Back to New York (finally)
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Sep 19, 2011 
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Derek Jeter seemed to joking. He was standing at his locker, already dressed in his suit, ready to get on the bus that would take him to the team charter.
“Where are we going next?” he said. “Home?”
I didn’t play in a single baseball game during the Yankees week-and-a-half road trip, but even I’m exhausted. Maybe it was all the night games on the West Coast, or the fact that the Yankees seemed to have quite a bit going on. Whatever it was, this trip seemed unnaturally long. Players were talking about it. Writers were talking about it. Joe Girardi was talking about it.
“Glad to go home,” Girardi said. “I think everyone is probably anxious to go home and see our families and play in our home ballpark.”
The Yankees have a chance to clinch a playoff spot, clinch the division and see Mariano Rivera set the all-time saves record this week. They’re returning home for the final home stand of the season, and it’s a big one.
“I’m hoping that (Rivera) gets an opportunity to do it at home,” Jeter said. “But we have to put him in position to do it at home.”
That means winning, and that means playing better they played through most of this finally completed road trip.
“I think we’ve got to be energized getting home, without a question,” Alex Rodriguez said. “It feels like we’ve been gone for about a month. We love playing in front of our home fans, and we get a lot of energy from our stadium.”
—
Today’s pitching matchup against the Twins:
RHP A.J. Burnett (10-11, 5.11)
vs.
LHP Scott Diamond (1-4, 3.94)
1:05 p.m., YES Network
Associated Press photo
Repost-
If the Yankees win today then go 3-4 against Tampa, and the RS go 3-4 against the Orioles, then Tampa’s chances at the WC lie with how well the Yankees play the RS the last 3 games of the season.
Wouldn’t that be quite a dilemma for all involved if the Yankees have already clinched HFA???
Trader,
Those last 2 series could be very interesting.
You all can come up with 100 permutations but the Yankees are the only ones who still have their fate in their own hands.
Id say the most likely scenerio where the WC ends in a tie…..would be if the Yanks/ Rays and Sox/Orioles both split their 4 games series…..the Yanks take 2 of 3 from Boston…..the Rays take 2 of 3 from the Jays……and the Orioles take 2 of 3 from Boston in that last series…….either way the Showalters are going to have a say in what happens and he’s probably giddy over that.
Another day game
I’m just glad I actually remembered to set my DVR in case #42 sees some action today.
Boston has their fate in their hands as well……they are playing the Orioles 7 games anld they have a 2 game lead……if they don’t hang on to.that then its all on them.
Blake
I meant for AL East or HFA.
Pat,
True dat
Play today, win today mode now.
I thought we were supposed to face “the Idle” ?
What a gift. The Twins teed one up for us.
Time to look sharp Yanks and put up a crooked number for a change.
AJ vs Pavano. Cashman’s two prizes face off toe to toe.
Oh nevermind…..its not Pavano….he must have strained another buttocks or something.
Blake-
When he opened his eyes and started blinking he fractured his skull.
What’s up MTU. AJ has a shot to win a rotation start I think.
Idle is protesting because Steve Carell didn’t win an Emmy.
What this season should have taught the Sux is, “You can never have enough pitching”, and that a Farm system is important.
Too bad they had neither.
They did not have the depth when Dice-bb and the Mortician went down.
And of course, Mr. Underbite sucked from the get go.
sorry, that should be protesting by refusing to pitch.
It’s Monday morning, forgive me.
Blake-
This 6 Man experiment has played havoc with some of our guys.
AJ is still low man on my totem pole.
I wonder if Freddy and Bartolo are running low on gas, or they have just hit speed bumps ?
Much more concerned about losing Bartolo than Garcia.
Was hoping Colon would be our #2. Now it looks like it might have to be Nova.
Boston would never get past Detroit in the ALDS. Cabrera, Martinez et al would chew the horrific Boston pitching staff to shreds.
RiverAveBlues Google Offers has a decent deal on Field Level MVP tix for some remaining home games. http://rab.me/oSaK6c
Anyone else see that Price got hit in the chest with a comebacker and is listed as day to day?
Blake-
I’d like to poison Ruben Amaro jr’s food. He stole Doc and Lee from us.
What a pitching staff they have.
Doc, Lee, Hamels, Oswalt and Worley. I’m not Italian but Mamma Mia.
Their BP sucks though outside of Madsen.
Joelsherman1 4 hours b4 1st pitch at Yankee Stadium scoreboard pratice: Congratulations Mo! 602 saves! all-time leader #Yankees #wishfulthinking
VN-
He was lucky. It nearly took his head off. It’s just a contusion. It will heal pretty quick.
MTU,
They could lineup Nova or Colon fairly easily to pitch game 2……AJ still has to earn it but I think he can still earn a start. Garcia has been dreadful his last 3 starts and we still have to see how Phil looks down the stretch……the Yankees seem to like the “any given day” quality that AJ has…..and he’s a guy that CAN shut down a good lineup if he’s on that day.
We’ll see….
Hike day today. Got to get going soon. Hope it’s a blowout so I don’t miss 602.
Yeah, Price was hit but at first kept pitching. But then they pulled him for “precautionary” reasons. Hope he’s OK.
Price got hit hard…..he was about an inch from a broken collarbone.
MTU,
Yea….Amaro has been very aggressive and has been willing to part with his prospects wheras the Yanks have not…..we’ll.see if it bites him in a couple of years.
Blake-
That is true but he’s also a box of chocolates. I’m curious to see what
Hughes can bring the rest of the way.
I’d prefer someone with more consistency.
Win today and take 2 of 4 from Tampa and the Yanks clinch a playoff spot. That’s step 1.
CC-
I hope we see some freakin’ life out of the O.
MTU,
Yea….Im more talking about what I think the Yanks will do than what Id prefer. If AJ pitches well today then I think they’ll start leaning toward him to be a 4th starter…..for a couple of reasons 1) playoff experience and swing and miss potential 2) Hughes bullpen experience. Freddy is the odd man out for me right now……he’s had a great year but is floundering at the wrong time
Boston needs both games today…..and have to get them with Weikand and Lackey on the hill. If the Yanks win and Boston splits they are done for the division more or less…..they’d be 6 back in the LC with 10 to play (9 for the Sox). Gotta get this one today…….its on a platter…..Minnesota won’t want to be there for one game so the Yanks have to.take advantage and win this game that they should win today…..
MTU September 19th, 2011 at 9:12 am
CC-
I hope we see some freakin’ life out of the O.
——————
Agreed. They’re going against a lefty, so I have high hopes.
I saw that hit that Price got. That had to hurt. I would imagine that if nothing else, it is bruised and might be a bit stiff.
MTU, yeah, the rotation that the Phillies have is a beast. Not sure what the plan needs to be when facing them. It seemed that Lee had a hard time against the Giants because they were swinging early before he got a chance to dazzle with his breaking pitches away. Halladay is tough, but the Yankees have beaten him on occasion. Hamels and Oswalt could go either way.
One thing with the Phillies though, as good as they are, when you look at the teams they are playing most, and the records they have, you would think they would have a much higher win percentage. I think the Tiggers benefit from playing in a weak division as well.
Blake-
Gotcha. That might very well be the way they see it.
Mgumpher-
That is one awesome rotation and there is no 2 ways about it.
That said, anyone can be beaten on any given day and they do have some holes in other areas.
No one is a lock to take it all. Luck plays more of a role and the level of competition is so much higher in the playoffs.
Yanks beat Minn
Yanks split 4 with Rays
Sox split 4 with O’s
Yanks take 2 of 3 from Sox
Rays sweep Jays
Rays take 2 of 3 from Yanks
Sox take 2 of 3 from O’s
Yanks 97-65
Sox 92-70
Rays 92-70
Rays are hot, Yanks & especially Sox not so much. Easy to envision a tie for WC.
wzup all.
The New York Yankees will determine whether the Boston Red Sox make the playoffs.
personally, am hoping the Yankees roll over and play dead for Tampa (when they play). And play all their subs. Not that it matters, but would even trade a first-round exit in exchange for Boston not making the playoffs
_
The Phillies have an amazing rotation, no doubt. The pressure will be very much on them throughout the playoffs and in the WS, if they get that far. Anything less than a WS win is a huge disappointment for them.
After the Yanks clinch the division and HF I don’t care what they do…..until then they need to win games.
have a great day, all. i will attempt to check in from work during the game. go AJ and go Mo! i think today is the day for Mo.
BruceBeck4NY Classic! RT @RapSheet: I think the front page of the @BostonHerald nicely captures Boston sports now http://yfrog.com/kk16risj
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