Just having a little fun with the name, but did the Yankees ever miss the bat of Matt Holliday. He came back not a moment too soon – contributing mightily to the crucial series win over the Red Sox. Now we have a true DH or even a first baseman, if necessary.
Chase Headley’s hot streak at the plate also comes at the perfect time. And how about Severino’s pitching in this series? Inning for inning, he bested the great and powerful Chris Sale. Good for him and good for the Yanks. CC is showing what a crafty pitcher he’s become too. His spat with Nunez over the bunt on Friday night was comical – as was Jim Rice’s retort to him – but it doesn’t matter now since we won’t play the Sox again (thankfully). I was happy for Judge’s homer last night, but he really has fizzled out. Which is, again, why Holliday’s offense is so important.
Too bad Hicks is now gone with an oblique strain. He had cooled off lately, but he’s had his share of injuries this season.
So now? We have the always-difficult Orioles to deal with. I hope there’s no letdown and the Yanks keep playing great baseball. I want the division, not the Wild Card!
Welcome back Matt Holliday, indeed! And Starlin Castro as well! The song “The Boys Are Back in Town” keeps going through my head. This team is finally starting to feel like the team it was back before the decline started mid-June and that makes sense since most of the parts are once again in place. It’s too bad about Aaron Hicks but Ellsbury has been so hot lately it’s worked out just as well. At one point there was a question about what the Yankees would do with all their outfielders but injuries have resulted in their having just enough.
Our starting pitching has been top notch, the bullpen has been doing its job and the offense keeps coming through. Even better, Boston is on another losing streak. Most of the ESPN announcers on Sunday night listed the top three teams in the AL in order as Cleveland, Houston and Boston with one contrarian placing Boston second. I do not see Boston going far in the post-season. They have been inconsistent all year and it may be time for a collective slump.
Speaking of Boston and slumping, how satisfying it has been for Chris Sale to been held win-less against the Yankees this year. I noticed in all their fawning adoration it took the ESPN announcers till mid-game to mention this important piece of information. Had it been the other way around you know they would have lead with it. I don’t want to be peevish but the bias in favor of Boston and Chris Sales on that network really gets old. Fortunately even they had to give the Yankees and Luis Severino some kudos Sunday night.
So let Boston fight it out with Minnesota and the others for the Wild Card – we want the division!
Yes, the division, Audrey! And I agree about beating Chris Sale – how satisfying! Yesterday’s game in Baltimore was great too. The O’s are usually a scoring machine, but we outhit them and D-Rob’s Houdini act, which drives me nuts, elicited a cheer in my house. I really love when he gets big strikeouts. I hope we don’t miss Sanchez during this series and others step up, but a three-game suspension is better than four so we’ll have to get along without him.