TERRIBLE LOSSES

I'm sure all Yankees fans were just as disheartened as I was as we watched Jeter pinned to the infield dirt, grimacing in pain for a prolonged period, and trying to make every attempt possible to lightly toss the ball to Cano.  This was not just a player that was about to go to the hospital for x-rays, this was our Captain.  Derek has, together with Mo, led our team to so many victories and literally a handful of championships.  This happened in Game 1 of the ALCS and resulted as the first time since 1996 that Yankees fans had neither Jeter nor Mo for the championship run!

While we have all been preparing for these aging superstars to eventually retire, neither player was set to do so this year.  When it finally happens, it will still be hard for us to readjust after so many years of success, but it's merciless for severe injuries to make it happen.  Next year we know Jeter will be back (after his ankle surgery) and I'd be shocked if Mo didn't attempt to play one more year so that he had the chance to retire on his own terms.

Of course, the Yankees could have attempted to "win for the Captain" but their hitting woes not only continued, but worsened.  A-Rod mounted his failures at the plate (for the at-bats Joe Girardi scheduled) and both Granderson & Swisher seemed determined to hit a home-run with every pitch thrown.  Of course, neither Ichiro nor Gardner bunted for base hits to take advantage of the so-so fielding of the Tigers' Cabrera or Fielder.

The Yankees' hitting looked way too lethargic in this series.  As a result, not only did they lose the ALCS, but they got swept 4-0 by the Tigers!  I hate to lose, but if it has to happen, at least I get some personal satisfaction knowing I fought to the end; something they clearly failed to do.  

By the way, I must mention how classy Jim Leyland acted throughout this series.  The man's reactions to Jeter's injury and the complementary comments he mentioned towards the Yankees, Girardi, and Cashman genuinely came from his love and appreciation of baseball.

This past ALCS loss will be one that stands out as one of the worst losses in Yankees history.  Of course Jeter's injury before Game 1 even finished was certainly a terrible loss in itself but, the ineffective hitting and the lack of effort by this 2012 team during this series disgracefully added to one of the Yankees most "Terrible Losses".