We Can Do It Yankee Fans!

We’ve been here before. Look at last year.  We almost did it.  We can do it again.

I ask you, do you think we can do it?  For me, the short answer is yes, but the anxiety level is through the roof right now and the game isn’t until tomorrow.

Yankee fans… we’ve been through hell and back with a lot of uncertainty this season, but in the end, the New York Yankees won 100 games.  That is not a bad team.

In fact, it’s a team that learned to use the uncertainty and pivot to better themselves in the absence of some of our stars.  Not only that, we picked up some pretty significant pieces at the trade deadline… and after… and these guys have proven to be significant parts of this Yankee season.  You need to give Brian Cashman and Yankee brass credit. The outcome was pretty sweet considering all the stress of the season.

Now if I’m trying to figure out the starter for tomorrow’s game (which we will know today at noon), I’m choosing a guy like Luis Severino… NOT J.A. Happ. The reason is simple.  Sevy can handle the A’s, plus you have some important parts of the pen available to jump in… including someone like CC Sabathia if Sevy shits the bed.  And if Sevy is dominant, we save those guys.  The reason is because of Happ’s record against Boston.  And sure, you can suggest 1 game at a time and use your best pitcher in the first game all you want, but Sevy earned that spot. Give him the ball.

Happ has been lights out, but I would rather use him to try to get a jump on Boston early.

Then of course there’s the A’s, who it’s being reported may be using an Opener, NOT a starter against the Yankees Wednesday night. NBC Sports writes:

“The A’s still haven’t announced their starting pitcher for Wednesday’s American League Wild Card Game against the Yankees, but reliever/opener extraordinaire Liam Hendriks is the overwhelming favorite to get the ball. He likely will be followed by a cavalcade of relief pitchers out of Oakland’s deep bullpen in New York. “

It’s very interesting because it’s backwards thinking and the Yankees have to strategize for that.  It could also just backfire for the A’s all together.  We’ll have to see who they announce.

Then of course you need to talk about the lineup. Who will be in and who won’t be.  Judge will be there, but Judge needs to deliver now more than ever.  Voit needs to be a starter. His bat’s too hot to not be. Andujar and Torres can’t be quiet now.

They had outstanding seasons, but now they need to turn it up.  It’s one of those things where we have been crying about wanting youth for years and now we have it and the Yanks have been great, but this is when it matters.  That youth needs to know that this is incredibly important. I know they do.

It’s a tough journey and this will be a tough, tough game because the A’s are calm and confident.  But so are the Yankees.  It’s us fans that get nutty. If the Yankees win, we will be screaming that we’re “going all the way”… but if we lose, we will crap on our team for sucking.  That’s the passion we have for this game and this team. But if we lose, it will be embarrassing.  A very high payroll against a very low one. Makes you think.

In the end, I’m a realist.  A lot of things need to happen tomorrow night. Guys like Britton, McCutchen need to continue their dominance as new Yankees, but not only that… the core of this club… Judge, Hicks, Andujar, Torres, Voit, Didi... the guys that got us here… they need to not break stride.

The game’s too important.

In the end, I’m predicting a Yankee win.  It won’t be easy, but the best thing the Yankees have tomorrow night is us fans screaming our heads off at Yankee Stadium.  That, my friends, is amazing stuff.  That’s the Yankees folks.  The greatest fans in the world in the greatest city in the world.

Yankees will win.  I feel it.

Go Yanks.