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Tuesday, October 07, 2008

ESPN: Keri: Remember when the Rays were targeted for contraction?

Wait until someone checks FLECKGLOB-BAXTIMER in the year 2440 and reads..."forward thinkers at Baseball Think Factory”

In January 2001, Google was just a baby, with a mere 1.3 billion Web pages waiting to be perused. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Internet search juggernaut has brought back its oldest available index.

You know what that means: Time to find out how wrong we all were! Baseball, basketball, football, the economy … going back in time helps remind us how unpredictable sports are, and always will be. Life too, for that matter.

With a hat tip to the backward-looking forward thinkers at Baseball Think Factory, here are some of our favorite search terms from January 2001. Feel free to punch in your own here.

“Yankees Dynasty”

The Bombers had won four World Series in the past five years at that point. With a veteran core of Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera, experts were already smitten by the Yankees’ chances for more championships. The signing of Mike Mussina a few weeks after the 2000 win only cemented the Yanks’ dynasty status in the eyes of the media.

Choice headline: “Yankees Dynasty Might Have Even Brighter Future”

Result: The Yankees went on to add Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez … pretty much every free agent in existence. Eight seasons later, they’re still looking for their next ring.

Repoz Posted: October 07, 2008 at 03:32 PM | 21 comment(s)
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   1. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: October 07, 2008 at 03:48 PM (#2973692)
And the Marlins. Since then, the Marlins have won more World Series than the Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers and Braves combined.
   2. SoSH U at work Posted: October 07, 2008 at 03:52 PM (#2973698)
I thought it was the Twins and the Marlins that were on the chopping block.
   3. Swedish Chef Posted: October 07, 2008 at 03:56 PM (#2973705)
Result: The Yankees went on to add Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez … pretty much every free agent in existence. Eight seasons later, they’re still looking for their next ring.

Not only that, they're so stupid that they traded for two of those free agents.
   4. StJoeHawk Posted: October 07, 2008 at 03:58 PM (#2973708)
Didn't they trade for three of them (Abreu, Johnson & A-Rod)?
   5. flournoy Posted: October 07, 2008 at 03:59 PM (#2973710)
I thought it was the Twins and the Marlins that were on the chopping block.


Expos and Twins.
   6. PreservedFish Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:13 PM (#2973717)
I remember a Peter Gammons article guessing the hypothetical results of a contraction draft. The Mets took Doug Mientkiewicz who, according to Gammo, was "turning himself into the next Keith Hernandez."
   7. Robert in Redondo Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:17 PM (#2973721)

Expos and Twins.


Correct. So the answer is no I don't remember when the Rays were targeted for contraction.
   8. RB in NYC (Now with Christmas Spirit!) Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:20 PM (#2973723)
The Mets took Doug Mientkiewicz who, according to Gammo, was "turning himself into the next Keith Hernandez."
Well, just like Mex, ol' Eyechart is doing all he can to prove he's finished four years after being on a team that won a World Series and had a dramatic comeback.
   9. bonifacio's got the good face! Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:23 PM (#2973726)
I know Repoz has been here for centuries and is a great man, etc, etc, but isn't a thread like this just ########## anti-Yankee trolling?

EDIT: I like that word, nanny! the word was "fcukwitted"
   10. Jonah Keri Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:26 PM (#2973727)
The Rays and Marlins were also mentioned as contraction targets. Just punch in Tampa Bay Devil Rays Contraction, or some derivation of Baseball Contraction, in Google 2001, and you'll find the results.

The Yankees free agent line has been fixed/clarified. And as for the article being anti-Yankees, at least I didn't include "Red Sox Curse" to add to the petard hoisting.

Also, Google 2001 is hella-fun.
   11. flournoy Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:32 PM (#2973732)
The Devil Rays and Marlins were nixed as contraction candidates since they had long-term stadium deals, and MLB would have had to pay off the balance had they eliminated those clubs.
   12. aleskel Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:37 PM (#2973735)
Also, Google 2001 is hella-fun.

wasn't 2001 the year that "sex" was overtaken as the most searched-for word by ... "mp3"?
   13. Robert in Redondo Posted: October 07, 2008 at 04:51 PM (#2973749)
The Rays and Marlins were also mentioned as contraction targets.

They were mentioned, you got me there. Obviously it doesn't really matter, but I think the Expos and Twins will be remembered as the targets.
   14. Hello Rusty Kuntz, Goodbye Rusty Cars Posted: October 07, 2008 at 05:35 PM (#2973808)
There's no such thing as ########## anti-Yankee trolling.
   15. Joey B. Posted: October 07, 2008 at 05:40 PM (#2973815)
"It's true because we say it is."

-The media
   16. Monty Posted: October 07, 2008 at 05:45 PM (#2973820)
Obviously it doesn't really matter, but I think the Expos and Twins will be remembered as the targets.


Who needs memory when we've got Google 2001? I've already replaced all the books in my house with Wikipedia, and I've never been happier. Thanks, Internet! *gives thumbs-up into camera*
   17. NJ in DC loathes his classmates and the law Posted: October 07, 2008 at 06:43 PM (#2973865)
Choice headline: “Yankees Dynasty Might Have Even Brighter Future”

And this is how NJASDJDH was born!
   18. Boots Day Posted: October 07, 2008 at 06:47 PM (#2973868)
Thanks, Internet! *gives thumbs-up into camera*

Hey, I think he was giving that thumbs-up to me! <sits up straighter on couch>
   19. villainx Posted: October 07, 2008 at 07:18 PM (#2973876)
So the answer is no I don't remember when the Rays were targeted for contraction.


Remember when the Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the post season via the wildcard?
   20. Walt Davis Posted: October 07, 2008 at 07:53 PM (#2973896)
The Rays were never mentioned as contraction targets ...

the Devil Rays on the other hand ...

:-)

I shudder to think how many things I got wrong in 2001, but I did spend a lot of time in contraction threads saying "move along, nothing to see here, not going to happen."

I was probably also predicting the demise of the aging Yankees ... and I'm finally right about that one.
   21. Tike Redman's Shattered Dreams (shayborg) Posted: October 07, 2008 at 08:10 PM (#2973903)
Well, just like Mex, ol' Eyechart is doing all he can to prove he's finished four years after being on a team that won a World Series and had a dramatic comeback.

He did have a .374 OBP this year in 285 AB. He's nowhere near Darin Erstad levels of toast.
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