The Overreaction Of The Day

After losing game five last night in Anaheim Newsday's Wallace Matthews is already writing out this year's epic collapse that hasn't even happened yet. He also is claiming that if they were to lose to the Angels it would be worse than the 2004 collapse, which is ridiculous.

Thursday, the Yankees were one victory away from a triumphant return to the World Series.

Now they are two losses removed from the worst postseason collapse in their history.

Yes, this would be worse than coughing up a 3-0 lead to the Red Sox in 2004.

And trust me, it could happen a lot easier than you think.

Last night's 7-6 loss to the Angels - who suddenly seem to have remembered that their strategy of creating havoc on the basepaths works only if they actually get on base - did more than cut the Yankees' lead in the ALCS to 3-2.

It also raises the specter of another catastrophic failure, but for this one, there would be no excuse or any consolation. You see, these Angels are not nearly as good as the 2004 Red Sox. And these Yankees are a lot better than the 2004 Yankees. At least, they're supposed to be.

He then goes on and explains just how hard it could be for the Yanks to close out the Angels. And finished by reinforcing his point that if they were to blow this it would be worse than 2004.

I don't think they're going to blow this, the stadium will be rocking Saturday, they'll be fine. But I'll say it again, even if they did end up losing there is no way it would be as bad as '04. Not even close. These aren't the Red Sox, there's no 3-0 lead, and this isn't the curse. It would be a terrible loss, but not '04 ALCS terrible.