Via Marc Carig -

“I think this team is one of our better teams we’ve had in awhile,” [Brian] Cashman said. “But I also think Anaheim is running out a much improved team too. Clearly, they were able to beat Boston and they haven’t been able to do that before. They’re more equipped. We’re more equipped.”

The Yankees used a three-game sweep of the Twins to differentiate themselves from the flawed teams that were responsible for five years of October agony. Simply by advancing — and doing so in convincing fashion — these Yankees have proved that they have awoken from a first-round slumber that Cashman called “a real nightmare.”

“This team is deeper in pitching,” Cashman said. “This team’s deeper on the bench. This team’s deeper in the bullpen, this team’s deeper offensively and we’re healthy right now…. We’re just stronger and deeper.”

Up against the wall in the clubhouse on Sunday night, Cashman maintained that the Yankees teams of recent playoff past were also good enough to win the World Series. His stance is not surprise: he was responsible for constructing those teams.

But even Cashman admitted that this time, there’s a difference.

“There’s no perfect team that we had,” Cashman said. “Those teams in the past had chances to run the table too. But you’ve got to recognize that this team is deeper, that’s all.”

Hey, Cash has a new song, and it’s “deep!”

Nobody gonna take my car…I’m gonna race it to the ground…Nobody gonna beat my car…it’s gonna break the speed of sound…oooh it’s a killing machine…it’s got everything…