“Just when I thought I was out… They pull me back in.”
That famous quote, from the somewhat infamous Godfather III, describes the feeling that the New York Yankees have given fans over the past month or so. Just when you think you’ve given up on them, just when you change the channel in disgust, they find a way to pull you back in.
This team has faced the most adversity of any in the major leagues this year and they haven’t quit. They’re not dead. All they need is one final push.
With 10 games left including tonight, New York is 2.5 games behind Texas for the second wild card spot. In order to leapfrog Baltimore and Cleveland to take over Texas and/or Tampa for a playoff berth, they need to win almost every game from here on out.
A big factor in deciding that will be CC Sabathia, who has struggled for most of this season. Sabathia is currently 13-13 with a 4.90 ERA and has given up the most earned runs in his career at 111. Big name pitchers step up in big time spots, and the final week and a half needs to be the time Sabathia pitches the best baseball of the season. If the Yankees stay close, he’ll be pitching in the biggest games and he needs to give them more than what he has already. Hiroki Kuroda has battled, and looks ugly early in games but then settles down. 41-year-old Andy Pettitte has been the most consistent starter while Ivan Nova hasn’t been great since being named AL Pitcher of the Month in August. Phil Hughes has been – well. His performance goes without saying.
It’s all about taking this thing one day at a time. Kuroda needs to go out tonight and pitch a good game, and then tomorrow Sabathia has to keep the line moving and so on. If the Yankees get good pitching and can keep their offense in the game, they will always be one big swing away from taking a lead, which is something they couldn’t do earlier in the season.
In order to make a run at this thing, the pitching needs to drive this team. It carried them early in the season and it needs to carry them now. One thing is for certain; this race will head right down to the wire. All they need is one final push.
