What they're saying out there in the ether about Cleveland's 6-4 win over New York that ousted the Yankees from the AL Playoffs ...
• Suck It, New York. So I was a bit wrong on Paul Byrd. I convinced myself that I wanted to see Sabathia go Monday night but Byrd pitched well... 5 innings, 2 runs, 8 hits... can't ask for much more than that. Well done Paulie. Now C.C. and Carmona pitch Game 1 and 2 in Boston. That is gonna be fun. Please everyone pick Boston (oh God... the Sports Guy's team in a playoff series against a Cleveland team... I may go insane). [Random Thoughts]
• Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changes ... Shamefully, A-Rod is going to get most of the media coverage blame for his team's lackluster performance and it may be the final straw that drives him out of town. What should not be overlooked is the fact that True Yankees Wang, Jeter, and Posada were all downright offensive in their own right. As for the ALCS, all I can say is Go Tribe! I no longer care what happens the rest of the season as long as the Red Sox aren't the last team standing at the end of October. [Pinstripe Alley]
• Yankees Out: What Next For Torre?. I think it's a little ludicrous to think that George Steinbrenner is of sound enough mind to make this decision. I find it strange how the mainstream media has danced around the topic of Steinbrenner's declining health. Why won't someone simply utter: "Alzheimer's" (or whatever debilitating disease is turning the Boss into a shell of his former self)? [Dan Shanoff Blog]
• ALCS ... At Last Cleveland Stars. "The Cleveland Indians are a force to be reckoned with," says Frank Thomas, TBS commentator. Thanks Frank, but we knew that and so did you. As a matter of fact, now Skip Carey and his crew know it. They'll have to stop rooting for the Yankees now and put on their Sox hats and Bostonian accents. That's OK, we like the incentive you provide. That is some of the worst baseball coverage I have ever witnessed. [Indian Fever]
• End Of The Road For Joe Torre. Based on the grim look on Brian Cashman's face and the way the players and staff lined up to hug him on the way out, Torre is done. It was like a wake in the clubhouse. I would expect him to hold a press conference in the next few days and say good-bye. The Yankees should do it right but there is little chance of that. Steinbrenner or one of his minions will leak the news, there will be a frenzy and that will be that. My instincts tell me the next manager will be Don Mattingly. I find it hard to believe he would come out of retirement and work as the hitting coach for several years without knowing there was some reward at the end. [The LoHud Yankees Blog]
• Game Story: Sox Sweep Angels! Some great Red Sox celebration photos, just because. [Over The Monster]