It was interesting last night that the only Yankees to get hits were players that had been in a World Series before. Maybe the newcomers’ nerves will be better tonight. The Phillies definitely looked like the more relaxed team. If there are going to be any slugfests in this series, I expect them to come when Burnett and Martinez are pitching. It’s not that they aren’t capable pitchers. But they aren’t as consistent as the other hurlers in this series.
The Yanks definitely do not want to head to Philly down two games to none, so I expect a real effort tonight. I just hope Burnett has good control of his pitches and that the strike zone isn’t as ridiculously small as it was last night.
spoken as a true yankee fan. give me a great pitchers’ duel and that is the essence of baseball. they were both brilliant – cc and lee.
tonite? pedro vs burnett- i want the yanks to win so that the chance for another meeting between cc and lee.
go PHILLIES.
I have no big love for them, but my Yankees hate is strong…LOL
I’ll start by saying if I had to choose, I’d back the Yankees because I WANT them to win.
But I have to say – I saw the Phillies utterly demolish my beloved Dodgers, and whether they are really that good or not – the key is, THEY THINK they are that good. And a lot of the game IS the mental condition. Those who expect to lose will lose. Those who expect to connect with the ball do so. Those who believe they will get a home run do so.
So if we’re going by sheer attitude, I’d give the series right now to the Phillies. The Yankees WANT to win. But the Phillies think they have it in the bag. And thinking might make it so, in their case!
The FRIGGIN’ POPE!!!
“The Yanks definitely do not want to head to Philly down two games to none…”
Of course that is what we were saying (replace “Philly” with “Atlanta”) back in ’96, with Maddux and Smoltz set to pitch in Games 3 and 4 in ATL. That one didn’t turn out so well for the Braves, so maybe that’s what NYY needs to get motivated…
Oh, never mind — it was Glavine, Neagle and Smoltz who started Games 3, 4, and 5, respectively (Maddux pitched a gem in Game 2). Who could ever forget Mark Wohlers blowing it out his ass in Game 4, though (guess what happens when you bring in your closer in the 8th)? Geez, what a disaster…
Go Phillies! I’m a Minnesota Twins fan, but I’d like to see the Phillies make that point that laying out $267 million a year in Yankees payroll doesn’t necessarily produce a championship.
That makes two of us! Go Phillies! Tie game now but I’m surprised the Yankees can’t get something going at home. How about a bunt? Oh that’s right….that means you have to be able to run fast. 🙂
a fuckin’ eternity.
Thank God Burnett has his good stuff tonight. The Phils one run was just unlucky. A double that hit the foul line and a single that hit the lip of the grass and scooted under A-Rod’s glove. But Pedro’s been pretty nasty, too. Too many Yankees just aren’t hitting in these playoffs. Swisher is benched. Matsui has no power. Cano is hitless so far. Gotta get somebody going.
See? All Matsui needed was some constructive criticism.
I am gonna say this now, for the record. The way Burnett is pitching, I don’t think Girardi should take him out. Rivera is great, but he has a lot more trouble getting six outs. Burnett is unhittable right now.
Just popped into the living room at the exact moment Matsui hit that home run. Being descended from a long line of Yankees fans, I am rooting for the old home team. However, seeing Rudy Giuliani and Judy Nathan sitting there in the front row does turn my stomach a bit.
Rudy is still wearing that damn hat from 2001.
It’s become permanently fused with his cerebrum. Even when you can’t see it, it’s there.
It’s rare that a bad call costs you two outs and a shot at having the bases loaded with your number 3 and 4 hitters coming up in a World Series game.
Wow. I was getting pretty nervous there with Utley up and a full-count.
First-base umpire had a bad night, that’s for sure.
At least he was equally-errant…
I always wonder if they realize their screwup and try to even it out later…