Originally I wasn’t sure what I thought about baseball’s new playoff format — I’m generally against any expansion of the playoffs, any further dilution of the regular season — but I actually think they got something right this time. (Mets fans, sadly, likely have a different thought right now.)
But our Yankees are fresh and ready to go, and so are we. Sure, it’s nice that the bullpen arms are rested, but I didn’t mind having five days free of anxiety either. So bring on the Guardians!
If you’ve been paying attention for the last twenty years — and you wouldn’t be reading this if you haven’t been — you know that there’s some deep recent history between these two teams. As the Yankees were rising in the mid ’90s, the rivalry with Cleveland was sometimes more intense than the one with Boston. It’s blasphemy, but it’s true.
It began with Mariano Rivera’s ill-fated cutter that floated up in the zone and then into the seats off of Sandy Alomar’s bat in 1997, one of just two bad postseason losses during an otherworldly six-year run. The following year, Cleveland gave the 1998 Yankees their only moments of tension (helped a bit by Chuck Knoblauch) before El Duque Hernández showed that he was still an ace, fourth starter or not. Almost a decade later, Cleveland had the upper hand again, this time when a swarm of midges engulfed Joba Chamberlain and changed the course of the 1997 ALDS.
The Yankees eliminated Cleveland in the 2017 divisional series and again in the 2020 wild card series, but it’s interesting that I don’t remember a single thing about either of those moments. Didn’t Giancarlo Stanton do something monstrous in 2020? Perhaps.
And so what will 2022 hold as these two teams face off again? Will we remember this series forever, or will it disappear into the corners of memory?
There’s been drama in the Yankee camp, as Aroldis Chapman has been left off the roster for this series because he failed to show up for a workout — or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, we’ve likely seen the last of Chapman in pinstripes, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, who among us would’ve felt comfortable watching him on the mound in an October game that mattered?
Our old friend Matt Carpenter is back, and even though his role is yet to be seen — will Stanton play the field to let him DH, or will Carpenter just be a pinch hitter? — I’m as happy for him as I am for the potential impact he might have on the Yankees’ playoff run.
Aside from the efforts of the Cleveland Guardians, a better team than some might think, there are two things that will determine the Yankees’ success or failure in this series. The first one is obvious, the $324 million elephant in the dugout, but we’ll get to that later. What I’m interested in seeing is how the more inexperienced Yankees fare in the postseason spotlight. I don’t worry for a minute about Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton or Luís Severino or even Josh Donaldson. Even if those players don’t perform, it won’t be because of the moment.
But what about Nestor Cortés? We’re told that he doesn’t fear anything, but I don’t think that even Nestor himself knows how he’ll feel when he toes the rubber on an October night in Yankee Stadium. Oswaldo Cabrera has been an important contributor over the past month, and observers have noticed how comfortable he looks. Will he still have that same comfort with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth inning? We’ll see.
The truth, however, is that nothing that I’ve written so far matters nearly as much as how Gerrit Cole pitches tonight. He’s still one of the best pitchers in the game, the type of pitcher who’s a threat to throw a no-hitter every time out, but this season he’s also been one of the most volatile pitchers in the game. At no point tonight, no matter how well he appears to be throwing, will I be relaxed. It won’t matter who’s in the batter’s box, it won’t matter how many strikeouts Cole has, I will always worry that he’ll groove a fastball or hang a curve or lose a changeup and the ball will disappear into the night.
The Yankees gave him the richest contract in their history precisely for Game 1. It’s the reason that Aaron Boone named Cole the starter for this game weeks ago, even though an objective look at the statistics would’ve resulted in Cortés getting the ball instead, or even Severino.
But it always had to be Gerrit Cole. This was always going to be his moment. And so much depends on this moment.
Lineups posted.
New York:
1. Judge, RF
2. Rizzo, 1B
3. Torres, 2B
4. Stanton, DH
5. Cabrera, LF
6. Donaldson, 3B
7. Kiner-Falefa, SS
8. Trevino, C
9. Bader, CF
Cleveland:
José Ramírez and bunch of other guys.
There's a Yankees "Twitter community" (sort of a private mini-Twitter inside of Twitter - I explain not to patronize, but because I didn't know this myself until recently) whose participants appear to skew a lot younger than the crowd here. And it's funny to see how much of that discourse today is about "OMG I'm so nervous didn't sleep a wink last night hope I don't throw up OMG gonna DIE!"
Really brings home how long ago the late 90s were, and how many of our fellow fans today were in diapers then. Or not even here yet! Welcome to the party, ya little rascals.
Apart from that observation it's a pretty friendly and high-energy place to check out, for those interested. And if you post a comment there, it posts only there - so you don't have to worry about your high school lab partner or your ex-girlfriend's brother-in-law jumping in to muddy the waters. Or to make everything political.
[2] And how do we get to this land that you speak of?
[2] If this website existed in 1996 I am pretty sure I would be appalled at the nonsense I may have typed. Lol....
GO YANKEES!
Thanks for line-up, Hank. I was snooping around and this was the 1st place I saw it. : )
How many homers will Cole surrender tonight?
[5] Zero tonight!
Altuve is sucking and that makes me happy.
I was surprised about Verlander getting rocked.
We've seen Verlander and Scherzer both get hit hard this playoffs, let's hope Homer-Happey-Gerrit doesn't show up too.
I'm still blacked out from the TV feed on MLBTV.com here so will be listening to the Cleveland radio feed. Let's Go Yankees!
What a finish for the Astros. Ugh
Fucking Alvares
Freakin' Astros..Alvarez is a beast, not sure why they pitched to him there.
I do like Alvarez. Maybe they should have walked him.
And just like that the Astros win.
Mariners are done.
That pitch was right down the middle. I guess he was hoping he would miss it.
I think I would have walked him and taken my chances with the next guy.
I would’ve bet money that Alvarez was gonna walk it off there. Awful.
[3] Let me see if I can re-create the accident by which I stumbled into it, and if I do, I’ll share. :)
Oh, the M’s. Their fan base just went from the highest of highs to kick in the cubes. Aie.
18) Absolutely.
hiya. Let's go Yankees!
Also, question: Looking at the lineup card, when was the last time the Yanks had such an unimpressive lineup in a playoff game?
[23] I was thinking that too. Hope we have enough offense. So much riding on pitching and defense.
Of course IKF boots it. Wish Peraza was on the roster…
Gotta make those plays, Falafel
Post-season form for noodle arm at short.
Too many pitches
Those 57 footers aren't fooling anyone.
Oh, K
phew. Lots more anxiety to come!
Teams like this scare the bejesus out of me. I just flash back to the 2002 Angels.
LET'S GO YANKEES!
I just spent a week in the Maine wilderness (sort of). Out just in time, staying in Augusta, chowing down fish tacos and watching the Yankees in the post-season!
Fuck
RI - You’re in my state? Disgusta?!
I think Ramirez and Quantril are the only 2 Guardians I have heard of.
[5] Alex, the under over is 2/4.
Am I the only one who likes Costas?
[38] I like him well enough.
[19] Just search for Jomboy. He's fantastic. A really gem in the sports world.
IKF should be using 2-hands FFS.
[38] I like him a lot.
I'll take Costas over just about anybody who isn't Cone.
Costas is fine. I love Jomboy, but his live stream right now is kinda boring…
My buddy recorded the drums on the Sponge Bob Square Pants show. I’ve never seen an episode, and don’t care to…
33) Sounds awesome!
Lotsa hard hit contact in the early going…
Cole pitching like shit. Inevitable homer coming up.
Don't like Costas at all on baseball. Way too 'And then America shed a tear for the great Mickey Mantle, the symbol of all that is great and flawed in our nation..'
Cole already a high pitch count..
Getting squeezed doesn't fucking help! FFS, blue!
[38] I'm fond of Costas.
[48] laughing
I like Costas. Let him get romantic about baseball from time to time. That’ll never bother me.
[33] Now I'm craving a fish taco at 9:12 in the morning in Tokyo and have no idea where to find one.
Back to the Mariners. How do they recover? They probably went into the series thinking they had to beat Verlander once, and they did that today. Just awful for a team that hasn’t been in the playoffs for twenty years.
[35] No dude! Maine has an Augusta too! The capital!
Drummers.
Nice at bat there for Stanton. Really good sign.
[53] Boat, I'm just back from Nagasaki and Fuoka, TOP-NOTCH ramen everywhere. Even tried one with lemon-slices and pepper, surprisingly delicious!
I kinda knew that. But, the whole drummer thing took over. I guess that means you’re not coming over for the game Thursday…
Cabrera looked like an over eager rookie there.
[60] thelarmis! I spent Saturday night listening to some great stories from a jazz bar owner in Nagasaki. Did you know Elvin Jones once owned a club there, but it closed after only 2 years? His wife Keiko used to yell at him for jamming with amatuer customers and not getting paid :)
While I actually like Costas, I really really really don’t like Ron Darling.
Yup.
IKF will not be a Yankee next year
IKF contributing on both sides of the ball.
Hm, not a great day so far for IKF.
Maybe it will finish well and balance out.
JFC! What is that guy in our starting line-up. Two walks and swings at first pitch.
Waddles- so right about Darling!
Nice, Jazz! I’m on the mobile app and there are no numbers. I’m also eating dinner, dealing with an ill child, and my wife is in a mood. I can’t follow the thread closely…
Hank, I really like Darling on the Mets games with Gary & Keith. Is he very different on TBS I wonder?
[68] sounds like a lot! Hope everyone feels better soon!
[57] Ooh, sounds delish.
Although my stomach knows better than to crave ramen in the morning. I'm generally a 3-4 times a year ramen guy these days.
And there it is. FUCK
Argh.
The obligatory Cole homer
Cole sucks.
Well, there you go.
There’s one homer
Here we go.
Jazz, do you want to be me. One beer for you, a coffee for me.
I predict he will give up 3.
And the thing is — it’s always a light hitter that gets him. It’s maddening. There are no soft spots in any lineup facing Gerrit Cole.
Need a DP now
The Cole bobblehead is out of the box and I’m about ready to snap it’s head off.
After that story about Kwan, seems like karma.
Can Cole get 9 outs before he hits 60 pitches? Can he throw a curveball for a strike?
[81] Burn it. Maybe that will appease the gods.
Cole is not very endearing. I feel terrible for Effross. What a terrible trade deadline…
Has there been a pitcher like Cole who gets SO many Ks but also fives up dingers three times a game??
Settle down, buddy.
Cole doesn't really 'come unglued', but this is a worrisome situation.
So much for a quick inning. Nestor should have started…
Take him out right now. He sucks.
$324 million. Grrrr.
Now would be a good time for a K.
[86] Remember Phil Hughes? Kind of a mini-Cole.
Oy. Well that sucked!
Good job,fellas.
What is even going on?
Um. No outs on that? Jeesh
Oh, I see. More unlucky than anything else.
Okay whew. That's one.
Acceptable
Bed shitting time.
[88] Ya think? Seems like everyone in the world but the Yankee management thought that.
Good to see you on the thread, Thelarmis. It's been ages.
FUCK YOU, BLUE!!! WTF???
Oh come on! That's the pitch Judge was called out on.
That’s a fucking strike.
Certainly more of a strike than Judge's caught looking.
Didn't he just call Judge out on that pitch?
That’s my ace right there!
There ya go.
Don't leave it up to the blind, just make him swing and miss.
Okay!
Let's go YANKEES!!!!!
Schmidt in the 5th or 6th?
Phew
[103] [105]. All thinking the same thing.
Cole will be out after 4. If this series goes 5, cannot imagine him starting.
Whew. I’m surprised Cole but his tongue and didn’t say something to the ump.
Thanks, guys. Good to be here! Thursday will hopefully be a bit calmer. Been a long teaching day already…
[103] [105] [106] lol.
Exhaling.
Reminding myself to just breathe...
Noice. Yes, he did not come unglued.
Now, we need some better ABs.
Watching the Mets-Padres series, I saw so many guys choking up on the bat and going the other way with RBI singles. Too bad we don't have anyone like that.
I love Trevvy, but that at-bat was atrocious
[92] I'm constantly conflating the two in my head.
100%
Sure would be great to get a couple of hits
Do the Yankees know that this is a real game?
Harry, keep the change
Bader!
That was a beaut! Huzzah!
Bader go BOOM!
oooooh!
Welcome to New York, Harrison!
Bader goes boom!
Well, there ya go!
What a great trade deadline the Yankees had!
:)
YES!!! Bronxville kid does GREAT!!!
Best trade deadline ever!!! ; )
Carp must know him from St Lou. He was fired up!
Could Bader be the X-Factor?
Boom!
I'm behind the news, sorry, but Chapman left off the postseason because he went AWOL? I get it, but why is Hicks on the team?
I’m so sick of these checked swings.
Oh man.
I don't understand the check swing rule, so I can't really complain about that, but jeez.
Cole about to implode
I prefer Hicks over Marwin. Oswaldo makes Marwin moot. If Cabrera takes over @ SS when IKF is pinch hit for late in the game, Hicks can play left, bat left, take a walk. Peraza should be on over Gonzalez.
Had AWOLdis showed up to practice, he’d probably have made the squad over Castro after the shocking news that Effross needs TJS.
[135] That's because there is no rule. It's all about the umpire's feelings.
Quantrill is giving me some bad Carl Pavano flashbacks. (shudder) His season hight for strikeouts is 7 btw. He already has 5.
[133] Good question.
Chapman should have never been on this team.
I live that kid! Let’s have a quick inning, please
Awwwww!!!
Oswaldo!
Love the kid
Ok fans do not interfere with the home team player trying to catch a foul. Yeesh
What a play by JD!
The Yankee D shows signs of life!
Show me that Big D!
[139] Carl 'Strained Buttocks' Pavano! Unwelcome blast from the past.
[140] Agreed, seems an unpleasant guy (at best)
Man, JD is so fucking great over there!
Good call, Just Fair. I was wondering who he reminded me of and why I didn’t like him. His subtle shimmy on the mound was bothering me, but I think it’s coz he looks like the American Idle
[136] Heh, very nice reverse-jinx.
A curve strike several inches lower than a curve ball. Good work, blue!
[148] Ha. I just mean this season!
Yeah, this umpire is gonna be hearing it from both sides all night.
I rather like Costas.
Quantrill is too talented. He's making everyone but Bader look stupid.
I’ve always liked Costas. He’s aged rather well.
You know how your pulse quickens a bit every time Judge hits a ball in the air? Same feeling when any Cleveland player hits a ball in the air against Cole.
One fucking hit. C'mon, already!
14 pitch inning for Coke. Would be cool to get him through 6 with 1 ER
This inning!
Jesus Christ.
You're an asshole, Donaldson.
Not sure if I’ve ever mentioned my feelings about Josh Donaldson.
This motherfucker pimps every double. FUCK!
Yep, off the wall.
Sit the fuck down and wait til your next at bat.
Josh Douchelson strikes again..
Donaldson is a putz.
The 1st base coach is infected with stupidity as well. What a shit show.
Run til you hear the whistle, dumbass
I'm infuriated.
You fucking run until the ump tells you not to run anymore.
Amazing where hustle will get you.
Hey, look what happens you run it out!
Should be a 2-1 lead right now…
Izzy!!!
That’s at least one run cost by Donaldson.
IKF making amends
IKF just schooled Donaldson.
Trevvy trying to do too much
Why is it too much to ask to have fundamentally sound baseball players from top to bottom?
Okay, that gets the lead anyway!
Trevino is so money in moments like that.
[179] He sure did.
Nice.
Buckle up, everybody. Here comes the most important inning of the season thus far for Cole.
Looks like taking the terrorists for their bedtime walk, bedtime treat, and taking out the garbage worked.
There is a Twitter handle called "Baseball pictures that precede unfortunate events."
They already have the pic of donaldson low-fiving the 1st base coach 2 feet in front of first base. oi.
Nice! Now score some more runs!
Oh ye of little faith!
Excellent shut down inning for Cole. Probably done for the night, with the offday tomorrow. Then again…
That’s my ace!!!
[191] Why is it an offday tomorrow?? At this rate the WS will be during Thanksgiving? I don't understand MLB planning at all..
I say get Cole out right now. I think it would be good for everybody for him to get out of this game with a solid pitching line. And by “everybody,” I mean “me.”
There might even be an off day Thursday too, if it gets rained out. Ridiculous there is one tomorrow…
[193] Because they are run by a bunch of clueless dopes.
Big inning here!
I feel it in my bones.
What the hell happened?! MLB kicks in with Judge on first? What kind of programming is this?
I really LOVE Costas now. Essentially acknowledging that Judge is THE home run king.
The big man runneth!
Just take the game in hand, Aaron.
Go-Go Judge!!!
He does it all!
[198] even worse on my phone.
That was beautiful!
Nicely done, Aaron. Nicely done.
Judge might be the best all-around player ever.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh.
RIZZO!!!
[203] He really does.
SWEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTT!
YAAAYAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!
RATSO!!!!!!
oooooh! yay!
Rizzo!!!!
Woo-Hoo!
Yes!
(197) Good call, Weeping
I never once thought that ball was out… but I’ll take it!
I can’t remember the last time that this many comments have been posted here.
[217] Donaldson was on his way to 3rd with his glove.
Nice! Judge with the base running and Rizzo with the bomb!
Rizzo with the Veteran Presents™!
With this lead I’d consider keeping Cole, short leash. He’s dealing and the pen gives me the willies.
[216] :)
This umpire does not have a good grasp of the strike zone.
Here comes Cole. Please get double barrel action going in the pen…
[222]. I agree. I would go batter to batter. Means they need somebody up in the pen though.
Switching to the SoCal game for commercial break
[224] Sometimes it's a strike, sometimes it's not. I will let you know.
Man I hate that Rizzo uppercut, except every 15 or so at bats when I discover I like it
[229]
laughing
Right?
That was a short leash. I think it is the right call.
All in all, really good outing for Cole. Yes, a bad home run, but that second inning could really have gone bad, in a season-turning way. Gotta give him credit for that.
Sane pitcher management by Boone?
I. K. F has had 3 balls hit his glove in play tonight and he has not caught any of them.
Overall, quite a good line from Cole.
Did Lasagna have enough time to stretch and warmup???
Costas feels like Orson Welles in War of the Worlds? He should feel like Orson Welles in that Martini and Rossi commercial. That dragon spot was embarrassing.
Yeah, Jomboy has been pontificating about IKF botching easy postseason plays from months. He was right immediately…
[237] Are you sure that wasn't me?! ; )
Well, here we go.
Trae with a solo job in the 1st for LA…
Did I mention the willies?
YES!!!
Word to Big Bird!
Yes! That was too stressful.
I know conventional wisdom demands a swing-and-miss bullpen, but I’ll take a double play bullpen!
11 pitches for Johnny Lasagna
[234] Turns out all he needed was a Sunday hop. IKF in-game “FP” up to .250
Actually, Cole not awful. Can the pen get the rest?
[236] Totally. WTF!
Interrupt a baseball game to promote a TV show that essentially needs no promo. If you're not watching House of the Dragon already, you never will.
Ramirez up with no one on is what you want.
Thanks for running that one out, JD!
[249]
hahahahahah!
That's very true.
Man. That’s pretty unlucky.
Well that sucked.
Why have they been chanting the racist ‘chop’ bollocks in The Bronx?
That was weird. WTF Donaldson?!
Nice play by Ramirez!
What should have Donaldson done? Maybe get off the base?
[255] I'm trying to figure that out myself. I think it's some kind of a next level "Cleveland is racist" effort.
Anyone know?
[258] There’s nothing he could’ve done, I think. Just really bad luck.
I think they’ve been doing the chant for awhile…
Wandy coming in…
Hoping for a quick DP
[258] Nothing. It is one of those weird plays where you can’t go anywhere.
The SS on my old MSBL team was a personal trainer - very built guy, great athlete. Once in that same spot, man on first and a liner right at him, he just stood there. Arms at his sides.
Took it in square in the chest. Smiling.
Ball dropped dead at his feet like a perfect catcher block. 6-4-3.
YES!
Beautiful JD running impression!!
Have I mentioned that I like the double play bullpen?
Beautifully done, Ratso.
Wandy!!!
Yaaayyy!!!
Also a fan of the strikeout.
The most important thing in this series is how Holmes pitches in the 9th.
[268] Glad to hear the Ratso refs. I thought I was the only one who called him that.
I've been waiting for him to walk.
Holmes isn’t available tonight. Still not 100% healthy enough. Wandy only threw 6 pitches. Probably sticking with him…
Challenged him on the first pitch. Late and underneath…
Challenged again. Same pitch. Frozen
Same. Late, fouled back
Finally gets the low curve call. Was indeed a ball
Swung though the next curve. Damn. 3 Ks for Judge
Terrible inning. Let’s have a shutdown 9th. Quick n easy, thank you please
Ooh, nice fucking play on both ends!!
Thanks be to Rizzo.
Well, look at that - Holmes is indeed healthy enough to pitch tonight. Huh…
Holmes? Interesting. Especially considering he now has to face three batters.
Oh no...
Holmes is coming in?
Bit of an overthink here. Wandy is a pro. He can get two outs with a two-run cushion. Or why are you paying him?
Wow.
JFC! Why? Why now?
Not surprising. Should have kept Wandy in…
Only two more batters.
Just setting up the double play here.
Sorry, durr, three-run cushion.
Why is the crowd booing. Clearly waaay outside and we were gifted a strike on the previous pitch
Hommina hommina, hommina.
Can we bring Magic Wandy back in, pretty please?
One. More. Out.
That play always reminds me of Jorge ending the 93 WS, grrr
I’ll accept that.
[296] The Beckett game? 2-0? One hitter, was it?
BEAUTIFUL!!!
Great. Cheers, y'all!
phew. Game 1!
Good win, Team!
Aw jeez, I get the MLB update alert before the game ends.
Night all.
Noice!!!
Great fun tonight, and not just the game. See everybody here for Game 2! (Really hoping that’s Thursday night.)
Well done.
[298] re [296] - I don't know what was with me last night. Drank nothing but seltzer, I swear. In any event I of course meant the 2003 WS, not 1993.
That's for whoever sees what is likely now a dormant thread - hope we start a new one. Have to say I loved having a game thread jump to life like that again!