May The Best Team Win

I tried to warn everyone -- the Yanks needed to finish this in Six. Now, win or lose, someone's going to come away crying.

If the Sox win tonight, you simply have to tip the cap to them. They hung in there when everyone told them the series was over; their bullpen has outpitched our bullpen; their Yankee Slayer made a miraculous come back to pitch last night's game.

More than most series in recent memory, I think that tonight's contest will determine which was actually the best team, between two competitors that were evenly-matched all year long. This isn't a situation where one team has played completely contrary to their in-season form (think Angels, 2002) or where one team has benefitted from the vagaries of a short series (think D'Backs, 2001). These teams have played, more or less, like you would expect from their regular season record. The Yankees haven't pitched well enough; the Red Sox pitching has gone through hot and cold spots; both teams have had to use every pitcher on the roster. The Yankee lineup has shown both its capacity for explosiveness, and its tendency to slump in the absence of the long ball.

So to those of you lucky enough to go to tonight's game, I say: go in there and cheer this team. Don't go crazy, win or lose. Show the world that there is some class in the Bronx, despite what they saw on TV last night.

If the Yanks do well, make sure to remind the Sox fans who their Daddy is, for me. If not, enjoy the 1918 chant while you still can. This might be the last time you get to use it.