The Yankees and American League playoff predictions

The Yankees are back where they belong: In the playoffs. And they might go far if they, and the fans, remember that fear is a deadly disease that Yankees spread, but never succumb to.

The Yankees wrapped another successful season on Sunday and are on their way to at least one playoff game. That’s the good news.

The bad news is how deep the field is this year. If the Yankees want to win it all, they will have to beat one of the best group of teams in recent memory. Three teams ended the season with at least 100 wins; there have only been four teams to do so in the last six years.

There have been several recent seasons when there was no real super-team in play. Not in 2017. Both the Indians and Astros spent time as the best club in baseball, along with the Dodgers and Red Sox.

And the Yankees. But the Yanks never put together the season those other clubs did and now they face a difficult road through the playoffs. Will they make it?

Let’s find out in this truncated preview.

AL Wild Card Game: Yankees (91-71) versus Twins (85-77)

There were four good teams that made the AL playoffs — and the Twins. That is not meant as disrespectful towards the Twin Cities’ tremendous season but in recognition of the records of the qualifying teams. Records, though, make no difference in a one-game playoff.

In this case, though, they don’t need to.

Had they not just seen Ervin Santana, the Yankees might have had the type of performance against him they did recently, barely winning 2-1.

But Santana has two bad habits that play to the Yankees’ favor. He gives up too many walks and home runs. The Yankees collected a ton of both in 2017. And they should do so again tonight.

That, along with having just seen him, will propel the Yankees to victory.

ALDS: Boston Red Sox (93-69) vs. Houston Astros (101-61)

This is a Yankees site so I’ll keep this brief. Houston has a better record than Boston and just beat them in Beantown. But Chris Sale should have just enough left to carry Betts and the Boys, along with some timely hitting. Boston wins in four.

ALDS: Yankees vs. Indians (102-60)

This is almost the reverse of the Wild Card Game. Yes, the Yankees could win the series, but that seems unlikely. And here records count a lot more, since teams generally use 80 percent of their starting rotation.

The Indians bring both the best record in the AL and a real hunger for revenge with them; that’s hard to beat. Yes, the Yankees pitchers can go out and match the Indians’, and the Bombers can rain fire from the skies, but Cleveland looks like a team on a mission. Indians in five.

ALCS: Cleveland vs. Boston

Boston’s pitching will be spent by then and Cleveland overwhelms them. Cleveland in five.

World Series: Cleveland vs. Washington (97-65); sorry Dodgers (104-58) fans.

This is a hard series to pick. I’ll take the Nationals in a surprise. Washington in six.

Well, that was easy. While it will be thrilling to see the Yankees in at least the ALDS, I look forward to writing playoff predictions in 2018, when their run might be deeper.

But before we all enjoy the game, a word or two about what it will take for the Yankees to win tonight and in the future.

Because the Twins can win tonight. Luis Severino might be over-amped in the first inning, and prone to mistakes. Santana is an experienced pro, albeit with a losing record against the Yankees. He can go out and pitch a shutout or close to it.

Or Miguel Sano might pull a Kirk Gibson. One big home run can win a game such as this.

It’s more likely, though, that Greg Bird or Aaron Judge hits that home run and that Severino dominates. Especially if two things happen tonight at the stadium and throughout the playoffs.

The Yankees Might Hang Ten

One, the baby Yankees need to heed advice from the font of all baseball wisdom, Bull Durham.

Giving both great baseball and bedroom advice, St. Annie told Nuke Laloosh he needed to be relaxed and confident at all times. That might seem like obvious advice in some ways, but this is a young team. Those tend to ride emotional waves.

A big early lead might make the Yanks overconfident and over-emotional, only to crash in the late innings. Or, they might get tight late in a close game. If they can stay even keel—relaxed and confident from first pitch to last—their talent will win the day.

Attending the Game Carries Certain Responsibilities

And the fans have a responsibility, as well. Remember that last wild-card game in 2015? The stadium was quiet, the crowd nervous. Fans seemed to be waiting for something bad to happen. And then it did.

Not this time. This time, fans both in the stadium and at home need to believe the Yankees will win. They need to remember that the Yankees are never afraid…they only spread fear.

Fear that Severino will strike out everyone dumb enough to threaten him with a bat. Or that Judge will crush the opponents will with a 490-foot three-run homer, or that the lineup will go back-to-back-to-back.

And that the bullpen can come in as early as the fifth inning and put up zeroes from then on.

This Yankees team has as much talent as any in the playoffs. And if they play like it, like they did in April and September, then real fear will come into the hearts of every other team.

But let it never be in the hearts of the fans.

Next: See which Yankees won Regular Season Awards

The Yankees have every reason to believe this is the start of a long run. Whether or not that run includes championships remains to be seen. But the celebration of what these boys have done, and what we hope they will do, should start tonight.

Now on to the 2017 AL playoffs. And the start of something big.