Up in Toronto, the New York Yankees evening could have been a champagne party too. Instead, AJ Burnett imploded worse than ever on the mound and the Blue Jays won the game 7-5.
Burnett could not even get out of the third inning, and he was to blame for all seven runs scored.
Rock bottom?
I thought that already happened for Burnett, as he showed glimpses of why the Yankees acquired him in the first place just a week ago.
Well, whatever it is holding AJ back seems to be an off the field issue that is eating away at him. The best Yankee fans can do is just hope Burnett figures himself out, as he is a big piece of the playoff puzzle.
Looking at the playoff picture so far, the Phillies are unanimously the NL favorites to make it to the World Series for the third year in a row.
It would be hard for anyone to disagree with that predictions, considering how hot a September the Phillies are having posting a 19-5 record.
A lot of that success has to do with the pitching rotation, which includes Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, and Roy Oswalt. It is by far the best threesome in baseball and they keep getting better.
This month their combined record is 13-1, pitching just shy of 95 innings, have a strikeout total of 87 and the month is not over yet.
Another critical component on any team is the closer, and the Phillies have been a roller coaster ride with Brad Lidge since 2008 ended.
Now Lidge has found his swagger again. His 27 saves this season don’t do how he is pitching justice, as Lidge only earned the team’s trust back the last two months. He admitted he needed to change due to loss of velocity on his pitches.
No need to explain how good the Phillies hitters are because the proof is in the names alone: Utley, Howard, Werth, Rollins, Ibanez, Victorino, Ruiz, Valdez, and I think you get the point.
So, could it be a rematch from last year’s World Series?
Sure it could, but the Yankees need to clinch officially and for any team to match-up with Philadelphia my advice is to bring your A-Game.
It would be a treat to fans to see a Yankees-Phillies World Series, because if it is anything like 2009, it is sure to be exciting for baseball as a whole.
Going into Philadelphia tied at one, to play three against the defending champs left the notion of uncertainty among the Yankees faithful.
Well, Yankees fans can sleep well tonight. The Bombers have taken the first two of three in Philly, securing a 3-1 lead.
One win away from being the champions feels pretty sturdy but it’s still not over, till that last out.
The Yankees are playing extremely solid baseball, taking advantage anytime given.
Anytime has a lot to do with not having the Phillies ace Cliff Lee on the mound. The rest of the Phillies pitching is unreliable, which was on full display for the Fanatic and company to witness.
In case you forgot or want to see what happened, read on for a fan’s outline of game three and four.
GAME 3 – Rain-storm went away and Yanks beat Phillies to close the day.
Saturday night’s game looked near to be a wash-out as the rain came down in Philadelphia. The downpours stopped about an hour after the real start, but the drizzling continued for the rest of the game.
The weather was not the only variable in Citizens Park, but Phillies own Cole Hamels, last year’s World Series MVP.
Hamels gave a burst of his MVP stuff for the first two innings. In-addition, Jayson Werth,
added with on of two homers to take an early lead.
Then Yankees responded with a two-run ruled homer by Arod, followed by a Swisher double and a thriller by Godzilla to give the Yanks a continuous advantage.
In the fifth, Johnny Damon whacked a true Damon style double, after our Southpaw hit a line drive single. Both adding RBI’s for the Yanks.
Pettitte looked like a conventional hitter at the plate, as well as got the job done on the mound. The first inning was an adjustment but Pettitte got back to himself after the second inning.
Record breaking #17 will go down in books for the most number of wins for any pitcher in the playoffs, in history, as Andy Pettitte’s to keep.
Cole Hamels walked off the field to the sound of sorrow from his fans. This has been Cole all season, so it is not that much of a surprise especially in Philadelphia. Hamels is not the same MVP pitcher that has been his only consistency.
Game finished up in typical Yankee tradition. The dominant Mariano closed out the win, with a result of 8-5 and Yankees to take 2-1 series lead.
The Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel made some poor choices that only cemented the Yankees win. Not pinch-hitting Ben Francisco in the sixth, with a runner on first and Pettitte over 100 pitches just made no reason.
The second issue, is why did Manuel not take Chad Durbin out of the game? No one even got up in the dugout to warm-up, when Durbin was struggling.
GAME 4 – Winners play to win, as Yankees prove that in Philly
Two things best to sum up game four of the World Series.
The first is a quote from former Yankee player and manager, Billy Martin.
“Another club can be beating you for six innings but for some reason the good ball clubs get tough and win them in the last three.”
The second is the standard for this quote, which was clearly, seen in the performance of Johnny Damon.
Damon is a formidable player this is common knowledge but it takes a talented player with passion and knowledge that becomes inspirational.
Pedro Feliz hit a home-run in the eighth to tie the score, and the Philly crowd went wild with the reality of a win.
That feeling turned to revolt pretty quickly with two outs in the top of the ninth.
Damon fought off wild-card closer Brad Lidge and finally hitting a single into left after nine pitches.
The once strong Lidge and company shifted over for Mark Teixeira lefty bat with no respect for Damon. Damon stole second, saw no one at third and took advantage of the Phillies mistake.
Smart baseball at its best as Damon still on top of his game in the ninth is what a champion is made off.
Lidge apparently shaken went onto hit Teixeira, give up an RBI double to Arod and finish a two-run single from Posada.
Lidge caught the virus from Hamels this season as he blew 11 saves, highest in the majors. Lidge seemed back to himself again at the beginning of the playoffs but in fact he should have been covering third-base.
The Yankees won 7-4 because in the World Series careless mistakes cannot be made. The Phillies regard to staying mentally in sync is hurting. Team leaders Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins struggling, a wild-card closer and a starter who just wants the season to be over.
Champions need to win and will do what it takes to get there. That is clearly what the Yankees came to do in the World Series thus far, and it shows.
In game five the Yankees have the burden of Cliff Lee who is an genius of a pitcher. Burnett will take the mound for the Yanks on three days rest and cannot have a rough inning, nor 15 crazy pitches in a row. AJ was impressive in game two but now facing Lee he has no other option.
Yankees can win the whole thing on Monday night, and if things continue on, there will not be a game six in New York. That I can guarantee you.
The Phillies are a terrific team, no doubt about it. Consistently performing at this high level to have another opportunity to win the championship says enough.The defending champions have everyone watching, learning and hopefully incorporating some of that swagger.
When looking at the Phillies the players are the first a sense of teamwork and I thought this last season too. Their line-up is dangerous when it works but as it is loaded with lefties. Their pitching is Cliff Lee and without that pick-up at the trade deadline, the Phillies would not be playing in the World Series.
The question is the teams grey areas include the possibility of turning to black hole and somehow the team figures itself out.
Cole Hamels is nowhere near MVP caliber he was last season, as batters are hitting him now. Hamels is not a deep innings pitcher anymore. He did not give up hits in 2008 and he does now.
Pedro Martinez is not a reliable starter anymore. He has the history and he has pitched well thus far, but Pedro is a child when he starts to allow runs score on him.Remember that ‘Pedro being Pedro’ is very familiar in the Bronx and the record is not found at all. The Yankee fans will make sure he remembers, and if any of the old Red Sox left in him it could get ugly. Continue reading ‘Pitching Will Predict The Phillies Verdict’ »
Unlike past October’s, for the first time in years the final four teams that remain are the top four in baseball. It will something not to miss as any one of the teams has a shot to win. There is no currently hot team making a run of it; all four are hot and loaded with talent.
Each will be fighting to win the American or the National League Championship Series, beginning later this week. The winner of each advances on to play in the World Series, getting the opportunity to possibly be the world champions.
Here are some things to keep in about each team:
(no specific order)
1.Los Angles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels play tough baseball. How?
In games, opponents tend to make errors against the Angels because the game pace is set to fast from the start. Angel players only committed 85 errors in the regular season, the least in the majors might give you an idea of the raw talent defensively.
Aggressive base-running is the name of the game in Anaheim. In addition add one of the most powerful line-up, who ended the season with a combined .285 which includes nine guys hitting over .300 each. Bobby Abreau has fit like a glove since joining the club this year and he is notorious at running up the pitch counts and gets walked more than any other player.
Jared Weaver and John Lackey will start the first two games in New York and the two righties will be key in the team’s October success. Lackey has the experience and Weaver has the stats to go all the way but both need to start out throwing strikes from the get-go or it could be the fall of an Angel.
2.Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are champions and want it to stay that way. Ibanez, Howard and Utley are three of the best lefty hitters in the game. The team needs all three to hit because it makes the rest of the line-up thrive too.
The key for the champs is pitching. Cliff Lee is ace who was picked up mid-season. I do not think this club could have made it with out Lee’s additional, CY Young arm. That is because Cole Hamels has been up and down all season. Hamel’s needs to step it up in L.A. And get back to his MVP Championship form if the team’s reign shall continue.
Even more shaky than Hamels is closer Brad Lidge. Lidge was a perfect 48 of 48 last year but he has been far from that this season. He seemed to have that nasty slider back against the Red Sox but his scary season gives him no street credit. Lidge can easily erase his messy numbers by getting back to the old school in October.
3.Los Angles Dodgers
Joe Torre is the manager of the Dodgers and he seems to have a knack for getting to the post-season.
Now Torre and his Dodgers all reside in a place called MANNYWOOD.
As a manager in MANNYWOOD, your job entails keeping Manny from being Manny. Basically, don’t show a hint of any disagreement towards Ramirez or Manny will pout in the corner. L.A. Needs big production from Ramirez who got his swagger back playing against the Cardinals.
The Dodgers have quality left-handed arms which need to offset opposing lefty bats. The team has no certified ace but starters good enough for five or six innings which works due to the depth and talent in the bullpen.
4.New York Yankees
For the Yankees just refer to the above picture. Arod hits the team plays better. It is just a fact and I hope the pressure doesn’t get to the third baseman. Whatever Kate Hudson is doing is working.
The other key performance which the team needs is from starting pitcher A.J. Burnett. He is a star when he throws like a star but Burnett needs to be the biggest star this week against the Angels. Burnett pitched well against the Twins, his first post-season game ever so that is promising. Joba can be thrown in if needed but if Burnett is game on, throwing for strikes he is one of the best in the game.
Four Teams, Two League Championships, One World Series…..WELCOME TO OCTOBER!!!
The Phillies are the defending World Champs and would love to repeat. The team works very well as a unit because players pick each other up in games when someone is struggling.The Phillies closerBrad Lidge has been far from the dominant closer he was in 2008. Skipper Charlie Manuel has shown confidence in Lidge but by keeping him in his job but it has not paid off. Lidge blew 10 saves as of September. This will be a position likely to be filled by Brett Meyers. Meyers did well in the post before the season’s end. Lidge’s services will be utilized in less-pressuring situations, at least to open the playoffs. The closer component is vital to any baseball team’s success. Skipper Charlies Manuel has been around long enough to know what it takes to win. I am not to worried how the Phillies will handle this.Picking up Cliff Lee at the trade deadline (for scarcely anything considering what Lee’s arm is worth) to join Cole Hamels in the rotation. They are as reliable as a team one and two starters can get.The tandem with Joe Blanton most likely as the third will be a solid rotation.Phillies line-up is still very good with Rollins, Utley, Ibanez, Howard.
Are the defending champs good enough to repeat? That is a different story; guess we will find out soon.
2. St. Louis CardinalsThe Cardinals are could be the best team in the National League. Albert Puljos is the NL MVP and perhaps the best in the entire majors. He is what Jeter is to New York but in St. Louis. The Cardinals have two Cy Young Award possibilities in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. This is the only team to have a one and two be Cy Young contenders. The mid season snatch of Matt Holliday to hit clean-up behind Puljos have both guys slugging over .600. Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina is the brother of Yankees catcher Jose and is one of the best catchers. Yadier is the best-defensive catcher in the game. Runners do not attempt to steal as often and to score off a single from second base is out of the question when Yadier is controlling the game.
Mirror, mirror on the wall who can beat the Yanks in post-season baseball?
Within the AL East Division, I think the Yankees have a significant lead that will be hard to catch. In the American League the first team that pose a threat in the race to the World Series is the Boston Red Sox.
If this team wins the Wild Card it could be trouble. The rivalry alone brings an added hype for the players and the fans alike. Boston can beat New York and they know it. Most other teams don’t have that added bonus.
Also, Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield are Yankees killers in the past but the consistency of Papelbaum is in major question. Billy Wagner has been added from the Mets to the Red Sox roaster. He is older and off an injury but the frustrations of having to be a Met in the same city that is Yankee-town might give him a mental game that could be scary.
The other team plays hard and plays dirty. The dreaded LA Angels have caused more problems for the Yankees over the years in the post season.
The Angels tend to get overlooked because of the ruckus that the Red Sox rivalry brings. This team has no problem reminding both the Red Sox and the Yankees that the AL consists of more teams then just the media hogging, favorites.
Watch out for the Angels because they hate being left out and even with all their glory, the shadow seems to still be there.
The National League is known as the lesser side of baseball. It is mind boggling as last years champs are still proving to be the team to beat, as the Phillies look like their headed back to the same road as last year.
Even with the recent slump and loses of late, the Phillies will not go down without a fight.
The addition of Cliff Lee, last year’s CY Young winner is a clear sign that this team wants to repeat. Lee joins the rotation of the World Series MVP Cole Hamels, the young arm of JA Happ and the veteran late pick-up of Pedro Martinez.
Hamels has had a mediocre season till recently. He looks back to the MVP form of last season and if Pedro stays of the DL his experience in the post season will help.
The biggest question of the complete decline of closer Brad Lidge has been answered by Brett Meyers who will come off the DL on Friday. Lidge has been so off this season he cannot be trusted in the post season again. Meyers can fill that hole but three months since his last time on the mound will be a true test of the situation. This is a situation that will play a major factor for the champs.
Overall, the most successful NL team regarding wins is the St. Louis Cardinals, with 84.
The Cards have an 11.5 lead in the NL Central. In front of the pathetic once again team of the Chicago Cubs, which makes them look, like a lock for the post-season.
Albert Pujols, the clear MVP of the NL just hit his 47th homer of the season is a force by himself but not for a team to win. The Cards acquired Matt Holiday in July from the A’s and the tandem have been dominant consistently. Holliday’s recent bruised knee looks to be just that so nothing for concern for the Cards.
Since the all-star break St. Louis has had an easy schedule playing fallen teams such as the Mets and the Nationals. Starting now the teams schedule gets a lot harder so that will be the message of how tough this team actually is.
Not trying to take away from the Cardinals recent success because a win is a win no matter what team you beat.
The biggest concern for any team in the majors is pitching. This plays the most critical role in the post-season.
Why?
Any team that is playing baseball in October has to be a winning and talented team. Inevitably, each will consist of the most gifted hitters, which mean the starting, middle, and closing pitchers have to have their best performances.
With the first round in the playoffs being best of five games that gives absolutely no room for error at all. Each team will have an ace on the mound, if not two arms that will make the hitters jobs almost impossible. This makes the pitchers jobs the most crucial as if a hitter catches on to a mistake it could mean the game.
This post season, as with any other is a fresh start for the eight teams. The Yankees seem to be the favorites as of now but that is not a guarantee for the outcome at all.
Each game has to be treated with the ultimate goal in mind and that is to win.
Since inter league play has become more prevalent in the schedule, it is starting to become more competitive then in years past.
The joke has always been the NL is not comparable to the AL. I used to think that meant the AL has better teams, more talented players which is false in a sense. I believe that the AL has more competitive divisions then the national league but as we saw last year the world series was won by the NL Philadelphia Phillies.
I never took the Phillies as more then being the hottest team at the right time, cause the last 3 years they pull it together at the end of the season with winning and the Mets collapse which basically cements their playoff berth. At least that is what I blew off as thinking it is just the NL. And this past weekend the champs sure showed why it was no fluke. The Yanks played well but only after the first was a loss cause Philly came to play and I think it brought the Yankees back down to earth, which as a fan I sadly think was needed.
I do conclude that the Yanks are a better team then the Phillies but because being a Yankee is being a Yankee it is easier to forget we can get beaten. Overall Philly is struggling with starting rotation, Brad Lidge is a mess (feel badly for him) and Hamel’s looked good on Sunday but he has not even been close to his norm. Hamel’s was hurt I know and maybe thats been beating him down but regadless the why of it the team knows that their pitching is shaken at the moment. I mean do you think that their workd series rings would have been there without Hamel’s and Lidge??? So the Phillies utilize their strengths to pick up that slack. The Yanks are starting to get this concept which is crucial and results in wins. A concept I feel the NL is defining, maybe not by choice but who cares cause it is working. For the AL, Tampa Bay was that last year as well….and look at the two teams who made it to the finish line; god maybe its just easy for me to be critical as a fan or maybe I am a genius but I bet this is not a rule that players can be ordered to follow. It happens but…..,
I worry…….what if Arod goes down again or Jeter’s leg (god forbid)…..is Tex going back to unreliable or will the team will fall apart? Also, Mo is still one of the best, we all seem to forget that he is still human and sometimes he needs the team to pick him up as well. But Mo is always so classy….. unlike another closer who acted like the biggest f’in baby I have ever seen in a professional athlete when the Mets, Omir Santos smack a 2 run homer right in the face of the big, bad green monster. Papelbon, who I already hate for his gay kilt dancing and his blow fish face he makes when he pitches always give such a show when he makes a mistake that I can still hate him without even crediting his talent for it!! So keep it up Papel-tard cause your attitude is awesome for everything you don’t want to be as a closer or a Yankee for that matter. God he pisses me off; please excuse my tangent of rage and watch the video here to understand me or not….
Apologies for getting completely off track but he is such a god damn pain in the everywhere….now getting back to post.
Overall 8 of 10 wins is a great run of home games and the Twins are much better then they played so that was a nice sweep. As big poppy is slumping in an unthinkable fashion the Red Sox pick him up. Toronto has one lights out, probably the best in all of baseball in Roy Halladay and use it as inspiration and to thrive off his energy.
The Yankees have every position across the board (except middle relief is struggling but who’s isn’t) covered with great utility guys to fill spots. Both our catchers are both on the DL but Francisco Cervelli is earning the respect of his teammates and the fans quite quickly. Cervelli reminds me of the best of both Posada and Molina….he is confident and he can hit around .300 at that ! The main concern as most would understand is that he is catching for some of the best ptichers in baseball….CC, AJ, Andy, Mo, Wang (soon) and Hughes. I get nervous at the thought of it but he looks like an old pro. The 23 year old is exceeding all expectations! I thought we were in some trouble cause Posada’s bat is huge and Molina is a great defender overall but Cervelli has the talent to be the future and I am totally more than okay with that. And with Girardi and Pena as past catchers themselves he should only get better.
The point I am so inadequately attempting to make is that today’s win 11-1 against Texas, who has a serious lineup of hitters who were up against Phil Hughes is the perfect example. Hughes looks tougher in every sense from last season but he is still young and doesn’t have the experience behind the rest of our starters (even Joba is more confident as last season he stayed up) so our lineup and defense had to step it. To win the game, yes but also to give Hughes a little breathing room and let him show his best stuff without the game on his shoulders cause we couldn’t get the runners on base in for a run. And that’s what the team just did!!
Not playing as a team over the last few seasons is exactly what has prevented the Yankees from winning. Just being at the game I can see the players being a team; I think Jeter has finally accepted Arod which I feel is all Alex really needed to finally be a part of something. The short stop was finally laughing and actually having whispers behind the glove which seemed to be inside jokes betweend the two. Maybe its cause now that Arod has done something that Jeter will never has on his record there is that wall of supiority, for whatever reason, has come down. Or maybe Arod is relieved to have nothing on his chest or maybe Jeter is finally feeling like he is the shortstop, not the captain and face of the Yankees who is keeping his position cause of rank or right. I can tell you something is different this year and that is not because I want it to be for my own sake, it is what it is.
So since it just is….as long as the team is working and winning reason can be as simple as ‘it just is’. If ‘it’ keeps up…. I think the Yanks will be there in the end but it will be a fight and as a fan my job is to cheer to keep the players wanting it!! Here is my pledge as a fan…….
I will do it as a fan from the bottom of my heart and never give up!!! Keep playing as the team you have become and when one teammate struggles…..have his back!!!! And when the team struggles I will have yours!!
The joke has always been the NL is not comparable to the AL. I used to think that meant the AL has better teams, more talented players which is false in a sense. I believe that the AL has more competitive divisions then the national league but as we saw last year the world series was won by the NL Philadelphia Phillies.
I never took the Phillies as more then being the hottest team at the right time, cause the last 3 years they pull it together at the end of the season with winning and the Mets collapse which basically cements their playoff berth. At least that is what I blew off as thinking it is just the NL. And this past weekend the champs sure showed why it was no fluke. The Yanks played well but only after the first was a loss cause Philly came to play and I think it brought the Yankees back down to earth, which as a fan I sadly think was needed.
I do conclude that the Yanks are a better team then the Phillies but because being a Yankee is being a Yankee it is easier to forget we can get beaten. Overall Philly is struggling with starting rotation, Brad Lidge is a mess (feel badly for him) and Hamel’s looked good on Sunday but he has not even been close to his norm. Hamel’s was hurt I know and maybe thats been beating him down but regadless the why of it the team knows that their pitching is shaken at the moment. I mean do you think that their workd series rings would have been there without Hamel’s and Lidge??? So the Phillies utilize their strengths to pick up that slack. The Yanks are starting to get this concept which is crucial and results in wins. A concept I feel the NL is defining, maybe not by choice but who cares cause it is working. For the AL, Tampa Bay was that last year as well….and look at the two teams who made it to the finish line; god maybe its just easy for me to be critical as a fan or maybe I am a genius but I bet this is not a rule that players can be ordered to follow. It happens but…..,
I worry…….what if Arod goes down again or Jeter’s leg (god forbid)…..is Tex going back to unreliable or will the team will fall apart? Also, Mo is still one of the best, we all seem to forget that he is still human and sometimes he needs the team to pick him up as well. But Mo is always so classy….. unlike another closer who acted like the biggest f’in baby I have ever seen in a professional athlete when the Mets, Omir Santos smack a 2 run homer right in the face of the big, bad green monster. Papelbon, who I already hate for his gay kilt dancing and his blow fish face he makes when he pitches always give such a show when he makes a mistake that I can still hate him without even crediting his talent for it!! So keep it up Papel-tard cause your attitude is awesome for everything you don’t want to be as a closer or a Yankee for that matter. God he pisses me off; please excuse my tangent of rage and watch the video here to understand me or not….
Apologies for getting completely off track but he is such a god damn pain in the everywhere….now getting back to post.
Overall 8 of 10 wins is a great run of home games and the Twins are much better then they played so that was a nice sweep. As big poppy is slumping in an unthinkable fashion the Red Sox pick him up. Toronto has one lights out, probably the best in all of baseball in Roy Halladay and use it as inspiration and to thrive off his energy.
The Yankees have every position across the board (except middle relief is struggling but who’s isn’t) covered with great utility guys to fill spots. Both our catchers are both on the DL but Francisco Cervelli is earning the respect of his teammates and the fans quite quickly. Cervelli reminds me of the best of both Posada and Molina….he is confident and he can hit around .300 at that ! The main concern as most would understand is that he is catching for some of the best pitchers in baseball….CC, AJ, Andy, Mo, Wang (soon) and Hughes. I get nervous at the thought of it but he looks like an old pro. The 23 year old is exceeding all expectations! I thought we were in some trouble cause Posada’s bat is huge and Molina is a great defender overall but Cervelli has the talent to be the future and I am totally more than okay with that. And with Girardi and Pena as past catchers themselves he should only get better.
The point I am so inadequately attempting to make is that today’s win 11-1 against Texas, who has a serious lineup of hitters who were up against Phil Hughes is the perfect example. Hughes looks tougher in every sense from last season but he is still young and doesn’t have the experience behind the rest of our starters (even Joba is more confident as last season he stayed up) so our lineup and defense had to step it. To win the game, yes but also to give Hughes a little breathing room and let him show his best stuff without the game on his shoulders cause we couldn’t get the runners on base in for a run. And that’s what the team just did!!
Not playing as a team over the last few seasons is exactly what has prevented the Yankees from winning. Just being at the game I can see the players being a team; I think Jeter has finally accepted Arod which I feel is all Alex really needed to finally be a part of something. The short stop was finally laughing and actually having whispers behind the glove which seemed to be inside jokes between the two. Maybe its cause now that Arod has done something that Jeter will never has on his record there is that wall of superiority, for whatever reason, has come down. Or maybe Arod is relieved to have nothing on his chest or maybe Jeter is finally feeling like he is the shortstop, not the captain and face of the Yankees who is keeping his position cause of rank or right. I can tell you something is different this year and that is not because I want it to be for my own sake, it is what it is.
So since it just is….as long as the team is working and winning reason can be as simple as ‘it just is’. If ‘it’ keeps up…. I think the Yanks will be there in the end but it will be a fight and as a fan my job is to cheer to keep the players wanting it!! Here is my pledge as a fan…….
I will do it as a fan from the bottom of my heart and never give up!!! Keep playing as the team you have become and when one teammate struggles…..have his back!!!! And when the team struggles I will have yours!!
Well, whatever it is holding AJ back seems to be an off the field issue that is eating away at him. The best Yankee fans can do is just hope Burnett figures himself out, as he is a big piece of the playoff puzzle.
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