ALCS So Far

The Yankees managed to stay alive for a game six, and my only hope is that this just isn't the last gasp before expiring.  Teams have a way of winning that game five when down 3-1, but it usually ends up just prolonging the agony.  If they can at least force a game 7, it'll make the heartburn worth it.  Of course you have the '58 Yankees and the '79 Pirates who were able to come all the way back.  It's  possible, for sure, but rare.

How do the Yankees do it? Well, Phil Hughes needs to be more consistent.  Since he's pitching on regular rest we won't have to hear the "he's too rested" excuse.  They need to hit in the clutch, take advantage of the opportunities they get. The bullpen can't throw batting practice, turning close games into blowouts the way they did in games 3 and 4.  If they get behind, they have to keep it close.

I don't want to get too far ahead of my self, but if they do get to a game 7, they have to jump on Lee when he shows weakness.  And, contrary to what Mike Francesa said on his show Tuesday, the Yankees were swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, and he was vulnerable at points during the game.  I agree, after the 6th inning it was over; he has the rep of getting stronger as the game goes on and Monday this was the case.  Francesa was at the game, and I saw it on TV, and I understand that it's hard to judge balls and strikes based on the camera angles, but a ball in the dirt is a ball in the dirt, and they were swinging at those.  TV doesn't distort the sight lines that much. That's not a knock on Lee.  The way I look at it he was using his brains as much as his arm Monday. A good pitcher gets in the opponent's head and confuses him to the point he'll swing at pitches he might not otherwise, especially if the pitcher has good movement the way Lee does. But if he keeps going deep into counts again they have to make him pay for it before he gets to that magic point of no return, around the 7th inning.

Of course, we need to play Game 6 first.  So, Friday, here we come.