Sweeny Says: Yankees' September Showdown
By Sweeny Murti
The Yankees and Rays play 7 times over the next 11 days. Isn't this why we love September baseball?
Okay, maybe a little of the drama has been sapped from this thing with both teams comfortably ahead of wildcard contenders Boston and Chicago. But there's still some drama left in the jockeying for position and the matchups created by finishing first or finishing second.
Heading into play on Monday, the Yankees would face the Texas Rangers in the first-round best of five. Maybe that didn't scare you 72 hours ago, but a three-game sweep in Arlington punctuated by two walk-offs and a suddenly back-to-form Cliff Lee make you think twice about wanting to see that matchup again, right?
So is it better then to drop down to second and face the Twins? Be careful what you wish for. There is something a little scary about having to keep going through that team, the thought creeping into your mind that maybe this year the Twins will finally hang with the Yankees instead of falling down like bowling pins. A Yankee team that is vulnerable, a Twins team that is motoring through another regular season, now just two games behind the Yankees for best overall record—two games! And just the thought of watching Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson chase a Joe Mauer double into the gap…through the SNOW at Target Field!
Yes, the golden parachute of the wildcard may have taken away some of the intensity we'll see this week at the Trop and again next week in the Bronx, but not all of it. Hopefully the Yanks and Rays give us some games to remember.
*If you've ever been scared of what the Yankees might one day become if the Steinbrenner family gave up ownership, read Lee Jenkins's excellent account of the LA Dodgers and the McCourt divorce disaster.
This is a frightening portrayal of what ownership of a storied franchise can become if the people running it seem to care more about their personal business than the operation of a public institution.
Even in Boss George's craziest days, he still cared deeply about how his team performed. To this point, his sons have avoided the soap opera nature of their father's reign. If they learned anything from their father it should be how much the on-field product means to the fans.
That's the way it used to be in Los Angeles.
Some other random thoughts:
*Jorge Posada said he has tried the big hockey-style catcher's mask, but he finds it very hot and uncomfortable. Posada told me he has worked with the Nike people in Oregon to custom-design his gear from head to toe, but there is little else he can do with the mask and helmet for further protection from foul tips like the one that nearly caused a concussion last week. Posada likened it to driving a car—no matter how safe you make it, at some point you just have to get in and drive and put yourself at risk to whatever happens.
*The Year of the Walk-off is in Texas this year, not New York. The Rangers have 10 walk-off wins, including 3 against the Yankees.
*For those wondering when the last time the Yankees lost a game on a walk-off hit by pitch (before Saturday night in Texas), the answer—courtesy of the courteous Yankees Media Relations staff—is May 23, 1979 when Jim Kaat plunked Steve Kemp to lose 4-3 at Tiger Stadium.
*From May 15-September 8th, Francisco Cervelli had a batting average of .206 with an on-base percentage of .285. From June 13-September 8th, Cervelli walked 6 times in 122 plate appearances. On September 10th and 11th in Texas, Cervelli reached base in 8 consecutive plate appearances, including 6 walks (one intentional).
*The Jeter countdown is on, now just 100 hits away from 3000.
*I totally get the value of deeper pitching stats in the Cy Young debate between CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez. I just have one question—if King Felix could lead the league in one category, Wins or WHIP…which one do you think he'd choose?
Sweeny Murti
Yankees@wfan.com
www.twitter.com/YankeesWFAN
