Finally It All Comes Together

         “Dude, the good news is that regardless of what Giambi does; Benson is going to be at 52 pitches after this at-bat.”  I looked up at the pitch counter on the center field scoreboard.  Benson was at 46, and it was only the second inning.  It was very possible Giambi could get him to 52.  I looked back at Tony, and before I could say anything, he put his hand up and said, “52.”  So there we were, 5 pitches later looking at Giambi with a full count.  Tony looked at the board and said, “What did I tell you?  The next pitch is 52.  And I’ll tell you what else….”  He then flicked his hand out towards the outfield.  That is his universal sign for “this guy is about to hit a home run.”  Well, lo and behold, what did Giambino do on the very next pitch?  We all know…  “That may have been my greatest call ever,” Tony later said…

        I have to say.  This is the lineup I have been waiting for all year.  This is the lineup I have been waiting for since they made the trade for Abreu.  This was my ultimate dream lineup.  The possibilities were limitless.  Tonight was what I have been hoping for.  And it did not disappoint.  Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Allie boy, Giambi, Sheffield, The Ferocious Lion, Posada, Cano.  Somebody really has to be kidding me.  I couldn’t control myself when I saw the lineup go up.  So how did they do?  Please…  We all know full what went down.  Five of the nine starters hit bombs, and Giambi just missed hitting two more.  And Sheffield whistled one past us in section 24 that went just to the left of the foul pole.  The relentless machine just came charging like a freight train.  Doubles, base hits, runs scored.  It was truly unbelievable.  Sheffield looked like his old self; smashing balls down the left-field line.  Giambi looked like a new man after the (third) cortisone shot.  By the fourth inning Torre was already pulling guys out because it was getting absolutely ridiculous. 

        You can never predict the future, but I will agree with any of the pundits who say that it will take an absolutely tremendous effort to beat the Yankees in this post-season.  Unfortunately, I’ve seen my share of instances wherein the Yankees were the better team and did not win the World Series.  Nothing siphons the life out of me more than that.  So I’m not fool enough to think that it can’t happen.  But it would be a major upset.  At this point, you certainly can’t fault Cashman.  He has done his job and done it well.  The Yankees have everything they need, and they didn’t give up a single key prospect.  You could argue that they could use another front-line starter, but I think Cashman got a competent fifth starter in Lidle, who came in basically for nothing.  There is really no team still in contention that is going to send out three starters of the same quality as the Yankees.  You could make an argument for the A’s, when Haren and Harden are healthy, but I still would take the Yanks’ three.  And throw in the bullpen and no one comes close.  We have the tools, now it’s time to execute.  No disrespect to Melky and Bernie, because nobody loves Bernie more than me, and I’m a big believer in Melky, but this is the lineup I want to see out there for game one.  And the rest of the games, come to think of it.

        More good news.  Detroit and Minnesota both lost, so the Yankees now have a magic number of three with four to play to secure home-field advantage as long as they last.  Why not…

        I’ll throw the question out to the readers, because Acc and I were trying to figure out if there were any Yankee extra-inning playoff games in the last 11 years that were not won by the home team.  The BPS on Monday cited the fourteen (which is actually 13; one of the 2004 games in Boston was bottom 9) games in which the home team won.  Can anybody think of any games we’re forgetting?  I’m sure there are a few.  Maybe not.  Could it be that the home teams are 13-0 in Yankee playoff games under Joe Torre?  Not that it would be shocking… 

        Boys, I am pretty sure we won’t see that same lineup again until game one.  Okay.  I will be there.  If it’s Johan Santana, so be it.  He has his work cut out for him.  This lineup is murder to wade through.  I like what I see.