Bill Madden, of the Daily News, raises an interesting point today.
Are the Yankees playing really well since May 20th? Or, is a big part of it having a soft schedule now – with so many inter-league games?
Remember the 2006 season? The Boston Red Sox, that year, were sitting pretty (in first place) with a record of 52-32 on July 7th. They looked real good at that point.
But, part of that was because they went 16-2 in inter-league play. Then, when a few injuries set in and they were not strong enough to overcome them, Boston finished in third place that season.
Could it be that the schedule, now, for the Yankees is hiding New York’s short-comings – whatever they may be? We’ll probably have to wait until July or August to find out. But, it’s worth keeping on the radar.
7 Responses to “Schedule Helping Yanks?”
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June 20th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Yeah, let’s urge Yankee brass to retroactively forfeit the interleague games, the other 2-1 Joba games, and those dirty wins against the Mariners because every team’s wins are all earned valiantly against the best competition.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
of course the schedule is helping the Yankees out. they are playing teams that stink.
but i think its been a nice little break for the team to catch its breath, get their feet underneath them, let the offense get itself in shape, and let them get their swagger back.
this is the way we were all expecting them to play from April, but characteristically, it took them a month or two to stretch out their legs, i guess you could say.
youve got the offense clicking, the starting staff has lost 3/5 of its arms and is still giving quality starts, the bullpen is anchored with Mo pitching as good as perhaps he’s ever pitched.
they can afford an upgrade in the starting rotation if Wang is out for the season, they can improve the depth on the bench, maybe promote a couple of the young bullpen arms to supplant the more ineffective ones. but there isnt really much they have to do, imo anyway.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I said not too long ago that the interleague schedule was conducive to a Yankee hot streak. And now its coming true.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
~~because every team’s wins are all earned valiantly against the best competition.~~
Basura, your consistent and blind desire to take umbrage with everything that I write is making you miss the point on this one.
I’m not saying that other teams don’t beat the weak teams. I’m saying that the Yankees winning streak – the first of it’s kind this season and the only run where they’ve looked good for an extended period – has come against, as some suggest, a weak spot in the schedule…and, that, PERHAPS, this good play may come to an end when the schedule becomes tougher (again).
June 21st, 2008 at 7:06 am
blind desire? umbrage? I didn’t think I had that much emotion invested in your writing.
June 21st, 2008 at 7:47 am
A review of the posts that you make here, on the whole, suggests that you do.
June 21st, 2008 at 10:29 am
Given that they were playing lousy against bad teams not too long ago, I’m happy that they’re playing better