For the last week I have been taking a poll amongst Yankees fans in regards to who they would rather beat in the ALCS: The hated rival Sox or the Angels. Most answered Boston without actually thinking; without actually remembering how painful the Yanks/Angels rivalry has actually become for Yank fans. I did my best with each poller to get them to take a step back and really consider each outcome before answering with the obvious so hastily.  I truly believe there is a solid argument for wanting to finally quiet the rally monkey.Â
Consider this: Before the meaningless series in late September of this year, the Yanks haven’t won a single series in Anaheim since May of 2004. The Angels have eliminated them in the ALDS twice in the last 7 years .  Beating the Halos has become the one feat deemed impossible for the Bombers since 2G. It is really the one knock on a decade of American League dominance. Aren’t Yankee fans tried of hearing about how they should play the game more like Mike Scioscia’s club? About how playing mistake free small ball can overcome a small payroll on any given day? Don’t the Angels represent the quintessential feel good story that unite Yankee haters across the country? If Im a Yankee fan, I want to put this story to bed immediately.Â
As far as beating the Sox go, of course it is always bittersweet. But it has been done..hell this season it has already been done. The Yanks not only won the final 9 out of 10 games this year, but beat Boston to the AL East crown. I won’t argue that a loss to Boston this year in the playoffs would have been more devastating, but a win against the Angels would be much more meaningful.Â
While any Yankee loss is enjoyable from a Mets perspective, another Angels victory would always allow us and every other anti-Bomber to make those Anaheim/Kryptonite comparisons for yet another season. The Angels are all us Amazin fans have these days. Who would you guys rather see them lose to?
7 comments
jaded1983
10/12/2009-9:53am at 9:53 am (UTC -4)
To be honest, I’m not really one of the typical Mets fans who hate the yankees. I hate the “small town” of Boston and their obnoxious fans just as much as I hate Philly. (Although I would rather visit Philly 10 times out of 10 than Boston). I’m beyond glad that Boston is out of the playoffs because for me, any Boston/Philly loss is a win in my book!
I’m much more concerned about the Phillies making it to the NLCS and then the WS……again. I’m rootin for the Yanks, although I wouldnt be upset in the slightest if they got bounced by the Angels.
GravediggerHebner
10/12/2009-12:04pm at 12:04 pm (UTC -4)
In the interest of brevity I’ll just say my view is pretty much the opposite of Jaded’s.
I hate the Yankees and far prefer Boston (both the city and it’s sports teams) over Philadelphia.
metsfan4decades
10/12/2009-9:58am at 9:58 am (UTC -4)
This is kind of like asking a Met fan who they’d rather see lose – the Yankees or the Phillies. Yankees are a hated team for so many Met fans for years, especially us older ones. However, the Phillies are a recent rivalry that has stuck it to us these past few years – much like the Angels have to the Yankees.
I wasn’t surprised to see Boston eliminated. They really fell apart second half of the season. Wasn’t surprised to see the Yanks defeat the Twins either. I’m rooting for the Angels to do what they’ve been doing to the Yankees. Hopefully, we’ll be watching the Angels and anyone not named the Phillies in the WS – be it the Rockies or Dodgers.
stickguy
10/12/2009-10:58am at 10:58 am (UTC -4)
I don’t care who beats the yankees, as long as they lose! And I really could not care less what a yankee fan thinks about anything.
One thing though about the ALCS, is that you need to look past it to a possible WS match up. Now, if the Dodgers take care of the Phils (and after last ight, I am writing of the Rockies), it doesn’t matter.
But, if the Phils go tot he WS again, I want the team in their that has the best chance of beating them, and that is probably the Yankees at this point.
gategem
10/12/2009-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
With the Mets not in the playoffs I couldn’t care less who won or who loss or for that matter what effect it has on their fans. I don’t hate on any team and/or their fans unless they behave that way towards me. I just want to see entertaining games.
whataputz
10/12/2009-11:50am at 11:50 am (UTC -4)
I am as big as a Yankee hater as you can find. I would even root for Philly over them if they played each other (I’m sorry, but Phillies pretty much been irrelevant my entire life except for these past couple of years, where as I’ve had to deal with Yankees fans my entire life, and I just can’t hate Philly as much as I hate the Yankees).
With that said as a Yankee hater, I am kind of rooting for the Yankees to go undefeated through the entire playoffs and flat out obliterate their opponents. This will show how ridiculous and unfair their spending has become, and how they are single-handedly ruining baseball. Tell me all you want about how they haven’t won a WS since 2000, but they still consistently unfairly dominate the FA market and take players away from teams that would be content with 1 piece to get it together. I think it would kind of be great if they just won every game by like 5 runs and nobody even bothered to watch the WS games outside of NY.
halfmanhalfamazin
10/12/2009-1:19pm at 1:19 pm (UTC -4)
I hate to defend the Yanks trust me, but their spending never bothered me as much. The fact is, with all that success they had in the old days they were able to create an enormous fan base in New York City and they have earned that money they spend now. I can’t hate on a franchise for spending the money they earned because it’s “not fair”. It’s like telling Trump not to buy up any more land to let the little people own some real estate. If I were an owner of a team and I had that kind of money I’d spend it to get all the best players too.
Just curious, how would you feel if Omar went out and got the top 3 available free agents next year?