Damn, that was quick!!!

I LOVE MINI-SODA!!!

CHECK 'EM OUT ... TWINS!!!

Tied for best record in MLB? I'll take it --- only problem being that the other best team is in the same division, and beat us out by two games.

2) Tied for best second best record in MLB?

I think the Phillies finished with the best record.

Meanwhile, dropping twenty of the last thirty games, or whatever, to get the WC was always part of the chessmaster's plan.

[3] Ah. Hadn't realized the Phillies had done that. Wasn't paying attention to NL standings lately.

Yeah, agreed, 95 wins and in the playoffs, nothing to be ashamed about there.

Even if the Yanks had won the division, I would still worry. Past history is just that, history. The Yanks have their work cutout for them, but I still like their chances.

4) neither was i, and i made the same mistake in a post last night!!

Come on, massive tie scenario!

Phillies finished with best record in baseball for 1st time in franchise history ... pretty impressive.

No massive tie scenario.

"Losing" the wild card is not an embarrassment, but the way the organization approached that last few weeks certainly is. I am not really concerned about what it means for the post season, but am a little worried about it what it says of the post-George era.

Go Team!! Can't wait till they open a Sam's Club Size can of whup-ass on the Twins..already feeling ill from the "what a great organizaiton the Twins are, the do things the right way" media nonsense to come..

Last time I checked ... 2000 counts just as much as 1998.

Like Jeter said, no use in being disappointed now. Whats done is done, so we need to take what we have and find a way to win it all.

I'll be at Game 3

does anyone remember how many games out the '02 Angels or the '04 Red Sox finished? exactly.

I'll take my chances with Minnesota and be happy to avoid dealing with Lee, Wilson, that lineup, and that ballpark. Doesn't mean anything is promised to the Yanks in the first round, but again I'll take it.

heres to hoping there is a game 4 (with the Yanks up 2-1) since thats the one I have tickets for.

[14] The division title means nothing to me. (Neither does the League championship or whatever whacky honor you get for winning the first round) I wanted the division for strategic purposes only. The Yankees obviously saw better strategy in the way they went. If they win the whole shebang, I'll certainly forget about the journey.

Did anyone find any pictures of the rookies after the game?

i have a busy work week and will most likely miss all of Games 1 and 2. i should be around to watch all of Game 3.

GO YANKS!!!

They're all chumps, it doesn't matter.
Dee-rays, Twins, Rain-juzz, whomever.

Yanks in 4, then 6, then 5.
Have the parade, etc. etc.

I find it hard to believe that anyone believes the Yankees, Yankees FO or Girardi was not trying to win the Division. However, winning in the PS was/is still the larger goal, and Girardi simply could not go balls-to-the-wall.

As far as losing because Minn. might be easier then Texas, is just nuts. Either team can beat us on any given day, and we can be them on any given day. The issue is not our opponent, or even Home field advantage... but the physical and mental state of our guys.

Certainly, the 'September Yankees' would be lucky to play 4 games. For whatever reason, the 9-18 stretch to end the season, might be the poorest they've played since '95.

I don't know how badly Teix is hurt, aside from 2 good games, he has had a terrible month. Cano is slumping a bit, but he could just be tired. Swisher's knee has him with a sub .700 September. Even Grandy who was on fire, had a mediocre last week.

2 days off has got to help. The team looks very tired. We can only help that CC, Andy and Phil have their A games next week.

h/t to RAB.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp?y=10&tcid=mm_mlb_schedule

[19] If repeatedly bringing his worst pitchers in against the primary competition and during the pennant race doesn't convince you that Girardi didn't care much about the division, I don't know what more could be said. I don't think he would have returned the banner or anything had they won it, but he showed very little interest in trying to win it.

Now, he may very well be proven right, I sure as hell hope he is, and we have to focus on what can be, not what could have been.

ALDS
Yankees over Twins
Rays over Rangers

ALCS
Rays over Yankees

NLDS
Giants over Braves
Phillies over Reds

NLCS
Phillies over Giants

WS
Phillies over Rays

[19] and Girardi simply could not go balls-to-the-wall.

Maybe if the team actually tried to win just a little bit harder a month ago instead of resting, resting, resting players, they could have secured the division and then let everyone have a good rest before the playoffs started.

Then again, maybe all of this rest means the team will be...um...well-rested for the playoffs, ready to flip that switch and on and go, go, go.

[23] That

[24] Just remember:

After such knowledge, what forgiveness? Think now
History has many cunning passages, contrived corridors
And issues, deceives with whispering ambitions, 35
Guides us by vanities. Think now
She gives when our attention is distracted
And what she gives, gives with such supple confusions
That the giving famishes the craving. Gives too late
What’s not believed in, or if still believed, 40
In memory only, reconsidered passion. Gives too soon
Into weak hands, what’s thought can be dispensed with
Till the refusal propagates a fear. Think
Neither fear nor courage saves us. Unnatural vices
Are fathered by our heroism. Virtues 45
Are forced upon us by our impudent crimes.
These tears are shaken from the wrath-bearing tree.

[19] Have you been watching the last few weeks? The decisions made by Girardi speak for themselves. I could list them all here again, but the game threads contain all the details.

If Girardi, Cashman and most fans of the team think the World Series is an end that justifies all means, that's fine. I don't. I think winning a division is a very important accomplishment, and see no valor in accepting second place.

[25] Ode to an Aging Roster?

Fire Girardi?

28) nah, though he did get a little cutesy with strategy this season, at least by my reading of things.

Attendance down almost 7%, but it probably was more. I love the game, but don't have the time or the money to see the games, even if they are on television.

As for the Yankees, someone will recap the season for me so I can understand how they won 95 games. The Red Sox made it to the last week with their A-Team on the disabled list. They, like several other teams, had pitching. Whom do the Yankees have on the mound? That CC is even mentioned for a Cy Young makes me uneasy. He cannot pitch every game.

But, I be in because I be a fan.

[31] The Red Sox made it to the last week with their A-Team on the disabled list.

Team, 2010 Team ERA, Rank (AL):

NY Yankees, 4.28, #5
League Ave, 4.42
Bos Red Sox 4.59, #10

[23]

tell that to Swisher's left knee, Teix's little toe, etc etc.

[26] Wait, what? The WS is the ends that justifies all means. I'd rather be the WC and win the WS than be Division Champs and go out in the LDS.

[33] I don't see it that way. The WS is not an end that justifies all means. Winning a WS on the back of a WC is diminished, IMHO.

[34] No. Winning the WS is the most important goal. A 120 game winning season with a flameout in the LDS or LCS or a WS loss would be diminished.

[35] That's your opinion. Although I agree that a 120 game season without winning the WS would be diminished, I do think it trumps a mediocre season that ends with a championship. For example, I will long remember the 2001 Mariners long after the 2006 Cardinals. How you get there is not irrelevant, at least not to me. If I felt differently, I probably couldn't follow the season so religiously.