Friday, October 22
By Tim Kurkjian
ESPN The Magazine
It was supposed to come to this. The Yankees against the Braves, the best record in the American League and the best record in the National League, in a rematch of the 1996 World Series. This is more than Atlanta wanting to avenge four straight losses to New York three years ago. It is more than the Yankees trying to repeat. This one is for Team of the Decade honors.
The Yankees have won two of the past three World Series. The Braves have been to the playoffs every year there has been a postseason since 1991. They've won one World Series, in 1995, but a second one over the Yankees would make them the team of the '90s.
|  | | Roger Clemens' Game 4 start may prove to be the most critical of the Series. |
The Yankees are a better team, though not by much. Their lineup is better, their lineup is disciplined enough and patient enough to wait for Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine to throw the ball over at least a small portion of the plate. The Braves' offense looked mighty vulnerable in the National League Championship Series; before Game 6, Atlanta was 6-for-37 with runners in scoring position.
The Braves don't even have a viable candidate to be a DH for the games played at Yankee Stadium. They'll likely use Ryan Klesko, who is not a good first baseman, but that would leave Brian Hunter as the primary first baseman -- and he hit .140 against right-handed pitchers this year (the Yankees will start three of them). They could use Keith Lockhart against right-handers, but whatever they do, there's no way they'll be able to match the production that Darryl Strawberry and Chili Davis provide.
The Yankees bullpen is also slightly better, mainly because of closer Mariano Rivera, who is dominating in the regular season, nearly unhittable in the postseason. Braves closer John Rocker is a beauty, but he stumbled at the end of the NLCS, blowing one save, then nearly losing Game 6. He could, however, neutralize Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez and Strawberry in the middle of the order.
The Braves have better starting pitching. Maddux isn't the Maddux of '96, nor is Glavine the Glavine of old, but both are still pretty darned good. John Smoltz is throwing three-quarters, not overhand, but he hit 97 mph in relief in Game 6 -- and just because he got shelled in that game, don't believe for a second that he can't overpower hitters.
The Yankees haven't gotten a good look at Kevin Millwood, but when they do, they won't be happy with what they see: 95-mph fastball, hard slider and courage. The Yankees' rotation is the deepest in the league, but a lot depends on Roger Clemens. If he pitches like he did in Game 3 against Boston, the Bombers are in trouble. But Clemens signed with the Yankees to win a ring, and as erratic as he has been this year, you have to believe he's got one big start left.
The Yankees aren't the Yankees of 1998, but one thing they haven't lost is their ability to find ways to win. Whenever they needed a big hit against Boston, Derek Jeter or someone else got it. Whenver they needed to shut down a rally, Ramiro Mendoza or someone else did it. They've won 14 of their past 15 postseason games, a remarkable number considering the level of competition in October. This is their time of year. They know it. Everyone knows it.
But this is where the Braves have changed since 1996. "We believe in ourselves," says Otis Nixon. The belief comes from that great starting pitching, but also from the best bullpen that Atlanta has had this decade. The Braves have been, in years past, a little too stoic and unemotional, but that has changed. The energy and swagger of the maniacal Rocker helps. So does the fire of right fielder Brian Jordan, a football player. So does the improved infield defense, led by second baseman Bret Boone. The Braves looked very beatable in the series against the Mets, but they still won in six games just when it looked like they might collapse.
They won't fold against the Yankees. They won't be overwhelmed by Yankee Stadium or the Yankee mystique. They're just won't hit enough to beat the Bombers. Yankees in seven.
ESPN The Magazine's Tim Kurkjian writes a column each Thursday for ESPN.com. |  |
