Yanks, not facing Washburn (traded), Bedard (hurt) and King Felix (pitched yesterday), will take at least 2 of 4 in Seattle, and should really take 3 of 4. However, the Yanks will be pitching both of their #5 starters in this series, so maybe it’ll only be 2.

They should take 2 of 3 in Oakland on sheer talent alone.

That gets them to Boston no worse than 4 of 7.

I never take anything for granted, but I’m not that concerned, either. Yet.

Network Associates Coliseum is Yankee Stadium West (on a shoestring). Yankee fans outnumber A’s fans at these games when Oakland has a good year. This year it will be ridiculous. We’ll do our bit. Plus, one of the Toronto games Boston should see Halladay.

nwyank wrote:

And the RS appear to have shaken their torpor.

That’s what happens when you face a team’s bullpen starting in the 2nd inning (due to the Porcello ejection on Tuesday night) and Zach Minor. 8 innings of bullpen + Zach Minor is a great recipe for victory.

Boston’s problems, exposed here over the past weekend, still remain: their rotation must now rely on untested guys like Buchholz and Tazawa (not to mention the erratic Brad Penny) and their offense isn’t as deep as it’s been in previous seasons and is now made worse with Youkilis’s suspension for four more games. I think a 5-2 roadtrip is realistic.

The Yanks don’t often do well in the Pacific timezone but they nevertheless have the better ballclub and should be expected to win both series.

I work in downtown Seattle, a block away from the Yankees’ hotel (all except ARod, who seems to stay elsewhere). The players amble about before traveling to Safeco Field, and I’ve been fortunate enough to meet many of them. Anyway, the Yanks often fare poorly on the West Coast, no matter the level of competition. And the RS appear to have shaken their torpor. The 5 1/2 game lead could be gobbled up real quickly.

the way this team is playing right now, i can’t see them losing that much over a stretch…heck they’ve won more then half of Mitre’s starts…my concern is that the yankees begin to mail it in, thinking that they have the playoffs under wraps..and i can see something liek that happening if during the weekend they trot out both Guadin and Mitre