OT: Tigers go 3 up on those pin stripes!!! Yeh

[jcmtiger]

Fantastic Starting Pitching, and some timely hits Congratulations Tigers!!!!


4 more wins!!!

Joe

[cubsfan-budman]

Generally dislike the AL, but hey, go Tigers!

[Kzoo]

I really wasn't worried about the Yankees this year after Game 1. It would have been a different series if NY won that game. Last year, the Yankees were better because they were actually hitting the ball.

[ullmandds]

I agree in that this was quite possibly the weakest postseason effort I've ever witnessed?!

Maybe the intensity of the end of the season and the series against B'more...combined with the loss of Jeter was all the aging yankees could handle.

The absolute offensive collapse was unbelievable...admittedly Detroit pitched well...but the yanks looked helpless...it was hard to watch!

Congrats to Detroit...they played well enough to advance and should provide an entertaining series against whichever NL team advances!!!!!!

Ironic how comparisons were made to the yankees of 1980...as it seems the yankees will be rebuilding soon...and more dark years may be upon us yankee fans?!

[bbsports]

The Yankees blew a 10 game lead in July & had injuries. There team batting average was horrible since the All-Star break, even though they lead the majors in home runs. One of the worst teams when hitting with runners in scoring position all season long. The hitting just continued in the playoffs & became a total team collapse.

[z28jd]

Pete, wouldn't worry about dark years, they might have one year where they don't make the playoffs, maybe two tops if all goes wrong, but no chance a 200mil payroll team becomes the Pirates. That payroll makes up for a lot of mistakes

[ullmandds]

not sure I agree! money can't buy heart...determination...chemistry...this has been proven otherwise the yankees...or the red sox would win every year. With the majority of the heart of the yankees in aging decline...they can spend all the millions they want on superstars...but if they don't have chemistry...they're cooked!

[yanks12025]

Aren't the tigers money? They already had two first basemen and went out and spent 100 million on another. Can't wait in acouple years when the Yankees don't have the highest payroll to then hear excuses and that it's unfair,etc.

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

not sure I agree! money can't buy heart...determination...chemistry...this has been proven otherwise the yankees...or the red sox would win every year. With the majority of the heart of the yankees in aging decline...they can spend all the millions they want on superstars...but if they don't have chemistry...they're cooked!

In theory you are correct, you need chemistry, but there is a difference between what the Red Sox can spend and what the Yankees can. This year, when things didn't work out for the Sox, they had to get rid of players, their payroll was at their max. For the Yankees, 194mil isn't their max payroll and it is more than any other team could afford continuously, so when they struggle at that amount, they don't need to sell, they can still add. Money makes up for a lot of mistakes, and the Yankees can afford an extra two all-stars each year over other big money teams, so there is very little chance they struggle for long.

You really can't put them in the same class as other teams, they own their own tv station, that alone brings in enough to cover payroll each year. Then they still charge outrageous prices, because they can and people will pay it. They also have the advantage of players wanting to play there because of the mystique and the chance to win. Raul Ibanez signed there for 2mil this year and people pointed to him as a low-priced guy to try to prove that money didn't buy him so it isn't all about money. While that is correct, Ibanez signed with the Yankees for 2mil because he already made a fortune in baseball. I can guarantee you that if the Pirates offered him 4mil at the same time the Yankees said all we can "afford" is 2mil, he is taking the chance to win at his age.

When you combine that fact with the extra money and the ability to miss more often than other teams on free agent signings, the chances of them struggling for an extended amount of time is likely none. This isn't the 80's anymore, money is a lot bigger in baseball and the big teams clearly have a better chance each year as the differences between small-mid-big markets continue to get bigger.