Surprise, surprise...

Jason Michael Barker

The New York Yankees are headed to the 1998 World Series.

I suppose I could have written that line back in June, tucked it away for safekeeping, and then waited until now to put it to use, but unlike much of the baseball world, I wasn't ready to concede the AL pennant so soon.

Despite making a run at the best single-season record in baseball history, there appeared to be chinks in their mighty multi-million-dollar armor. The Yankee bullpen was certainly a question mark during much of the season, and some noted that the team lacked the home run power often needed to win a short series.

Just as all teams do over the course of a 162-game series, the Yankees experienced their share of miniature slumps. There was the 5-6 11-game stretch in June, followed by a week in July which saw them lose five of eight. Heading into their game with the Indians on September 22, the Yanks had lost 12 of their last 20, and there were those who thought they had peaked too soon.

New York won that game 10-4, and they've been winning ever since. Including tonight's 9-5 victory over the Tribe in game 6 of the ALCS, they've won 14 of their past 16, and appear to be playing their best ball of the season.

Tuesday night's Game 6 looked a blowout early, with the New York jumping out to a 6-0 lead over the first three innings to chase starter Charles Nagy. Yet the Tribe hung tough, cutting the lead to 6-5 on a fifth-inning grand slam by Jim Thome to chase Yankee starter David Cone.

Ironically, it was an error by the normally brilliant Omar Vizquel which allowed the Yankees to break the game open in the sixth. Little O threw high to first on a routine play, allowing Scott Brosius to reach base. After a walk and a strikeout, Derek Jeter tripled off the wall in right center, scoring two to make it 8-6. Two batters later Bernie Williams singled in another run, and for all intents and purposes, the game and the series were over.

Ramiro Mendoza and Mariano Rivera combined for four innings of scoreless relief, shutting down the Tribe on just one hit. With two out in the ninth, Vizquel hit a weak ground ball back to the mound. Rivera fielded cleanly, threw to first, and the celebration in New York was on.

The Yanks now have three days off to rest while they await the winner of the San Diego - Atlanta NLCS, a series led by the Padres three games to two. Regardless of which team they face, New York will be an overwhelming favorite to win the twenty-third World Series title in the history of the franchise. They've got the pitching, the offense and incredible momentum -- and they just may be the best team baseball has ever seen.

 

 

about the author

Jason Michael Barker has been covering the American League playoffs for Strikethree.com. Let him know "THE YANKEEZ ROOL!!!11!" at jmb@strikethree.com.