Make It OR Break It

Weather could play a factor in this weekend - a 4 game series with the Sux in the Bronx. For the our guys in pinstripes, this will have a huge bearing on the how the season will end. Joe has set the proposed rotation: Sabathia, Gray, Tanaka and Severino; with the horrid pitching yesterday the middle pen could be the problem as both Garcia & Jordy struggled. Trailing by 5.5 - even a sweep only closes the gap to 1.5 games and we don't play them again in regular season - so really anything less than a sweep pretty closes the door on winning the ALE - which leaves the WC. Even splitting the series could put that in jeopardy as it's a tight race and the O's have been on a hot streak recently. Just putting the facts out there.
Tomorrow is call-up day as rosters expand - but with the 25 right we have two potential problems - Chapman had a MRI which shows a problem meaning as many of us suspected he has been pitching in pain. Time to shut him down and have it corrected - he has only been more hindering than helping. Aaron Judge struggled before the AS break (which was no break for him) - Paul O'Neill, Ken Singleton, David Cone have been discussing it almost every game about how his shoulder dips on the swings unlike his follow-through the first three months when he was the hottest hitter in baseball. Finally following the lead the Sux made in giving Benedetti, two games rest, Judge did not pick up a bat or ball Monday or Tuesday - yesterday in game Joe pinch hit him in the 9th for him to whiff. He played the second game and didn't fair better - in light of the revelation that he has been experience pain or discomfort since July though Aaron insists its natural feeling. Just maybe it's time to have the shoulder examined who knows there might be a slight tear or something - remember he is still a rookie playing his first season, more games than ever in his short career. If we want to reap the benefits of his strength, we have to keep him healthy.
That's just two of the problems - we still aren't getting key hits, leaving too many on base, unable to score with runners on 2nd or better 3rd and less than 2 outs. Lost in the torrid pace when we were 11 games over .500 and riding high, is the fact that this team was not expected to peak for at least another year or two - that might be the more accurate perspective. The Baby Bombers are experiencing growing pains - Sanchez behind the plate though he's still one of the top catchers in MLB; maybe 1st base is straightening out with Bird returning; . In a 162 game season, luck is actually a key factor - injuries, slumps, - things which we can't control - luck and minor league depth are so important. See what happens in the remaining month -