Time To Wake Up
The Yankees have gone 9-7 over their last sixteen games. The problem is that they went 8-0 over the first half of that stretch and 1-7 over the second. And they only won that game with a walk-off homer against the Orioles.
None of that really matters at this point now because the next 11 days bring seven games against the Rays. As I noted last week, the Yankees have to come out of this stretch with a lead over Tampa if they want to have any hope of winning the division.
We will learn a lot about the Yankees over this stretch. I am really interested in tomorrow night's game and the pitching of Ivan Nova. If he can turn in a good performance against the Rays in Tampa, you have to consider him for a postseason rotation spot. Phil Hughes has a huge start on Wednesday as he needs to show something. Hughes hasn't been the same pitcher since May and the Yankees may have to resign themselves to the fact that he is suffering from a bit of a dead arm at this point and can't be counted on for the playoff rotation.
It should be an exciting stretch. The Yankees have a lot of questions hanging over them as they head into the final 19 games of the season.
Comments
With the exceptions of Granderson, Teix and the call-ups, the team looks tired or banged up or both. Age does that from what I have read ;-)
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 13, 2010 03:10 PM
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At the height of the Torre era, one reporter tried to get Jeter to admit that he was rooting to play a particularly lackluster wildcard team in the playoffs. Jeter responded: "Why would we want to play a weaker team?"
If a team is to win a championship, it has to beat the very best teams in the most difficult circumstances. The Rays are a formidable team. If the Yanks are serious about winning it this year, they should be relishing the opportunity to kick Tampa at its home field.
I suspect that the Yankees still have some of this swagger. I'm picking them to take 2 out of 3.
Posted by: corey | September 13, 2010 04:13 PM |
I heard that too which is why I just keep celebrating my 25th birthday, over and over again.
Posted by: Peter![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 13, 2010 06:17 PM
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