New York Yankees

This past spring the Yankees held a competition for their fifth starter spot that included pitchers Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, among others. Hughes won the job.

Winning for the second night against the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees are 2 ½ games ahead in the AL East; in addition to lowering their magic number for playoff spot to three and winning the division to 10.Yankees can thank the Boston Red Sox for helping those numbers falling to the Baltimore Orioles for the second nigh tin a row.

The Yankees jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning on their way to an 8-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays as they increased their AL East lead to 2.5 games.

Here are some highlights:

There was a lot going on yesterday with the New York Yankees.

They played the Tampa Bay Rays last night in a battle for first place in the American League East. Before the game, they honored George Steinbrenner with a massive plaque in monument park.

Part of the Steinbrenner celebration was the fact that the Yankees brought back Don Mattingly and Joe Torre to take part in the festivities. There has been a lot of animosity between Torre and the Yankees since Torre left, so this was a big deal.

Let's start with a serious question today: Should Monument Park be renamed STEINBRENNER SHRINE (& Assorted Other Dead Guys)?

I'm not even joking. Babe Ruth has been dethroned as the biggest star in the cave tucked beneath Mohegan Sun's bar, and he's been replaced by a guy who a) never played a game, b) had a male F.U.P.A., and c) exclusively wore white turtlenecks.

This actually happened.

On the night that the New York Yankees unveiled a seven-foot tall monument of their late owner George Steinbrenner, the American League leaders won their 91st game of the season by beating the Tampa Bay Rays.

With 12 games to play, New York leads Tampa Bay by 1.5 games in the A.L. East and leads the Minnesota Twins by one game for the best record in the league. 

New York leads the league in runs scored, is third in homers, second in walks, first in OBP, and second in OPS.

Doesn't the photograph of A.J. Burnett say it all?

I think it does (Yankee fans, including myself are used to it). 

Therefore, sit back, relax and enjoy, as you read "AJ Burnett and MLB’s 10 Contending Pitchers Who Do Not Deserve a Playoff Start".

Let's play ball.

The playoffs are around the corner. 

Begin Slideshow

Tonight was a special night at Yankee Stadium as George Steinbrenner was honored before the game with a huge monument in center field and their center fielder blasted two home runs in an 8-6 victory over the Rays.

Here are some highlights:

Important Notes: The stats were last updated on September 20, 2010.  Sorry about that pitcher getting cut off.

Keep in mind, this will be in an order of the teams I think that made the cut.

Each week or two I will evaluate the top four things (two from the AL and two from the NL) coming into October ball.  This week I'll be talking about the top-four teams with the top 1-2-3 punch that will give them the best chance to win the World Series.

In one line I will say this: Anything but a World Series in the year of the loss of George M. Steinbrenner, would be a disappointment.