Season Finale

Tomorrow is the last day of the regular season.  In my years of watching baseball, I can't recall too many season-endings as interesting as this year's.  Both the Red Sox and Rays are tied for the AL Wild Card, while the Braves and the Cardinals are tied for the NL Wild Card.  This has the potential to result in single game elimination games to play into the playoffs. This also has the potential to complete the biggest collapse in MLB history, thanks to the Red Sox.  Also, the Cardinals have been as much as 9 1/2 games out of the Wild Card this season, so just the fact that they came back to share the lead with Atlanta is remarkable.  There is a good deal of suspense leading into tomorrow to say the absolute least...

Pennant Race

As the season comes to a close, the Yankees begin a series with the Rays who are trying to take advantage of an epic Red Sox collapse and win the Wild Card.  As a Yankee fan, do you necessarily want the Yankees to lose to the Rays allowing them the chance to make the playoffs over the Red Sox?  I know the hatred for the Red Sox would have most Yankees fans saying yes, as I would definitely love to see the Red Sox have the biggest September collapse in MLB history. However, if the Red Sox were to advance, they would barely be stumbling into the playoffs. With their rotation in flux, it would hard to see them advancing past the first round, regardless of their offensive talent.  Putting my feelings aside, I'd rather have the Red Sox win the wild card, as I see the Rays as a bigger threat in the post season the way they are playing right now. Just a thought...

Reflecting on #601

Yesterday in Toronto facing the Blue Jays, Mariano Rivera recorded his 601st career save, tying Trevor Hoffman for the record of most career saves.  It's hard to over estimate the impact he has had on the Yankee dynasty.  He is without dispute the best closer to have played in the MLB.  He has maintained his status as a top tier closer in MLB regardless of his age. Who knows if the Yankees would have one their recent World Series titles without him closing out the late innings.  Unlike many "elite" closers who fold in the playoffs, Mariano has been almost perfect in the post season.  It's coming time to think about life after Mariano Rivera in New York though.  We will never have another, but it's time to start thinking about who will take over the throne.

Playoff Concerns

If the Yankees are going to make a serious run in the playoffs this season, their offense will have to step up.  The way things are shaping up as of now, the Yankees will most likely face the Rangers in the first round.  They battled the Rangers in last year's ALCS for 6 games, having to face Cliff Lee. This year they don't have to worry about that. But in last year's ALCS, Texas outscored New York 38-19.

Texas has some big bats, but so do the Yankees. Their big names that have slumped in recent post seasons, i.e. Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, will have to do the job this year if they expect to continue past the first round.  Going into this season, pitching seemed to be the big question mark for the Yankees.  Now you know what to expect from the rotation.  It is the lineup that has seen its share of cold streaks, and it would not be timely to incur one in the post season.