Phil Hughes

The Yankees had three players who were eligible for arbitration this winter and came to an agreement with all of them today—Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Boone Logan—thus avoiding arbitration, according to three tweets by Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.

Phil Hughes was the toast of baseball through May as he appeared nearly unhittable.  He was 6-1 over the first two months to go along with a 2.72 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 57 strikeouts over 56.2 innings of work. 

Over the next four months, however, he was not nearly as effective.

For the entire season, he posted the following line:

18 Wins
176.1 Innings
4.19 ERA
1.25 WHIP
146 Strikeouts (7.45 K/9)
58 Walks (2.96 BB/9)
.281 BABIP

For all the discussion about how Cliff Lee could decide the American League Championship Series in a potential Game 7, it turned out the 

I think it finally sunk in for me right around the time Josh Hamilton was explaining to a live television audience how God allows him to hit baseballs far.

The Yankees were done. Dead. Finito. Their quest to repeat as world champions had come to an abrupt end in, of all places, the land of Friday Night Lights.

How did we get here?

Let me start by saying congratulations to the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers are the ALCS Champions and well deserve to be just that after winning Game 6 against the New York Yankees, 6-1.

The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies avoided elimination by winning Game 5, as both teams trailed 3-1 in their respective series. 

The New York Yankees down travel down south to play the Texas Rangers in Game 6 of ALCS Friday night.  If the Yankees can stay alive, Game 7 will take place on Saturday night. 

The San Francisco Giants must head back east to play the Philadelphia Phillies in Citizens Bank Park in Game 6 of the NLCS.  The game will either be played on Saturday afternoon or night, depending on the outcome of Game 6 of the ALCS. 

After a day off, the ALCS resumes at Rangers Stadium where Texas will host New York in a pivotal Game 6 matchup. Phil Hughes (1-1, 5.73 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees against the Rangers Colby Lewis (1-0, 1.69 ERA).

The San Francisco Giants have jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series, riding two key Cody Ross home runs as well as strong pitching from Tin Lincecum and two relievers to a 4-3 victory in Philadelphia.

The Phillies' ace Roy Halladay took a step back from his no hit performance in the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, surrendering 4 runs in 7 innings of work.

Pat Burrell drove in a run with a two-run double, as did Juan Uribe, who chipped in an RBI single for the visiting Giants.

San Francisco will send left handed starter Jonat

Normally, a visiting team would feel pretty confident bringing a best-of-seven series back home tied 1-1.  They would have beaten one of the opponent's best pitchers, and they would have the chance to wrap up the series at home with all of their fans behind them.

Both halves of the Major League Baseball championship series will be taking place today, with the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers squaring off in Game 2 of their series in Arlington, while the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies open the NLCS at Citizens Bank Park in Philly.