Actually, the storm was irrelevant; I just like using the graphic. The Rays weren’t scheduled to play because of the GOP convention, so the Yankees’ win today and the Rays’ idleness resulted in the four-game lead – not bad at all considering the mostly putrid road trip.
Congrats to Granderson on HR #200. Congrats to Swisher for another round of hits. Congrats to Soriano for another untucking.
Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
That comebacker was scary, so I hope his hand is okay.
Now comes the tricky part – lots and lots of series against teams in our division. Is that a good thing? Only if we win games. Here’s what needs to happen toward that end:
- Cano needs to get hot and stay hot.
- Hughes and Phelps need to give us quality innings in their starts. (I don’t worry about CC and Kuroda doing that.)
- Nova needs to get healthy and be last year’s Nova.
- Joba needs to find some consistency or else be used strictly as an innings eater.
- Robertson needs to go see his wife have their baby and get back fast.
- Andy needs to surprise us and come back soon. Ditto: A-Rod.
- The teams chasing us need to do their part by losing.
If all of the above work out, life will be good.
Well, we play the Rays a lot. If we’re good enough to win the division, we’ll prove it be beating them often enough to win it.
Beating Boston and Baltimore would also help considerably. But I like our position. I KNOW TB stormed back in September last year, but if we lose 20 of our last 27 games, the way Boston did, we deserve what we get. Doubt it’ll happen.
Chin up all. September ball soon. In golf, you drive for show and you putt for dough: in baseball, you play in April for show and in September for dough.
We get to play Toronto first so that should be a good thing. Perhaps we can make some ground there first, then have a day off on Thursday so we can face the real contenders on the up-side. But truly, the bats need to wake up. The pitchers have done their jobs…either the starters were fantastic or the bullpen picked them up. But the bats just aren’t there, other than Jeter and Swisher. I know Ibanez and Chavez must be exhausted, but we need them to keep up what they have accomplished so far this season. Ichiro is doing fine but Martin has been a great disappointment this year. Hopefully they all wake up and A-Rod comes back at the same time to give us the edge as the regular season comes to a close. GO YANKEES!!!
Very poetic, Sean! Never heard that one before, but then I’m not into golf.
Martin’s offense should have been on my list of things that need to happen, Diane. Good call. I guess I figured he’s not going to hit this season and that’s that, which is a shame because I like him with the pitchers.