Are the Yankees done for the year?

[owsley]

I have been a die hard Yankee fan my whole life and I definitely do not think the team is done for the year at all. This is still an excellent team and when they get Clemens, they will be one of the top teams in the majors, I have absolutely no doubt that things will turn around. They have gotten very unlucky so far, their pythag is actually 23-18, they are 2-8 in 1 run games, etc, etc. If you don't think that things will turn around or that they are "done" that is just a stupid statement. I don't think I am biased at all when I say that.

However in the last week as the division gap as gotten over 10 games the situation in the East is looking very, very dicey. A week ago I was saying to myself "yeah its a big lead but its still early" and today I am saying "thats a huge lead... I dont want to think about it". But the WC is very realistic. Detroit's RS/RA is 231/202, NY's is 221/198. 202 is more than 198. Considering that in a couple weeks the Yankees will be starting Clemens instead of Matt Desalvo.... how could you possibly say this team is done?

And now I will stop trying to be impartial and go into fan mode... as much as people will laugh at this, I believe that guys like Jeter, Posada, Clemens, Petite, Matsui, etc, will not go down easy. I started being a fan just after the 95 series against Seattle, so some of them are guys who have always been on the Yankees whenever I've watched them, I don't remember the era before or the previous guys. I cannot count them out.

[andyfox]

The Red Sox have a far superior team to the Yankees. Talk of catching the Sox is silly. The wild card is not unreachable.

Their hitting has suffered from the left side particularly, which is why they're 3-9 against lefty starters. When you have guys in their 30s--Damon, Abreu, Matsui, Giambi--they're susceptible to breaking down with nagging injuries. Matsui has come alive a bit lately, and Cano will hit, but it wouldn't surprise me if Abreu, Damon and Giambi continue in a mediocre fashion all year.

I'm not sold that Clemens will be effective; I'll have to see it. The bullpen is shaky and Rivera might just be in a funk, or it might be that he's never been 37 before. I'm not sure Mussina will be any good either.

Bottom line is I would't be suprised to see them be the wild card, nor would I be surprised to see them go 82-80.

[vhawk01]

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The Red Sox have a far superior team to the Yankees. Talk of catching the Sox is silly. The wild card is not unreachable.

Their hitting has suffered from the left side particularly, which is why they're 3-9 against lefty starters. When you have guys in their 30s--Damon, Abreu, Matsui, Giambi--they're susceptible to breaking down with nagging injuries. Matsui has come alive a bit lately, and Cano will hit, but it wouldn't surprise me if Abreu, Damon and Giambi continue in a mediocre fashion all year.

I'm not sold that Clemens will be effective; I'll have to see it. The bullpen is shaky and Rivera might just be in a funk, or it might be that he's never been 37 before. I'm not sure Mussina will be any good either.

Bottom line is I would't be suprised to see them be the wild card, nor would I be surprised to see them go 82-80.

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Bump for funniness and because I know andyfox can handle a little ribbing and some crow.