Who Is The Best American League Team?
The Taking Back Sports 5-Minute Break Column, it’ll get you away from that TPS report.
Each week, Take Back columnists Kevin O’Connor (Dr. Sports Fan), Adio Royster (The Phoenix), and newcomer Brittany Page (Black Lung) debate a sports topic to keep from losing their minds at work.
After our first 5-Minute Break column, 33 percent of our comments (OK, so one of our three comments) blasted us for debating who the best team was in the National League.
Snowball:
How about we debate a real league here? not AAAA baseball.
Your wish is my command, Snowball!
This week’s 5-Minute Break topic: Who Is the Best Team in the American League?
Adio:
First of all, I rebut (Snowball’s comment) by saying that the NL has won two of the last three World Series Championships.
*silence* … moving on.
I find myself wondering why we’re even discussing this. The best team in the AL is so obvious… The New York Yankees.
A few months ago, I would’ve said Boston because NY was 0-8 against the Red Sox. Then NY swept a four-game series in the Bronx followed by taking two of three at Fenway.
While watching the last series, I felt bad for Boston. Kinda in the same way I felt bad for Andy Dufresne after the Sisters got a hold of him in his first years at Shawshank.
The Yankees are finally getting what they paid for with CC Sabathia’s strong second half and A.J. Burnett’s dominance since June. Mark Teixeira started slow, but he has been well worth his contract. He might just be my pick for the AL Most Valuable Player Award.
Unfortunately for the AL, the Yankees are back. Reverse money-ball has done it again. Hank Steinbrenner should take a cue from the warden in Shawshank and say the following:
“Trust in the Lord, but the AL belongs to me.”
Kevin:
Yeah, this topic is pretty boring. With Phil Hughes shining in the 8th inning setup role, the Yanks have a lot going right for them as we enter September.
My simple answer to this question: the Yankees are the top team in the AL.
My complex answer: someone else will represent the Junior Circuit in the Fall Classic.
What happens in October, where Alex Rodriguez and CC (the team’s best position player and starting pitcher) have struggled in the past? Since they have baseball’s best record, the playoffs are all but guaranteed in the Bronx. Now it’s a question of just how far this team can go. If we go by recent history, it’s not very far.
Since 2002, the Yankees are 3-6 overall in postseason series. Since A-Rod joined the Evil Empire (or Yankeeland to my North Jersey/New York/Connecticut readers), the Yankees are an embarrassing 1-4.
Last year in the NL Division Series, CC got lit up like a Christmas tree in the second inning of his only start for the Brewers. He walked Brett Myers (who was a terrible hitter) with a runner on after a lengthy battle and followed that up with a quick walk to Jimmy Rollins. Then Shane Victorino smoked an 0-2 pitch just inside the left field foul pole for a back-breaking grand slam. Even worse, Sabathia lost pretty big to the Red Sox in the ‘07 AL Championship Series.
Right now, there is no one better than New York in the AL. But that hasn’t meant a World Series trip is necessarily in the cards.
Brittany:
I hate to admit it, but those assholes in New York are the best team in the AL. All the money in the world may not buy you happiness, but it can buy you a good baseball team and a new stadium.
I hope A-Rod chokes like he has before. No team he has ever been on has won a World Series, and teams have actually gotten better without him.
My prediction is that Kate Hudson will wear an A-Rod jersey and he will choke. After that, Bronx Bomber fans will call for her head much a la Jessica Simpson/Tony Romo.
Adio, your AL MVP is Mark Teixeira? I remember stating that about a week ago — when we talked about why the Phils won’t win the World Series — and you laughed at the mention of it. Change of heart?
A:
K, I can easily see your point about the Yankees’ postseason futility. It definitely has een as feeble as Obi-Wan in the lightsaber duel against Darth Vadar in A New Hope.
Here’s my counter:
- The 2009 Yankees lineup is nothing like the 2008 Brewers lineup. Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, and A-Rod area far more potent than Braun, Fielder, Hart, and Hall. CC shouldn’t have a problem getting offense behind him, and he’s much better when he pitchers with a lead.
- Technically it doesn’t matter if A-Rod chokes because he isn’t even their best hitter anymore — Teixeira is. If A-Rod does enough to back up Teixeira’s bat, the Yanks’ll make the Fall Classic. However, if Teixeira swings a cold bat in the postseason, the Yanks don’t have a shot.
K:
I still can’t think of anyone better than the Yankees in the AL, but I will wait patiently for another team to knock them off in the AL playoffs.
Final word:
My money is on the field to take the AL title.
B:
A. I never said A-Rod was carrying the Yankees.
B. I hate the Yankees.
C. Lets move on to a new topic.
D. All of the above.
(Editors note: We wanted to do another topic, but I’m pretty sure I got called into a 90-minute meeting with the boss afterward. Oh well, see you next week for a new topic!)
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