Craig the Bastard
Prime Time Player
Reged: 01/22/05
Posts: 870
Loc: Las Vegas Re: The 2005 Co-Sox? [Re: pravata]
#34512 - 10/03/05 01:44 PM (68.104.87.6) Edit Reply Quote Quick Reply
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(emailed to Madden and the news desk)
Dear Mr. Madden,
I realize that the only time New Yorkers think of the Houston Astros is when you're making up rumors about a trade for Roger Clemens. Or when we no-hit the Yankees. Or when the Mets sign away our free agent outfielder and catapult into the playoffs.
And I also understand why New Yorkers would be upset about the Red Sox naming themselves co-champions of the division. Because the exact same thing happened to the Astros in 2001, but not as you described it.
You wrote today: "At game's end, the Green Monster scoreboard minions had dutifully moved "Boston" on top of "New York" in the final AL East standings. That's what the Houston Astros did in 2001 when they were the wild card to the National League Central champion St. Louis Cardinals, a gesture that to this day still rankles Cards manager Tony La Russa."
Now, as an Astros fan, I already know this is total BS. The ASTROS won the NL Central in 2001. But just to be sure, here's a story from MLB.com that explains it:
The Link
Here's a quote: "The two teams finished the season at 93-69, but the Astros won the season series 9-7 and therefore are the division champions while the Cardinals are the Wild Card team."
The ASTROS were the 2001 NL Central champs, and the Co-ardinals named themselves Co-champs. (And the Co-Ardinals' move was supported and encouraged by the MLB marketing geniuses, I might add.) Imagine the Astros' surprise when they got to Busch the next year and saw the "Co-Champions" banner. A sight Yankee fans will now get to enjoy in perpetuity at Fenway.
Still, maybe I'm missing something here. I mean, I'm just some hayseed Astros fan who knows how to use the internet. So I used my extensive Google skills (searched for "2001 NL Central co-champions") and verified in 1.71 seconds that yes, in fact, the Co-Ardinals were actually the 2001 NL Wildcard.
So I'd love to hear how that fact "to this day still rankles Cards manager Tony La Russa."
Maybe you could call and ask him about it. You must have misunderstood him the first time.
- Craig xxxxx
Las Vegas, NV
