Getting the Rally Monkey Off Your Back!
Monday, October 26, 2009 at 09:02AM 
The Yankees have been to the playoffs every year (with the exception of last year) since 1995. But this victory--the 40th pennant--was especially sweet.
This is one of my favorite Yankees teams. This is the best baseball the team's played since 2001. The power is there but this team also bunts well, hits the cut-off man, takes the extra base, etc. Proof that the best team money can buy doesn't win unless it plays fundamentally sound baseball. They did and they won the pennant.
It was especially nice to finally beat the pesky Angels who have owned the Yankees the past decade.
My favorite line . . . quoted in the context of the Dos Equis commercial ("the most interesting man in the world"). "Mariano Rivera gave up a run in the eighth just to see how it feels." Rivera hadn't given up a run in the playoffs at Yankee Stadium since 2001.
Reader Comments (39)
All the PEDs in the world didn't help A-Rod or Pettitte win games. Good fundamental baseball wins games. The Yankees are playing great ball--and they are winning.
Besides, seems to me that Andy and A-Rod are about the only two MLB players to come clean and fess' up.
You Yankee haters out there have got to do better than rehash this old stuff! Number twenty-seven is at hand!
I don't like A-Rod any more now than I did before. Not my favorite Yankee. But the Yankee bashers need to find a new issue. That one has been beat to death.
One thing those who have followed the team closely this season (like the beat writers) have noticed is, since coming clean, he's been a different guy, not the aloof celebrity surrounded by sycophants. He sure was one of the guys in the dugout and in the champagne pouring. That's new.
Way to get that rally monkey off your back. Go Yankees!
It will be a great series -- but in the end Pastor Kim and his sons (Mark and David) will be happy campers! Enjoy the victory cigar!
George:
A-Rod certainly has some personality quirks that make you wonder about where he is coming from. Many sports writers say he is much more relaxed because pressure was taken off him when they acquired Texeria. Perhaps the burden of his steroid use was also lifted from him when he made an attempt to deal with it- maybe not as wisely as he could have. At least he was bothered by it- something you cannot say about Barry Bonds. Lifting of guilt off of your life can do wonderful things for your psychological well being. Personally, I do not know how these star athletes deal with all the celebrity status and money they have. The temptations to think more highly of yourself than you should would be staring at you 24 hrs. a day. That is why people like Mariano Rivera are so amazing to me. Most do not deal with it right and it ends up destroying them. The team as a whole seems to have dealt with the things that might have divided them and kept them unified in pursuit of the elusive goal. The Phillies are a tough bunch offensively though and it seems to me will be a much more difficult series to win.
The Angels have finally fallen!!! It is about time they have owned us in post season for 10 years. It is amazing that Jeter/Rivera/Posada/Petite are still together going for a thumb ring! A-Rod finally made it and has played phenominal and is finally earning his money. Mo and Petite are both strong believes in Christ and that is good to see. I know the Phillies are no push overs and are defending world champs so Yanks need to be on their game. CC starting gives him 3 starts so that is hopefully three wins right there. Let's hope that Burnett is on his game.
It is good to seem some good Reformed Bronx Bomber Fans!!!!!
Let's Go Yankees!!!!
Well, it's nice to know that Mo and Andy are strong believers. I understand Joe Girardi is too. Their faith will keep them strong when the Phillies destroy them--it will be a reminder that they are pilgrims here, and their true citizenship is in Heaven; they cannot have their best life now.
Now that was funny- as Pastor Kim said, those who play the best fundamental baseball will win; although it also just might be a matter of whose bats get the hottest. If the Cubs were playing there would probably be some divine intervention to make sure they do not win. It is my theory (which I have heard others state also) that when the Cubs win the world series the Lord will return as part of the celebration-God prevents this from happening until all has been fulfilled.
This kinda reminds me of the bumper stickers I used to see on automobiles around the Fort Wayne area in the early 80's saying, "God Made Notre Dame Number One." I can still feel my stomach lurch just thinking about it...
Heavenly Father,
Help our brothers on the Phillies, the entire team, but especially the ones who profess to know You before an unbelieving world like Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Brad Lidge. Help these brothers show the Yanks who their Daddy really is.
Smite the Yankees through Your Servants Lord,
Amen
(From the Boar's Head Tavern blog)
Worse than that, is the great philosopher (ex-Dodger manager) Tommy LaSorda calling God, "the big Dodger in the sky."