Yankees in Detroit have a chance to part ways with the pack

The Yankees have a chance during their off day today to put themselves back together mentally and physically. But more than that, they have a chance to do to the Tigers what they did to the Mets last week and that’s separating themselves from the pack in the Wild Card race.

The Yankees have been dogged by the fact that, in the second half, they have not been able to get hot and stay hot. They maintain a 2.5 lead as the top Wild card seed, but that’s still a little too close for comfort. With back to back series against Seattle and Detroit, the team has a chance to pull away from their challengers, maybe for good.

Minnesota and California continue to surprise and both are currently tied for the second spot. The Twins never seem to go away and they’ve put together a 7-3 mark in their last ten games. The Angels have come out of nowhere and have gone 8-2 in their last ten. The Yankees have a series left with the Twins and no direct contact with the Angels to finish out the year.

Beneath them are the also-rans. In order from bad to worse, but still with a chance, are the Royals and Mariners, each a game and a half-back. Then come the Rangers, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and the Blue Jays, who round out the pack at five back.

The Yankees play all of these teams in coming series, with the Royals being only a one-game makeup.

But there comes a time when capable of doing something means doing it. And this week is the ideal time to execute something that looks like a winning streak.

This is a big week for the Yankees. Duh, I know you are saying.. But the team has a golden opportunity to rumble by winning a minimum of five games of the six to be played with the Tigers and Mariners. This would knock the Mariners to their knees and at least one other team – take your pick.

I still believe the Royals have a lot left in them and the Jays have nothing left in the tank, never having recovered from their disastrous start to the season. Tampa Bay has gone 2-8 in their last ten and I have no idea what’s wrong with them, except for the fact they still play in that God-awful thing they call a ballpark.

The Rangers seemed to call it a season when they traded away Yu Darvish and the Orioles are playing like the .500 team they are, with nothing but empty seats at Camden where the Ravens stadium just across the way has already caught the attention of fans.

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And while the Yankees remain in the driver’s seat, that may not last for long when the big boys come to town again with the Indians visiting first and followed soon after that by those damn Red Sox for four games at the Stadium.

Sure, the team could limp into the playoffs playing the way they are now. And for some, the season will have been satisfied. But if they expect to make some noise when they get there, they need to get something going yesterday.

The team has been an enigma all season. And from where I sit, there’s no way to predict what might happen from here on in. But most Yankees fans know the team is capable of playing better baseball. And from time to time, we’ve seen them do it.

Next: Can the Yanks make some noise in the Playoffs

But there comes a time when capable of doing something means doing it. And this week is the ideal time to execute something that looks like a winning streak.

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