The big guns failed miserably and the Yankee magic is gone now with these guys until they prove otherwise. The anxiety dripped off of A-Rod's face as he stepped up to the plate time and time again and he'll likely need many more trips to his therapist after this series. He is so talented that it makes it tougher to watch him struggle so badly in crunch time.
Then came Matsui. The man Joe Torre always called his most trusted hitter in a tight spot. He grounded to first which was stabbed by Erstad to end the game. Matsui looked like a scared rookie at the plate in this series, swinging at balls out of the strike zone and not showing the mental toughness that it takes to become a world champion. His contract is up and I'm sure he'll be back because there is hope for him as there is for A-Rod, but enough with the Godzilla references. The double against Bosoton in 03' is long forgotten.
Sheffield played with no spine in this series either. The most dangerous hitter as he self proclaims was as big a flop in this series as he was in Boston last year. Sheff can wag that bat all he wants, but when has he got the big hit since he got here? Cashman wanted Vlad and the Boss wanted Sheffield.
Jeter is a true leader, a cliched "man among men." Steel flows through his veins and he is the personification of mental toughness in today's sports world or in any generation for that matter. He slammed a home run and singled against K-Rod in the ninth to give us hope only to be sabotaged by A-Rod's El foldo routine. Unlike the captain, tin flowed through his 250 million dollar veins and he killed the ninth inning rally with an around the horn double play. Is there any doubt who is the better player under pressure?
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