Win Division Series: CHECK

In the midst of the Provincial Visitation  I did find some time to catch a little bit of  the Yankee dismantling of the of the Twins last night.  Unlike the first two games of the series this was total domination, and as soon as Marcus Thames' homer went out you could see Minnesota's fighting spirit go with it.  They did try to rally, but I never had the sense they were capable of coming back.  It was the same feeling I had after Matsui's homer off Pedro in game six of last year's World Series; the Yankees were too strong and the Phillies just didn't have it in them to respond in kind, as the Twins didn't last night.

That said, I was taken aback by the enthusiasm of some of the New York writers this morning. After a month of bad baseball and all sorts of questions about their age, pitching staff and clutch hitting (or lack there of), you'd think we were talking about the reincarnation of the Big Red Machine. Bill Madden in particular asked rhetorically if we should wonder if there was anyone who could dethrone the defending champs considering how soundly they dispatched the Twinkies.


I think everyone needs to calm down a little.  Like I wrote before, I think the Yanks have as good a chance as anyone of getting out of  the AL alive.  I do feel better about their chances after seeing Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes pitch so well, but let's not fool ourselves, this is not the '98 team.  They are beatable.  We still need a fourth starter who won't implode after 2 and a 1/3 innings, and the bullpen, while generally solid, can still run hot and cold. 

So I'm cautiously optimistic about the ALCS, no matter the opponent. But it's those Phillies still lurking out there that gives me pause.  DAMN YOUR EYES, RYAN PHELAN!