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Why the Yankees have a good chance of winning another World Series
The year 2009 feels like an eternity for the New York Yankees and their fans, but Steve Gardner explains why this is the best team to contend for a title since.
Sports seriously
LOS ANGELES – Living in the shadows of Hollywood, the Los Angeles Dodgers love a hip party as much as anyone.
It’s Tinseltown, baby, where the stars come out at night and the partying goes on until daylight.
In New York, the city that never sleeps, people are busily planning their own ultimate extravaganza in which their two baseball teams compete in the World Series.
The New York Yankees vs. the New York Mets – the Subway Series.
“It would be an incredible experience,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It will be like a dream come true for the city of New York and both fan bases.”
Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo says, “I don’t even know what the city would do. Man, it was almost going to explode. It would be great and if it comes to that we will definitely enjoy it to the fullest. It would be a great time to be in town, be a part of both of these organizations and see who wins.”
Now, before anyone gets involved in the party planning, the Dodgers would like to express their own feelings on the matter.
“We’re happy to kill the idea of the Subway Series,” Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips said.
No offense, but the Dodgers plan to do everything they can to be the ultimate party pooper and end the New York Mets’ Cinderella season, which begins Sunday night. The Dodgers host the Mets in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (8:15 p.m. ET, FOX) at Dodger Stadium.
It will be the first time these two teams will meet in the NLCS since 1988, the last time the Dodgers won the World Series in a full season.
The Dodgers have no control over the New York Yankees, who will face the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS starting Monday at Yankee Stadium, but they can certainly do their part to ruin half of the game.
“We know everyone in New York would love this Subway Series,” said Dodgers center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, “but unfortunately we will do everything in our power to have them fly across the country to watch us.”
MLB has dreamed of a New York-Los Angeles World Series for 40 years.
The duel between Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge would be the most legendary duel since the days of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
As Dodgers manager Dave Roberts imagines it, why not make it a 2-for-1 special?
“I want to play both New York teams,” Roberts told USA TODAY Sports. “That would be perfect, right?”
You can visit Queens in the NLCS on this trip and the Bronx next in the World Series.
Who can say no?
Well, aside from the Mets, baseball’s hottest and most surprising team is gone in the postseason.
In fact, the Dodgers’ biggest challenge may simply be avoiding disappointment after their emotional five-game series against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, in which the two teams openly expressed their hatred for each other.
The Dodgers took it personally that the majority of the media predicted the Padres would win the Series, with Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez not bothering to hide their disgust.
“Eighty percent of the experts said we were going to lose (expletive),” Muncy shouted as the Dodgers celebrated. “(Expletive) These guys, we know what we are. “We are the (expletive) best team in baseball and we are out there to prove it.”
Hernandez said: “We have a lot of ‘FU’ in us. “We have a lot of people, a group of grown men who want to win at all costs, no matter what, no matter what it looks like.”
And in case the Dodgers needed a reminder that no matter how much they believe the Padres posed their biggest challenge in October, they can’t afford to let up, there’s an electronic monitor with a message popping up became the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
“Job isn’t done yet.”
Kobe Bryant.
“I feel like our guys feel like everyone is picking on everyone against us,” Roberts said, “and that we’re kind of an afterthought. “I think we have a pretty good ballclub. So guys were right to take it personally.
“I think it’s important for us to continue to have the lead that we had because these guys are playing really good baseball. They also have a good thing going on and we must not let up.
“I think we have a very talented team, but that underdog and fighter mentality still doesn’t bother me.”
The Dodgers realize this is not the same Mets team that was 11 games under .500 in early June. This is not the same team that they defeated and outscored 28-5 in their last four games. Francisco Lindor wasn’t an All-Star, let alone an MVP candidate.
It’s been so long since these teams met that “OMG” was merely an acronym, Grimace was just a fictional McDonald’s mascot, and pumpkins weren’t released until Halloween.
“I can tell you one thing,” said Roberts, “they are a completely different team than we have seen.” They are playing significantly better. Lindor is Frankie again. They just have a lot of confidence.
“So we have to play good baseball. “We have to compete with the same intensity, focus and energy that we had in the last series.”
Roberts believes Ohtani, who has gone just 3 for 18 with 10 strikeouts since his home run in Game 1, will be much better now that he won’t have to face Padres starter Yu Darvish, his childhood idol.
He’s grateful for the rest Freddie Freeman and shortstop Miguel Rojas got while battling injuries.
And they can reset their rotation, with Jack Flaherty starting in Game 1, probably Walker Buehler in Game 2 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3.
They’ll also have a new bullpen after terrorizing the Padres, a group responsible for all but five of the 24 consecutive shutout innings they’ve managed. The Dodgers’ pitchers have posted just a .131 batting average since the fourth inning of Game 3.
Blake Treinen, who finished Game 5, even got some sleep after flying to Walla Walla, Washington, after Game 4 to be with his wife, who gave birth to a baby girl.
The Mets certainly don’t have a bullpen like the Dodgers, but they do have a strong rotation (2.43 ERA in October) and can certainly cause problems with their trio of lefties (Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana and David Peterson). The Mets will use them to potentially neutralize Dodgers left-handers Ohtani, Freeman, Muncy and Gavin Lux.
And don’t forget that their ace, Kodai Senga, just returned to the Mets’ starting lineup. He made just one start in the regular season with a shoulder injury, but was dominant in two innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and is scheduled to start in Game 1.
“We just came off an emotional series,” Phillips said, “but that’s behind us.” This organization has always been ready for whatever lies ahead. We had a very calming presence throughout the year, getting through the lull and keeping everyone healthy.
“But what I saw in this clubhouse during the postseason is even more exciting. We’ve had people who have experienced falling short, and no one wants to fall short anymore.
“The clubhouse definitely has a different feel to it, and believe me, we’ll be ready.”
They also have to plan their own party.
“How about an old-school showdown?” Treinen said. “The teams in the two biggest major markets competing in the World Series? Or why not Cleveland?
“We are not picky. “We play against everyone.”
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