The Yanks are going to the ALCS!!!!

For the first time since A-Rod’s first year (2004) with the club, the New York Yankees are going to the American League Championship Series!

With some stellar pitching (Pettitte: 6 1/3, 3H, 1 R, 7K) and some stellarer (not a word) hitting (A-Rod HR, Georgie HR 2 RBI, 2 runs in 9th, etc.) the Yanks swept the hell out of the Twins Sunday. I would have liked to have seen more from Tex at the plate but with his great defensive skills I don’t care. He could go 0-for-the-rest-of-the-playoffs just so long as he’s making scoops and playing solid first.

I don’t know if I’m just jaded from seeing The “Great” Giambino try to play first for so many years, but Tex playing first base is soothing. I have no fears with balls hit down the first-base line anymore. It’s relaxing; I don’t get agida with slow rollers. As opposed to when Giambi was over there, that was a horror show. You never knew what you were going to get with that guy manning first base. Thank God the Yanks got Tex, despite his lack of hitting in the postseason.

I was very disappointed with Swish at the dish. I’ve loved Swisher since he was on the A’s. I was ecstatic when the Yanks signed him and have loved him all season. But he hit .083 in the ALDS. Swish-Dog, c’mon. Damon, too. He played like a horses arse. (Off-the-subject tirade: I’m going to be salty if they re-sign Damon. I know he had a great year offensively, but who didn’t in the new Yankee Stadium? He can’t play the field to save his life and I’ll always see him as one of the “Idiots” from the ’04 Sox. Let him go.) If those two don’t start hitting, the Yanks have no shot against the Halos. Swisher was 1-for-12 with 4k and an RBI double (which they really didn’t need, as they won by 5 runs). Damon’s numbers are almost identical, minus the RBI 2B.

Unless A-Rod (whom I will never, ever speak another ill word of again) continues this torrid streak the outfielders (Melky too) have to step it up.

It’s a shame Game 3 was overshadowed by the NFL but, regardless, that was a heck of a game…and a series. So many exciting plays: Jeter getting Punto around third in the 8th, a combined 3 hits through 5 innings, and many others I’m probably forgetting. Games 2 and 3 of that series were classics. Instant classics. An 11-inning marathon that was tied in the bottom of the 9th; then an intense pitchers’ duel that went down to the final frame. Holy $hit. Plus, all the stroylines with Pavano facing the team that he held hostage for four years and $40 million; the Yanks going undefeated in all 10 games against the Twins; the final game in the Metrodome; that crazy bastard running on the field in the 9th.

Great games, great comebacks and one heck of an ALDS. However, I’d hate to have seen the outcome had the Twins not made so many errors on the basepath and not gotten into NY at 4 a.m. the day of the first game. If the Twinkies get a decent night’s rest (and not play a 12-inning marathon in a different time zone) before Game 1 do they fare any better?

Now the task at hand shifts to a different focus. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. AKA: bona-fide Yankee killers. They’ve had NYY’s number for about the past 10 years; they were the only team under Joe Torre’s reign to have a winning record against the Yanks and they pretty much have destiny on their side.

However, that was with Torre (God bless him) at the helm. Joltin’ Joe Girardio is running things now. The Angels are only up 12-8 on the Yanks since the 2008 regular season (Girardi’s first year) and the Good Guys took 2-of-3 in LA in late September this season. So, I’m not as nervous as I probably should be.

Prediction: Yanks win series 4-2 (knocking on wood with all my might) and face the Dodgers in the World Series.

LET’S GO YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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