One for the Ages

Author: Daniel Prepas Sports Editor

I think it's safe to say that this World Series was one of the greatest ever. From start to finish, this World Series was simply incredible. The pitching match-ups were about as good as they get. Both Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling redefined the term "big-game pitchers" and Clemens and Mussina also brought their best stuff. The bottom line is that there are so many great stories from the Series that I would be writing endless pages if I did not have to fit it all into one little column of journalistic brilliance.

Before I get to my possible praise of the Yankees (maybe), I have to touch on the subject of B'yung Hung Kim. That guy probably avoided years of therapy and suffering from what I will call the Buckner Syndrome when the Diamondbacks won. As excited as he must have been, his sigh of relief must have been bigger than Mr. Gammons disturbing obsession with Major League Baseball (I will later address how scary this guy really is).

In an ironic twist though, it was the untouchable Mariano Rivera who saved Kim from his misery and was only two outs from clinching the Yankees four-peat before blowing only his second save in 27 postseason chances. Perhaps that's what made the incredible end to the World Series that much more incredible. As every baseball fan knows, if Mariano Rivera comes into a postseason game, it's lights out for the other team.

So many stories began culminating as that fateful ninth inning carried. There was already talk of this series being eerily similar to the 1960 World Series with the Yankees losing to the Pirates in seven games despite outscoring the Pirates by scores of runs overall. Every game the Pirates won was by a single run. If Rivera held the lead, the same would have held true for this World Series.

I guess it's only fair, even in this column, to give some credit to the Yankees. Even though they don't deserve it, they played a hell of a Series. I mean, they had absolutely no hitting. Half of their players did not even hit above .200. Yet one of each players' three hits seemed to win a game. Scott Brosius and Tino Martinez hit two of the most clutch home runs I have ever seen. And then there was Soriano winning Game 5 and nearly Game 7. There's no denying that the Yankees are a special team.

Now that I finally said something positive about the Yanks, I'd appreciate it if all the hate mail stopped.