Gloop,
I know you are more of a football fan, but I have to say that this year's World Series has been great so far.
Like many in the Midwest, I spent my childhood learning to hate the Yankees. They bought pennants, swaggered around, and generally made asses of themselves while winning way more titles than anybody ought to. Last year, when they won their fourth series in five years, I didn't even watch a single inning.
But this year is different. Partly due to the terrorist attacks, to the tattered flag from the WTC flying in center field, to Rudy G. in the stands looking somber and then excited, to the fans themselves looking to release the emotion built up over the past few weeks of horror and loss, I find myself rooting for the Yankees. Nothing against Arizona, but something makes me want the Yankees to win this time. I hope next year I can go back to rooting against them, but not now.
And so it was that they came from behind to knock first the A's and then the Mariners and, improbably, make it to the Series. Their reward was to face Curt Schilling, perhaps the best postseason pitcher of his generation, and the Big Unit in Games 1 and 2 out in the desert. Game 1 wasn't close, Game 2 was closer, but the Yanks couldn't mount a decent threat.
Game 3 brought Roger Clemens to the mound, the one pitcher in his generation who is arguably better than Nolan Ryan as he nears age 40. It was close, but the Yanks won, keeping themselves alive for a pivotal Game 4.
Game 4 was, quite simply, one of the best baseball games I have seen in years. Schilling started on short rest and dominated. The Yanks managed one run, as did the D'Backs, and into the eight the game went, tensely, tied at 1. Then Arizona managed to score twice, and brought in their great Korean closer Kim to close out the Yanks with his underhand wizardry. Kim struck out the side in the eight, and with his submarine delivery he appears unhittable by right handed batters and barely hittable by lefties (much like Dan Quisenberry, the Royals' great from the 80's).
The ninth inning began with Derek Jeter, a great right handed hitter who knew he was overmatched by Kim. Down two runs, he tried to bunt the first pitch and was thrown out on a close play at first. Paul O'Neil, playing probably his last series in New York, fouled off some pitches before breaking his bat and sending a weak single to left. Bernie Williams appeared to be the Yanks' best hope, and Kim struck him out on three pitches. One out to go, Tino Martinez at the plate. And he hits it over the center field wall, absolutely crushes the ball, to tie the game on the last chance at bat. Into the tenth, with two out, Jeter comes up again, against the now tiring Kim. And Jeter claws back from 0-2 to 3-2, hits a foul ball or two, and then somehow manages to slice a home run down the right field line. The series is tied.
Game 5 manages somehow to repeat the drama of Game 4. Down 2-0 in the ninth, Kim again on the mound, Scott Brosius somehow manages to hit a two run homer down the left field line to tie the game. An hour later, in the twelfth, the Yanks score a run to win 3-2, and go up 3 games to two.
Now they must once again face the Big Unit and then Schilling in Arizona, Saturday and Sunday night.
For the first time in years, I'll be watching. And rooting for the Yankees. |
