In 1960, the Yankees finished 97-57, first place by eight games in the eight-team AL East. The next year the AL picked up two more teams: the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels. With the expansion in teams came an expansion in schedule, from 154 to 162 games. The Yankees went 109-53 in 1961, winning again by eight games. The team the Yankees beat in the World Series that year, the Cincinnati Reds, played just 154 games that season. The NL didn’t go to 162 games until the 1962 season.
While this series doesn’t come with the typical New York – Boston intensity, it is still compelling. If Boston sweeps they knock out Texas, regardless of what the latter does. If the Yankees sweep, they clinch the AL East. Either could reduce their magic number to one by taking two out of three. At this point these can be considered housekeeping matters, but the Yanks surely want to get the AL East wrapped up as quickly as possible.
With Jon Lester on the mound, it’ll be tough sledding for the Yanks. He had a rough start to 2009, but even amid his horrible 59-inning start to the season he was able to hold the Yanks to three runs over seven innings. Since June 1, Lester has pitched 129.1 innings, allowing just 31 earned runs and striking out 141 to 36 walks. It’s been nothing short of dominance. In that span he’s allowed more than three runs just once, a four-run performance against Oakland at the end of July that the Red Sox won. The Red Sox are 15-4 in Lester’s last 19 starts.
Last time the Yanks saw Lester it was in the final game of a four-game sweep at the Stadium. Lester pitched brilliantly, allowing just one run, an A-Rod bomb, over seven innings, striking out seven and walking none. Daniel Bard blew that one for him, though it wouldn’t have even come to that if Andy Pettitte didn’t pitch brilliantly over his seven innings.
After showing some progress in starts against the Rays and Angels, Joba Chamberlain took a step backward last time out against Seattle. He allowed far too many baserunners, and let most of them score. Now he goes from the horrible Mariners offense to the formidable Red Sox one. Joba has started three times against the Sox and has yet to record 18 outs. Even in his standout 12-strikeout performance he allowed four runs in the first, putting the game out of reach for the A-Rod-less Yankees.
Even if Joba pitches well tonight, it’s almost certain that he won’t start in the ALDS. Via PeteAbe, the Yanks have lined up CC, Pettitte, and Burnett to pitch the final three games of the season. That puts CC in a position to start Game 1 of the long ALDS on normal rest. The short series begins on the eighth, which would put everyone on long rest.
Pete seems to think that lining up CC, Pettitte, Burnett in the season’s final series implies that they’ll go that way in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be so sure. In the long series the Yanks will play the Tigers or Twins on the 7th and 9th. That would line up both CC and Burnett on normal rest. Pettitte would then have to start on seven days’ rest, but given how well he pitched on long rest in Anaheim, that might not be a concern. Pitching Pettitte in Game 2, on 5 days’ rest, would mean pitching Burnett on six days’ rest. I think they’re more likely to go Pettitte on seven before A.J. on six.
It’s the A lineup tonight.
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Nick Swisher, RF
9. Melky Cabrera, CF
And on the mound, number sixty-two, Joba Chamberlain.