What’s your take ?
By Tophatal
Well the MLB postseason is now in full flight, and we now have the two championship pennant series up and running. In the ALCS , the twenty-seven time World Series’ champions now find themselves in an 0-2 hole , with the team having lost their captain, Derek Jeter . Could anything else, go wrong for the franchise at this juncture ? Throw in the fact that Jeter will not be a participant in the remainder of the postseason , and the team offense is barely hitting above the Mendoza Line (.200) in the playoffs , and one could subscribe that to the fact that the New York Yankees have created their own recipe for an unmitigated disaster.
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Slide show for your perusal.
Now if that was not enough to deter the most vociferous of Yankees’ fans , then they will most certainly have to be pessimistic, in knowing that the face will have to face reigning AL Cy and MVP winner ….. Justin Verlander in tonight’s pivotal game three match-up at Comerica Park , in Detroit, Michigan,. I would like to think that Joe Girardi’s players can dig themselves out of this self-created hole , but all signs now point to the fact that they are now way beyond being rescued . A high-priced cabal of players simply assembled together, and there seems to be no synergy at all with regard to this playoff roster. Granted, Jeter was the glue that held the team together , but now there appears to be no one that Joe Girardi can rely on to lead by example. Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano are having forgettable postseasons, in terms of their offensive statistics . And for three-time MVP , Rodriguez , I would dare say that there is a growing belief that he is being vastly overpaid , while offering so little tangible in return to the New York Yankees. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in pay by merit in terms of production , but what happens when a player who is the highest paid individual in the game offers up a measly return for an organization ?
Now some might say when your franchise is worth an estimated $2.5-$4 billion and you can simply write-off a $30 million salary against the ball-club’s operational expenditure over the course of the year, then there should not be a real cause for concern. But how many of baseball’s other teams can actually afford to be as capricious in their spending as the New York Yankees ? With the exception of the Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers , Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers , I certainly do not believe that any of the other of the MLB ball-clubs can afford to be that generous by way of team salaries. Desperate times do call for desperate measures, and the decision of Joe Girardi not to have Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher in tonight’s starting lineup , with both players being replaced by Eric Chavez and Brett Gardner in the Yankees’ lineup. Starting pitcher, Phil Hughes will be New York’s hope of trying to slow down the Tigers’ offense in this game.
For manager, Jim Leyland and his coaching staff, a chance at redemption after 2011’s letdown would provide this veteran manager with a great deal of satisfaction. Tigers’ GM, Dave Dombrowski, went out on a limb to acquire Prince Fielder to bolster an already potent Tigers’ offense , that is spearheaded by 2012 Triple Crown winner, Miguel Cabrera. Beyond the offense, the Detroit Tigers to solidify their position as best the best team in the AL this season, albeit that their record does not bear this out , but they were able to win the AL Central division with consummate ease.
Whatever the outcome of tonight’s game, one thing is sure , GM Brian Cashman, COO Lonn A Troost , and Managing General Partner, Hal Steinbrenner , will have some serious decisions to make , as it relates to the future makeup of this player roster . Acquiring high-priced free agents, has been far too often the norm concerning the organization’s mantra, and when it has borne fruit it has proven to be extremely successful for this ball-club. However, when it has proven to be fruitless , it has been something of a monumental failure , with the organization ending up with egg on its face. This Yankees’ franchise has a wealth of talent within its farm system and amongst their top twenty prospects, but it appears that urgency rather than prudence has been the driving force with regard to the organization , as they seek to win, meanwhile profiting quite comfortably from an economic standpoint .
In the NLCS, the two participants are the San Francisco Giants, and the St Louis Cardinals seeking to be the NL pennant representatives in the World Series . The season series between the two teams in 2012 proved to be eventful , with the Cardinals ad Giants having met six times (tied series 3-3) over the course of the year , with their last meeting coming on the 9th August , 2012 , ending in a 3-1 victory for the St Louis Cardinals. . Game one of the NLCS will pit Matt Cain (1-1,5.06 ERA) of the San Francisco Giants against the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse (0-0, 1.29 ERA). In this first best of seven-game series , it will be incumbent upon the Giants to come quick out of the gates in order to gain that initial game one advantage, and there is no denying that both managers, in Bruce Bochy and first year manager Mike Matheny, of the Cardinals , as they each seek to take their respective franchises to baseball’s biggest postseason fare. Bochy’s intent is to secure the San Francisco Giants’ their second World Series’ title in three years , with the team winning their most recent title in 2010. With the resurgence of the Bay area professional sports’ franchises , specifically the Giants and off course the San Francisco 49ers , it should be noted that this is a boom time for the awareness of these two franchises nationally. These two teams will be at full strength and I believe that the series will be a competitive one throughout! Whether or not the NLCS will go the full stretch of seven games will be dependent upon the play of players such as David Freese, Carlos Beltran, Adam Wainwright , Chris Carpenter and Jason Motte seeking to make the Cardinals repeat champions in 2012. Likewise, the Giants will be looking to Buster Posey, a likely candidate for the NL MVP candidate, along with teammates Hunter Pence, Pablo Sandoval , Marco Scutaro , Matt Cain, Madison Baumgartner , Tim Lincecum and Santiago Casilla will be chasing that dream to secure another world championship for this renowned franchise.
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Picture gallery for your perusal.
Do you believe that the 2012 MLB postseason has lived up to your expectations when adjudged against that of 2011 ? By all means do leave a comment as you deem fit on this and anything else you believe to be pertinent to the subject matter .
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Picture and slide show details below.
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(1) New York Yankees’ David Phelps throws in the fourth inning during Game 3 of the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Detroit. AP Photo/Matt Slocum ….
(2) Detroit Tigers’ Delmon Young is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run in the fourth inning during Game 3 of the American League championship series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Detroit. AP Photo/Matt Slocum ….
(3) New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks to the media before Game 3 of the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Detroit. AP Photo/Matt Slocum …
(4) New York Yankees’ Robinson Cano blows a bubble as he waits to hit in the fourth inning during Game 3 of the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Detroit. AP Photo/Matt Slocum ….
(5) New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez walks out of the batting cage following batting practice before the start of Game 3 of the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Detroit. AP Photo/Matt Slocum …..
(6) St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny speaks during a news conference Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in St. Louis. The Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants in Game 3 baseball’s National League championship series on Wednesday. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson ….
(7) San Francisco Giants’ Angel Pagan sits in the dugout during baseball practice, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in St. Louis. The Giants are scheduled to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of baseball’s National League championship series Wednesday in St. Louis. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson …..
(8) San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy speaks during a news conference Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in St. Louis. The Giants are scheduled to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of baseball’s National League championship series Wednesday in St. Louis. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson ….
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MLB pieces within this site.
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MLB news archives September 2012
Detroit Tigers vs New York Yankees
MLB team postseason player stats : Pitching & Batting
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This day in MLB postseason history
Highest paid baseball players in the game
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Tophatal's Blog 
Well it looks as if the Tigers are really taking it to the Yankees in game three of the ALCS . Should the Bronx Bombers find themselves in a 0-3 hole , then there will be no way in hell that they can extricate themselves out of that mess .
The NLCS should prove to be a tremendous series , especially from the lineup in terms of the pitching between these two teams .
Tophatal ……………..
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This one’s as good as over, man.
Scherzer vs Sabathia, however, should be quite the dual.
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Chris Humpherys(@SportsChump)
Not much of a duel when the series itself , well its fate has been sealed with the Tigers now seemingly having taken an insurmountable 3-0 lead . The Yankees are not good enough to erase the lead and win the ALCS pennant outright .
Duels are only worthwhile, when there’s something at stake . Scherzer facing off against Sabathia might prove to be as entertaining as last night’s political brouhaha was meant to be . Bazza delivered his punches hard , each and every time , and Romney’s comebacks were basically from a guy, who really knew that he’d come to a fist fight with nothing more than a vapid sound byte. Boo yah ! 3-0 , it’s time for the Yankees’ players to get out their golf clubs out and to practice their long-range putting . ‘nough said ! There won’t be any comebacks in this ALCS , that’s for sure . This Yankees’ team doesn’t possess the stomach for a fight , as they’re way too soft !
Tophatal …………
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Turn out the lights, the party’s over for the Yankees. Sabathia is a great pitcher, but he’s pitching on short rest and he’s getting a little old for that. Add the fact that New York’s hitters are getting desperate and it all adds up to a sweep.
Now if the Cardinals can come through we may have another classic World Series.
Cheers!
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aero
The Yankees’ hitters nowhere near desperate enough to have actually sold their souls to the Devil in order to buy a hit in this series ! LOL,LOL,LOL !!! This could end up being the most embarrassing series’ loss ever for the Yankees in the postseason .
In the NLCS , well that series could be very interesting , their regular season series is anything to go by .
Tophatal ………
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Well, by now we know the Tigers won game 3, so the Yanks can start thinking about off season activities. Wonder if Jeter will play next year? Wonder if they Yankees will off-load some of their “payroll?” They are a proud and storied franchise, but they are all but beat this year, and need to make some major adjustments for the future…
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Steven Jeffries
The Tigers are breezing through the ALCS like a hot knife through butter and the lame ass Yankees’ fans will now start to make their customary excuses for the team’s poor play during the postseason .
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Steven Jeffries
It’s now being reported that GM Brian Cashman has been in touch with his opposite number , Michael Hill of the Miami Marlins to gauge that team’s interest in trading for A Rod . In exchange the Yankees would take Heath Bell off their hands . But in no way does that take into account as to how the Marlins will be able afford the remaining $140 million remaining on Rodriguez’ s exorbitant contract (10 yr $275 million – with incentives) .
Cashman denies being contact with the South Florida franchise but you can be sure that this won’t be the last time we’ll hear of such rumblings as it relates to Rodriguez.
Tophatal ………
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So A Rod is now claiming that the team is much better when he is playing for Yankees than than they are without him . Who the hell is he kidding ? When you’re batting way below the Mendoza Line , that doesn’t equate with leading your team . Rodriguez isn’t playing for the glory of the game but simply to make money and break the all time home run record , because his contract is so incentive laden . He is and has always been a pompous moronic ass !
“I play the game to make money and lay the pipe to all of the bi#ches who want to suck my di#k.” A Rod
Home run active leader and the all-time career home run mark held by Barry Bonds .
Tophatal ………….
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