Kuzul

History in sports usually has to do with some sort stat, which can be a predictor for the future regarding similar circumstances.

So, with the Yankees down 2-3 in the ALCS series to the Texas Rangers, it got me thinking of how the bats could stay hot for more than just one game.

Pondering over the past two seasons at what had facilitated the Yankees to get hot and stay that way. I looked at all kind of stats for the team, individual players trying to see how what affected more wins and fewer losses. Did anything make the line-up respond in 2009 and 2010?

Nothing was blatantly obvious, but the one factor that did generate more wins and all around team production depended on Alex Rodriguez.

When A-Rod drives in runs or hits home-runs the team tends to follow his lead about 25 percent of the time, but in the playoffs it was around 80 percent in 2009. Problem is that the same goes if A-Rod posts all zeros as well.

Still, everyone can’t stop blaming the Yankees middle-of-the-road pitching for getting the team into this ALCS mess, which has not made it easier by any means. The bottom line remains the same, scoring runs wins ballgames. This is regardless of who is starting on the mound, because a starter’s teammates main job is to driving in runs or else you need five pitchers who never let a run score.

If Arod’s performance in the team’s 7-2 win of Game 5 is any induction that the slugger is about to get hot, watch out.

The Yankees tend to get that extra push when A-Rod swings; something they so desperately need right now.

Don’t forget that New York needs to win both games over the weekend to survive, sans superstar Mark Teixeira.

Tex had been cold as ice in both the ALDS and ALCS prior to the injury, but statistical history over the past two seasons proves this to be a working formula.

The tandem that graces the Yankees’ three and four spots in the lineup is a lethal combination and everyone’s job just got a little harder.

For now, all eyes will be on Game 6, Friday night in Arlington, TX.

For the Rangers, it’s a place in history as they’re looking to clinch the franchise’s first trip to the World Series.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ only focus is just to win. What other options does New York have other than digging themselves out of this hole they climbed into?

They don’t, but this is the Bombers’ reality now and they know what they have to do.

If history means anything in the postseason, which is a debatable topic, Alex Rodriguez’s bat will hold the key to the New York Yankees’ destiny in the ALCS.

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As the saying goes, if you can’t hit the baseball get the hell off the field was the theme coming into Game 5 tonight in the Bronx.

Instead, it was the New York Yankees who got the job done beating the Texas Rangers 7-2, in a must-win to stay-in the series game.

The Rangers are still ahead of Yankees 3-2 in games. If this Wednesday afternoon game is an indication of what’s to come in the next game, Texas should be running home nervous.

The Yankees flat out put the Rangers back where they belong when Cliff Lee is not pitching.

I have held to my opinion about the Rangers all season long; I do not think the Texas Rangers are as good as people think.

The Rangers have some good players like Josh Hamilton, but someone had to replace Alex Rodriguez production when he came to New York. Overall the team is just not well rounded, because without Cliff Lee, the Rangers would not be in the ALCS and maybe make the playoffs because the AL West was such a joke in 2010.

Yankees are without all-star, gold glove first baseman Mark Teixeira for the rest of the playoffs. Tex’s Yankee teammates do not crumble without him, life is not easier by any means but the Yankees are talented enough to still win. Unlike the Rangers, who without Hamilton at the end of the regular season, fell apart.

Sabathia did not have one of his smooth days on the mound, but CC grind-ed his way through six innings and held the Rangers to two earned runs. This is what defines an ace, and it is why Sabathia was brought to New York in the first place.

The pitching has not been its best for the Yankees, but the main problem seems to be fixing itself because the Bombers are hitting again. This is the first time in the ALCS that the Yankees kept the lead from the start and never gave it up all game.

Finally reality hit the Yankees who seemed to be riding the late bus to school the last two games.

The Yankees entire lineup participated in the win, with a hit, RBI, home run or a walk. It is about time that the Yankees started playing like themselves again.

Imagine if the pitching and hitting could get it together for the same game, the Rangers would not stand a chance.

Guess the Rangers will have to wait another day to try and make it to a place they have never been.

The Yankees need to continue to just be themselves, but it’s another must-win for Game 6. When the Yankees have their backs against the wall, they seem to right themselves pretty quickly.

Cliff Lee will be on the mound for the Rangers in Game 7, but let’s get through Game 6 before anyone starts to get ahead of themselves, even a lowly sports writer and die-hard fan like myself.

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The ALCS has not been good for the New York Yankees thus far, but blaming the pitching is just a mask for the real issue.

The issue is not hitting, which means runs don’t score. With zero or two as a team’s score, it forces the pitching into having to be almost perfect to get a win.

For example look back at CC Sabathia’s start in Game 1 of the ALCS. Sabathia, who is an ace in all terms is human at times and that CC was on the mound against the Rangers that night.

Sabathia posted his shortest outing of the season, leaving the game after four innings, giving up six hits, five earned runs, one a home-run, while walking four and striking out three. To say he imploded would be correct, but guess who won that game?

The Yankees did in one inning, being down 5-1 entering the top of the eighth the bats scored the five runs needed to take the lead. Then it was over because Mariano Rivera in the ninth is a postseason God.

So, the reason behind the Yankees losing ALCS Game 4 is not AJ Burnett’s fault, as he pitched much better than Sabathia.

In the sixth inning Burnett threw one bad pitch, which turned into a Bengie Molina home-run. Molina scored the two Rangers on base and turned the Yankees 3-2 lead into a 3-5 New York deficient and an eventual Yankee loss.

Whatever is not happening on the mound is also not happening at the plate and that is the Yankees or any other team’s recipe for disaster. This holds even truer in the tough postseason.

Philadelphia Phillies seem to be following in the Yankees footsteps in the NLCS, as the Giants 3-0 shut out the Phillies. A post-game quote from Phillies Shane Victorino sums up my point:

“If you don’t hit, it doesn’t matter how good the pitching is,” Shane Victorino said. “So you can’t blame our pitching right now. We need to find a way. Cole gave up three runs today and we scored nothing.”

It is crazy that the two best teams can’t seem to hit the ball and it is a shame for baseball. A rematch of a Yankees-Phillies World Series make for an awesome series, ratings would be through the roof.

Without question, MLB will see it’s worst ratings if the Giants-Rangers both make it into the championship ever! No one in the northeast (huge sports media market) will even care to watch, which only hurts the game itself.

A rematch is still possible but surely cutting it too close.

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Going into Game 4 of the ALCS, the New York Yankees were down 2 games to one to the Texas Rangers.

So, it’s understandable how hesitant Yankees fans were to trust the decision of starting AJ Burnett in the most important game of this postseason for New York.

Burnett did okay, better than expected but once again the Yankees couldn’t hit the baseball and once again stranding runners on base.

Things hit rock bottom in the fifth inning when Mark Teixeira grabbed the back of his right leg trying to get to first. What might have seemed like a slide into the base was actually Tex in pain that was so bad Tex needed help off the field.

Skipper Joe Girardi said that it would be a miracle if after the MRI Tex would be cleared to play. So, season is over for Mark Teixeira and that will hurt the Yankees at first-base big time. Regardless of Tex’s recently ice-cold bat, he was bound to warm up if the team went on to play more games.

The Yankees are not themselves, and handing the Rangers the wins. It is due to lack of production and not playing to their established potential.

Fact remains if both ALCS teams were playing at the top of their game, the Yankees would prevail.

Well, that is not reality for the Yankees but it still can be. Nothing is set in stone just yet, but if the Yankees want to win they have to play.

The Rangers are playing ALCS-worthy baseball right now and deserve to move on to the World Series. It would be a first for the Rangers franchise and nothing is standing in the way of that happening as of now.

If the reigning World Champions want to keep that title, than winning Game 5 on Wednesday afternoon is the perfect and last chance to start playing New York Yankee baseball.

With CC Sabathia on the mound the Yankees should be able to get this series back to Texas.

In sports, you simply aren’t considered a real champion until you have defended your title successfully. Winning it once can be a fluke; winning it twice proves you are the best. ~ Althea Gibson

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Even knowing the Texas Rangers had Cliff Lee on the mound, the New York Yankee fans arrived at the game ready for a win and made it loud and clear

That dream became a nightmare pretty fast, as Lee brought his A-plus game once again and the Rangers won 8-0.

So, instead fans left confused, discouraged and embarrassed. Below are the three dilemmas I had, after freezing my butt off in the Bronx:

1. Everyone was confused by Joe Girardi’s decision not to use Mariano Rivera for the last three outs. The hope was to hold the Rangers at two runs through the ninth. In turn, that would give the Yankee batters a chance at the bottom of the ninth inning to maybe get back in the mix.

What happened was embarrassing, as Texas scored six more runs mainly off sloppy fielding mistakes by New York. With Texas up 8-0, any hope of a comeback was just too far out of reach.

Up to this point, Girardi had used Mo in all five postseason games and one would think to go with the best you have to offer. Especially considering the Yankees are the comeback kids and Lee’s pitch count was already in the mid-120, which is why it made no sense. Maybe Girardi forgot this was a playoff game?

2. Why the game was so discouraging is that Andy Pettitte pitched solid as a rock after giving up a first inning home run to Josh Hamilton. Pettitte put the Yankees in the position to win posting five strikeouts and walking zero batters.

In order to win, teams have to score runs, and Pettitte got no insurance whatsoever. Pettitte deserved a win, but his performance was not overshadowed by the loss as every fan at the Stadium cheered for the southpaw big time.

3. Did the umpires loss the game for the Yankees? Well, there was definitely one questionable call that might have made the difference. Not taking away from the surreal performance by Lee because with 13 strikeouts and not a run scoring surely can stand on its own.

The call is now a confirmed a mistake made by first-base umpire Angel Hernandez in the bottom of the third inning. Umpire Hernandez called Brett Gardner out when the replay tells a different tale. Gardner hit a blooper and slid into first, which might have been more out of habit for Gardner who might have been safe on his feet too.

Regardless, he was clearly safe and not a whimper from Girardi at all. Pathetic for a manager not to get out there and defend his player.

There was one other call that again favored Texas, when Michael Young was a foot from the bag when Teixeira had already scooped the ball up.

This was not what Yankees fans came too see. Ultimately most fans knew that it was going to take a semi-miracle to beat Lee if his current pitching postseason trend stayed on target, but who knew it would be a bull’s-eye.

Yankees will send AJ Burnett to the mound Tuesday night, which is scary to think about considering how awful Burnett has been. Burnett has an opportunity to become a New York hero in Game 4, as we know he has the stuff to be lights-out, so let’s hope Burnett has found it.

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The 2010 ALCS is tied at one game apiece.

The New York Yankees couldn’t muster together another comeback win last night and the Texas Rangers won 7-2.

Phil Hughes followed in CC Sabathia’s footsteps with another not-so-great performance from a Yankees starter. They’re human, just like the rest of us, and nobody is perfect.

The postseason isn’t built for chances or mistakes.

The Rangers have Cliff Lee on starting Game 3 on Monday night. This gives Texas the clear advantage considering Lee’s history with Yankees and in the postseason.

The Yankees are at home with Southpaw Andy Pettitte on the mound. Andy is a phenomenal, but one earned run might be all the Rangers need if Lee brings his A-game to the Bronx.

The game is in New York, which means Yankee Stadium needs to be louder than ever. As a person who will be in attendance Monday night, I hate imagining a silent stadium because the Yankees need their fans more than ever.

Lee is a shutdown, nine-inning pitcher, but the Yankees bats can get him but not alone. It’s time to help out our beloved Yankees by cheering like hell until the last out.

This team plays hard to win for New York every game and admittedly, I cannot say the same for the Yankees fans.

It’s time for us to get over the high expectations because the players have exceeded those for years. No more bitching about a player’s performance because so-and-so makes 200 trillion dollars, or how Joe Girardi doesn’t know what he is doing; not going to help, not this Monday night.

Andy Pettitte is pretty darn good himself in the postseason. Pettitte deserves Yankee Stadium to be rocking like never before because this is supposedly the Southpaw’s last year in pinstripes.

Let’s give back what Pettitte, the Yankees and most importantly Mr. George Steinbrenner have given us, the fans, too many times to count…A WIN!

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 By the end of the six innings, the New York Yankees were down 5-0 to the Texas Rangers.

Yankees ace CC Sabathia had to exit after the fourth; his shortest outing of the season.

On the other end, Rangers starter CJ Wilson was shutting down the deep New York line-up. Wilson gave up a homerun to Robbie Cano to start the seventh, but retired the next three and the held the Yankees to a 5-1 score.

Wilson had been terrific and more, but at the start of the eighth inning he gave up two hits, one an RBI to Derek Jeter and Skipper Ron Washington had seen enough.

Washington move seemed logical, actually very Joe Girardi-esque as he pulled Wilson and went to the Rangers bullpen. The first of four relievers that followed couldn’t get one out and by the bottom of the eighth the Yankees were up 6-5.

Kerry Wood and Mariano Rivera finished off the remaining six Rangers for the win.

Playing musical pitchers with the bullpen is very familiar to Yankees fans and it can be frustrating to watch when things just get worse.

Washington could have left Wilson in through the eighth inning, but it wasn’t a totally off-base call. Not starting Cliff Lee in Game One is what made no sense to me.

Washington made public statements regarding how tough a team the Yankees are and how hard the Rangers had were ready to play. Winning game one would have given the Rangers some legs to stand on, both athletically and mentally.

That is why starting Lee seemed so obvious, as coming at the Yankees swinging from the start would make an immediate impact.

Instead, the Rangers lost the game 6-5 and got a little reality check at the same time.

Playing all nine innings of a game is something Yankee players remind each other to do. That ‘never giving-up’ attitude has really taken a life of it’s own and why other teams haven’t incorporated this motto is beyond me.

It was an awesome win for the Yankees, who couldn’t have dreamed a more extraordinary way to open up the ALCS.

Game two starts at 4pm on Saturday, in the same place, with the same teams, but Yankees fans are hoping it will be the same results too.

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On Monday night up in the Bronx, fans will crowd into Yankees Stadium with pits in their stomach.

The Yankees will be returning from Texas for Game 3 in the ALCS, and for New York Yankees fans it will be the first one played at home.

An ideal homecoming for the Yankees would be a 2-0 lead on the Rangers, before facing the surreal arm of Cliff Lee Monday evening.

Is this realistic?

Yes. The Yankees are the better ball-club. It is the Yankees ALCS to win or lose.

Here are top three reasons why:

1)   The Rangers made it to the ALCS, but Cliff Lee beat the Rays. Game 5 of the ALDS, Lee pitched better than ever. The fact that Lee is slated to start on Monday night in New York is a huge mistake by skipper Ron Washington.

It gives the Bombers an open door to win the first two games and with that newly found Rangers confidence will be squashed upon entering the Bronx. The Yankees know they have capitalized this gift. What the Twins couldn’t do, the Rangers can and that’s to come out swinging with Lee in Game 1.

The Yankees get pretty scary and will shake that confidence right out of Texas that could cost the Lone Star state the series. It’s a lot of pressure for CJ Wilson to carry, considering he was a closer till this season and the Yankees killed him as a starter.

2)   The Rangers have Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, but Hamilton is the team’s leader who has been broken ribs and he sat most of the last two weeks of the season.

When Hamilton is hitting the line-up responds and against Tampa he was a non-factor. This is a problem in games that are not started by Cliff Lee, as the Rangers closer Neftali Feliz has been shaky lately and the Yankees will crush the rookie’s arm.

The Rangers line-up is good, but the Yankees across the board have the most lethal line-up in baseball.

3)   Experience is relentless in the postseason, which the Yankees have more than anyone can swallow. Texas is in its first ALCS in franchise history. Yankees players who are rusty in age know what to expect and how to win, which is a total advantage. Rangers need Vladimir Guerrero and Bengie Molina know the Yankees veterans from when they were Los Angeles Angels.

The Angels were the only team New York feared up until this season, Molina and Vlad were major contributors back then and if they can lead by example. It might help in making up for Washington’s managerial mistakes.

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The moment the Texas Rangers’ Cliff Lee hurled his last strike Tuesday night; he not only killed the Tampa Bay Rays’ postseason dreams, but also gave the New York Yankees an official ALCS opponent for Game One on Friday night.

The Yankees will fly down to Texas to face the Rangers in the seven-game ALCS series, which for one team will lead to the World Series.

In all honesty, predictions were betting the Rays would beat the Rangers in the ALDS, but in a five-game series, there is no room to stumble.

The Rays didn’t start playing up to their ability until Game Three, and by the time Tampa caught up, it was Cliff Lee time in the deciding game.

Cy Young winner and certified bad-ass Cliff Lee is no stranger to pressure, especially in the postseason. Watching Lee’s postseason career is literally watching baseball history in the making.

In seven starts, Lee posts a 1.44 ERA, allowing nine earned runs, six walks, striking out 54 hitters and giving up just one home run over 56.1 innings.

Three of those seven wins were complete games; the last was this past Tuesday night to beat the Rays and lead the Rangers to the ALCS for the first time.

Except for changing uniforms like it’s Halloween in the Bronx, Lee and his famous left arm are no stranger to the Yankees. Neither are Yankees fans, who will get to see Lee in the Yankees’ first ALCS home game next Monday night, the third of the series.

If recent history can predict any game’s outcome, this would be it. Lee is the dictator when he starts; if he wants to win, he does.

The Yankees have shown signs of getting to Lee in the past with some success, but not in 2010 and certainly not in the postseason, which was witnessed in the 2009 World Series when Lee was a Philadelphia Phillie.

The Yankees are by no means underdogs in this series against the Rangers, except any game Lee pitches because the Bombers are at his mercy, but this time things will be different.

Overall, the Yankees have the better team; way more experience and are beyond determined to repeat.

Not just for the players’ own egos because the team owes someone else another World Series title, to say the least.

Mr. George Steinbrenner, known as the Boss, would not have it any other way and neither would his Yankees.

So, bring on the Rangers and Cliff Lee, because it’s time for the Yankees to show the Rangers how champions play.

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There is not much going wrong for the New York Yankees, after sweeping the Minnesota Twins easily to advance to the ALCS.

However it happened, this is not the same team who finished off 2010 regular season barely breathing.

Resembling championship form almost overnight has caused rumors to swirl for the sudden upgraded play.

Maybe it’s just pure postseason rush?

Possibly. Imagine getting a step closer to the World Series as a player. It’s inevitable that you acquire some adrenaline from winning.

Also, it could have been a contrived plan to lose the division. Any team without Cliff Lee is a better option and an easier opponent, particularly in the postseason.

Everyone knows the Yankee captain (Derek Jeter) can act to win so why wouldn’t the team lose a few to defend their crown? Looking at the bigger picture it makes sense.

Struggling and after spending months on the DL was not the Andy Pettitte who looked great in Game 2 of the ALDS. It was the southpaw at his best.

Followed that outing was Phil Hughes, who was even better and during the team’s September slump Hughes only came out of the bullpen. Maybe Hughes hasn’t learned to fake being bad as well.

In turn Yankees can blame it on the ‘Hughes Rules’ also known as Hughes’ innings limit. Hughes is 90+ innings over that limit and that was before his ALDS start so it would be presumed that he was not getting pampered months ago. Nice try with that one.

Could it be possible that all the fuss to win the AL East was BS, and the Yankees had no intention to go that route?

It makes sense for any team to try and avoid having to face Lee twice in a five game series because odds are you will lose the short series.

This is not fate but the reality facing the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, where Lee holds the destiny of the game on the mound.

If Lee were going to get hit, the best team with the odds to beat him would be the Rays because they have done it all season. Not just once this season, but all three times the Rays made the great Lee into a loser. Lee gave up 15 hits, 12 earned runs, two walks and 25 strikeouts in the three losses against Tampa Bay.

In Lee’s six postseason starts he has a 1.52 ERA, given up just 11 hits, eight earned runs, six walks, 43 strikeouts and one home run over 47.1 innings. He still has not lost in October, making the reasons to steer clear more obvious.

Postseason Lee has yet to fail. His last victims were the Rays; in their own house just four games ago. Tuesday night will be different because the Rays are hot again and this will make Lee’s night not an easy one, but the Rays bats will have to be perfect.

Kind of makes sense for the Yankees to lose the division on purpose, even if they never admit to it.

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