« No-Doz With A Red Bull Chaser Please | Main | ALDS Roster Thoughts »

October 03, 2005

Showalter's Move Impacting The ALDS

From the Star Ledger:

The Yankees lost home-field advantage in this week's Division Series because they lost yesterday and the Los Angeles Angels won, 7-4, at Texas. In that game, Rangers manager Buck Showalter pulled 2-3-4 hitters Michael Young, Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock in the bottom of the third inning.

"He's a manager, he has a right to do as he chooses," said ex- Ranger Alex Rodriguez, who had his differences with Showalter. "I just think there's a code of honor when so much is on the line.

"You hope people do the right thing, but you can't control what people do. It is what it is."

When asked about it by reporters in Texas, Showalter pointed out that the Yankees rested Mike Mussina instead of starting him yesterday even though the Cleveland Indians needed a Yankees victory as well as a win of their own for a shot at the wild card.

Showalter also said he needed to play some September call-ups.

"These guys posted up all season," he told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, referring to the heart of his order. "They deserve that cookie. One of our problems is we haven't been able to look at guys because we're been trying to be fair to other teams the past month."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said, "So be it," but added that it was "a little surprising" that a team not headed to the postseason pulled some regulars.

"Buck's a good manager," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "It's not an issue to me."

I can see where some Yankees fans may have an issue with Buck's move here.

After all, the Yankees wanted to name Buck's coaches for the 1996 season and that's the reason why he left the team. It was a tense time for him - as there was a chance that he'd never get another big league job after quitting the Yankees for such a reason.

Plus, it was ugly between Buck and A-Rod in Rodriguez' last days as a Ranger. And, it was petty stuff - like Buck forbidding Alex to speak Spanish with the other Latin players in the clubhouse.

So, there's motive, perhaps, for Showalter here - screw the Yankees and screw A-Rod. This is why it makes sense for some to question his move yesterday.

But, bottom line, when the day comes that the Yankees have to rely on the Texas Rangers to help them, it's a sad day in New York. The Yankees should fight their own fights - and not count on anyone to help them.

Now, that said, this whole matter is worth filing away - to remember for another day. And, should the day come that the Yankees are in a position to help Texas and/or Showalter, that's the time to reflect back on the events of October 2, 2005.

Posted by Steve Lombardi at October 3, 2005 10:31 AM

Comments

If the Yanks were serious about clinching home field, they wouldn't have started Wright yesterday.

I agree with Cash, it's a non-issue

Posted by: Raf at October 3, 2005 11:00 AM

I think beating up on Buck is silly. He's right: The Yanks didn't take yesterday's game very seriously. They could have solved the problem by beating Boston.

Unrelated quote: "I would never pitch for Boston. With all due respect, it's a great organization. But with the fighting and playing we've done, I couldn't do it. This is my team."

Mariano Rivera, NYTimes 10/2/05

Yet another reason to love Mo.

Posted by: Josh at October 3, 2005 11:04 AM

On Texas: I'm not too worried, I don't see Texas ever playing meaningful games in late September. That ballpark makes it pretty darn hard to get a pitching staff to come together for the necessary shut-down type stuff you need in crunch time. Plus, there's no telling how much longer that nucleus will be together.

On Rivera: Simply the best Yankee since the 1950's. I love Jeter, I love Reggie, I love Donnie but Rivera is it for me. I can't wait until his plaque is in Cooperstown and Monument Park.

Posted by: MJ at October 3, 2005 11:17 AM

Mo in Cooperstown - that would be some induction weekend. It would be a fun day to go.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi at October 3, 2005 11:32 AM

anyone who thinks that its the Rangers fault that the Yankees have to travel to Anaheim for game 1 must have a screw loose. That means you- Waltman, Sterling, Kay, Kaat, A-Rod, Torre.

And A-Rod...code or honor? Is that like slapping a ball out of a glove in a big moment of a playoff game? That's honorable.

PS- Buck will be on Mike and the Angry Pooch shortly.


Posted by: Philly Phil at October 3, 2005 01:27 PM

I wish everyone on the Yanks had said what Cashman said. Much classier.

Posted by: Paul in Boston at October 3, 2005 02:37 PM

If A-hole... uh A-Rod... really wants to make sure the Buck and the Rangers don't screw his beloved Yankee brethren and fans in the near future, I suggest next season he doesn't go 39-39 in the first 78 games, or get swept by the Royals.

It's too bad so much talent has to go to such a whiny, ball slapping, biatch like Alex.

Posted by: Haywood J. at October 3, 2005 05:51 PM

Cashman's got it pegged. He also said that if the Yankees had won one more game, there wouldn't have been a problem. Too bad they had to play 19 against the Devil Rays.

Posted by: James at October 3, 2005 05:51 PM

Uh, Steve, clean-up on aisle 7.

Posted by: Jen at October 3, 2005 07:42 PM

i was at the game in boston, and by the fifth inning giambi (didn't start), jeter, arod, sheffield, matsui, and bernie were nowhere to be seen, and i think scott proctor was on the mound. they weren't even in the dugout. not to mention the fact that they conceded in part by starting wright instead of mussina, but for members of the yankees make the remarks they did about showalter is embarassing. sack up and win it for yourselves, and if you give up before it's done, than don't blame it on anyone but yourself. i expect that sissy crap from Arod, but to hear it from Torre surprised me. i'm sure showalter did what he did at least in part to screw with the yanks, but i bet he's having a good laugh right now, enjoying the reaction he knew he'd get from his former player and former team.

Posted by: matt at October 3, 2005 08:07 PM

What I love is the complete overreaction to a non-story. Broadcasters and media are much more hyped up about Showalter's moves than the players and coaches are, but a couple of innocuous quotes get turned into the Yankees being "outraged".

Now A-Rod is a whiny, slap-happy hypocritical beeyotch all over again according to people who have hated him his entire career, based on this. Gotcha.

Posted by: Max at October 3, 2005 09:57 PM

//but a couple of innocuous quotes get turned into the Yankees being "outraged". //

Dead, solid, perfect. It's just another case of people who need to hate the Yankees looking for another cheap, albeit wrong, reason to feel good again about their feelings of hate towards the Yankees.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi at October 3, 2005 10:26 PM

What I did find interesting today is that Buck took an hour of his day, after being in a 4-hour meeting with his boss on the state of the Texas team, to talk to both WFAN and ESPN Radio in NYC about his call on pulling his players. On the latter, when he was read the quote from A-Rod, he said to Michael Kay "And what was Derek's statement?" - and Kay told him that Jeter didn't have one, and then Buck went silent on the question.

It was a clear attempt on Buck's part to use Jeter as a way to try and make A-Rod look bad, when he simply could have said "Everyone is entitled to an opinion" when read the A-Rod comment.

This tells me that Buck still has issues with Alex - and does, somewhat, add fuel to the notion that he, Buck, had a motive to perhaps give the Yankees (A-Rod's team) a bit of a wet willy.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi at October 3, 2005 10:33 PM

Or it could be a case of Buck wanting to put the issue to bed... Did he call the stations, or did the stations call him?

Posted by: Raf at October 4, 2005 08:14 AM

On Texas: I'm not too worried, I don't see Texas ever playing meaningful games in late September. That ballpark makes it pretty darn hard to get a pitching staff to come together for the necessary shut-down type stuff you need in crunch time.
===========
3 AL West titles, anyone?

Also, last year they were in the race until the final week of the season

Posted by: Raf at October 4, 2005 08:18 AM