Game 6 final sprays, er, thoughts

NEW YORK -- Yes, the champagne stings if it gets in your eyes. And the whole celebration is one loud, chaotic, raucous circus. But the New York Yankees have waited nine long years to celebrate a World Series title and it was party time in the Bronx early this morning after the 7-3 Game Six win over the Phillies completed the quest for 27. Uncluttering the mind, the notebook and the bubbly stains after this one:

Joe Girardi: His legacy last year was missing the playoffs after Joe Torre had gone for 13 straight years. He has own legacy now. He's right there with Billy Martin as guys who played for a Yankees Series winner and managed one. He was 2 for 3 on pitchers working on three days rest, with Andy Pettitte's work in the clincher proving Girardi right (you have to excuse him for A.J. Burnett, who can drive any manager crazy).

Hideki Matsui: It truly became a World Series as Godzilla (left) completely spooked Philly pitching en route to MVP honors. The Phillies simply couldn't get him out as he went 8 for 13. He'll get plenty of attention on the free agent market this winter and I still say the Yankees let him go and move Johnny Damon to DH/partime OF so prospect Austin Jackson can move in.

Andy Pettitte: Another series clinching game for the all-time leader in postseason wins. If Pettitte can play 2-3 more years and push his victory total into the 250 range, he has to be in Hall of Fame conversations.

Mariano Rivera: He is a Hall of Famer. Period. Had Matsui not gone beserk in the finale, Rivera (holding trophy at left) would have been the MVP. He was the difference. The Yankees had him. The Phillies didn't.

Derek Jeter: Another MVP candidate. He was 11 for 27 and is a career .321 hitter in Series play.

Ryan Howard: Epic fail. Nice job hitting your only home run when your team is down, 7-1. Series record 13 strikeouts.

Pedro Martinez: You can't pitch regularly on 10-15 days rest. You're supposed to go on five. That's what he did Wednesday and he had nothing. It should make teams pay heed to giving him a lot of bucks this winter, including the Phillies.

Yankee domos: Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, Lonn Trost and Randy Levine all made sure to make themselves accessible to the media. Hmmmph. I felt dirty listening. Other than writing the checks (an admittedly important skill), all they're responsible for is making sure the common fan is priced out of a new stadium. GM Brian Cashman gets the credit. I listened in a little on one scrum with Hank and it was at least heartening to hear him giving Cashman and Girardi credit.

Fox: The media was herded on the field during the postgame celebration. What in the world was Chris Rose doing asking the questions? What kind of questions were they? Who the heck is Chris Rose anyway? If we're gonna be here into November, put a real host on the field.

Thanx to all for reading the blog the last 10 days, its most successful run since its inception in 2007. Did all the Yankee fans agree with the choice of Matsui as MVP?. Make your pick below and have your say on the Bronx Bombers in the comment section.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

poll by twiigs.com

Comments

[Ralph from Amherst]

Has anyone heard from Jimmy Rollins? The silence is deafening.

[Common Sense]

Berkes, I am not bitter, I am just stating the fact that with the way the system is set up, the Yanks should be winning EVERY season. If they don't, that means they spent the money on the wrong players. At the very least they should be winning the world series more often. I am not bitter at all. I just think baseball in general is a sport that has a lot of problems they need to address, one being finishing a world series in NOVEMBER...with most games going to midnight or later in 30 or 40 degree weather.

[Bulldog]

The Berkes sounds like a typical (i.e., head in the sand) baseball fan: "The whole sport was cheating for quite a long time."

If that's true, then ban them all. If it's not true (and I'm sure it's not), then that is the most imbecile statement ever posted online.

[Mr. Kevin H. Hodge]

Sir, Mid Day Greetings and As We Now Enter Mid Afternoon After Historic Game 6..Very Nice Story Has Been Posted And Mr. Mike Franchessa..W.F.A.N..Sports-Radio 660 Has Just Discribed On The W.F.A.N...In The Small Wee Hours..about 2:30a.m..Manager Joe Giradi Was In Commute Back Home..Road-Side Stopped To Help..Minor Car Accident In Metroploitan New York..Couple Was Very Grate-Ful for Mr. Giradi...Mr. Damon and Mr. Matsui...Thank You for Being Such Pride of Pin-Stripes and Mr. Mike Franchessa On W.F.A.N..Sports-Radio 660...And Yes..Hodgey Will Not Run Away from Listings of Clubs Pay-Roll..But Mike...Everything Fell In Line in 2009..Mr. Steinbrenner Has Brought In Real Quality Players...Group That Tood Diamond Each Evening...You Will Never See a Club So Special Then 2009 and What a Honor to Watch On Yes Network...Great Coverage with Mr. Michael Kay and Miss. Kimbelry Jones...Mr. Steinbrnner..As a Fan I Thank You for You Signed On The Dotted Line and Brought In This Special Group...Mr. George Seinbrenner Builds WINNERS...And It Takes a Very Special Group...to Have 27 Championships and To Be...Top of The Heap...Great Headlines By One News Plaza..Free Agents? Sir..It is Very Nie to Know..Give The Steinbrenner Family Time..We Will Build The Bridge to Continue Pin-Stripe Success..Enjoy The Friday Morning 11:00 a.m...Parade...Good Afternoon..Mr. Kevin H. Hodge

[Rick]

I hate the Yankees but I don't agree with some of the comments here that of course they were going to win. They hadn't won for nine years. They hadn't even been in the World Series for six years and teams like the Astros, Rays, Tigers and Rockies have! It still comes down to how you play and other teams have played better than the Yankees. This year, there's no question they were the best team. Guys had great seasons. CC and Teixeira and ARod. I'm with you Mike. Mariano was the MVP. All the way. No offense to Matsui (or Utley).

It's been awesome following this blog and the stories in the paper. The News had lots of stuff just like USA Today even though the games were so late. Loved the colum on old Bison Ben Francisco. And Usatoday had what, 10 guys there? And you were alone right?

We all rag on the News folks. And they deserve it a lot.But I think we have to give it up to Harrington for the job he did and the bosses for sending him. Bought the paper every day the last 2 weeks. Can't say that a lot of the time.

[the berkes]

Common Sense: But you're not bitter...

Bulldog: What world are you in? The whole sport was cheating for quite a long time. You can certainly make a good case against letting any of the cheaters play. But since none of them were banned the cheating point you are trying to make is moot. P.S. If you are leaving a comment on a blog post on a newspaper site that doesn't have a major league baseball team, then you seem to be more than a disinterested fan.

[Bulldog]

Mike, tell us the truth: deep down are you disgusted that the only team with two admitted steroid users (who should be banned from baseball for life) won this thing? I think it's a huge black eye to the sport and one of the reasons why I've been less and less interested in caring about baseball any more.

Money + cheating = championship.

Not a good equation, methinks.

[Common Sense]

Hodge...they should be on top of the heap every year with the money they spend on payroll!!! Its embarrassing that it took them so long to win another World Series given the way they spend!

Team 2008 payroll 2009 payroll
Yankees $209,081,577 $201,449,189
Mets $137,793,376 $149,373,987
Cubs $118,345,833 $134,809,000
Red Sox $133,390,035 $121,745,999
Tigers $137,685,196 $115,085,145
Angels $119,216,333 $113,709,000
Phillies $98,269,880 $113,004,046
Astros $88,930,414 $102,996,414
Dodgers $118,588,536 $100,414,592
Mariners $117,666,482 $98,904,166
Braves $102,365,683 $96,726,166
White Sox $121,189,332 $96,068,500
Giants $76,594,500 $82,616,450
Indians $78,970,066 $81,579,166
Blue Jays $97,793,900 $80,538,300
Brewers $80,937,499 $80,182,502
Cardinals $99,624,449 $77,605,109
Rockies $68,655,500 $75,201,000
Reds $74,117,695 $73,558,500
Diamondbacks $66,202,712 $73,516,666
Royals $58,245,500 $70,519,333
Rangers $67,712,326 $68,178,798
Orioles $67,196,246 $67,101,666
Twins $56,932,766 $65,299,266
Rays $43,820,597 $63,313,034
Athletics $47,967,126 $62,310,000
Nationals $54,961,000 $60,328,000
Pirates $48,689,783 $48,693,000
Padres $73,677,616 $43,734,200
Marlins $21,811,500 $36,834,000

[David,Amherst]

statguru stole my thoughts like Johnny Damon stole third. I'm pleased to echo that you, Mike, and the Buffalo News, are irreplaceable on the MLB World Series (and the rest of sports).
Watching the Game 6 playout to conclusion, had to think of all the other teams and managers, especially Joe Torre, and their views. The ones that were so close, Twins-Gardenhire, Cardinals-LaRussa, Red Sox-Francona.
Now about the mercurial Ozzie Guillen and White Sox,
whew (as a Fox commentator, anyway).
And, thought about the wide gap between MLB and AAA ball.
(But maybe it's just the Mets and Indians organizations). After all, Scranton Wilkes-Barre has many of those players of the Phils as Utley et al).
Pettitte and Rivera show the difference between old pros, and just old (Pedro Martinez). The Hideki Matsui story was great for Japan. Another country that loves basebaru so much has something going for it.
Not to forget the Colorado Rockies comeback story. Hot stove league coming up. Have the Mets got any fuel for it at all?

[statguru]

Mike - Another great job covering the Series! I really hope the News never joins the growing crowd of papers who settle for wire stories. There's no substitute for being there, and your ability to combine coverage in both print and electronic (blogs, etc.) media should eliminate any debate.
That said, I think the only way Rivera would get WS MVP is if there was a balanced attack (with no one outstanding player) to provide him with a lead. He (most adequately) protected what he was given. (Or maybe Mo's become so automatic that I've begun to take him for granted.)
I think there's a case to be made that if this series didn't involve the Yankees (where there would be a riot if a Bomber didn't get the award), Utley would have been the MVP over someone who only had 13 at-bats.

[george]

IP blog rules. Keep bringing the heat during Hot Stove. Only three months til pitchers and catchers.

[Mr. Kevin H. Hodge]

Sir, Good Morning, and Let Us Take a Moment and Give UtMost Respect, Philadelphia Phillies, and Mr. Manuel. On Wednesday Evening, Mr. Matsui, and Staff In Work-Man-Like Way...As Early Copies Of Buffalo News are Now In Honor-Box..as Head-Line States...So Well Scripted...On Top of The Heap..Mr. Sinatra, Class Dignified, and Always Always Working..The Yankee Way. For Mr. Steinbrenner Not to Be at Stadium and Class and Grace of His Sons Speaking On BeHalf..To See How Much This Win Meant for Mr. Jeter and The True Passion of Tears for Mr. Rodriquez..The Yankee Way..In My 44 Years Mike..All Championships are Special...But This Yankee Organazation..You Can Stamp First-Class Sir..A True Model In City of Championships..I Hope That You Enjoy Friday Morning..11:00 a.m..Parade..You Have Earned It New York...The Yankees and Sir Mr. Steonbrenner..are On Top of The Heap..Mr. Kevin H. Hodge