Yankees playoffs: The Bronx Beast has Awoken in the ALCS

What’s More, You Will be a Man My Son

They kept their patient approach and team-wide confidence when they found themselves down by three runs before their first at bat in the Wild Card game. Instead of panicking, they went to school on their opponents when they lost the first two games in each subsequent series.

And it was they who played with poised when the ALDS was on the line, and in the pivotal games so far in the ALCS.

Of most important, this young group has never let the moment carry them away, or rest on any laurels. Here is the new but, as of yet, unnamed captain of the Yankees responding thoughtfully in the middle of realizing his wildest dreams, and while still bathing in the adoration of a sold out crowd seemingly able to say only three letters (MVP):

"Judge is not a rash person. He is a thoughtful sort, and you can often tell this by the way he answers a question: as if he’s in the on-deck circle preparing for an at-bat. When a reporter finishes a question, Judge sometimes will bow his head as if in serious thought, allow a beat or two to pass, then launch into his carefully considered answer. He reacted exactly that way when somebody asked him how it felt to be one win from the World Series. After the pause to consider, he softly exhaled, “Whew!” He took another beat, then said, “It’s great. But we’re not done. We can’t get ahead of ourselves.”"

You Should be Modest When You Have Still Won Nothing

This group has graduated from novices to full fledged fighters, and perhaps assasins. They seem to have known the answer to every question before it was asked. There’s only one more lesson, and my guess is they have a handle on this already, too: How you handle success is at least as important as how you handle failure.

They will come into tonight’s game in a unique position, as a road team now favored to win the series. How will they react if they begin to feel it slip away? What will happen if it goes to a seventh game, and now everyone is talking about they as the chokers?

If it comes to that, my guess is they will be as unflappable and resilient as they have been all season. But I doubt it does. We have seen that these boys carry the comeback gene. Tonight, I think they will show they have the killer instinct gene, as well.

This might be The End, My Houston Friends

And that’s because all of the Bombers have had their shining moment. Except Luis Severino. He pitched well in game four of the ALDS, but it could not be called a defining postseason accomplishment.

That will probably change tonight. It just feels like all the stars have aligned to give him this moment, and remind everyone why he has the best stuff on this, or any other, staff. At least that’s my hope.

Next: Yankees Severino Won't Let His Emotions be the Master of His Moment

And that is the difference between this team of players with seemingly unlimited talent, and potential, and everyone else. We hope they can win, and keep this run going, this run that has already re-shaped the baseball landscape for this postseason, and years to come.

That is our hope. But these Yankees players have transcended such limitations. They seem never to think anything but that they can and will win.

And, because a great closing line is worth using more than once, that makes all things possible.