The Yankees Will Win The AL East
COLIN LINNEWEBER
Big City Bias Without The Boston Bullshit
The New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 12-4 Monday night in the Bronx to extend their home winning streak to 8 games.
Despite the inane and inexplicable rush by many to discard the 2008 Yankees from playoff contention in the month of July, the Bombers stand a measly 2 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the loss column and they trail the first-place Tampa Bay Rays by a skimpy 4.5 games.
The notion that the Yankees (54-45) are done is simply comedic and it illustrates the way the team is covered by both the media and fans alike.
The Red Sox (57-43) have won 2 championships in 90 years and they have captured one AL East crown since the 1996 season. Still, many observers and delusional Sox fans act like another divisional title is a foregone conclusion.
In regard to the Rays (58-40), the have had an impressive campaign to date and they deserve great applause for the character and skill they have shown as a team throughout this season. Nevertheless, the Rays will eventually fold like one of Frank Costanza’s cheap suits down the stretch and their demise will leave the opening that the Yankees need to lengthen their run to the post-season to a startling fourteen-consecutive years.
Like Earnest Hemingway wrote in his iconic 1952 novel The Old Man and the Sea, “Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.”
Followers of the sport of baseball should brush-up on Hemingway’s classic. After all, most have expressed little faith in the Yankees and they should.
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I understand the Yankees are playing good baseball right now. But how can you make this proclamation AFTER hearing Posada may be out for the year? And what indications do you have that Tampa Bay is ready to fold? I think they’re in it for the long haul. The Red Sox have a better pitching staff and I think they will still win that division. New York is a streaky team. They’re doing well right now, but I think they’ll fall back a few notches in the next week or so. That said, if they make the playoffs it will be as a wild card.
I genuinely like Molina….I do…
Rays will fold….Call it a hunch…But, I will be right…That team is some skill….But, mostly smoke and mirrors….
When the Yanks get the best pitcher in baseball since 2005 back in 6 weeks, Chien Ming Wang, they will have a better starting rotation than the Sox-CASE CLOSED….
Wang…Chamberlain…Pettite…Mussina…Ponson….
They all (except Wang 8-2 4.09 ERA) have ERA’s under 4.00 as staters…
Gebuinely, I can’t fathom that there in another rotation that can boast that stat in the sport…
Do you realize that
PONSON!!?
Colin, please renew your prescription. You are getting dangerously close to total mental collapse now.
How about no Posada, Damon or Matsui down the stretch? What, are Melky, Giambi and the artist formerly known as Bobby Abreu gonna carry them?
Like Scott said, they are extremely streaky and have been beating up on some mediocre opponents. We’ll see how they do this weekend at Fenway, and in September, when those brittle old bodies start breaking down like a ‘72 Pinto.
They have won four in a row against two teams (A’s and Twins) that are in the thick of the wild caard race…Mediocre? Not according to the standings…
While I agree that the Yankees have beaten up good teams since the AS Break, it should be noted that the A’s basically sold their chances away the last few weeks and basically have said, “we don;t think we can make the playoffs this year, so we’re not going to try,” and the Twins are one of those teams that’s tough to put a finger on. I think Liriano could be a big addition for them if they bring him back up. Which they should…