August 9, 2007

The Great Yankee Choke of 1988

American League standings:

After games of June 13, 1988
            W   L    GB
Yankees 39 21 -
Cleveland 37 25 3.0
Tigers 36 24 3.0
Brewers 32 30 8.0
Red Sox 28 30 10.0
Blue Jays 29 34 11.5
Orioles 16 45 23.5
After games of August 3, 1988
            W   L    GB
Red Sox 62 43 -
Tigers 62 43 -
Yankees 60 44 1.5
Brewers 54 54 9.5
Blue Jays 53 55 10.5
Cleveland 52 55 11.0
Orioles 34 71 28.0
After games of September 18, 1988
            W   L    GB
Red Sox 85 64 -
Brewers 80 71 6.0
Tigers 79 70 6.0
Yankees 78 70 6.5
Blue Jays 77 73 8.5
Cleveland 71 78 14.0
Orioles 52 95 32.0
In roughly three months, the Yankees choked away a 10-game lead over the Red Sox and actually fell 6.5 games behind Boston -- a swing of 16.5 games in the standings.

The Red Sox went on to win the division, while New York finished in 5th place, 3.5 GB.

7 comments:

CaKeY said...

So you're saying "if it can happen to them, it can happen to us this year"?

;)

allan said...

This is to counter their 1978 silliness, if you happen to make a mistake and find yourself in a conversation with one of them.

laura k said...

Thanks for the history lesson. (I remember it, too.)

Great post.

s1c said...

On Weei right now, Francona sucks, because the Red Sox are not playing with any urgency. The caller is complaining about Coco getting the night off on Wed., and Tavarez coming in on Tue.. To quote the caller - "he's managing like he has a 14 game lead with 15 left".

2004 means nothing to these people.

allan said...

I could never listen to that shit for even 5 seconds. I know people do and enjoy it -- some tune in because the idiots are amusing.

I don't get it. Same thing about fact-adverse conservatives on the radio/tv/real life. Can't stand 'em at all.

Jim said...

I think I've figured out why talk radio is so popular these days. Commerical radio is just one long, well, commercial. Even when the commercial breaks are finished, the announcers patter in on-air promos at every opportunity. The callers are the only people not trying to sell you something. Buried deeply in every listener is this slowly flickering ember of DNA that does not want to be sold something. Even idiots keep it glowing for awhile.

laura k said...

On Weei right now, Francona sucks, because the Red Sox are not playing with any urgency.

Idiots. When we win the division - and more - they don't deserve to celebrate.