Jolt Country

"This is what everyone wanted aside from the people here in Minnesota.... It doesn't get any better than going to Game Seven. It's pretty exciting. People really wanted to see it again. I think that's what people expected and now we have it."
--Derek Jeter, Yankees shortstop (Newsday)

I wanted Toronto-Seattle, you STUPID maggot.

Yeah, everyone wanted to see the same two teams, uh huh, you bet, fag. Hey it should be NY-Boston EVERY YEAR HREHRHEHELOLOLOLHEHEHEHE jesus christ, I hope he gets traded to the Pirates before it's all over.

Two things I can't stand about this year's ALCS:

1) The Yankee fans they show who are holding thier hands just praying that the Yankees "don't blow it!!" during the games in New York. What a bunch of deplorable fucking losers. Oh no!! What happens if they lose!?!? Like they always do!?!?! When will we be back to this position!?!?! Makes me fucking sick.

The TWINS have a limited number of opportunities before they will have to endure 10 years of sucking again. Maybe their fans can hold their hands in prayer all worried.

2) When the Buffalo Bills went to four Super Bowls, you started to hear players on other teams grumble about how "maybe someone else should go" by the time the third or fourth one rolled around. At the time they came off as whining maggots because every team had the same opportunity as anyone else in the AFC.

Not true with baseball! The Red Sox have the second highest payroll in the league, but their are freaked out regarding the jerseys the #1 spenders wear. Seriously, someone else SHOULD go in their place if every year they are just going to roll over like this. Other teams can't or won't do anything about it because they can't increase payroll by $80 million just like that. Makes me sick.

Baseball -- a good sport ruined by people in New York City.

Yeah, totally. I mean, HOW many World Serieses have the Yankees won in a row now? Isn't this like the eighth year in a row that they'll win the World Series?

It's like, what's the point of even playing the game if you know the Yankees are going to win the World Series every year? You know?

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:Two things I can't stand about this year's ALCS:

(Pablum snipped)

Baseball -- a good sport ruined by people in New York City.

You've been such a NON FAN of baseball since the '94 strike that it makes me sick to hear you rant about it.

First off, allow me to remind you that the Yankees haven't won the series since 2000. The winners since have been Arizona, Anaheim, and Florida....three teams that did it spending a WHOLE lot less money than the Yankees spend for players. Ergo:

BIG MONEY =/= AUTOMATIC WORLD SERIES RING

The Yankees do well NOT because they spend the most money, but because they have a fantastic manager in Joe Torre. Note that the Yankees recent success has been since Joe became manager....before that, they hadn't been to the World Series since 1981. Were they not spending big money during the years in between?

As for the Red Sox, they're certainly not intimidated by the Yankees. Over the last two seasons, the two teams are almost dead even in their games against each other (in wins, batting averages, runs scored, etc.). The fact of the matter is that the Sox are getting PASTED by the Yankees in the ALCS because every year, Babe Ruth wakes from his cold eternal slumber, utters "booga booga booga" in the direction of Fenway Park, and makes 'em lose. It's good that he sometimes just lets the Yanks paste 'em, and sometimes he lets it get to game 7, lets the Sox think they're going to win, then pulls the rug out from under them (Bucky, Buckner, Boone, etc.). The guy has a great sense of humor.

chris wrote:You've been such a NON FAN of baseball since the '94 strike that it makes me sick to hear you rant about it.

94 is when things really got bad. The Expos would probably still be in Montreal if they hadn't cancelled that season.

First off, allow me to remind you that the Yankees haven't won the series since 2000. The winners since have been Arizona, Anaheim, and Florida....three teams that did it spending a WHOLE lot less money than the Yankees spend for players. Ergo:

They've been in it two of those years! Oh they didn't win it, BFD. They will have gone to seven of the last nine WS after they sweep Boston and you're telling me there's no problem there? How can you defend that?

BIG MONEY =/= AUTOMATIC WORLD SERIES RING

No, but it seems to guarantee an appearance.

That's the other thing that bugs me. When Toronto had the highest payroll, at least they brought home the goods the two years they did it. The Yankees both squeezing out anyone from the AL and then choking it away to Arizona and Florida is pretty bad, too.

As for the Red Sox, they're certainly not intimidated by the Yankees. Over the last two seasons, the two teams are almost dead even in their games against each other (in wins, batting averages, runs scored, etc.). The fact of the matter is that the Sox are getting PASTED by the Yankees in the ALCS because every year, Babe Ruth wakes from his cold eternal slumber, utters "booga booga booga" in the direction of Fenway Park, and makes 'em lose.

Heh. THESE Red Sox (the 2004 Playoff Red Sox) have rolled right over, though. Enough... they should have beaten the Angels and then let the Angels go in their stead.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:They've been in it two of those years! Oh they didn't win it, BFD. They will have gone to seven of the last nine WS after they sweep Boston and you're telling me there's no problem there? How can you defend that?

Easily. Look at the Rangers from the mid 1990s....spent big money on players, and went nowhere with it. You continue to equate money to World Series appearances, but it's an argument that doesn't hold water. Yes, the Yankees can afford good players, but that doesn't mean they'll play well together (big egos clash easily). It takes quality management to make it work, and THAT is why the Yankees have been so successful.

Torre. Worst manager in baseball . He gets every good player, has a roster of all-stars warming his bench and the Yankees haven't the world series in three years.

Anybody that defends the Yankees is an idiot. The Yankees haven't missed the playoffs since 1994. It is pointless to put them in a division with Toronto and the Devil Rays. What's even remotley fun about being a Yankee fan when the worst that can happen is you lose in the ALCS?

My point, When Jason Giambi goes down the Yankees have 2000 hits sitting on the bench with John Olerud. Olerud goes down and there's Tony Clark who is only 32 and hit 100 hrs in three seasons for the Tigers. Are you kidding me? The Yankees 3rd string 1st baseman is just as good most teams starting 1st baseman.

Back to Torre, it's funny what a "great" manager he has become after sucking at it prior Yankee. I could manage the yankees.

Pick the line-up out of a hat. Thank Brian Cashman for doing things like paying former all-star Jon Lieber 8 million a year will he rehabs from Tommy John surgery so he can be our 5th starter THE NEXT YEAR! Snooze for 6 innings play lefty righty match-up for 1 inning put in Rivera.

The Yankees spend 2 million dollars per win. If all things were equal Joe Torre would've been out of a job in 96.

WAAAAAAHH THE DODGERS SPEND MONEY TOO! Yeah cause if you want to get the shitty Shawn Green you have to pay him more to keep him off the Yankees.

So are all of you anti-Yankee wonkers happy now that Boston is making a series of it?

chris wrote:So are all of you anti-Yankee wonkers happy now that Boston is making a series of it?

Well, no. They spend the second most.

Jesus, all anyone wants is everyone on the same playing field. Give everyone $80 million and see who the best team is.

For instance, the Philadelphia Eagles have been to the last three NFC Conference Championship games in football. They lost 'em, sure, but just getting there three times is impressive. There's no big anti-Eagles backlash.

If there were a salary floor in baseball of $70 mill and a cap of $80 mill and the Yankees went to 6 of the last 8 World Series then it would be deserved. But I'd bet that the Red Sox and Yankees, together, spent more than the whole AL Central.

Knuckles the CLown wrote:Back to Torre, it's funny what a "great" manager he has become after sucking at it prior Yankee. I could manage the yankees.

Surely you've had a chance to act as a mascot in some capacity for major or minor league teams?

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:If there were a salary floor in baseball of $70 mill and a cap of $80 mill and the Yankees went to 6 of the last 8 World Series then it would be deserved. But I'd bet that the Red Sox and Yankees, together, spent more than the whole AL Central.

Yeah, and look how much good it's done them. Boston hasn't won a World Series since 1918, and the Yankees haven't won since 2000. I will AGAIN remind you that the last three World Series winners were Arizona, Anaheim, and Florida....three teams that undoubtedly benefited from the ~$65 MILLION bucks the Yankees paid MLB last year in revenue sharing and luxury taxes.

WAH WAH WAH I HATE TEH YANKEES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH CA$$$H. Why can't you admit that the Yankees win because of superior management and scouting?

chris wrote:Yeah, and look how much good it's done them. Boston hasn't won a World Series since 1918, and the Yankees haven't won since 2000. I will AGAIN remind you that the last three World Series winners were Arizona, Anaheim, and Florida....three teams that undoubtedly benefited from the ~$65 MILLION bucks the Yankees paid MLB last year in revenue sharing and luxury taxes.

Arizona spent a lot of money when they won the World Series.

You're focused on who won the World Series. Why aren't you looking at who made the playoffs?

And there should be complete revenue sharing in baseball, just like in football. The Yankees are "worth" something because there are 31 other teams there. Pro sports are an artificial construct to begin with, so artificial restraints like complete revenue sharing are needed. Every sale of a Yankees or Pirated hat ought to be split 1/32 with the rest of the owners.

WAH WAH WAH I HATE TEH YANKEES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH CA$$$H. Why can't you admit that the Yankees win because of superior management and scouting?

Hahahah -- because THEY DON'T! Superior scouting!? Then why didn't they draft Giambi or Mussina or whoever instead of grabbing them once they had proven themselves?

You stole Giambi from the A's. (Great, he got sick -- if that had happened to the A's it would be an UNRECOVERABLE blow to them. Having all that extra cash means your mistakes don't matter.)

You stole Mussina from the O's.

You stole Lieber from the Cubs (Again, having all that extra money means you can afford to wait a year for him to recover from Tommy John surgery).

You stole Sheffield from the Braves.

You stole A-Rod from the Rangers. I mean, Christ, A-Rod for Soriano, essentially. What a goddamn joke.

You stole Rivera because you didn't draft him, you just grabbed him because there's an asinine rule where certain players do not enter the draft. Throw him in the draft in 1990 and see where he goes.

You stole Matsui from Japan. Everyone already knew he was good, there was no scouting there.

You stole Brown from the Dodgers, but believe me if they wanted to trade him for Weaver then they are more than welcome to him. Nobody feels bad for the Dodgers.

You stole Vasquez from the Expos.

I mean, Jesus. You drafted Posada, Jeter and Bernie Williams (who is nothing special, believe me, nobody fears him). Tom Gordon was a good signing even if you dramatically overpaid for a guy with a 3.99 career ERA and nobody else could afford to do that. Signing Olerud was a good pickup.

Other than that, they've simply thrown money at their problems. If the Brewers had signed Jose Contreras for that money and he performed as badly for them it would have further crippled the team. (Boston's owner saying the Yankees are evil is high comedy, of course, because they are the second worst team for baseball.)

Also, going back to the New York Rangers: they never got the "core" going, and never went after the right players. It's apples and oranges. They also never had the equivalent of Torre, who I do not believe is a hall of famer or a genius or anything, but one of a number of guys who could manage a team correctly given the best talent.

The Rangers went out and got guy who had name power four years before they were signed. But you need muckers and grinders in hockey, moreso than any other sport. I'd put it this way -- if the Rangers instantly had the Devils' roster and then were allowed to go buy parts each year to fill in superstars when needed, they would have made a Stanley Cup apperance every single year.

I can't believe you wouldn't rather see an $80 mill cap for every team in baseball and that you actually prefer it this way.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:I can't believe you wouldn't rather see an $80 mill cap for every team in baseball and that you actually prefer it this way.

I never said that. In fact, I agree that there should be a maximum amount of money each team can spend on players. I simply take umbrage with your belief that the Yankees do well solely because they spend lots of money....it's just not true.

chris wrote:

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:I can't believe you wouldn't rather see an $80 mill cap for every team in baseball and that you actually prefer it this way.

I never said that. In fact, I agree that there should be a maximum amount of money each team can spend on players. I simply take umbrage with your belief that the Yankees do well solely because they spend lots of money....it's just not true.

Speaking as a die hard Boston fan...

I'm in total favor of a salary cap for MLB -- and I believe I'm not alone in NE -- we do have the highest ticket prices.

And Chris, I'll agree that Yankee Management is very good but because they have a huge pile of money to play with, they spend it wisely. Give them Oakland's payroll and they simply will not win 7 straight division titles.

So in effect, the Yankees are good because they (smartly) spend lots of money.

Game 7 tonight. I'm quickly running out of stomach lining...

-- Mike

chris wrote:I never said that. In fact, I agree that there should be a maximum amount of money each team can spend on players.

Oh. I stand corrected.

I simply take umbrage with your belief that the Yankees do well solely because they spend lots of money....it's just not true.

Well, it gives them advantages. I think we'll start to see richer teams do what the Yanks did with Lieber, because coming back from Tommy John surgery has like a 100% success chance.

What I hate even more than the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers spending wild is the fucker in Minnesota who -- if I understand things correctly -- is mad-balls weathly beyond all belief and still crapping his diapers and crying in terms of payroll and artificially making the Twins "small market." It's one thing to see an unfair system and use it to your advantage and do the best you can, legally and all that. It's another to cry faux poverty.

(Of course, if I am thinking of the wrong guy, then never mind.)

chris wrote:Why can't you admit that the Yankees win because of superior management and scouting?

Shutthefuckupgohomeseeyounextyear!