New York Yankees – MLB Post-season Capsule
After successfully ending the regular season as American League East Champions, the New York Yankees are expected to go all the way through to the World Series, given their batting fires and CC Sabathia remains fit.
Yankees finished three wins shy of completing 100 this season, but with just 65 losses, this record is nothing less than commendable. In the Divisional Series, the Yankees are lined-up to take on Detroit Tigers. Statistically, the Tigers are in with a chance
to prevail in the five-game series, but the Yankees are a renowned post-season powerhouse and will hardly ever hesitate in going all-out. The Tigers led 3-4 in the regular season, but with Alex Rodriguez back in the line-up, the Yankees will consider that
history.
The AL East Champions finished the season as the second-best offence of the Majors with a line-up boasting eight players with at least 12 home-runs in the regular season. Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira added 41 and 39 home-runs respectively to stamp
their authority on the circuit this season. Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez will further boost the hitting strength of the Yankees. Manager Joe Girardi will heavily rely on his batters for a positive result in the post-season as the bull-pen lacks depth.
Granderson is tipped to be named as MVP for the Yankees this season, but with CC Sabathia leading the bull-pen single-handedly, the competition might intensify.
Sabathia and Ivan Nova lack quality back-up in the rotation and thus will be required to perform adamantly in the post-season. Sabathia has already proved his credentials on the big stage but rookie Nova will be required to make the most of this opportunity.
Freddy Garcia is expected to join the duo to complete the rotation for ALDS while A.J. Burnett will chip in as middle inning reliever in the first round at least. After a disappointing season, Bartolo Colon is expected to be traded out and thus will not feature
in the post-season campaign.
Sabathia finished the regular season with 19 wins, one short of completing his second-consecutive 20-win season. His earned-run average of 3.00 impressed and a similar performance in the playoffs might as well see the Yankees go through to the Championship
Series.
Nova impressed in his rookie year for the Yankees, winning 16 decisions while losing just four. Although his earned-run average of 3.70 is not as impressive, a strong batting line-up can address that issue.
The relief pitching of the Yankees is just as compatible at their rotation. Mariano Rivera finished the season with 44 saves, but more importantly, became the all-time leader of saves in MLB. His earned-run average at 1.91 highlights the fact that he will
not allow extra runs in the depth of the game. However, a lot will depend on setup man David Robertson to provide Rivera with a lead to defend. Robertson struck-out 100 batters in the regular season to make an AL record for a relief pitcher.
Yankees are favourites to prevail in the ALDS against the Tigers, but a lot will depend on the performance of the line-up. If the Yankees go through, they will most likely face the Texas Rangers in the ALCS. The Rangers got the better of the Yankees last
year at the same stage and the latter will now want to avenge their defeat.
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