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For the 15th time in 16 years, the Yankees are going to the playoffs.

After CC Sabathia delivered 8.1 innings of one-run ball for his league-leading 21st victory Tuesday night, the Yankees immediately put their postseason plans into motion.

The old axiom says you win with pitching and defense, and the Yankees need to do some juggling to line up their most dependable starters for the first round.

Outstanding rookie Mike Leake will not be a part of his team as they make their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

This is from the Cincinnati Reds Team Report on Yahoo! Sports:

The twilight years of any legendary athlete's career are often filled with hilarious hyperbole from fans and sports analysts.

When a player reaches a certain age, which varies based on the sport he or she plays, every year thereafter that player is subjected to intense scrutiny.

For example, in 2002, when Curtis Martin, at the age of 29, only rushed for 1,094 yards, all speculation was that, as he turned 30, the aged running back would soon break down.

In his last 10 starts Felix Hernandez has been nothing short of brilliant, giving up no earned runs in five of those outings and one earned run in four other games during that stretch.

He went eight innings in half of the starts, and if the Mariners didn't hit like the Bad News Bears, Hernandez would win the AL Cy Young award this year by a landslide.

Mike Napoli struck out in Monday's 2-1 victory over the Oakland A's. It was the final game at Angels Stadium in 2010.

And it might have been Napoli's final strikeout as an Angel.

Last month, Napoli was among a flock of Angels to be placed on waivers and was one of the few to be claimed. The Boston Red Sox were ultimately unable to win their claim, but the fact remains: Napoli is wanted, just not by the Angels.

The 2010 MLB regular season is coming to a close, but the fun is just beginning.

While the American League playoff picture is pretty much set, the National League picture is still a bit fuzzy, as two NL West contenders and the Atlanta Braves look to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Here's what you should look out for as the MLB season approaches October: injuries, NL showdowns, and playoff predictions.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When looking at the Yankees playoff roster, there are about 21 spots that are locked down already and just a few that are up for grabs. One spot that could make for a good debate is the utility infielder spot, and it comes down to Ramiro Pena or Eduardo Nunez.

Pena probably has the upper hand in this battle. He’s been with the team since early last season, while Nunez has only played in 29 big league games. Nunez probably has the advantage with the bat, though.

The New York Yankees clinched another playoff spot on Tuesday night, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1.

The night belonged to ace CC Sabathia, who shut down the heavy hitting Blue Jays bats. Some are tagging the Yankees doomed in the playoffs, as the rotation is having some issues. Still, there are many positives in pinstripes too that tend to get overlooked. 

Welcome to Tribe Talk, where Bleacher Report's Cleveland Indians fans weigh in on the ups and downs of the club each week throughout the season.

This week, we fess up on whether we're glad the season is coming to an end, discuss the season's biggest bright spots and disappointments, and share our best ideas for attractions at the Progressive Field Winter Wonderland. 

Via the New York Daily News: