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August 18, 2005
August 18th
This morning, the Yankees sit in 2nd place in the AL East - 4.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox. I was wondering, when was the last time that the Yankees were in 2nd, this far back of Boston, on August 18th? Thanks to RetroSheet, that's an easy thing to figure out.
Here is the list of where the Yankees were in the standings for the last 10 "August 18ths":
Year - Place In Standings - Games Ahead/Back
2004 - 1st - 8.0 Ahead
2003 - 1st - 5.5 Ahead
2002 - 1st - 7.0 Ahead
2001 - 1st - 5.0 Ahead
2000 - 1st - 3.0 Ahead
1999 - 1st - 6.5 Ahead
1998 - 1st - 19.5 Ahead
1997 - 2nd - 5.0 Back (of Baltimore)
1996 - 1st - 5.5 Ahead
1995 - 2nd - 9.5 Back (of Boston)
So, the answer is: 1995. And, it's been a decade since the Yankees trailed Boston by this many games on August 18th (of a season).
On the bright side, the Yankees did win the Wildcard in 1995. And, that season was a lot like this one - in 1995, the Yankees used 12 different pitchers to start games and their "big three" in the pen were John Wetteland, Bob Wickman and Steve Howe, supported by guys like Bob MacDonald, Joe Ausanio, Scott Bankhead and Josias Manzanillo.
Oh, and, they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.
Talk about coming full cycle - maybe.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at August 18, 2005 02:20 PM
Comments
Oh, and, they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.
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After holding a commanding lead. Maybe they came full circle last year? Or maybe this is the natural progression?
2003 lost WS
2004 lost ALCS
2005 ???
The'd have to lose the ALDS to continue the pattern, and in theory they'd miss the playoffs next year...
Posted by: Raf at August 18, 2005 03:48 PM
...and the next year they'd be looking up at the Devil Rays from last place...and the year after that they'd be sold to the Royals as a triple-A team.
Posted by: hopbitters at August 18, 2005 05:12 PM
This year has reminded me of 1995 in many ways. I'm hopeful that they'll be able to pull off a similar run of wins at the end to grab a post-season spot, as it was truly exciting.
Of course I view that Seattle loss in the first round as the 2nd most crushing Yankee loss in my Yankee fan-dom, which dates back to 1966 (#1 was 2001, #3 2005).
Posted by: Paul in Boston at August 19, 2005 07:20 AM
Of course I view that Seattle loss in the first round as the 2nd most crushing Yankee loss in my Yankee fan-dom, which dates back to 1966 (#1 was 2001, #3 2005).
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2005? Is there something you know that we don't? (:
Posted by: Raf at August 19, 2005 03:20 PM