Yankee "Losing" Streak

[Crash Course]

The New York Yankees have won 26 World Championships. It's true. Just ask them. Or, go to Yankee Stadium. You'll see it written all over the place. Or, pick up any Yankee produced printed material - it's written on most of them too. Heck, I bet if you called the Yankees, they answer the phone there with "Hello, 26 time World Champion Yankees" or something close to it.

Hey, I can't blame them - 26 is a lot of World Series rings. No other team in baseball comes close to that. But, along with those 26 World Championships come 18 other seasons where the Yankees made the post season and did not win a World Championship - including this season.

So, in the "World Championship" ledger, you could say that the Yankees are 26-18. Still, that's a .591 clip - - not too shabby. Not shabby at all.

But, here's the really bad part - 4 of those 18 have come in the last four years (all in a row). The only other times that New York has ever had BTB "could have won a WS but lost in the post-season" years were 1921-22, 1963-64, and 1980-81.

Note up until this run of four in a row, the record for them was just two in a row. Granted, these days there are more rounds of playoffs and therefore more chances to get knocked out. However, the extra rounds also mean more chances to get into the playoffs too. That just might be a wash.

Many like to say that the Yankees and their fans are spoiled with all their winning seasons. Perhaps instead we should say that this current crop of Yankees and their fans have had more than their share of misery than most other teams? Game 7 2001. Getting waxed by the Angels in 2002. Getting carded by the wild Marlins in 2003. And, of course, the greatest post-season choke in the history of baseball this year.

That's some streak. Lots of teams have their post-season sob stories. How many teams can say that they've done four in a row - like these?

[captain_napalm]

Off the top of my head, the Braves?

Other than that, I can think of a few "threes," such as Kansas City, Philadelphia, & Pittsburgh

[Crash Course]

But, where any of them - Braves included - as painful as losing Game 7 of the 2001 WS or the choke of 2004?

[KCBOOMER]

Originally Posted by Crash Course

But, where any of them - Braves included - as painful as losing Game 7 of the 2001 WS or the choke of 2004?

Well, of course. Tons of teams have choked. Try the Braves in 1991 for a 1-0 extra inning loss in the 7th game of the WS.

All losses hurt when they are on the big stage. The more you play on the big stage the more likely you are to have a "bad beat".

[Crash Course]

Maybe I was just born at the wrong time?

I've been going to Yankee games for 32 years. Yes, in that time, they've won 6 rings - but, there were also 9 other times they were in the post-season where they failed. That's almost once every three years. That's painful.

Just as painful, at least IMO, as all the pain that other teams claim to have gone through.

[Jim Rice]

Originally Posted by Crash Course

Maybe I was just born at the wrong time?

I've been going to Yankee games for 32 years. Yes, in that time, they've won 6 rings - but, there were also 9 other times they were in the post-season where they failed. That's almost once every three years. That's painful.

Just as painful, at least IMO, as all the pain that other teams claim to have gone through.

While I'm sure Yankee fans were just as pained by their playoff losses as other teams' fans have been, they do have 6 rings in that time period, and I know from experience that winning attenuates that earlier pain to a great degree. Think about the '81 Series. Painful at the time, to be sure, and probably painful to recall for the next 15 years. But I don't hear it being dwelled upon since the '96 and subsequent titles. When the Royals won in '85, I've never again heard anyone here in KC complain about the failure to win the Series in 1980. And while they still sometimes discuss the losses in the ALCS to the Yankees in the 70s, that win in 1980 removed a lot of that angst. Likewise, as a Sox fan, the Boone homer is already diminished to me after this year's ALCS.

Yankee fans still have reason to dwell on the disappointments of '01-'04, but only because they don't have a title that's more recent. As soon as that happens, much of the '01-'04 depression will subside.

[captain_napalm]

Originally Posted by Crash Course

Maybe I was just born at the wrong time?

I've been going to Yankee games for 32 years. Yes, in that time, they've won 6 rings - but, there were also 9 other times they were in the post-season where they failed. That's almost once every three years. That's painful.

Just as painful, at least IMO, as all the pain that other teams claim to have gone through.

Well, at least they can claim 6 rings. Other organizations haven't made it to the playoffs.

I guess it's subjective. "The choke of 2004" has never been done before, but I never really felt anything. I was bummed a bit, but take solace in the fact that the Yanks will be back next year, if not as division champs, then as the wildcard. Also, I know that Steinbrenner will do whatever it takes to get back (dumb moves notwithstanding)

Other teams can share your pain. Pittsburgh '72/'91/'92, Braves '91, Angels '86, Red Sox '86, Kansas City '76/'77, St. Louis '85... So on, & so forth

[JamesI]

Originally Posted by Crash Course

That's some streak. Lots of teams have their post-season sob stories. How many teams can say that they've done four in a row - like these?

I'm a Buffalo Bills fan. You aren't close to that yet.

[Crash Course]

Yeah, maybe the important thing is just winning the last one you were in - and then it helps mask the other previous disappointments........whereas having the last taste (or last 4 tastes) be losing ones just leaves you with that taste.........

[RichG]

Originally Posted by Crash Course

Maybe I was just born at the wrong time?

I've been going to Yankee games for 32 years. Yes, in that time, they've won 6 rings - but, there were also 9 other times they were in the post-season where they failed. That's almost once every three years. That's painful.

Just as painful, at least IMO, as all the pain that other teams claim to have gone through.

Do you feel you've had more pain then the Red Sox over the last 32 years?

Painful? I guess everything's in the eye of the beholder but to me it comes off like a billionaire who lost half his fortune - it might not be pleasant but it's not so bad to have had to opportunity to lose the fortune.

[Crash Course]

Originally Posted by RichG

Do you feel you've had more pain then the Red Sox over the last 32 years?

Well, in the same time that I've had my "nine" RSN has had 1975, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1999, and 2003, no? (Did I miss any?) Nine beats eight, if I didn't miss one.

[KCBOOMER]

Meanwhile back at the Braves who are 1-13 in the last 14 completed seasons. Those people are so traumatized they won't even go to play-off games.

[Crash Course]

I wonder if the Yankees keep losing in the post-season if their attendance will drop too. IIRC, they had 3.8 million last year. I doubt they'll keep doing that without a ring or two soon.

[PianoMonkey]

Crash, you have no idea what I would do to get a chance to see the Royals even LOSE in the postseason. Even the Expos (who, IMO, also have Yankee fans beat in the recent pain department) have at least won their division since '85. Not us.

As far as playoff disappointments go, the Yankee's have had it pretty bad, of late. But, as they say in RSN, there's always next year. As for the Royals, there's always, I dunno, '07?

[Crash Course]

Just looked - it has been a long run since 1985 for KC. Even the Cubs made the post-season a few times in that span. That is sad.