It must be hard for anyone much under 40 to remember just how intense the Yankees-Royals rivalry was in the late 70's - early 80's. Not quite as passionate among the New York fans as the recent rivalry with the Red Sox, but every bit as intense on the field. I don't think there's ever been a player in history who tortured the Yanks as much as George Brett, and it was less than a cunt hair that separated them during that entire time. It just makes me sick to see what's happened to that once model franchise.

Just 6 more hot games away from an average A-Rod season.

We certainly don't get enough #### references on BTF.

and it was less than a cunt hair that separated them during that entire time

That's a terrible way to talk about Freddie Patek.


And however "close" it was, the fact remains that the Yankees took them 3 years in a row. Good times.

and it was less than a cunt hair that separated them during that entire time

That's a terrible way to talk about Freddie Patek.

Okay, I probably should have said it was only a tube of Preparation H that kept the rivalry from disintegrating into a bloody mess.

And however "close" it was, the fact remains that the Yankees took them 3 years in a row. Good times.

Yeah, I can count, and when it was all over, it was Yanks 3, KC 1. But taken as a whole, that was the best ongoing postseason rivalry since the Dodgers left Brooklyn. The Yanks and the Red Sox certainly can't match it, not yet.

Yeah, I can count, and when it was all over, it was Yanks 3, KC 1. But taken as a whole, that was the best ongoing postseason rivalry since the Dodgers left Brooklyn. The Yanks and the Red Sox certainly can't match it, not yet.

They're probably too spread out to really count, but 1999 was pretty intense, and 2003/2004 sort of speak for themselves. Of course, not having met in the postseason since doesn't help.

For a while there (those two years in 2000/2001, I guess) I was convinced that Oakland/New York was going to be the best postseason rivalry to never play one another in a championship series.

For a while there (those two years in 2000/2001, I guess) I was convinced that Oakland/New York was going to be the best postseason rivalry to never play one another in a championship series.

SHUT UP! SHUT UP!
*runs from room, crying*

A "two-run boomer"--has anyone ever used that word in this context before? I hope not, and I hope it's never repeated.

It must be hard for anyone much under 40 to remember just how intense the Yankees-Royals rivalry was in the late 70's - early 80's.

it was less than a #### hair that separated them during that entire time.

Given how grooming habits have changed in the intervening years, that analogy wouldn't apply now even if the teams were still close.

Yeah, you can never tell what percentage of Oscar's Mighty Fro those little devils accounted for, especially if he forgot to comb em out before his sitting with the Topps man. And who can ever forget the time he "lost" a contact lens?

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Yeah, I can count, and when it was all over, it was Yanks 3, KC 1. But taken as a whole, that was the best ongoing postseason rivalry since the Dodgers left Brooklyn. The Yanks and the Red Sox certainly can't match it, not yet.

They're probably too spread out to really count, but 1999 was pretty intense, and 2003/2004 sort of speak for themselves. Of course, not having met in the postseason since doesn't help.

They were pretty close, but the first NY-KC series ended in a final game walkoff; the second one ended with a ninth inning final game comeback; the third one ended with a three homer game by Brett being trumped by a late inning comeback homer by Thurman Munson, followed by a 2-1 game where Ron Guidry trailed by a run after the first two batters and then shut the Royals down for the next eight innings; and the fourth one was decided by George Brett's upper deck shot off of Goose Gossage, in what up to then may have been the greatest moment in Kansas City's sports history, Super Bowl IV included.

By contrast, the Yanks-Sox had 2003-04, and 1999 had a lot of moments for the first 3 games and the first 8 innings of the 4th, but I still have to give it to the Yanks-Royals. Although Ricky Ledee may beg to differ.

Given how grooming habits have changed in the intervening years, that analogy wouldn't apply now even if the teams were still close.

You also don't get enough Brazilian Wax references here, either, even if only implied.

Just 6 more hot games away from an average A-Rod season.

Actually, his OPS+ just went from 117 to 125, so he's now only one hot game away from his down-year OPS+s of 130-135, which was the point I made a few weeks ago. And one which I stand by.

Bah. Three homers in a game.

If he were a true yankee, he would have spread those out to win 3 games.

Loser

What i found most interesting was this article on Yahoo sports in which "Rodriguez said at Long’s urging, he tweaked his swing to get his hips to come through more fully, which seems to provide a power boost".

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AjMkt0d7P1o0JE9SC8QgeLg5nYcB?gid=300814107

You could tell he was yanking the ball on a steeper plane yesterday and not pushing the ball to right center. Now he can pull the inside pitch but who knows what happens when pitchers go back outside on him.

Actually, his OPS+ just went from 117 to 125, so he's now only one hot game away from his down-year OPS+s of 130-135, which was the point I made a few weeks ago. And one which I stand by.

something I like to argue for is that if a player could make up the difference with one very good game for him, then the difference is too close to make a conclusion(example when people argue so-so is better than Pujols I think "can he make it up with a two hr, two double game?" and if the season is still going on, then I think the difference is too close to call for now.)

Can we ask Christine Brennan if these count?

Yeah, I can count, and when it was all over, it was Yanks 3, KC 1. But taken as a whole, that was the best ongoing postseason rivalry since the Dodgers left Brooklyn. The Yanks and the Red Sox certainly can't match it, not yet.

I think the only more common matchup from the LCS era is Pirates vs. Reds (five times).

It's funny, the rivalries that come and go. I used to have a very serious reserve of bile for the Indians, from the old Duquette days when it seemed like they were always around trying to get in the way of our inevitable slugfests with the Yankees. It hadn't completely drained away by 2007, but now . . . one finds oneself wondering what one disliked so much.

Know several A's and Angels fans who onceago felt the same way about the Mariners, though those days are (sigh) long gone.

The Kansas City Star headline was "A-Rod Goes Boom," which for some reason I absolutely loved.

A "two-run boomer"--has anyone ever used that word in this context before? I hope not, and I hope it's never repeated.

I felt the same way at an Indy league game last week where the dad behind me kept explaining to his son how "points" were scored in baseball.

You just want to slap someone.