Underdogs
I don’t know for sure who will win the 2017 American League Championship Series, or the World Series, but I bet you can guess who I’m rooting for. I know it’s hard to envision a team that has won more World Series Titles than any other (27) as the underdogs, but, in fact, THIS year they ARE, or at least WERE. It’s been 8 long years since their last World Series victory and in the 8 years since they won that title, they’ve made it to the post season in only 4 of those years. And in those 4 years, won the American League Pennant a total of zero times. Underdogs.
Some of this, undoubtably, was a “stale blood” phenomena. Yankee greats of the George Steinbrenner years, while still formidable players, were not what they once were. Those greats would include Andy Petit, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez, and others. Only Mariano Rivera would retire at the top of his game. All of them would need to pass the baton to the next generation, and it was quite a few years in transition.
But it was more than just the long “retirement party” that hampered the Yanks. Unlike “Boss George” Steinbrenner, the next generation Steinbrenners simply did NOT have their father’s maniacal drive to win. They worried about the salary cap and didn’t like to spend money – or at least not like “dad” did. And their “instincts” weren’t as good. Very EXPENSIVE disappointments abounded: Carl Pavano, Nick Johnson, Javier Vasquez, AJ Burnett, Kevin Youkilis, Michael Pineda, and recently Dellin Betances all come to mind.
And to make matters worse they seemed to shun their top flight farm system, trading away home grown talent like Melky Cabrera and many other prospects.
Going into the 2017 season, the team seemed to consist of veterans who’s ability to still produce was questionable. CC Sabathia’s knee was a problem. Tanaka’s elbow was a problem. Michael Pineda’s arm was a problem. Would Ellsbury and Gardner hang in there? Etc.
Aside from the veterans, the rest were unproven novices. Could Sanchez hit? Would Judge and Castro and Severino and Gregorius live up to their potential? Would Gary Sanchez continue to improve? There was much uncertainty. As far as I can tell, NO ONE expected a Yankee post season in 2017. Underdogs.
As the season rolled on they got off to a strong start, then drifted into an inconsistent pattern falling behind Boston, who just seemed to get stronger and stronger. Boston took the AL East, and the Yanks had to settle for a one game do or die Wild Card. Most expected they’d beat Minnesota in the Wild Card, and they did. NO ONE, however, thought they’d beat the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series. After all, Cleveland had beaten the Yanks earlier in the season and had recently accomplished the longest winning streak (22) in BASEBALL HISTORY. The Yanks couldn’t beat that, could they? Underdogs.
And, when the Yankees fell behind 0 and 2 to Cleveland it looked like the Indians were about to bring the Yankee’s post season to an abrupt end. But even as the Yankees lost the second game there was an inkling of promise. Though they blew a large lead in Game 2, they HAD hit well against ace Corey Kluber. And, in fact, without a very bad call on the part of the home plate umpire (who called a caught foul ball a hit batsman, and had to TELL THE BATTER that he’d been hit!) the Yanks may have won the game. This hint of promise would grow to a stunning upset in games 3, 4 and 5 with the Yankees taking the American League Division Series. How in the world did the underdogs do it? What sorcery was afoot?
Well, looking back on the season, we can see that there was a hint of magic aborning as far back as August. CC (who historically has been much better after the all star break) got better and better and better. So did Tanaka. Severino caught fire. Todd Fraser energized the club. EVERYONE began to hit. Judge continued to hit them out of the park. The bull pen got better and better. The veterans got their “second wind”. The novices got big league experience. They started to have FUN.
So, going on into the American League Championship Series the Yankees could, justifiably, feel a bit more confident. But, did anyone think they’d beat the Astros? Did anyone think they’d beat the team with the most wins in the American League? The team with the best batting record in the American League? The team with the best hitter (Jose Eltuve)? The team with ace Dallas Keuchel? With JUSTIN VERLANDER, for goodness sakes? There may be a few that believed, but not many. And, as the Yankees fell behind 0-2 in the series, it looked like the ALCS was rapidly slipping out of reach. Underdogs, again.
BUT, when they returned to Yankee Stadium, the magic began again. Once again, there had been an inkling of promise in the first two games. The Yankee pitching had held the best hitting team in the American League to a handful of runs. Could they continue this dominance? And could they learn to hit the Astro’s formidable hurlers? The answer, it turns out, is yes and yes. By game 5 they had found a way to hit the Houston aces. And CC, Tanaka and Gray punished the likes of Altuve, Correa and Gurriel. By game five it was Yanks 3 and Astro’s 2. Suddenly, the mighty Astros were on the defensive.
How did the underdogs turn the tables? Well, for starters, it was with all of the changes mentioned above. All of the above, and something more. The je ne sais quoi is, I believe, synergy. The whole became more than the sum of its parts. Judge knows that if he doesn’t hit, Todd Frazier will. Or DiDi will. Or Headly will. Etc. Etc. Tanaka knows that if he gives up a run, the bats will back him up. CC knows that if the other side makes contact with a pitch of his, Judge will make a spectacular catch. Or Frazier will. Or DiDi will. Etc. Etc. Synergy. Almost MAGICAL synergy.
So, I don’t know for SURE who’ll win the World Series, or, for that matter, the ALCS. But when tremendous talent is ignited by an almost a preternatural synergy, ANYTHING can happen.
“Great article ……hope they win the next 5 games…..