WHAT IF...Jeffrey Maier didn't save the Yankees?

Congrats to the New York Yankees. 27th Title in their 40th World Series appearance. Sure its easy...alright a tradition...to institutionally hate the organization if you're outside the greater NYC metropolitan region. But give them credit, as to any champion, they had to actually win it. Money doesn't buy titles, but it sure helps.

Anyway, the team's first title since that great late 1990s run with 4 titles in 5 years. Unless I'm wrong, only four roster members from that era are on the '09 squad: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettite, and Jorge Posada. I guess I could incluide Joe Girardi, for he played on those teams, but won this one as the manager. This is their long-awaited Thumb Ring.

Of course this dynasty started in 1996, but could it have ended before it began?

You all might remember Jeffrey Maier: Sweet charming 12 year old kid who lived a boy's dream by getting to attend Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS between bitter division rivals Yanks and Baltimore Orioles. At the fence no less. By end of the game, everyone in the country knew his name. Bottom of the eigth, Yanks down by a run and Jeter hits a long ball that didn't have enough muster to clear the fence.

Without thinking about it, and doing as many a fan would and have done, Maier with his glove reached overcaught the ball. But its obvious that if he hadn't intefered, it wouldn't have been a home run. Maybe single, double? The right call should have been a ground rule double, but in a great controversy the umpire (and upheld by the staff) ruled Home Run. The game would go into extra-innings, Yanks win.

Now if the right call had been made, or the kid didn't stick his glove out, not a great deal of change would have differed immediately as a result. Remember the Orioles win Game 2, but get their asses kicked in the next three, Yanks win series 4-1.

Yet exactly that is why this serves as the final baseball WHAT IF for 2009. This decade is bookended with Yankees as World Champions. Suppose without that "save," the Yanks go on to lose Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS. Baltimore then wins Game 2, and Yanks are down two games. Could they have come back? Sure, hell thats what they did to the favored-Atlanta Braves in the World Series that year.

Or not? There's something to be said about momentum. Look at all those goofy Cubs fans who (and some still) blame Steve Bartman for the 2003 NLCS debacle in Chicago. Nevermind they dropped the ball to a good Marlins squad, but whatever.

As for Maier, he became a local hero. Got the key to NYC from Mayor Guilliani, went on several talk shows, and well not everyone gets to join Yankee legendary anecdotes like Babe Ruth's called home run, Lou Gehrig's farewell address, Mr. October, Mickey Mantle's whore/drinkmongering, George Steinbrenner going to prison, etc. Later became a baseball prospect, and trying to make a career in a MLB front office.

Next time, probably football or basketball. Unless someone gives me a good hockey suggestion. Asides from the obvious year gap some time back.

As the final results of that series show, the '96 Yankees were vastly superior to the Orioles. The better team won the series (and the World Series).

Of course, with the advent of instant replay, many of these issues - that is to say, bad calls - are being minimized, at least for HR calls.

The Maier call by umpire Rich Garcia was terrible. Jeter should have been called out for fan interference, and the Orioles probably would have won that game. It's very speculative to think they would have won that series.

I always believed that Garcia knew that there was interference, but didn't have the guts to make an uncommon call against the home team.

I don't think anyone, even Yankee fans (well, thinking fans anyways) would dispute the argument that it was a bad call. The issue I have is the idea that the Orioles would/could have taken the series based upon one call. I don't buy that at all.

Then don't.

I only bring it up for fun, a anecdotal bookend with the 2009 championship.

Maybe I should have used the no-Leyritz homerun story instead?

Oh wait, he went DUI and killed someone. Nevermind.

The point is that Jeffrey Maier interfered, but regardless, was pretty irrelevant to the outcome of the series.