This series had to be awfully confusing for the baseball-watching public, who for years have been assured by every announcer, columnist, and talking head that Alex Rodriguez is incapable of coming through in the clutch and the Twins win by "doing the little things."
Neither of those prepackaged storylines proved accurate in New York's sweep of Minnesota, but then again they weren't entirely accurate coming into the ALDS either.
Rodriguez going 5-for-11 with two homers and six RBIs in the three-game series is certainly a big change from his recent playoff struggles, but for all the criticism that he's taken for wilting under pressure he has a higher lifetime postseason OPS than Derek Jeter and has hit extremely well in "close and late" situations during the regular season throughout his career.
And while fans and media members who don't actually see Minnesota play all that much tend to blindly repeat the various mantras about "playing the right way" the Twins' focus on fundamentals and execution has steadily eroded since Tom Kelly stepped down as manager in 2001. Both positive and negative, reputations can be difficult to shake once established.
A few big hits in the ALDS aren't going to keep Rodriguez from being labeled a choker again after his next strikeout in a crucial situation, just as a few bone-headed mistakes aren't going to keep non-Minnesotans from believing that the Twins are a well-oiled, small-ball machine. However, both reputations took a major hit over the past three games and because of it the Yankees are headed for an ALCS matchup with the Angels.
Game 2 and Game 3 were both there for Minnesota to claim, but instead the Twins blew leads, made mental and physical mistakes, and came up empty in far too many scoring opportunities while falling to 0-10 against the Yankees this season and 16-48 against them overall in eight years under Ron Gardenhire. Those are remarkable numbers considering that the Twins are 699-560 (.555) against all other teams during that time.
Of course, the Yankees aren't like all other teams. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte each turned in a Quality Start against Minnesota and the bullpen trio of Mariano Rivera, Joba Chamberlain, and Phil Hughes appeared in all three games. Thanks to the drawn-out playoff schedule they'll continue to lean heavily on that outstanding six-man core. Oh, and they also have the deepest, highest-scoring lineup in baseball.
After blasting an MLB-high 244 homers during the regular season the Yankees homered six times against the Twins. Meanwhile, the hitters on Minnesota's playoff roster combined for just 127 long balls and the Twins failed to homer even once in three games. The good news for the Yankees is that their hitters can do damage against any pitching staff. The bad news for the Yankees is that the Angels' offense is far more dangerous than the Twins' injury-wrecked lineup.
Right now though, New York sure looks like the team to beat.
bye bye baston! Great hitting big sloppy! hahahahha and way to close it out paplebafoon!!
thank's for your upload..
Look...They played the Twins....They should have swept them....And in regards to A-Rod....It was the Twins...Show me what you can do against the Angels....
Its amazing what you can do with alot of money and performance enhancing drugs.
This goes to show, that you are a much better player without the PID's. Stay off of them in order to be great. Jeter doesn't need them and neither do you A-rod.
Come on now HOP, let's take the high road this time! Like you I am a lifelong Yanks fan. I grew up in the 60's when we were terrible, remember the infield of Celerino Sanchez, Horace Clark Danny Cater...? And no one is happier with this team than me ( Except maybe you). Let's not resort to the low class kick em when there down tacticts of the average Red Sox fan here. The Sox are done, we're still playing, enough said! Let them wallow in their own misery, we don't need to pile on this time!
Three solid games against the Twins reverses a thirty nine game history? Hardly.
Hey comment from hop - you forgot Gene Michaels at short, and the outfield of Ron Blomberg, Bobby Murcer and Roy White. The only pitcher I remember from that era was Mel Stottlemeyer, and the manager for years was Ralph Houk.
As far as A-Rod goes, the pressure he previously had put on himself to perform is off because of the addition of Teixiera - and maybe including Swisher as well. Add to that the fact he's been forced to relax a bit more because of his bad hip (which will be operated on in November) and you get the current A-Rod.
Apex, sure didn't seem to work for Papi. ;-)
Hey stobbchi,
Thanks for the reminder, I forgot the "Stick" and the others you mentioned. I think this was the same team that also had the wife swapping Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich. See below, from the Baseball Almanac.
1971 New York Yankees
Complete Roster
22 Jack Aker
45 Stan Bahnsen
50 Bill Burbach
50 Al Closter
39, 43 Rob Gardner
46 Roger Hambright
29 Jim Hardin
39 Gary Jones
18 Mike Kekich
38 Steve Kline
43 Terry Ley
40 Lindy McDaniel
19 Fritz Peterson
30 Mel Stottlemyre
54 Gary Waslewski
41 Jake Gibbs
15 Thurman Munson
26 Frank Baker
25 Len Boehmer
10 Danny Cater
20 Horace Clarke
23 John Ellis
28 Ron Hansen
2 Jerry Kenney
17 Gene Michael
24 Felipe Alou
13 Curt Blefary
12 Ron Blomberg
27 Jim Lyttle
1 Bobby Murcer
14 Ron Swoboda
21 Frank Tepedino
21 Rusty Torres
21 Danny Walton
6 Roy White
9 Ron Woods
So whoopity-do, A-Rod managed to get hits while the whole team was smacking the twinkies around. When it comes down to it clutch isn't determined when you sweep, it's determine in the 9th, the team's been crap all game and your team NEEDS your hit to stave off elimination. At those times A-flaccid has proven himself time and time again as someone who can't close the deal. Looking pretty doesn't do much for you out on the field.
A Rod powers Yankees - what a joke. The Twins are TERRIBLE. Slap hitting team that can't generate anything. A Rod is still and will always be a great numbers guy but he WILL choke against the Angels, as will the Yanks. Watch the Angels get aggressive and watch the Yanks fumble. Jeter, Posada, and Textiera are the real deal but A Rod will bat about .220 and hit a home run in the 9th inning when the Angels are up by 7 runs. Classic A Rod. The smart money will be on the Angels in 5 games. And all the NY a holes will go broke. Can't wait.
I'm not interested in A-Rod's most recent success. He cheated the game and fans for years. Fine something better to write about instead of lauding those who steal to succeed in our national beloved sport. Let's not forget how the season began, with A-Rod stuttering and stammering and blaming years of cheating on his cousin.
I'm done with cheaters, and I'm almost done with baseball. Hopefully new rules will be applied in the future.
Did you actually see any of these games? I have never been much of an Arod fan, but let's give some credit where it's due! For at least this one series, all his hits were clutch, either providing the tying or go ahead runs in all three games, all from the 7th inning on. And if you watched these games, you would know that in the last 2 games, the Yanks did not "smack the twinkies around". What were you watching?
A Rod powers Yankees - what a joke. The Twins are TERRIBLE. Slap hitting team that can't generate anything. A Rod is still and will always be a great numbers guy but he WILL choke against the Angels, as will the Yanks. Watch the Angels get aggressive and watch the Yanks fumble. Jeter, Posada, and Textiera are the real deal but A Rod will bat about .220 and hit a home run in the 9th inning when the Angels are up by 7 runs. Classic A Rod. The smart money will be on the Angels in 5 games. And all the NY a holes will go broke. Can't wait.
Very SOUR grapes Rob...I am sure they will fare at the very least, a little better than the (stinky sox) NATION did!
i think A-Rod decided to finally start taking PED for the playoffs.
teixera, posada and jeter the real deal? Try Jeter, Rivera and Pettite.
Tex? Two postseason series under his belt. Zero RBI's in four game sweep by Boston, one rbi against the Twins. Jury is still out.
He was 2-12 against the Twins.
Posada? Good series against the Twins, but a career .240 postseason hitter with 33 rbis in 99 games.
We'll see what happens.
Alex did hit clutch late in games against the Twins, no doubt. But his last good playoff series was also against the Twins. He should have to have an ALCS and WS this year like the Twins series, before anyone seriously considers his playoff slump is over.
teixera, posada and jeter the real deal? Try Jeter, Rivera and Pettite.
Tex? Two postseason series under his belt. Zero RBI's in four game sweep by Boston, one rbi against the Twins. Jury is still out.
He was 2-12 against the Twins.
Posada? Good series against the Twins, but a career .240 postseason hitter with 33 rbis in 99 games.
We'll see what happens.
WallaceN is a fool !!!
Get your crying towel ready
You might be right about teixera. Maybe another A Rod in the making. I'm talking the guys with the wood. Pitching a different story. Rivera no contest but Pettite will, I feel, have problems with the Angels bec they will not let him get away with his pitching game. Solid pitcher but FAR from great. He looks average against teams that show patience at the plate.
Yea I hate the Yanks but they really did not look good against the Twins, a team that needs to put three hits together to score one run. How they lost that 2nd game to Yanks is difficult to figure out. It was painfully bad.
You know, Wallace, you are starting to sound alot like a Red Sox fan here. The Angels are a great team, led by a great manager in Scioscia. This should be a great series, one that could go either way. So why the low class bashing? Let them play, and the better team will win. I can't wait! As far as the "smart money", who cares what the bettors do? For those of us who love baseball, the games are more than enough! By the way, aren't Angel fans the same people who came up with the "Rally Monkey" a few years back?
Pettite is Pettite. Not an alltime great but reliable. career 3.91 in reg season, 3.89 in post season. He has 16 of 24 postseason series with era under 4.00. He is not likely to get shellacked. He has 13 of 24 series 3.00 or better and 9 of 24 era 5.00 or higher. He is a reliable starter. He usually needs run support to win, but he keeps the Yanks in the game.
All the A-rod haters can say what they want. .455 BA, 6 RBI, and 2 huge HR's are valiodating. This was his breakout moment, It's undeniable. Don't tell me for a minute the Cards, or Sox wouldn't sell their souls for that production this week.
As far as this article goes.....Arod having a higher OPS in the playoffs than Jeter means nothing. Arod should aloways have a higher OPS, regardless of regular or post season. Jeter's slugged .500 once, and had an OPS of .900 twice. Arod's career OPS is .965. Even a horrible post season, in which Arod has only actually had 2 horrible (05,06), and 1 bad(07), he'll still have a higher OPS. He still had 5 other solid post seasons which people all refuse to see.
Claiming this Twins team is inferior to those of Tom Kelly's is ridiculous. The Twins didn't make the palayoffs for the last 10 years of his tenure. 2 rings or not, Gardenhire has made this team better. A perenial contender, despite the failure to make a World Series. I'll take Gardenhire's consistancey any day.
9 years is the proof in the pudding. 1 playoff series dosen't get rid of the chicken bone in his throat he seems to get each playoff.
Yes peteinfla I am a Red Sox fan and grew up in NY. When they lost the division to NY I knew they were in trouble having to go against the Angels. Angels are always ready but with Hunter and Kazmir they have improved that much more. Scoisica, for me, is a great mgr and will make a difference in the matchups. He was on the wrong end of the 3rd strike called/wasn't called umpiring gaffe against Cleveland (?) about 3-4 years back. One of the worst call I have ever witnessed. Someone refresh me on that. Regarding the "smart money", even though the suspender boys on Wall Street are broke these days there will be BIG money bet on this matchup and it will be sweet to see the NY money brokers take a hit. Money matters in NY. Everything is an event. It's not just about baseball. Wait till the cameras start giving you closeups on the "important" people. Who will get more face time, Jeter, A Rod, or Trump?
A-roid is a punk. I am not a Yankee fan but they have a lot of classy guys on that team, Pettitte, Jeter, Posada, etc. A-Roid is not one of them he is a self center punk that only cares about himself and that is why NY will not win this year or any other year that he is on the team. GO ANGELS !!!
How is it so easy that Yankees fans can just forget about A-Rod admitting to his cheating ways? I just don't get it...He is no God.
The yankees won because they took advantage of the Twins base running mistakes and and came thru in the clutch. Against the Angels that might be harder. I am a Yankee fan and If they can pitch and hot like they did against the Twinns they could win. A- Rod now has some confidence and that will help.
You must be talking about the Roid Sux
I see the Yankee haters are out in force. The only thing that matters is that our team is advancing to the AL Championship, and unless your team is the Angels, yours is not. As for the Angels, they may have finally overcome elimination by the Blowsox, but we'll see if they can overcome a team that took 3 out of the last 4 games during the regular season.
The author is going to need mouthwash to get the taste of Gay-Roid's nuts out of his mouth. Agree with Rob up toward the top. This was the Twins. There WAS no pressure. Gay-Roid cannot play under pressure. We will see how he does when he is in a situation that isn't already predetermined. Playing the Sox or Angels or Phils or Dodgers is WAY, WAY different than a best of 5 series against an exhausted and completely overmatched team with about 1/4 the payroll. Call me a hater, but these are the facts. Try and dispute them.
Wow....perhaps there should be quick IQ and personality tests before you are allowed to post. Intelligent, well thought out posts with comments that are supported by facts are enjoyable to read. Enthusiastic, team-biased posts are fun to read. Hateful vitriol belongs elsewhere; "Gay-Roid's nuts out of his mouth,"??? Not funny, not creative.....just pathetic and sad.
A-Rod had a good game. Hats off. The Angels are tougher than the Twins, I am told. We'll see how he does there.
Glad I got to you doc. You've made my day. Sounds like you not only need some mouthwash, but might want to floss to get rid of some of those pesky hairs.
doc, your right...saying "gay-roid has his nuts in his mouth" is wrong....he has tex's nuts in his mouth....a-rod is a deush and when he has to deal with pressure he will choke on all the nuts in his mouth like he always does
I think way too much is being made of A-Rod in the playoffs and the Yankees sweeping the Twinkies. Just look at the two teams over the years. The Twinkies are just horrible against the Yankees. A-Rod of course did well against them. That proves nothing. The first round was a snoozer for the Yankees really. The Angels had a tough series where they played great and showed how good they are. They'll be ready for sure. They won't let the Yankees roll over them.
Pete in Fla:
You forgot to mention the biggest trade that made the early 1970 Yankees: Kekich for Peterson. Weren't on the same team? How could they be traded for each other? No, they traded their wives. It was reality TV before we had reality TV.
See http://www.around-the-horn.com/?p=131
Just like a cheap whore, A-Fraud will choke when it really comes to the big one. He is nothing but an overpaid, stat padding, choke artist that has as much back bone as your garden variety slug.
Glad that was your intent. BTW, I'm not even a Yankees fan....just a non-fan of low IQ homophobes. Oops, sorry, that was three syllables.
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