23 Oct 10
Originally posted by rwingettFirst off hello, rwingett. The curse indeed expunged, vanquished, dissipated into oblivion! I think a lot of it has to do with unconventional managing by Ron Washington. The dude seems to coax great hustle from his players with the mantra of believing and trusting one's self. outplayng the Yankees in every facet of the game is an amazing feat indeed. It should have been over in five, but thus is baseball! It was really neat driving around the city after the game was over and seeing tons of fans happy, cheering, yelling claw and antler themed stuff and Ranger jerseys worn everywhere! I wondred if the day would ever come for DFW and now that it has we love it!
Has the curse of formerly being the Washington Senators been expunged now?
23 Oct 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoShould have been over in five? It should have been a sweep. It would have been if they hadn't coughed up that first game.
First off hello, rwingett. The curse indeed expunged, vanquished, dissipated into oblivion! I think a lot of it has to do with unconventional managing by Ron Washington. The dude seems to coax great hustle from his players with the mantra of believing and trusting one's self. outplayng the Yankees in every facet of the game is an amazing feat indeed. It ...[text shortened]... s worn everywhere! I wondred if the day would ever come for DFW and now that it has we love it!
23 Oct 10
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Originally posted by rwingettThat first game collapse boded poorly for the team's prospects rest of series. Overcoming it was evidence of a steeliness absent in prior Ranger's teams. Same goes for losing those two home games against TB and having to win game five on the road. I like their chances with Cliff Lee injecting pitching resolve into an otherwise bland group of starters and jitters prone relievers. That first game cough up sure made it seem like the Yankee mystique was going to take over. Sort of how they did the poor Twins. I was in Minnesota for the first time this summer. Now there's a town that breathes baseball! Texas is first a football state. Everywhere I went in Minn. city or country, Twins paraphernalia was everywhere. Don't know where you're from, but it is indeed neat to see sports enthusiasm everywhere and anywhere. Turning the Evil Empire into the NY Spankees may go a long way to make Texas more baseball enthusiastic!
Should have been over in five? It should have been a sweep. It would have been if they hadn't coughed up that first game.
23 Oct 10
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Originally posted by scacchipazzoBland pitchers? Their pitching has been their strength this year. Their ERA of 3.93 was third in the American League. Just two years ago it was 5.37, last in the AL.
That first game collapse boded poorly for the team's prospects rest of series. Overcoming it was evidence of a steeliness absent in prior Ranger's teams. Same goes for losing those two home games against TB and having to win game five on the road. I like their chances with Cliff Lee injecting pitching resolve into an otherwise bland group of starters an vil Empire into the NY Spankees may go a long way to make Texas more baseball enthusiastic!
Edit: I'm from the Detroit area. I'm a Tigers fan.
23 Oct 10
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Originally posted by rwingettIn the end, but that's a combined ERA greatly improved by adding Cliff Lee who has looked invincible. At middle of season before adding Lee they were not anywhere as good. Not terrible by any stretch, but not this good. Most improved despite the two losses is Cliff Lee light, CJ Wilson. We were nervous around here with Colby Lewis trying for a feat only six other pitchers had accomplished in history, beating a returnig champ twice in an ALCS! I expected Lewis to win with a lot of help from the bullpen and not a three hit gem and only one ru allowed! I am telling you Ron Washington has willed this team to win. The new ownership in waiting saw something in this man to not have fired him for his cocaine "experimentation" in 2009. The team is fired up and ready, full of mojo and hustle. Washington is unconventional. Girardi was conventional and paid dearly for rigidity. It is sweeter still to beat a 210M roster with a 50M one. A gelled team supportive of one another. Club house celebrations sans alcohol in support of Josh Hamilton's sobriety needs speaks highly of the bunch indeed! Speaks louder than ERA's and statistics. The intangibles are present and the stars aligned. Who knows, perhpas this is an "en suo anno" bunch and writing their own "mos maiorum"!
Bland pitchers? Their pitching has been their strength this year. Their ERA of 3.93 was third in the American League. Just two years ago it was 5.37, last in the AL.
Edit: I'm from the Detroit area. I'm a Tigers fan.
Always liked the Tigers! Never been to the great state of Michigan. I dream of camping out at Isle Royale some day!
23 Oct 10
Originally posted by no1marauderWhodey be wrong this time! I've followed that discussion between you two and I side with you all the way. Small market teams seem to win all the time. To wit Marlins(twice), Diamondbacks, St. Louis to name a few and the Devil Rays almost did it in 08. Now Texas is on the brink!
You guys must be reading the box scores wrong; whodey has assured us that no team with a small payroll can possibly defeat the big market teams in the playoffs. Since whodey is also never wrong according to him, the Yankees must have beaten the Rangers.
23 Oct 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoI'm a big Yankee fan but the truth is Texas has great players and played great. I don't believe this a magical run or a cinderella story. It just a good team going to the world series.
Whodey be wrong this time! I've followed that discussion between you two and I side with you all the way. Small market teams seem to win all the time. To wit Marlins(twice), Diamondbacks, St. Louis to name a few and the Devil Rays almost did it in 08. Now Texas is on the brink!
23 Oct 10
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Originally posted by scacchipazzoAnd how many times have the Yankees won? More than all those teams you named combined. They've won 27 of the 105 World Series (26% ). They've appeared in 40 of them (38% ). If you think their payroll has had nothing to do with this, then you're a fool. It takes more than just money to win, and having lots of money won't guarantee that you will win, but it makes it a lot easier. It is not at all a level playing field.
Whodey be wrong this time! I've followed that discussion between you two and I side with you all the way. Small market teams seem to win all the time. To wit Marlins(twice), Diamondbacks, St. Louis to name a few and the Devil Rays almost did it in 08. Now Texas is on the brink!
23 Oct 10
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Originally posted by rwingettNo one disputes payroll's effect in winning. I never said that at all. What I'm saying is small market teams have proved beyond a doubt that payroll is not everything. Boston is another big payroll team showing that money is not everything and does not buy championships. Big payroll teams tend to overpay certain players. Mark Texeira is most definitely not worth the 20.6M he's paid. The bigger fools are those who overpay mediocre talent. Daniels outbid Cashman for Cliff Lee in July. In the end there is nothing wrong with collecting high priced talent if the team can afford to do so. Yankees seem to be able to gel this talent in a way no other team seems to be able to so it goes beyond mere money. The level playing field stuff gets really old. So Yankees did not have a Cliff Lee. What to do? Bench him, maim him, have him pitch barefoot, blindfolded? How do you level the playing field?
And how many times have the Yankees won? More than all those teams you named combined. They've won 27 of the 105 World Series (26% ). They've appeared in 40 of them (38% ). If you think their payroll has had nothing to do with this, then you're a fool. It takes more than just money to win, and having lots of money won't guarantee that you will win, but it makes it a lot easier. It is not at all a level playing field.
23 Oct 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoBy giving each team an equal payroll. All the proceeds from baseball should go into one pool to be divided evenly amongst all the teams in the league. That is how you form a level playing field.
No one disputes payroll's effect in winning. I never said that at all. What I'm saying is small market teams have proved beyond a doubt that payroll is not everything. Boston is another big payroll team showing that money is not everything and does not buy championships. Big payroll teams tend to overpay certain players. Mark Texeira is most definitely ...[text shortened]... ench him, maim him, have him pitch barefoot, blindfolded? How do you level the playing field?
23 Oct 10
Originally posted by rwingettFiddlesticks! There will always be inequities in some form or other. The wonder of sports is enhanced by the very inequities you would just as soon get rid of. We cannot be deprived of the wonderment of David versus Goliath stories for some misguided sense of fairness. Teams will sqaunder their even payrolls by paying too much for one player over another and so on. Has not worked in the NFL. Same teams seem to keep on winning regardless. baseball is even more subtle a sport with greater intangibles. If not salaries then other inequities emerge. Perhaps these inequities provide heroics which otherwise would never emerge.
By giving each team an equal payroll. All the proceeds from baseball should go into one pool to be divided evenly amongst all the teams in the league. That is how you form a level playing field.