Saturday, September 18, 2021

For now, the AL Wild Card hinges on who can beat hardest on the tomato cans... and who still has a cavalry on the way.

Earth vs. the Tomato Cans: 

Boston hosts Baltimore. Toronto welcomes Minnesota. Oakland visits the Angels. Seattle is in KC.
We entertain Cleveland.

This weekend is the equivalent of a tack-on run, a concept the 2021 Yankees - last night notwithstanding - have little understood. For every contender, these are "must" wins. By late next week, the Yankees will be running the gauntlet - Boston, Toronto, Tampa. But if they look beyond this weekend, those games will not matter.

Two weeks left, and every contender has a final dice roll to play - players returning from injuries, who may or may not be rusty. Here's a rundown...

Boston: Chris Sale returned last night, crushed the O's. Christian Arroyo (2b) should return Sunday.

Toronto: Cavan Biggio (3B) should return this weekend. 

Seattle: Sam Haggerty (LF) should return this weekend.

A's: Elvis Andrus (SS) is day-to-day. Mike Fiers (SP) returning next week. Chris Bassit (SP) might return next week.

Yankees: Domingo German should return next week. Sal Romano out until late next week. Jameson Tailon out until late next week. Jonathan Loaisiga might return late next week. Luis Severino? Really, now, who knows? Darren O'Day, when hell freezes over. 

Overall, we have the most to potentially gain. Then again, if these guys are rusty, we will suffer the most. We have no time to endure somebody's MLB rehab. 

And we better sweep Cleveland.
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6 comments:

  1. TheWinWarblistSeptember 18, 2021 at 8:45 AM

    Well, that sounds swell.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 13bitSeptember 18, 2021 at 9:13 AM

    When will we learn how to manufacture runs without relying on homers?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rufus T. FireflySeptember 18, 2021 at 9:41 AM

    Valazquez needs to help the Rail Riders for that stretch run. He should be available to pinch run in the playoffs should Gardner and Wade both get injured. In addition, Yankees management have asked him to get some work in as catcher at Scranton to be a more versatile backup.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ranger_lpSeptember 18, 2021 at 10:47 AM

    @Rufus...this is how the end of season plays out in AAA...

    https://www.milb.com/news/triple-a-classification-to-add-10-games-to-2021-schedule

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rufus T. FireflySeptember 18, 2021 at 10:49 AM

    Ranger,

    That's why Valazquez won't be available (in MLB) until the playoffs, when the Yankees will be golfing.

    Brainless is playing five dimensional chess again... against himself. To ensure he will lose.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rufus T. FireflySeptember 18, 2021 at 10:50 AM

    And I sure hope he learns the skills to be the Yankees 4th catcher.

    ReplyDelete

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