NEW YORK -- Four hours after they were eliminated by the Detroit Tigers, the New York Yankees pulled up to Yankee Stadium in three buses late Saturday night, greeted by fewer than a dozen fans.
"I don't think we've even comprehended what's just happened in
the last few hours."
Yankees infielder Andy Phillips
With as many police as supporters on hand, most of the players quickly went to their cars and drove away. Manager Joe Torre could be seen, along with Mariano Rivera, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, Mike Mussina and Mike Myers.
Backup infielder Andy Phillips was the only player who talked with reporters.
"I don't think we've even comprehended what's just happened in the last few hours, much less to think about what's ahead," Phillips said. "I think it's kind of the usual emotion that you would expect: guys frustrated and disappointed."
With an 8-3 loss at Detroit, the $200 million Yankees lost their first-round AL playoff series 3-1. They have not won the World Series since 2000 and haven't reached it since 2003.
New York, with one of the most imposing lineups in baseball history, won Tuesday's opener 8-4 at Yankee Stadium, then led 3-1 in the second game only to lose 4-3. When the series shifted to Detroit, they were beaten 6-0 on Friday night.
"I don't know if stunned is the right word, because you're playing a great team," Phillips said. "You're disappointed in the fact that the result wasn't better. We just couldn't get anything going in those two games.
"They threw the ball well. They were aggressive and they attacked us. They were certainly the aggressors, and it worked in their favor."