If he's with us, who can be against us?

Former Dickinson Dean Russell Shunk, the hero of the Yankees 1996 to 2000 championship run.

Mariano Rivera

I love him so.

You can't fault the whole Burnett/Molina battery thing after A.J. pitched so well, but I'll do it anyway. It's big not having Posada out there.

This is going to be a great series. And Saturday's Game 2 Yankees watchin' card playin' Stuart v. Caines party should be absolutely legendary.

Be there or die full of regret.

World Series Motivational Poster

It's World Series time, you chumps.

One to go...

Who bats behind A-Rod Thursday night with Posada out of the Burnett-led lineup? Who cares? Just make sure whoever bats in front of A-Rod gets on base because that lucky bastard has his ticket punched to cross homeplate.

In other news, I have "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days", "You, Me and Dupree" and "Bride Wars" in my Netflix queue. Allah Praise Kate!

TYNAN SACKED

An incredible turn of events.

LA in 6.

One less Angel to contend with...

The Hard Part

The Twins sucked. They fought hard, but they were over-matched.

The Angels could beat us and no one would sneeze. They have a grinding lineup that lacks our power, but is reminiscent of the run manufacturing lineups of the most recent Yankees dynasty (now a decade old).

Game 1 is huge. Sabathia must be huge.

My feeling on this series is that Sabathia must win two games for us to win. I venture the Yankees in seven.

Thoughts?

red sox lay and egg

The angels look scary folks.

For your information -- 25 Man Roster

	Active Roster
	Pitchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	91 Alfredo Aceves	R/R	6-3	220	12/08/82
	34 A.J. Burnett	R/R	6-4	230	01/03/77
	62 Joba Chamberlain	R/R	6-2	230	09/23/85
	48 Phil Coke	L/L	6-1	210	07/19/82
	41 Chad Gaudin	R/R	5-10	190	03/24/83
	65 Phil Hughes	R/R	6-5	240	06/24/86
	43 Damaso Marte	L/L	6-2	215	02/14/75
	46 Andy Pettitte	L/L	6-5	225	06/15/72
	42 Mariano Rivera	R/R	6-2	185	11/29/69
	30 David Robertson	R/R	5-11	190	04/09/85
	52 CC Sabathia	L/L	6-7	290	07/21/80
	Catchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	29 Francisco Cervelli	R/R	6-1	210	03/06/86
	26 Jose Molina	R/R	6-2	235	06/03/75
	20 Jorge Posada	S/R	6-2	215	08/17/71
	Infielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	24 Robinson Cano	L/R	6-0	205	10/22/82
	17 Jerry Hairston Jr.	R/R	5-10	190	05/29/76
	2 Derek Jeter	R/R	6-3	195	06/26/74
	13 Alex Rodriguez	R/R	6-3	230	07/27/75
	25 Mark Teixeira	S/R	6-3	220	04/11/80
	Outfielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	53 Melky Cabrera	S/L	5-11	200	08/11/84
	18 Johnny Damon	L/L	6-2	205	11/05/73
	11 Brett Gardner	L/L	5-10	185	08/24/83
	14 Eric Hinske	L/R	6-1	235	08/05/77
	33 Nick Swisher	S/L	5-11	210	11/25/80
	Designated Hitters	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	55 Hideki Matsui	L/R	6-2	210	06/12/74

The Difference?

We Will Bury Them

I have come to agree with Garbowski. The thing about Minnesota is that despite their recent winning ways, they are a lousy baseball team. Like the Vikings.

The Twins have three good hitters: Mauer, Kubel and Denard Span. Cuddyer isnt bad. But behind them, this is a National League lineup. Minnesota starts four players -- Cabrera, Punto, Delmon Young, and Tolbert -- with OBPs in the low .300s. The fifth usually isn't any better. Morneau, as you all probably know, is out for the season.

As for pitching, Scott Baker is a solid No. 2, and Blackburn is ok, but the Yankees won't see either until Games 3 and 4, presumably. The Yankees will likely see Pavano in Game 1 and who knows who in Game 2. Whoever it is -- Liriano or Perkins -- has been awful.

This Twins team is far inferior to the Twins teams the Yankees faced in 2003 and 2004 based on Santana alone, and this Yankee team is better.

I don't see how the Yankees can lose this series. We are better at every position save catcher.

The Yanks in 3, says I. Thoughts?

One thing that could be a minor factor is the schedule, in which the teams play every other day and the series is drawn out, if it goes five games, to October 14. This mitigates some of the advantage the Yankees would have otherwise had in facing a team that just left it all out on the field to even get into the ALDS.

Thoughts?

-August 16, 1977

Playoffs? Playoffs? PLAYOFFS???

This blog is back. With a vengeance.

By popular demand, I've decided to do what needs to be done. And blog the playoffs. I hope you'll join me.

This year's Yankee team is by the best since 2004, the year baseball died. We are the favorites. We've got the tools, we've got the talent.

So, what are our major issues going into the post season? Thoughts?

-August 16, 1977