But, that may be the thing which prevents the New York Yankees from ultimately holding on to what used to be a seemingly safe three games to one lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 World Series.

There’s no doubt that the Yankees’ lineup is loaded and powerful, or that they have the best closer in the game in future Hall of Fame Mariano Rivera. Or even, that on a full four days of rest, the Yankees have a championship caliber starting pitching staff.

After all, those are all of the key ingredients which have pushed the Yankees to the very brink of winning their 27th world championship.

However, what if one of those things changed significantly enough in Game 5, and then in Game 6, and finally, in a Game 7 as well?

Well, we’ve actually already seen the first of those three scenarios, when Yankees’ Game 5 starter A.J. Burnett, going on only three days of rest, was rocked for six runs, all earned, in only 2+ innings in the Yankees’ 8-6 loss which sent the Series back to New York for Game 6 Wednesday night.

Speaking of Game 6, Yankees’ starter Andy Pettitte will also be pitching on just three days of rest.

And, should that not work out as New York hopes, the Yankees’ Game 7 starter, will be the ace of their staff, C.C. Sabathia, but he too, would be pitching after only three days of rest.

That all means that the difference between another Yankees’ championship and a World Series collapse could likely be riding on the one area of their team which doesn’t measure up to any of the aforementioned ones — the Yankees’ bullpen, otherwise known as the all important bridge from New York’s starters to world class closer Mariano Rivera.

So far, Yankee relievers Phil Hughes, Brian Bruney, and Phil Coke have all been ineffective during different times in this year’s World Series, and Joba Chamberlain blew a save in the eighth inning of Game 4, even though the Yankees later won that game.

Of course, more than just the Yankees’ bullpen would be available if needed in a possible Game 7. Any starter other than Pettitte would be ready to throw an inning, or to a batter, maybe even just a pitch, whatever it would take to get the ball to Rivera.

Although, if the Yankees can’t do that against an equally dangerous Phillies’ lineup which can often score late once it gets the opposing starting pitcher out of the game, Rivera might never get the chance to close out a world title as he’s done four times before.

Perhaps Pettitte will get Game 6 to Rivera himself. Or, if Pettitte and the Yankees’ bullpen fail, maybe Sabathia might even throw a complete game a night later.

But, if the short rest affects both Pettitte and Sabathia from this point, the way it seems to have limited Burnett in the Game 5, the Yankees will need their bullpen to play a key role in at least one of the next two games, and be the connection from either Pettitte or Sabathia to Rivera.

Through 103 regular season wins, an AL East title, ALDS and ALCS championships, and three World Series victories, the Yankees have made it this far on their journey.

But, to reach the promised land, they still need to travel to the other side of where they are now and avoid any Phillie pitfalls with a bullpen that might very well be called upon to be their bridge to a championship.

To set this up you have to go back to the bottom of the 8^th inning when RHRP Brian Bruney took the ball from Phil Hughes.  Hughes came into the game in the 6^th and threw a scoreless and hitless 1-1/3 innings.  Bruney was a mixed bag of tricks as he walked Mets third baseman David Wright to open the frame, and then induced OF Gary Sheffield to pop out to Derek Jeter.  Bruney subsequently walked Fernando Tatis, moving Wright into scoring position before striking out Fernando Martinez.

Seeing a chance to sweep their cross town rivals Girardi pulled out Bruney and handed the ball to his closer Mariano Rivera.

Rivera, who has been the Yankees stopper since taking the reins from John Wetteland after the 1996 season, was on the verge of making history.  Rivera was sitting on 499 saves with a chance to become only the second man in baseball history to record 500 saves.  The leader in the saves category is Trevor Hoffman who currently owns 571 of them.

After Wright stole third Rivera buckled down and struck out Omir Santos to end the inning.

The weirdness began as the Yankees came to bat.  Manuel realizing how bad his team needed this game against their home town foes brought in his closer, Francisco Rodriguez, to hopefully hold down the Bombers and keep the Mets within a run.  Unfortunately, Rodriguez ran into bad luck…..again.

On June 12, Rodriguez entered a game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.  Rodriguez and the Mets were nursing an 8-7 lead.  Rodriguez retired Brett Gardner before giving up a single to Jeter.  He was able to strike out Johnny Damon with Jeter stealing second, and then intentionally walked first baseman Mark Teixeira in order to face Alex Rodriguez.

Things went according to script for the Mets as A-Rod popped the ball up into short right field.  He slammed his bat down in disgust and ran towards first base as second baseman Luis Castillo drifted under the ball.  He put his glove up, in went the ball, and then it came back out and landed on the grass at Castillo’s feet.  Both Jeter and Teixeira raced around the bases and scored the tying and winning runs on Castillo’s muff.  It was Francisco Rodriguez’s first blown save in 17 attempts.

The first batter Rodriguez faced in Sunday’s contest was Jorge Posada.  Posada blooped a pop up into short center field as shortstop Alex Cora and Castillo went back on the ball.  Cora looked at Castillo thinking he was going to get the ball and slowed down.  When he realized Castillo wasn’t going for the ball Cora attempted to get to it, but ball made its way to the grass giving Posada a gift single.

Rodriguez had to be cursing Yogi Berra, because it was déjà vu all over again.  He got Melky Cabrera to ground into a force play, eliminating Posada at second, but then allowed Cabrera to steal the bag on him.  Rodriguez then walked Brett Gardner, putting the Yankees into somewhat of a quandary.

The next hitter was Jeter, but behind him Rivera was scheduled to bat.  Attempting his best Houdini slight-of-hand Girardi tried to fool Manuel into believing the Yankees were going to have reserve catcher Francisco Cervelli bat for Rivera.  While Cervelli stood in the on deck circle stretching, and going through the motions of acting like he was going to hit Rivera sat in the dugout with a batting helmet and gloves on.  Somebody must have said something to him, because Rivera took off the helmet, but left the gloves on.  He was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

It was difficult to tell if Manuel was taking Girardi seriously or whether Rodriguez and Santos (catching) misread a sign, but as Jeter settled in to face him Rodriguez threw the ball over the outside corner of the plate for a strike.  Jeter backed out of the batter’s box and smiled, glancing toward the Mets dugout with a look of “are you kidding me?  You’re going to pitch to me?”

Apparently, sanity returned to the situation and Jeter was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Up walked Rivera who was making only the third at bat in his decorated career, and the second of this season.  It was a rare instant where the closer of one team was batting against the closer of the other team.  It was just another bizarre moment in an odd inning.

Rodriguez worked the count against Rivera to 2-2.  Rodriguez poured in a fastball, which Rivera fouled straight back.  Appearing more dangerous now, Rivera evidently rattled Rodriguez who then threw balls three and four, walking his opposite number and forcing in an insurance run.  It was Rivera’s first recorded RBI.

As Rivera trotted toward first and Cabrera crossed the plate to make it a 4-2 Yankees lead the Bombers dugout erupted into whoops and hollers.  It was though Rivera’s teammates had seen Santa Claus for the first time.  They were genuinely acting like a bunch of little kids reacting to what had just transpired.

The fact that Teixeira struck out to end the inning didn’t matter to him or the rest of the squad.  They put a fork into their longtime adversary and now it was Rivera’s turn to show why he is the greatest closer the game has ever seen.

Rivera induced Castillo to ground to second; he struck out Jeremy Reed looking and ended the game by also getting Cora to ground out to second.  As the ball nestled into Teixeira’s glove at first to record the final out Rivera sealed his name once again into the record books.

Teixeira was one of the first to reach him and handed Rivera the ball.

Posada, Rivera’s battery mate had a message for him.  “I told him he’s the best ever,” Posada told reporters later.  “The best I’ve seen. Nobody can even compare,”

Every member of the Yankees came out onto the field and gave Rivera a big hug and words of encouragement.  Some of them commented on Rivera’s historic at bat against Rodriguez.

“He looks good up there,” longtime teammate Andy Pettitte said to reporters after the game. “I think in Atlanta they gave him a take sign and he swung anyway.”

Even Rivera remarked on the at bat.

“I had one thing in mind—just try to do something,” Rivera said, before talking about his save. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely special.”

Manuel, whose team has been ravaged by injuries, had to say this about Rivera’s night.

“He’s one of the premier closers in my time,” Manuel told reporters. “I wasn’t applauding him tonight, but you do have to applaud that.”

Another first happened in this game as well.  Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang recorded his first victory of the season after staggering to a 0-6 start.  Wang allowed two earned runs on four hits in 5.1 innings of work.  He struck out three and walked three batters.  The loser, Livan Hernandez (5-3), actually pitched better than Wang.  He went seven innings and allowed three earned runs on three hits.  He walked five and struck out one.

The nightmare for the Mets didn’t end with this game.  After getting swept at home by the Yankees and losing five of six overall in interleague play the Mets had to catch a flight for Milwaukee to play the Brewers tonight at 7:08 pm EDT as part of ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball.  The Yankees fared much better, catching a bus for the Bronx where they will open a home stand on Tuesday night against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Getting back to Rivera, anyone who has the chance to watch this remarkable talent play should take every opportunity to do so, because as much as Yankee fans will hate to admit it, Rivera’s career is winding down.  No matter how much he’d like to Mariano Rivera can’t pitch forever.  He has been at the top of his class for much longer than most closers are expected to last.  To be in the upper echelon for nearly 13 years is mind blowing.

How much more gas is in the tank?  Only God and Mo know the answer to that one.

According to eyewitnesses on the field, the Mets closer and Yankees reliever had to be separated by teammates after the two became heated in an exchange in left field of Yankee Stadium during batting practice before today’s game. All of this stems from comments made by Bruney while on a rehab assignment in Trenton.

Bruney was asked by the Hunterdon County Democrat about Friday’s game when Luis Castillo dropped the game ending popup which resulted in the Yankees 9-8 win, to which he responded: “Unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like that. I have, but in high school,” he said and then went after K-Rod. “It couldn’t happen to a better guy on the mound, either. He’s got a tired act.

“Two years ago, when (K-Rod) lost the game – I don’t know if anybody saw it, I did – he was in Oakland. He was pitching for Anaheim. He didn’t get a call. So he was like complaining. The catcher threw it back, and (K-Rod) just kind of did one of these. (Bruney held out his glove at his side with indifference.) It hit off his glove and bounced behind. The guy from third scored to win the game. So he gets what he deserves.”

Of course, with the Subway Series going on, the New York media picked up on the story and went to Rodriguez to get his reaction. Although he dismissed the question before the game, K-Rod did delve into it afterwards.

“If it was coming out from somebody big, like Mariano (Rivera) – somebody who’s been around and is good at what he does – I will respect that comment. I might pay attention to it,” Rodriguez said. “But somebody like that, it doesn’t bother me,” said Rodriguez, who is 1-1 with a 0.57 ERA and 16 saves in 17 chances. “He better keep his mouth shut and do his job, not worry about somebody else. I don’t even know who the guy is. I’m not going to waste my time with that guy. Instead of sending messages through the paper, next time when you see me at Citi Field, come up to me and say it to my face. He’s always been on the DL, that’s all I know.”

So, Bruney, who stood by his comments after he made his way to Yankee Stadium during the game, apparently took Rodriguez up on his offer and the two had words.

According to witnesses, Mike Pelfrey was the first one to break up the altercation and Jose Veras was also in on the breakup.

Bruney, though, is still on the disabled list and will be coming off on Tuesday. So unless Rodriguez wants to take retribution against one of Bruney’s teammates, nothing else will probably happen today. Yet, the Yankees do visit Citi Field a week from Friday, so this may not be over.

Of course you are going to go all out on celebration, but imagine your embarrassment when you realized halfway through it, you realized you forgot to buy the beer.

That’s what the Yankees realized today.

After spending $1.5 billion dollars on a new home and $200 million to fill the roster with stars, imagine their shock when they realized they forgot to stock the bullpen with relievers who can actually hold serve during the sixth and seventh inning. Today, we saw Jose Veras and Damaso Marte get shelled for nine runs, giving 48,271 paid something they didn’t want to see – an Opening Day loss.

“We have to get everyone going in our bullpen,” manager Joe Girardi said afterwards. “We have to get [all] the guys going because you just can’t rely upon some guys in the bullpen. We have to get Domaso going and Jose going. It’s been up and down and you have to get consistency.”

Sure it’s early in the season and some guys like Brian Bruney and Edwar Ramirez have been good, but as we saw last season in Queens, when you use guys too much too early, they burn themselves out towards the end of the season when you need them the most.

That means the less confidence Girardi has in Marte or Veras gives more and more chances to the other pitchers. Also the manager only seems to use Bruney with the lead, which make the ‘pen thinner in tight games or when coming back.

Today was supposed to be the Yankees coming out party. The last time they opened a new location, Babe Ruth hit a home run and the place became known as “The House That Ruth Built” during its 86 year lifetime. Now this Yankee Stadium needs an identity. Unfortunately for the Bombers, this will take time, because it sure didn’t get it name today.

As constituted right now, the Yankees have a very nice starting staff – which goes about six innings a piece – a great closer, mediocre setup and middle relief, and a good but not spectacular lineup, especially without Alex Rodriguez.

That means, the building will have to be a draw, and at the price the Yankees paid, it also means a winning product needs to be on the field for the team to justify their costs. A half empty stadium may cause trouble for the Yankees when the bonds come due, eventually fans will stay away if the team doesn’t start winning.

It all starts in the bullpen holding leads. Wins today mean less pressure in September and it also means a better chance of making the playoffs.  Even though this new stadium is only one day old, Girardi is already on notice, because the Steinbrenners will give him the hook after a poor start.

If that happens, the Bronx Zoo would officially reopen. Only this time with a new address, one block north of the old joint.