The Yankees are in! Postseason baseball returns to the Bronx for the first time since 2012. It's been a hell of a roller coaster since then, as the Yanks said goodbye to some iconic players. Mariano Rivera in 2013 and Derek Jeter in 2014. They almost said goodbye to Alex Rodriguez for good both years but in 2015 he found the fountain of youth and became a clutch everyday 30 home run hitter. Now with a new group of players, the Bombers find their way to Tuesday night's Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium.

This team by NOOO means is going into the Postseason with any momentum or anything that makes you believe they will get far this October. They finished 3 games behind where I thought they would.  But I did predict the Yanks would get into October by making the Wild Card. I wasn't too off with my other predictions on how our main players would finish.

THIS Yankee team that takes the field on Tuesday will have more question marks going into that ONE game than it did going into the season. How does Masahiro Tanaka pitch with the season on the line? Who starts at second base? Who's Joe Girardi bringing into the game from the bullpen? How can Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury get out of their second half funk? How much more does Alex Rodriguez have left in the tank? There's more but you get the point. I'm really worried about this team and I'm afraid I know what fate awaits us on Tuesday night.

The Yanks will play the Houston Astros to determine who goes on to play the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals in the ALDS. It was the one team I didn't want them to face because of their ace Dallas Keuchel. He's shut the Yankees down everytime he's face them and he neutralizes the lefty bats in the lineup, especially at Yankee Stadium, something we don't need in this sudden death situation. Any lefty getting thrown at the Yankees will be successful. Girardi has admitted such this past week.

To be honest, ANYONE taking the mound would've been successful against the Yanks this past week. A week that saw them go 1-6 needing to win only TWO games to clinch the Wild Card and Home Field Advantage in that sudden death game. A week that saw Girardi make some of the most baffling moves of his tenure here in the Bronx. That is what scares me as a fan.

Now to the positive. Last year saw BOTH Wild Card winners catch fire and go to the World Series. There's not reason to think the Yankees can't do the same. The One Game Playoff has proven to be the momentum swing that every team looks for come this time of the year. Tanaka gets the ball and I believe he can be the $175 million ace. I believe the bats of A-Rod, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran still have a little magic left in them. I believe that Girardi can bring in Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller in the late innings and secure a victory. I've seen it so many times this year. Why not again Tuesday night to an Astros team that is young, inexperienced in a big stage and is worn down. It can happen.

The 2000 Yankees stumbled into the Postseason losing 15 of their last 18 games and they went on to win the World Series for the 3rd year in a row. Not saying we're winning the World Series.....yet, but I am saying anything can happen to change the misfortunes of the present and turn them into a steamrolling truck all the way to the end. I'm just happy we have Postseason baseball back in the Bronx. It belongs here.

Prediction: Yankees lose due lack of urgency in the lineup and they're not able to get the "big hit" when they need it. It'll be close, but after 2-3 missed opportunities, it's time to pack up and head home.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Dellin Betances, Derek Jeter, Houston Astros, Joe Girardi, Justin Wilson, Mariano Rivera, New Yankee Stadium, QUITE FRANKLY

The Yankees can hit with runners in scoring position. Well, during their current 4 game winning streak they are. Better at bats have resulted in better results. Those results are finishing a homestand 4-2 after dropping the first two to the not so lowly Astros.

In the process the Yankees have gained ground for that second Wild Card spot and currently sit 3 games out with 3 games against the Tigers coming this week. I asked ESPN NY's Ryan Ruocco and Don LaGreca for their thoughts on this run.

 

I couldn't agree more with both. In Ryan's case, I can relate because I have had this love-hate relationship with this team all season, more so in the last month since Tanaka went down with his elbow injury. In LaGreca's response, he's absolutely right. The Yanks have a huge week coming up. They have a makeup game against the red-hot Kansas City Royals on Monday and then have 3 against the Detriot Tigers, the team in front of them in the Wild Card standings.

My thoughts are, if the Yanks can go at LEAST 4-3 next week and gain a game or two in the Wild Card, then that makes Masahiro Tanaka's return must see tv. He might be the last shot of adrenaline this team needs going down the stretch.

Brian McCann hit a HUGE 3-run walkoff homerun on Sunday to complete the sweep of the Chicago White Sox. He looked pumped going around the bases. Hopefully this is the wakeup call for his underachieving season. Martin Prado has been hot his last 10 games, maybe he continues his tear and it infects the rest of the lineup. Ichiro had a clutch 2 run single on Sunday to give the Yankees the lead in the 6th, maybe that gets him going. Brett Gardner, the Yankees most consistent hitter all year has been quiet lately, can he get things going again? He missed Sunday's game after fouling a ball off his ankle Saturday. He's going to be a key component going down the stretch, the Yanks need him healthy and back to be the backbone of the lineup.

There's still a lot of questions left for this team with 34 games left to go. But none, at this moment are bigger than these next 7. The Yanks are going to face James Shields, Rick Porcello, David Price and Justin Verlander this week. Another run of CY Young caliber pitchers. That's another test for the Bombers, the question is, will be the last? or will it be just another obstacle on the way to October baseball? The only thing known for now, is that the Yankees are going into one of the must crucial weeks of the season with a lot of momentum on their side. Good vibes in the Bronx right now, lets hope they return to the Bronx with them.

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Tags: Brett Gardner, Brian McCann, Detriot Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees

The Yankees were hitting .136 (8-for-59) with runners in scoring position in their previous nine games, seven of which they lost.

They didn't need to worry about that today as Brandon McCarthy pitched a complete game shutout against the Astros. The Yankees avoid the three game sweep and gain ground on the Tigers for the second wild card spot.


The Yankees have not scored more than 4 runs in the last 10 games. That's still VERY worrisome for me. Until I see a spark of offense from this team, I'm not sold on them making it to the playoffs. Nice 3-0 win today at the Stadium, but can't help to think how much better it would have been had the Yanks done their job and win the first 2 games of the series. For now...it's just a win in a disappointing season.

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Tags: Brandon McCarthy, Houston Astros, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

Joe Girardi felt it, the Yankee offense felt it. Michael Pineda didn't for 6 innings, but much like this latest stretch, he fell victim of the Yankees desperation.

Girardi ran Pineda out for the 7th inning in a game he HAD to win. He couldn't use his late inning weapons of Dellin Betances and David Robertson. Who by the way, also have faltered in the crucial of times in the last week. Pineda reached his pitch limit through 6 innings but Girardi so desperate for a win, ran him out there for the 7th. I immediately thought back to Betances in Baltimore last week. Betances was lights out through 2 innings of relief but Giradi pushed the envelope and tried to get a 3rd straight flawless inning. He was playing with fire...he got burned. Betances served up a game tying home run and the Yanks lost a game they desperately needed. Tonight, Pineda walked the only man he faced in the 7th. That run came around to score the tying run. The walk also was the beginning of a four run 7th inning for the Astros and gave them a 5-2 lead.

The Yankees never recovered. They never recovered because they can't hit with runners in scoring position. That's it. There's nothing else to look at, second guess, or judge. The Yankee offense is TERRIBLE. A day after going 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position, they go 1 for 8 and left 10 men on base tonight. The fact that this team can't hit with men on base is baffling. It's frustrating, it BS, it's pathetic. At this point..it doesn't matter anymore. The Yankees are trying to get themselves to a 1-game playoff that they will go in the underdog, no matter who's on the other side. That's because, this team can't hit. If they can't beat the Astros, what makes you think they beat a playoff ready team in a winner take all game? What happens in that game, when the game is on the line and there's runners on base? If the Yankees are tensing up now, what happens when the SEASON is on the line? Nothing...that's the answer. Count down to Sept. 7th, because Derek Jeter Day at Yankee Stadium will be the only special moment for the rest of the season. Such a shame....the Captain deserves better than that.

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Tags: Derek Jeter, Houston Astros, Joe Girardi, Michael Pineda, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

Sometimes people need to think before they open their mouths. I wasn't going to mention this but it's such an ignorant opinion I feel the need to address it.

This past week Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt was very critical of Alex Rodriguez in part due to his admission of using steroids. Ok, so were alot of people. Here's what Oswalt said:

"A-Rod's numbers shouldn't count for anything," Oswalt said in a phone interview with MLB.com. "I feel like he cheated me out of the game."

Did Oswalt forget his Astros were led to the 2005 World Series by Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens? Two men who were using performance enhancing drugs combined for about 30 wins that season. Come on, are you serious Roy?

"It does bother me," Oswalt said. "Especially for the guys that went out there and did it on talent. We're always going to have a cloud on us, and that's not fair at all.

"The ones that have come out and admitted it, and are proven guilty, [their numbers] should not count. I've been cheated out of the game," Oswalt continued. "This is my ninth year, and I've done nothing to enhance my performance, other than work my butt off to get guys out. These guys [who took PEDs] have all the talent in the world. All-Star talent. And they put times two on it.

"I'm going out there with the ability God gave me. They have that ability, too, and they're putting something on top of it."

While with the Rangers, Rodriguez was 3-for-5 against Oswalt with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs and two walks. Last year, as a Yankee, Rodriguez was hitless in two at-bats against Oswalt.

"The few times we played them, when he got hits, it could have cost me a game," Oswalt said. "It could have cost me money in my contract. He cheated me out of the game and I take it personally, because I've never done [PEDs], haven't done it, and they're cheating me out of the game."

Did I fail to mention that Oswalt's Astro teammate Miguel Tejada is going to court because he lied to Congress about PED's? Oh, I think Roy forgot that too. This is an example of when a player should just keep his mouth closed and just play the game. While I understand his logic behind his rant, it's not justified because that 2005 team won because of the use of HGH and in Clemen's case, "steroids" (which has still been unproven but given the evidence against Clemens in his case against Congress, it appears to be a given Roger took PED's).

Unbelievable. It's time people stop worrying about the steroid scandal and start worrying about the upcoming season, sorry Roy but you just made yourself look bad here. Nice try, better luck next time.


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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Houston Astros, Miguel Tejada, Roy Oswalt