baseball

Rays Defeat Red Sox in Game 7 to Clinch AL Championship

The Associated Press — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:40:59 -0400

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Down to their last chance, the Tampa Bay Rays left no doubt they were World Series-worthy, after all.

Believe it: Baseball's doormats have arrived.

Going from worst to first, the young Rays completed a stunning run to their first pennant, holding off the defending champion Boston Red Sox 3-1 Sunday night behind Matt Garza's masterful pitching in Game 7 of the AL championship series.

"It's unbelievable," center fielder B.J. Upton said. "We battled a lot of adversity this year. We stuck together as a team."

And, they showed a bit of Boston-like resolve when they needed it.

Shea-ing Goodbye, One Last Time

Eric Finkelstein — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Ow!

What the hell?

Ow! Seriously — what’s going on here?

Ow! Jeez! Are you pulling out my seats? Ripping out my home run wall too? And my bathrooms? You’re gutting my bathrooms?

Really? So soon? The last game was a week ago YESTERDAY! The end of the season hasn’t even sunk in yet, and you’re pulling me apart? Just like that? Ripping me limb from limb?

Sigh. Alas, such is life for the “other” stadium in New York, I suppose.

I’m not long for this world, but everyone’ll miss me when I’m gone. I’m positive of that.

Fans, Players Bid Farewell to Yankee Stadium

The Associated Press — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:55:24 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — Even Yogi Berra knew this was the end.

As baseball said farewell to Yankee Stadium, one of the game's most beloved players stood beneath the stands in a full vintage uniform. Now 83, the man who coined the phrase "it ain't over till it's over" put his own stamp on the day.

"I'm sorry to see it over, I'll tell you that," Berra said.

The goodbye completed an 85-year-old run for the home of baseball's most famous team. What began with a Babe Ruth home run on an April afternoon in 1923 was likely to end with Mariano Rivera pitching on a September night.

All the greats were remembered during a 65-minute pregame ceremony that included 21 retired players, six of them Hall of Famers.

"I feel like I'm losing an old friend," Reggie Jackson told the crowd.

Jeter Breaks Gehrig's Record

The Associated Press — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:23:32 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter broke Lou Gehrig's record for hits at Yankee Stadium, singling in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

The hit off Gavin Floyd was Jeter's 1,270th in the 85-year-old ballpark, scheduled to close Sunday. It came in Jeter's 8,002nd major league at-bat, passing Gehrig for second on the Yankees' career list behind Mickey Mantle (8,102).

White Sox third baseman Juan Uribe, playing on the edge of the infield grass, tried to backhand the sharp grounder, which went under his glove.

There were camera flashes with every pitch thrown to Jeter in recent days. Jeter acknowledged the long ovation by taking off his helmet and raising it to the sellout crowd.

Torre Rejects Return to Yankees After Offered Pay Cut

The Associated Press — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — After all he had accomplished — four World Series titles, 12 straight years in the playoffs, almost certain entry into the Hall of Fame — and after all the indignities, this was one Joe Torre wasn't going to stand for.

He wasn't going to take a pay cut from the New York Yankees, no matter that he still would have been the highest-paid manager in baseball, and he certainly wasn't going to prove himself all over again.

Torre walked away Thursday, turning down a $5 million, one-year contract — $2.5 million less than he made this season

Yankees Manager's Fate Remains Uncertain

The Associated Press — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:56:00 -0400

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Still no decision on Joe Torre.

The New York Yankees manager remained in limbo Wednesday after a second day of meetings by team hierarchy failed to reach a conclusion.

"All we're worried about is the process of making sure that we come to the right decision. When we do, we'll get everybody involved," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said before leaving Legends Field and heading to the airport.

Indians Eliminate Yankees, 6-4

The Associated Press — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:11:05 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — Once Grady Sizemore hit a leadoff home run, the Cleveland Indians were headed to the AL championship series while the New York Yankees were braced for a showdown with their boss.

Paul Byrd and the Indians bullpen closed out New York 6-4 in Game 4 Monday night, completing another first-round debacle for the Yankees that might cost manager Joe Torre his job.

The Yankees came in streaking, overcoming a 21-29 start to win the AL wild card. But they were done in by poor pitching, an insect invasion and the latest October vanishing act by Alex Rodriguez, whose bat was quiet until a solo home run in the seventh inning.

Loss Ends Mets' Playoff Hopes

The Associated Press — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:53:48 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Glavine put the New York Mets in a huge hole Sunday and they never climbed back out.

The 303-game winner was chased in the first inning, charged with all seven of Florida's early runs. He made a throwing error and hit Marlins lefty Dontrelle Willis with a pitch with the bases loaded, mistakes that symbolized the Mets' September collapse.

Glavine hoped to pitch the Mets into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Instead, he managed only one out in the second-shortest start of his brilliant career. New York lost 8-1 and missed the playoffs when Philadelphia beat Washington 6-1 to take the NL East title.