Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Must Win...
Last night's game fives spawned game sixes which are "must-wins" for three of the four teams presently in the playoffs. The Astros are the sole team lacking pressure to win Game 6 of their series.
The Cardinals. Obviously, they have to win Game 6 for practical reasons, but also for other reasons: coming into the playoffs most people assumed the Cards and their fearsome foursome of Rolen, Pujols, Edmonds and Walker would steamroll the opposition. This team won 105 games. They seemed destined for the World Series. To lose to the Astros, a team that finished 13 games behind them, a team that needed a furious spurt in the month of September just to make the playoffs, a team that they led 2-0, would be tremendously humiliating. We feel the Cards pain.
The Red Sox. Obviously, Game 6 is a must win. Win or go home.
The Yankees. Well now, aren't fans in the Big Apple sweating a little? After taking a 3-0 lead we all assumed that the Red Sox were finished. Even now, I grant you, I suspect that the Yankees will win game six, but how humiliating would it be for the Yankees if the Red Sox did force a game seven? Psychologically, it would be horrific. The spectre of becoming the first team in baseball history to blow a 3-0 lead and lose a series would weigh on the team heavily, especially given who they are facing. The Yankees need to win game six because the Red Sox will have all of the momentum in the world in their favor for a game seven: they will enter game seven with little to lose and everything to gain. If the Yankees lose game six tonight, they have to worry about the humiliation of losing the series, but even a victory in game seven would be hallow. If forced to a game seven, this team would be dogged by the fact that they nearly lost after building up a seemingly insurmountable lead to the Red Sox. A game seven victory would be more about survival than triumph.
The Astros? The one team that doesn't have any pressure. Good for them.
Nice article at Hardball Times from Aaron Gleeman about the thinning of the Yankees pitching. Jim Caple chimes in with his thoughts at ESPN.com, which seem to suggest that the tide has changed. Can Schilling put together a classic and keep the Sox alive like he did for the Phillies in game five of the '93 World Series?
(Click here for the link to ESPN's page for the ALCS.)
The Cardinals. Obviously, they have to win Game 6 for practical reasons, but also for other reasons: coming into the playoffs most people assumed the Cards and their fearsome foursome of Rolen, Pujols, Edmonds and Walker would steamroll the opposition. This team won 105 games. They seemed destined for the World Series. To lose to the Astros, a team that finished 13 games behind them, a team that needed a furious spurt in the month of September just to make the playoffs, a team that they led 2-0, would be tremendously humiliating. We feel the Cards pain.
The Red Sox. Obviously, Game 6 is a must win. Win or go home.
The Yankees. Well now, aren't fans in the Big Apple sweating a little? After taking a 3-0 lead we all assumed that the Red Sox were finished. Even now, I grant you, I suspect that the Yankees will win game six, but how humiliating would it be for the Yankees if the Red Sox did force a game seven? Psychologically, it would be horrific. The spectre of becoming the first team in baseball history to blow a 3-0 lead and lose a series would weigh on the team heavily, especially given who they are facing. The Yankees need to win game six because the Red Sox will have all of the momentum in the world in their favor for a game seven: they will enter game seven with little to lose and everything to gain. If the Yankees lose game six tonight, they have to worry about the humiliation of losing the series, but even a victory in game seven would be hallow. If forced to a game seven, this team would be dogged by the fact that they nearly lost after building up a seemingly insurmountable lead to the Red Sox. A game seven victory would be more about survival than triumph.
The Astros? The one team that doesn't have any pressure. Good for them.
Nice article at Hardball Times from Aaron Gleeman about the thinning of the Yankees pitching. Jim Caple chimes in with his thoughts at ESPN.com, which seem to suggest that the tide has changed. Can Schilling put together a classic and keep the Sox alive like he did for the Phillies in game five of the '93 World Series?
(Click here for the link to ESPN's page for the ALCS.)
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