A-Rod

[ponty 0]

RINGS! :)

Biggest choke in MLB history! :o

[Jason Harris 31]

i think he means juicing.

He's noticeably fuller in his chest and legs this year, so he either hit a growth spurt or altered his diet in the offseason.

[Thockey17 1]

He's noticeably fuller in his chest and legs this year, so he either hit a growth spurt or altered his diet in the offseason.

He actually dropped 15 pounds in the offseason.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

It's the socks.

[CCC8190 0]

RINGS! :)

Biggest choke in MLB history! :o

do you mean...

[mack 44]

To me that's nothing compared to blowing a 3-0 series lead and I can't really stand either team.

[TBLfan 25]

i think the whole never winning a world series in the lifetime of their greatest player(Ted Williams) is worse.

[Jason Harris 31]

He's noticeably fuller in his chest and legs this year, so he either hit a growth spurt or altered his diet in the offseason.

He actually dropped 15 pounds in the offseason.

That may be, but he's noticeably bigger in his legs and chest.

[Jason Harris 31]

i think the whole never winning a world series in the lifetime of their greatest player(Ted Williams) is worse.

Baseball didn't have an amateur draft until 1965, nor free agency until 1976, so the richer teams were able to buy championships. It's one reason why the Yankees won 17, and the Cardinals 6, of 32 World Series through 1965. Conversely, Boston had two teams for half of Teddy Ballgame's time in Boston, and Red Sox Nation was born until the Impossible Dream season of 1967. In other words, the Red Sox weren't one of the wealthier teams during Williams' career.

Regarding the biggest chokers in playoff history, it's obvious why the Yankees were elevated past the '86 Sox and '02 Giants. They completely dominated the Sox for 3.8 games:

1) Mussina had a perfect game for 6 2/3

2) Lieber threw something like 73 pitches and one of Damon's at-bats accounted for well over 10 of them

3) The Yanks crushed them 19-8 in Game 3

4) The Yanks had a 4-3 lead and the greatest postseason closer in history on the mound, then 2nd and 3rd in the tenth, yet still lost the game.

5) The Yanks had a 4-2 lead and the greatest postseason closer in history on the mount, yet still lost the game.

6) They were beaten at home by a gimpy-footed pitcher who had a radical procedure that day (or the day before).

7) The Yanks were trounced 10-3 in a Game 7 at home. I believe that was the first time that happened.

The flow of that series, and the history that led up to it, made two things abundantly clear. Other than Jim Valvano running around looking for someone to hug after NC State's victory, or maybe the Pats beating the Greatest Show On Turf, has any championship ever been sweeter than the Sox in 2004? Second, can anyone imagine ever seeing a team, one that had one a third of all championships, choke as much as the Yankees in 2004?

[ponty 0]

RINGS! :)

Biggest choke in MLB history! :o

do you mean...

LOL. No! You know "Tanks" up 3 games to none ... Ortiz, Schilling and a bloody sock ... AROD and his purse.

:)

I lived through that moment as a teenager. After that world series win that photo and associated video means diddly to me now. Nice feeling indeed. How are you with that Yanks moment(s)? errr choke?

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

What was funny about that Buckner thing is that he wore a batting glove under his fielding glove...a Cubs-branded one. LOL

[Cobra2717 0]

He's noticeably fuller in his chest and legs this year, so he either hit a growth spurt or altered his diet in the offseason.

He actually dropped 15 pounds in the offseason.

He hit the gym like a maniac over the offseason. Contract year...thats alot of motivation.

His swing seems to be alot more natural this season too, like his early days in Seattle. It was very mechanical past 4 for so seasons.

A-Rod is a monster.

[ponty 0]

RINGS! :)

Biggest choke in MLB history! :o

do you mean...

LOL. No! You know "Tanks" up 3 games to none ... Ortiz, Schilling and a bloody sock ... AROD and his purse.

I lived through that moment as a teenager. After that world series win that photo and associated video means diddly to me now. Nice feeling indeed. How are you with that Yanks moment(s)? errr choke?

All kinds of great stories. The guy that is co-owner of Meigray (use to be a writer) told me that Mitchell was actually undressing in the locker room at the end of the game and looking to book a flight home. The Buckner thing happened and he had to get dressed ... short story is his last at bat was done without a cup on :)

[TBLfan 25]

i think the whole never winning a world series in the lifetime of their greatest player(Ted Williams) is worse.

Baseball didn't have an amateur draft until 1965, nor free agency until 1976, so the richer teams were able to buy championships. It's one reason why the Yankees won 17, and the Cardinals 6, of 32 World Series through 1965. Conversely, Boston had two teams for half of Teddy Ballgame's time in Boston, and Red Sox Nation was born until the Impossible Dream season of 1967. In other words, the Red Sox weren't one of the wealthier teams during Williams' career.

Regarding the biggest chokers in playoff history, it's obvious why the Yankees were elevated past the '86 Sox and '02 Giants. They completely dominated the Sox for 3.8 games:

1) Mussina had a perfect game for 6 2/3

2) Lieber threw something like 73 pitches and one of Damon's at-bats accounted for well over 10 of them

3) The Yanks crushed them 19-8 in Game 3

4) The Yanks had a 4-3 lead and the greatest postseason closer in history on the mound, then 2nd and 3rd in the tenth, yet still lost the game.

5) The Yanks had a 4-2 lead and the greatest postseason closer in history on the mount, yet still lost the game.

6) They were beaten at home by a gimpy-footed pitcher who had a radical procedure that day (or the day before).

7) The Yanks were trounced 10-3 in a Game 7 at home. I believe that was the first time that happened.

The flow of that series, and the history that led up to it, made two things abundantly clear. Other than Jim Valvano running around looking for someone to hug after NC State's victory, or maybe the Pats beating the Greatest Show On Turf, has any championship ever been sweeter than the Sox in 2004? Second, can anyone imagine ever seeing a team, one that had one a third of all championships, choke as much as the Yankees in 2004?

I still don't see how one series loss, no matter how bad, could compare to close to a century of getting one up-ed or should I say 26 up-ed.

And yes, clearly you convieniently forgot "the miracle on ice" just to make a statement. I think that against all odds beating the russians is easily twice as sweet as a team that has all but sucked for 90 years finally winning a championship.

But go ahead and cling onto your memorable, one-time in 88 years, getting the one-up on the yankees and try to forget the 87 times in 88 years that your team failed, including not making the playoffs last year. :)

[trevor13478 1]

just because you don't win the world series doesn't mean you "failed". Every team is not expected to win every year. There was not 87 years of failure, sure, a few dissapointing losses but I wouldn't consider it failure if only one team can truely succeed.

[TBLfan 25]

I do believe when you are striving for one goal that if you don't reach that goal it would be technically a failure right? I would hope that every major league team's goal is to win the world series, especially if they are a team considered competitive.

[Cavs019 708]

Whether you finish in 2nd or last in the league you come home with the same amount of meaningful hardware.

[Jason Harris 31]

TBL, the topic had evolved into whether the Yankees' choke in 2004 was the worst choke ever, not whether the Red Sox had 86 years of spectacular failures. That's a no brainer. The Red Sox had 86 years of futility, some of it in memorable fashion. Equally as much a no brainer is whether the Yanks' choke in 2004 was the worst ever. It obviously was.

Now you've rasied the question of whether one championship in 86 years adds up to 26 championships. I doubt it. But I guarantee our one championship, especially after going through their arch nemesis, was infinitely more enjoyable than any of those 26. I'm old enough that '75, '86 and '03 all stung, but as Ponty said, "None of that matters now." Do you think it would be a big deal if the Sox won in the next five years or so? Of course not. Go another 86 years, however....

As an aside, I didn't conveniently forgot the "Miracle on Ice." I forgot the "Miracle on Ice." But now that you've reminded me of them, it's not apples to apples. The US team was a great example of David vs Goliath, whereas the Sox were clearly one of the deeper teams in years -- they never should have fallen behind 0-3 as badly as they did. However, I was living in Southern California at the time, and I can assure you the Olympic game meant very little to most of them. So in measuring "sweetness" to a multitude of people, I'm confident more Sox fans were impacted than US hockey fans in 1980.

Last, do all major league teams have a goal to win the World Series? No, although they all have a dream to win the World Series. Tampa Bay, Florida, Washington, Baltimore, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and maybe five others all know that they will not win the World Series. It's not even a goal, only a wish.

[QandA 0]

off topic: 4 hr's in a row by the Red Sox against the yankees. That tie a record or anything?

[tokes 0]

off topic: 4 hr's in a row by the Red Sox against the yankees. That tie a record or anything?

Most in a game by the Sox but that's about it.

[Jason Harris 31]

He hit the gym like a maniac over the offseason. Contract year...thats alot of motivation.

His swing seems to be alot more natural this season too, like his early days in Seattle. It was very mechanical past 4 for so seasons.

A-Rod is a monster.

I haven't paid attention to his swing, but this wasn't exactly a contract year. He has the right to opt out of his contract. Until this past offseason, it was assumed he wouldn't get close to the same money, but that he might take advantage of it to get out of NY. However, the contracts were silly this past offseason, so he might just break the bank again.

[Thockey17 1]

Another A-Bomb from A-Rod.

Guy is on an all out tear.

[KYHockey3 0]

another homer this game for a-rod

he is playing AMAZING

this season!

i hope he keeps it up so the yanks will keep him

[Cavs019 708]

I hope the Yanks start winning so they have reason to keep anyone.

[Jason Harris 31]

i hope he keeps it up so the yanks will keep him

He's under contract with the Yankees until 2010 (I believe), but he has an option to terminate the contract after this season and become a free agent.