Game 1 of ALDS Presents Must-Win Situation for NY Yankees

When it comes to the MLB postseason, the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees are certainly no strangers to one another as they will be locking horns in the American League Divisional Series (ALDS) for the fourth time in the past eight years. Unfortunately for the team from the ‘Twin Cities’ not much of a rivalry has resulted from their frequent pairing with the Bronx Bombers.

In the previous three series, including last year’s best-of-five contest, the Yankees have owned the Twins, winning nine of eleven games on their way to unceremoniously ending Minnesota’s playoff run in three out of the last seven years.

However, when the first pitch is thrown at Target Field Wednesday evening this series will have an entirely different feel than those of 2003, 2004 and 2009 because, believe it or not, the Twins have a legitimate shot at dethroning the defending World Series Champions.

Since July 8, which is when Minnesota lost All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau for the season, the Twins won 48 of their remaining 74 games to run away with the American League Central while the bullpen continued to function efficiently without the services of All-Star closer Joe Nathan, who missed the entire 2010 season due to Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

During that same period, the Yankees barely finished above .500, going 41-36, and came up on the short end of the stick in the season-long struggle with the Tampa Bay Rays for American League East supremacy.

The bigger concern for New York, and the main reason the Twins have their best chance to advance past the ALDS for the first time since 1991, is a shaky Yankees’ starting rotation that boasts 21-game winner CC Sabathia and little worth writing home about beyond their ace.

With A.J. Burnett on the outside looking in due to a miserable season in which he went 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA, Yankees manager Joe Girardi has decided to go with an untested Phil Hughes, who has appeared in 11 postseason games in his career while posting an ERA of 5.25; including an 8.53 ERA in 6.1 innings of work last year.

Girardi’s three-man rotation also consists of grizzled veteran Andy Pettitte, whose postseason resumé is unequivocally beyond reproach in light of his MLB record 18 victories. However, the 38-year-old Pettitte was sidelined for two months this season with a groin injury and went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in his only two starts since mid-July.

So, realistically speaking, the Yankees are banking on Sabathia to be every bit as dominating as he was in last year’s postseason where he went 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA against the Twins in the ALDS.

Simultaneously, New York is hoping Andy Pettitte is fully recovered from his recent injury to continue his postseason brilliance and Phil Hughes quickly finds his legs in the first postseason starts of his young career.

Therefore, in this short series, it’s absolutely crucial the Yankees come away with a victory in Game 1, with their starting ace on the mound, to take the wind out of the sails of a Minnesota Twin team brimming with confidence and guarantee that Sabathia will start at least one more game in the series if Hughes and Pettitte don’t hold up their end of the bargain, which is a strong possibility given the preponderance of evidence.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation.

How The MLB Playoffs Can Get More Bang For Its Buck

Ah, it’s that great time in baseball again.

The 22 teams who were only delaying the inevitable end to their season have all cleared out their lockers and headed home to watch the final eight teams square off and hope they can be the team of destiny in 2010.

This MLB postseason is different from many others. While the usual signature teams are on-board for most of the divisional series (Yankees and Phillies), newcomers are stepping up to prime time after years of absence (Rangers, Reds, Giants).

With such a variety of mixes among teams and what they feature, this postseason has the makings of being a memorable year that will forever be etched in baseball history.

Here are some dreamy, intriguing scenarios that may possibly come up in the playoffs:


- Texas Rangers vs Cincinnati Reds For The World Series Title

Many playoff underdogs are always fan favorites and what better way to have a battle for a title than two teams who no one thought would make the post season.

Seeing the Rangers in the World Series would be interesting, given the team has never made it past the first round of a playoff series. Having them take their first series in the playoffs would be tasty, but seeing them get all the way to the end of the road would be the icing on the cake.

The Cincinnati Reds would make a great foe for the Rangers, as they have not been in the playoffs since the 90s. Although they have won titles in the past, they have become a distant memory as a post season usual since the new century was ushered in ten years ago.

Aside from being insignificant in recent playoff memories, the offensive onslaught both squads would provide would make baseball officials drool. The World Series would be long balls galore in this match up with Josh Hamilton, Joey Votto, Vladimir Guerrero and Brandon Phillips.

- New York Yankees vs Philadelphia Phillies For World Series Title

Let’s face it, Americans are suckers for an encore.

What better than an encore of last year’s World Series match up and arguably the two most complete squads from both leagues in 2010.

Last season, the Yankees bested the Phillies in the 2009 championship winning the series four games to two. If both teams were to face off against one another again, the assumption would be that the series would go the distance.

New faces are a feature to the Phillies in comparison to last year’s team. Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt are improvements over last year’s Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez as potential game one and two starters. The offense remains intact similar to last season.

The Yankees are essentially the same team that stepped onto the diamond for the 2009 World Series. Aside from losing Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera, New York brings the same strengths as last season and would be equally as difficult to topple.

- Joe Mauer vs Buster Posey

In all of sports, catcher ranks highly with running back as the position that takes the most punishment and has the shortest shelf life line. The task of catching is an arduous one as they are asked to be in a crouching position for nearly three hours and holding onto nearly 100 mile-per-hour fastballs hurled in their direction, all while outsmarting the opponent’s offense.

Joe Mauer is the poster boy and at the top-of-the-line when it comes to catcher position in baseball. Not only can he do it all defensively, but he also just as important to the Twins offense with his bat.

Buster Posey is a rising star in baseball who is a top candidate for the NL Rookie of the Year. The 23-year-old played out a great first season in the MLB and appears ready to do more damage in the playoffs.

Having the current top player behind the plate going up against the up-and-coming young catcher face off against one another would be great baseball for fans to enjoy.

- If The Tampa Bay Rays Make It To The World Series, Will Anyone Be There?

Imagine a World Series with nearly no one in attendance.

That could be a possibility if the Rays can reach that pinnacle.

During the final few weeks of the season, Rays 3B Evan Longoria explained to the media how frustrated he was that the fans of the team would not come out to the stadium to support the team. The team even dispersed free tickets to its last game of the season hoping to revive fans’ interest in coming out and filling the stadium as best as possible.

The thought of the Rays possibly getting to the World Series with very little fan support is a comical premonition. Major League officials will be blowing steam off the top of their heads when considering the fact that the low attendance would mean less interest by those watching with no crowd getting loud and going nuts.

Maybe MLB officials may have to do what the team did and give out tickets, but that would be doubtful as it would be a huge blow financially for the league.

- Can Bobby Cox Go Out On Top?

Fourteen straight division titles and numerous playoff moments have been a signature for the Atlanta Braves through the 1990s and early 2000s. The reason for their success: manager Bobby Cox.

In what will be his final season with the Braves, Cox has managed his team successfully to a wild card berth in the last game of the regular season. Now the team has the opportunity to give their manager one last shot at a title, an achievement he has reached only once in all the years he took his team to the playoffs.

Going out on top would be a magical way for the manager to leave; although no matter the outcome, he will most assuredly be in the discussion as one of the greatest coach to ever lead a baseball team out on the field.

NY Yankees remain MLB gold standard in fan support

As summer continues its gradual metamorphosis into autumn, the complete playoff picture in Major League Baseball is slowly beginning to take shape. And no collection of fans should be more enthusiastic than those of teams slated to take the diamond well into October.

In the American League, the Minnesota Twins clinched the Central Division with ten games to spare all while interjecting themselves into the race for home-field advantage, which once appeared to be a two-team competition between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Speaking of the Rays and Yankees, who have been neck-and-neck for the past several weeks, it’s a virtual guarantee that one of the two will lay claim to the American League East Title, with the second-place finisher taking home the consolation prize in the form of the AL Wild Card. Meanwhile, in the AL West, the Texas Rangers’ magic number to clinch the division stands at 2 entering Saturday’s action.

Over in the National League, the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies, barring any major collapses, have the NL Central and the NL East locked up respectively as the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants take turns being leaders in the NL West on a daily basis.

The National League Wild Card race is equally as tight as the NL West with the Padres a half game ahead of the Atlanta Braves and four games up on the fading Colorado Rockies.

So with all of the aforementioned teams in the thick of the playoff hunt, it would seem logical to conclude that fans of these clubs are coming out to the stadiums in droves to show their appreciation and support. This isn’t necessarily the case.

Although the numbers at the gate have been down compared to recent years, for the fourth time in five years the New York Yankees will rank first in average home attendance at the end of the season. In addition, for the fifth consecutive season, the Yankees will rank in the top ten in home attendance percentage (average attendance/stadium capacity).

This season, the only other teams among playoff contenders to rival the Yankees’ success are the Giants, the Phillies and the Twins, who also rank in the top ten in average home attendance and home attendance percentage.

However, Cincinnati, San Diego and Tampa Bay rank in the bottom half of baseball at the box office. And surprisingly, the Rays, owners of the best record in the American League, place in MLB’s bottom quarter this season in both of the aforementioned categories.

In addition, gate results for playoff pretenders like the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels and the St. Louis Cardinals have been much more favorable than for teams such as the Braves, the Rangers and the Rockies, who arguably weren’t expected to be a significant factor at this point in the season.

So are these enlightening statistics a product of how the recession has impacted differing regions of the United States or merely a function of the importance of baseball in various cities and states in the wake of the Steroid Era?

The jury is still out on these issues but the certainty here is that the Giants, the Phillies, the Twins and the Yankees will especially appreciate the friendly confines of their home stadiums this postseason, where their respective fan support will be taken to an entirely new level.

Will the same be said for the Padres, the Rangers, the Reds and the Rays in a couple of weeks? If it can’t, the fans of these teams will only have themselves to blame when talented free agents bolt for greener pastures or decide against bringing their services into town.

2010 MLB Average Home Attendance

1. New York Yankees – 46,418

2. Philadelphia Phillies – 45,021

3. Los Angeles Dodgers – 44,175

4. St. Louis Cardinals – 40,961

5. Los Angeles Angels – 40,060

6. Minnesota Twins – 39,783

7. Chicago Cubs – 37,792

8. Boston Red Sox – 37,614

9. San Francisco Giants – 37,288

10. Colorado Rockies – 35,992

2010 MLB Home Attendance Percentage

1. Philadelphia Phillies – 103.5%

2. Boston Red Sox – 100.9%

3. Minnesota Twins – 100.7%

4. Chicago Cubs – 91.9%

5. San Francisco Giants – 89.8%

6. Los Angeles Angels – 88.9%

7. New York Yankees – 88.7%

8. St. Louis Cardinals – 87.4%

9. Milwaukee Brewers – 81.0%

10. Los Angeles Dodgers – 78.9%

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation.

The Heat Starting To Rise In The MLB As Summer Comes To An End

As the month of August begins, the trend in the weather starts to become more mild. The temperature begins to decline as the month ends and the hot summer season begins to transcend into the cool, windy days of fall. All over the country, the change can be felt.

For Major League Baseball though, the temperature is just starting to get hotter.

The eighth month of the year begins the hottest point in baseball as teams fight for playoff contention. The final two months will be hotly contested as current division leaders are trying to maintain their grip on first place while the teams behind them try to fight their way to the top.

Here’s a look at the prognosis for each division for the rest of the season:

National League East: Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies

The Braves were pretty set at the top of the division for a good portion of the season while the Phillies were just hoping to stay in the picture. Now, last year’s NL champs are closing in on first and now the heat is on Atlanta.

The Braves are currently the healthier team though with only Martin Prado on the disabled list. The Phillies have many of their weapons on the DL including Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard.

Forecast: It appears to be hotter in Atlanta than it is in Philadelphia. Both teams have 57 games remaining, but it is Atlanta who will play 36 of those games against teams with a winning percentage over .500. Philly will have only have 25.

Key Matchup: September 20th - 22nd (Philadelphia @ Atlanta)

National League Central: Cincinnati Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals

The Reds are in the same boat as the Braves as a team that was sitting comfortably atop their division for most of the season. The Cardinals have also had a season similar to the Phillies as they have chased the Cardinals all season long. St. Louis though is closer to Cincinnati (half a game behind) than Philly is of Atlanta (three back).

The Cardinals currently have Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny on the DL and that will hurt their pitching staff if or when they come back.

The Reds rotation is also suffering with Homer Bailey and Aaron Harang out. Which ever team’s pitching staff recovers the fastest will most likely have the best edge for their division.

Forecast: Both teams are similar to one another for what they have coming up. Cincy has 55 games left to play and 22 of them are against clubs who are better than .500. St. Louis has 21.

Key Matchup: August 9th – 11th (STL @ CIN); September 3rd – 5th (CIN @STL)

National League West: San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants

The Padres continue the same theme as the rest of the other current NL division leaders as they have lead their division for most of the season. Despite that, the Giants have been sizzling in July and hope to keep it hot in August as they chase down San Diego.

San Diego have a few injured players that will be a big boost for their team when they return. Starting pitcher Chris Young is vital for their rotation and David Eckstein is an instant spark plug in the lineup.

The Giants are hoping to get a stronger bullpen when Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler return back from the DL.

Forecast: Both team's schedules should feature sweltering heat in the next few months. San Francisco will play 34 of their final 56 against teams with winning records. San Diego will play 32 of their final 58 against teams over .500 (including 23 straight from September 3rd to the 26th).

Key Matchup: August 13th – 15th (SD @ SF); September 9th – 12th (SF @ SD)

American League East: Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees

It isn’t surprising that the best division have the two top teams tied as the leaders. Four of the five teams have a winning record with the Rays and Yankees on top at 66-39 each. Nothing will be easy for either team as they battle it out through the last days of the summer looking to win their division.

Both teams are also similar in the category of the DL. Neither team has a big issue with injuries hurting a specific area of the team. The Yankees have Andy Pettitte out currently, but should be back soon in the rotation. The Rays have J.P. Howell out for the year, but the bullpen appears strong in his absence.

Forecast: The look ahead for both teams have a similar theme; more searing hot temperatures ahead after having a heated first 105 games. The Rays have 38 of their last 57 games against teams with winning records. The Yankees will have 37 of their last 57 versus teams over .500.

Key Matchup: September 13th – 15th (NYY @ TB); September 20th – 23rd (TB @ NYY)

American League Central: Chicago White Sox vs Minnesota Twins

Chicago and Minnesota are usually known as cold cities most of the year, but August and September should feature sweltering heat in both metropolitans. The White Sox are standing at the top, but it is the Twins who are in striking distance with one game separating them from the top.

The White Sox are also looking better on the injury front. Although Jake Peavy is done for the year, Mark Teahen should be ready to come back in August.

Minnesota is a different story. Joe Nathan is out for the year and they are still waiting for Nick Punto, Orlando Hudson and Justin Morneau to return. Without all three of those guys, their chances of winning look slim.

Forecast: The outlook for the Twins looks to be a blistering heat wave as the season ends. . Minnesota faces 29 games against teams with winning records and 27 games against teams with losing records. Chicago appears more cooler as they will play 25 games against teams with winning records and 33 games against teams with losing records.

Key Matchups: August 10th – 12th (MIN @ CHW); August 17th – 19th (CHW @ MIN); September 14th – 16th (MIN @ CHW)

American League West: Texas Rangers vs Oakland A’s

This might be the calmest division of them all with the Rangers having the biggest lead over their division compared to other division leaders. Texas is eight games ahead of the A’s and the A’s are barely over .500. If any team is feeling a cool breeze into the late summer, it’s Texas.

The Rangers have a variety of players out with injuries, but they aren’t key parts of the team. Ian Kinsler is the biggest issue as he is still out, but should return soon.

Oakland is a different story. Ryan Sweeney and Justin Duchscherer are done for the season, Ben Sheets and Eric Chavez appear to be long shots to return while Andrew Bailey and Connor Jackson are also out but may return soon.

Forecast: The good news for the A’s is that the Rangers have a tough schedule ahead as they have 36 of their final 57 games against teams with winning records. The bad news is that the A’s have the hardest schedule of all the current contenders (39 of their final 57 games against teams with a record over .500).

Key Matchups: August 6th – 8th (TEX @ OAK); August 27th – 29th (OAK @ TEX); September 23rd – 26th (TEX @ OAK)

With so many games left and virtually every team still in the hunt, anything can happen. Any team is a threat to become a difference maker. That is most apparent by one thought: If the playoffs started today, only one team from the 2009 playoffs would be in the 2010 post season (New York Yankees).

Just remember that summer usually ends in August, but baseball will keep it hot through October.