After tonight, the Yankees will be going back home to New York. The question is, will they be taking a plane ride back home as American League Champions or will they be headed to a Game 6 on Saturday?
The Yankees are leading the best-of-seven series against the Angels 3 games to 1. They know from experience however that no series is over until that final out is recorded to eliminate their opponent. The last time the Yankees were in the World Series was 2003. The next year is when it all fell apart. The Yankees led the Boston Red Sox 3-0 in the ALCS before everything took a turn for the worse. Boston would take four straight from the Yankees and advance to the World Series. That was the first time in the history of baseball a team had come back from a 3-0 deficit in a seven game series. The Yankees just couldnt get that last win that was needed to advance.
This Yankees team insists they are not looking ahead. They are focused on tonights game only. They are focused on the Angels and starting pitcher John Lackey. So far this series, Yankee pitching has dominanted the Angels lineup. A.J. Burnett takes the mound tonight hoping to close the door on the series and get to his first World Series. Burnett had pitched Game 2 in New York, going 6 1/3 innings while giving up two runs on three hits. The Yankees faced John Lackey in Game 1 of this series and knocked him around for 4 runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Only two of the four runs were earned however.
Alex Rodriguez has been carrying this team offensively so far this series. A-Rod is also looking to make his first career post season trip, as are first year Yankees, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia. Sabathia has been dominant this postseason. Against the Angels, Sabathia pitched Game 1 and Game 4, both Yankee victories. Mark Teixeira is struggling at the plate. He is batting just .111 this series with no RBI's. Despite his struggles at the plate, Teixeira is the teams defensive MVP. Many times this season, including this series, Teixeira has made great defensive plays by picking low throws out of the dirt and jumping to bring down high throws. Imagine what this lineup can do if Teixeira gets going offensively.
The Yankees have three games to get one win. They would like to get it over with tonight and head home to prepare for the World Series against the Philadelphia Philles. Burnett goes tonight and if needed, Andy Pettitte will pitch Game 6 Saturday night. If the series is still not over by then, the Yankees will once again send ace CC Sabathia to the mound for a Game 7. Sabathia pitched 8 dominant innings in Game 4. Because of that, the bullpen is well rested and ready to go if needed.
Some other news heading into Game 5:
- As of now, I have not heard the lineup for tonight but dont be to surprised if Jorge Posada is the DH tonight. Jose Molina has been A.J. Burnett's personal catcher of late. Posada has been entering games off the bench when Burnett pitches but he has great numbers against Angels starter John Lackey. Posada is a career .414 hitter against Lackey. Hideki Matsui, the teams regular DH, is a career .286 hitter against the Angels starter. The Yankees are carrying a third catcher on the roster, Francisco Cervelli, therefore they dont have to worry about having a backup catcher. Using Posada as the DH basically takes Matsui out of the game and ulitmately weakens the Yankees lineup later in the game when Posada could enter once Burnett is out of the game.
- Derek Jeter has apparently been sick all week. Even up to yesterday he was still coughing and talking with a nasal tone. As always, its not a threat to keep Jeter out of the lineup, and it does not seem to be affecting his play anyway.
Will the Yankees be celebrating in Anaheim tonight, or will they be boarding a plane to New York for Game 6? Lets hope for the celebration.