Here’s One For The Dreamers
The Yankees are now 7 games back of the Red Sox, in the loss column, for the Wildcard spot – with New York having 23 games left to play.
Boston is off today. So, the Yankees need to win this evening to keep the “losses back” gap at seven.
Next, the Yankees play the Mariners for three games and the Angels for three games – while the Red Sox will play the Rangers in Texas for three and then host the Rays for three games.
If the Yankees can win five of their six games here while the Red Sox take four of six, then New York will pick up a game on Boston and be six back with 17 games to go.
After the Angels games, the Yankees will play the Rays for three and the White Sox for four (all in the Bronx) – while the Red Sox will host the Blue Jays for four and then go to Tampa for three against the Rays.
If the Yankees can win six of their seven games here while the Red Sox take four of seven, then New York will pick up two games on Boston and will be four games back with 10 games to go.
After the White Sox games, the Yankees will play three against the Orioles in the Bronx and go to Toronto to play the Jays for three – while the Red Sox play the Jays for three in Toronto and then host the Indians for four games.
If the Yankees can win five of their six games here while the Red Sox take five of seven, then New York will pick up a game on Boston and be three back with three games to go – and those three games will be the final three games of the season for the Yankees – to be played against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
It’s an interesting situation. I think most people would say that the Red Sox could, and probably will, go 13-7 in their next twenty games. But, can the Yankees go 17-3 in their next 20 games? Well, if you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big.
Or the Yanks could win every game against the Rays and Boston could win every game against the Rays too and the Yanks could win on the days the Rays lose and make it! I guess we all can dream!
Remeber that Mets collapse that happened last year? That ain’t happening to the Red Sox! Their B team is coming back winning games and bashing the ball. Beckett is coming back. They are closer to Tampa than the Yanks are to them. With these wins the Yanks are helping Boston get home field advantage in the playoffs again. we know how well that worked out last year, don’t we? In addition, the White Sox and Twins are ahead of the Yanks as well. They aren’t falling off either.
Steve it’s hard for me to get excited when the Yanks have psychics, ghosts and Golden thongs and the Red Sox have Bill James. Better yet, the Twins have that Kelly philosophy of great fundamentals and Kenny William’s concept of a team as a complete team. The White Sox have tried a few kids this year and their experiment is working far better than the Yankees’ experiment.
If anything, I’d love for the Yanks to somehow play spoiler and knock the Sox out of everything. I realize that beating the Rays isn’t a good way to go about it, though…
That’s what I’m talking about. I know it’s improbable and probably not going to happen, but one can dream and be “optimist”, right? If you were told the Yankees would win on opening day and it always came true, would you still watch or care? (talk amongst yourself)
17 and 3? Why stop there? How about 20 and 0. While you’re dreaming, might as well shoot for the clouds.
(not saying it couldn’t happen. If A-Rod went on an insane streak he could win games by himself.)
I think it’s more likely for Tampa to completely collapse and lose 10 in-a-row (and allow the Yanks to slip in as WC with Boston as division champ) than it is for the Red Sox to drop below us for the WC. But I wouldn’t take any odds on either of these.
And note to Hank: you again embarrassed yourself by playing the injury card. Just look at the Red Sox and how great they are playing with their injuries (and loss of Manny which is an injury-equivalent).
FWIW, the Jays and the Rays could make it interesting for Boston.
The Red Sox play the Rays and Jays in 13 of their next 23 games. That’s a lot.
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