Updated: 09:49 PM EDT
As September Arrives, Are Yankees Beginning to Fade?
Difference in Starting Pitching Eroding New York's Once-Formidable AL East Lead
By RICHARD JUSTICE, AOL Exclusive
Let's begin with the Boston Red Sox. You remember them, right? You left them for dead, didn't you?
You were wrong.
All of a sudden, an American League East race that was supposed to have been over in June has turned into a fascinating theater.
The Yankees are crumbling.
The Red Sox are rolling.
In a span of just under three weeks, the Yankee lead has melted from 10 1/2 games to 2 1/2. The Yankees' 22-0 loss to the Indians was their 9th in 15 games. The Red Sox just finally lost one after winning 10 straight.
"It's getting fun, isn't it?" Boston's Kevin Millar said last week. "We've been just focused on winning games. Now we look up, and we're three back (at the time) in the loss column."
After defeating the Angels Tuesday, Boston's Curt Schilling said: "This is one of the games I came here to pitch.''
When the roles were reversed in 1978, Peter Gammons of the Boston Globe wrote that it was the first time in history a first-place team was chasing a second-place team.
It's happening again.
Even all that history doesn't seem to matter. At the moment, the Red Sox are a better team, and unless the Yankees don't right themselves quickly, they'll finish the season trying to take the wild-card berth away from the Anaheim Angels.
Right now, the Red Sox, A's, Angels and Twins are the AL's four-best teams, the four teams that appear most playoff worthy.
Don't ever underestimate the Yankees. Their 50+ come-from-behind victories tells you all you need to know about their resilience and toughness.
AP
Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez and the Red Sox are trying to repeat what happened in 1978 -- sort of.
And yet.
Remember how Jason Varitek slapped Alex Rodriguez on July 25? Remember how that looked like a frustrated team picking a fight? Well, maybe that fight woke the Red Sox up.
When the Yankees began to stumble, the Red Sox were poised for a run.
Then came the trading deadline.
While the Yankees were unable to deal for Randy Johnson, the Red Sox got dramatically better at the trading deadline by acquiring first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
One thing separates the two teams at the moment: starting pitching.
The Red Sox have it. The Yankees don't.
Since Aug. 13, Kevin Brown was the only Yankee starter to get a victory over a three-week period. And then he went and broke his hand when he took a tough loss Friday night.
In their last 17 turns, Yankee starters are 2-6 with an ERA approaching 6.00.
The story has been just the opposite for the Red Sox. Boston starters went 15-3 with an ERA in the low 3.00s as they won 17 of 20 during a recent stretch.
Because it's the Yankees and Red Sox, you know the side stories that always accompany these two teams.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is fuming, demanding answers. He stormed out of Yankee Stadium Tuesday night. He convened a meeting of his baseball staff. He wants Randy Johnson or someone comparable — wait, there's no one like this, is there? — delivered immediately.
Here's hoping Mr. Steinbrenner remembers that it was he who built the club around offense. He gambled that Kevin Brown and Jon Lieber would be healthy and productive, that Javier Vazquez would thrive in the New York pressure cooker and that Mike Mussina would be Mike Mussina.
At the moment, El Duque Hernandez, who is approaching his 50th or 60th birthday, may be New York's best starter.
Now every game from here on out will have the feel and tension of a playoff game.
That's why September is special in baseball.
It's the month of pressure and tension and choking dogs. It's the month when the ball gets smaller, the swings get harder and playoff spots ride on every pitch.
Last September when I asked Houston's Craig Biggio about playoff pressure, he looked at me like I was nuts.
"When you're in a tight race, the playoffs begin September 1,'' he said. "Every day feels like you're playing for your life.''
September is why players like Craig Biggio did all that work last spring, the reason fans and players endured April's cold and August's sweltering heat.
We love September.
"September,'' Willie Stargell once said, "is when you separate the men from the boys.''
If you're in contention in September, you're really in contention. September is not about projections or hope. It's about playing.
So while we enjoyed the Mets, Brewers, White Sox, Reds and Phillies this season, while we appreciate them making life a bit more interesting, it's time to tell them goodnight and wish them a safe winter.
See you at Spring Training.
First thing you'll notice is that four of the six division races are pretty much over. The Braves, Cardinals and Dodgers appear to have locked up the three National League races while the Twins are cruising to the American League Central championship.
No matter.
The American League West has a three-team race, and the American League East has the Red Sox and Yankees.
And then there are the wild-card races.
Thank you, Commissioner Bud Selig, for the wild-card berths.
They've made our Septembers better.
Eight teams are seriously competing for the two spots — the Red Sox, Angels and Rangers in the American League and the Cubs, Padres, Giants, Marlins and Astros in the National League.
We Interrupt the Pennant Race for Some Good Old-Fashioned Advice
Charles Baker caught Adam Dunn's 40th home run ball Monday night at Great America Ballpark in Cincinnati.
Good move, right?
Well, no.
It got him arrested.
He made the mistake of giving a television interview, and at that point, Miami University police recognized him.
They had issued an arrest warrant for him from an Aug. 16 traffic stop. He's wanted on for driving under suspension, obstructing official business and fictitious plates. Police officials telephoned the Reds, who directed them to Baker.
He got to keep the ball.
Copyright (C) 2004 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
09/01/04 10:00 EDT
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I LOVE BASEBALL!!!!!
Ray
