Sunday, September 22, 2024

Two wins, and Hal Steinbrenner will be vindicated... briefly.

One is the loneliest number that you ever knew. It's also the Yankee magic number for clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs. 

If they win today - (the franchise's last game ever in the holy city of Oakland) - the Yankees would have a five-game lead (in the loss column) over Baltimore, with six games to go. 

But it would still leave their magic number for winning the AL East at 2 (two). They still must win one game (1) against Baltimore, beginning Tuesday. 

Two wins... and the Yankees will spend the first week of October binge-watching their favorite TV shows - (Emily in Paris?) - along with the AL wild card playoffs.

Two wins... and Boone can start experimenting with lineups and bullpen hierarchies.

 Two wins... and Hal can pose for his victory portrait.

21 comments:

JM said...

Don't we already have a five game lead in the loss column? I'm confused.

Boone got his 600th win. Zero rings. Our .585 winning percentage is third best since 2018 when he took over. Zero rings.

Can you imagine how high that win percentage would be if he was simply competent, just average? The mind boggles.

BTR999 said...

Only an epic collapse can prevent us from winning the division. Got to admit, I didn’t think it was possible. It also makes it a certainty boone will be back next year! Perhaps even with a new contact.

AboveAverage said...

Oakland beckons me….

Rufus T. Firefly said...

What club does she work at?

Watch your wallet.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

"Only an epic collapse can prevent us from winning the division."

But you have to admit, Boooooone is capable.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Assuming the epic collapse doesn't happen, going to the Oct 7th DS game at the stadium. Hoping against hope it will be an afternoon game.

13bit said...

Here's the thing - and who said it all the time, Torre? - but the hot hand takes the day or something like that. I don't want a week off at this point. A week is 6 days longer than the gods need to chop off our nuts in a psychic way. How many teams get the first round bye, only to die a quick death in the first round?

JM said...

Precisely. It's not a good thing. If we were really banged up, okay, that would help. But we ain't.

JM said...

The money grubbing gods of MLB have probably gone after the bigger evening ad money. If it was the Wild Card, maybe day games. But I dunno about the ALCS.

13bit said...

One week is all it takes for the Enterprise to turn into the Death Star.

HoraceClarke66 said...

With the Cashman Yankees, though, hard to say if we're banged up. Soto could be playing with a broken leg, and we'd never know it.

The bigger advantage, I think, is the home field one...though weirdly, the Yanks this year are actually playing better on the road. But still, wouldn't we rather face the Astros in the Stadium?

HoraceClarke66 said...

It helps us that the Tigers are still in the wild-card race, and are playing the Orioles like they're possessed—some amazing plays in the field yesterday. As for the playoffs themselves, it's six-of-one...

I don't much like the idea of playing, say, Baltimore or Houston in the first round, and fresh off a playoff win. On the other hand, best-two-of-three against KC or Seattle with their pitchers?

Let's face it: our New York Yankees are capable of blowing any series, in any possible way.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Meanwhile, the ChiSox stand on the brink—they could lose their 120th today. Almost undoubtedly, they will break the Mets' seemingly unbreakable, 1962 record for incompetence.

AboveAverage said...

Sometimes history finds us

JM said...

It is hard to say if we're banged up. But nobody really looks it. Of course, internal injuries aren't visible...

BTR999 said...

That’s what worries me, Ruf…

AboveAverage said...

How about - those who are about to try salute you . . . .

JM said...

SS Caleb Durbin 1-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB, fielding error
3B Jorbit Vivas 1-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB
2B Oswald Peraza 3-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R — second multi-homer game of his season (two solo shots on Aug 4th)
C Ben Rice 2-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB — third game behind the plate since getting sent to Scranton

Scott Effross 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K (win) — 1.74 ERA in September after a 1.42 mark in August

Nice night by the top of the order for Scranton. I thought Effross was another example of the Brain's genius? Why is he still down at Scranton, isn't his rehab over? Hasn't it been for a long time?

Doug K. said...

Speaking of bad teams... eleven seconds into the Giant game they fumble the opening kick off and then give up the TD on the next play. Maybe the Yankees aren't so bad. At least they compete most of the time. OH and now a pick off - G-d they suck!!!@!! Roughing the passer but still.

ranger_lp said...

I just turned on the Giant game. Who's that team masquerading as the NY Football Giants?

edb said...

Two wins and the Yankees brianiac hierachy can piss on our heads and tell us it is raining.