Stamford, CT: Happy Post Labor Day! It’s time to put the summer in the rearview and get out the Halloween decorations. We’re heading into that magical time of the year when baseball is ramping up for October, football is starting, and hockey and basketball are getting ready to roll. Such much hope! I have decided to give you all a rest from my raging Dart-on, and instead, talk some baseball. The Yankees and Mets are trying to get on a roll for the playoffs. How are they looking?
After similar up and down seasons, the Yankees and Mets are sitting in fairly strong wildcard position, with the Yankees still in range of a division title. Both teams were buoyed by a surprise, young starter and have been plagued by inconsistent play and mediocre bullpens.
The Yanks lost a tough one to the White Sox on Sunday, which took a little shine off the 7-game get right streak against Washington and Chicago. They’re 76-61, 2.5 games behind Toronto for the division and in the top WC spot, +3.5 for a playoff spot. But they’re basically tied with the Red Sox, and the Rangers and Royals are on the heels of the Mariners in the last spot. With a lot of teams in the mix, they ain’t in yet and can’t afford too much of a slip up.
After sweeping Philly, it looked like the division was back in play for the Mets. But losing three of four to the mediocre Marlins probably killed that dream. The Mets are 74-64, 6 games behind the Phillies in the East. But they’re solidly in the last playoff spot, three games ahead of the Reds.
Tonight, the Yankees begin a tough, 12-game stretch with three games @ Houston, vs Toronto and Detroit, then @ Boston. That’s make or break right there. If they make it through that, they have a nice, soft landing to finish the season with 3 vs the Twins and White Sox, and 7 against the Orioles. If they can at least play .500 ball in the next 12, they should be in good shape.
The Mets have a fairly tough road in September with two more against the Tigers, three against the Reds, who are on their heels for the last playoff spot, four against the division leading Phillies, and three other good teams in the Rangers, Pads, and Cubs. The Nationals and Marlins are the only sub .500 teams left. The three games against the Reds are probably more important than the four against the Phillies, as holding off Cincinnati is the top objective.
Both teams are looking to hold on to and improve their playoff position, but also find some consistency and get hot going into the playoffs. We all know that anything can happen once you get in, but we want to see some signs that a deep run is possible.
We should have a better idea when the dust settles in two weeks. Which team do you think has a better shot to make a playoff run?
Come back tomorrow for the Angry Ward, who thinks you shouldn’t sleep on Seattle.
