Look at that! An NL Central team won a playoff game!

When the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series, it was the last post season highlight for an NL Central Champion for a while.

The 2007 Cubs were swept by the Diamondbacks.
The 2008 Cubs were swept by the Dodgers.
The 2009 Cardinals were swept by the Dodgers.
The 2010 Reds were swept by the Phillies.

But the 2011 Brewers have put a big fat W on the board! (No offense Prince Fielder.)

Actually the Brewers are the only NL Central team to win a playoff game since 2006... they did so in 2008 as the Wild Card team against the eventual World Champion Phillies.

The AL Central hasn't fared well either.
Since the Indians took a 3-1 lead on the Red Sox in the 2007 ALCS, the AL Central has lost 13 out of 14 games.

The 2007 Indians lost its last 3 against the Red Sox.
The 2008 White Sox lost to the Rays in 4.
The 2009 and 2010 Twins were swept by the Yankees.
And the 2011 Tigers are down 0-1 to the Yankees.

You want to build up baseball interest in middle America?
Here's a tip.
Win a few games when they matter.

Bill Ivie joins the Sully Baseball show

Bill Ivie, the founder and editor of I-70 Baseball, which is a must read on the internet, joins The Sully Baseball Show.

We talk Missouri baseball, Denkinger, the strange 2006 World Series title and you will NOT believe where he thinks Albert Pujols might go. (And it makes sense.)

It is the second hour of the Seamheads block on Monday night after What's On Second, the flagship show of the Seamheads National Podcasting Network.

Listen to internet radio with Seamheads on Blog Talk Radio

10 Reasons why the St. Louis Cardinals winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball

Continuing my series of Why Each Team's Potential World Championship Would Be Good For The Game, I am tackling the Cardinals.

Now the NL Central race looked like it was going to be a four horse contest. Instead, Milwaukee could run away with it.

So I better get my Cardinals entry done before they fall out of the race. The Cardinals have had a strange year. Wainwright has missed the season, there was the bizarre Colby Rasmus controversy and questions about Albert Pujols and his contract have swirled around the club.

Yet here they sit in mid August in contention and facing a very soft part of their schedule in the next few weeks. Games against Pittsburgh, the Cubs and Dodgers will fill up their dance card before going head to head against first place Brewers at the end of the month. So by Labor Day they could be within striking distance.

So would the Cardinals winning it all be good for the game?

Let me count the ways!

10 Reasons why the

St. Louis Cardinals

winning the 2011 World Series

would be good for baseball

1. If Albert Pujols leaves, another title would be a hell of a Good Bye!



Look, nobody knows what is happening with Albert Pujols. He could be coming back to St. Louis. He could be looking for a new challenge. Lord knows the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs and Orioles all would love to get some POSITIVE PR. And the Nationals have seem hell bent to bring a star to DC. So Albert's fate beyond 2011 has not been sealed.



But if he has to go, leave as a champion! All I can think of is Pedro Martinez, whose contract situation wasn't always pleasant. But what was the last image of him pitching for the Red Sox? Winning Game 3 of the 2004 World Series.



Pujols owes Cardinals fans nothing... but if he leaves them happy, how could you be mad?

2. Maybe a THIRD World Series title can make Tony LaRussa remotely likable



I can't comprehend why I don't like Tony LaRussa. But I don't.



It has nothing to do with the drunk driving (although that makes you an automatic a--hole.) And it has nothing to do with the Glenn Back rally last year. My dislike for LaRussa goes back WAAAAAY before that.



And all the cute puppies and kittens can't save it.

But maybe another title can make him seem as cuddly as the animals he loves to be seen with.



Maybe a Tony LaRussa title can turn into a celebration of his greatness and a big love in.



It might be worth seeing.





3. It would be a wonderful middle finger to Colby Rasmus



I know I've been picking on Colby Rasmus... but come on! We whined his way out of St. Louis based on one good season. Albert Pujols NEVER calls anyone out and he called out him.



Having him stuck in Toronto while the Cardinals celebrate without him might give players with one good year second thoughts to acting superior to their Hall of Fame manager.



Just saying.









4. The ever growing argument to put Dave Duncan in the Hall of Fame



As the Phillies are stockpiling aces, the Giants growing them and the Brewers dealing for them, the Cardinals don't need them.



They'll win with Fernando Salas closing games. The Cardinals will win with Kyle Lohse, Jake Westbrook and Edwin Jackson.



That's because Dave Duncan works his magic, just he did when he turned Chris Carpenter from reclamation project to Cy Young winner and Jeff Weaver from waiver material to World Series hero.



The pitchers in St. Louis come and go but they all seem to improve under Duncan. He might be a genius or a wizard. But if he keeps this up, he might be the first person to make the Hall of Fame as a pitching coach!







5. Maybe Mark McGwire's success can lead to more "Post Roids" work



Hitting coach Mark McGwire hasn't caused much controversy since taking his new gig. He has had some hitters flourish under his watchful eye. (I really hope the sudden surge in Lance Berkman's numbers have been because of McGwire tips and not the old method of "inject this"!)



If the page has been turned, then I hope this leads to Barry Bonds, hitting coach... Roger Clemens, pitching coach... oh let's face it. I want it to lead to Manny Ramirez, MANAGER! Tell me you wouldn't watch a team managed by Manny every single day!





6. A ring for Octavio Dotel, at long last



I wrote about Octavio Dotel's unbelievably bad luck playing for contenders in The Hardball Times.



Dotel broke into the bigs in 1999. Since then he has played for the Mets, Astros, A’s, Yankees, Royals, Braves, White Sox, Pirates, Dodgers, Rockies, Blue Jays and Cardinals. During his 13-year career, seven of those franchises went to the World Series. Yet Dotel hasn't pitched in a World Series as of this writing. That is insane.



Like Mike Morgan before him, who bounced from team to team without a ring, he truly savored that 2001 title. It would be the same for Dotel who has been a solid if unspectacular veteran for over a decade. He would cherish that ring.





7. Chris Carpenter's reputation as a big game pitcher would grow



Chris Carpenter is not going to the Hall of Fame. But he's had a nice run in St. Louis. He won a Cy Young Award and had two more top 3 finishes in the vote. And when he went down to injuries in 2007 and 2008, St. Louis fell out of contention.



When he came back as the ERA Champ in 2009, they were back in. If the Cardinals win the Division this year, then they would have been a playoff team in 5 of Carpenter's 6 full seasons for the Redbirds.



Throw in the fact that his injury that kept him out of the 2004 World Series helped cost them the title. And he pitched wonderfully in 4 of his 6 post season series. Another great October could help him get that "Not a Hall of Famer but a big game pitcher" reputation that Dave Stewart and Jack Morris have.





8. Matt Holliday deserves a POSITIVE Post Season highlight!





Yeah I know Matt Holliday won the 2007 NLCS MVP. If you have any October memories of Holliday, what are they?



His Wild Card winning slide in the San Diego playoff game where it looked like he never touched home plate?



His being picked off in practically the only critical moment in the 2007 World Series?



Nah... it's probably his dropping a game ending flyball in the 2009 Division Series that led to a Dodgers come from behind rally.



Holliday has had a terrific career. He deserves better.



9. Let's face it. The 2006 World Series was strange.



I wrote a post a few years ago about a conversation I had with a die hard Cardinals fan who forgot his team won the 2006 World Series. In a strange way I can understand why. The 2004 and 2005 Cardinals teams both won over 100 games and looked like legit World Series contenders, but fell short.



The 2006 team stumbled into the post season and while I am sure St. Louis fans were happy for them, they probably didn't invest as much "I think this team is going to win it" emotion on that battered squad. But the '06 squad, by far the weakest of Tony LaRussa's 8 playoff teams in St. Louis, was the one that delivered.



And I think it caught St. Louis off guard. It was a nice surprise, but the kind that has the awkward "Oh dear, if I had known you were coming I would have cleaned up the house" vibe to it.







10. The biggest baseball fans shouldn't wait long for a title!



Any discussion of baseball's most passionate fans usually gravitates towards Boston and New York... then heads west and lands in St. Louis.



Relax Giants fans, I know you love your team. So do you Baltimore fans, even though you haven't had much to cheer about. But in terms of cities that love their baseball teams more than their football teams, that list seems to be three names long. And the Red Sox won in 2007 and the Yankees in 2009. All three fan bases have a recent one and they shouldn't have to wait for another.



There should be a celebration involving the living Cardinal greats like Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, Bruce Sutter and Lou Brock. And with the love of the Cardinals stretched throughout the Midwest, maybe Fox, TBS and ESPN will show them on the National stage a little more.







So that's plenty of reasons to be happy for a Cardinals title.

Now I will make this note. Before any Reds fans comment, yes Cincinnati should be mentioned along with Boston, St. Louis and New York as big baseball cities.



And yes Mets fans, I know that YOU haven't been appeased by the recent World Series titles. Get mad at Carlos Beltran for looking at a called third strike!



A Cardinals World Series title could be so terrific that it would almost make it bearable to hear Tim McCarver and Joe Buck go on and on about the great Cardinals teams of the past... almost.



If you liked this then go ahead and read the entries for the other teams.



CHICAGO WHITE SOX

NEW YORK YANKEES

Giants fans... it's time to shut up about the Buster Posey injury

Let me get this out of the way at the top.
The Giants are my second favorite team. (Oh I'm sorry... that would the DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPION Giants are my second favorite team.)

I basically made a video love letter to them this off season.

I am raising one of my sons as a Giants fan.

I would love to see them win the West and the NL Pennant again. And short of a Red Sox - Giants World Series, wouldn't mind seeing them repeating.

But the reaction of the Scott Cousins collision is getting to be absurd.

Yes. It was a devastating injury. I get it.
Yes. I understand the Giants lineup isn't deep enough to withstand a loss like this.

But a lot of Giant fans are crossing a strange and frankly annoying line.

Some of my friends have posted this picture where they are studying the trajectory of Scott Cousins path to the plate.

They are literally being some sort of a half assed Jim Garrison with this analysis.

I keep waiting for a friend of mine to insist there was a second slider and Scott Cousins was just a patsy.


Yes it sucks that Posey got hurt. I don't think a bang - bang play at the plate in extra innings was part of a conspiracy.


Which brings me to Brian Sabean. It's one thing for some drunk knucklehead to call the collision premeditated and cause for retribution. It's another thing when the General Manager of the Giants does it on the record.

In the wake of the stupid violence that went on against a Giants fan this year, isn't it ironic that the call of retribution came FROM the Giants' front office?

The injury last week put a damper on the year long love fest that has been the Giants World Series defense. But virtually EVERYTHING went right last year... this is some adversity.

The main thing is to fix the roster now and get a player who can replace Posey behind the plate and another bat. Now I wonder whose job that is...

SABEAN! So quit putting vendettas out there and do your damn job! Being the loon who claims collisions at the plate are "malicious" and the rest of the nonsense that foamed out of your mouth on KNBR might not exactly put you at a strong position to negotiate with other teams.

You better hope you don't have to make a deal with the Marlins!
Act like you've been there before, because YOU HAVE!

And finally a message to some other Giant fans...

Then there are my many Giant fan friends who can't stop bringing it up in mid conversation.

Remember how Lily Taylor kept writing songs about the boyfriend who dumped her in the movie Say Anything? Everyone was just super annoyed that she couldn't shut up about the guy.

That's what a lot of Giants fans are turning into.
The first few days. OK. But how long is this going to go on? The rest of the year?

Do you want to know the best revenge?
Winning.

And guess what the Giants are doing?
Winning.

They are the first place Giants. They've had a few dramatic wins in just the last few days. They are getting contributions from rookie Brandon Crawford and big power behind Cody Ross and Aubrey Huff.

And look at the Division they play in. The Dodgers are a joke. The Padres are rebuilding. Do you REALLY think the Diamondbacks are going to do this all year? And so far, the Giants have won 6 of 9 against Colorado and they go after them again today.

Even with NO Posey, the Giants have as good a shot as any team in the National League to win the pennant with the exception of Philadelphia. And guess what? The Phillies are not invincible.

Put the Giants staff in a short series against the Marlins? The Braves? The Rockies? The Reds? The Brewers? The Cardinals? Wouldn't you pick the Giants every time?

And speaking of the Cardinals, remember 2006?

They not only lost Mark Mulder but they lost their closer Jason Isringhausen before the playoffs. They had to slap together a playoff staff that included rejects (recently released Jeff Weaver) and untested rookies like Adam Wainwright.

Did they whine? Did they bitch and moan?

Nope.
They shut their mouth, injected their HGH and won the Damn World Series.

Take a page from that Giants.
Say "Yeah that sucked... but guess what? We're going to win anyway."

Because right now? You are bordering on Miss Havisham's territory.

Yeah that's right. I made a Charles Dickens reference in a baseball post.

And I have great expectations myself for this Giants team (see what I did?)

Your team is the defending champion.
Your team's name is the Giants.

Right now Giants fans, you are acting like neither a champion nor a giant.

Sully Baseball Salutes... Braden Looper

Pitcher Braden Looper retired today after failing to land a roster spot with the Cubs. He probably won't get a prolonged farewell in baseball circles nor a big celebration of his career.

Chances are he'll clean out his locker, say good bye to some old friends and leave Arizona for his home in Illinois.

But the staff here at Sully Baseball thinks his career in baseball is worth a salute.

The Oklahoma native pitched in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic games and starred at Wichita State. He was drafted third overall that year (after Kris Benson and Travis Lee) and worked his way up the Cardinals system.

But because of the on going Florida Marlins firesale, he was sent packing to Miami in exchange for former World Series hero Edgar Renteria after the 1998 seasons. In his five seasons in Florida, he developed into a solid if not spectacular reliever and a part time closer.

Though he lost the closer job to Ugeth Urbina, Looper became a key contributor to the 2003 Marlins playoff push. In the Division Series, he was the winning pitcher when Pudge Rodriguez laced a 2 run 2 out walk off single in the 10th inning of Game 3. In the NLCS, he got the save for the marathon game 1. And when Alex Gonzalez hit the walk off homer in Game 4 of the 2003 World Series, Looper got the win.

In 2004 and 2005 he pitched for the Mets as their closer before returning to St. Louis in 2006. He vultured off 9 relief wins in 2006 and got the final outs in Game 1 of the 2006 World Series. After earning his second ring in four years, Looper became a starting pitcher for the first time in his big league career.

His best start came on June 11, 2008, when he got 5 first inning runs and cruised to a complete game, 3 hit, no walk 10-0 shutout of the Reds.

He last pitched in the big leagues in 2009 when he posted a respectable 14-7 record with the Brewers. But he threw to a 5.22 ERA and led the league in runs and homers allowed.

I urged the Twins to sign him last year, but alas it never happened.

So now he hangs up his spikes. He never was an All Star but a lot of top 3 picks never pan out as major leaguers. (Just ask the Pirates.)

And he has wrapped up 12 full big league seasons (and a partial season in 1998). He saved 103 ballgames and earned over $20 million in the process.

Looper can go home to Illinois with his head high about his career. And he and his wife are raising three children, including a girl they adopted from China.

And if any of the kids ask about daddy's baseball career, he can slip on one his two World Series rings and tell them some tales.

Pujols's contract demands: 400 Bazillion Dollars for 99 years

Actually Pujols' agent Dan Lozano wants the Cardinals to include a 100th year but the Cardinals want the 100th year to be a club option.

I guess agents have a tendency to make a very high bid and then expect it to come down.

I am thinking maybe the Cardinals will counter offer with "Ownership of the Cardinals".

Either way, the Cardinals shouldn't mess around.
As I wrote before, Pujols owes neither the Cardinals nor the fans of St. Louis anything!

In the free agency era, even New Yorkers, Chicagoans and Bostonians should be satisfied with 10 seasons with a superstar. And yes, Derek Jeter's feeling might be hurt by that notion, but after 10 years, multiple MVPS, a playoff MVP and a World Series title, Pujols has earned the right to see what his worth on the open market is.

And guess what, St. Louis? That would be your worst nightmare.
Do you know why?

Because the Chicago Cubs have a TREMENDOUS amount of money coming off of the books after the 2011 season is over.

The New York Mets have a HUGE amount of money coming off of the books after the 2011 season is over.

And chances are the Los Angeles Dodgers will have new ownership who will want to make a splash and spend some dough.

You might have three big spenders who all, by fate and circumstance, have an opening at first base.

You want to try and outbid New York, Los Angeles and Chicago?
Give him the 100th year.

Hey Adam Wainwright. Now would be a good time to WANT that Cy Young

At one point Adam Wainwright looked like the Cy Young Front Runner...

He was 17-6 with an ERA of 1.99 on August 11 and it looked like a 20 win season and a sub 2.00 ERA were in his future.

Then it looked like he decided to make a conscious effort to hand it over to Roy Halladay.
He had been 1-5 since and his ERA has jumped up .51 points.

Now of course he is still in the mix for the Cy Young and some of his losses were tough luck losses.

But a big win here would go a long way. A nice domination of the Padres would land him win #19 and make his ERA closer to 2.00 than 3.00. And the fans would love him for it...

Not the Cardinals fans... GIANTS fans.

Giant fans have images of a Division Title dancing in their heads and the Padres going on another skid would go a long way to making that true.

So come on! It is fun to be loved. Cardinals fans will love you forever if for no other reason than clinching the 2006 World Series.

You can have San Francisco fans love you too and you don't even need to change uniforms.

So come on, Adam. A Cy Young would look good on your mantle. Go for it tomorrow.

Hey Adam Wainwright. Now would be a good time to WANT that Cy Young

At one point Adam Wainwright looked like the Cy Young Front Runner...

He was 17-6 with an ERA of 1.99 on August 11 and it looked like a 20 win season and a sub 2.00 ERA were in his future.

Then it looked like he decided to make a conscious effort to hand it over to Roy Halladay.
He had been 1-5 since and his ERA has jumped up .51 points.

Now of course he is still in the mix for the Cy Young and some of his losses were tough luck losses.

But a big win here would go a long way. A nice domination of the Padres would land him win #19 and make his ERA closer to 2.00 than 3.00. And the fans would love him for it...

Not the Cardinals fans... GIANTS fans.

Giant fans have images of a Division Title dancing in their heads and the Padres going on another skid would go a long way to making that true.

So come on! It is fun to be loved. Cardinals fans will love you forever if for no other reason than clinching the 2006 World Series.

You can have San Francisco fans love you too and you don't even need to change uniforms.

So come on, Adam. A Cy Young would look good on your mantle. Go for it tomorrow.

GOOD FOR BRANDON PHILLIPS!

Seriously... there can sometimes be too much gentile friendliness among baseball players these days.

Look, I understand that most of the ballplayers are friends now and you aren't going to get any true bad blood between the teams. We hear how rivalries are media creations and teams don't really care who they beat.

Yeah, as if Aaron Boone's homer would have meant the same to the players if it beat the A's... or the 2004 ALCS comeback would have been as sweet for the Red Sox if it were against the Twins.

Well Cincinnati is in its first REAL pennant race in over a decade. (Sorry, I am not counting the end of the 2006 season when the Reds almost backed into the playoffs because the Cardinals imploded down the stretch... even though the Cardinals went on to win the whole shebang.)

Cincinnati fans are coming back. There is reason to be excited again.
And the Reds and Cardinals are starting a TRULY meaningful series. I'm not talking about the "Can the Sox struggle back into the race" series they had with the Yankees.

I'm talking a "Two teams tied in the loss column for first place in mid August playing each other" series.

Now the midwest is supposed to be above anger, hatred and meanness (or so I have read) but Brandon Phillips is having none of it.

He threw a Molotov Cocktail in the direction of St. Louis. According to Rob Neyer (and why would he lie to me?) Brandon not so diplomatically declared “I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals.”

I love the caveat that he needs to compare his hatred of the Cardinals with the relatively low hatred of the Cubs. As if we ALL knew how much he hates the Cubs and we'd think "Holy Cats! He hates them more than the CUBS! Thems is fighting words!"

How much of this was show? How much of this was playing for the fans?
Who knows and who cares?

Baseball needs to let loose every once in a while. There needs to be a few Kevin Millars and David Wells and Brandon Phillips out there willing to pop off and be fun.

It's fun, remember?

Now Millar and Wells also both came up big in games that led to a World Series title.

If Phillips comes up small down the stretch, he'll be all talk.

But hey, at least it is fun to see this energy out of Cincy.

Keep talking, Brandon. Tell us what you REALLY think.

GOOD FOR BRANDON PHILLIPS!

Seriously... there can sometimes be too much gentile friendliness among baseball players these days.

Look, I understand that most of the ballplayers are friends now and you aren't going to get any true bad blood between the teams. We hear how rivalries are media creations and teams don't really care who they beat.

Yeah, as if Aaron Boone's homer would have meant the same to the players if it beat the A's... or the 2004 ALCS comeback would have been as sweet for the Red Sox if it were against the Twins.

Well Cincinnati is in its first REAL pennant race in over a decade. (Sorry, I am not counting the end of the 2006 season when the Reds almost backed into the playoffs because the Cardinals imploded down the stretch... even though the Cardinals went on to win the whole shebang.)

Cincinnati fans are coming back. There is reason to be excited again.
And the Reds and Cardinals are starting a TRULY meaningful series. I'm not talking about the "Can the Sox struggle back into the race" series they had with the Yankees.

I'm talking a "Two teams tied in the loss column for first place in mid August playing each other" series.

Now the midwest is supposed to be above anger, hatred and meanness (or so I have read) but Brandon Phillips is having none of it.

He threw a Molotov Cocktail in the direction of St. Louis. According to Rob Neyer (and why would he lie to me?) Brandon not so diplomatically declared “I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals.”

I love the caveat that he needs to compare his hatred of the Cardinals with the relatively low hatred of the Cubs. As if we ALL knew how much he hates the Cubs and we'd think "Holy Cats! He hates them more than the CUBS! Thems is fighting words!"

How much of this was show? How much of this was playing for the fans?
Who knows and who cares?

Baseball needs to let loose every once in a while. There needs to be a few Kevin Millars and David Wells and Brandon Phillips out there willing to pop off and be fun.

It's fun, remember?

Now Millar and Wells also both came up big in games that led to a World Series title.

If Phillips comes up small down the stretch, he'll be all talk.

But hey, at least it is fun to see this energy out of Cincy.

Keep talking, Brandon. Tell us what you REALLY think.

Beating Cardinals with Cardinals

The first thought I had when I heard the Reds picked up Jim Edmonds from the Brewers was "I wonder why the White Sox didn't deal for Edmonds when the trade for Adam Dunn fell through.

But next of course I thought of the Cardinals of the 2000s. In the 2004 NLCS, Pujols may have been the Series MVP, but it was Edmonds and Rolen who supplied the dramatic homers.

Edmonds hit the walk off homer in the 12th inning of game 6 to tie the series and Rolen's 2 run homer off Roger Clemens in the 6th inning of Game 7 gave the Cardinals the lead that they wouldn't give up.

And in the 2006 World Series, Rolen batted .421 with an OPS of 1.213 and Jim Edmonds got a key go ahead double in the critical Game 3 of the World Series.

Now these huge Cardinals heroes have one duty... take down the Cardinals.

It is an ingenious strategy... get guys who are not intimidated by the Cardinals.

"Am I afraid of the Cardinals recent success? We ARE the Cardinals recent success."

It will be interesting to see the Cardinal fans reaction. The supposed nicest fans in the game will see some of their own trying to beat them.

If the Reds get Pujols, I'll be impressed.

Beating Cardinals with Cardinals

The first thought I had when I heard the Reds picked up Jim Edmonds from the Brewers was "I wonder why the White Sox didn't deal for Edmonds when the trade for Adam Dunn fell through.

But next of course I thought of the Cardinals of the 2000s. In the 2004 NLCS, Pujols may have been the Series MVP, but it was Edmonds and Rolen who supplied the dramatic homers.

Edmonds hit the walk off homer in the 12th inning of game 6 to tie the series and Rolen's 2 run homer off Roger Clemens in the 6th inning of Game 7 gave the Cardinals the lead that they wouldn't give up.

And in the 2006 World Series, Rolen batted .421 with an OPS of 1.213 and Jim Edmonds got a key go ahead double in the critical Game 3 of the World Series.

Now these huge Cardinals heroes have one duty... take down the Cardinals.

It is an ingenious strategy... get guys who are not intimidated by the Cardinals.

"Am I afraid of the Cardinals recent success? We ARE the Cardinals recent success."

It will be interesting to see the Cardinal fans reaction. The supposed nicest fans in the game will see some of their own trying to beat them.

If the Reds get Pujols, I'll be impressed.

5 Reasons why the Pujols for Howard trade is a good thing

1. It's a good old fashioned blockbuster deal that will put a spark in Spring Training!

Seriously, is this a Fantasy Baseball trade? I mean this is a deal I would make in June when the Fantasy League is getting stale and I think "Heck, let's shake this up!"

It's not a salary dump... it's not a Johan Santana like "deal away a superstar for spare parts" fiasco. It's not a "We need to get Manny Ramirez off the team" trade. It's a pair of contenders swapping former MVPs, former NLCS MVPs and guys who have delivered a World Series title to their home towns. We don't see enough of these trades.


2. It kind of makes sense baseball wise

The Phillies have too much left handed hittting... throw Pujols into that line up and not only will it be more balanced, but he'll see quite a few more fastballs.

Put Howard in St. Louis with Matt Holliday batting behind him and you'll have the deadliest lefty/righty combo in baseball.


3. It will add a nice plot turn in Albert Pujols' legend

As I wrote the other week, Pujols doesn't owe the Cardinals nor their fans anything. They've had MVPs, playoff heroics and a World Series title with Albert in the lead. He could play the next 10-11 seasons in St. Louis, pile up numbers and work on his Cooperstown speech.

OR he can bring his act to a new city and give him some new challenges. Maybe it will be like when Pete Rose came to the Phillies... or Mike Piazza, seemingly a Dodger for life, brought his legend to Queens (by way of the Marlins) and will probably go into Cooperstown with a Mets hat.

Sure Pujols can be a Cardinal forever and be fawned over by the passionate yet friendly Cardinals fans... or he can jump into the cauldron of the Northeastern baseball and be loved in two different cities.


4. It is an ideal place for Ryan Howard

Ryan was born in St. Louis.
He grew up rooting for the Cardinals.
He went to High School at Lafayette High in St. Louis County.
He went to college at Missouri State University.

He was born to play for the Cardinals. And yes, he is replacing a beloved legend... but Cardinal fans are loving fans (just ask Mark McGwire.) And a few bombs into the right field seats will have Cardinal fans saying "Welcome home!"


5. It will embolden every yahoo calling up WFAN and XM Radio with trade theories

You know those guys who call up, especially late at night, to sports talk stations? They usually have outrageous trade proposals. Usually it is something like "I think the Mets should trade for Derek Jeter... maybe we can send them Luis Castillo, Daniel Murphy and some prospects."

And then Steve Somers would shoot them down.

But now whenever someone has a crazy trade proposal that is dismissable, they can reply "Hey! You never would have thought the Pujols for Howard trade would have happened!"

Yes, it is a good thing to give those looneys some ammo... it makes listening sports talk radio so much more interesting!


Now this trade is probably not going to happen. For what I understand it was an internal conversation among Phillies scouts... and who knows? Maybe some scouts left a spring training game and wandered over to Meg O'Malley's bar in Melbourne Florida, and got hammered.

And one of the scouts just blurted out "Heck, why don't we just trade Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols?"

Next thing you know it is front page news.

It isn't going to happen.
But it would be cool if it did.

Albert Pujols doesn’t owe St. Louis anything… including an extension

I have a feeling that I am not going to make any new friends in St. Louis with this post, but I hope that you can at least hear me out.

Albert Pujols is signed for 2010 and has a club option for 2011. I am going to go out on a crazy limb here and say the Cardinals will probably pick up that option.

After that… who knows? Clearly the Cardinals want to sign him to a long term deal. According to an interview last October he is leaving the contract issues “in God’s hands.”

If by “God” he means his agent Dan Lozano, then he is theologically correct.

Call it a hunch, but I think Pujols is going to stay in St. Louis.

But, if the Cardinals don’t pony up the cash, and Pujols skedaddles after the 2011 season and becomes a Yankee, or a Red Sox, or a Dodgers (assuming the McCourt divorce is over), or an Angel, or a Ranger (assuming Tom Hicks took over the team again and thinks an MVP slugger is the commuter lane to the World Series) or a Pirate (assuming it is snowing in Hell)… then I don’t want to hear ANY complaining from Cardinals fans.

Harsh?

Maybe.

But the truth can be harsh.

In this era of free agency and players not being associated with a single team, Albert will give Cardinal fans 11 years… and of his first 9 seasons, he finished in the top 10 of the MVP vote each year, in the top 5 for 8 seasons and won the award 3 times.

He’s been a home run king, batting champ and has led the league in OPS 3 of the last 4 seasons. He has 13 homers in 56 post season games with a career .322 October batting average and 1.009 OPS in the playoffs.

He’s been a playoff MVP and nearly destroyed Brad Lidge’s career the next season. He helped deliver a pennant in 2004, a World Series title in 2006 and led the Cardinals to 6 post season berths.

And he has put up eye popping numbers without being caught injecting something.

Now I am phrasing that carefully because who can be stunned anymore? But if he never tests positive, then he may already have a Hall of Fame resume.

And that plaque will have him wearing a Cardinals hat.
And #5 will be retired.
And Cardinals fans will have more than a decade of continuity.

In this day and age, asking for more than 10 seasons from a player is being greedy. He already signed one mongo 7 year deal with St. Louis, foregoing free agency. Asking him to do it twice might be too much to ask.

Would you?
If you were the best offensive force in the game and a sure fire Hall of Famer, would you pass up on making literally hundreds of millions of dollars?

What I am saying is I WANT HIM IN FENWAY!

I want Pujols mashing balls over the Green Monster… just for 5 years… enough time to win another World Series and sell some hats.

I can be greedy.

But if he does indeed stay in St. Louis, you can thank God for that… and by God I STILL mean Dan Lozano.

Teams haunted by 2006

Sometimes a post season loss can hang over a franchise like a bad cloud.
It can loom over players who weren’t even involved in the collapse and haunt them like a specter.

The Pirates have not recovered from Francisco Cabrera’s single in the 1992 NLCS.
Blowing a 5-0 lead late in the 2002 World Series still haunts the Giants.
The Cubs… 2003… nuff said.

In 1986, three different franchise suffered haunting defeats.
It took a World Series title to cleanse the Angels and the Red Sox from their “One Strike Away” misery.
The Astros have yet to wipe it away.

But the specter of failing in 2006 looms large over seven, count em, SEVEN franchises.

Quick! Name your favorite moment of the 2006 World Series!
How about just the playoffs?

It was a strange post season with one great game (game 7 of the NLCS between the Cardinals and the Mets) but in the end was almost totally forgettable.

As I wrote earlier, it didn’t even seem to resonate with the 2006 World Champion Cardinals and their fans.
Those Cardinals were the worst team in the post season that year, which means each of the other seven playoff teams had in theory a better chance of winning the World Series.

And the failure to win in 2006 resonates deeply with the seven also rans.

Let’s list them.




















DETROIT TIGERS – 2006 American League Champions.
Lost in World Series to Cardinals.

What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the Tigers…

- They would have completed a startling and unlikely rise from one of the worst teams in baseball history (the 119 loss team in 2003) to the Champions of the World.


- They would have joined the Pistons and the Red Wings in making Detroit the undisputed City of Champions for the decade. (Sorry Boston fans, the Patriots play in Foxboro.)


- A dormant fan base would be awakened.


Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Manager Jim Leyland. His Hall of Fame credentials would be undeniable.

- G.M. Dave Dombrowski. Building a winner in Florida and then pulling it off again in Detroit might have put HIM in Cooperstown.

- Magglio Ordonez. His walk off homer sealed the ALCS. World Series glory would have people putting him in the “if he was healthier he’d be the Hall of Fame” discussion.

- Todd Jones. He’s had 6 or 7 solid seasons as an All Star Closer. He never got that ultimate reliever highlight: Clinching the series and being on the bottom of a pile.

- The young pitching staff would have a championship aura about them. Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Joel Zumaya, Nate Robertson, Zach Miner and Fernando Rodney would be the best group of young pitchers with rings early in their careers since the 1986 Mets.

- Ivan Rodriguez. Pudge is probably already Cooperstown bound, but leading both the Marlins and the Tigers to the promised land would remove the “probably.”

What was the haunting image?

- The pitchers making error after error leading to runs in each of the Tigers losses.

- Verlander’s error in game 1 opened up a three run rally.


- Three of the Cardinals five runs scored on either throwing errors by the pitcher or a wild pitch as St. Louis won game three 5-0.

- The Cardinals start a two run rally from a Fernando Rodney throwing error and win game four by 1 run.

- Verlander botches a grounder by Jeff Weaver leading to the 2 runs that would ultimately win the World Series.


What has happened since?

The Tigers looked to rebound as a solid young team in 2007 and were in first place in mid August. But a poor second half kept them out of the playoffs.

In 2008, they went all in, trading away top prospects to Florida and Atlanta to bring in Miguel Cabrera, Donrelle Willis and Edgar Renteria, sending their payroll skyrocketing to nearly $140 million, second only to the Yankees. They were a World Series pick for a lot of people, but instead they were a 77-88 disaster. They started 2-10, the line up never clicked, the pitching staff flopped and by the trading deadline, they were sellers.

They go into 2009 with a mix of overpriced veterans and overhyped youngsters and it looked like their best chance at a title could have been thrown away by the pitching staff in October 2006.






















NEW YORK METS – 2006 National League East Champions.
Lost to Cardinals in NLCS


What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the Mets…

- The Mets could have captured the city’s attention away from the Yankees for the first time since the 1980s.

- The new SNY network for the Mets would have had the same World Championship launch that the YES network had for the Yankees.

- Met fans would have something to crow about.

- George Steinbrenner would have been really angry, which is always fun.


Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Willie Randolph would be the king of the city. He grew up in New York and was a World Champion as a player and a coach for the Yankees, but as a World Series winning manager he would have been the Torre of the 2000s and become a New York sports icon.

- Like Randolph, Omar Minaya would be the latest of the superstar GMs. His gutsy moves of bringing in high prices stars would have changed the culture in Queens.

- David Wright would have been the Mets answer to Derek Jeter: A home grown infielder who led the team with clutch hits on the field and class off of it. He would be loved in New York for all time no matter what he did the rest of his career.

- Jose Reyes would be looked upon as a great champion. His showboating would be looked on as Reggie Jackson like showmanship.

- Speaking of Reggie, Carlos Beltran would be revered as a terrific pick up. His quiet manner would have been looked upon as a Bernie Williams like dignity.

- Carlos Delgado would have had a ring to go with his long and classy career. Maybe it would be enough for a Cooperstown resume.

- El Duque Hernandez would have his 5th ring with his 3rd different franchise and be looked upon as one of the great champions of the last 25 years.

- Tom Glavine would have a spectacular exclamation point for his career.

- Pedro Martinez, injured in the post season, would have been hailed as the player who helped turn the Mets around and there would be no doubt to his Hall of Fame candidacy.

- Billy Wagner might have an interesting case for the Hall of Fame.

- 47 year old Julio Franco at long last would have his World Series ring.


What was the haunting image?










- Bases loaded… tying run at second… the run that would win the pennant at first… rookie Adam Wainwright facing All Star Carlos Beltran… and he gets a called third strike to clinch the pennant for the Cardinals.



What has happened since?

My God, what HASN’T happened since?

The Mets had a 7 game lead with 17 games to go in 2007 and looked like the team to beat. They lost 12 of their last 15 games to complete one of the most mind boggling collapses in baseball history.

The collapse included a three game sweep by the eventual division champion Phillies and losing 6 of their last 7 games… all at home and all against the lowly Nationals, Cardinals and Marlins.

Retooled with Johan Santana, the 2008 Mets said goodbye to Shea Stadium with another September collapse and was once again eliminated on the last day.

Willie Randolph went from potential King of the City to fired at mid season for Jerry Manuel.

Omar Minaya went from genius architect to being in the firing line.

Jose Reyes’ hustle and desire has been put into question. Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez’s time in Queens ended with a whimper on the disabled list.

David Wright is still loved in Queens but doesn’t have that championship aura yet.

Safe to say Met don’t have much of a swagger going into the new CitiField. More like a Thousand Yard as Met fans retreat to their cabin to write their manifestos.
























OAKLAND A’S – American League West Champion. Lost to Tigers in ALCS.

What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the A’s…

- The A’s franchise had great teams in the 1910s, the 20 and 30s, the 70s and the 80s and 90s. Each one of those teams won at least one World Series title. The A’s of the 2000s would join them with a title in 2006.

- The A’s would have 5 World Series titles in Oakland to the Giants 0.

- A’s fans would have yet another decade to crow about.

- The A’s would have the most fun celebration since winning the 1974 World Series. Remember the 1989 A’s won the World Series in the wake of the earthquake.


Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Billy Beane! Moneyball trumpeted his genius, but the biggest knock against him is his teams never win the big one. Holding the World Series trophy would be the greatest vindication of his philosophy and silence his critics forever.

- Ken Macha. The baseball lifer would have his career defining moment.

- Frank Thomas. He got his ring with the White Sox the year before, but he was hurt and didn’t play in the post season. In 2006, he’d earn his ring on the field.

- Major League vagabond Milton Bradley would have a ring and a response to anyone who calls him a clubhouse cancer.

- Barry Zito, the last remaining pitcher of the A’s big three, would leave Oakland a champion and with no unfinished business.

- Young stud pitchers like Danny Haren, Rich Harden, Joe Blanton and Huston Street would all have a champion aura about them.

- Longtime A’s third baseman Eric Chavez would look smart for not bolting via free agency.

- Veterans like Jason Kendall, Mark Kotsay, Jay Payton, Marco Scutaro, Adam Melhuse and Esteban Loaiza would all get their first rings.

- Mark Kiger would be the anti-Ernie Banks. He would get a World Series ring despite not playing a single regular seaso game.

What was the haunting image?

There were two really…

1. Barry Zito, fresh off of winning a duel with Johan Santana in the Division Series, looked like he was cruising in his game 1 start. Then, with 2 outs and nobody on in the 3rd, he let up 2 runs. Then he let up three more in the 4th and the A’s never recovered.

And of course

2. Huston Street serves up a walk off, series ending home run in the 9th inning of game 4 to Magglio Ordonez.




What has happened since?

- Ken Macha left the team after the playoffs.

- The A’s didn’t contend in either 2007 nor 2008.

- Barry Zito crossed the Bay for a record setting contract with the Giants which at this writing looks like one of the biggest free agent disasters of all time.

- Harden, Blanton, Haren, Gaudin and Street were all traded off.

- Bradley split and became an All Star with Texas. He is without a team as of this writing… and without a ring.

- Frank Thomas went to Toronto and came back to Oakland but his swing is now gone.

- Veterans Jason Kendall, Mark Kotsay, Jay Payton, Marco Scutaro, Adam Melhuse and Esteban Loaiza all played for different teams in 2008… and are all still ringless.

- Mark Kiger has yet to play in a regular season game (although he did play in 2 ALCS games.)

- Billy Beane still is without a pennant, let alone a World Series title. And still hears that criticism… he’s never built a champion. He will start again from scratch.

- The A’s of the 2000’s have one more year (and a nearly completely revamped team) to win their title and be mentioned with the other great A’s title teams.






















SAN DIEGO PADRES – National League West Champions.
Lost to Cardinals in the Division Series.


What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the Padres…

- A World Series title for the Padres. That has never happened in the history of the team. In fact the only way a Padres fan could ever see their team win the World Series would be to pop The Kid from Left Field into their VCR.

- The city of San Diego would have their first ever major professional title.

- The decision to build Petco Park for the Padres would have paid off at least for one October.

Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Bruce Bochy, with a World Series title, another pennant and two more division titles for the small revenue Padres, would be mentioned as a potential Hall of Fame manager.

- Trevor Hoffman would have the image to answer all of his critics: The clinching of a World Series. A title in San Diego plus his record number of saves would put him in Cooperstown.

- Mike Piazza would have the final piece to his Cooperstown resume: The World Series ring that eluded him in Los Angeles and New York (and Miami for 5 games!)

- Rising stars Jake Peavy and Andrian Gonzalez would get their quest for a World Series title out of the way early.

- Previous champs David Wells, Geoff Blum, Dave Roberts, Alan Embree and Ryan Klesko would add another notch to their belts.

- Veterans Mike Cameron, Russell Branyan, Todd Walker, Rudy Seanez and Woody Williams would all win their long waited for rings.

- Korean hero Chan Ho Park would be a champion for the first time.

What was the haunting image?

The Padres, heavily favored against the banged up Cardinals, could not score a run.

They scored a grand total of 6 runs in the 4 games. Jeff Weaver, cut loose in mid season, and four seemingly pedestrian relievers, dominated them in game 2, wasting a solid effort from David Wells and 3 Padres relievers.












What has happened since?

Bochy left San Diego for San Francisco after the Division Series ended, giving the helm to Bud Black.

The Padres looked like they had homefield in the Division Series locked up at mid season and were one game out from home field throughout the National League playoffs with 4 games to go. But Trevor Hoffman blew a save against the Brewers that would have clinched a playoff spot and then let up 3 runs in the bottom of the 13th inning in a one game playoff against the Rockies to end any playoff hopes.

Trevor Hoffman’s legacy remains a giant pile of regular season saves and many blown games in the spotlight.

Mike Piazza retired without a ring.

Cameron, Branyan, Walker, Seanez and Williams all remain ringless.

A nasty divorce involving Padres owner John Moores set off a chain of trades that meant the dismantling of the Padres. Former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy will no doubt be gone by opening day.

The Padres after 2 Division Titles and a one game playoff elimination in their previous 3 seasons fell to the basement and lost 99 games… 21 behind the champion Dodgers.

San Diego fans need to turn to the Chargers to find that first major title.
Good luck with that.























LOS ANGELES DODGERS – National League Wild Card.
Lost to Mets in Division Series.

What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the Dodgers…

- It would have been the team’s first title since 1988… hell it would have been their first playoff series win of any kind since 1988, despite some big stars coming and going through Los Angeles.

- With the Lakers slumping, no pro football team, nobody caring about hockey, the Clippers being the Clippers and the Angels not playing in Los Angeles (despite what their team name said) a World Series title would have meant the Dodgers dominance of the L.A. sports scene.

Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Ned Colletti, in his first year as GM would untangle the mess that Kevin Malone and Paul DePodesta created. A World Series title would throw him right to the front of the line of super star GMs.

- Frank McCourt, the Dodgers owner, would have delivered what eluded the Fox management… a title. It also would remove a lot of the sting of his failed bid to buy his beloved Red Sox.

- Grady Little would no longer be “the guy who left Pedro in too long.” Instead his laid back country personality would have been exactly the tonic that the L.A. sports scene needed.

- Nomar Garciaparra, who missed the Red Sox championship party by just a few months, would have a ring of his own.

- Jeff Kent, steadily putting together a Cooperstown resume, would have the ring that eluded him in 2002.

- A slew of young talented players would become young champions, including Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp.

- Kenny Lofton, who was part of playoff teams with the Indians, Braves, Giants, Cubs and Yankees, would finally get a World Series ring.


What was the haunting image?

The Dodgers best and only hope to upset the Mets would be to take game 1 in Queens. They played hard… perhaps too hard as the unforgettable image of Jeff Kent AND J. D. Drew being thrown out at home ON THE SAME PLAY showed.



The Dodgers played hard and briefly tied the game in the 7th but Carlos Delgado and David Wright got the lead right back and the Mets never looked back.




What has happened since?

- The Dodgers collapsed down the stretch in 2007 despite playing ina very winnable National League West.


- People whispered that Grady Little could not control the clubhouse which split into rival young and old factions. Little’s reputation as a manager actually dropped… if that is possible. He (ahem) retired after the 2007 season when Joe Torre became available.


- Kenny Lofton returned to the Indians where he was involved in yet another collapse when the Red Sox came back from a 3-1 Cleveland lead to win the pennant and World Series. Lofton did not play in 2008 and looks to end his career ringless.


- McCourt and Colletti brought in Joe Torre to bring the Dodgers back to the promised land. Torre struggled until the arrival of Manny Ramirez and the collapse of the Diamondbacks. Torre got them to the NLCS but they lost in 5 games to the Phillies.

- Garciaparra, Kent and the young stars are all looking for that first ring.

- Fans in LA were excited those few weeks in October, but the Lakers are the main sports passion in Southern California.





















MINNESOTA TWINS - American League Central Champions.
Lost to A's in Division Series.


What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the Twins…

- A World Series title would have been the ultimate F--- You to Bud Selig, who wanted to contract the Twins after the 2001 World Series.

- A World Championship would have been a terrific culmination for a team that won their division 4 times in the 5 seasons after contraction loomed over their heads.

- The Twins would have been the only team to win a World Series title in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Take THAT people who say low revenue teams can’t compete!


Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Carl Pohlad, who kept the Twins from moving in the 1980s and helped build two World Series winners, would no longer be the miser who wanted to destroy the Twins and keep the money. He’d be second only to Steinbrenner among current owners with titles.

- Terry Ryan, the GM, would have a Championship of his own and get out from Andy McPhail’s shadow.

- Ron Gardenhire would have a World Series title and 3 other division titles in his young managing career. Could that be the early foundation for a Hall of Fame candidacy?

- Johan Santana would add a ring to his two Cy Youngs. Essentially the hard part would be over for his Cooperstown bid. He’d just have to stay healthy.

- Joe Nathan would also have the hard part over with. He would just need to compile some solid career numbers to go with his All Star seasons and championship run and he’d have a Hall of Fame resume.

- Long time Twin veterans Torii Hunter and Brad Radke would have a terrific conclusion to their tenure in the Metrodome.

- The Twins galaxy of young stars would all get their World Series rings. Sure, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Jason Bartlett and Francisco Liriano would all probably leave the Twins for more money… but they’d have delivered in Minnesota.

- Phil Nevin, a late season pick up, would have a ring to go along with a few nice seasons for the former #1 overall pick.


What are the haunting images?

Frank Thomas homered off of Johan Santana in the opener and Barry Zito out dueled the Cy Young winner in the stunning game 1 loss.


The next day, right after the Twins tied the game in the 6th with back to back homers, Torii Hunter misplayed Mark Kotsay’s low liner into a game winning inside the park home run.

The sweep would be complete when the A’s would beat the Twins in game 3.



What has happened since?

The 2007 Twins couldn’t get out of their own way as they finished with a losing record, the first one under Gardenhire.

The Twins lost Hunter to free agency, Nevin didn’t sign on with a new club and Radke retired.

Santana was dealt off to the Mets leaving the Twins a shell of their former self.

But the Twins put together strong 2008 on the backs of their young stars and after sweeping the White Sox in the last week of the season, all they needed was to win 2 of 3 from the lowly Royals to get back in the playoffs.

Naturally they lost 2 of 3 and had to play a one game playoff with the White Sox. Nick Blackburn pitched terrific game, but the Twins lost the game 1-0 and the division.

They have just one more year to be the only team to win the World Series in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. They never had a better chance than in 2006!























NEW YORK YANKEES – American League East Champions.
Lost to Tigers in Division Series


What the 2006 World Championship would have meant to the Yankees…

- It would mean their fans could scream about 27 titles rather than 26.

- It would mean the sting of the 2001 World Series would be salved.

- It would mean the humiliation of the 2004 playoff collapse would be swept away.

- It would mean Met fans and Red Sox fans would have no ammo.


Which individuals would have benefited the most from a ring in 2006?

- Brian Cashman, who seemed to be fighting for his job every year. The 2006 World Series title would be completely his… no deferring credit to Stick Michael or Bob Watson.

- Joe Torre. Believe it or not he had been on the hot seat for a few years. His managing decisions were questioned in the 2003 World Series and justifiably in the 2004 playoffs. Yes he won 4 World Series titles (as many as Leo Durocher, Earl Weaver and Tommy Lasorda combined) but he now had an All Star team at his disposal and winning the World Series had become a foregone conclusion.

- Alex Rodriguez. In case you missed it, A-Rod can win every MVP for the next 10 years and it won’t mean squat to Yankee fans unless he wins a ring. The 2006 World Championship would quiet the critics forever.

- Jason Giambi. Disgraced in the steroid scandal and unable to play in 2004, the Giambi signing was looking like a disappointment and was the moment that many people felt meant the downfall of the Yankees. A World Series ring would win over a lot of fans.

- Johnny Damon. He came over to the Yankees, alienating himself from the Red Sox fans who worshipped him. Winning the 2006 World Series would mean winning over the Yankee fans forever and preserving his legacy.

- Hideki Matsui. Japan’s biggest star fit in perfectly in Jeter’s clubhouse and you can’t blame the failure of 2004 on him! He seems to have been a Yankee for so long that it is easy to forget he has no World Series ring.

- Mike Mussina. Yup, he’s ringless too. A World Series title in 2006 would be the crowning achievement for his borderline Hall of Fame career.

- The Young Yankees. Chien Ming Wang, Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano all represent a new generation of Yankee stars. Winning their rings early would get that monkey off of their backs.

- Bobby Abreu. Acquired at the deadline, contributing to a World Series title would go a long way in showing he is a real champion and not just a rental player.

- Randy Johnson. Already a Hall of Famer and a World Series hero, his tenure in New York was shaky at best with an uneven performance and confrontations with the media. Winning the World Series in the Bronx would cure that.

- Mariano Rivera. Sure he has nothing to prove, but I am sure he would like to clinch a World Series again. Since clinching the 2001 AL Pennant, he has been on the mound to finish out a series 3 more times… and failed twice.

- Jaret Wright, Cory Lidle and Kyle Farnsworth. Three veteran pitchers with subpar seasons would have redeemed themselves in New Yorkers eyes with October glory.

- Bernie Williams and Gary Sheffield. Both All Stars and both previous champions but both aware that their time is ticking down. Another ring for both of them would be satisfying.



What was the haunting image?

Curtis Granderson, who seemed to beat the Yankees with every weapon imaginable as he homered, tripled, stole a base, hit key sac flies and couldn’t be stopped.

And the Yankees bats went completely dead after their game 2 loss. They let former Yankee goat Kenny Rogers dominate them in a 6-0 game 3 humilation and the clinching 8-3 Tigers win was never that close. (Posada’s 2 run homer with 2 outs in the 9th made it closer than it seemed.)


Alex Rodriguez was held to a single hit and zero runs batted in, extending his RBI-less streak in the post season to 12.









What has happened since?

- Randy Johnson demanded a trade out of New York and the Yankees didn’t bring Wright, Williams nor Sheffield back.

- Cory Lidle died flying his own plane around Manhattan.

- The Yankees preached fiscal responsibility but could never resist the big contract, bringing Roger Clemens back in mid season for a huge fee.

- The Yankees string of division titles ended in 2006 as they had to settle for the Wild Card and another early exit in 2007.

- Alex Rodriguez snaps his RBI-less streak in the post season after 15 games. But despite his MVP season, many New Yorkers were hoping he’d skip town when he opted out of his contract. Instead he reupped with the Yankees with the biggest contract in baseball history. He still gets booed at the stadium.

- The Red Sox of all teams won another World Series... not that that matters to the Yankees and their fans.

- Joe Torre was offered a paycut after the 2007 season and decided to leave for Los Angeles instead.

- Despite once again having the highest payroll, new manager Joe Girardi could not lead the Yankees to the playoffs as they settled for third place and being a non contender when they closed Yankee Stadium.

- Mike Mussina retired and Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu are non tendered, effectively ending their Yankee careers with a whimper.

- Injuries prevent Johnny Damon from playing centerfield and rumors swirl about him being trade bait.

- The young Yankees flop. Wang pitches horribly in the 2007 playoffs and misses the second half of the 2008 season with a freak injury. Cabrera is sent to the minors, Cano has a disappointing season and the decision to go with young pitchers is a disaster. Indecision around Joba Chamberlain’s role lands him on the DL and neither Phillip Hughes nor Ian Kennedy win a single game in 2008.

- The Yankees move into the new stadium going on a wild spending spree bringing in CC Sabathia, A. J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. Everyone belly aches about how they will pick up easy rings. Tell that to A-Rod, Giambi, Mussina, Matsui, Damon, Sheffield, Unit, Abreu, Pavano and Wright.





So there you have seven franchises that must look at 2006 as the year that got away.

Now before people start writing in saying “Why is 2006 any different than any other year?” let me just say how unique it was to have seven “Also Rans” who could have used the shot in the arm (a metaphor, not a BALCO reference) of a Championship.

And it was unique that all seven teams had a better record than the team that won it all.

And that, two post seasons later, all seven of the teams are still reeling a little from it.

Who knows if the Tigers, with a World Series swagger, would have rattled off a few division titles?

Maybe the Mets don't collapse down the stretch in 2007 and 2008 and really capture the city's heart. Maybe Willie Randolph would still be manager!

Maybe the A's, freed from the yoke of never advancing, keep on winning with bargain basement talent.

Maybe the Padres don't collapse down the stretch in 2007 and the city of San Diego would get a string of champions.

Maybe the Twins revel in the third decade of a World Series winner and Johan Santana decides to stick around.

Maybe Alex Rodriguez, now loved by the Yankee fans, can relax and make his quest to break every record available a joy to watch as he would be considered the greatest Yankee of them all! And Joe Torre gets to leave on his own terms.

Maybe...
Maybe...
Maybe...

If only 2006 had ended differently for those teams.