The Party’s Over
It was fun while it lasted. No, it was more than fun. It was fabulous. Sure I’m disappointed with tonight’s outcome and I spent the last six outs of the game reaching for the tissues, but how can I be upset about a team that made it to Game 6 of the ALCS? I feel lucky that our season lasted as long as it did when other fans had to watch their guys go home. The truth is, the Yankees were out-pitched and out-hit by those plucky Rangers throughout the series and didn’t play championship caliber baseball when it counted. (There’s no point in my doing a postmortem here; we all saw what happened.) It’ll be interesting to see how Texas fares against either the Phillies or Giants, but they’ll be tough to beat if they stay as hot and focused as they were against us and the Rays. As for the Crumbs Yankees cupcakes contest…
You all predicted that the Yankees would win the series, so there was no clear victor – at first. Since I was bound and determined to give away some cupcakes, I went back and looked at the questions and counted who had the majority of them right. Here they were:
Q: Which team will win the ALCS? (Not applicable)
Q: In how many games? (Not applicable)
Q: Who will be the series MVP? (Not applicable)
Q: Will there be any ejections? (Applicable)
Q: How many appearances will Mo make? (Applicable)
Q: Will the Good A.J. show up? (Applicable)
Only one of you guessed the last three questions correctly. (While the sort-of-Good-A.J. showed up for five innings, the Bad A.J. got the loss.) The winner is…cheshirecat! I hope the sweets will ease the pain of tonight’s loss, just a little.
I congratulate the Rangers for a job well done, but most of all I applaud my Yankees for bringing me so much pleasure all year long.
I miss them already. (Uh-oh. Here come the tears again. I’d better sign off.)
Confessions of a She-Fan 
Hi everyone… Well I stayed away thinking I was jinxing them by talking about what was going on… They won game 5… Obviously that wasn’t it.
So we lost, and that’s the end of our season. So much invested emotionally on our part, just to end this way. So anemically… It always hurts, even with our title last year. And maybe it hurts more because of that.
In the end, it was what propelled us through the first half of the season that failed us. Our starting pitching wasn’t up to snuff. It broke down and failed to get us a division title in September, and failed us in the playoffs. Sure, we got a few gems when we won, but there weren’t enough of them. CC battled like a champ, even without his best stuff these last two weeks. Andy was truly amazing in both his outings. And Phil had one great, one bad, and then one quick hook. That combination won’t get it done. And it didn’t.
I could go on and on right now about how depressing it all is, going on in flowery dark prose about the foul etching left on my heart, and the pit in my soul filled with toxic abandonment… But I’m too exhausted from all this. My mind is still reeling, and I’m still numb from the pain. We have to be optimistic and think of the future…
We’ll be reloaded next year, with hopefully Cliff Lee or another big pitcher. CC will be back of course. Phil Hughes will come back a bit stronger for his second year as a starter. AJ will hopefully be a better AJ next year. And the bullpen? Well, we’ll see. Aceves should be healthier. And Marte. Maybe we’ll pick up another decent lefty. And who knows the role Joba plays next year. I don’t expect any major changes in the offense at all…
Hopefully we get to see Robinson Cano come out of all this with an MVP trophy. I already went into full length on why I think he’s the AL MVP on my own blog, but I think it’s real important he win this year. I think he’ll have other MVP years for sure. But if he wins this year, with Jeter, A-Rod, and Teixeira on the same team and in their prime, it only boosts his confidence. It would make him that much better to know that out of all the stars on this team, it was he that beat everyone in the league for the MVP.
Hopefully we get that magic feeling back again. Something just felt a little ‘off’ this year. I don’t know if we ever saw all facets of the team working at their best at the same time. And it seemed they picked the most inopportune time to hit poorly, and pitch ineffectively. So our Winter will be a little colder this year. But the Yankees did have a hell of a season. They battled all year, and barely lost out on the division. And they made it to the ALCS. I’m sure we all remember the days when we couldn’t even get out of the first round! They had a respectable defense of their title!
And on the plus side, I managed to get my cousin into baseball! And a Yankee fan at that! He’s picked it up quick, after refusing to get into any sport for the longest time. And I think we’ve got him for life. He remarked how empty he felt after seeing them lose. How ashamed he felt. How mad… And I think we’re all feeling a bad mix of all that right now.
But I’ll still wear my Yankee cap everywhere, as I always have!
Aside from that, what is YankeeCase supposed to do now, Jane? What are any of us supposed to do now? 😦
Tough loss, but I think Jeter was right, the Rangers ultimately played better… as the Cleveland fans say in every sport.. ‘there’s always next year’
-peter
Phillies Outside
Next year, do NOT betray the bacon club sammich!!!
http://www.paullebowitz.com/
http://princeofny.blogspot.com/
Just like YankeeCase, I too read but didn’t comment hoping not to curse the team. It has been a great year and we did make the playoffs, unlike other East Coast teams! I wish the Rangers good luck in the WS.
Here’s to Cano getting the MVP! I so think he deserves it, considering he carried the team all those games. And here’s to Tex on getting well for next season (hamstring and bat).
I look forward to reading the rest of today’s comments.
Go Yankees in 2011!!!!!!
113 days til pitchers and catchers report.
158 days til Opening Day.
Wendy
As I waited for this page to load, I wondered what the title of today’s post would be Jane. You nailed it on the head! Yes the party’s over and there is a big let down. I had trouble turning off the TV and going to bed, not because I loved the blasting country music, or enjoyed watching the Rangers celebrate, but I wanted just one more glimpse of the Yankees. My guys! (If any of you saw the wonderful film “The Big Night”: My #$%@ guys!) What will I do without them!
After the game I was reflecting on the season and remembering all the injuries and problems. I’d forgotten that Jorge was hurt for a stretch. And they lost their long man (Aceves) and lefty (Marte) out of the bullpen. The fact that they got to the playoffs was pretty darn amazing.
But they were flat during this series and Texas was hot. For today we can grieve and feel bad, but maybe later in the week Jane, we could start a thread about our favorite memories of 2010.
Thank you guys all for your cyber-friendship during the season. It’s so fun to come here every day.
We’re about to head out for the day and my husband is giving me the “stop typing and get in the car” look.
Enjoy the cupcakes cheshirecat!
Thanks especially to our fearless leader, the She-Fan among she-fans, Ms. Jane!
Melissa
PS Everyone should check out Eddie (aka yankeecase)’s blog. As you can tell from his comments, he’s a good writer.
http://yankeecase.mlblogs.com/
Song for the day:
The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your hits, the summer doubles
The tattered score card I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my Yankees
When autumn leaves start to fall
My condolences, Jane. Your summary here is right on and I applaud you for your honesty and civility. And I enjoyed my short experiment on your side of the fence. It’s fun to see how the best of the best live (hard to forget those 27 trophies).
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
http://mtrredstatebluestate.com/
Next year, do NOT betray the bacon club sammich!!!
http://www.paullebowitz.com/
http://princeofny.blogspot.com/
What can I say that hasn’t been said already. Eddie, you nailed it as usual. The year seemed to be last year in reverse. Last year – start shaky, end strong. This year – start strong, end shaky. We were outplayed, pure and simple. But there was so much about this season to feel good about, not the least of which was the chance to meet some of you guys in person. Focus now on sending positive energy to Andy Pettitte to return – I’m not (too) concerned about Jeter and Mo. Congrats cheshirecat – enjoy the cupcakes. And, Jane, no more tears. Don’t forget, there’s no crying in baseball.
Jane
“The pit in my soul filled with toxic abandonment.” Oh, YankeeCase. That’s positively poetic! Yes, it’s very depressing to lose. I woke up this morning with a jolt: no baseball. Very empty feeling. As for looking ahead to which players will stay or go, I have no idea if Aceves will be healthy or Marte will contribute, and I don’t think Cliff Lee is a given. I wouldn’t place bets on our outfield looking the same way either; in other words I do expect to see changes in our offense. You’re right about the “off-ness” of the season. It’s hard to win a championship when your captain has a down year and your 3 and 4 hitters, despite their RBI totals, were streaky and, in A-Rod’s case, on the DL. But considering all that, it’s quite a feat that they did battle and make it to the ALCS. Very proud of them for that. And how wonderful that you got your cousin into baseball! Good recruiting! As for what to do with ourselves, now….well, we’ll make the time go by really fast until spring training, that’s what. I’m going to a movie screening today of “127 Hours” and it’s supposed to be incredible. Will report on it later. In the meantime, be strong! We’re all with you! Oh, a note on your blog. You deserve to have more traffic, so I urge you to include your url when you leave comments here and elsewhere. The hyperlink alone doesn’t call enough attention to it.
No question the Rangers played better, Peter. As Cashman said, “They manhandled us.” Good luck to your Phillies the rest of the way.
I don’t think food was a factor, Paul, but I’ll take it under advisement. 🙂
I do hope Cano wins the MVP, Kathleen. He had such a great season in every way and matured so much from the prior year. And yes, here’s to Tex healing quickly (he had so many injuries but kept playing through them). I want them all healthy and hungry when spring training opens and it’ll be time to try again.
Yes, Wendy! Thanks for the numbers. They make me feel better. We can get through this winter. We can. And our Yankees will be back in action before we know it.
I had trouble turning off the TV too, Melissa. I still wasn’t ready to let go. But here we are. A post about our favorite moments of the season? Sounds like a plan. Thank YOU for your cyber-friendship through every game and off-day. We all were truly in this together, and I wouldn’t bother writing this blog if it weren’t for your daily comments, links to sites of interest, answers to research questions, and, of course, your songs. This one put a lump in my throat, but then almost everything does right now.
Thanks, Jeff. I’m sure you had fun being a Yankee fan for a little while. LOL. Sorry I couldn’t deliver on my part of the bargain; no celebration pic this time.
Yes, it was last year in reverse in some ways, ladyjane. When we got off to that fast start it kind of made me nervous. The Yankees have been a second-half team for a while now, so I kept wondering if they’d run out of gas. I wonder if Andy will return. He said it was up to his family – doesn’t he always say that? – but I think the groin injury might have given him a different perspective. We’ll see. A team without him is difficult to contemplate. I’ll try to stop crying, I promise.
Virginia, congrats on getting the college applications out of the way. That must be a huge weight off your shoulders. Do let us know where you end up going! Yes, our boys made it into the second round of the postseason. We have to take comfort in that.
Congratulations to you and your Rangers, wetfeet. You believed in them all along, and now your faith has been rewarded. Good luck the rest of the way.
It was a lovely ride, James, and having you aboard this train made it even lovelier. I hope the book will make you laugh and ease some of the pain of this loss. You are not alone, even in Mexico!
Yes, you won, cheshirecat! I think you had said when you entered that you never win anything, so that changes now! I’m not sure which team I’m rooting for going forward. I’ll have to feel my way.
Looking forward to seeing the prospects is a good strategy for getting through this, Leo. I hope Montero was worth hanging onto after the Lee deal with the Mariners fell through. He can hit, we know that, but his catching will have to improve for him to step into Cervelli’s shoes (and ultimately Posada’s). I do know that we need to look at the catching position and make some decisions there. I know everybody is convinced that Lee will be a Yankee, but the Rangers want to sign him and other teams will be in the hunt. Vasquez (and Mitre) will not be in pinstripes again.
It was a great run and I would have felt terrible for Rangers fans because they really outplayed the Yanks. Oh and nice to see another Colombian baseball fan. (@colombiano2386)
http://mateofischer.mlblogs.com/
Jane: Our poor boys…it’s a shame. But they really didn’t play well. I too feel lucky that the season lasted as long as it did. And just because it didn’t end right doesn’t mean we should be sad…The Yankees had a fabulous season. I will continue to blog in the offseason, hopefully more often since I officially applied to college and that weight is off my shoulders. I know I’ll see you around 🙂
-Virginia
http://southernbelle.mlblogs.com
Jane not here to gloat, just to say I have enjoyed your blog this year! I hope you continue to blog thru the WS and I hope you see fit to blog about the TEXAS RANGERS if they continure to play up to their abilities and win the WS!
Dear Jane and friends. I’m very lucky to be fan of a team as fabulous as our Yankess. It was a lovely ride, and I’m glad I was part of it with all of you. The sad thing of being a spoiled Yankee fan in Mexico is that I suffered the loss on my own. Thanks to all of you for being here for the ride. I’m expecting your book Jane, I’m sure it will help. I hope to see all of you here until the next season.
I won! Whoo hoo!!!! I was so upset about the game last night I was determined to avoid all things Yankee today, but then my sister texted me and said I won the cupcakes! So that did make my morning slightly better.
What can we do? The Rangers clearly outplayed us. With the exception of game 5 they had our number. It was a fun season though and I enjoyed going through it with all of you.
I am rooting for the Giants now. But more then that, I am rooting for us to pick up Cliff Lee for next year.
Thanks Jane! Those cupcakes are going to be yummy and take a tiny bit of the sting away.
Well there’s really not much else to add because YankeeCase already summed up everything well in his comment. Jane, we’re all in the same boat as you. Regardless of the outcome, when the season ends, it’s always sad. Last year ended beautifully with a WS win which made the offseason so much easier to bear. This year, not so much but nothing can be done now but reflect on the season and look forward to the future. We’ve got a ton of prospects that did well this year and ready to move up the ladder, with Jesus Montero the one that’s the most ready to make it to the majors and hopefully he can make an impact. Cliff Lee should be signed or else our rotation will have a huge gaping hole left when we shove Vazquez out the door. Too bad he was so terrible he lost his Type A status and we can’t get any compensation draft picks. Any other signing besides Cliff Lee will be supplementary.
Leo
Great blog again Jane, and I agree with everyone else’s posts. It’s sad that there won’t be anymore Yankee games until the spring. I stayed up to watch last night so I could get closure. I did not like it that already the press was on Jeter about his contract – struck me as very insensitive to how down he and all the other Yankees were feeling. Our team fought hard, but in the end were outplayed. In additon all the fun I had watching the games at the stadium and on TV, there are a few other things that I am grateful for: I’m glad we beat Pavano (even though I like the Twins, I can’t forgive Pavano for taking our money and giving us so little), glad that we made it to the ALCS and also glad that the Rangers didn’t win in Yankee Stadium. The Rangers have waited a long time to get to the World Series so it’s their turn this year. And I still say GO YANKEES!
Freya
OUCH!
Amen.
Boo hu, no cake!
Hi Jane, it is a disappointing but not unexpected end to the season. The team never re-captured the intensity they had in the early part of the season. From August forward, every day was a struggle. So, reaching the ALCS was very admirable under the circumstances. Realizing the Rangers simply played better, it’s still tough knowing that the Yankees had the superior team. Let’s hope the team comes to spring training with a passion and fire, not mention an additional ace or two…
.
Scott
http://fotr.mlblogs.com
It was definitely a great run, mateofischer. I’m sure Rangers fans are over the moon about moving on to the World Series. I would be too.
Freya, I felt the same way you did about the questions about Jeter’s contract, not to mention all the others. That’s why I didn’t want to write about what happens next in this post. Couldn’t we just let the season and last night’s loss settle for six seconds? Asking Jeter about his contract was the height of insensitivity. But people are always hungry for the next story, I guess, even when the body isn’t even cold! And yes, grateful that we beat Pavano and didn’t have to watch the Rangers celebrate in the Bronx.
Sorry, John. But you can always order the cupcakes on the Crumbs web site. Go ahead. Spring for the money! lol.
Hey, Scott. As Ladyjane said, we were a first half team this year and kind of fizzled in the second half. The good news is we have ownership that won’t be content with “almost.” They’ll make sure we’re re-stocked for 2011. An additional ace would be a nice way to start!
Dear Jane, all of us owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping us together during this season, for your astute observations, funny pictures and in general, making us feel like a special family. Your blog was the first thing I read every day and it really helped keep things in perspective.
My husband and I have plans to attend spring training in St. Petersburg in March, through the Road Scholar program–we’ll be there five nights, see three games (Yankees, Tampa and Red Sox) and hear from some interesting insiders. So it helps take the sting out of last night.
Thanks again, Jane! You’re the greatest!
*group hug*
It was fun while it lasted, but we were definitely outplayed. Congrats to the Rangers [I can’t get away from them being that I live in Houston & all of the sudden EVERYONE is a Rangers fan..] I will still wear my NYY gear even though we didn’t achieve “Mission 28”.. Thank God that with this team there is ALWAYS next year 😀
Spring Training will soon be here! 😀
Aw, jes14850. It is I who owes you all a debt of gratitude. Without my blog buddies to celebrate and commiserate with, this thing wouldn’t be the same. We ARE a special family! Maybe I’ll see you in Tampa during spring training. I sure hope I can go again next year. In the meantime, we’ll see what the Yankees have in store for us this winter.
Jane,
Always tragic when that 27th out comes and you have to face the stark reality of you are done for the season.
The Yankees in the style of a champion did not let go of the dream until the fine yelp of theHome Plate Umpire on Alex Rodriguez for that last strikeout.
That is what you got to admire about this team, they did not want to go home….yet.
But even as the smell of Ginger Alefilled the dugout, teammates gave reaasuring glimpses and gestures to their Yankee cohorts.
Nothing to be ashamed of here…..The boys battled to the end, but did not get the result that hoped for.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenengade.mlblogs.com
Hugging you back, Antonella. It must feel weird to be in Houston while all the Texans are celebrating – like when the Angels were winning and I was surrounded here in California. But stay strong and keep wearing that Yankees shirt!
Stark reality is exactly what it is, Renegade. We’ve all experienced it and it’s like a slap in the face. But we’re proud of the Yankees and all they accomplished this year. They just fell short when it counted.
Jane,
I just wanted to take the time to tell you that though I do not comment often at all, I read this blog religiously. I love your unique and often hilarious outlook on the Yankees. I look forward to a new bunch of adventures next season.
Going through withdrawal right now, though, knowing there’s a baseball game tonight, but, you know, not really.
I actually saw [live & in person] the “Antler / Claw” shirt…………. I almost set it on fire! No really! LOL
BUT all of the Jeter gear was almost sold out!
Well said, Jane. The Yankees defended their title with vigor and honor, if not successfully, and it was a pleasure and a lot of fun to watch them move well into October (if not November). They have some tough decisions coming, but the time for the hot stove will come soon enough.
I hope all has been well with you. Keep up the good work.
Jason from the Heartland
http://heartlandpinstripes.wordpress.com
Aww, well thanks to our two Janes, Mel, and Colombiano… (a blog plug from Mel and Jane! nice! thanks!) I guess we’re all still waiting on Peggy’s thoughts on this season, as well as a few others’.
It really was a great season overall. The division was an insane battle all year! Tampa was great, and though I hate to give any sort of credit to Boston…. You know what, I still won’t. But they stayed in it even with all the devastating injuries. Imagine if the Yankees lost their second baseman, two outfielders, their first baseman, their catcher?, and whoever else… It wouldn’t be pretty. Toronto was a real surprise and was no pushover. And Baltimore with Buck… Wow, next year won’t be easy.
I hate to say this too, but Texas may be tough to beat if their pitching stays as sharp as it’s been. I’m pulling for San Fran, but I don’t know if they’d be able to beat them. Can they really hold down two great offenses in a row? I think Philly has a better chance if they make it. Not that I want Philly to make it… I don’t hate them or anything. Just sayin’.
In the meantime, I guess I have my New York Football Giants to tide me over. And I have faith in my horrible Knicks. And I’m getting into the Rangers big time! (ahem) The New York Rangers that is. And our Yankees season is still alive on my Playstation 3! Woo-hoo! So there’s that…, right?
Maybe the new core four crosses paths once more next year…? And I hear rumors that Jane’s coming out to that Westbury Borders soon… Hope you enjoyed the screening of that movie.
And apparently we have to stop betraying the bacon club sammich… ?O_o?
Thanks for checking in, dorgal218. It’s good to know you’re still reading and enjoying the blog. I was at a birthday dinner tonight and watched the NLCS game on the TV at the bar of the restaurant. At first it felt weird that the Yankees weren’t playing, but there’s something to be said for not getting nervous during a baseball playoff game!
You saw the antler/claw shirt, Antonella, and didn’t set it on fire? What restraint! LOL. Interesting that the Jeter merchandise sold so well there. I guess they are more than a few Yankees fans in Texas.
Hey, Jason. Yes, there are big decisions the Yankees will have to make, and I’m glad I’m not Brian Cashman! It’ll be interesting to see what the “budget” that Hal Steinbrenner has in place really means. Always great to hear from you.
Our division should be even more competitive next season, YankeeCase. The Blue Jays have all those promising young arms, and the O’s will be fired up under Buck, as you said. Now that the Giants have won the NLCS, I look forward to seeing how the Rangers will fare against them. I did enjoy the screening, thanks. Check out tonight’s blog post for the trailer. LOL on the bacon club.