Bob Costas Buried The Yankees This Weekend
Chron - The Houston Astros have been downright dominant this postseason, something the New York Yankees should be used to by this point.
Houston, which eliminated the Yankees in their previous three postseason meetings, is one win away from securing an ALCS sweep after a sixth straight victory to start the playoffs. The Astros won Game 3 in New York by a score of 5-0 on Saturday, as the Yankees were held to just one hit through the first 8 ⅔ innings.
Bob Costas, the studio host for TBS's ALCS coverage, didn't hold back on the postgame show when discussing the Astros' prowess over the Yankees. Houston is now 8-2 against New York in 2022, with some jaw-dropping statistics to boot.
"Overall, the Yankees' daddy is pretty clearly the Houston Astros. On the verge now of eliminating the Yankees from the postseason for the fourth time since 2015. And Yankee fans, I apologize, but these are the cold, hard facts," Costas said.
"These two teams have played 10 games this year. The Astros have won eight of them. They've played 91 innings because there was one extra-inning game. The Yankees have led exactly twice at the end of an inning. Two walk-offs by Aaron Judge, that's the only time."
Savage Bob. Savage.
Not sure if you heard, but it was a very ugly scene in New York this weekend.
Culminated in die-hard, 27 rings bros throughout the Tri-State Area completely jumping ship, trading in their Yankee fitted for Giants and Jets hats instead, and no-showing to a close-out game to support their team.
Things didn't get better when the rain finally let up and they were able to start the game. The Yankee Stadium DJ dropped a Houston, TX anthem, "Sicko Mode" by Houston native Travis Scott-
NY's offense actually showed up for once last night, led by our guy Anthony Rizzo,
(Credit where it's due, Harrison Bader also showed up, having three hits and scoring three times for New York. He connected off winning pitcher Hector Neris for his fifth home run of the playoffs, giving the Yankees a 5-4 lead in the sixth. Which they would also blow.)
…but when their pitching staff couldn't protect a lead to save their life, and Gleyber Torres is chucking routine flip plays into left field, you're not going to win October baseball games.
(Sidebar - isn't it crazy how in baseball, with almost 100% certainty, after a routine play gets booted like this, or a foul pop up gets dropped, the very next play proves crucial and makes them pay?)
Alvarez singled home the tying run on the next delivery from losing pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga, and Bregman put Houston ahead with an RBI single off Clay Holmes.
Six errors in the postseason, like the Yankees committed, does not win you series in October.
Earlier, rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña hit a three-run homer off ailing Yankees starter Nestor Cortes to help the AL West champions overcome an early 3-0 deficit and you could feel Yankees fans collective stomachs turning after that. Houston smelled blood in the water and just kept coming.
Which really fucking sucks, because fuck the Astros. I'm a baseball purist by no means, and don't think they are the only team guilty of going way over the line to cheat. But have some integrity man. After getting caught, profusely apologize, show remorse, and fall on the sword. Don't be indignant assholes and relish playing the heel role. (Looking at you Alex Bregman). This isn't the WWE.
I think things would be totally different have Covid not prevented the Astros from spending the entire 2020 season playing in front of crowds coast to coast just berating them nonstop for 3 hours. They were saved from having to take their medicine by a literal act of God. People haven't forgot, but time put a damper on how bad their real punishment would have been. They got off the hook, and have been cocky pricks ever since.
A lot of people hate the Yankees, but everybody hates the Astros.
This series was like a world war between two fascist dictators. You don't know which is the lesser of two evils so you hope they just mutually destroy one another and take each other out. A true pick-your-poison situation.
Personally, because of Rizzo, and the comedy of watching bloggers congratulate each other, like a victorious coaching staff, after finishing off the mighty Cleveland Guardians, far outweighed the possibility of watching Houston get smoked in the WS again.
But alas, it wasn't in the cards. Because since 2009, the Yankees have made five American League Championship Series and have lost them all.
So Costas was just spitting facts.
Where all the Costas hate that I saw this postseason comes from I have no idea. Maybe people taking his criticisms of their teams and/or players a little too personally? For my money there are not many people better at calling a baseball game, who knows the history of the sport better, who doesn't overdo it with the hyperbole, knows when to let situations breathe, and has an adult vocabulary. (Plus he hates Roger Goodell so that's just a bonus).
But regardless, it's just another autumn coming up short in New York. Despite what Tommy Smokes told us in June.
OOF -
We are all Phillies fans now.
p.s.-
p.p.s. - tell me who in today's announcing realm is on this level?
p.p.p.s. - never forget…