And the #1 reason the Yankees haven't won the World Series in five years ...

... Randy Johnson.

This analysis from the man who, according to the headline, is "New York's premier sports columnist."

I know Unit tanked in game three of the ALDS. It was terrible and it probably cost the Yankees a chance at the ALCS. But that was only one game in 2005. ARod and Unit can shoulder the blame for '05, but they can't be responsible for the whole $1 bill when they weren't even here.


Randy Johnson practically beat the Yankees all by himself in 2001, while pitching for Arizona. Johnson won three games in the World Series (3-0, 1.04 ERA). I think he even had an RBI single off of Andrew Eugene (0-2, 10.00 ERA) in game six.

(No, I just looked it up and my memory was wrong. The RBI single was off of Jay Witasick, not Andrew Eugene.)

So, yeah, I guess I have to agree with Lupica. Randy Johnson really is a major reason the Yankees haven't won the World Series since 2000.


Maybe "New York's premier sports columnist" also wonders why the Mets have spent $400 mill or so in the past five seasons and can barely get out of last place.

Nope:

"The idea that this is always going to be a Yankee town ignores the way things were 20 years ago, when it was the Mets who were on top and were the hottest ticket going.

...

Steinbrenner had the run of the town for a long time. He just broke records in attendance. That's not how he keeps score."

Whether you decide to keep score by attendance or by performance on the baseball field, the Yankees are beating the Mets by a wide margin.

Twenty years ago the Mets were on top? That's all you've got? Seriously?

Half the Yankee fans weren't even alive then. Does Lupica think all of these Yankee fans are just wistfully looking towards Shea, waiting for a chance to change their allegiances?

The entire premise doesn't even make sense. Was Steinbrenner hurt somehow in 2000 when the Mets played the Yankees in the World Series? Or did Steinbrenner profit immensely?


The Yankees just broke that all-time American League attendance record and have a new Yankee Stadium on the way. No matter how crazy or illogical you think Steinbrenner is, the guy is making boucoup cash.

Damn right that's how Steinbrenner keeps score. That, and the size of his wife's jugs. What else matters?

How's Wilpon keeping score? On lonely nights, does he pop the the grainy Mookie grounder into the Betamax and hope his $100 mill team can play .500?