Yankees: Yes, it’s time to shift attention to the Wild Card race

The Yankees, sad but true, might better begin to pay more attention to the Wild Card standings instead of how far ahead the Red Sox are in the AL East. And it also might be a good thing to look behind, as a bunch of teams are gaining on them.

The Yankees and Royals, if the season ended today, would be playing in the one-game shootout that determines which team goes on to face the Division leaders in the playoffs. Most often, a team that is the “hottest” is the team that romps through the playoffs and on to the World Series.

The Yankees are anything but one of the hottest teams in baseball right now and they can only be thankful they’re still where they are in the standings based on their inability to produce wins.

They’re a team that’s still playing hard, give them that much. But they’re also a team that can’t seem to get out of its own way, not only in the last few days but for five long weeks now. And if it isn’t CC Sabathia‘s ill-fated and long-awaited return the other night, then it’s Dellin Betances walking the house last night during yet another bullpen crash, despite prodigious home runs from Aaron Judge and the Yankees newest try at first base, Ji-Man Choi.

Rose-colored glasses – throw ’em away

Nothing is ever as it seems. The Yankees were never as good as the 20-9 they jumped off to. And they are not as bad as their rapid descent from twelve over.500 to just five over in a matter of weeks.

What is alarming, however, is how close they are to losing the season altogether, with not even an appearance in the playoffs.

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Consider this as a bare naked fact. Over the span of the next ten games, any one of six teams can push the Yankees out of the Wild Card with an 8-2 run while the Bombers continue with what has become their normal 4-6 over their ten games.

Minnesota and Tampa Bay are only a game out, while Baltimore, The Angels, Texas, and Seattle are all within four games of the Yankees.

While the latter four teams should not pose much a threat, the Twins and Rays are legitimate, and unlike the others, are more than capable of putting together a run that closes things up in a hurry.

Unless the Yankees can sweep the four games, which includes a makeup from a postponed April 25 contest, from the Red Sox at Fenway when play resumes after the break next Friday, the team will be setting an almost insurmountable path to a Division title.

The schedule takes on a whole new look

Regardless of what happens in the Red Sox series, though, the Yankees upcoming schedule takes on a whole new look when you consider the teams they’ll be playing following the Sox.

Again with the Wild Card in mind, the Yankees will finish out the month of July with eleven games against their Wild Card competitors, interrupted only by two games interleague contests with the Cincinnati Reds. The Twins, Rays, and Mariners are “it” for the rest of July.

Throw the trade deadline into the mix and it’s anyone’s guess as to what could happen with any of these teams, not to mention the Yankees.

Barack Obama once Tweeted in 2014 that “It doesn’t matter where you start, what matters is where you finish.” He was speaking about the advantages a college education can give someone in life, but his words ring true when you apply them to the Yankees 2017 season.

The team started on a high and has descended to a low, the depths of which we hope has reached a bottom. Gone, and yes quite forgotten, is the team that ran through the league like Kim Kardashian anticipating the next photo in the media of her butt, but never looking back (pun intended).

Heed the advice of Mr. Paige

But at this point in the season, the Yankees need to get a grip on reality, which is that they may not be, and probably won’t be, the winner of the AL East title.

And as Satchel Paige so famously said, “Don’t look back because someone might be gainin’ on you”, the Yankees might do well to do just that.

Logan Morrison picked the wrong fight with Yankees

Rays first baseman Logan Morrison decided it was a good idea to blame Yankees slugger Gary Sanchez for not being invited to partake in the Home Run Derby.

Because if they don’t make adjustments by the end of July, whether it be through trades or simply by picking up the pace and winning with what they have when they look behind, there may be no one to see because everyone will have passed them by.