All Is Calm.. For Now..

So there is a real lull right now. It's pretty apparent to fans I think.. Yes, we still keep an eye on the division, and we can talk about match ups and who we want to play in the post season..

But right now, the remaining games don't hold much interest. I think collectively as fans, we're still soaking in how good it feels to see this team rise up from where it was.

I'll mostly watch these last few games to see our younger players. Following the minors and our younger players is something I really just started doing this year.. I'd always keep an eye on things in the past, but this is the first year I really thoroughly followed our prospects and their development.

Things will get more exciting in the next couple days. We'll hear more about the lineups and the schedule, we'll have stats thrown at us from every direction and we'll have every expert and their brother telling us what's going to happen.

For sure, it'll give us all plenty to talk about.

And Around The Turn They Come

7 games remain in the 2007 MLB regular season. The Yankees magic number sits at 2, which means a Yankee win coupled with a Tigers loss will guarantee the Yankees a play off spot.

They do still sit 1.5 games back in the division.. That half game will be decided today as the Yankees play a makeup game and the Red Sox are off.

But don't get caught up to much in the division race. The Yankees are 3 games into a 10 game stretch that ends when the regular season ends.. Look for Torre to try and get his guys some regular rest once the Yankees clinch the wild card.

There's been a lot of debate about whether or not the Yankees should push for the division title, but that debate as been between the fans. The Yankees will focus on making the playoffs and setting up their pitching staff for the first round. The Yankees have cut the Red Sox lead by 13 games. Even if they don't catch them, that's still pretty amazing.

Lets hope the Yankees clinch tonight. It all starts at 1:00PM with the makeup game. If the Yankees win, all eyes will be on Detroit's match up with Minnesota..

Lets hope tonight we're celebrating another Yankee trip to the postseason.

Work left to do

Well the Yankees are flying high right now, and we fans are soaking it all in.

But, there is still work to do. The Yankees magic number sits at 5. They are a very solid 5.5 games up on the Tigers, but they are not in the playoffs just yet.

It's great fun to be right on the Red Sox heels, especially around here where panic is taking over the streets. But the Yankees need to finish off the wild card and clinch a spot in the playoffs.

They now go to play the Blue Jays, who throw out their best pitching rotation at the Yankees.

The Yankees will make the playoffs, but it's easy to focus to much on the post season and such before that happens. All the talk about resting players and such can't really come into play until the Yankees have actually clinched a spot. Then the debate about chasing the division title can really kick in.

I suffered from heavy Yankee baseball withdrawals yesterday so I'm looking forward to tonight's game.

Go Yankees!

"Don't Stop Believin'"

Journey. Where would the world of karaoke be without them?

This song, in case you missed it, was played when the final score of the game between the Red Sox and Blue Jays was shown.. The blue jays rally late to win, bringing the Yankees within 2.5 games of the division..

Can it happen? Of course it can!

Detroit falls again, pushing them back 4.5 games.. There are 11 games left..

Moose was brilliant and probably just had himself penciled in as a starter when the post season in begins.

This season and this team has a different feel then in years past.. Last years Yankees swept Boston in a 5 game series, and every Yankee fan rejoiced. I felt good about that team... But, it doesn't even compare to how good I feel about this one. You can see it in their eyes and on their faces. I think we can all sense something when we watch this team..

Sometimes I think maybe it's just the blogging circles we're in that has our optimism running high, and that maybe the majority of Yankee fans aren't comfortable with this team. However when I take a trip outside this little community that we have, and when I read papers and message boards, people are genuinely excited about this team and about this season.

It has been awhile since I've been this captivated by baseball, and it feels good. There is an excitement in the air, and it grows stronger after every game. It's good to be a Yankee fan.

How's everyone else feeling?

The Numbers Game

The Yankees are 3.5 games behind the Red Sox, and 3 in the loss column. The Yankees have 12 games remaining. The Tigers are now are 3.5 games behind the Yankees. The Tigers have 11 games remaining. The Yankees magic number for the wild card sits at 9.

The Yankees are now 8-2 in their last 10, the Red Sox are are 5-5.

The Indians and Angels have the same record, at 88-62. This also puts them 2 games behind the Red Sox for the best record in the league. There seems to be a big debate about who we want to play the first round betwen the Indians and Angels. We can't worry about it. Focus on today and todays game. The playoff seeds will sort themselves out, and the Yankees will be ready for whomever they face.

Here in Boston, there is a sense of unease but I wouldn't say anyone is worried. They see those games against Tampa coming up, and they don't see how they can lose. However I do think they're overlooking how much ground the Yankees have made up.. After tonight though, there could be panic in the streets.


By the by.. I couldn't watch the game last night, did the squirrel show up?

Looking Back at This Weekend

If you couldn't tell, this weekend felt a lot like October. The weather has changed, the wind has picked up and the leafs are looking like they're ready to turn into the colors of the fall. Saturday and Sunday the tempratures dipped into the 40's...

And of course, its only fitting that the first signs of the fall happen just as the Yankees and Red Sox play their last series of the regular season.

Fridays game started slow. You could tell the Yankees were tired. According to ESPN, the Yankees didn't get into Boston until 3:30am that day. At 7-2 going into the 8th, it seemed like it was over. I'll admit, after Giambi hit his homerun all I could say was "Great, a solo shot. That helps". Of course I was wrong in being sarcastic, as it did help and the Yankees pulled off a great come from behind win.

Saturday, I was at an annual celebration in Boston held by Samuel Adams fittingly called Oktoberfest. Yes, there I was, at 5:00PM, relaxing with friends and listening to some live music. Of course it would have been a little more fun if the band didn't stop playing every 10 minutes to give updates on the score of the game. I think there were more 'Yankee suck' chants at this event then there normally are at the games themselves.

And of course, last nights game was also great. The temperatures dipped again, it was chilly but there was still that electricity in the air. The Yankees put runners on second and third with Damon stepping up. The last thing I expected from him was to swing at the first pitch. And I was disappointed until I remembered who was up next. We all know what happened. Jeter hit a "no-doubter" way back into the seats over the green monster.

Then, as the bottom of the ninth came around, we all became slightly sick to our stomach. Close calls, a line drive and some walks.. Suddenly the bases are loaded for Bostons hero. Then he hits a looper, and we all watch as Cano, Melky, Abreu and Jeter rush towards shallow center field. In years passed these little loopers have killed the Yankees and Mariano.. But not tonight. Ortiz hit under it to much. It stayed in the air long enough for New Yorks hero to get there and put the game in the books.

The Yankees are 10-8 against the Red Sox now. They would own the tie-breaker, but catching the Sox does seem unlikely. Then again, anything can happen...

Detroit is putting the pressure on the Yankees though, as they have now gone 8-2 over their last 10 games. They now go play Cleveland in what will be the Central divisions biggest series of the season.

The Yankees need to focus on bearing Baltimore, who they are somehow only 4-8 ageist this year. There's only 13 games remaining. It's going to come down to the wire. This is exciting. This is what being a baseball fan is all about.

Go Yankees!

The Last Thrill of this Roller Coaster

The Yankees enter Boston today for a 3 game set with the Red Sox. It's the last real high energy series of the year.

This year has been a roller coaster ride. They started started as low as they could go, started winning and rising up, only to come crashing down. As fans, we've had highs and lows and we've had ups and downs. Now the Yankees find themselves 5.5 games back in the East with 16 games remaining..

They also find themselves up 3.5 over Detroit.

Now, another series against Boston. It's not the end of this roller coaster, because the Yankees finish the season against Baltimore, Toronto and Tampa Bay, and it is important not to overlook those games..

But it is the last, exciting, no-body-knows-whats-going-to-happen twist in this roller coaster ride we call the 2007 season.

These three games have an aura around them. Here in Boston there is a palpable sense of unease (especially after last nights hammer drop on Bill Belichick). But there is also still that 5.5 game lead that they feel is going nowhere. To your face they give the Yankees no chance at winning this series, but talking to them, you sense doubt.

This has the feeling a movie right before its climax. There is the feeling like this weekend will decide everything. It's in the air.

So the roller coaster car slowly approaches the last thrill of the ride, and we as fans sit back and wait to see where it will bring us..

Now lets go Yankees!