Reflections on the morning after Minnesota

Stayed up past bedtime, champagne clinging to my p-jays, thinking thoughtful thoughts...

1. What if Luis Severino pitched the fifth. After struggling through the first three innings, he looked lights out in the fourth. Remember Sevy at his peak? He was one of those Gibson-like starters who grows stronger by the inning. Could have have gone a few more and spared us the full-on bullpen? Not blaming Boone: In many respects, it was wise to give Sevy a positive night: four innings, no runs. But it strikes me that we'll be seeing Sevy's worst - the shaky early innings - and maybe not his best.

2. Regardless of the score, Aroldis Chapman has a way of terrifying us. Last night, he surrendered a lead-off single, then walked the next batter, creating a Forbin Project scenario with Nelson Cruz as the tying run. El Chapo saved the day, as he always does - except for when he doesn't, and the asteroid hits. It's frightening sometimes, how close we come to doomsday. If Aroldis opts out of his Yankee contract this winter, I'm not sure Cooperstown Cashman will paint the skies green to keep him. He's a great pitcher, a hall of famer, but when his fastball inevitably diminishes to 96, some team will be left holding a soggy bag filled with dead kittens. 

3. Kudos to Aaron Boone for batting Gardy third. At first, I thought it misprint. To right all the righties, as token lefty, Didi was supposed to hit third, but the last month killed that notion. Gardy has proven himself as team leader and champion grinder of pitches. When we face Houston, hope may have to come in the form of rising pitch counts. Gardy can be a 10-pitch out. We'll need a bunch to outlast Verlander and company. 

4. Neither Kahnle nor Ottavino look sharp. Nor does Boone show confidence in either. Sometime soon, we need a six- or seven-inning start.  

5. Luke Voit made the playoff roster but never saw a pitch. Barring an injury, he never will. I can't help but think Mike Ford offers more options. If we face a wipe-out bullpen righty, at least Ford gives us a platoon. 

6. Why not say it: Right now, Cameron Maybin is superior to Giancarlo Stanton in every phase of the game. Stanton patrols left field like a man pulling a plow. That said, I get Boone's decision to play Stanton. If the big guy gets hot, he could carry this team. Still, if he goes deep into the next series with pop-ups and sombreros, Boone must remember the Joe Torre Rule: In October, you don't make friends.

7. If you want a parlor game, how about this: Who on the 2019 Yankees will make the Hall of Fame. I've got CC Sabathia, Aroldis Chapman, Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres and maybe Giancarlo Stanton. 

8. If, after all the adversity they have endured, the Yankees fail to win the World Series, let's do a Trump: We'll claim the system is rigged, we'll refuse to accept the outcome, and we'll hold a parade down the Canyon of Heroes. Rudy Giuliani can hand us the trophy, and we'll claim the crowd is the biggest in history. YES Network, are you with us?