It's imperative that for the Yankees future they keep their long standing closer.
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
November 13, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mariano Rivera was offered a $45 million, three-year contract to stay with the New York Yankees. Now, the team is waiting to hear back from its star closer.
"He'd be by $4 million a year the highest-paid relief pitcher," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said Tuesday. "To say that's a strong offer would be an understatement."
On Monday, the Yankees retained catcher Jorge Posada when they upped their offer to $52.4 million for four years. Posada is due to take a physical Wednesday, another step toward finalizing that agreement.
Rivera, the next step in the team's offseason plan, was allowed to start discussing money with other teams Tuesday. Steinbrenner confirmed the $45 million offer, which was made several days ago and was first reported by The New York Times.
"The ball's in their court," Steinbrenner said. "If they still want to look for more somewhere else, that's up to them."
Rivera's agent, Fernando Cuza, did not return telephone messages.
Mets closer Billy Wagner is the highest-paid reliever, averaging $10.75 million during his $43 million, four-year contract. Only four pitchers are signed for next year at higher average salaries than the Yankees' proposal to Rivera: Carlos Zambrano ($18.3 million), Barry Zito ($18 million), Jason Schmidt ($15.7 million) and Atlanta's Mike Hampton ($15.1 million).
In addition, the Yankees have a standing $16 million offer to Andy Pettitte, who hasn't decided whether to pitch or retire.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was more guarded in his comments about Rivera than Steinbrenner was.
"He's a free agent and he's fielding offers from other clubs. He's certainly received offers from us," Cashman said.
Posada decided not to test the free-agent market and accepted a deal averaging $13.1 million, the most for a catcher in baseball history. Before Monday, the Yankees had offered a three-year contract to the 36-year-old catcher.
Steinbrenner wasn't concerned that Posada will be 40 when the deal expires.
"He's a catcher, but he can also later on be a DH," Steinbrenner said. "I'm fine with keeping his bat another four years. And as far as the salary is concerned, he was pretty logical. You can't argue with that. He didn't go nuts with what he asked for."
Steinbrenner said it was too early to evaluate the trade market. Florida is dangling third baseman Miguel Cabrera, and teams are waiting for the Minnesota Twins to determine if they can re-sign ace Johan Santana. If not, they might listen to offers for the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
"Everybody is just probing, including Brian," Steinbrenner said. "The only probing we've done thus far is on Cabrera. Obviously, there will be an interest in Santana. Everything with Santana and Cabrera is very preliminary right now."
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Brewers 3B Braun named NL Rookie of the Year
Unfortunately, Tulowitzki should have been awarded this prestigious award.
NEW YORK (TICKER) -- Ryan Braun's monstrous season at the plate was barely enough to trump Troy Tulowitzki's solid all-around campaign.
The third baseman of the Milwaukee Brewers, Braun won the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year Award on Monday from the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Braun edged Tulowitzki, the Colorado Rockies' shortstop, to become Milwaukee's first Rookie of the Year since shortstop Pat Listach won the American League honor in 1992.
"You don't like to put expectations on players," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "But he certainly went well beyond what we anticipated from him in his first year.
"To show you how good Ryan was, in any other year, Troy Tulowitzki would have won hands down."
Braun received 17 first-place votes, 14 second-place votes and one third-place vote for 128 points, just two more than Tulowitzki.
Tulowitzki was first on 15 ballots and second on the other 17 for 126 points. The two-point differential was the closest in the NL since the current points system was adopted in 1980.
Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence was a distant third with 15 third-place votes. He was followed by Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Chris Young, Philadelphia Phillies righthander Kyle Kendrick, Atlanta Braves infielder Yunel Escobar and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney.
Braun, who did not make his major-league debut until May 25, led all rookies with a .324 average, 34 home runs and 66 extra-base hits.
"Ryan Braun came to the major leagues and had as much offensive impact as I have seen in my 12 years as a general manager," Melvin said.
The fifth overall pick of the 2005 draft, Braun finished second in RBI (97), runs (91) and total bases (286) and established a rookie record with his NL-leading .634 slugging percentage.
Braun, whose only drawback was his 26 errors, helped the Brewers (83-79) finish over .500 for first time since 1992, and nearly helped them secure their first postseason berth in 25 years.
"Offensively, I've done well," Braun said. "Defensively, I just need to work harder. I have to make my defense as good as my offense. I feel like for two weeks I'll be great, and then I'll find a way to be terrible for two games. It's just a process, and the more experience I have, the better I'll be."
After a slow start, Tulowitzki batted .291 and hit an NL shortstop rookie-record 24 home runs, while driving in 99 runs. He led all rookies in hits (177), runs (104) and doubles (33).
The 23-year-old Tulowitzki didn't get his average over .200 for good until April 28 and had just two homers through June 5.
Unlike Braun, Tulowitzki, who was selected with the seventh overall pick in 2005, excelled in the field. He led all major-league shortstops with a .987 fielding percentage and showed off his cannon arm to a national audience during Colorado's magical postseason run.
"Everybody knows in this locker room I would have much rather had a World Series ring," Tulowitzki said. "I care about the team much more than individual stuff."
NEW YORK (TICKER) -- Ryan Braun's monstrous season at the plate was barely enough to trump Troy Tulowitzki's solid all-around campaign.
The third baseman of the Milwaukee Brewers, Braun won the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year Award on Monday from the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Braun edged Tulowitzki, the Colorado Rockies' shortstop, to become Milwaukee's first Rookie of the Year since shortstop Pat Listach won the American League honor in 1992.
"You don't like to put expectations on players," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "But he certainly went well beyond what we anticipated from him in his first year.
"To show you how good Ryan was, in any other year, Troy Tulowitzki would have won hands down."
Braun received 17 first-place votes, 14 second-place votes and one third-place vote for 128 points, just two more than Tulowitzki.
Tulowitzki was first on 15 ballots and second on the other 17 for 126 points. The two-point differential was the closest in the NL since the current points system was adopted in 1980.
Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence was a distant third with 15 third-place votes. He was followed by Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Chris Young, Philadelphia Phillies righthander Kyle Kendrick, Atlanta Braves infielder Yunel Escobar and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney.
Braun, who did not make his major-league debut until May 25, led all rookies with a .324 average, 34 home runs and 66 extra-base hits.
"Ryan Braun came to the major leagues and had as much offensive impact as I have seen in my 12 years as a general manager," Melvin said.
The fifth overall pick of the 2005 draft, Braun finished second in RBI (97), runs (91) and total bases (286) and established a rookie record with his NL-leading .634 slugging percentage.
Braun, whose only drawback was his 26 errors, helped the Brewers (83-79) finish over .500 for first time since 1992, and nearly helped them secure their first postseason berth in 25 years.
"Offensively, I've done well," Braun said. "Defensively, I just need to work harder. I have to make my defense as good as my offense. I feel like for two weeks I'll be great, and then I'll find a way to be terrible for two games. It's just a process, and the more experience I have, the better I'll be."
After a slow start, Tulowitzki batted .291 and hit an NL shortstop rookie-record 24 home runs, while driving in 99 runs. He led all rookies in hits (177), runs (104) and doubles (33).
The 23-year-old Tulowitzki didn't get his average over .200 for good until April 28 and had just two homers through June 5.
Unlike Braun, Tulowitzki, who was selected with the seventh overall pick in 2005, excelled in the field. He led all major-league shortstops with a .987 fielding percentage and showed off his cannon arm to a national audience during Colorado's magical postseason run.
"Everybody knows in this locker room I would have much rather had a World Series ring," Tulowitzki said. "I care about the team much more than individual stuff."
Red Sox 2B Pedroia named AL Rookie of the Year
November 12, 2007
NEW YORK (TICKER) -- The World Series champion Boston Red Sox added to their list of honors Monday, as second baseman Dustin Pedroia was named American League Rookie of the Year.
Pedroia received 24 of the 28 first-place votes in balloting conducted by two writers from each of the 14 American League cities. He also received four second-place votes and 132 total points.
The only player named on all 28 ballots, the diminutive Pedroia led all rookies in batting average at .317, on-base plus slugging at .823, runs scored with 86 and doubles with 39.
"I'm not too big on personal accomplishments, I just want to help my team win," Pedroia said. "There have been some great players to get this award, and it's definitely been such a fun and exciting year for me and my teammates. I'm so happy for the people that have stuck with me through this whole thing."
Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young was second with 56 points, including three first-place votes. Kansas City Royals righthander Brian Bannister earned the other first-place vote and finished with third with 36 points.
Boston righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka finished fourth while Los Angels Angels of Anaheim outfielder Reggie Willits was fifth. Boston lefthander Hideki Okajima was sixth, followed by Chicago White Sox third baseman Josh Fields and Kansas City Royals righthander Joakim Soria.
Pedroia, 24, is the sixth Red Sox player to be named as the AL's top rookie and first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.
"We're very proud of Dustin for what he has accomplished and how he has conducted himself in a Red Sox uniform," Boston general manager Theo Epstein said. "So it's especially gratifying to see him recognized today with such a prestigious honor."
Pedroia became just the fourth AL player to win the award while playing the majority of his games at second base, joining Minnesota's Rod Carew (1967), Detroit's Lou Whitaker (1978) and Minnesota's Chuck Knoblauch (1991).
Pedroia began the season in a horrible slump, batting just .172 on May 1. The fans were clamoring for popular backup Alex Cora to take Pedroia's spot in the lineup. But Red Sox manager Terry Francona stuck with him, and had his faith was rewarded.
"Everyone has doubted me at every level I've been at, saying I'm too small, I'm not fast enough, my arm is not strong enough," Pedroia said. "But there's a lot of people that have stuck by me and knew deep down that there's something about me that makes me a winning baseball player."
He batted .335 between May 3 and the end of the season, working his way from the No. 9 spot in Boston's lineup all the way to the leadoff hole.
Pedroia won over the fans with his ability to fight through at-bats, tallying 165 hits and 47 walks while only striking out 42 times - ranking him second among all AL players with 12.4 at-bats per strikeout.
Pedroia was at his best during Boston's playoff run, hitting .345 against the Cleveland Indians in the AL Championship Series and clubbing a two-run homer in the decisive Game Seven. He batted .283 in the World Series against the Colorado Rockies and led off Game One with a home run.
"The only thing I cared about was trying to help the team win," Pedroia said. "That was our ultimate goal. We set out to try to win the American League East and try to win the World Series. We accomplished both of those things.
"I think that if you're dedicated into team goals, individual goals will come later."
NEW YORK (TICKER) -- The World Series champion Boston Red Sox added to their list of honors Monday, as second baseman Dustin Pedroia was named American League Rookie of the Year.
Pedroia received 24 of the 28 first-place votes in balloting conducted by two writers from each of the 14 American League cities. He also received four second-place votes and 132 total points.
The only player named on all 28 ballots, the diminutive Pedroia led all rookies in batting average at .317, on-base plus slugging at .823, runs scored with 86 and doubles with 39.
"I'm not too big on personal accomplishments, I just want to help my team win," Pedroia said. "There have been some great players to get this award, and it's definitely been such a fun and exciting year for me and my teammates. I'm so happy for the people that have stuck with me through this whole thing."
Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young was second with 56 points, including three first-place votes. Kansas City Royals righthander Brian Bannister earned the other first-place vote and finished with third with 36 points.
Boston righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka finished fourth while Los Angels Angels of Anaheim outfielder Reggie Willits was fifth. Boston lefthander Hideki Okajima was sixth, followed by Chicago White Sox third baseman Josh Fields and Kansas City Royals righthander Joakim Soria.
Pedroia, 24, is the sixth Red Sox player to be named as the AL's top rookie and first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.
"We're very proud of Dustin for what he has accomplished and how he has conducted himself in a Red Sox uniform," Boston general manager Theo Epstein said. "So it's especially gratifying to see him recognized today with such a prestigious honor."
Pedroia became just the fourth AL player to win the award while playing the majority of his games at second base, joining Minnesota's Rod Carew (1967), Detroit's Lou Whitaker (1978) and Minnesota's Chuck Knoblauch (1991).
Pedroia began the season in a horrible slump, batting just .172 on May 1. The fans were clamoring for popular backup Alex Cora to take Pedroia's spot in the lineup. But Red Sox manager Terry Francona stuck with him, and had his faith was rewarded.
"Everyone has doubted me at every level I've been at, saying I'm too small, I'm not fast enough, my arm is not strong enough," Pedroia said. "But there's a lot of people that have stuck by me and knew deep down that there's something about me that makes me a winning baseball player."
He batted .335 between May 3 and the end of the season, working his way from the No. 9 spot in Boston's lineup all the way to the leadoff hole.
Pedroia won over the fans with his ability to fight through at-bats, tallying 165 hits and 47 walks while only striking out 42 times - ranking him second among all AL players with 12.4 at-bats per strikeout.
Pedroia was at his best during Boston's playoff run, hitting .345 against the Cleveland Indians in the AL Championship Series and clubbing a two-run homer in the decisive Game Seven. He batted .283 in the World Series against the Colorado Rockies and led off Game One with a home run.
"The only thing I cared about was trying to help the team win," Pedroia said. "That was our ultimate goal. We set out to try to win the American League East and try to win the World Series. We accomplished both of those things.
"I think that if you're dedicated into team goals, individual goals will come later."
Youkilis loses goatee for $5,000 donation
By JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports Writer
November 13, 2007
BOSTON (AP) -- What's next, Curt Schilling shaving his legs?
The Boston Red Sox continued their odd tradition of post-championship grooming Tuesday when first baseman Kevin Youkilis shaved off his goatee for a $5,000 donation to his charity, youkskids.org. The public haircut came three seasons after outfielder Johnny Damon ditched his caveman look for charity in the Back Bay, with giant TV screens to give the throngs a better view.
Youkilis was shaved by two blonde stylists from a local salon at the Cask 'n Flagon, a bar across the street from Fenway Park. Nine TV cameras captured the moment -- including one that broadcast a live shot ("The shaving is under way, as you can see") -- with their trucks parked outside to beam the images to a grateful nation.
Master of ceremonies Greg Hill of local radio station WAAF compared Youkilis' goatee to other great hair in local lore, including Carl Yastrzemski's sideburns, Larry Bird's mustache and Manny Ramirez's cornrows.
"By far, the most memorable piece of body hair in Boston sports history," Hill said, neglecting to mention Damon's beard, which came off in a charity stunt in 2005 before he left the Red Sox to sign with the rival New York Yankees.
Youkilis said he would re-grow the goatee in the offseason and maybe even cut it off again if the Red Sox win another World Series in 2008. "Hopefully, we'll do this again next year," he said.
Youkilis claimed ignorance about whether third baseman Mike Lowell would re-sign with the team, but he had heard that Josh Beckett finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting to Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia.
"It's disappointing, but Josh has the World Series," Youkilis said. "I'm sure C.C. would rather win the World Series than have the Cy Young."
November 13, 2007
BOSTON (AP) -- What's next, Curt Schilling shaving his legs?
The Boston Red Sox continued their odd tradition of post-championship grooming Tuesday when first baseman Kevin Youkilis shaved off his goatee for a $5,000 donation to his charity, youkskids.org. The public haircut came three seasons after outfielder Johnny Damon ditched his caveman look for charity in the Back Bay, with giant TV screens to give the throngs a better view.
Youkilis was shaved by two blonde stylists from a local salon at the Cask 'n Flagon, a bar across the street from Fenway Park. Nine TV cameras captured the moment -- including one that broadcast a live shot ("The shaving is under way, as you can see") -- with their trucks parked outside to beam the images to a grateful nation.
Master of ceremonies Greg Hill of local radio station WAAF compared Youkilis' goatee to other great hair in local lore, including Carl Yastrzemski's sideburns, Larry Bird's mustache and Manny Ramirez's cornrows.
"By far, the most memorable piece of body hair in Boston sports history," Hill said, neglecting to mention Damon's beard, which came off in a charity stunt in 2005 before he left the Red Sox to sign with the rival New York Yankees.
Youkilis said he would re-grow the goatee in the offseason and maybe even cut it off again if the Red Sox win another World Series in 2008. "Hopefully, we'll do this again next year," he said.
Youkilis claimed ignorance about whether third baseman Mike Lowell would re-sign with the team, but he had heard that Josh Beckett finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting to Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia.
"It's disappointing, but Josh has the World Series," Youkilis said. "I'm sure C.C. would rather win the World Series than have the Cy Young."
Red Sox to open World Series title defense in Tokyo with two-game series against Athletics
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
November 14, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox will open their World Series title defense in Tokyo.
Following months of negotiations, the Red Sox agreed to a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics in Japan on March 25-26, and the commissioner's office announced the trip early Wednesday.
With Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox figure to be an attractive draw for the games at the Tokyo Dome. The Red Sox and A's also will play exhibition games on March 23-24 against Japanese teams.
After the trip, the teams return to the United States and open the rest of their regular-season schedules with a two-game series at Oakland on April 1-2. That originally was to be a four-game set.
Oakland will be the home team for the games in Japan.
The Japan visit is one of two Asian trips Major League Baseball hopes to make next year. Talks have been under way for months to have the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres play exhibition games in Beijing, most likely on March 14-15, at the ballpark to be used for the 2008 Olympics. That would be Major League Baseball's first trip to China.
If the Beijing games take place, the Dodgers likely would then travel to Arizona for most of their remaining spring training games. Next spring is their last at Vero Beach, Fla., where they first trained in 1949. They switch their training base in 2009 to Glendale, Ariz.
Boston and Oakland will be the third set of teams to open the regular season at the Tokyo Dome, following the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (2000), and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2004). A scheduled 2003 series between Oakland and Seattle at the Tokyo Dome was canceled because of the threat of war in Iraq.
"Opening our regular season in Japan for the third time is another example of Major League Baseball's commitment to continue the global growth of the game," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.
November 14, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox will open their World Series title defense in Tokyo.
Following months of negotiations, the Red Sox agreed to a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics in Japan on March 25-26, and the commissioner's office announced the trip early Wednesday.
With Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox figure to be an attractive draw for the games at the Tokyo Dome. The Red Sox and A's also will play exhibition games on March 23-24 against Japanese teams.
After the trip, the teams return to the United States and open the rest of their regular-season schedules with a two-game series at Oakland on April 1-2. That originally was to be a four-game set.
Oakland will be the home team for the games in Japan.
The Japan visit is one of two Asian trips Major League Baseball hopes to make next year. Talks have been under way for months to have the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres play exhibition games in Beijing, most likely on March 14-15, at the ballpark to be used for the 2008 Olympics. That would be Major League Baseball's first trip to China.
If the Beijing games take place, the Dodgers likely would then travel to Arizona for most of their remaining spring training games. Next spring is their last at Vero Beach, Fla., where they first trained in 1949. They switch their training base in 2009 to Glendale, Ariz.
Boston and Oakland will be the third set of teams to open the regular season at the Tokyo Dome, following the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (2000), and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2004). A scheduled 2003 series between Oakland and Seattle at the Tokyo Dome was canceled because of the threat of war in Iraq.
"Opening our regular season in Japan for the third time is another example of Major League Baseball's commitment to continue the global growth of the game," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.
Cleveland Indians lefty C.C. Sabathia wins AL Cy Young Award
By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer
November 14, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- C.C. Sabathia scanned the stats, comparing himself to Josh Beckett and other top pitchers in the American League.
This time, Sabathia was good enough to beat Boston's ace -- albeit a few weeks later than he hoped.
The big left-hander won the AL Cy Young Award on Tuesday, topping Beckett and two other worthy contenders by a comfortable margin to become the first Cleveland Indians pitcher in 35 years to earn the honor.
Sabathia received 19 of 28 first-place votes and finished with 119 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Beckett, who outpitched Sabathia twice in the playoffs, was second with eight first-place votes and 86 points.
"I did look at a few numbers," Sabathia said on a conference call from his California home. "I definitely thought that Beckett -- it could have went either way. I'm just happy and thankful that it went my way."
It might have gone the other way if October results counted. Voting took place before the postseason, when Sabathia struggled as Beckett put together a string of dominant outings to help Boston win the World Series.
The Red Sox right-hander trounced Sabathia two times in the AL championship series and went 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in four postseason starts, striking out 35 and walking two. Sabathia was 1-2 with an 8.80 ERA and 13 walks in three playoff outings.
"The first two I can definitely say I was trying to do too much," Sabathia said. "Just trying to make perfect pitches."
John Lackey of the Los Angeles Angels got the other first-place vote and came in third. Cleveland's Fausto Carmona was fourth.
Sabathia went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 209 strikeouts, pitching a major league-high 241 innings. Beckett (20-7) became the only big leaguer to win 20 games since 2005, compiling a 3.27 ERA in 200 2-3 innings. Lackey led the AL in ERA at 3.01, going 19-9 and tossing 224 innings. Carmona was 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA.
"I was surprised. Beckett had a great year and an even better postseason," Sabathia said.
The only other Cleveland pitcher to win the award was Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in 1972.
Sabathia is the first black pitcher to win a Cy Young Award since Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets in 1985 -- and the first in the AL since Oakland's Vida Blue in 1971.
"That's awesome to be mentioned with him," said Sabathia, adding that he recently attended a meeting designed to foster ideas on how to generate more interest in baseball among inner-city kids.
While the top four Cy Young candidates had similar statistics, Sabathia's stamina apparently set him apart. After being sidelined by injuries the previous two seasons, the 6-foot-7, 290-pounder stayed healthy all year and made 34 starts to Beckett's 30. That helped account for their wide gap in innings pitched.
"I can't really say I was tired in the postseason," Sabathia said. "My arm felt fine."
The 27-year-old Sabathia also walked only 37 batters, giving him a remarkable strikeout-to-walk ratio that took pressure off his defense all season. Beckett was nearly as tough, with 194 strikeouts and 40 walks.
"Being able to go deep in the games I think was the biggest deal in helping me win this," Sabathia said. "I think it was just being able to stay healthy, being able to go out there and take the ball every fifth day."
Sabathia is entering the final season of his contract with the Indians, who are preparing to offer him a long-term deal this winter. Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro would like to have his ace locked up before spring training.
Selected by the Indians in the first round of the 1998 draft, Sabathia has made it clear he'd like to stay in Cleveland -- for the right price.
"This year he crossed the final gates of being a true No. 1," Shapiro said. "C.C. took ownership of what he could control and let go of the things he couldn't control, and that allowed him to really focus pitch to pitch, stay in his delivery and turn into a pitcher instead of just a guy with great potential and a great arm.
"Maybe the most influential leadership he demonstrated this year was how he handled the stretch of five to seven games where he got almost no run support," the GM added. "He never pointed fingers, never felt sorry for himself, stayed a positive, team-oriented guy and continued to contribute and pull for our team's victories, not worrying about his own individual performance."
Beckett gets $100,000 for finishing second, and his 2010 base salary increases $100,000 to $12.1 million. Lackey earns $75,000 for coming in third, and his 2009 base salary goes up $500,000 to $10 million.
AL and NL Manager of the Year will be announced Wednesday and then the NL Cy Young Award on Thursday, with San Diego ace Jake Peavy considered the favorite.
AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
November 14, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- C.C. Sabathia scanned the stats, comparing himself to Josh Beckett and other top pitchers in the American League.
This time, Sabathia was good enough to beat Boston's ace -- albeit a few weeks later than he hoped.
The big left-hander won the AL Cy Young Award on Tuesday, topping Beckett and two other worthy contenders by a comfortable margin to become the first Cleveland Indians pitcher in 35 years to earn the honor.
Sabathia received 19 of 28 first-place votes and finished with 119 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Beckett, who outpitched Sabathia twice in the playoffs, was second with eight first-place votes and 86 points.
"I did look at a few numbers," Sabathia said on a conference call from his California home. "I definitely thought that Beckett -- it could have went either way. I'm just happy and thankful that it went my way."
It might have gone the other way if October results counted. Voting took place before the postseason, when Sabathia struggled as Beckett put together a string of dominant outings to help Boston win the World Series.
The Red Sox right-hander trounced Sabathia two times in the AL championship series and went 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in four postseason starts, striking out 35 and walking two. Sabathia was 1-2 with an 8.80 ERA and 13 walks in three playoff outings.
"The first two I can definitely say I was trying to do too much," Sabathia said. "Just trying to make perfect pitches."
John Lackey of the Los Angeles Angels got the other first-place vote and came in third. Cleveland's Fausto Carmona was fourth.
Sabathia went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 209 strikeouts, pitching a major league-high 241 innings. Beckett (20-7) became the only big leaguer to win 20 games since 2005, compiling a 3.27 ERA in 200 2-3 innings. Lackey led the AL in ERA at 3.01, going 19-9 and tossing 224 innings. Carmona was 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA.
"I was surprised. Beckett had a great year and an even better postseason," Sabathia said.
The only other Cleveland pitcher to win the award was Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in 1972.
Sabathia is the first black pitcher to win a Cy Young Award since Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets in 1985 -- and the first in the AL since Oakland's Vida Blue in 1971.
"That's awesome to be mentioned with him," said Sabathia, adding that he recently attended a meeting designed to foster ideas on how to generate more interest in baseball among inner-city kids.
While the top four Cy Young candidates had similar statistics, Sabathia's stamina apparently set him apart. After being sidelined by injuries the previous two seasons, the 6-foot-7, 290-pounder stayed healthy all year and made 34 starts to Beckett's 30. That helped account for their wide gap in innings pitched.
"I can't really say I was tired in the postseason," Sabathia said. "My arm felt fine."
The 27-year-old Sabathia also walked only 37 batters, giving him a remarkable strikeout-to-walk ratio that took pressure off his defense all season. Beckett was nearly as tough, with 194 strikeouts and 40 walks.
"Being able to go deep in the games I think was the biggest deal in helping me win this," Sabathia said. "I think it was just being able to stay healthy, being able to go out there and take the ball every fifth day."
Sabathia is entering the final season of his contract with the Indians, who are preparing to offer him a long-term deal this winter. Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro would like to have his ace locked up before spring training.
Selected by the Indians in the first round of the 1998 draft, Sabathia has made it clear he'd like to stay in Cleveland -- for the right price.
"This year he crossed the final gates of being a true No. 1," Shapiro said. "C.C. took ownership of what he could control and let go of the things he couldn't control, and that allowed him to really focus pitch to pitch, stay in his delivery and turn into a pitcher instead of just a guy with great potential and a great arm.
"Maybe the most influential leadership he demonstrated this year was how he handled the stretch of five to seven games where he got almost no run support," the GM added. "He never pointed fingers, never felt sorry for himself, stayed a positive, team-oriented guy and continued to contribute and pull for our team's victories, not worrying about his own individual performance."
Beckett gets $100,000 for finishing second, and his 2010 base salary increases $100,000 to $12.1 million. Lackey earns $75,000 for coming in third, and his 2009 base salary goes up $500,000 to $10 million.
AL and NL Manager of the Year will be announced Wednesday and then the NL Cy Young Award on Thursday, with San Diego ace Jake Peavy considered the favorite.
AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Phillies ink Romero to three-year pact
Lefty's strong stretch run rewarded with $12 million deal
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- What began as a hopeful experiment has now become a dedicated commitment. The Phillies signed left-handed reliever J.C. Romero to a three-year contract extension on Saturday night, transforming a pitcher who was unemployed just five months prior into a bullpen mainstay.
"J.C. had an outstanding three months for us this year, particularly down the stretch," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro said in a statement. "He was an integral part of our winning the NL East, and we're very happy we could get him signed before he hit the open market."
The deal is worth $12 million, and includes a club option for 2011 that would bring the total value to $16.75 million.
After losing a roster spot with the Red Sox in June, Romero signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies and immediately flourished. The lefty didn't make an appearance in the Minors, but instead went straight to Philadelphia, where he posted a 1.24 ERA in 51 games. Perhaps more impressive -- and certainly just as useful -- he allowed only five hits to left-handed hitters during that span.
There aren't many lefties who can boast that kind of success, which would have made Romero a hot commodity on the free-agent market -- and the Phillies knew it.
"I'm glad I didn't have to go out and test the free-agent market," Romero said in a statement. "I had a great time with the Phillies and really wanted to come back."
The fact that the Phillies had such a hometown advantage in re-signing Romero came more from good timing than anything else. Romero signed with the Red Sox as a free agent prior to last season, and while he didn't completely struggle -- posting a 3.15 ERA -- his 15 walks in 20 innings were enough to make the Red Sox leery. So when the team needed roster space to activate Mike Timlin, Romero's control issues -- along with the emergence of lefty Hideki Okajima -- made him expendable.
Lucky for the Phillies. Romero remained just as wild in Philadelphia, but became so unhittable that the walks rarely hurt. Opposing batters mustered only a .130 average off him after the trade.
Romero was considered one of the top lefty relievers in baseball at the start of the decade, posting a 1.89 ERA with the Twins in 2002. But struggles in subsequent years plagued his value, until an apparent revitalization with the Phillies.
With Romero, the Phillies secured another important piece at the back end of their bullpen. The team traded for new closer Brad Lidge on Wednesday, shifting Brett Myers back into the rotation. But some concern lingers.
Geoff Geary, who pitched in more games than any reliever other than Antonio Alfonseca last season, was shipped off to Houston in the trade that landed Lidge. And Alfonseca declared for free agency last month, meaning the Phillies still have plenty of bullpen holes to fill.
That's typical of any year, but coming off a down year, it looms larger. The Phillies ranked just 24th in the Majors in ERA last season with a 4.41 ERA. Even under the assumption that the addition of Lidge will cancel out the subtraction of Myers -- and such an assumption remains a leap of faith -- the Phillies haven't yet done anything to shake last summer's incriminating statistics.
That doesn't mean they won't, of course, and -- even more encouraging -- they may not have to. The Phillies won the NL East even with the division's worst bullpen last season, so there's no reason to think they can't do it again. But the signing of Romero is the first step toward ensuring that they won't need to try.
"I'm excited and looking forward to next season and hopefully we come out and defend our NL East title the way I know we can," Romero said. "The nucleus has remained the same, and we added the right pieces. We need to go out and do what everyone expects us to do, which is win a World Series."
Anthony DiComo is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- What began as a hopeful experiment has now become a dedicated commitment. The Phillies signed left-handed reliever J.C. Romero to a three-year contract extension on Saturday night, transforming a pitcher who was unemployed just five months prior into a bullpen mainstay.
"J.C. had an outstanding three months for us this year, particularly down the stretch," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro said in a statement. "He was an integral part of our winning the NL East, and we're very happy we could get him signed before he hit the open market."
The deal is worth $12 million, and includes a club option for 2011 that would bring the total value to $16.75 million.
After losing a roster spot with the Red Sox in June, Romero signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies and immediately flourished. The lefty didn't make an appearance in the Minors, but instead went straight to Philadelphia, where he posted a 1.24 ERA in 51 games. Perhaps more impressive -- and certainly just as useful -- he allowed only five hits to left-handed hitters during that span.
There aren't many lefties who can boast that kind of success, which would have made Romero a hot commodity on the free-agent market -- and the Phillies knew it.
"I'm glad I didn't have to go out and test the free-agent market," Romero said in a statement. "I had a great time with the Phillies and really wanted to come back."
The fact that the Phillies had such a hometown advantage in re-signing Romero came more from good timing than anything else. Romero signed with the Red Sox as a free agent prior to last season, and while he didn't completely struggle -- posting a 3.15 ERA -- his 15 walks in 20 innings were enough to make the Red Sox leery. So when the team needed roster space to activate Mike Timlin, Romero's control issues -- along with the emergence of lefty Hideki Okajima -- made him expendable.
Lucky for the Phillies. Romero remained just as wild in Philadelphia, but became so unhittable that the walks rarely hurt. Opposing batters mustered only a .130 average off him after the trade.
Romero was considered one of the top lefty relievers in baseball at the start of the decade, posting a 1.89 ERA with the Twins in 2002. But struggles in subsequent years plagued his value, until an apparent revitalization with the Phillies.
With Romero, the Phillies secured another important piece at the back end of their bullpen. The team traded for new closer Brad Lidge on Wednesday, shifting Brett Myers back into the rotation. But some concern lingers.
Geoff Geary, who pitched in more games than any reliever other than Antonio Alfonseca last season, was shipped off to Houston in the trade that landed Lidge. And Alfonseca declared for free agency last month, meaning the Phillies still have plenty of bullpen holes to fill.
That's typical of any year, but coming off a down year, it looms larger. The Phillies ranked just 24th in the Majors in ERA last season with a 4.41 ERA. Even under the assumption that the addition of Lidge will cancel out the subtraction of Myers -- and such an assumption remains a leap of faith -- the Phillies haven't yet done anything to shake last summer's incriminating statistics.
That doesn't mean they won't, of course, and -- even more encouraging -- they may not have to. The Phillies won the NL East even with the division's worst bullpen last season, so there's no reason to think they can't do it again. But the signing of Romero is the first step toward ensuring that they won't need to try.
"I'm excited and looking forward to next season and hopefully we come out and defend our NL East title the way I know we can," Romero said. "The nucleus has remained the same, and we added the right pieces. We need to go out and do what everyone expects us to do, which is win a World Series."
Anthony DiComo is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Free agent Hunter halts talks with Twins
Torii Hunter filed for free agency and told the Twins he didn't want to negotiate with them prior to hitting the open market.
By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune
Last update: October 29, 2007 – 9:35 PM
Torii Hunter filed for free agency Monday, saying he has halted negotiations with the Twins.
Teams have an exclusive 15-day negotiating period with pending free agents before the market officially opens Nov. 13, but Hunter said, "I don't think there's going to be any negotiations."
Asked which side had halted the talks, Hunter said, "I think it was more me telling them."
This doesn't mean that the All-Star center fielder is leaving for sure, but it does suggest he will entertain other offers before resuming talks with the Twins.
With the World Series ending Sunday, Monday was the first day eligible major leaguers could file for free agency, and Hunter and Twins pitcher Carlos Silva were among the 57 players who wasted no time.
During this 15-day window, other teams can discuss potential contract lengths, but they are not supposed to discuss financial terms.
"We want to see what may or may not be some of Torii's options, and the filing is just the start of the process," said Larry Reynolds, Hunter's agent.
Hunter, 32, hit .287 with 28 homers and 107 RBI this year and was selected to his second All-Star Game. He rejected a three-year, $45 million offer from the Twins in late August, and neither side has come forward with a new proposal. Hunter said there have been very few discussions since the season ended.
Now, other teams can talk to Hunter without being penalized for tampering.
He did not rule out a return to the Twins.
"They might want to see what other teams offer and then get back to me," he said.
Twins General Manager Bill Smith said the early free-agent filings came as no surprise.
"That's a formality," Smith said. "They're going to talk to other teams. They've earned that right. ... If I was them, I'd want to get out there and get it filed."
Silva, 28, filed on the same day he fired longtime agent Peter Greenberg, choosing Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro as his new representation.
Greenberg also represents Twins pitcher Johan Santana. Praver represents former Twins pitcher Sidney Ponson, and Shapiro was Carl Pavano's agent when Pavano signed a four-year deal worth almost $40 million with the New York Yankees in December 2004.
Some other notable names who filed included Barry Bonds, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, Kerry Wood and former Twins players Luis Castillo, Shannon Stewart, Doug Mientkiewicz and Corey Koskie.
Nathan returns
As expected, the Twins said they have picked up closer Joe Nathan's option for 2008.
Nathan will make $6 million after notching 37 saves last season and posting a 1.88 ERA.
"I wish every decision we had to make was as easy as this one," Smith said.
Nathan was aggressive in pursuing a contract extension last offseason, but now that he's one year away from free agency, the righthander will leave it up to the Twins.
"Bill and my agent had discussions, but as far as numbers, they didn't get into that," Nathan said. "We told them in the spring that after the season it was going to be even harder."
Nathan, 32, noted that Hunter might have been more tempted to take the Twins offer had they presented it in spring training, instead of waiting until August.
"I'm definitely not judging what they're doing because obviously they've done some pretty good things there," Nathan said.
As for this winter, Nathan said, "I'm hoping that they can fill some holes and see what they do with Torii and Carlos."
By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune
Last update: October 29, 2007 – 9:35 PM
Torii Hunter filed for free agency Monday, saying he has halted negotiations with the Twins.
Teams have an exclusive 15-day negotiating period with pending free agents before the market officially opens Nov. 13, but Hunter said, "I don't think there's going to be any negotiations."
Asked which side had halted the talks, Hunter said, "I think it was more me telling them."
This doesn't mean that the All-Star center fielder is leaving for sure, but it does suggest he will entertain other offers before resuming talks with the Twins.
With the World Series ending Sunday, Monday was the first day eligible major leaguers could file for free agency, and Hunter and Twins pitcher Carlos Silva were among the 57 players who wasted no time.
During this 15-day window, other teams can discuss potential contract lengths, but they are not supposed to discuss financial terms.
"We want to see what may or may not be some of Torii's options, and the filing is just the start of the process," said Larry Reynolds, Hunter's agent.
Hunter, 32, hit .287 with 28 homers and 107 RBI this year and was selected to his second All-Star Game. He rejected a three-year, $45 million offer from the Twins in late August, and neither side has come forward with a new proposal. Hunter said there have been very few discussions since the season ended.
Now, other teams can talk to Hunter without being penalized for tampering.
He did not rule out a return to the Twins.
"They might want to see what other teams offer and then get back to me," he said.
Twins General Manager Bill Smith said the early free-agent filings came as no surprise.
"That's a formality," Smith said. "They're going to talk to other teams. They've earned that right. ... If I was them, I'd want to get out there and get it filed."
Silva, 28, filed on the same day he fired longtime agent Peter Greenberg, choosing Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro as his new representation.
Greenberg also represents Twins pitcher Johan Santana. Praver represents former Twins pitcher Sidney Ponson, and Shapiro was Carl Pavano's agent when Pavano signed a four-year deal worth almost $40 million with the New York Yankees in December 2004.
Some other notable names who filed included Barry Bonds, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, Kerry Wood and former Twins players Luis Castillo, Shannon Stewart, Doug Mientkiewicz and Corey Koskie.
Nathan returns
As expected, the Twins said they have picked up closer Joe Nathan's option for 2008.
Nathan will make $6 million after notching 37 saves last season and posting a 1.88 ERA.
"I wish every decision we had to make was as easy as this one," Smith said.
Nathan was aggressive in pursuing a contract extension last offseason, but now that he's one year away from free agency, the righthander will leave it up to the Twins.
"Bill and my agent had discussions, but as far as numbers, they didn't get into that," Nathan said. "We told them in the spring that after the season it was going to be even harder."
Nathan, 32, noted that Hunter might have been more tempted to take the Twins offer had they presented it in spring training, instead of waiting until August.
"I'm definitely not judging what they're doing because obviously they've done some pretty good things there," Nathan said.
As for this winter, Nathan said, "I'm hoping that they can fill some holes and see what they do with Torii and Carlos."
New era dawns with Girardi at helm
New York's new manager holds court at Yankee Stadium
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- In his first day as a manager at the current Yankee Stadium, the structure he experienced as a player, coach and broadcaster, Joe Girardi was offered a preview of the Yankees' future.
Inspecting the rising structure of the franchise's new home across the street, Girardi saw concrete being poured, foul poles in place, and walked a pathway leading from the dugout to the clubhouse -- and, of course, the manager's office.
It is a tomorrow that now includes Girardi, who was formally introduced on Thursday in a press conference at the Stadium Club of the current facility. Two days after agreeing to terms on a three-year contract, Girardi found himself in New York, grinning as he slipped on the pinstripes once more.
"It's a tremendous time to have this opportunity," Girardi said. "To be a part of the history here, and then to be part of it in the new stadium, it's really neat."
With that, Girardi became the 32nd manager in club history, and as he posed for photographs, he reiterated his excitement for perhaps the biggest challenge of his multifaceted career.
"I can't tell you how honored we are to be putting on this uniform for the third time," Girardi said after donning a jersey with the No. 27 on its back -- appropriate, perhaps, since Girardi will be trying to lead the Yankees to their 27th World Series title.
"This is the place to be. For the Girardis, this place is home."
Choking back emotion at the podium, Girardi opened his introduction with a story about his father, Gerald, whom he said is suffering from Alzheimer's. Gerald Girardi had not spoken in a month, but that changed when a caretaker showed him a photograph of Girardi as the new Yankees manager.
"Oh, yeah," the elder Girardi said.
The 2006 National League Manager of the Year with the Florida Marlins, Girardi beat out internal candidates Don Mattingly and Tony Pena in an interview process that took place last week in Tampa, Fla.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that the decision was not an easy one, but grouped in a trio of potential candidates, Girardi aced every exam sent his way to emerge as the front-runner.
"I wanted someone that understood the complexity of the Yankee organization," Cashman said. "We're a very complex situation, whether you're dealing with the media, the New York fan base, the expectations."
"Whoever hits the ground running, they're not getting caught up to speed and having a learning curve added on," he added. "It wasn't one thing that stands out. There were several things that stood out for me to help me gravitate to Joe Girardi."
Succeeding Joe Torre after a 12-year run at the helm, Girardi inherits a Yankees club prepared for transition, continuing to filter in younger talent while attempting to win its first World Series championship since 2000.
Cashman said that the Yankees are expecting Girardi to carve his own dynasty.
"He's going to be different, because there's only one Joe Torre," Cashman said. "I think Joe Girardi will slowly reveal himself as what he is in the Yankee universe as manager in due time."
Though Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner preached during the interview process that observers should have "patience" with the new manager, saying that he would not necessarily be inheriting the 1996 Yankees, Girardi has objected to that viewpoint.
A key contributor on the 1996 club -- it was his third-inning triple off the Atlanta Braves' Greg Maddux in Game 6 that sent the Yankees to their first World Series title since 1978 -- Girardi said that he expects nothing less than to be playing in the Fall Classic come October.
Girardi won the Yankees over with a prepared, information-based approach during the intensive interview process. Upon receiving the job, Girardi said he received a message from principal owner George Steinbrenner.
"He was very congratulatory," Girardi said. "He said, 'It's great to have you aboard.' I said, 'Well, I can't wait for the season to start.'"
In 2005, Girardi served as Torre's bench coach and catching instructor before receiving his first and only previous managerial opportunity, guiding the Marlins to a 78-victory season and keeping a young club flush with rookies in the Wild Card race until the season's final week.
"It made me more prepared," Girardi said. "I didn't necessarily ever feel tense. Obviously there are tense situations in games where you have to make tough decisions, but you go with the information with your head. It's thought out. I never thought of it that way."
A 15-year Major League veteran who also played for the Chicago Cubs (1989-92 and 2000-02), Colorado Rockies (1993-95) and St. Louis Cardinals (2003), Girardi becomes the 17th Yankees manager to have also played for the club.
A lifetime .267 hitter, Girardi performed on three Yankees World Series championship clubs, winning titles in 1996, '98 and '99. At 43, Girardi becomes the third-youngest manager in the Major Leagues, behind the Washington Nationals' Manny Acta (38) and the Cleveland Indians' Eric Wedge (39).
"The Joe Girardi that I know is a determined individual," Cashman said. "He's got a big heart -- genuine and sincere. He's decisive in what he wants to do, but yet open to a great deal of information to allow him to be in the best position possible to come together with a plan and execute it.
"I know the person and obviously I'm betting on this person."
Girardi is preparing to transition from the broadcast booth to the dugout, having spent the 2007 season as a broadcaster for the YES Network working as an analyst on Yankees broadcasts.
Girardi said he believes that time spent intimately watching the organization, on the field and off of it, will help him in his new assignment.
"I was a part of about 35 games watching the Yankees," Girardi said. "I think, as a club, there's always areas you can improve. The New York Yankees have a chance to go to the World Series.
"They were in a tough playoff with Cleveland, and obviously Cleveland outplayed them during that four-game series. There [are] areas that you have to improve on all over, because you can't be satisfied with where you're at. In my heart, I have feelings of things we have to do."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- In his first day as a manager at the current Yankee Stadium, the structure he experienced as a player, coach and broadcaster, Joe Girardi was offered a preview of the Yankees' future.
Inspecting the rising structure of the franchise's new home across the street, Girardi saw concrete being poured, foul poles in place, and walked a pathway leading from the dugout to the clubhouse -- and, of course, the manager's office.
It is a tomorrow that now includes Girardi, who was formally introduced on Thursday in a press conference at the Stadium Club of the current facility. Two days after agreeing to terms on a three-year contract, Girardi found himself in New York, grinning as he slipped on the pinstripes once more.
"It's a tremendous time to have this opportunity," Girardi said. "To be a part of the history here, and then to be part of it in the new stadium, it's really neat."
With that, Girardi became the 32nd manager in club history, and as he posed for photographs, he reiterated his excitement for perhaps the biggest challenge of his multifaceted career.
"I can't tell you how honored we are to be putting on this uniform for the third time," Girardi said after donning a jersey with the No. 27 on its back -- appropriate, perhaps, since Girardi will be trying to lead the Yankees to their 27th World Series title.
"This is the place to be. For the Girardis, this place is home."
Choking back emotion at the podium, Girardi opened his introduction with a story about his father, Gerald, whom he said is suffering from Alzheimer's. Gerald Girardi had not spoken in a month, but that changed when a caretaker showed him a photograph of Girardi as the new Yankees manager.
"Oh, yeah," the elder Girardi said.
The 2006 National League Manager of the Year with the Florida Marlins, Girardi beat out internal candidates Don Mattingly and Tony Pena in an interview process that took place last week in Tampa, Fla.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that the decision was not an easy one, but grouped in a trio of potential candidates, Girardi aced every exam sent his way to emerge as the front-runner.
"I wanted someone that understood the complexity of the Yankee organization," Cashman said. "We're a very complex situation, whether you're dealing with the media, the New York fan base, the expectations."
"Whoever hits the ground running, they're not getting caught up to speed and having a learning curve added on," he added. "It wasn't one thing that stands out. There were several things that stood out for me to help me gravitate to Joe Girardi."
Succeeding Joe Torre after a 12-year run at the helm, Girardi inherits a Yankees club prepared for transition, continuing to filter in younger talent while attempting to win its first World Series championship since 2000.
Cashman said that the Yankees are expecting Girardi to carve his own dynasty.
"He's going to be different, because there's only one Joe Torre," Cashman said. "I think Joe Girardi will slowly reveal himself as what he is in the Yankee universe as manager in due time."
Though Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner preached during the interview process that observers should have "patience" with the new manager, saying that he would not necessarily be inheriting the 1996 Yankees, Girardi has objected to that viewpoint.
A key contributor on the 1996 club -- it was his third-inning triple off the Atlanta Braves' Greg Maddux in Game 6 that sent the Yankees to their first World Series title since 1978 -- Girardi said that he expects nothing less than to be playing in the Fall Classic come October.
Girardi won the Yankees over with a prepared, information-based approach during the intensive interview process. Upon receiving the job, Girardi said he received a message from principal owner George Steinbrenner.
"He was very congratulatory," Girardi said. "He said, 'It's great to have you aboard.' I said, 'Well, I can't wait for the season to start.'"
In 2005, Girardi served as Torre's bench coach and catching instructor before receiving his first and only previous managerial opportunity, guiding the Marlins to a 78-victory season and keeping a young club flush with rookies in the Wild Card race until the season's final week.
"It made me more prepared," Girardi said. "I didn't necessarily ever feel tense. Obviously there are tense situations in games where you have to make tough decisions, but you go with the information with your head. It's thought out. I never thought of it that way."
A 15-year Major League veteran who also played for the Chicago Cubs (1989-92 and 2000-02), Colorado Rockies (1993-95) and St. Louis Cardinals (2003), Girardi becomes the 17th Yankees manager to have also played for the club.
A lifetime .267 hitter, Girardi performed on three Yankees World Series championship clubs, winning titles in 1996, '98 and '99. At 43, Girardi becomes the third-youngest manager in the Major Leagues, behind the Washington Nationals' Manny Acta (38) and the Cleveland Indians' Eric Wedge (39).
"The Joe Girardi that I know is a determined individual," Cashman said. "He's got a big heart -- genuine and sincere. He's decisive in what he wants to do, but yet open to a great deal of information to allow him to be in the best position possible to come together with a plan and execute it.
"I know the person and obviously I'm betting on this person."
Girardi is preparing to transition from the broadcast booth to the dugout, having spent the 2007 season as a broadcaster for the YES Network working as an analyst on Yankees broadcasts.
Girardi said he believes that time spent intimately watching the organization, on the field and off of it, will help him in his new assignment.
"I was a part of about 35 games watching the Yankees," Girardi said. "I think, as a club, there's always areas you can improve. The New York Yankees have a chance to go to the World Series.
"They were in a tough playoff with Cleveland, and obviously Cleveland outplayed them during that four-game series. There [are] areas that you have to improve on all over, because you can't be satisfied with where you're at. In my heart, I have feelings of things we have to do."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Torre is new Dodgers manager- The Saga Continues
The former Yankees manager signs a three-year deal to replace Grady Little, who resigned Tuesday. News conference is scheduled for Monday.
By Dylan Hernandez, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
2:17 PM PDT, November 1, 2007
It's official: Joe Torre is the new manager of the Dodgers.
Torre and the Dodgers finalized a three-year deal today to replace Grady Little, who resigned Tuesday. The contract is believed to be worth around $4 million a season.
"Having grown up in Brooklyn, I have a great understanding of the history of the Dodger organization and I am committed to bringing a world championship back to Los Angeles," Torre said in a statement released by the team. "I consider it an honor to be a part of this organization, which is one of the most storied franchises in all of sports."
Said General Manager Ned Colletti: "Few managers in the history of the game have accomplished what Joe has delivered. Throughout his career he has demonstrated the ability to turn a vision for success into results on the field and we welcome his passion and leadership. We have tremendous fans and they deserve no less."
A news conference has been scheduled for Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Torre became available Oct. 18, when he parted ways with the New York Yankees after turning down an incentive-laden contract with a base salary of $5 million to return for a 13th season. Torre led the Yankees to the playoffs in every season he managed them and won four World Series titles.
Colletti made it clear Wednesday that Torre was the organization's top choice.
"When you look at his resume and what he's done and the market he's done it in, certainly, you have to start from there," Colletti said.
Torre was said to be negotiating for the right to appoint his own coaches, among them Don Mattingly. He also wanted assurance that he would have input on player personnel moves, which could lead to the free-agent pursuit of Alex Rodriguez.
Torre is taking the place of Little, who managed the team for two seasons. The Dodgers won the National League wild card in Little's first season in 2006, but were 82-80 and finished fourth in the NL West last season.
The Dodgers were able to expedite the hiring of Torre by receiving permission from Commissioner Bud Selig's office to skip the mandatory interviews of minority candidates. The exemption was granted because of the Dodgers' hiring record.
Assistant general managers Kim Ng and De Jon Watson are minorities -- Ng is an Asian American woman and Watson is African American -- and Dodgers President Jamie McCourt is the highest-ranking female executive in baseball.
By Dylan Hernandez, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
2:17 PM PDT, November 1, 2007
It's official: Joe Torre is the new manager of the Dodgers.
Torre and the Dodgers finalized a three-year deal today to replace Grady Little, who resigned Tuesday. The contract is believed to be worth around $4 million a season.
"Having grown up in Brooklyn, I have a great understanding of the history of the Dodger organization and I am committed to bringing a world championship back to Los Angeles," Torre said in a statement released by the team. "I consider it an honor to be a part of this organization, which is one of the most storied franchises in all of sports."
Said General Manager Ned Colletti: "Few managers in the history of the game have accomplished what Joe has delivered. Throughout his career he has demonstrated the ability to turn a vision for success into results on the field and we welcome his passion and leadership. We have tremendous fans and they deserve no less."
A news conference has been scheduled for Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Torre became available Oct. 18, when he parted ways with the New York Yankees after turning down an incentive-laden contract with a base salary of $5 million to return for a 13th season. Torre led the Yankees to the playoffs in every season he managed them and won four World Series titles.
Colletti made it clear Wednesday that Torre was the organization's top choice.
"When you look at his resume and what he's done and the market he's done it in, certainly, you have to start from there," Colletti said.
Torre was said to be negotiating for the right to appoint his own coaches, among them Don Mattingly. He also wanted assurance that he would have input on player personnel moves, which could lead to the free-agent pursuit of Alex Rodriguez.
Torre is taking the place of Little, who managed the team for two seasons. The Dodgers won the National League wild card in Little's first season in 2006, but were 82-80 and finished fourth in the NL West last season.
The Dodgers were able to expedite the hiring of Torre by receiving permission from Commissioner Bud Selig's office to skip the mandatory interviews of minority candidates. The exemption was granted because of the Dodgers' hiring record.
Assistant general managers Kim Ng and De Jon Watson are minorities -- Ng is an Asian American woman and Watson is African American -- and Dodgers President Jamie McCourt is the highest-ranking female executive in baseball.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Hank Steinbrenner says 'goodbye' to A-Rod
The prime reason Rodriguex bolted from the Yankees was for money and it only goes to prove that once a selfish and egotistical individual always a selfish and egotistical individual.
BY MARK FEINSAND AND BILL MADDEN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS
Monday, October 29th 2007, 4:52 AM
Hank Steinbrenner may be new to the baseball business, but the eldest son of George Steinbrenner knows one thing: If you don't want to be a Yankee, the Yankees don't want you.
That was Steinbrenner's message to Alex Rodriguez last night after he learned that the third baseman had opted out of the final three years of his contract, electing to become a free agent before the Yankees even had a chance to offer him an extension.
"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee," Hank Steinbrenner told the Daily News last night. "He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field.
"I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."
Rodriguez's decision means that the Texas Rangers will save almost $30 million that had been on its way to New York to help pay for the final three years of A-Rod's contract, which would have paid him $91 million over those three seasons.
The Yankees were planning to offer A-Rod a contract extension of five years and about $135 million to $140 million, a deal that would have kept the two-time MVP in pinstripes through his 40th birthday. The Yankees had not yet made the offer, as they were trying to set up a face-to-face meeting with agent Scott Boras and A-Rod, a meeting that never happened.
The Yankees have said time and time again that they will not pursue Rodriguez as a free agent because of the money they would now no longer receive from the Rangers. Last night, Steinbrenner made it clear that his team had no intention of changing its tune on that stance.
"We're not going to back down," Steinbrenner said. "It's goodbye."
According to Boras, Rodriguez wanted to know what direction the Yankees were moving in before he agreed to any contract extension, something that was unlikely to happen before Rodriguez's opt-out deadline of 10 days after the World Series.
Boras cited the uncertainty over the status of pending free agents such as Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte as A-Rod's biggest concern. As it turns out, all Rodriguez had to do was return a phone call if he wanted that information.
Steinbrenner said last night that both he and his brother, Hal, personally placed phone calls to Rodriguez expressing their desire to keep him in pinstripes, but neither call was returned by the third baseman.
"I'll tell you this: the commitment from my family is '78 through '96," Steinbrenner said of the team's direction. "We will never go 18 years without a championship again. That's our commitment."
If the Yankees stand by their well-stated position not to bid on Rodriguez as a free agent, then one of the most controversial Yankee careers will end after four years of incredible ups and downs.
In his first season as a Yank, A-Rod hit .286 with 36 homers and 106 RBI in 2004. He carried the Yankees through the division series against the Twins and crushed the ball in the first three games of the ALCS against the Red Sox, but he went cold in the four-game fold against Boston, taking a lot of heat for the worst collapse in postseason history.
A-Rod rebounded with an MVP season in 2005, hitting .321 with 48 homers and 130 RBI, but his season ended with a disastrous 2-for-15, no-RBI performance in the five-game first-round loss to the Angels. His 2006 season (.290-35-121) was solid, but another October collapse, this time a 1-for-14 series in a four-game loss to the Tigers, left A-Rod with a label as playoff choke artist.
This year, Rodriguez came to spring training with a new attitude, and it helped him post the finest overall season of his career. But after hitting .314 with 54 home runs and 156 RBI (and a likely third career MVP award), A-Rod managed just one solo homer and three meaningless singles in another first-round playoff exit, likely the lasting image of his time in pinstripes.
BY MARK FEINSAND AND BILL MADDEN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS
Monday, October 29th 2007, 4:52 AM
Hank Steinbrenner may be new to the baseball business, but the eldest son of George Steinbrenner knows one thing: If you don't want to be a Yankee, the Yankees don't want you.
That was Steinbrenner's message to Alex Rodriguez last night after he learned that the third baseman had opted out of the final three years of his contract, electing to become a free agent before the Yankees even had a chance to offer him an extension.
"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee," Hank Steinbrenner told the Daily News last night. "He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field.
"I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."
Rodriguez's decision means that the Texas Rangers will save almost $30 million that had been on its way to New York to help pay for the final three years of A-Rod's contract, which would have paid him $91 million over those three seasons.
The Yankees were planning to offer A-Rod a contract extension of five years and about $135 million to $140 million, a deal that would have kept the two-time MVP in pinstripes through his 40th birthday. The Yankees had not yet made the offer, as they were trying to set up a face-to-face meeting with agent Scott Boras and A-Rod, a meeting that never happened.
The Yankees have said time and time again that they will not pursue Rodriguez as a free agent because of the money they would now no longer receive from the Rangers. Last night, Steinbrenner made it clear that his team had no intention of changing its tune on that stance.
"We're not going to back down," Steinbrenner said. "It's goodbye."
According to Boras, Rodriguez wanted to know what direction the Yankees were moving in before he agreed to any contract extension, something that was unlikely to happen before Rodriguez's opt-out deadline of 10 days after the World Series.
Boras cited the uncertainty over the status of pending free agents such as Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte as A-Rod's biggest concern. As it turns out, all Rodriguez had to do was return a phone call if he wanted that information.
Steinbrenner said last night that both he and his brother, Hal, personally placed phone calls to Rodriguez expressing their desire to keep him in pinstripes, but neither call was returned by the third baseman.
"I'll tell you this: the commitment from my family is '78 through '96," Steinbrenner said of the team's direction. "We will never go 18 years without a championship again. That's our commitment."
If the Yankees stand by their well-stated position not to bid on Rodriguez as a free agent, then one of the most controversial Yankee careers will end after four years of incredible ups and downs.
In his first season as a Yank, A-Rod hit .286 with 36 homers and 106 RBI in 2004. He carried the Yankees through the division series against the Twins and crushed the ball in the first three games of the ALCS against the Red Sox, but he went cold in the four-game fold against Boston, taking a lot of heat for the worst collapse in postseason history.
A-Rod rebounded with an MVP season in 2005, hitting .321 with 48 homers and 130 RBI, but his season ended with a disastrous 2-for-15, no-RBI performance in the five-game first-round loss to the Angels. His 2006 season (.290-35-121) was solid, but another October collapse, this time a 1-for-14 series in a four-game loss to the Tigers, left A-Rod with a label as playoff choke artist.
This year, Rodriguez came to spring training with a new attitude, and it helped him post the finest overall season of his career. But after hitting .314 with 54 home runs and 156 RBI (and a likely third career MVP award), A-Rod managed just one solo homer and three meaningless singles in another first-round playoff exit, likely the lasting image of his time in pinstripes.
Twin peaks: Sox are champs
Boston rides four-game sweep to second title in four seasons
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
DENVER -- A scintillating seven-game winning streak that began in Cleveland with the season on the brink of elimination ended Sunday night with the Red Sox mobbing each other in the thin air of Coors Field of all places, culminating in a World Series championship that didn't take even close to 86 years this time around.
By sweeping the Rockies with a 4-3 victory in Game 4, the Red Sox are champions of Major League Baseball for the second time in four seasons, once again doing it by giving their National League opponent the broom treatment. It was the seventh -- there goes that number again -- time the Red Sox have won the World Series.
It all ended with Jonathan Papelbon, the closer who has been brilliant all year and into the postseason, striking out Seth Smith on 95-mph heat. The fiery right-hander tossed his glove high in the air with joy, took his hat off and then embraced catcher Jason Varitek after saving the World Series clincher for left-hander Jon Lester.
From there, it was a sea of Red Sox piling on top of each other in the middle of the diamond.
"It was just an amazing ride," said Papelbon. "Hopefully this is a sign of more to come. The guys in this clubhouse, we have a chance to be here year after year. We can put a good team out there year after year."
Three years ago, the Red Sox were overjoyed just to do it once. Now, the organization -- which has made the postseason four of the past five seasons-- is hoping to turn into a perennial powerhouse.
Victory did not seem to be any sweeter this time than it was in 2004.
"You know what, what happened in '04, we'll never forget," said Terry Francona, the first manager in Major League history to win his first eight World Series games. "I won't ever forget it. But this is '07, and we said that from Day 1. And we accomplished our goal, and it's not easy to do."
Give the Rockies credit for this: they didn't quit. Down, 4-1, in the bottom of the eighth, Garrett Atkins blasted a two-run homer to left against Hideki Okajima, putting the heat on the Red Sox.
"They don't panic when they're down," World Series MVP Mike Lowell said of the Rockies. "It got a little dicey there after Atkins hit the home run, but Pap's been there all year for us. There's no better guy to have in that situation than him."
It was Papelbon, who didn't allow a run in seven postseason appearances, who recorded the final five outs. It was his third save of the World Series.
There was also a feel-good touch to the end of the script, as Lester, who was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for anaplastic large cell lymphoma at this time last year, fired 5 2/3 shutout innings against Colorado to earn the win in his first career postseason start.
"Words can't describe it," said Lester. "It really hasn't sunk in. Maybe it will sink in when we go ride around Boston with the trophy. Right now, it's just a lot of fun. This is the one you work for ever since you first picked up a baseball. This is what you dream of and this is what you work towards all year."
Aaron Cook, making his first start since Aug. 10 because of a left oblique strain, hung tough (six innings, six hits, three runs) for the Rockies in a losing effort.
But the Red Sox did enough offensively to get the job done. Lowell -- who has a way of making his hits count -- belted a solo homer in the top of the seventh to give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Brad Hawpe drew the Rockies within two on a solo shot to right against Manny Delcarmen in the bottom of the seventh. But after Mike Timlin navigated the Red Sox through the final two outs of that inning, Bobby Kielty opened the eighth with a pinch-hit homer to push the lead back to three runs.
The fact that Kielty hit a decisive home run was symbolic of the way this postseason went for Boston. From the veterans to the rookies to the role players, everyone did their thing.
"You have to have horses," said Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling. "You have to have Papelbons, you have to have [Josh] Becketts, you have to have Mannys, you have to have Davids, but when you have Jon Lester winning it and Bobby Kielty hitting the game-winning homer, it just speaks to the depth of the club."
Don't let the relative ease of the World Series conquest fool you. The ride to the pinnacle was anything but easy for the Red Sox. They trailed the Indians, 3-1, in the American League Championship Series before climbing out of that seemingly daunting deficit.
If the script sounds reasonably familiar, it should. In 2004, the Red Sox came back from 3-0 down to beat the Yankees in the ALCS, and they finished that championship ride with eight straight wins.
"It's the most impossible thing to get done, and we got it done," said Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. "And [three] years later, we did it again."
Coming into the World Series, the Rockies had won 21 of 22. But the Red Sox cooled them right off, riding their battle-tested playoff horses (Beckett and Schilling) to victories at Fenway, and then having Daisuke Matsuzaka and Lester seal the deal in the Rocky Mountains.
"We had momentum on our side," said Timlin, who has now been a part of four World Series champions. "We came from a tough series with the Indians and we just carried it into this one. They had the time off and it didn't play in their favor, and we rolled."
After taking over first place in the AL East for good on April 18 and winning 96 games during the regular season, Boston went 11-3 in the postseason.
"I'm just so proud of everybody," said Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, a force in his rookie year. "It took 25 guys and every scout and coach to win this."
In Game 4 of the World Series, the Red Sox again set the tone early. Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off his four-hit performance in Game 3, led the game off with a double. He moved to third on a groundout by Pedroia and scored on Ortiz's single to right.
Cook held the Red Sox down for a while after that first, throwing three straight shutout innings. But the Boston bats came alive in the fifth. Lowell got it started with a leadoff double to center and belly-flopped home on a one-out single to right by Varitek. After Julio Lugo followed with a single, Cook struck out Lester and Ellsbury to keep it at 2-0.
Things would get topsy-turvy later, but the Red Sox found a way to finish it off. By the end of the night, the infield seats at Coors Field were packed with Boston fans, who cheered the players on for roughly 90 minutes in a post-clinch party.
"I thought there would be a different feeling, because there wasn't sort of the long, dramatic buildup," said Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino. "But it's still exhilarating and still jubilant. Just sitting here now, seeing the players in uniform, Red Sox Nation here with us, it's beginning to hit me right now with the fans cheering. It's a gratifying feeling."
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
DENVER -- A scintillating seven-game winning streak that began in Cleveland with the season on the brink of elimination ended Sunday night with the Red Sox mobbing each other in the thin air of Coors Field of all places, culminating in a World Series championship that didn't take even close to 86 years this time around.
By sweeping the Rockies with a 4-3 victory in Game 4, the Red Sox are champions of Major League Baseball for the second time in four seasons, once again doing it by giving their National League opponent the broom treatment. It was the seventh -- there goes that number again -- time the Red Sox have won the World Series.
It all ended with Jonathan Papelbon, the closer who has been brilliant all year and into the postseason, striking out Seth Smith on 95-mph heat. The fiery right-hander tossed his glove high in the air with joy, took his hat off and then embraced catcher Jason Varitek after saving the World Series clincher for left-hander Jon Lester.
From there, it was a sea of Red Sox piling on top of each other in the middle of the diamond.
"It was just an amazing ride," said Papelbon. "Hopefully this is a sign of more to come. The guys in this clubhouse, we have a chance to be here year after year. We can put a good team out there year after year."
Three years ago, the Red Sox were overjoyed just to do it once. Now, the organization -- which has made the postseason four of the past five seasons-- is hoping to turn into a perennial powerhouse.
Victory did not seem to be any sweeter this time than it was in 2004.
"You know what, what happened in '04, we'll never forget," said Terry Francona, the first manager in Major League history to win his first eight World Series games. "I won't ever forget it. But this is '07, and we said that from Day 1. And we accomplished our goal, and it's not easy to do."
Give the Rockies credit for this: they didn't quit. Down, 4-1, in the bottom of the eighth, Garrett Atkins blasted a two-run homer to left against Hideki Okajima, putting the heat on the Red Sox.
"They don't panic when they're down," World Series MVP Mike Lowell said of the Rockies. "It got a little dicey there after Atkins hit the home run, but Pap's been there all year for us. There's no better guy to have in that situation than him."
It was Papelbon, who didn't allow a run in seven postseason appearances, who recorded the final five outs. It was his third save of the World Series.
There was also a feel-good touch to the end of the script, as Lester, who was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for anaplastic large cell lymphoma at this time last year, fired 5 2/3 shutout innings against Colorado to earn the win in his first career postseason start.
"Words can't describe it," said Lester. "It really hasn't sunk in. Maybe it will sink in when we go ride around Boston with the trophy. Right now, it's just a lot of fun. This is the one you work for ever since you first picked up a baseball. This is what you dream of and this is what you work towards all year."
Aaron Cook, making his first start since Aug. 10 because of a left oblique strain, hung tough (six innings, six hits, three runs) for the Rockies in a losing effort.
But the Red Sox did enough offensively to get the job done. Lowell -- who has a way of making his hits count -- belted a solo homer in the top of the seventh to give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Brad Hawpe drew the Rockies within two on a solo shot to right against Manny Delcarmen in the bottom of the seventh. But after Mike Timlin navigated the Red Sox through the final two outs of that inning, Bobby Kielty opened the eighth with a pinch-hit homer to push the lead back to three runs.
The fact that Kielty hit a decisive home run was symbolic of the way this postseason went for Boston. From the veterans to the rookies to the role players, everyone did their thing.
"You have to have horses," said Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling. "You have to have Papelbons, you have to have [Josh] Becketts, you have to have Mannys, you have to have Davids, but when you have Jon Lester winning it and Bobby Kielty hitting the game-winning homer, it just speaks to the depth of the club."
Don't let the relative ease of the World Series conquest fool you. The ride to the pinnacle was anything but easy for the Red Sox. They trailed the Indians, 3-1, in the American League Championship Series before climbing out of that seemingly daunting deficit.
If the script sounds reasonably familiar, it should. In 2004, the Red Sox came back from 3-0 down to beat the Yankees in the ALCS, and they finished that championship ride with eight straight wins.
"It's the most impossible thing to get done, and we got it done," said Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. "And [three] years later, we did it again."
Coming into the World Series, the Rockies had won 21 of 22. But the Red Sox cooled them right off, riding their battle-tested playoff horses (Beckett and Schilling) to victories at Fenway, and then having Daisuke Matsuzaka and Lester seal the deal in the Rocky Mountains.
"We had momentum on our side," said Timlin, who has now been a part of four World Series champions. "We came from a tough series with the Indians and we just carried it into this one. They had the time off and it didn't play in their favor, and we rolled."
After taking over first place in the AL East for good on April 18 and winning 96 games during the regular season, Boston went 11-3 in the postseason.
"I'm just so proud of everybody," said Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, a force in his rookie year. "It took 25 guys and every scout and coach to win this."
In Game 4 of the World Series, the Red Sox again set the tone early. Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off his four-hit performance in Game 3, led the game off with a double. He moved to third on a groundout by Pedroia and scored on Ortiz's single to right.
Cook held the Red Sox down for a while after that first, throwing three straight shutout innings. But the Boston bats came alive in the fifth. Lowell got it started with a leadoff double to center and belly-flopped home on a one-out single to right by Varitek. After Julio Lugo followed with a single, Cook struck out Lester and Ellsbury to keep it at 2-0.
Things would get topsy-turvy later, but the Red Sox found a way to finish it off. By the end of the night, the infield seats at Coors Field were packed with Boston fans, who cheered the players on for roughly 90 minutes in a post-clinch party.
"I thought there would be a different feeling, because there wasn't sort of the long, dramatic buildup," said Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino. "But it's still exhilarating and still jubilant. Just sitting here now, seeing the players in uniform, Red Sox Nation here with us, it's beginning to hit me right now with the fans cheering. It's a gratifying feeling."
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Piece of cake-Ellsbury, Pedroia and Dice-K put championship within reach
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
DENVER -- Can a team that hails from Boston really know all that much about a pure Rocky Mountain high? The Red Sox, at the very least, are in the most advantageous position possible to find out.
On the three-year anniversary of the day they clinched their last World Series championship, the Red Sox put themselves on the verge of another taste of Major League Baseball's summit. This, after they pounced on the Rockies early, held on for dear life in the middle and put it away late. All of that en route to a thoroughly eventful 10-5 victory in Saturday night's Game 3 of the World Series at Coors Field.
Just like in 2004, the Red Sox are out to a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic. And they'll try to end it every bit as quickly as they did three years ago, when they gave the St. Louis Cardinals the broom treatment.
Leave it to Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez to put the current state of affairs in proper perspective.
"We don't want to eat the cake first, before your birthday," said Ramirez. "We've got to wait and see what's going to happen [in Game 4]."
Per usual, the Red Sox weren't making early celebration plans.
"Go out and play [Sunday's] game," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "That's what is in our best interest -- is to play tomorrow's game and see how we do. That's what we always do: stay in the moment."
Creating a chance at another World Series sweep was anything but easy. After building a 6-0 lead by the top of the third inning, the Red Sox had to withstand a furious comeback by the Rockies. When Matt Holliday clocked a three-run homer over the wall in center against Hideki Okajima with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, Boston's once-commanding lead was down to a precious run. Okajima settled down and got through the rest of the inning unscathed, helping to preserve the win for fellow Japanese rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka.
"Oki has been great for us all year," said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. "I don't think he lets previous at-bats change his focus and change his approach. He goes after hitters and did a great job again today. After that big home run, we just needed to get out of the inning with the lead and see if we can tack on a few more."
Tack, they did. In a key top of the eighth for the Sox, two rookies delivered big hits in succession. First, it was Jacoby Ellsbury (4-for-5, three doubles), who lofted an RBI double that fell just in front of diving Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe. And Dustin Pedroia immediately followed with a two-run double to right, pumping his fist with excitement when he reached second. Both of those clutch knocks came against Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes.
"[Ellsbury] and Pedroia, they carried the team," Ramirez said. "You have to give those guys credit."
Closer Jonathan Papelbon came on with two on and two outs in the eighth and got the Red Sox out of that jam. He finished it off in the ninth for his second save of the World Series.
Boston will try to try to finish Colorado off on Sunday. Of the 22 previous teams that have led the World Series 3-0, all have gone on to win. Nineteen, in fact, did it with a sweep. The Red Sox will try to become No. 20 in Game 4, when they send left-hander Jon Lester to the mound for his first career postseason start.
Before getting to Lester, the Red Sox turned to Matsuzaka, whose inaugural Major League season has been covered like a blanket by two nations -- Japan and Red Sox -- from start to finish.
Sometimes Matsuzaka didn't live up to the billing of the man the Red Sox invested $103.1 million in. But after coming up with enough to win Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Indians, Matsuzaka was also able to get the job done vs. the Rockies, holding them to three hits and two runs -- both of which came home after he left the game -- over 5 1/3 innings. Dice-K walked three and struck out five, throwing 101 pitches.
"I think I felt more pressure going into Game 7 of the LCS, so today was easier mentally," Matsuzaka said through translator Masa Hoshino. "But the team won, and I didn't wind up being the one to stop our momentum. So in that sense, I feel very relieved."
If his pitching wasn't enough, Matsuzaka also chipped in with his bat, belting a two-out, two-run single in a six-run uprising by Boston in the top of the third. Matsuzaka could not have picked a better occasion to come up with his first Major League hit, which gave the Red Sox a 5-0 lead.
"I'm a confident hitter, [and] I love hitting," Matsuzaka said. The Red Sox pinned the Rockies and right-hander Josh Fogg squarely against the ropes in that third, getting big hits from not only Matsuzaka, but also David Ortiz (RBI double) and Lowell (two-run single). Ellsbury started and finished the job, belting two doubles in the inning, joining Matt Williams (Game 6, 2001 World Series) as the only players in World Series history to accomplish that feat.
That was what Francona had in mind when he put Ellsbury in the leadoff spot for the first time in this postseason. Pedroia moved down a spot to the No. 2 hole and was a pest to the Rockies, going 3-for-5.
"They were on base the whole night," Francona said. "It created a lot of opportunities."
Backed by a 6-0 lead to start the bottom of the sixth, Matsuzaka issued back-to-back walks to Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins and was then removed from the game.
For the first time all night, the Rockies threatened to come charging back. With Javy Lopez on for Boston, Hawpe lined an RBI single up the middle. Yorvit Torrealba followed with a single through the hole and into left, and it was 6-2.
Francona then called for Mike Timlin, and the first truly anxious moment of the night for Boston came when Ryan Spilborghs greeted the veteran right-hander with a drive that whistled into deep center field. But Ellsbury tracked it down just in front of the wall.
Pinch-hitter Jeff Baker followed with a scorching liner that seemed bound to be a hit, but Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo timed his leap perfectly and snared it out of thin air to end the inning.
"That ball was smoked," confirmed Lugo.
In this case for the Red Sox, fire did not accompany the smoke.
"That might have saved the game right there, Lugo's play," said Lowell. "I didn't think he had a chance. That ball looked liked it kept rising. He got up there, and I think we were all pumped up when he came down with it."
And now, it's down to this. If the Red Sox can win just one more game in this World Series, their 2007 season will be declared a smashing success.
"We have to continue to stay focused," catcher Jason Varitek said. "We have to try and outplay our opponent."
Keep in mind that Varitek uttered that precise statement after Game 4 of the ALCS, when the Red Sox were in a 3-1 hole and their season was on the brink. It is that tunnel vision -- as much as anything -- that has gotten the Red Sox to this point.
"I think we have to maintain the same intensity, because 3-0 doesn't mean anything if you can't win the fourth," said Lowell. "I truly believe we're going to go into tomorrow's game prepared just like we did today and the first two games in Boston."
"We're going to come tomorrow, play hard and we'll see what's going to happen," said Ramirez.
And perhaps by the end of Game 4, there will be a cake to go with a trophy.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
DENVER -- Can a team that hails from Boston really know all that much about a pure Rocky Mountain high? The Red Sox, at the very least, are in the most advantageous position possible to find out.
On the three-year anniversary of the day they clinched their last World Series championship, the Red Sox put themselves on the verge of another taste of Major League Baseball's summit. This, after they pounced on the Rockies early, held on for dear life in the middle and put it away late. All of that en route to a thoroughly eventful 10-5 victory in Saturday night's Game 3 of the World Series at Coors Field.
Just like in 2004, the Red Sox are out to a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic. And they'll try to end it every bit as quickly as they did three years ago, when they gave the St. Louis Cardinals the broom treatment.
Leave it to Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez to put the current state of affairs in proper perspective.
"We don't want to eat the cake first, before your birthday," said Ramirez. "We've got to wait and see what's going to happen [in Game 4]."
Per usual, the Red Sox weren't making early celebration plans.
"Go out and play [Sunday's] game," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "That's what is in our best interest -- is to play tomorrow's game and see how we do. That's what we always do: stay in the moment."
Creating a chance at another World Series sweep was anything but easy. After building a 6-0 lead by the top of the third inning, the Red Sox had to withstand a furious comeback by the Rockies. When Matt Holliday clocked a three-run homer over the wall in center against Hideki Okajima with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, Boston's once-commanding lead was down to a precious run. Okajima settled down and got through the rest of the inning unscathed, helping to preserve the win for fellow Japanese rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka.
"Oki has been great for us all year," said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. "I don't think he lets previous at-bats change his focus and change his approach. He goes after hitters and did a great job again today. After that big home run, we just needed to get out of the inning with the lead and see if we can tack on a few more."
Tack, they did. In a key top of the eighth for the Sox, two rookies delivered big hits in succession. First, it was Jacoby Ellsbury (4-for-5, three doubles), who lofted an RBI double that fell just in front of diving Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe. And Dustin Pedroia immediately followed with a two-run double to right, pumping his fist with excitement when he reached second. Both of those clutch knocks came against Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes.
"[Ellsbury] and Pedroia, they carried the team," Ramirez said. "You have to give those guys credit."
Closer Jonathan Papelbon came on with two on and two outs in the eighth and got the Red Sox out of that jam. He finished it off in the ninth for his second save of the World Series.
Boston will try to try to finish Colorado off on Sunday. Of the 22 previous teams that have led the World Series 3-0, all have gone on to win. Nineteen, in fact, did it with a sweep. The Red Sox will try to become No. 20 in Game 4, when they send left-hander Jon Lester to the mound for his first career postseason start.
Before getting to Lester, the Red Sox turned to Matsuzaka, whose inaugural Major League season has been covered like a blanket by two nations -- Japan and Red Sox -- from start to finish.
Sometimes Matsuzaka didn't live up to the billing of the man the Red Sox invested $103.1 million in. But after coming up with enough to win Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Indians, Matsuzaka was also able to get the job done vs. the Rockies, holding them to three hits and two runs -- both of which came home after he left the game -- over 5 1/3 innings. Dice-K walked three and struck out five, throwing 101 pitches.
"I think I felt more pressure going into Game 7 of the LCS, so today was easier mentally," Matsuzaka said through translator Masa Hoshino. "But the team won, and I didn't wind up being the one to stop our momentum. So in that sense, I feel very relieved."
If his pitching wasn't enough, Matsuzaka also chipped in with his bat, belting a two-out, two-run single in a six-run uprising by Boston in the top of the third. Matsuzaka could not have picked a better occasion to come up with his first Major League hit, which gave the Red Sox a 5-0 lead.
"I'm a confident hitter, [and] I love hitting," Matsuzaka said. The Red Sox pinned the Rockies and right-hander Josh Fogg squarely against the ropes in that third, getting big hits from not only Matsuzaka, but also David Ortiz (RBI double) and Lowell (two-run single). Ellsbury started and finished the job, belting two doubles in the inning, joining Matt Williams (Game 6, 2001 World Series) as the only players in World Series history to accomplish that feat.
That was what Francona had in mind when he put Ellsbury in the leadoff spot for the first time in this postseason. Pedroia moved down a spot to the No. 2 hole and was a pest to the Rockies, going 3-for-5.
"They were on base the whole night," Francona said. "It created a lot of opportunities."
Backed by a 6-0 lead to start the bottom of the sixth, Matsuzaka issued back-to-back walks to Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins and was then removed from the game.
For the first time all night, the Rockies threatened to come charging back. With Javy Lopez on for Boston, Hawpe lined an RBI single up the middle. Yorvit Torrealba followed with a single through the hole and into left, and it was 6-2.
Francona then called for Mike Timlin, and the first truly anxious moment of the night for Boston came when Ryan Spilborghs greeted the veteran right-hander with a drive that whistled into deep center field. But Ellsbury tracked it down just in front of the wall.
Pinch-hitter Jeff Baker followed with a scorching liner that seemed bound to be a hit, but Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo timed his leap perfectly and snared it out of thin air to end the inning.
"That ball was smoked," confirmed Lugo.
In this case for the Red Sox, fire did not accompany the smoke.
"That might have saved the game right there, Lugo's play," said Lowell. "I didn't think he had a chance. That ball looked liked it kept rising. He got up there, and I think we were all pumped up when he came down with it."
And now, it's down to this. If the Red Sox can win just one more game in this World Series, their 2007 season will be declared a smashing success.
"We have to continue to stay focused," catcher Jason Varitek said. "We have to try and outplay our opponent."
Keep in mind that Varitek uttered that precise statement after Game 4 of the ALCS, when the Red Sox were in a 3-1 hole and their season was on the brink. It is that tunnel vision -- as much as anything -- that has gotten the Red Sox to this point.
"I think we have to maintain the same intensity, because 3-0 doesn't mean anything if you can't win the fourth," said Lowell. "I truly believe we're going to go into tomorrow's game prepared just like we did today and the first two games in Boston."
"We're going to come tomorrow, play hard and we'll see what's going to happen," said Ramirez.
And perhaps by the end of Game 4, there will be a cake to go with a trophy.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Rockies seek fresh start at home
World Series shifts to Colorado with Red Sox in control
By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
DENVER -- The Red Sox are halfway to another World Series championship. And if one judges by the odds, they have the decided advantage against the Rockies as both teams prepare for Game 3 on Saturday night at Coors Field.
After dropping the first two games at Fenway Park, including Game 2 on Thursday night, 2-1, the Rox need a victory. Pronto.
"We've been comfortable at home. We've been resilient at home," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "Our crowd will be a big part of it. We want to put a good product on the field, get this thing headed back in our direction, get some people making some noise for us, get our offense kick-started and see if we can win a ballgame. Game 3 is what this whole thing is about for us right now."
It ought to be. When the home team -- like the Red Sox this week -- has won the first two games of the World Series, good things usually happen. That team has gone on to take the whole thing 27 out of 34 times, including the last 10 in row, dating back to the 1981 Fall Classic when the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in six games after dropping the first two at Yankee Stadium.
This is the 51st time that a team has won the first two games of the World Series either at home or on the road, and those teams have won it all 39 out of the previous 50.
And no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series.
So the historical pattern is definitely with the Red Sox, who won the first two games of the 2004 World Series at the Fens against the Cardinals and went on to sweep that series on the road for their first title in 86 years.
When presented with the positive odds, Red Sox manager Terry Francona deadpanned after listening to a dissertation of the numbers:
"By the time you get done with that question the odds are going to change. What we've said all along, and we're really good at it, is playing the game ahead of us. The next game ahead of us is the most important thing on our radar and that'll never change regardless of what our record is."
Curt Schilling, Thursday night's winner and now 3-0 this postseason, also has had experience playing on one of those teams that took a two-game advantage right off the bat in the World Series. His 2001 Diamondbacks won the first two games against the Yankees at what was then called Bank One Ballpark and then survived a sweep of the three games at Yankee Stadium before returning home to win that series in seven games. Of course, he was also on the 2004 Red Sox team that rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, the only time in Major League history that's happened in a best-of-seven series.
Schilling was asked if he could share any lessons he learned from the 2001 World Series, in particular, with his current teammates.
"Since I'm the only guy from that World Series playing in this one, no," said Schilling, who was a co-MVP of the 2001 series with teammate Randy Johnson. "This is the two best teams in the game, the two left standing. Regardless of us being up 2-0 or what percentages say, it's irrelevant to us and it's irrelevant to them. We're both here because we really didn't pay attention to statistics. We played the games at hand and we grinded out a 162-game schedule."
In the Rox case, make that 163.
Of course, they are glad to be home where they compiled a 54-31 record this season, including a National League Wild Card tie-breaker and two rounds of playoffs. The Wild Card-tiebreaker win here on Oct. 1 came over the Padres with three runs in the bottom of the 13th and ended the season for Colorado with 14 wins in its final 15 games.
That streak stretched to 21 out of 22 through sweeps of the Phillies in the NL Division Series and Arizona in the NLCS. In their first World Series, the Rockies won all the games that sent them on to next level at home where they hope to revive their flagging chances this weekend.
After scoring two runs on 11 hits against the Red Sox at Fenway, the Rockies need to clean the slate and all that rot. They've allowed too many gratuitous baserunners, issuing 12 walks and hitting a batter. They haven't been able to close down an inning: 11 of Boston's 15 runs came with two out and none having already scored. On the offensive side, they've stranded seven of nine baserunners in scoring position.
"Well, it's disappointing," Hurdle said. "It puts you in positions you don't want to get into. That being said, we've got to find a way to correct it. We haven't helped ourselves when we've been able to. We've made enough mistakes that we've cost us a little bit and we've put ourselves in a hole down two games. We've got a tough challenge ahead of us, but the reality is we [are] home now [to] play some baseball. I anticipate that we're going to be better at home."
Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
DENVER -- The Red Sox are halfway to another World Series championship. And if one judges by the odds, they have the decided advantage against the Rockies as both teams prepare for Game 3 on Saturday night at Coors Field.
After dropping the first two games at Fenway Park, including Game 2 on Thursday night, 2-1, the Rox need a victory. Pronto.
"We've been comfortable at home. We've been resilient at home," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "Our crowd will be a big part of it. We want to put a good product on the field, get this thing headed back in our direction, get some people making some noise for us, get our offense kick-started and see if we can win a ballgame. Game 3 is what this whole thing is about for us right now."
It ought to be. When the home team -- like the Red Sox this week -- has won the first two games of the World Series, good things usually happen. That team has gone on to take the whole thing 27 out of 34 times, including the last 10 in row, dating back to the 1981 Fall Classic when the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in six games after dropping the first two at Yankee Stadium.
This is the 51st time that a team has won the first two games of the World Series either at home or on the road, and those teams have won it all 39 out of the previous 50.
And no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series.
So the historical pattern is definitely with the Red Sox, who won the first two games of the 2004 World Series at the Fens against the Cardinals and went on to sweep that series on the road for their first title in 86 years.
When presented with the positive odds, Red Sox manager Terry Francona deadpanned after listening to a dissertation of the numbers:
"By the time you get done with that question the odds are going to change. What we've said all along, and we're really good at it, is playing the game ahead of us. The next game ahead of us is the most important thing on our radar and that'll never change regardless of what our record is."
Curt Schilling, Thursday night's winner and now 3-0 this postseason, also has had experience playing on one of those teams that took a two-game advantage right off the bat in the World Series. His 2001 Diamondbacks won the first two games against the Yankees at what was then called Bank One Ballpark and then survived a sweep of the three games at Yankee Stadium before returning home to win that series in seven games. Of course, he was also on the 2004 Red Sox team that rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, the only time in Major League history that's happened in a best-of-seven series.
Schilling was asked if he could share any lessons he learned from the 2001 World Series, in particular, with his current teammates.
"Since I'm the only guy from that World Series playing in this one, no," said Schilling, who was a co-MVP of the 2001 series with teammate Randy Johnson. "This is the two best teams in the game, the two left standing. Regardless of us being up 2-0 or what percentages say, it's irrelevant to us and it's irrelevant to them. We're both here because we really didn't pay attention to statistics. We played the games at hand and we grinded out a 162-game schedule."
In the Rox case, make that 163.
Of course, they are glad to be home where they compiled a 54-31 record this season, including a National League Wild Card tie-breaker and two rounds of playoffs. The Wild Card-tiebreaker win here on Oct. 1 came over the Padres with three runs in the bottom of the 13th and ended the season for Colorado with 14 wins in its final 15 games.
That streak stretched to 21 out of 22 through sweeps of the Phillies in the NL Division Series and Arizona in the NLCS. In their first World Series, the Rockies won all the games that sent them on to next level at home where they hope to revive their flagging chances this weekend.
After scoring two runs on 11 hits against the Red Sox at Fenway, the Rockies need to clean the slate and all that rot. They've allowed too many gratuitous baserunners, issuing 12 walks and hitting a batter. They haven't been able to close down an inning: 11 of Boston's 15 runs came with two out and none having already scored. On the offensive side, they've stranded seven of nine baserunners in scoring position.
"Well, it's disappointing," Hurdle said. "It puts you in positions you don't want to get into. That being said, we've got to find a way to correct it. We haven't helped ourselves when we've been able to. We've made enough mistakes that we've cost us a little bit and we've put ourselves in a hole down two games. We've got a tough challenge ahead of us, but the reality is we [are] home now [to] play some baseball. I anticipate that we're going to be better at home."
Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Red Sox Clobber Colorado 13 to 1 - World Series Game One - ESPN
This game wasn' even a contest. Wow, what a clobbering the Rockies got.
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Red Sox send Rockies crashing down to earth
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com
BOSTON -- The Red Sox welcomed the Rockies to town with a full-course beatdown menu Wednesday night. It began with a Boston schoolyard tradition -- the atomic wedgie -- followed by a noogie, a nose twist, and the obligatory forfeiture of lunch money and loss of dignity.
All the feel-good vibes the Rockies generated during their recent 21-1 run were lost in a hail of Josh Beckett strikeouts, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz extra-base hits and bases-loaded walks. After Fenway favorite Carl Yastrzemski bounced the ceremonial first pitch to the plate, it was all uphill for the Red Sox.
Where this series goes from here depends upon your perspective. A mile-high optimist might say a humbling experience of this magnitude was inevitable, given that the Rockies had suffered one loss in the previous 38 days.
And a single blowout isn't necessarily a sign of things to come. The 1996 Yankees lost the World Series opener 12-1 to Atlanta, then dropped Game 2 in the Bronx before recovering to beat the Braves in six games. In 1960, Pittsburgh beat the Yankees in seven games despite suffering losses of 10-0, 12-0 and 16-3.
On the other hand, just about every scout or big-league talent evaluator you came across this season pronounced the American League worlds ahead of the National League. The "varsity vs. junior varsity'' line will appear routinely in newspaper columns across the country after Boston's 13-1 walkover in Game 1.
The Rockies, naturally, are taking the upbeat approach. The steady drizzle that fell throughout much of Game 1 washed off some of their magic dust, but not all of it.
"It's one loss. It's not two, it's not three and it's not the World Series,'' said Ryan Spilborghs, Colorado's designated hitter in the opener. "If one loss was going to bury us, we obviously wouldn't be in this situation at all. We're still super confident. Like Manny [Ramirez] says, it's not the end of the world for us.''
To their credit, the Rockies generally refrained from using their eight-day layoff since the end of the National League Championship Series as an excuse. But they sure looked like a team that was rusty, and a little bit overwhelmed by the surroundings.
No one had a tougher night than starter Jeff Francis, a 17-game winner who'd gone 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in his first two playoff starts against Philadelphia and Arizona. He bore little resemblance to the Francis who pitched five shutout innings to beat Beckett and the Red Sox 7-1 at Fenway on June 14.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
Jeff Francis was roughed up for six runs on 10 hits in four innings to suffer the loss in Game 1.
Pick a malady, and Francis suffered from it. He gave up a home run to Dustin Pedroia with his second pitch of the game. Twice he retired the first two batters of an inning only to allow the Red Sox to score. And when he showed an inability to command the inner half of the plate, the Boston hitters were content to look for pitches away and drive them to the opposite field with authority.
While radar guns can be deceiving, Francis' readings Wednesday night were telling. His fastball was routinely clocked at 85-86 mph, and his changeups were coming in at 78-80. That's not exactly optimal separation.
"There were some changeups I threw tonight that came out kind of hard,'' Francis said. "They didn't have a lot of downward movement on them like normally. I didn't have a good feel for that pitch, or my curveball to right-handers.''
Francis wasn't alone. Rookie Franklin Morales was touched for six runs, and Ryan Speier walked three straight Boston hitters with the bases loaded. A Colorado staff that went 7-0 with a 2.08 ERA and allowed 15 earned runs in the National League playoffs gave up a World Series-record nine doubles.
The lesson here: Fenway can be a daunting place, and the view from the mound is a little different when Ortiz and Ramirez are stepping to the plate in the 3-4 spots instead of Eric Byrnes and Conor Jackson/Tony Clark. Young pitchers who try to be too fine usually wind up playing into the opposition's hands.
"There's a lot of factors -- the excitement, the crowd, the competition,'' said Colorado pitching coach Bob Apodaca. "That leads to guys thinking, 'I can't just throw strikes. I have to throw quality strikes.' I said before the game, 'If we try to avoid contact, we're in for a rude awakening. We're going to get into counts we can't afford to get into.' They forced us into a lot of mistakes, and they took advantage. Give them credit.''
So now the Rockies will try to be more aggressive and pound the strike zone and get ahead in the count. And if that doesn't work, ducking and covering might be advisable.
They're an offensive juggernaut. In a lot of people's minds, [the Red Sox are] the best team in the big leagues. You have to execute pitches on them, period, and a lot of times when you do, they still smoke it.
--Rockies reliever Matt Herges
"They're an offensive juggernaut,'' reliever Matt Herges said of the Red Sox. "In a lot of people's minds, they're the best team in the big leagues. You have to execute pitches on them, period, and a lot of times when you do, they still smoke it.''
The Rockies, who won 13 of their last 14 regular-season games and beat San Diego in a playoff to qualify for their first postseason berth since 1995, have grown accustomed to the notion that the extraordinary is possible as long as they stick together and keep the faith.
"We'll see what we're made of tomorrow,'' Herges said. "We have two options. The first is, 'OK, we're done.' Or we do what we've done the whole second half, and scratch and claw like we have to get where we are now. I'm pretty confident we'll bounce back and you'll see the team that won 21 of 22.''
For the sake of injecting some drama in this World Series, the Rockies better hope for a quick turnaround. In October, it's amazing how quickly yesterday's fairy tale can turn into today's roadkill.
Jerry Crasnick covers baseball for ESPN.com. His book "License To Deal" was published by Rodale. Click here to order a copy. Jerry can be reached via e-mail.
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Red Sox send Rockies crashing down to earth
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com
BOSTON -- The Red Sox welcomed the Rockies to town with a full-course beatdown menu Wednesday night. It began with a Boston schoolyard tradition -- the atomic wedgie -- followed by a noogie, a nose twist, and the obligatory forfeiture of lunch money and loss of dignity.
All the feel-good vibes the Rockies generated during their recent 21-1 run were lost in a hail of Josh Beckett strikeouts, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz extra-base hits and bases-loaded walks. After Fenway favorite Carl Yastrzemski bounced the ceremonial first pitch to the plate, it was all uphill for the Red Sox.
Where this series goes from here depends upon your perspective. A mile-high optimist might say a humbling experience of this magnitude was inevitable, given that the Rockies had suffered one loss in the previous 38 days.
And a single blowout isn't necessarily a sign of things to come. The 1996 Yankees lost the World Series opener 12-1 to Atlanta, then dropped Game 2 in the Bronx before recovering to beat the Braves in six games. In 1960, Pittsburgh beat the Yankees in seven games despite suffering losses of 10-0, 12-0 and 16-3.
On the other hand, just about every scout or big-league talent evaluator you came across this season pronounced the American League worlds ahead of the National League. The "varsity vs. junior varsity'' line will appear routinely in newspaper columns across the country after Boston's 13-1 walkover in Game 1.
The Rockies, naturally, are taking the upbeat approach. The steady drizzle that fell throughout much of Game 1 washed off some of their magic dust, but not all of it.
"It's one loss. It's not two, it's not three and it's not the World Series,'' said Ryan Spilborghs, Colorado's designated hitter in the opener. "If one loss was going to bury us, we obviously wouldn't be in this situation at all. We're still super confident. Like Manny [Ramirez] says, it's not the end of the world for us.''
To their credit, the Rockies generally refrained from using their eight-day layoff since the end of the National League Championship Series as an excuse. But they sure looked like a team that was rusty, and a little bit overwhelmed by the surroundings.
No one had a tougher night than starter Jeff Francis, a 17-game winner who'd gone 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in his first two playoff starts against Philadelphia and Arizona. He bore little resemblance to the Francis who pitched five shutout innings to beat Beckett and the Red Sox 7-1 at Fenway on June 14.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
Jeff Francis was roughed up for six runs on 10 hits in four innings to suffer the loss in Game 1.
Pick a malady, and Francis suffered from it. He gave up a home run to Dustin Pedroia with his second pitch of the game. Twice he retired the first two batters of an inning only to allow the Red Sox to score. And when he showed an inability to command the inner half of the plate, the Boston hitters were content to look for pitches away and drive them to the opposite field with authority.
While radar guns can be deceiving, Francis' readings Wednesday night were telling. His fastball was routinely clocked at 85-86 mph, and his changeups were coming in at 78-80. That's not exactly optimal separation.
"There were some changeups I threw tonight that came out kind of hard,'' Francis said. "They didn't have a lot of downward movement on them like normally. I didn't have a good feel for that pitch, or my curveball to right-handers.''
Francis wasn't alone. Rookie Franklin Morales was touched for six runs, and Ryan Speier walked three straight Boston hitters with the bases loaded. A Colorado staff that went 7-0 with a 2.08 ERA and allowed 15 earned runs in the National League playoffs gave up a World Series-record nine doubles.
The lesson here: Fenway can be a daunting place, and the view from the mound is a little different when Ortiz and Ramirez are stepping to the plate in the 3-4 spots instead of Eric Byrnes and Conor Jackson/Tony Clark. Young pitchers who try to be too fine usually wind up playing into the opposition's hands.
"There's a lot of factors -- the excitement, the crowd, the competition,'' said Colorado pitching coach Bob Apodaca. "That leads to guys thinking, 'I can't just throw strikes. I have to throw quality strikes.' I said before the game, 'If we try to avoid contact, we're in for a rude awakening. We're going to get into counts we can't afford to get into.' They forced us into a lot of mistakes, and they took advantage. Give them credit.''
So now the Rockies will try to be more aggressive and pound the strike zone and get ahead in the count. And if that doesn't work, ducking and covering might be advisable.
They're an offensive juggernaut. In a lot of people's minds, [the Red Sox are] the best team in the big leagues. You have to execute pitches on them, period, and a lot of times when you do, they still smoke it.
--Rockies reliever Matt Herges
"They're an offensive juggernaut,'' reliever Matt Herges said of the Red Sox. "In a lot of people's minds, they're the best team in the big leagues. You have to execute pitches on them, period, and a lot of times when you do, they still smoke it.''
The Rockies, who won 13 of their last 14 regular-season games and beat San Diego in a playoff to qualify for their first postseason berth since 1995, have grown accustomed to the notion that the extraordinary is possible as long as they stick together and keep the faith.
"We'll see what we're made of tomorrow,'' Herges said. "We have two options. The first is, 'OK, we're done.' Or we do what we've done the whole second half, and scratch and claw like we have to get where we are now. I'm pretty confident we'll bounce back and you'll see the team that won 21 of 22.''
For the sake of injecting some drama in this World Series, the Rockies better hope for a quick turnaround. In October, it's amazing how quickly yesterday's fairy tale can turn into today's roadkill.
Jerry Crasnick covers baseball for ESPN.com. His book "License To Deal" was published by Rodale. Click here to order a copy. Jerry can be reached via e-mail.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Rox reveal great way to grow
Game 1: Wed., Rockies at Red Sox, 6:35 p.m.
By Troy E. Renck
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/24/2007 09:54:01 AM MDT
BOSTON — Before they faced the Green Monster, they shared green chili burritos. Before they faced the Boston Red Sox, they learned how to clean socks in cramped laundromats. Before they walked onto the sport's ultimate stage, they ran up phone bills from remote minor-league outposts.
The Rockies are in the World Series, probably getting ready to take batting practice at Fenway Park before Game 1 as you read this. Aside from "Who the heck are these guys?" The most common question is: How did they get here?
Statistics provide a healthy slice of the explanation. The Rockies won 90 games. They won 21 of their last 22 overall, including consecutive playoff sweeps last matched by the 1976 Cincinnati Reds. Their playoff ERA (2.08) requires a microscope to read. They have an NL MVP candidate (left fielder Matt Holliday), a rookie of the year front- runner (shortstop Troy Tulowitzki) and everybody's sentimental favorite (veteran first baseman Todd Helton).
To understand how the Rockies reached this spot, and found themselves on Yawkey Way in October, you must get closer. You must walk into their clubhouse. Of the 25 players who will comprise the Rockies' World Series roster, 15 were raised on the farm. They aren't just homegrown, they have grown up before each other's eyes.
The Rockies are that unique pro sports franchise that has discovered success through friendship and unmistakable camaraderie.
"Anytime you spend so much time together and get to know each other's families, there's going to be a stronger bond," explained Holliday, the first of the minor-leaguers to break out during the 2004 season. "We have been together for years and it's been great because all of the new guys have fit in well, too. I don't think you necessarily have to have this to win, but it makes it easier and a lot more fun."
The Rockies finished last in the National League West last season. They were close then, too, right? So what happened? Their bond grew tighter through failure, when they failed to meet expectations in the second half of 2006. And they became better players.
"We were mad we hadn't done well," right fielder Brad Hawpe said. "We knew we should be a good team."
Linear growth isn't common at the major-league level, but it made sense to this group. They arrived in spring training with inflated confidence, their optimism akin to a college team with a strong senior class.
"I think through their education and their experience, they have really embraced each other's talents. They know that everybody out there has something to bring. They have earned their place, they have talent and they can help this club win," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "I think that is the other unique characteristic. They are committed to doing whatever is asked of them to help the team win."
It doesn't hurt that they like each other. On Sunday night, before the biggest road trip of their lives, nearly a dozen Rockies attended the Broncos-Steelers game at Invesco Field. During the season, the players had weekly barbecues or bowling nights. Ryan Spilborghs served as a tour guide for a field trip along the Freedom Trail when the team was in Boston in June.
"We're not just teammates. We are friends," Holliday said. "These are people we genuinely care about."
The bond was formed, for many of them, during late- night bus rides through small towns, eating greasy potato chips, beef jerky and the convenience-store delicacy: the burrito. They shared hotel rooms, commiserated over position changes and dissected their swings over swigs of soda.
"It was a close group, where guys were pulling for each other," recalled former Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings, who paid Holliday $100 a month to sleep on an air mattress in his Asheville, N.C., apartment. "You are probably never tighter with guys than you are in college. That was what it was like, even when we were in the big leagues. The music was playing, guys were always talking."
Ripping is more like it. This team's affection can be seen in its endless ragging. Nobody is immune. The players razz Tulowitzki over his encyclopedic knowledge of his own hits - there is a running counter above his locker, dating to his days in Little League. They presented a faux Purple Heart to Jason Hirsh after he pitched with a broken leg, and stage Stupid Human Trick contests, with Josh Fogg the most recent target when, in two swings, he couldn't hit a ball into the seats at Arizona's Chase Field.
Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins credits Helton for making the vibe work. His comfort level has grown with the young players. He has become more accessible, the barbs now a two-way street.
"Now if you say something, it's not, 'I just made fun of Todd Helton. I am going to be excommunicated,"' outfielder Cory Sullivan said. "Or be designated for assignment."
In 2004, when most of the players came up, like Garrett Atkins, Jeff Francis, Hawpe and Holliday, this dynamic didn't exist. The clubhouse was littered with mercenary veterans who knew they were leaving or were threatened by the kids. When a few players replaced Francis' nameplate with "Franchise," Hurdle ordered it removed.
"They do things now that maybe they would wonder how I was going to react. Or what other people were going to think. Now they know it's all good," Hurdle said. "I trust them, they trust me."
In many ways, the Rockies' 1-9 June road trip typified how the team got here. All momentum from sweeping the Yankees had vanished, the season was on tilt. But rather than splinter or point fingers, the Rockies' bond grew stronger.
"It's hard to comprehend what has happened this last month to get here. It's all gone by so fast. I can't wait to watch it all on video after this is over," Hawpe said. "I am not surprised that we made it this far. I thought we were really good all year, one of the better teams. And we always believed in each other."
Hello, my name is ...
It might not be a bad idea for the Rockies to wear name tags for the 103rd World Series, given their anonymity. Red Sox fans barely know the team name, let alone the players' names. And let's not forget how many of those pulling for the Rockies are late to the bandwagon. Here is national baseball writer Troy E. Renck's Zagat guide to the most prominent Rockies:
LF Matt Holliday
You might remember him from: The all-star's 475-foot home run during the 2007 Home Run Derby. The M-V-P! chants that accompany his at-bats. And The Slide, the Rockies' version of The Drive, as he dribbled his chin near home plate to beat the Padres in the wild-card tiebreaker.
1B Todd Helton
You might remember him from: Something besides this season. He easily is the team's most recognizable figure, even without his "Red Neck" shirt on.
3B Garrett Atkins
You might remember him from: His grand slam off tonight's Red Sox starter, Josh Beckett, during the Rockies' June visit to Fenway Park. And his 231 RBIs the past two seasons.
RF Brad Hawpe
You might remember him from: A 2000 national championship at LSU. His June home run off Boston's Curt Schilling that prompted the veteran pitcher to write on his blog: "I've given up more than my share of home runs, but not that many come as total shocks to me as this one was. It wasn't even in the deepest recesses of my subconscious right there."
CF Willy Taveras
You might remember him from: The sprinting, diving, brilliant catch on Arizona's Tony Clark during Game 2 of the NLCS.
2B Kazuo Matsui
You might remember him from: His playoff grand slam against the Phillies. If you are a Mets fan, don't jog your memory.
SS Troy Tulowitzki
You might remember him from: His unassisted triple play against the Braves on April 29 at Coors Field. And his 24 home runs, an NL record for a rookie shortstop.
C Yorvit Torrealba
You might remember him from: His decisive home run during Game 3 of the NLCS. And the yellow "Live Strong" bracelet he wears on his left wrist as a tribute to a family member who survived cancer.
DH Ryan Spilborghs
You might remember him from: "The Sweet Escape" batter clip at Coors Field - Woo-Hoo! Yee-Hoo!
LHP Jeff Francis
You might remember him from: Tying the Rockies' season record with 17 wins. Or his idolization of former Rockie Larry Walker.
RHP Manny Corpas
You might remember him from: His five postseason saves, and his endless phone calls back to Panama. His dad will be at Coors Field this weekend, perhaps shaving a grand off his next cellphone bill.
By Troy E. Renck
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/24/2007 09:54:01 AM MDT
BOSTON — Before they faced the Green Monster, they shared green chili burritos. Before they faced the Boston Red Sox, they learned how to clean socks in cramped laundromats. Before they walked onto the sport's ultimate stage, they ran up phone bills from remote minor-league outposts.
The Rockies are in the World Series, probably getting ready to take batting practice at Fenway Park before Game 1 as you read this. Aside from "Who the heck are these guys?" The most common question is: How did they get here?
Statistics provide a healthy slice of the explanation. The Rockies won 90 games. They won 21 of their last 22 overall, including consecutive playoff sweeps last matched by the 1976 Cincinnati Reds. Their playoff ERA (2.08) requires a microscope to read. They have an NL MVP candidate (left fielder Matt Holliday), a rookie of the year front- runner (shortstop Troy Tulowitzki) and everybody's sentimental favorite (veteran first baseman Todd Helton).
To understand how the Rockies reached this spot, and found themselves on Yawkey Way in October, you must get closer. You must walk into their clubhouse. Of the 25 players who will comprise the Rockies' World Series roster, 15 were raised on the farm. They aren't just homegrown, they have grown up before each other's eyes.
The Rockies are that unique pro sports franchise that has discovered success through friendship and unmistakable camaraderie.
"Anytime you spend so much time together and get to know each other's families, there's going to be a stronger bond," explained Holliday, the first of the minor-leaguers to break out during the 2004 season. "We have been together for years and it's been great because all of the new guys have fit in well, too. I don't think you necessarily have to have this to win, but it makes it easier and a lot more fun."
The Rockies finished last in the National League West last season. They were close then, too, right? So what happened? Their bond grew tighter through failure, when they failed to meet expectations in the second half of 2006. And they became better players.
"We were mad we hadn't done well," right fielder Brad Hawpe said. "We knew we should be a good team."
Linear growth isn't common at the major-league level, but it made sense to this group. They arrived in spring training with inflated confidence, their optimism akin to a college team with a strong senior class.
"I think through their education and their experience, they have really embraced each other's talents. They know that everybody out there has something to bring. They have earned their place, they have talent and they can help this club win," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "I think that is the other unique characteristic. They are committed to doing whatever is asked of them to help the team win."
It doesn't hurt that they like each other. On Sunday night, before the biggest road trip of their lives, nearly a dozen Rockies attended the Broncos-Steelers game at Invesco Field. During the season, the players had weekly barbecues or bowling nights. Ryan Spilborghs served as a tour guide for a field trip along the Freedom Trail when the team was in Boston in June.
"We're not just teammates. We are friends," Holliday said. "These are people we genuinely care about."
The bond was formed, for many of them, during late- night bus rides through small towns, eating greasy potato chips, beef jerky and the convenience-store delicacy: the burrito. They shared hotel rooms, commiserated over position changes and dissected their swings over swigs of soda.
"It was a close group, where guys were pulling for each other," recalled former Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings, who paid Holliday $100 a month to sleep on an air mattress in his Asheville, N.C., apartment. "You are probably never tighter with guys than you are in college. That was what it was like, even when we were in the big leagues. The music was playing, guys were always talking."
Ripping is more like it. This team's affection can be seen in its endless ragging. Nobody is immune. The players razz Tulowitzki over his encyclopedic knowledge of his own hits - there is a running counter above his locker, dating to his days in Little League. They presented a faux Purple Heart to Jason Hirsh after he pitched with a broken leg, and stage Stupid Human Trick contests, with Josh Fogg the most recent target when, in two swings, he couldn't hit a ball into the seats at Arizona's Chase Field.
Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins credits Helton for making the vibe work. His comfort level has grown with the young players. He has become more accessible, the barbs now a two-way street.
"Now if you say something, it's not, 'I just made fun of Todd Helton. I am going to be excommunicated,"' outfielder Cory Sullivan said. "Or be designated for assignment."
In 2004, when most of the players came up, like Garrett Atkins, Jeff Francis, Hawpe and Holliday, this dynamic didn't exist. The clubhouse was littered with mercenary veterans who knew they were leaving or were threatened by the kids. When a few players replaced Francis' nameplate with "Franchise," Hurdle ordered it removed.
"They do things now that maybe they would wonder how I was going to react. Or what other people were going to think. Now they know it's all good," Hurdle said. "I trust them, they trust me."
In many ways, the Rockies' 1-9 June road trip typified how the team got here. All momentum from sweeping the Yankees had vanished, the season was on tilt. But rather than splinter or point fingers, the Rockies' bond grew stronger.
"It's hard to comprehend what has happened this last month to get here. It's all gone by so fast. I can't wait to watch it all on video after this is over," Hawpe said. "I am not surprised that we made it this far. I thought we were really good all year, one of the better teams. And we always believed in each other."
Hello, my name is ...
It might not be a bad idea for the Rockies to wear name tags for the 103rd World Series, given their anonymity. Red Sox fans barely know the team name, let alone the players' names. And let's not forget how many of those pulling for the Rockies are late to the bandwagon. Here is national baseball writer Troy E. Renck's Zagat guide to the most prominent Rockies:
LF Matt Holliday
You might remember him from: The all-star's 475-foot home run during the 2007 Home Run Derby. The M-V-P! chants that accompany his at-bats. And The Slide, the Rockies' version of The Drive, as he dribbled his chin near home plate to beat the Padres in the wild-card tiebreaker.
1B Todd Helton
You might remember him from: Something besides this season. He easily is the team's most recognizable figure, even without his "Red Neck" shirt on.
3B Garrett Atkins
You might remember him from: His grand slam off tonight's Red Sox starter, Josh Beckett, during the Rockies' June visit to Fenway Park. And his 231 RBIs the past two seasons.
RF Brad Hawpe
You might remember him from: A 2000 national championship at LSU. His June home run off Boston's Curt Schilling that prompted the veteran pitcher to write on his blog: "I've given up more than my share of home runs, but not that many come as total shocks to me as this one was. It wasn't even in the deepest recesses of my subconscious right there."
CF Willy Taveras
You might remember him from: The sprinting, diving, brilliant catch on Arizona's Tony Clark during Game 2 of the NLCS.
2B Kazuo Matsui
You might remember him from: His playoff grand slam against the Phillies. If you are a Mets fan, don't jog your memory.
SS Troy Tulowitzki
You might remember him from: His unassisted triple play against the Braves on April 29 at Coors Field. And his 24 home runs, an NL record for a rookie shortstop.
C Yorvit Torrealba
You might remember him from: His decisive home run during Game 3 of the NLCS. And the yellow "Live Strong" bracelet he wears on his left wrist as a tribute to a family member who survived cancer.
DH Ryan Spilborghs
You might remember him from: "The Sweet Escape" batter clip at Coors Field - Woo-Hoo! Yee-Hoo!
LHP Jeff Francis
You might remember him from: Tying the Rockies' season record with 17 wins. Or his idolization of former Rockie Larry Walker.
RHP Manny Corpas
You might remember him from: His five postseason saves, and his endless phone calls back to Panama. His dad will be at Coors Field this weekend, perhaps shaving a grand off his next cellphone bill.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Glory, heartbreak to be had in Game 7
American League's World Series berth to be decided at Fenway
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
BOSTON -- This is what this postseason was waiting for.
After five series that went a combined one game over the minimum, the Indians and Red Sox are going the distance.
"When you're in a fist fight and your back is to the wall, that's a pretty good position to be in," said Indians outfielder Trot Nixon, who experienced an American League Championship Series Game 7 in back-to-back seasons with Boston in 2003 and '04. "The Red Sox were there the past few days, and now both teams are."
Either Beantown or Cleveland is going to have a glorious chapter added to its sports history. The other is going to have a heavy helping of heartbreak. Both cities have no shortage of material on either side.
For every key LeBron James bucket that sent Cleveland to the NBA Finals last summer, there's the image of Edgar Renteria's walk-off single in Florida, or Michael Jordan's winning shot, or Earnest Byner fumbling near the goal line in the final minutes.
Cleveland has Tony Pena and Tony Fernandez, both of whom hit clutch LCS home runs, but the city also has The Drive.
Boston has Bucky Dent and Aaron Boone. But Beantown also has David Ortiz's two-run homer in Game 7 of the '04 ALCS, Adam Vinatieri's Super Bowl-winning field goals, and that Larry Bird steal and pass to beat the Pistons in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals 20 years ago.
On one side or the other, this game is going to join those ranks. The momentum swings that shaped the last six games of the ALCS have all led to this.
"Hey, it's going to come down to Game 7 against the two teams that won more baseball games than anybody in the regular season, two teams that have beat up on each other a little bit over the course of the past week," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "And that's the way it should be. It's something everyone should look forward to."
The Red Sox certainly do. As manager Terry Francona reasoned, they're just glad to still be playing.
After standing on the brink of elimination the last two games, the Red Sox forced the first Game 7 at Fenway Park since the 1986 ALCS, when they finished off a comeback of three straight victories to beat the Angels. However, that's the only Game 7 the Red Sox have won at home; they dropped the deciding games of the 1975 and 1967 World Series here.
The only Game 7 Cleveland has faced in modern history, of course, came in the '97 World Series, when Renteria's single completed a late-inning Marlins comeback to win the game in extra innings. The only Game 7 the Indians have won in their history came in 1920, when Tris Speaker's club won five games over Brooklyn back when the World Series was a best-of-nine showdown.
If the Indians win Sunday, they'll become just the fifth team in LCS history to recover from a Game 6 loss to take Game 7. On the other hand, the Cardinals pulled off the feat last year when they fended off the Mets in the NLCS.
For teams that lose Games 5 and 6, winning Game 7 in the LCS is even rarer. Neither those '96 Cardinals nor the 2003 Cubs could do it, leaving the '92 Braves as the last to pull it off when Francisco Cabrera drove in Sid Bream to complete a ninth-inning rally.
As for home-field advantage, there is none. The home team is 7-5 in Game 7 of the LCS since it became a best-of-seven format in 1985.
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
BOSTON -- This is what this postseason was waiting for.
After five series that went a combined one game over the minimum, the Indians and Red Sox are going the distance.
"When you're in a fist fight and your back is to the wall, that's a pretty good position to be in," said Indians outfielder Trot Nixon, who experienced an American League Championship Series Game 7 in back-to-back seasons with Boston in 2003 and '04. "The Red Sox were there the past few days, and now both teams are."
Either Beantown or Cleveland is going to have a glorious chapter added to its sports history. The other is going to have a heavy helping of heartbreak. Both cities have no shortage of material on either side.
For every key LeBron James bucket that sent Cleveland to the NBA Finals last summer, there's the image of Edgar Renteria's walk-off single in Florida, or Michael Jordan's winning shot, or Earnest Byner fumbling near the goal line in the final minutes.
Cleveland has Tony Pena and Tony Fernandez, both of whom hit clutch LCS home runs, but the city also has The Drive.
Boston has Bucky Dent and Aaron Boone. But Beantown also has David Ortiz's two-run homer in Game 7 of the '04 ALCS, Adam Vinatieri's Super Bowl-winning field goals, and that Larry Bird steal and pass to beat the Pistons in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals 20 years ago.
On one side or the other, this game is going to join those ranks. The momentum swings that shaped the last six games of the ALCS have all led to this.
"Hey, it's going to come down to Game 7 against the two teams that won more baseball games than anybody in the regular season, two teams that have beat up on each other a little bit over the course of the past week," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "And that's the way it should be. It's something everyone should look forward to."
The Red Sox certainly do. As manager Terry Francona reasoned, they're just glad to still be playing.
After standing on the brink of elimination the last two games, the Red Sox forced the first Game 7 at Fenway Park since the 1986 ALCS, when they finished off a comeback of three straight victories to beat the Angels. However, that's the only Game 7 the Red Sox have won at home; they dropped the deciding games of the 1975 and 1967 World Series here.
The only Game 7 Cleveland has faced in modern history, of course, came in the '97 World Series, when Renteria's single completed a late-inning Marlins comeback to win the game in extra innings. The only Game 7 the Indians have won in their history came in 1920, when Tris Speaker's club won five games over Brooklyn back when the World Series was a best-of-nine showdown.
If the Indians win Sunday, they'll become just the fifth team in LCS history to recover from a Game 6 loss to take Game 7. On the other hand, the Cardinals pulled off the feat last year when they fended off the Mets in the NLCS.
For teams that lose Games 5 and 6, winning Game 7 in the LCS is even rarer. Neither those '96 Cardinals nor the 2003 Cubs could do it, leaving the '92 Braves as the last to pull it off when Francisco Cabrera drove in Sid Bream to complete a ninth-inning rally.
As for home-field advantage, there is none. The home team is 7-5 in Game 7 of the LCS since it became a best-of-seven format in 1985.
Report: Indians' Byrd bought HGH, syringes from Florida clinic
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
October 21, 2007
BOSTON (AP) -- Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd, whose win in Game 4 of the ALCS moved the Indians within one victory of the World Series, bought nearly $25,000 worth of human growth hormone and syringes from 2002 to 2005, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.
Byrd, known for his old-school windup and savvy on the mound, purchased the HGH from a Palm Beach, Fla., anti-aging clinic under investigation by authorities for possible illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs, the paper said.
The allegations against Byrd came as the Indians prepared to play the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the AL championship series at Fenway Park on Sunday night. Cleveland led the series 3-1 after Bryd's Game 4 win but have lost two straight.
Byrd arrived at the ballpark about fours before the start of the game. He walked to Cleveland's clubhouse with teammates David Dellucci and Trot Nixon. Byrd planned to speak to the media before the game.
"I'm going to talk to my team first," he said.
During the time of the alleged purchases, the pitcher was with the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels. HGH was not banned by baseball then and was added to the sport's list of prohibited substances in 2005.
Major League Baseball said it will speak to Byrd before the start of the World Series, if Cleveland advances.
"We will investigate the allegations concerning Paul Byrd as we have players implicated in previous similar reports," the league statement said.
Also accused of buying HGH: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gary Matthews, St. Louis outfielder Rick Ankiel and Texas Rangers infielder Jerry Hairston Jr.
Byrd, a 36-year-old devout Christian, has publicly denied using steroids in the past.
Indians general manager Mark Shapiro has spoken with Byrd about the matter, adding he didn't have enough information to comment further.
"He has been an important member of this organization -- on and off the field -- over the last two years and we support him in this process," Shapiro said in a statement.
Byrd won Game 4 for the Indians at Jacobs Field on Tuesday. In the AL playoffs, he earned the victory in Cleveland's Game 4 series-clinching win over the New York Yankees.
According to the Chronicle, which reviewed the clinic's business records, Byrd used his credit card and spent $24,850 on more than 1,000 vials of HGH, an injectable prescription drug with muscle-building properties. He also bought hundreds of syringes.
The Chronicle said it reviewed records of shipping orders and payment information on Byrd such as his Social Security number. The records were provided to the paper by an unidentified source.
Based on the paper's review, Byrd had some shipments sent to his home in Alpharetta, Ga., $1,050 worth of syringes and HGH to the Braves' spring training facility in Kissimmee, Fla., and a $2,000 order to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, when the Braves were in town to play the Mets.
The Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center, the clinic where Byrd made the alleged purchases, is part of a network of anti-aging clinics and online pharmacies targeted by the Albany, N.Y., district attorney for alleged illegal sales of steroids and growth hormone.
Citing an anonymous law enforcement source, the Chronicle said two of the prescriptions Byrd used to buy the growth hormone were written by a Florida dentist. The dentist's license was suspended in 2003 for fraud and incompetence. Byrd was slowed by an elbow injury in 2003, and records show he made six purchases of HGH.
Byrd went 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA this season, his second with the Indians. He signed him to a two-year, $14 million free agent contract in December 2005, and Cleveland holds a club option on the right-hander for 2008.
After shoulder surgery in 2002, Byrd began toying with a double-pump windup favored by pitchers from decades ago. He found that the arm-swinging motion helped him better hide the ball from hitters, and the windup became his signature.
Byrd, who has a 97-61 career record, relies on location and off-speed pitches to get outs. Following Game 4, Byrd, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, joked about finding some extra speed on his fastball.
"I hit 90 mph," he said, "which happens a few times a year."
October 21, 2007
BOSTON (AP) -- Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd, whose win in Game 4 of the ALCS moved the Indians within one victory of the World Series, bought nearly $25,000 worth of human growth hormone and syringes from 2002 to 2005, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.
Byrd, known for his old-school windup and savvy on the mound, purchased the HGH from a Palm Beach, Fla., anti-aging clinic under investigation by authorities for possible illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs, the paper said.
The allegations against Byrd came as the Indians prepared to play the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the AL championship series at Fenway Park on Sunday night. Cleveland led the series 3-1 after Bryd's Game 4 win but have lost two straight.
Byrd arrived at the ballpark about fours before the start of the game. He walked to Cleveland's clubhouse with teammates David Dellucci and Trot Nixon. Byrd planned to speak to the media before the game.
"I'm going to talk to my team first," he said.
During the time of the alleged purchases, the pitcher was with the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels. HGH was not banned by baseball then and was added to the sport's list of prohibited substances in 2005.
Major League Baseball said it will speak to Byrd before the start of the World Series, if Cleveland advances.
"We will investigate the allegations concerning Paul Byrd as we have players implicated in previous similar reports," the league statement said.
Also accused of buying HGH: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gary Matthews, St. Louis outfielder Rick Ankiel and Texas Rangers infielder Jerry Hairston Jr.
Byrd, a 36-year-old devout Christian, has publicly denied using steroids in the past.
Indians general manager Mark Shapiro has spoken with Byrd about the matter, adding he didn't have enough information to comment further.
"He has been an important member of this organization -- on and off the field -- over the last two years and we support him in this process," Shapiro said in a statement.
Byrd won Game 4 for the Indians at Jacobs Field on Tuesday. In the AL playoffs, he earned the victory in Cleveland's Game 4 series-clinching win over the New York Yankees.
According to the Chronicle, which reviewed the clinic's business records, Byrd used his credit card and spent $24,850 on more than 1,000 vials of HGH, an injectable prescription drug with muscle-building properties. He also bought hundreds of syringes.
The Chronicle said it reviewed records of shipping orders and payment information on Byrd such as his Social Security number. The records were provided to the paper by an unidentified source.
Based on the paper's review, Byrd had some shipments sent to his home in Alpharetta, Ga., $1,050 worth of syringes and HGH to the Braves' spring training facility in Kissimmee, Fla., and a $2,000 order to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, when the Braves were in town to play the Mets.
The Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center, the clinic where Byrd made the alleged purchases, is part of a network of anti-aging clinics and online pharmacies targeted by the Albany, N.Y., district attorney for alleged illegal sales of steroids and growth hormone.
Citing an anonymous law enforcement source, the Chronicle said two of the prescriptions Byrd used to buy the growth hormone were written by a Florida dentist. The dentist's license was suspended in 2003 for fraud and incompetence. Byrd was slowed by an elbow injury in 2003, and records show he made six purchases of HGH.
Byrd went 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA this season, his second with the Indians. He signed him to a two-year, $14 million free agent contract in December 2005, and Cleveland holds a club option on the right-hander for 2008.
After shoulder surgery in 2002, Byrd began toying with a double-pump windup favored by pitchers from decades ago. He found that the arm-swinging motion helped him better hide the ball from hitters, and the windup became his signature.
Byrd, who has a 97-61 career record, relies on location and off-speed pitches to get outs. Following Game 4, Byrd, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, joked about finding some extra speed on his fastball.
"I hit 90 mph," he said, "which happens a few times a year."
