Mark Texiera hit a single. So did Robinson Cano. And down by a single run with a two outs and a 3-2 count, the Philadelphia Phillies turned Yankees savior Raul Ibanez stepped into the batters box. One devastatingly gutsy slider from Phil Coke later, the Yankees officially have their back against the wall.
The question now is simple – can the 2012 Yankees match what only the 2004 Red Sox have managed to do in the history of baseball – come back from down 0-3 in the ALCS? I doubt it, but I wouldn’t rule them out just yet. CC Sabathia will be taking the mound in game 4, and the Yankees bats just have to come alive at some point. If they manage to in time, watch out.
Last night’s game really brought three issues to light for me. The first is the issue of the Yankees’ team chemistry. New York fans have been so quick to point out the Red Sox flawed chemistry, that perhaps they haven’t spent enough time reflecting on their own team’s lack thereof. There’s no question that the Yankees clubhouse doesn’t even begin to resemble the catastrophe that was the Red Sox this past season – hell, they made the playoffs. But I think it’s been apparent for a long time now that while stockpiling loads of talent can win you a championship on occasion, it’s incredibly tough to do it without the right chemistry in the dugout and locker room. Do you think the Yankees have the chemistry that the 2004 Red Sox had? Far from it. How about the Tigers of this season? No way. If you think the Yankees are playing for each other and not simply for those fat paychecks the only thing smoking more than you is Justin Verlander’s right shoulder.
Which brings me nicely to the subject of Justin Verlander, whose 132 pitch performance last night was yet another gem. Verlander’s last two seasons represent undoubtedly the most dominating pitching we’ve seen since Pedro Martinez decided to light up the league from 1997-2003. I can rest somewhat assured knowing that if the Yankees do push this series to seven games, it will be Verlander taking the mound.
All of this makes me think back to March, when I wrote my 2012 Red Sox season preview and mused on the competitive landscape of the AL. I wrote, “The Yankees will be good. The Tigers will be awesome.” And after a season in which I heard so much about the Yankees playing so well despite so many injuries, coupled with the Tigers’ relatively lackluster performance in the regular season, this sentiment seems to be ringing true at last. Detroit is now 9-3 against the Yankees in their last 12 meetings.
At the end of the day it’s tough to match up against a team with the most dominant pitcher in baseball, a triple crown winner, and Prince Fielder thrown in, just for good measure. I had been rooting for the Nats to win it all, but I’m now solidly in camp Detroit.
The Yankees will probably not pull a 2004 red sox because of their horribly slumping bats, which in unfortunate because the pitching has been unbelievable.
To point to chemistry as the Yankees problem is laughable. Superstars are being benched and pinch hit for without any talks of being pissed off, mouthing off at the manager, sending text messages to ownership, or bitching to the media. They are all saying the right things. Watch how they react when Ibanez has hit his home runs, guys are going nuts on the bench. No one is going to get excited for a guy who just struck out for his 13th time in 2 weeks. I know you have been out of the country but if you can point to one thing that has happened in the Yankee dugout or club house that supports your claim I am all ears.
If you want to point to something it is how Rodriguez (please keep hanging out with Kobe and Magic Johnson), Swisher (please someone give him a Werth deal), Granderson, and this postseason Cano handles pressure. They all have contributed pretty much nothing. When 4 of 9 starters are doing nothing and your best player breaks his ankle it is going to be hard to beat any team, let alone a team that is playing as well as the Tigers.
well A-Rods an asshole
nice recovery j-bone…..good try
I’m not impressed by a team’s reaction when they are hitting walk-off home runs. Even the pathetic Red Sox have mobbed their teammates when that happens. How you react when things go wrong is a much better test of a team’s mettle and chemistry. And yes, A-Rod IS an asshole.
so other then a-rod statements yesterday, which if baseball was played yesterday is not a story/was really not inflammatory, how have the yankees been acting when things go wrong that would leave you to believe they have bad chemistry?
Yankees are 6-7 this year against detroit, including the past 3 straight losses. That is much better than the 3-9 you said. Not sure where that came from.
This is extremely horrible to watch as a Yankee fan. The only reason I think they have a chance to make this comeback is starting pitching. Our pitching as been nearly lights out and are not getting any help at all. The Yankees have scored in 2 of 27 innings so far this ALCS. That’s pathetic. As you said though the bats can’t (can they?) stay this bad for much longer. So if they can squeak by tonight and get some confidence for tomorrow while the bats come alive, they definitely have a SHOT at winning games 6 and 7 at home.
I don’t agree with Verlander throwing a gem last night. It just goes to show how terrible the Yankees hitters are right now. The guy constantly fell behind and threw hittable pitchers and the Yankees couldn’t do anything with them. I’ve seen him dominate the Yankees lineup before and that was not it. That being said, that’s why I’m even more scared at potentially facing him in a game 7 if that somehow happened.
go USA soccer!
Damn straight
the rain out sucked yesterday, lose CC for the game seven that probably wont get played and I will get home in time to see the score of 0-0 in the top of the 7th.
You are being too generous with the amount of runs you think the Yankees will have scored by then