The magic number is down to 2. This is much better than 3, but not near as fun as 1- and certainly not as stupendous as 0. With the Yankees' win tonight, the AL field is now officially set- Sox, Tribe, Angels and Yanks. It's only a question of who will face off against who and when.
In the meantime, I'll take "THINGS I'D DESPERATELY LIKE TO UN-SEE" for 500, Alex:
The disparity between that horrific sight above (why must he always look so skeevy?), and the non-celebration by the Sox after clinching a playoff spot speaks VOLUMES. One team is glad to skate in, the other isn't really satisfied until they've sewn up the division.
on September 27, 2007 10:14 AM
Skate in? 70-38 since May 29th is "Skating in"? And if I recall correctly, in 2003, 2004 and 2005 the Red Sox went buck wild when they clinched the Wild Card.
In 2003 the Yankees clinched the division, and the Red Sox clinched the Wild Card on the same day (Sept 26). So celebrations by both teams appeared appropriate. The Yankees did not celebrate clinching a playoff spot eariler in the week.
In 2004, the Red Sox clinched the Wild card on Sept 28 and went crazy. They were still not mathematically eliminated from the Division, which was won by the Yankees on Sept 30. Their reasoning (as presumably is the Yankees this year) "we may not get a chance to celebrate the division - so why not celebrate?." The Yankees did not celebrate clinching a playoff spot earlier in the week.
In 2005, the Yanks clinched the division on the second last day of the season. The Red Sox clinched the Wild Card on the last day. Both celebrations seemed appropriate.
So, when claiming the "non-celebration" by the Red Sox speaks volumes about your team, while attacking the Yankees for their Lazarus-like recovery, you should look back and realize that the Yankees and Red Sox celebrated in exactly the same way in 2004.