Did anyone really think the Mariners stood a chance?
We knew from the very very beginning that the New York Yankees would beat the Mariners and we're about to tell you exactly why. Please note that this is strictly our opinion and you may feel free to agree or disagree.
What's wrong with the Mariners
- The Mariners have no players who have ever seen action beyond the post-season, making the team extremely inexperienced,
- Instead of functioning as a "team," the Mariners have always pinned their hopes on 1 or 2 players like Griffey, A-Rod, and Ichiro for example,
- In the play-offs, the Mariners almost look too tired from regular season play and, quite frankly, act like they're intimidated by their opponents.
And it further seems to us that players are almost conditioned to believe they can't win because of the Mariners' long history of loosing.
While they might have a couple of winning seasons here and there, fact is most seasons are poor. Now that has to adversely affect a player's mental attitude!
- Whether playing at Safeco or away, the Mariners have a bad habit of giving-up runs very early on in the game--within the first few innings, and finally
- When in tough situations, the Mariners seem to loose both their focus and concentration; something their opponents appear to notice and capitalize on, making a bad situation even worse!
What makes the Yankees almost unbeatable
- Their players are highly experienced, with most of them having played in 1 or more world series,
- Virtually every Yankee player can both hit and field, thus making them an all-around team,
- Billy Martin, when he managed the team, turned players into "power hitters," while Joe Torre taught them how to play the game--a winnng combination!
- In jam situations, Yankee players don't appear to loose their cool; they remain calm and focused,
- The Yankees, as a team with such a long history and winning record are like the old Oakland Raiders--intimidate opponents with their mere presence!, and finally
- Due to their success, fame, and almost endless financial resources, the Yankees are able to obtain, train, and retain talented players.
While other teams might balk at the Yankee's ability to pay for endless talent, fact is they EARNED it! The Yankees have not always been the best, i.e. during the 1980's, the Mets were NY's top team, but the Yankees have always been able to draw large crowds at all games. That's what provided their financial success-- large numbers of fans everywhere!
We believe that other teams can learn a lesson from the Yankees: true success comes from the ability to draw crowds at home and away games.
Final thought: like 'em or hate 'em, people are drawn to Yankee games.
Bottom-line: the Mariners lost because of inexperience and a few players being asked to "carry the team."
Having a fancy and new stadium, which quite frankly, we don't think they ever deserved or earned, doesn't necessarily produce a great team. You can be a winning team in an empty lot if you have the right combination: experience, committment, focus, and and ability to remain calm in jams. Do that and you're already a winner!
