Torre advances to NLCS

A few minutes ago, Jonathan Broxton struck out Alfonso Soriano on a ball in the dirt (I miss Soriano flailing at balls off the plate for the Yankees, I really do) to finish off the Cubs in three games.

As a result, Joe Torre advances to an LCS for the first time since 2004 while the Yankees sit at home this October. There is no cause and effect, really, but it is an interesting situation to ponder.

Would the Yankees have reached the playoffs this season with Torre at the helm? I'm not too sure. It was clear that this team was flawed, what with the pitching question marks and too much money tied into aging players. It was only a matter of time before they would miss the playoffs. The fact that there was a managerial change is just a coincidence in my book.

A Stadium is worth a thousand memories

Tomorrow is the day that's been circled on all of our calendars since the tentative schedule came out last off-season: the last regular season game in Yankee Stadium history.

It's an emotional day, sure, but it also signals the beginning of a new era of Yankees baseball. The dynasty years are long gone and the "very good" teams have become a memory as well. This team will miss the playoffs for the first time since clinching the wild-card in 1995. It's almost fitting that this current run is going down with the Stadium.

But let's forget about the way the team played this season. It's time to remember all of the good times we've had in this building: the thrilling regular season games, the countless postseason games, the great individual performances witnessed. We all have our stories and memories. I can remember the upper deck shaking after Alfonso Soriano's walk-off home run in Game 4 of the 2001 ALCS. I can also remember my first time in the building in 1997.

Hopefully Andy Pettitte will pitch eight shutout innings and Mariano Rivera will close out a victory. Hopefully Derek Jeter goes 3-for-3 and makes one of his "Jeterian" defensive plays.

It's sad that the Stadium has to go, but it has seen better days. It's time for the sun to shine on the new Stadium now.

Thanks for the memories, Yankee Stadium.

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)