The Rainout
Final thought for the ALDS:
What if they had played The Rainout?
They would have gotten in close to a full game because that storm never came in until about 11 that night. Maybe nothing would have been different and it’s just baseball But it makes you wonder. It was rescheduled for the next afternoon. The world changed in a hurry after that, the Yankees stopped hitting, the Tigers did everything right.
That’s the first thing I thought about the morning after the Tigers shocked the Yankees. I am always going to wonder about The Rainout.
Leaving Motown now…adios.
ALDS: Tigers vs. Yankees 
That’s a really good point. Threw off the rhythm of the series. Baseball is such a game of momentum, and that rainout stalled the Yankee mo’ and let Motown get their engines running.
Michael Norton – Some Ballyard
http://mlblog.someballyard.com
but bottom line wright, torre, lidle, AROD…and a whole bunch others just didnt do their jobs..thats it thats wahy they lost!
I think more than anything it was Sheff & Matsui coming back. Now granted Matsui seems like he can blend in anywhere and just start hitting. But I think the days of sheffield hitting good pitching are over and we only had like 10 days to figure that out. He didn’t play in a meaningful game until gm 1 against detroit. I know he got a hit but it was a very unusual hit for him (RC). I would love to know who’s call it was to even let him think about playing. Torre kept saying he was done for the year and then he played? I honestly think it would have been better with Wilson/Guiel (not phillips because he cant touch a curve yet) playing first and Jason DH, Matsui playing left until we got the lead (each game) and then Melky in for defense which would get him a few post season at bats to help bring his career along. They were hot and then they were not when the two injuries came back. I know sheff hit a couple homers but those games and those pitches meant nothing.
YEAH IT MUST BE THE WEATHER GODS THAT CAUSED THE YANKEES TO CHOKE, OR MAYBE THE TEMPARATURE WASNT EXACTLY RIGHT. IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN LACK OF PITCHING, TIMELY HITTING OR MOST IMPORTANT,HEART. SOMETHING THE OTHER TEAM IN NEW YORK HAS LOTS OF..
This whole post season has totally bummed me out. For the team to come back from being down to the Red Sox to get so far ahead and then lose like they did……it’s totally heartbreaking. I know you can’t point a finger at any one player, but the whole team just didn’t seem like they were into it. Whenever they showed pictures of them in the dugout, none of them seemed pumped up. To win, you have to believe you can win……and they definitely had the talent, but I just think there’s more going on underneath the surface than what we know. A-Rod has been quoted saying he wants to go back to the Yankees another year, but I’m not so sure his presence isn’t a downer….maybe not all due to him, but the media for sure. And then there’s the fact that we just plain got out-pitched. Sounds like we might be in for some serious shuffling. Personally, I think Cabrerra did a much better job defensively than Matsui even before Matsui got hurt. Sure he’s not as experienced at bat, but Matsui didn’t perform well post season either……so back to what I said……something else is going on. Anyway……I’m still a huge Yankee Fan…..and I can only hope for a better next year!
Regarding the rainout…that has got to be one of the wierdest things. Who made that decision and why was it made? I kid you not for as soon as I turned the game on and heard the news about the possible postponement…I thought of 2 years ago and Boston. Maybe it wasn’t this blog site but somewhere else someone made the comment that maybe the starting pitcher (Mussina) didn’t want to pitch with a storm on New York’s doorstep? That’s the first I’ve heard that and maybe it’s just BS. If there is any truth to anything like that….that is definately strange dude. Anyhoo….I’ve always thought Mussina was or is somewhat overrated to some extent. Too moody or I don’t know how to explain it. George got the screws put to him when he dealt for A-Rod. The guy’s a loser but masquerades as a team player. Joe needed to pump these guys up after that first loss in New York…he did not. The stoicism has taken it’s toll.
our bats went cold, but the bottom line is that we didnt have good pitching. Mussina blows 3-1 lead, RJ is just plain shaky and old and wright choked in a big game…I was worried about pitching going in. especially the terrible bullpen…no way torre should take the fall for this…name pinella bench coach and successor and let torre give it one more shot…he deserves it
How about the new stadium with a retractible roof.
Kenny Rogers hasn’t thrown 93 to 94 (speed readings shown on tv)for about 3-4 years,I understand about being pumped-up but it’s hard to believe to substain that velocity for all those innings without some kind of “pick-me-up”.
I dont remember him throwing much in the 90’s…lots or breaking balls anc changeups
Your post is way off. It started raining at 8:20 or so. They considered playing at 10. The second storm came at about 11. There was no way to get the game in and if they had attemped to, it would’ve been a short start for Mussina and a long day for the Yankee bullpen.
thats irrelevant (sp?) anyway…they had a 3-1 lead in game two and mussina couldnt hold it…their pitching was tremendous
I don’t believe Torre is to blame for the series loss, but it may be time for a change. Lou Pinella may be the answer because he won’t coddle his players like Joe. Not saying that this was bad, but a change might do the team some good. I wish Joe all the best!
There are a lot of “what ifs” surrounding the rain out. Yes, the Yankees could of won that night. Yes, the Yankees could have taken the series in a game 5 win. But the truth still remains. The Yankees are eliminated from the playoffs and we can only hope for a better season next year. I just hope players such Wright and A-Rod can do better. I also hope for better managing on Torres part (if he even stays). Wang had plenty of rest. He should have been pitching that 4th game and Mussina should have been in the 5th.
To cloverdog: I was covering the series and was there throughout The Rainout wait that night. There was no point during the two-plus hours when it was unplayable rain. The point I made in my story on MLB.com that night, in presenting Jimmie Solomon’s reasoning, was that in hindsight nearly (and possibly) a full game could have been played because the hard rain didn’t show up until about 11. Then the boroughs started flooding.
Mark/MLB.com
MARK: PLEASE BRING YOUR CAMERA TO SHEA NOW!!!
http://www.pickmeup.mlblogs.com/
It wasn’t the rainout, although that did feel weird I will admit. It wasn’t the Tigers mediocre pitching performace during the ALDS. It wasn’t the cold weather, the *** little orange towels waved by so many classless Detroit idiots…It wasn’t A-Rod, It wasn’t Joe T….and it certainly wasn’t Jim Leyland and his motley crew of sub .500-since the all-star break-scrubby wanna-bes and never-had beens. This pathetic ALDS embarrassment lies ALL at the feet of the Yankees as an entire team….
They weren’t present to play pure and simple. End of story. When was the last time the Yanks went 20+ innings this season without scoring a single run? When was the last time that this lineup for 2006 went 4 games with a collective .246 average at the plate? These are only a few of the disgusting offensive (pun intended) Yankee points that are going largely unnoticed in the face of such blatently stupid praise for what has proven to be a very mediocre pitching staff for the Tigers in 2006—ESPECIALLY when playing the Yankees! The Yanks ate up the Detroit starting rotation during the regular season, and the only reason they didn’t in the ALDS is that the only way they could have played more poorly is if they had forfeited games 3 and 4 and stayed in their hotel rooms. Good pitching beats good hitting, yeah right! Sure–if you’re Johan Santana or Curt Schilling or Roy Halliday—Yeah–of course—But Rogers and Bonderman?! Oh, paleeeaaassee!! These guys may have had better years than ever before in their careers, but certainly not recently and certainly not against the 2006 Yankees overall. These pitchers are about as mediocre as they come in professional baseball and Oakland’s victory in the ALCS will prove my point all too soon…
The truth of the matter is that the Yanks simply did not show up to play in games 3 and 4 and as a result, Xmas came early to the city of Detroit. Nothing personal Detroit fans—but when eggs that size are layed on your home field and they go largely uncommented on, someone has to call them out for what they are—a giant scrambled “EM-BARE-***-MENT” for the NY Yankees and MLB.
I mean really—Walter Matthau’s Bad News Bears would have beaten the Yanks the way they played…and I’m afraid that is going to be an all too painful reality for all of you in Detroit that will be all too obvious starting this week in Oakland…
If you want to talk about classless you should look at yourself. I was at that game and your players didn’t have what it took three games in a row. The fact is that you do have great players and they didn’t come through. Guess what? that is life stuff happens. The fact that you insult people of Detroit makes you sound like the idiot you declared us to be. Maybe your team can learn some class from the Tigers who were very gracious to celebrate with the classless people “you” felt we are. Thanks Tigers you are the Greatest.
Oh my gosh, you **** Yankees need to grow up. One would think that if the Yankees don’t bring home a penant it is the end of the freakin world. The only reason the Yankees are as good as they are is because they can buy the arrogant best. Not the best, because some of the best aren’t arrogant enough to play for the Yankees. I do not know of another team that is half as arrogant. Why can’t you guys go out and play ball and have fun and may the best team win. I thank God that you guys have been humbled a little over the past 6 years. Quit being cry babies and get on with it. Enough already, it is just a game.
Ahhhhh! Poor Yankee fans. A bunch of high priced either has beens or wanna bees. Get a grip, heart not money brings in a ring.
The Yankees finished with 2 more wins than the tigers, so I guess they were a motley sub 500 group in the first half of the year……or should I be awed by your superior record over us…WOW!! Like everyone has said, get over it. And by the way, what do you think about that Oakland sweep after the Yankee series. See you in the World Series….or wait, no we won’t.
I was at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night for the nongame and Thursday for the game (which means I got two national anthems — what happened to the days when the song ended with the umpire saying, “Play ball”? — and two ceremonial first pitches by Paul O’Neill), and I can say that Yankee Stadium, glowering and menacing by night, especially in a chill rain, was transformed in the autumn sunshine the next afternoon. It was even a different set of fans. Seemed like more kids, odd given that it was a school day, but I guess they had an easier time getting out of class than their parents did getting out of work. (I was fortunate enough to have a very understanding boss; I didn’t even have to ask. I called him on the phone as I walked out of the stadium Wednesday night, and his first words were, “You want tomorrow off?”)
I should note I’m a Tigers fan — not that anyone is reading this two years later.
Haha, to the above poster I’m reading this 3.5 years later – I love to look up the old archives of Tiger’s baseball (the other day I was looking for articles on the 1984 World Series team). As for the game/series, the Skankees didn’t play well, but the Tigers played excellent. Game 2 was the turning poont as Detroit trounced the Sk@nks in the next 2 games in Detroit – I attended Game 4 there and the atmosphere and result of that game were the best I’ve seen it in Detroit for a long time. To the disgruntled Skankees bandwagon fan – you must be excited your favorite team just won the NCAA basketball title, haha. Your prediction didn’t bode to well for the Tigers against the A’s. And even though we lost the World Series, it was a great season and definitely the best since ’84. All of the last three seasons have brought very dissappointing results, but with this wide open Central division and a good 3-1 start to the season, I think this team has the potential to make the playoffs, and if Illitch and Dombrowski can get one more really good hitter and starter/reliever, a chance at the pennant and maybe even… the World Series!
Go Tigers!