Every year there is scepticism whether the new york yankees will make the playoffs with their 200+ million dollar payroll. However each year many sports writers are completeley WRONG.
In the past few years, what do acclaimed ESPN sportswriters Michael Wilbon, Jay Mariotti, and Skip Bayless have in common? They have all counted the Yankees out. And thats just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to doubting NY.
First off lets take a look at the current state of the 2008 Yankees:
3.5 games out of 1st place in the AL east behind the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays.
tied for 2.5 games out of the wildcard with the Twins behind the BoSox.
Are without Chin ming Wang, Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui to name a few. These are big name players. These are the type of leaders needed to win championships, let alone games. The Yankees have lost their #1 starter but can still stay in the race.
This team is in the middle of the pack in the AL playoff race and have been counted out many times this season, but pinstripes will always prevail, and here is why.
Guess where the Yankees were at the 2007 all star break...
9.5 games out of first and 8 games out of the wild card. Did the 2007 Yankees make the playoffs? YES
in 2008, 20 games were played without Alex Rodgriguez. A-Rod is currently fourth among AL home run leaders with 21 only 3 behind the leader Carlos Quentin of the Chicago White Sox who has 24. He has hit roughly 1 home run for every 14 at bats this season. Without his injury, A-Rod WOULD be the HR leader in the American League no doubt. Think of the home runs, let alone RBIs, let alone hits, let alone runs, he would've scored during that 20 game stretch. Also contemplate how much better the players hitting around him would've done with A-Rod in the lineup.
But that time is passed, and the Yankees are only 3.5 games out.
Robinson Cano was batting .246 pre all star break. Now batting .526 post all star break and is a career hitter .335 after the all star break. enough said.
Joe Girardi. See 2006 Marlins. Ahem manger of the year on lowest payroll with a predicted 100 loss season ahem
Johnny Damon, 4th best BA in the American league, just returned off the DL
Brett Gardner hasn't even come close to his potential. He is making an impact on the bases and in the field. Just wait till he plays up to what he is capable of.
The biggest question for the 2008 season was starting pitching. Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes haven't won anything for the Yankees this year.I don't need to get into stats but a converted Jaba (BTW a GREAT move by Hank Steinbrenner which was criticized by fans and media alike) has been excellent as well as Sidney Ponson, who the bombers got for basically peanuts. We don't even have Wang.
The LEAST favorite and most hated pitcher on the Yankee staff by fans is by far Kyle Farnsworth. He single handedly created rather than a WHIP stat, a Walk-HomeRuns-per inning pitched statistic (WHRIP). However in his last nine innings pitched he hasn't allowed a single hit. Who woulda thought?
Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer in baseball history, is having one of the strongest seasons of his career with only a 1.28 ERA, a .68 WHIP and is striking out more than a batter per inning.
The rest of the AL playoff race is just as unstable and has more problems than the Yankees. Young, inexperienced TB, an inconsistent Minnesota team. The only team in my opinion that has a definite playoff spot in the AL is the Angels. Even K-Rod has blown 4 saves for that team and hes still on pace to set the single season record.
I haven't even had to mention Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, Bobby Abreu and many others to even prove my point.
The #1 Reason the Yankees will make the playoffs, Yankee Magic.
This is the final season for the house that Ruth built. Can the last game really not be played in the postseason? Can the last game played there not be in the World Series? I'll leave that one up to the baseball gods, but NEVER, EVER count out the greatest and most decorated franchise in the history of sports.
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