Yankees eye World Series

Cautiously hopeful is perhaps the best way to describe the mood of New York Yankees fans, who are hoping the team can lock in a World Series spot and avoid a repeat of their 2004 nightmare.

The Yankees currently hold a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Championship series, with the tantalising prospect of a win securing a World Series showdown with either the LA Dodgers or, more likely, the Philly Phillies.

But Derek Jeter's Yankees remember well the pain of 2004, which saw the Boston Red Sox come from 3-0 down to win not only the Championship series but then the World Series.

The event formed part of the terrible American adaption of Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, 'The Perfect Catch', so the mental torment suffered by Yankees fans that year is matched only by those forced to endure Jimmy Fallon's acting.

But, as the New York Times points out (perhaps an organisation with a slight bias), the Yankees have enjoyed a 3-1 lead in the A.L.C.S five times - and have finished the job in five games on three occasions. Once it took six games. Just don't mention 2004.

Jeter is one of five Yankees still with the team after the nightmare and he will be hoping for the seventh World Series appearance of his career.

And if not, we can only pray Jimmy Fallon is forbidden from acting in any movie spawned by what would be a miraculous Angels comeback...

Full story