The Post, sensationalizing, bemoans the playoffs and the Joba Rules

September 11, 2007 by Benjamin Kabak 17 Comments

Leave it to the New York Post to turn the Joba Rules and a new playoff format into some whiny article with little basis in reality.

In today’s sports section in the once-proud paper, Larry Brooks opines on the way The Man is conspiring to keep down the Yankees. Brooks says:

That’s because, The Post has learned, the AL regular-season champion will be given the choice of whether to play Division Series A, in which the if-necessary five games are scheduled to be played in seven days beginning on Thurs, Oct. 4; or in Division Series B, in which the five games are scheduled to be played in eight days…

Is it such a stretch to think that the Red Sox, who went into last night leading the Angels by 2½ and the Indians by 3½ for the league’s best record, wouldn’t jump at the chance to play the eight-day series if for no other reason than to require the Yankees to play the seven-day series so Joba Chamberlain would only be available for three games, instead of the four in which he’d be allowed to pitch in the extended version?

When did “regular-season champion” become a term? I thought the regular season champion came out of the League Championship Series. Shows how much I know about baseball.

Throughout the rest of the article, Brooks finds fault with the Yankees for failing to finish with the league’s best record. He says they picked a bad year; he basically says baseball is conspiring against them.

Not once does Brooks consider the obvious: Perhaps in the postseason, the Yankees will relax the Joba Rules.

“Heresy!” you may scream. Well, before you burn me at the stake for offering such an audacious suggestion, let me remind you that the Yankees themselves talked about relaxing the Joba rules earlier this month.

Heaven forbid someone at the Post actually do some reporting before levying doomsday playoff scenarios. Alexander Hamilton must be spinning in his grave.

steve (different one)

i thought it was a given that the Yankees will relax the Joba rules in the postseason.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  It is apparently a given to everyone but the New York Post. Go figure.
  - http://www.sportinggurus.com Adam A
    
    Now, what’s worse? Expecting that everyone knows the obvious, or NOT being surprised when the Post makes a story out of the obvious?
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Isn’t Larry Brooks the hockey guy? Why is he writing about baseball? Actually, why is he writing period?
Yankee1010

More importantly than potentially affecting the Joba Rules, the 7 day series could really limit how the Yanks use Wang and Pettitte. If it’s the 8 day series, Wang and Pettitte could start games, 1, 2, 4, and 5 on regular rest. If it’s the 7 day series, the Yanks would have to bring either one back on short rest (which they have been reluctant to do in the past) to start game 4 and the other one would start game 5 on regular rest. I think that is probably the bigger impact. The 8 day series allows for 3 starters on regular rest, while the 7 day series only allows for 4 starters on regular rest.
Zack

On the other hand, the Angels or Indians could easily have a better record than the Sox by the end of the season…
Yankee Fan in Chicago

Or we could have a better record than the Sawx.
CountryClub

Yankee1010 hits the nail on the head. The bigger issue is whether we will have to use a 4th starter. Wang and Pettite can match up with anyone. After that, our rotation is a crap shoot. Of course, if the Yanks sweep the series (assumin they get there), all of this would be moot : )
Count Zero

You know what I find funny about it?

“It’s nearly impossible to conjure the scenario in which the team with the best record would choose to play five games in seven days when it can establish a three-man rotation by virtue of the extra off-day.”

Really? If I had the deeper rotation, I would choose the shorter timeframe. I.e., if 1-3 our starters are pretty even but my #4 is Clay Bucholz and yours is Mike Mussina, I would want #4 starters to pitch. And if I win the series in Game 4, I now have my rotation perfectly set up for the ALCS. I can conjure a scenario quite easily. ;-)
- Mike R.
  
  No one like a smart guy Count. Dumb it down. :)
Jon

I’ve got no problem with the article. I agree that the impact on the rotation is bigger than the Joba rules, but I can’t find a single line in the article that even remotely implies that baseball is “conspiring against the Yankees.”

Don’t get me wrong, I hate the Post – that’s for sure. But I can’t say that a blog posting that is complaining about an article that brings up a pretty important aspect of the postseason is any better.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  Read: A little bit tongue-in-cheek, Jon, a little bit tongue-in-cheek.
  - Jon
    
    Your post was tongue-in-cheek? I didn’t get that at all. Your criticism of the article is mostly justified, I just think it’s a little petty. I didn’t sense any humor in your post, forgive me if I missed it. And no offense intended, I just didn’t really get the point of the post…
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
      
      No worries. The parts alleging a conspiracy against the Yanks were tongue-in-cheek. It didn’t come across as well.
      
      The overall point – that this is a sloppy article in the Post – stands.
      - Jon
        
        Ok, yeah, sorry – I didn’t get it, but no worries. I agree though. The article should have said “This is the rule change, and the Yankees are likely to be hurt by it.” I hate the sensationalism too.
YankeeJosh

Playing the ‘7 day series’ also has an inherent advantage. If you win in 4 or 5 games, it allows more time for the winning team to set the rotation for the LCS. Honestly, I don’t think it’s a huge deal.
http://www.sportinggurus.com Adam A

Of course Joba will be pitching in almost every game come October.

It’s lunacy to hold him out at that point.