Do we only play a "but for a couple of inches" game with one team?
Or the "this unexpected injury really hurt their chances" game?
We are getting sidetracked by "I told you so's," and hard feelings from crowing (real or imagined). I think everyone here is more or less in agreement that this year the Red Sox were better than the Yankees. They played better during the regular season, they played better head-to-head during the regular season and they played better in the playoffs.
And, as
@crow216 and
@terrynever point out, there was something lacking in this Yankees team all year compared to the previous season -- yes, an intangible, whether it be a killer instinct, resilience or what have you. We can all sit here and debate what that was--Boone vs. Girardi, etc.--but both Sox and Yankees fans can agree it was there.
I think we can also all agree that this Yankee team won't need much to be a lot better -- certainly adding another top line starting pitcher would help.
Based on what I saw in this series but also over the course of the regular season, offensively the Yankees' explosiveness masked that they seem a little one-dimensional -- if they aren't hitting the ball out of the ballpark, they don't seem to be scoring many runs. They probably could use a guy or two in the lineup who does more than clobber baseballs. Gregorius (who had a good series) appears to be one guy. Is there someone else? Is McCutchen that guy once he settles down? Is Hicks that guy when healthy? Or is there someone else they should be targeting?
As a Red Sox fan, if there is one thing I expect from the Yankees it is that they do not sit tight after losing. I expect them to make some big/biggish moves this offseason.