WHY THE YANKEES ARE A STATE OF MIND

The past 20 hours have been quite insane. When I watched the Yankees lose to the Tampa Bay Rays and saw the Red Sox’s Carl Crawford miss a liner and Jonathan Papelbon walk off the field, it may have been the greatest feeling of my life since the worst feeling of my life, that 2004 collapse of the Yankees when the Red Sox won 4 in a row. I still don’t know how that happened there. I just remember this… the Red Sox fans made every single one of us Yankee fans feel like shit and when I think about it, I still get pissed. Now, the payback is sweeter. I don’t hate 1 Red Sox fan. I hate the franchise and love my Yankees beating them, and if that means they don't make the playoffs, that's terrific... plain and simple.(Photo: Getty)
Then I got to thinking about last night’s Yankee game, you know the one where Joe Girardi single-handedly lost the game being cute using every pitcher we had, I realized that you can’t even blame Scott Proctor for that loss last night. He was throwing around 60 pitches at that point where Evan Longoria homered. You have to expect a homer to happen eventually. Even though that game didn’t matter to the Yankees, I thought about something interesting. If the Yankees were playing the Red Sox last night but were in the same position, meaning that they had already clinched, and already had the best record in the AL, would we have played the same way? Would Girardi had used all his pitchers the way he did? No. Would Mariano Rivera had come in to try and shut down the Sox? Yes. If last night we played the Red Sox, it would have been a must win.

It goes back to my theory, winning every ballgame counts. Look, the Yankees and Red Sox don’t mix, they’ve never mixed and trust me, if Dan Johnson was David Ortiz last night, the Yankees would have brought in the top closer in the world to shut him down.
(Photo: Getty)
You know me. I hate to lose and in my opinion, walking into a playoff against a potential Cy Young winner like Justin Verlander scares the everliving shit out of me. Why? Because we’re riding a 4 game losing streak. Now, the ALDS is a whole new season, this is true. Do I have faith in CC Monster and my Yankees? Yes, but losing is easy to do and once you do it a few times, it becomes easier and easier and all I’m saying is our Yankees need to and will have to turn it around tomorrow. We need to set the tone.

Luckily for us, this Yankee team is loose. This Yankee team forgot about last night, because, let’s face it, it was more of a celebration of the Red Sox being out of it than the Rays winning the Wild Card. Today is a workout day, tonight, a light dinner, talk alittle strategy, early bed of an early rise and my Yankees will be ready to go. They’re over it so I’m over it... I’m ready to see my Yankees do damage.

I wrote a piece simply titled WHY THE YANKEES WILL LOSE ALDS WITHOUT MOMENTUM. I was sick of losing the last few games of the season and was shooting from the hip. Luckily, you die-hards talked me off the ledge. @jenjeter2211 said it best. “Casey, we have momentum… home field, CC, Nova, Freddy... Jeter, Grandy."
She’s right. We DO have CC and the others. The Yankees CAN make their own momentum. Yankee Stadium during the playoffs is the best place in the world. We have the best fans in the world and the Yankees know that. They feed off that, they feed off each other. Can we win this ALDS? Yes, damn straight! Will it be tough? Yes, but there is one phrase that I forgot about in my 48 hours nervous insanity... “One game at the time.” We can do this, we WILL do this and we will advance… Why? Because we’re the God damn New York Yankees, that's why.

A few quick notes: Alex Rodriguez will be in the lineup tomorrow night for the start of the ALDS. Read about ARod HERE.

Jesus Montero’s X-Rays have come back negative and he’ll be ready to play. Read about it HERE.

Freddy Garcia will be the #3 starter in the ALDS behind CC Monster #1 and Ivan Nova #2.
The Yankees won 97 games this season. That’s no fluke, that’s not luck... that’s solid offense and solid pitching… and we were worried about our rotation all season...remember?

Get Ready Ladies & Gentlemen… here come our New York Yankees…Quest for 28 coming up!

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WHY THIS YANKEES LOSS TO RAYS MAKES HISTORY

OK, it was the final game of the season, Game 162. Everything has been wrapped up, the American League East, and the home field advantage throughout the American League Playoffs. Now, I know Casey doesn't like these losses, but I'm fine with it. You can read his take of Tuesday's loss in WHY THE YANKEES WILL LOSE ALDS WITHOUT MOMENTUM.

If the Rays won this game and the Red Sox lost their game against the Orioles the Red Sox would have blown a nine, yes NINE, game September lead and miss the playoffs. That has never happened in the history of this great game. And you know what? It happened, it really happened!
Anyway, onto the Yankee game. Although most have probably forgotten by now, Yankee pitching prospect Dellin Betances started this game. After shitting the bed last week against the Rays, Dellin got a second chance. Although he looked shaky at times, he was able to pitch out of his own mistakes. Betances pitched 2 shutout innings, allowing one hit on two walks and two strikeouts. He didn't throw a first pitch strike to any of the nine batters he faced, as he clearly didn't have his best control. But he got through it, and it was against a desperate Rays team. Awesome.
(Photo: AP)
The Yanks wound up taking a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning in this one. Mark Teixeira hit two homers, one a Grand Slam, his 38th and 39th of the year. He was batting third against the lefty David Price for the Rays--who went four innings allowing five earned for Tampa--so it looks like Tex will bat fifth against righties and third against lefties in the playoffs after hitting third on Tuesday against the righty Jeremy Hellickson. The Yanks also scored an un-earned run in the first, and Andruw Jones hit a solo shot in the fifth.By the time the Yanks got their 7-0 lead, Joe Girardi got cute with his bullpen. I tell you, it's that stupid binder he has. Casey wrote about it last night.... I know he was flipping out, Read WHY I'M NO FAN OF A LACKADAISCAL GIRARDI. Girardi used 11, ELEVEN, pitchers in this game. The list includes Betances of course, George Kontos, Phil Hughes--for one inning--AJ Burnett--for one batter--Andrew Brackman, and Scott Proctor--among others--who allowed the game winning homer to Evan Longoria in the 12th inning, his second homer of the game.(Photo: AP)
Boone Logan and Luis Ayala each allowed three runs in the Tampa six run 8th inning, before Cory Wade allowed a two out, solo home run to Dan Johnson to tie the game at seven in the bottom of the ninth. Folks, if these last two games of the regular season meant something, I'd be beyond devastated. The Tampa Bay Rays now win the AL Wild Card with the help of Robert Andino and the Baltimore Orioles beating the Red Sox. The almighty Red Sox miss the playoffs while blowing a nine, NINE, game September lead. Did I mention that's NEVER happened in the history of the game? Sweetness.

Final Score- Rays 8 - Yankees 7 in 12 innings

OK, enough about the Rays comeback and the Red Sox choke. I'm sorry, but I'm still pumped from this happening. I jumped out of my seat for joy when the Sox lost. Anyway, the Tigers won and so did the Rangers, so the Yankees will play the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. The Chase for 28 starts Friday.

It's a rematch of the Opening Day pitching match up, but with MUCH bigger ramifications. CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.00) goes against the almighty, no doubt Cy Young winner, possible MVP winner, and pitching Triple Crown winner, Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250 K's) Friday night at the Stadium. Let's Go YANKEES!




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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WHY ANY KIND OF BASEBALL IS FUN

(Photo: Lem Allen)

Recently I took my family to a Short-Season, NY-Penn league between the Hudson Valley Renegades (Rays) and the Vermont Lake Monsters (Athletics). It really brought me back to why I love this game. First off, Dutchess Stadium may be no frills, but it's a wonderful place to see a ballgame. There are box seats, which seem to be roomier than anything I’ve sat in at either Yankee Stadium. Even the metal bleachers have backs and the last row is no more than 50 feet from the field. It brought me back to when I played as a kid, dreaming of getting just 1 at-bat in the big ballpark in the Bronx.



The game was a little sloppy, but these guys are what, 18, 19, 20 at the most? However they all played hard. No one dogged it. They all ran hard to first; every time. Watching these guys made me wonder where some of our professionals pick up their bad habits? I actually bumped into a couple players walking through the concourse. Most of them had baby faces and were all trying to live out their boyhood dreams.



When all was said and done, my hometown Renegades pulled out a 6-5 victory and remained in third place behind the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets). Oddest part for me was the left-handed, first basemen wearing number 23. Jeff Malm doesn’t appear to be much of a hitter, but he played decent defense. I grew up loving Don Mattingly and I wondered if Malm did too.I was engrossed in the game; loving every minute of it. My kids, however, couldn’t get enough of the alternate entertainment. Between innings they do an excellent job of putting on a show and really making it fun for the whole family. On the way home, both of my kids said they had “a really fun time, but the game was boring”. A win for Dad?



Will any of these kids make the “Show”? I’d like to think so, I mean Josh Hamilton and Evan Longoria have both passed through here. Only time will tell.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com









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WHY THE RAYS PUT ON A CLINIC AGAINST SABATHIA

(Photo: Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily News)

It was a marquee match up on Friday at the Stadium. CC Sabathia for the Yanks and David Price for the Tampa Bay Rays. But only one of those guys stepped up in this one, and it wasn't CC as the big fella gave up a career high five home runs, all of which were solo shots.



It's now back to back starts that CC has not pitched up to his capability. He went eight innings though, so at least he gave the bullpen a breather. He allowed 10 hits, five which left the park, while not allowing a walk and seven strikeouts. The home runs he allowed came from Casey Kotchman, Kelly Shoppach, Johnny Damon, Elliot Johnson, and Evan Longoria. Maybe the six man rotation is messing him up a bit. We'll find out his next time out as the six man rotation will end on Monday.(Photo: Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily News)

Meanwhile, Co-Ace David Price was great in this start. He went eight innings, allowed six hits, one run, two walks and four strikeouts. The Yankees as a team are now 0-5 in games in which CC and Price oppose each other.

Obviously with Price dealing the Yankees couldn't muster up much on the scoreboard. They were able to get a two out rally, which was started by a Robinson Cano single, a Nick Swisher walk, and an Andruw Jones double to right center. Robbie scored on the double, but Swish got thrown out on a close play at the plate. Tough luck for Nick.



Final Score: Rays 5 - Yankees 1



The Yanks now fall to 19-20 in series openers. Not good. But, Phil Hughes (2-4, 7.11 ERA) will try to make his case to stay in the rotation as he faces Jeremy Hellickson (10-7, 3.05 ERA) on Saturday.







--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer









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