Talk Bronx New York

Much has been made about this year’s World Series champions, the New York Yankees, and their astronomical payroll. Many critics point to the estimated $208 million the Yankees spent in player salaries in 2009, and claim the “Bronx Bombers” simply “bought” the World Series championship. While it’s true that the Yankees far outspent any of their opponents this past season, it’s hard to argue with the results: they are baseball’s best in 2009.

With this in mind, we’ve decided to take a look at World Series champions over the past 10 years and analyze whether big bucks can buy World Series success.

The Yankees have spent big dollars throughout the decade, and it’s paid off with playoff appearances in nine of the past 10 seasons, and four World Series appearances, but you’ll never believe how much they actually spent to get there. With the likes of A-Rod, Jeter and CC, the Yankees were able to bring the World Series championship back to the Bronx for the first time since 2000. The Red Sox have matched the Yanks as far as titles, and have kept up with New York in spending as best they could. It took a group of “idiots” and the greatest series comeback in postseason history to reverse the Curse of the Bambino in 2004. Read more..

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Pedro Martinez of the Philadelphia Photo | Pedro Martinez of the Philadelphia Phillies speaks to the media during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. (Nov. 3, 2009)

This will be Pedro’s 19th career start in the Bronx, including postseason action.

 Even Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter discussed it  late Monday night, when it became apparent this World Series would return to the Bronx. The participants themselves are not oblivious to when they’re taking part in great baseball theater.

“Just how strange is this, after all the battles with him being in Boston?” Pettitte said, detailing the nature of his conversation with the Yankees’ captain. “I know I’ve faced him a bunch of times. I don’t know about the playoffs. I can’t really remember that.

“But in the course of a regular season, and big series, and stuff like that, and then to come full circle, this many years have passed, him with the Phillies and me back over here and stuff like that, it’s going to be neat.”

Need we even introduce the mystery person of whom Pettitte speaks? You of course know that it’s Pedro Martinez, set to start for the Phillies tonight in World Series Game 6.

Looking, with his team trailing 3-2 in games, to keep the Yankees from going up the same Canyon of Heroes to which Pedro could not lead the Mets.

Martinez, as he often does, credited his God, to help him “actually have such a long career go full cycle around. Actually be able to compete once again in a World Series, on one of the biggest stages. Just see two old goats out there doing the best they can and having fun with it.” Read more..

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 The crowd at Yankee Stadium was booing like only the Bronx can, but Pedro Martinez(notes) walked off the field with his head high. As he neared the Phillies’ dugout, the 38-year-old pitcher looked down, then quickly looked up. He broke out into a smile, drank in the scene for an extended moment and then disappeared down the steps.

It’s not every day that you see a pitcher grinning while still on the hook for a World Series loss. Then again, we haven’t seen many pitchers like Pedro, who added another great chapter to his memorable career in Thursday night’s 3-1 Game 2 loss to the Yankees.

Despite battling a cold, the self-described old goat kept the Phillies in the game by striking out eight batters over six innings. Martinez gave up a total of three earned runs — including solo shots to Mark Teixeira(notes) and Hideki Matsui(notes) — before departing with no outs in the seventh. It wasn’t his greatest outing, but with just a little more offense from his teammates, a good start would have been validated with a victory.

Instead, Martinez’s consolation prize was showing his old friends at Yankee Stadium that he can still get people out and then skewer them a bit through the media. The great rivalry between the righty and Yankees fan is alive and well.

 To prove it, here’s a selection of Pedro’s best quotes from his big night in the Big Apple:

• “I remember one guy sitting right in the front row … with his daughter in one arm and a cup of beer in the other hand and saying all kinds of nasty stuff. I just told him, ‘Your daughter is right beside you. It’s a little girl. It’s a shame you’re saying all these things.’ I had to stop and tell him because I’m a father myself, and God, how can you be so dumb to do those kind of things in front of your child? What kind of example are you setting?”

• “But the fans, I enjoy that, because at the bottom, I know I played for the Mets. I know they really want to root for me. It’s just that I don’t play for the Yankees, that’s all. I’ve always been a good competitor and they love that. They love the fact that I compete. I’m a New Yorker as well. If I was on the Yankees, I’d probably be like a king over here.”

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Pedro Martinez faces the New York Yankees on the biggest stage of them all tonight, as he tries to give the Philadelphia Phillies a commanding two games to none lead in the World Series at Yankee Stadium.
Hated by Yankee fans during his time with the Boston Red Sox, then later with the Mets, Martinez, is no stranger to the Bronx. In 32 regular-season starts against the Yankees, he has a record of 11-11 with a 3.20 earned run average.

“I think in every aspect, the way you guys have used me and abused me since I’ve been coming to [Yankee] Stadium,” said Martinez on being cast as the villain to Yankee fans. “I remember quotes in the paper, ‘Here comes the man that New York loves to hate.’ The man? None of you have ever eaten steak with me or rice and beans with me to understand what I’m all about as a man. You might say the player, the competitor, but the man? You guys have abused my name. You guys have said so many things and have written so many things [about me].”

The veteran right-hander had been 8-4 in the old stadium and pitched perhaps his best game there back in 1999 when he allowed one hit and struck out 17 in a complete game win.

This, though, will be his first appearance in the new ballpark. Read more..

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 Joe Torre swears he has no desire to see the new Yankee Stadium … except under one circumstance.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing it in October,” the Dodgers manager said. “That would be all right.”

With the way the Dodgers are rolling, there’s a distinct possibility Torre could be back in the World Series for the first time in six years. Los Angeles has the best record in baseball at 53-31 after last night’s 5-4 loss to the Mets and just got slugger Manny Ramirez back from his 50-game steroid suspension.

As for the Yankees’ new digs in The Bronx, Torre said he’s not curious about seeing it. He’s heard of its reputation as a launching pad.

“I heard about right field and this, that and the other thing,” Torre said, “but they have some guys that can hit home runs over there. It’s no surprise. If you hit the ball to straight-away right field even in the old ballpark it was pretty friendly.”

The Dodgers will face the Yankees next season, but the schedule is preliminary and it has not been determined where the series will be played.

As for the old Stadium, Torre said he has no plans of going by his old workplace one last time while he’s home. It could be just a memory the next time he’s in New York.

“When I left there I knew it was going to be my last time,” Torre said of the day he cleaned out his office after the 2007 season. “I’d have been very surprised if it wasn’t my last time. I took everything in. I had so many great memories there.” Read more..

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