Before I jump in to another bout of predictions, let’s get a few things out of the way. I know it may seem like I don’t enjoy the games, or don’t actually want the Yankees to win, but that simply isn’t the case. I’m not old enough to have seen Mantle, Maris, Berra, Munson, Guidry or Catfish, but I am old enough to have grown up watching Mattingly, Winfield, Randolph and that gang win 90+ games every year and still miss the post-season. I realize that, traditionally, the Yankees are a winning organization, but there are “down” periods, so for me to understand that, at some point, they’re going to miss the playoffs isn’t really a crime. Some people think being a fan means always believing in the best possible outcome, and that’s fine, but that’s not me. You’re not foolish for having faith in this team, and I’m not foolish – nor am I a Red Sox fan – just because I don’t expect them to win this year. Differing opinions are okay. Discussing sports is part of the fun of being a fan.
Everything changed after 2004. That series knocked the wind out of a lot of fans, myself included. Watching the Yankees fold like a cheap card table was both unsettling and unexpected. Watching them follow up that performance by starting the 2005 campaign in such poor fashion only solidified my belief that it’s going to be a while before we see a dominant Yankees team. I don’t think you can count on guys like Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez, and their respective performances this season haven’t done anything to dispel that notion. For all the heart the Yankees have shown this year (plenty), when it comes down to it, guys like Johnson and Rodriguez are going to have to produce on a consistent basis for the next two months, or this team is going to miss the playoffs. As I have seen absolutely nothing yet this season which would lead me to believe either is capable of doing so, I believe the Yankees will miss the playoffs. I think that’s a relatively logical conclusion to come to. Is Boston in better shape? Not right now, no. But there are two months left. Remember, the Yankees were 3.5 games back of Boston at this point last year, and they came back. A two-game lead with nearly two months left isn’t exactly a stranglehold on the division. It is my belief – and has been since 2004 – that getting my hopes up about this team isn’t necessarily a recipe for happiness.

A few other thoughts:

Peter Abraham wrote a great piece on Chien-Ming Wang. You can find it here.

I can not wait to watch Phillip Hughes pitch a major league game. This kid is going to be special.

I think we’re all getting ahead of ourselves with the Matsui/Sheffield talk. Remember, they have yet to be cleared for BP. If and when they do come back, there’s a distinct possibility that they could hinder the team more than help. It’ll take them a while to get their timing back, and in order to do so, they’ll be taking at-bats away from guys like Cabrera and Wilson. I’m not sure that helps the team. If you’re expecting Matsui and Sheffield to jump right back in to action and be 100% effective, you’re in for a massive disappointment.

Place your bets, folks. Here comes the next prediction.
The Red Sox will be atop the AL East by the time that five-game series in Fenway concludes. And ESPN will have a field day. I’d bet anything on it. So, excluding monetary wagers, if you’ve got a creative bet to place, respond here and we’ll work something out.

Two things to consider regarding the Yankees’ future:
1) In his last two starts, Randy Johnson has allowed 13 runs (10 earned) and has not struck out a batter.
2) After his 0-5 performance today, A-Rod finished the Baltimore series 1-13.

Both of these guys are going to have to step up and find some consistency for the Yankees to make any noise come October. It is my belief that they won’t. I haven’t seen anything in the last four months to convince me otherwise, which is why my prediction hasn’t – and won’t – change.

The Indians led the Tigers 3-2 going in to the bottom of the 9th in Detroit. Here’s what transpired:

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Fausto Carmona replaces Jason Davis.

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Brandon Inge singles on a bunt ground ball to first baseman Victor Martinez.

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:3 O:1
Curtis Granderson strikes out on foul tip.

Bottom 9TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Placido Polanco grounds into a force out, shortstop Jhonny Peralta to second baseman Joe Inglett. Brandon Inge out at 2nd. Placido Polanco to 1st.

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Ivan Rodriguez homers (9) on a fly ball to left field. Placido Polanco scores.

Hey Eric, maybe, just mmmaaaaaayyyybbbeeee the kid isn’t ready to close out games. Maybe it’s time to give somebody else a shot. That statement, of course, presumes that you care one whit about winning.

One-hit by the Baltimore Orioles. Another proud notch in the Yankee belt.
By the time I post tomorrow, they’ll be back in second place. Hope you all enjoyed another short-lived stay in the AL East penthouse.

Bubba Crosby was designated for assignment today, likely ending his tenure in pinstripes. By all accounts, Crosby is a good guy who was well-liked by his teammates. That said, he was an offensive liability and, with Damon in CF and the recent addition of Craig Wilson, he wasn’t an asset to the team.
I know a lot of fans liked Crosby a great deal, but this was the right move, for the team and for Bubba. Hopefully he’ll get a chance to play somewhere else, and he’ll succeed.

One of my friends, who happens to be a Red Sox fan, engaged me in a heated argument (or, as heated as an argument can be when conducted via email) about how the Yankees “did it again.” According to my friend, this outcome was pre-ordained. The Blue Jays lost Burnett and Chacin and struggled. The Red Sox lost Varitek, Nixon and Wakefield and (according to my friend) will struggle. But the Yankees lost Sheffield and Matsui and just opened up the checkbook and replaced them. Here was my reply.
“I guess you missed the part of the season (May-August) when the Yankees were getting by with Cabrera, Williams, Crosby, Terrence Long and Aaron Guiel. The Red Sox had three months to pull away and couldn’t do it. Furthermore, the following Yankees came up through the farm system: Jeter, Rivera, Williams, Posada, Cano, Wang, Phillips. Let’s look at the Red Sox. Crisp, Loretta, Ortiz, Ramirez, Lowell, Pena, Gonzalez, Cora, Schilling, Beckett, Wells, Clement, Timlin. Being the baseball purists that they are, it’s safe to assume that the Red Sox nurtured each of those players up through the farm system, right? Right?”

The Yankee payroll argument ain’t flying this year, Boston fans. If your team isn’t there in October (and don’t worry, they will be), you can look at that three-month stretch where the Red Sox had every opportunity to put the Yankees away and couldn’t close the door.

Luckily, Alex Rodriguez and Randy Johnson are still in pinstripes, so this argument will be moot come October. You’ll be watching the Red Sox battle it out with the Angels or White Sox while the Yankees start making off-season plans. Until then, quit whining.

When I first posted about the discrepancy in schedules between the Yankees and Red Sox, a few of you were quick to point out that the schedules would flip-flop after the Yanks meet the Sox at Fenway this month. Really? Lets take a look at that.
Yankees
August
Days off: 2
Road games: 17
Home games: 13
Road games against .500+ teams: 11
Home games against .500+ teams: 7
Longest stretch of consecutive games without a day off: 21

September
Days off: 2
Road games: 14
Home games: 14
Road games against .500+ teams: 3
Home games against .500+ teams: 9
Longest stretch of consecutive games without a day off: 14

Red Sox
August
Days off: 2
Road games: 15
Home games: 15
Road games against .500+ teams: 6
Home games against .500+ teams: 9
Longest stretch of consecutive games without a day off: 15

September
Days off: 4
Road games: 11
Home games: 16
Road games against .500+ teams: 8
Home games against .500+ teams: 9
Longest stretch of consecutive games without a day off: 9

Do you see a clear advantage? I do. The Red Sox have more days off, play more home games and play more home games against tough teams. I’m not seeing this huge turnaround some people were talking about. During the next two months, the schedule clearly favors the Red Sox.

It should be clear to anyone watching ESPN for the last three days that Eric Wedge and the Indians have decided that, since their season is a complete failure, the next best thing is to help the Red Sox qualify for the playoffs. I haven’t seen tanking this shameless and obvious since John Sayles’ Eight Men Out. It’s pathetic. Eric Wedge, the Indians and their fans should be ashamed, and Wedge should be allowed nowhere near a major league dugout.

Funny, if the Yankees had won three of their last five games in walk-off fashion, Yanks fans would be lauding their heart, grit, guts and determination. But somehow these same fans would have me believe that the Red Sox are “staggering”. Really? Staggering? It looks to me like they’re scrapping out games and staying in the hunt, the same way the Yankees were when they got hit by the injury bug.
And, Eric Wedge, here’s a tip: when your “closer” (and I use that term very, very loosely) has given up four runs, three runs and two runs in his last three outings, maybe it’s time to consider bringing somebody else in to do that job. The rest of the league, bad or good, is out there trying to win games. If you have even a modicum of pride or intelligence (and I have my doubts), maybe you should consider doing the same. Sure, your season is over, but you don’t have to roll over and die every chance you get.