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You didn't think it would last, did you? You didn't think that Major League Baseball's role model of success would just roll over and play dead because of a few bumps in the road, did you?
You may have thought it was safe to finally cheer for your favorite team with the New York Yankees faded out of the picture, but all realists knew not to black them out.
An abysmal 3-9 road trip had the Bronx distraught, with their team below .500 in June for the first time in recent memory. Critics queried if it was time to dismantle the high-priced production and whose head should roll first.
But as the weather heated up in New York, so did the team. Now back at home, the Yanks have started their 13-game home stand with three-game sweeps of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.
It is evident that the Pirates and Cubs are currently average opponents at best, but the Evil Empire didn't stumble and have now won 11 of their last 13 home games. It's not an overly impressive feat, pounding two pedestrians, but that's what we are accustomed to seeing from the Yankees: handle the small guys and compete with the big boys. They'll have the opportunity to gain some more confidence during the remainder of their home stand against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the New York Mets before they face the American East leading Baltimore Orioles.
Sure, they are not in first place, but a five-game deficit is of no great concern. Since they are nearby, they can impose the Tiger Woods effect. Few leaders can maintain focus with a force like Tiger or the Yankees on the prowl — excluding Michael Campbell, of course.
Every team goes through slumps. Yes, even the perennially successful Yankees do. If you forget about the price tag momentarily, most of the players who fill the starting lineup for the Yankees would be welcome on any other team. In other words, the players that they have are quality (whether they are overpaid or not is another question) and it's unlikely for a team of this ilk to struggle all year long. You didn't think Hideki Mastui was going to hover around .250 for the whole season, did you?
The Yankees are still the team to beat in the American League — even though the Boston Red Sox loom a close second. In the East division, Baltimore may be on top right now, but they have taken advantage of the sluggish season that Boston and New York has output to this point and have avoided any decline in their own performance. With the Yanks and Sox climbing, the O's won't have many more gimmes along the way and should naturally weaken a little.
And did you forget which the team usually makes the key trade-deadline acquisition?
Don't forget about those damn Yankees just yet.
The Baltimore Orioles and first place mix like Mondays and me.
“Furious activity is no substitute for understanding.” — H.H. Williams
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June 20, 2005
actionberg:
I agree, it looks like the Yankees are going to go on a run again, especially with 4 more at home with Tampa Bay, who are one of the worst road teams in the league. Yankees can easily extend their win streak to 10.