It’s come to this for the New York Yankees: Down 3-0 to the Houston Astros in the ALCS, they’ve turned to an old nemesis and one of the biggest disasters in team history for inspiration.
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported Sunday that the Yankees have sent highlight videos of the 2004 ALCS to their players. That’s right, that’s the ALCS where the Yankees blew a 3-0 lead as their archrival Boston Red Sox won four straight.
That’s the only time in MLB postseason history a team has overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series. That’s the almost impossible goal the Yankees hope to accomplish against the Astros. The two teams are scheduled to meet in Game 4 Sunday night, although the start time has been delayed by weather.
Chad Bohling, the Yankees’ mental skills coach, sent the highlights around to players. The team even set up a video chat with David Ortiz, star of that 2004 Red Sox team.
Many fans questioned this strategy.
“We’ve lost 4 straight in the ALCS before, we can do it again,” tweeted one fan.
The Yankees should have considered sending some additional, more recent motivational highlights to their players. The Astros blew a 3-0 lead in the 2020 ALCS, allowing the Tampa Bay Rays to tie the series before Houston rallied to win Game 7.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.