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In Again

Mike DiPatri  9/29/10

 The Yankees clinched a play-off berth with a win over Toronto Tuesday night.  This makes 15 out of the last 16 years there.  Out of those 15 seasons, there have been seven World Series appearances.  Of those seven, they’ve won five. 

 As this season moved into September, though, it looked as if the Yankees were going to waste a very good season.  We’ve always heard the old expression that the season is a marathon, not a sprint.  In years past, the Yankees seemed to understand this better than other teams.  They traditionally started out slowly in April then really started playing better after the break gaining enough momentum to get into the play-offs.  This season, though, they came out guns-a-blazin’ in April and almost ran away with the division.  Then, instead of taking off after the break, they slowed, especially in September when it seemed they could not win at all.  It appeared as if they just stopped playing after 140 games.  That allowed Tampa to catch them in the division standings.  Now they trail the Rays by 1/2 game.  There still are enough games left to take the division back.

 The break-down seems to have been the pitching.  They have been working with two really good pitchers and patched the other three spots together with a platoon of others.  Yankees fans have had to endure the fact that their team would lose at least every five days when A.J. Burnett pitched.  The loss of Andy Pettite really hurt as well.  If not for the brilliance of CC Sabathia, they would be in real trouble.  This will continue to be the problem they will have to overcome in the play-offs.  

So, the Yankees have reached the play-offs another year.  That’s good for most teams, but the Yankees are not most teams.  This is especially true after such a good season as this one.  Yes, they’re in, but they should be there as division champs.  They still may be, but doubtful.  This is better than it looked earlier in September when they looked as if they were going to blow it all.  Still they did come away with a successful season.  But, hey, if you want to put a positive spin on the thing, consider the Red Sox will be playing golf again this October!