rewards will go for even better players and bring more success.  So, a huge thank you for those loyal Yankee fans who support this team and an even bigger thank you to all you whiny Yankee haters who spend your money in various ways to express your hatred and still feed the bank account of the team you hate and we love.

GO YANKEES!!!!!

Yanks coming home to finish Series

As I figured the Phillies came out shooting last night and won game five by the score of 8-6 to make it 3-2 Yankees edge in the Series. Now the Yankees, who had MLB's best record at home get to try to win 1 out of the next 2 games to wrap up their 27th World Championship. 

With the Yankees putting up 21 runs in the last 3 games they have found their lumber again.  With the Yankees coming home to where they have the best record in baseball they are looking to play just .500 in the next two games. Looking good so far.

I see the media playing up the short rest of the Yanks rotation.  Really?  I remember when this amount of days of rest was the norm.  Also with one of the best bullpens in baseball I don;t think its a big problem.

Tomorrow the old workhorse Pettitte takes the mound.  All year Andy had continued to find some gas left in the tank and he looks like he is on a mission this year as he defies those who claimed he was washed up (I was one of these ppl) and defies the Steinbrenners who acted like he was done.  Andy will be inspired to throw well tomorrow night to prove the world wrong.

The Yankees will be home, hungry for the Championship and going after Pedro "Who's your Daddy" Martinez.  The Phillies are tough and they will give it all they have tomorrow night, but the Yankees will be home, their bats hot and their bullpen ready to go.  The chances for the Yankees are good to win it all and it could very well be tomorrow night.  If not, CC takes the ball in game 7 and this is one guy who can throw on what many are calling "short rest." 

So, things are looking great for the Yankees coming home for game 6 of the Series.  Tune in tomorrow night at 7:57pm ET to see what happens! 

Go Yankees!!!

Wow!

Now that was one hard fought game last night.  CC did a great job on 3 days rest, Johnny Damon came through big time, Mariano came out blazing and the best thing of all was Girardi made all the right moves.  Fantastic!  Best part of all was the Yankees won 7-4 to take a 3-1 lead in this Series.

Last night is what I have been wanting to see in this Series.  A hard fought, close battle that was full of great plays and excitement!  The Yankees are gaining momentum now and looking like a true World's Championship team.  However, now is not the time for celebrating.

Tonight Lee takes the mound for the Phillies and the Bombers will have their hands full!  If he is like he was in game one this will be one heck of a battle tonight.  Burnett has every reason to be pumped up to go out and pitch the best game of his life and I believe he will.  But, the Phillies are one great team so don't expect them to go down without a battle royal.  What we have out there on the field are two best teams in baseball and they both have what it takes to win it all.  One wants the Crown and the other has their backs against the wall and want to defend their crown.

However, the Yankees have a 3-1 lead now.  The big question is do the Yankees have the killer instinct to put the Phillies away tonight?  I believe they do but the Phillies are not defending World's Champions by being rollovers.  The Phillies will come out fighting tonight and this is going to be one heck of a hard fought game.  The question is whether the Yankees will come out with the killer instinct and put the Phillies away. This may be the biggest test for Girardi yet. 

The bright side of all this is if the Yankees don't win tonight they have two more games, both at Yankee Stadium and they get to throw CC if a game 7 comes.  I am not celebrating yet.  I will when that last out is made. I believe the Yankees will win this Series and  I will be really impressed if they do so tonight against a team that has only one weakness, the bullpen. So, go get em Yanks!  Put this thing away and win it all...TONIGHT!

Go Yankees!!!!

Yanks finally find bats and take....

a 2 games to 1 lead in the Series after beating the Phillies 8-5 last night. The big bats erupted after a controversial home run call that gave A-Rod and the Yankees a home run. It opened up the flood gates finally and the Yankees took the first game in Philadelphia.

Matsui and Swisher both hit shots last night also as the big lumber of the Bombers opened up and came to life for the first time this series.  Even Pettitte got in on the act hitting a single and later scoring with Jeter almost running him over on the way to home. 

Speaking of Pettitte he now has 17 post-season wins, the most in MLB history.  I was personally really pleased to see Andy get in on the hitting action.  I wrote him off after last season and I am really glad he proved me and many others wrong. WAY TO GO ANDY!!!  Gotta love it when a player like Andy finds a bit more gas in the tank after we all thought it was empty.

So, the Yankees go into tonight with CC on the mound with short rest going against Blanton.  Girardi is going for the jugular tonight and I love it.  If CC pitches like he did in game one the Yanks could be up 3-1 after tonight and one win away from their 27th World Championship.   The lineup will be the same as last night's.  This is a move I find interesting. Girardi has the wheels moving going into tonight's game.  Will these be the right moves?  I believe so.  For once I am thrilled by what I see with Girardi!  This is what I've been waiting to see from him.  Could this be the night he finally becomes the manager I have hoped and prayed for him to be?  Tune in tonight and see!!!

GO YANKEES!!!

Yanks even Series...... Hey Pedro.....

I got a question for ya.  Bet ya regret the comment now don't ya?  Wait, which comment is that?  There are only a few hundred of them after all.  The heavyweight's mouth division Champion of throwing around old men had his "who's yer Daddy" comment come back to haunt him last night and for once I am celebrating a single game World Series victory.  You see, I don't get all gassed by one win, usually, because it take four to win it all.  When they win four then I get happy.  Last night was just one win. They still need three. 

However, it was a fun win, a great win and one I have been waiting to see for a long time.  Very few players get under my skin like the Mouth from South Philly Pedro.  His mouth never stops and I'm one of those sports fans that are sick of that crap.  Just go out and perform and shut up.  Don't tell me how good you are, prove it and then act with like an adult and be a good sport about it all.  I guess as I have gotten older I've become more like the ppl in Missouri, show me, don't tell me.

Well Pedro, ya ran off at the mouth the other day again and last night ya couldn't come through and this is one sportsfan who was glad of it. Perhaps you'll shutup now, but from your comments last night after the game I see you haven't figured it out yet.  Imagine this, Pedro giving heck to a Yankees fan because he was setting a bad example for his little girl.  Really Pedro?  hmmm.... your one to talk aren't ya Mr. "good example". Nothing bad ever came out of your mouth did it?  What a laugh.

Don't get me wrong my friends and loyal readers, I don't dislike Pedro because he once played for the Red Sox, I despise him because of his mouth.  He doesn't know when to shutup and he is a bad winner.  Now, I hope he is a sore loser too.  Ya got what you deserved Mr. Bigmouth and that is what I am celebrating today.  However, a word of warning to Don Zimmer, don't go near him today.  Mr. bigmouth might take his frustrations out on you.  Wonder if they can replace midget throwing with old man throwing?

Through the years of heated rivalry I always respected the Sox. Oh, I would poke fun at them and their fans but it was good natured and meant to be all in fun. It wasn't a rub it in caustic hurtful moment, but one to lighten the moment and many times I made new friends with fans of our biggest rival.  When we won others would want to rub it in, I didn't for its only a moment.  Tomorrow you could be on the short end of the stick and do you want it rubbed in?  Also I was taught that being a good sport meant winning gracefully and losing gracefully.   Through the years I saw most Yankees follow this rule and recently those of the D-Backs and most of the Red Sox when they took the Yanks out.  After all, even if you win your still beating the best of the best in baseball.

Pedro is the epitomy of what I dislike in sports.  It started with Ali. Don't get me wrong, he was one of the greatest in boxing history.  But, I didn't like his mouth.  So, I never was a big fan of his during his boxing years.  I like him now for I am rooting for him as he gracefully struggles with his problems. Others began to emulate Ali and through the years it has become a sickening display of ego and poor sportmanship.  I'm tired of it and last night was a victory of a different sorts for me.  It was victory over this ugliness that causes problems to occur in sports and even between their fans.  It helps some idiots to lose perspective on all of this.  After all, its only a game.  If the Yankees win or lose does it change your life any?  Are you richer?  Is your house paid off or does it get you a raise or help one of your sick children to get better? 

Not only did Pedro get his, but it was another blow to the mouths of sports. I hope to see many more of these moments.  Don't tell me how great you are, how influential you are, how you are so good.  I'm not impressed by words anymore. I'm only impressed by actions.  Pedro's great moments in the past were always ruined for me by his mouth. Couldn't you win gracefully?  Show us you weren't only a good player but a good person too?  Set an example for young ppl to emulate?

  Last night I celebrated him losing.  I don't usually relish losses, even by the Sox our biggest rivalry.  I've had too many losses in life to rejoice in such moments for others.  But, when someone talks too much and is a poor sport then I relish their losses.  Way to go Pedro!  I will hand it to you, you may be the most influential loser to ever play in Yankee Stadium.

Having had my say, let me say this.  I continue to believe this Series goes the full 7 games. I believe it will go to the final pitch.  I believe the Yankees will win.  If that happens I will not be rubbing it in. After all, remember this.  The team that loses is one of only 2 teams to make it to the Series.  Both teams are great and the best in their leagues.  But, but like beauty, victory is fleeting.  There is next year and will they be back?  You can't count on it. So relish this Series, whether your team wins or loses.  Its a special moment. One that needs to be honored with respect and awe.  Not ruined by mouths, bad sportsmanship and anger and all that comes with ppl running off at the mouth.   Now that I have had my unsportsmanlike moment and had my say I'll move on. :)  Thank you for reading.

GO YANKEES!!!!

Newsflash to Media! Yanks have winning record when they lose first game...

Lee was the dominate name last night as the Phillies won in the rain at Yankee Stadium.  You can get the boxscore anywhere, read reviews of the game up the whazoo and read game details ad nauseum everywhere.  I look at it with the Yankees being down one game to none, losing the first game at home in a new stadium. 

This is nothing new for in 1923 at the then new Yankee Stadium the Yankees lost the first World Series game there.  Then, in 1976 in the fixed up old Yankee Stadium the Yanks again loss.  Then, last night in the new Yankee Stadium the tradition continued! They won 2 of the 3 Series listed here. Looks like we got those Phillies where we want 'em now don't we! LOL

But, lets look the history of the Yankees in the Series to see how they have done in the past while losing the first game.  This should give us something of a insight to see how they have not only done in the past, but what the odds are of them winning this series historically.

Well, in 8 of their 26 World Championships the Yankees lost the first game of the Series.  In their 13 losses of the Series they started the Series with a loss 7 times.  In 15 of the past 39  Series the Yankees played in they started the Series with a loss.  8 times they won the Series. That makes them 8-7 when they lose the first game.   So, while the winning pct. in Series wins have went down with the advent of losing the first game, the Yankees still have won more Series than they have lost  while losing the first game of the Series. 

Series are not decided by one game, especially game one.  However, the odds drastically decrease if you lose the first two games at home in the World Series.  Very rarely has a team lost the first two games at home and went on to win the World Series.  So, the Yankees will need to win tonight when they play the Phillies in Game 2 at 7:57 PM ET.  The starters tonight will be Burnett vs. Martinez. Tune in for a Yankee win tonight, then its on to the city of brotherly love for game 3.   GO YANKEES!!!!

Yankees in the post-season tidbits

We all know that the Yankees lead the majors with 40 pennants and soon to be 27 World Championships :) but what about other Yankee records in the World Series?  Here some Tidbits you may enjoy:

World Series Homers
Did you know the top 3 all-time home run totals in the Series are owned by Yankees?  Here they are:
1. Mickey Mantle   18
2. Babe Ruth         15
3. Yogi Berra         12
tied for 4th with a non-Yankee is who else but Lou Gehrig with 10.

Multiple Homers in Game 7
There is only one player in the history to hit more than one homer in a game 7?  Yep, he is a Yankee also.  Yogi Berra hit 2 shots in game 7 of the 1956 fall classic.

Most World Series RBIs
The top five in RBI totals in World Series History are also Yankees.  Here they are:
1. Mickey Mantle    40
2. Yogi Berra         39
3. Lou Gehrig        35
4. Babe Ruth         33
5. Joe DiMaggio    30

Most World Series Hits
The top two are Yanks and  then #4 is a Yankee also. Here they are....

1. Yogi Berra          71
2. Mickey Mantle    59
4. Joe DiMaggio     54

Most World Series Runs
The top nine totals in this are all Yankees!!!  Yep, thats right.. 9!  :)

Mickey Mantle     42
Yogi Berra           41
Babe Ruth           37
Lou Gehrig          30
Joe DiMaggio       27
Roger Maris         26
Elston Howard     25
Gil McDougald     23
Derek Jeter         22

WINS by Pitchers in Series Total
The top two here Yanks also!

1.  Whitey Ford   10
2.  Allie Reynolds   7   (tied with others for second)

Strikeouts in the Series Total
1rst and 3rd are Yankees also in this category

1. Whitey Ford   94
2, Allie Reynolds 62

SAVES
#1 in this category still plays baseball.  Mariano Rivera with 8. :)

Well, thats just a few of the many categories dominated by the Yankees in total Series History.

We look forward to seeing those numbers grow after this Series!  GO YANKEES!!!!!

-from Wikipedia, fair use Copyright from Baseball Hall of Fame.