Series 6 Pack: New York Yankees

The road to October for the Red Sox goes through New York and the hunt for the preseason begins tonight.  Boston kicks off a pivotal three game series in the Bronx on Friday with the urgency to right the ship and sail to calmer seas.

The division is over, the Yankees wrapped that up so the Sox won’t have to worry about watching the Yanks celebrate in front of them.  So now it’s all about focusing on the Wild Card.   The magic number is at four entering play tonight and if the Sox can get back in the win column, they can continue to trim that number down.

Yankees catcher Russel Martin did something that you should never do when your opponent is down and all but out; he opened his mouth.  Martin tweeted that he “hates the Boston Red Sox” and that he would enjoy knocking them out of the playoffs this weekend.  This is the kind of stuff that gets printed off and posted in the Red Sox clubhouse as extra motivation, not that they need any.  Thanks Martin for opening your big mouth.  Hopefully the Sox can use this and go out and stick it up Martin’s wazoo.

In this 6 pack we’re discussing the Yankees milestones this year, their pitching rotation for the ALDS and the Yankees fan’s thrill ride of watching the Red Sox collapse in September.  As always, thanks to Ricky over at Yanks Go Yard for collaborating with the 6 pack.  Enjoy!

1. How much are Yankees fans enjoying this September collapse by the Red Sox?
– I think Yankee fans are definitely enjoying this collapse right now by the Red Sox. This has to stem from the rivalry itself, but for 2011, this has to become generated from the fact that the Boston Red Sox were everyone’s pick to win the World Series from the onset of the season. Everyone, including ESPN, was basically calling them the super team and saying the Yankees would not even make the playoffs. Now, it might be the other way around. I was watching Twitter reaction to last night’s game and people were actually pulling for the Rays just to see the Red Sox go home. That speaks a lot because I think the Rays are more dangerous at this point than Boston is. But, yes, they are loving every second of it.

2. How fitting was it that Jorge Posada hit the division clinching run Wednesday night after all he’s been through this year?
– It had to be fitting that Jorge Posada got the big hit because with Rivera getting his milestone and Jeter obtaining his, Posada needed to have his big hit as a member of the big three for 2011. He has gone through so much this season especially when the Yankees are about to play the Red Sox. On Wednesday night, the dugout was going crazy because although some fans might not like Posada, the whole clubhouse loves him and stands by him. That moment may have guaranteed him a spot on that postseason roster and as a switch hitter, he could be a valuable asset in a big spot within the next couple of weeks.

3. What level of confidence to you have in the rotation heading into the playoffs knowing a rookie will be the number two starter?
– On a scale of 1-10, my confidence is not on that much of a high level. I would put it at a 6, but I do trust the top two starters in CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova. CC did not have a great September, but I think he is still Sabathia and he will find a way like he always does to keep the Yankees in every game that he pitches. It may not be the start Yankee fans envision at times, but it can be enough for the team to win. As for Nova, he has not lost a start in fifteen straight appearances dating back to June 3rd. He does need to keep his walks down, but other than that, I like the way that he is pitching. His ERA in September is 1.98 and his last start against Tampa was great in a pennant-like atmosphere. Garcia, Colon, Burnett, and Hughes I don’t have much trust in at all right now. However, if they can get through six innings with the bullpen the Yankees have, that may just be enough to carry them forward.

4. Considering all options, because if the Angels get the Wild Card, it could be Angels vs. Yankees, who would you rather face in the first round? Angels, Tigers or Rangers. Why that team?
– The best bet for the Yankees in the first round is the Texas Rangers. Other than CJ Wilson, there is not really a starter that the Yankees should fear on that team. Wilson, as well, is a good pitcher, but does not have the dominant stuff of a Justin Verlander or even a Jered Weaver. Yes, they have a powerful offense but we know from the past that a good offense does not always pull you through. Their bullpen even with the additions of Mike Adams and Koji Uehara has not been what Ranger fans have thought it would be. New York also knows they can beat the Rangers since they are 7-2 against them this season. This would be a great revenge series from the 2010 ALCS. Right now, I would rank it Texas, Detroit, then Angels. I say the Angels last because they don’t just hae one good pitcher, they have three!

5. It’s been quite a year for the Yankees and their fans. Jeter’s 3,000th hit, Rivera’s all-time record setting save and now the club’s 17th division title. Is it only fitting they win the World Series to cap off an epic season? What’s your prediction for the Yankees in this year’s postseason?
– It would be a great end to a great milestone season! As far as my prediction, I think the Yankees have the talent to come out of the American League. As I have said, I do not think the American League has a team to beat as in past years. So, this is the year that a team does not have great pitching can come out of the league as the World Series representatives. The reason I like the Yankees over everyone else is their bullpen. When you have Mariano Rivera at the back end of the bullpen and David Robertson basically being unflappable in the 8th inning, that is tough to beat. The guy I think who is the X-Factor is Cory Wade. He can be the David Robertson of 2009 because every time he comes in, he strands almost 90% of inherited base runners. That is a very good stat!

6. Break down the pitching matchups and who do you think wins this series and why?
– When I look at the matchups, I do think the Yankees will play their top lineups this weekend because they want to knock the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs as we saw with the tweet Russell Martin sent out yesterday. The Red Sox, I think win Friday’s game because Jon Lester is really the only pitcher doing well in the month of September for Boston. Other than that, I think Burnett has the edge over Wakefield and his lack of quality start and Nova clearly has the edge over John Lackey who you think does not even deserve to start Sunday afternoon. I think the Yankees will win two of three this series as the last time their starters will play full games until they go to the postseason next week.

7. In your mind, do the Red Sox complete the collapse and miss the playoffs?
– I do not think the Red Sox will miss the playoffs. The reason I think that is because I think they will back into the postseason. The thing that is different about this stretch compared to the Mets from 2007 and 2008 is that they get to play their last six games away from Fenway Park. It is away from the panicking Boston fans and they can get their minds right. The Red Sox have so much talent even with their pitching inefficiencies to miss the playoffs. Plus, Terry Francona has won 2 World Series. He will figure this out and then have them lose in round one. This offense will figure out how to hit, but the pitching has become a liability rather than the asset that it was at the beginning of the season .

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