By Merlyn Mathew
It’s no secret that I am a loyal Yankees fan – if you are my friend you will know that this is probably an understatement. The week of the ALCS playoffs and the following World Series proved to be a test of endurance and patience for not only my Rosemont classmates, but also my suitemates and friends in the Philadelphia area.
I guess going to college in suburban Philadelphia might complicate things, but that hasn’t changed my undying love for my New York Yankees. Why root for the Yanks over the Philadelphia Phillies?
The Philadelphia Phillies should be credited for getting back on their feet after years of mediocre playing and almost becoming the worst in the National League in the 1980s and 1990s. The Phillies have only won two World Series Championships to date and suddenly their second win in 2008 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays has suddenly given Phillies fans the right to think that they are in the best in baseball. How absurd.
The only reason the Phillies have done well this season is because of their one good pitcher, Cliff Lee – after all, the only two games won against the New York Yankees in this year’s World Series is because Cliff Lee pitched then. The rest of the Phillies’ bullpen is pitiful:
In response to claims that the Yankees are overpaid, America’s greatest baseball team should be awarded appropriately for their excellent performance on their field. Why should it matter that Alex Rodriguez, affectionately known as A-Rod, or team captain Derek Jeter make millions? These two players clearly have made enough contribution to the team this season – both at the playoffs and before. New York is able to pay for its players and its fans are willing to pay for the Yankees; it is not our problem that Philadelphia cannot afford such high salaries and therefore have less deserving players. Baseball is a business, gentlemen, and Yankees are able to spend the most because they are a good business.
As I told a Phillies fan this past month, I would have been genuinely shocked if Philadelphia beat New York in the series. And I do not mean at all to be boastful. Face the facts: The bullpen of Philadelphia is not a match for that of New York’s. Defensively, the bullpen and Yankee rotation became overwhelming for the Phillies. Injuries have crippled Philadelphia’s team with JC Romero’s embarrassing steroid scandal and strained forearm, Myers’ hip surgery, Cole Hamels could never get over his elbow injury, and Pedro Martinez was a disappointment to watch. Pitiful.
This is what the World Series always comes down to- who has the better pitching staff. The Yankees have C.C. Sabathia, Andy Petitite (mentored also by the legendary Roger Clemens), and Joba Chamberlin who are consistently dependable on enduring into past the sixth innings. Also, Mariano Rivera cannot be forgotten – he is known as the closer, there is no other MLB team that can say that they have such a pitcher who can fulfill Rivera’s duties and clinch crucial games.
There is a reason why the New York Yankees have won twenty six championships and why they deserve another one. It has been almost a decade since the last time the Yankees have won the World Series and since 2000 the Yankees have made it to the playoffs but still reaching short of the World Series. Year after year, the Yankees have struggled with their rotation and bullpen but as the years passed, the rotation has become stronger and with a few new faces, New York has become the powerhouse it once was. The Yankees also had to transition from a big change when coach Joe Torre decided to leave and join the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With Alex Rodriguez under our belt and the consistency of players such as Derek Jeter, who had an impressive batting average of .334, Nick Swisher, and Melky Cabrera, the New York Yankees were again a formidable opponent for the Phillies. As a Yankees fan, I can say that the current New York Yankees team has chemistry that hasn’t been seen since the team in the mid-late 90s and it can be safely assumed that there will be more World Series championships in the near future.
I’ll concede that the Phillies had a good season, but all they have now is to savor their moments of victory in 2008. They’re just another team who got lucky last year, but only the Yankees have more championships than any other team in any other sport.
You have been warned: The New York Yankees are back and are better than ever.
Photo courtesy: http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/1104/mlb_a_yankeeswin09_576.jpg
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