Adding Granderson to the outfield corps was an instant boost in defense, but he’ll also be judged at the plate where Johnny Damon excelled batting either in front of or behind Derek Jeter.  Last year Damon hit behind Jeter and delivered.  His numbers were .282/82/24 for average, RBI and home runs.  He also had .365 on base percentage.  Damon was also very instrumental in the Yankees winning their first World Series championship in nine years, as he batted .364 and had an on base percentage of .440.

Damon also had the single highlight moment in the World Series.  In Game 4, with the score tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth inning and Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad Lidge on the mound Damon stole second, popped up and outran 3B Pedro Feliz (who was covering second on a defensive shift put on for batter Mark Teixeira) to an unprotected third base.  The move seemed to unhinge Lidge who hit Teixeira allowing Alex Rodriguez to come to the plate.  A-Rod delivered a 2-out double to left field scoring Damon and putting Teixeira at third.  Catcher Jorge Posada smacked a 2-run single to left, which doomed the Phillies to their fate.  Instead of possibly tying the Series at 2 games apiece the Yankees took a commanding 3-1 lead, and ultimately the Series in six games.

On Granderson’s side of the ledger he is only 28 (Damon is 36) and he is defensively head and shoulders above Damon in this stretch of Damon’s career.  Granderson hits for power.  Last season he knocked out 30 home runs and drove in 71.  Of concern is his .327 OBP, which was lower than Damon’s.  His batting average was 33 points lower as well.  However, throw out Granderson’s overall numbers for last year and he is offensively on par with Damon in all the pertinent categories.

The one move that has everyone scratching their heads is not resigning World Series MVP Hideki Matsui to a one-year contract.  Matsui wanted to come back to the Yankees, and it was reported he would’ve taken a one-year deal, around $7 million to make it happen.  Nonetheless, the Yankees jettisoned the man affectionately known as “Godzilla” and signed ex-Yankee Nick Johnson to a one-year deal for nearly the same money.

In the six years Matsui played in New York he averaged a .292 BA.  He averaged 23.3 HR per year, and that’s including an injury shortened 2008 season when he only hit nine round trippers.  Matsui also nearly averaged 100 RBI per year.  That’s a lot of firepower to let walk away.  The liability with Matsui is his knees, which have both been surgically repaired.  The injuries have basically relegated Matsui to a DH role.

Johnson, on the other hand, can play first base where he has a career .992 fielding percentage.  Johnson also has a better on base percentage than Matsui, and a comparable slugging percentage.  Where Johnson lags is in the power numbers.  He has played two more seasons than Matsui and has 51 less home runs.  He has also plated 218 less runs.  It will be interesting to see where manager Joe Girardi places Johnson in the Yankee lineup in order to effectively use him.

Next on the list is Javier Vazquez, who returns to the Bronx after being traded away following the 2004 season.  Vazquez was part of a three team trade, which sent OF Melky Cabrera to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Vazquez.

Vazquez had a mixed season in his one and only year with the Yankees.  In the first half of the campaign Vazquez went 9-5 with an ERA of 3.42 (as of June 29).  Vazquez’s performance earned him his first and only all-star appearance.  After July 1 Vazquez developed shoulder problems and his ERA averaged 6.78 for the remainder of the year.

In the 2004 playoffs Vazquez was a mess.  He gave up 12 earned runs in 11.1 innings earning Vazquez a one-way ticket out of town via trade.

Vazquez enters the 2010 season hoping to build upon the best overall season of his career.  Last year Vazquez pitched to a 15-10 record.  He attained career bests in win percentage (.600) and ERA (2.87).  Over the past three seasons he has struck out 200 or more batters and has pitched 200+ innings in nine of the last ten seasons.  The ability to eat up innings at the back of the rotation made Vazquez very attractive to New York.

The Yankees are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and hope the pitcher they saw in the first half of 2004 and all of last year in Atlanta is the guy they traded for.

Lastly, the Yankees signed free agent Randy Winn to a one-year deal to play outfield.  Winn comes to New York by way of San Francisco.  His career numbers are very good.  Touting a lifetime average of .286 Winn plated 50 or more runs in each of the past 4 seasons.  He will probably share playing time with Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner.

Many observers think the Yankees are making these short term deals in order to make a run at Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford who becomes a free agent after this season.

As for the rest of the squad there are question marks as well.  Posada is 37 years old entering the new season.  He has been the full time catcher since 2000.  In 2008 Posada, after signing a big 4-year contract, made two trips to the disabled list for the first time in his career.  He had surgery on his throwing shoulder, and only played in 51 games.  Last year Girardi rested his catcher often in order for Posada to make it to the finish line.  He responded positively by hitting .285 with 22 home runs and 81 RBI.  One has to believe that Girardi will continue to rest Posada as often as he can so he can have his bat late in the season.

A-Rod is expected to have a monster year this year.  He had the first significant injury of his career when it was discovered he had a torn labrum in his right hip.  Rodriguez had corrective surgery and after missing the first 31 games of the season came back to hit 30 home runs and knock in 100 RBI.  In his last game of the 2009 regular season A-Rod hit two home runs and drove in 7 runs in one inning to reach the 30/100 plateau for the 12^th season in a row.  He finally broke out of his playoff slump by hitting .378 while driving in 18 runs and hitting 6 home runs in 15 playoff games.

The biggest, potential, distraction to the upcoming season will come from Yankee captain Derek Jeter.  Jeter has been the face of the Yankees ever since he came up to the big club for good in 1996.  Jeter is coming off one of his best seasons, hitting a team high .334, while belting 18 home runs and driving in 66 runs all from the lead off position in the lineup.  He also scored 107 runs and came in third in the MVP balloting last year.

Jeter is entering the last year of his ten-year, $189 million contract and if he has another year close to last year the Yankees will be put between the proverbial rock and hard spot.  Last season Jeter earned his fourth Gold Glove award as well as the Silver Slugger award for being the best hitter at the shortstop position.  He also broke Lou Gehrig’s Yankees hit record and is only 253 hits from reaching the 3,000 hit mark to become the only Yankee in history to do so.

The list of accomplishments goes on an on.  Jeter is a 10 time all star, was the 1996 Rookie of the Year.  He was the 2000 ALCS and World Series MVP and he has had 7 seasons of 200 or more hits.  Without a doubt when Jeter hangs up his spikes he can punch his ticket into Cooperstown as a first ballot hall of famer.

The quandary for the Yankees is what to do with Jeter after this year.  He will turn 36 on June 26 of this year.  He is at an age where playing shortstop becomes more and more difficult.  The Yankees have to determine how much longer can he play there and how long of a contract will they give him.  Jeter has stood by and watched Mariano Rivera, Posada and A-Rod receive huge pay raises.  In a climate of economic strife will Jeter get the money he deserves or will he be offered less because of the market.

The Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman better have a big bottle of aspirin ready.  They’re going to need it.

Lastly, the pitching looks to be solid again this year.  With CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte anchoring the top and middle of the rotation Vazquez’s presence should improve it as well.  Fighting it out for the fifth spot will be Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain.  Both have struggled as starters and pitched well as relievers.  It should be a terrific duel during spring training.

The bullpen will also add concrete support.  Alfredo Aceves, Damaso Marte, David Robertson, either Hughes or Chamberlain handing the ball to Rivera should all have good seasons.

The 2010 squad appears poised to defend their title going into the new decade.  The road will not be easy.  They play in the toughest division in baseball.  Boston, Baltimore, Toronto and Tampa Bay have all added depth to their teams and all have their sights set on the Yankees.  Other teams looking to knock off the Yankees are the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners.

Fasten your seatbelts it’s going to be a bumpy and exciting ride to the finish line.

In order for that to happen the Yankees needed to set aside a Pesky Los Angeles Angels club that has been a thorn in New York’s side in what has seemed like forever.  The Angels took 2-of-3 in Anaheim to pull the series back to Big Apple and only trailing the Yankees 3-2.

As Angels center fielder Torii hunter said, “the pressure is all on them (Yankees).”  Pettitte took the ball and said ‘no problem.’

Pettitte faced off against Halos lefty Joe Saunders.  Saunders last appeared in Game 2 and pitched very well.  He threw 7.0 innings, surrendering 2 runs while striking out 5 and walking one.  The Angels bullpen, specifically Brian Fuentes and Ervin Santana, imploded and gave the Yankees a 4-3 win.

On the other hand, Pettitte started Game 3 and pitched well enough to keep his team in the game.  He was staked to a 3-0 lead before surrendering it and leaving the game tied after 6-1/3 innings of work.  The game went into extra innings and the Angels won it in the 11^th when new Yankee killer Jeff Mathis doubled in the winning run .

No one in the Yankees clubhouse wanted this series to reach a 7^th game.  It was an attitude of winning it now that permeated the team.  Girardi felt there was no better guy to give the ball to than Pettitte.  After all, “AP” had made 37 previous playoff starts and was tied with John Smoltz for career playoff wins at 15 apiece.

Pettitte was masterful in his approach toward the Angels lineup.  He reached back into his past and delivered a vintage Pettitte performance.  He bent , but never broke as he kept the ever dangerous Halos hitters in check.  Andy gave up 7 hits, but the Angels were only able to convert it into one earned run over 6-1/3 innings.  Pettitte surrendered a single to left fielder Juan Rivera before Girardi came and got his trusty lefty.

As Pettitte walked off the field toward the Yankees dugout the Stadium erupted into a din of cheers for the man who has given the pinstriped faithful so many wonderful memories.  Gratefully, Andy doffed his cap and waved it at the crowd before disappearing into the dugout.

Girardi called for embattled right-hander Joba Chamberlain.  It was a huge leap of faith Girardi was showing Chamberlain who entered the game with the Yankees holding on to a precarious 3-1 lead.  Chamberlain faced pinch hitter Maicer Izturis who grounded into a force play as 2B Robinson Cano got Rivera at  second, and then induced shortstop Erick Aybar (sans dreadlocks) to ground out to Mark Teixeira at first to end the inning.

As Chamberlain walked off the mound he thumped his chest as a sign of some personal redemption.

As the Yankees took the field for the top of the 8^th inning Girardi went to the one thing the Angels didn’t have, and that is the best closer in the history of the game.  Mariano Rivera entered the game to the strains of “Enter Sandman” and was asked to get 6 outs.

At age 40 Rivera is still doing things that other relief pitchers can only dream of doing.  At the end of the regular season Mo had recorded his 526^th career save, second only to Milwaukee Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman (591).  However, what separates Rivera from the rest is his performance in the post season where he has recorded 37 saves; more than twice the number of the second place closer, Philadelphia Phillies Brad Lidge.**

The never say die Angels opened the top of the 8^th with Chone Figgins blooping a weak single to left field.  Bobby Abreu grounded out to move Figgins to second, followed by Hunter who grounded to Cano for the second out.  Figgins was unable to advance.

It didn’t matter though as Vladimir Guerrero stepped in and shot a low 3-2 cutter into right field to score Figgins.  That would be the last Angel to cross home plate.  Kendry Morales grounded out to second to end the Halos threat.

In the bottom of the frame Angels manager Mike Scioscia brought in lefty Scott Kazmir after Ervin Santana walked Cano on four straight pitches.

Then in something right out of the Twilight Zone the Angels saw their playoff hopes dissipate as Nick Swisher sacrificed bunted Cano to second.  As Swisher was racing toward first, first baseman Morales picked up the bunted ball and fired to the bag being covered by 2B Howie Kendrick.  Kendrick dropped the ball and everyone was safe.

The speedy Brett Gardner replaced Swisher at first and then it was center fielder Melky Cabrera’s turn.  He laid down a bunt which was fielded by Kazmir.  Instead of firing the ball to first Kazmir lobbed it right over the head of Morales allowing Cano to score and it moved Gardner to third and Cabrera to second.

Derek Jeter grounded out to first as the runners stayed put and then Kazmir walked Johnny Damon to load the bases.  Teixeira hit a fly ball to center scoring Gardner  to make it 5-2.  Scioscia had seen enough and yanked Kazmir for Jered Weaver.

Weaver faced the dangerous Alex Rodriguez, but pitched around him; walking him on four pitches.  With the bases again loaded catcher Jorge Posada who had had a miserable game (hitting into two inning ending double plays) looked at strike three to end the inning.

Rivera took the mound for the Angels last stand.  The Angels went quietly into the night and into the winter as Kendrick grounded out to first, Rivera to fly out to right and as only Mo could do it struck out pinch hitter Gary Matthews, Jr. to end the game and the series.

The Yankees celebrated in the middle of their house before retiring to the clubhouse to enjoy the win and spray champagne on each other.  Honorary American League Vice President Jackie Autry presented the American League Championship trophy to Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and lefty CC Sabathia was named series MVP.

For Andy Pettitte it was a game of satisfaction and new heights.  In addition to winning his 16^th career playoff game, breaking the tie with Smoltz, Pettitte set a new major league record with his 5^th career series closeout victory.

Like old times it was Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera leading the way for the Yankees to the promised land.

Today is a new day and now the Yankees turn their sights toward the City of Brotherly Love and the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Phillies have a boatload of hitters themselves, in Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and company.  They also have the pitching with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, et. al.

The 2009 World Series is set to begin in the Bronx on Wednesday evening with FOX Sports televising the series in its entirety.  It will be Sabathia vs. Lee for Game 1 in what should be a classic pitcher’s duel.  The times will be announced by MLB later today.

Congratulations to the Yankees and to the Phillies.  May the best team reign supreme.

4=27.

**Source:  baseball-reference.com

The Yankees , after missing the playoffs last season, are on the brink of returning to the stage they are quite familiar with.  The hold a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series over the team that has given them the most trouble over the past decade.  That team being the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Angels have always played the Bombers tough.  In fact, as has been noted many times, they are the only team to hold a historical winning record against New York.  Over the past eight post seasons the Yankees and Angels have met twice in battle with the Angels coming out on top in the 2002 and 2005 AL Division Series.

The Yankees came into this year’s playoffs on a mission.  After missing the playoffs in 2008 New York had one purpose in mind and that was to win their 27^th world championship.  They accomplished the first leg of that quest by eliminating the Minnesota Twins from the divisional series; sweeping them in three straight games.

On the other side of the coin the Angels were facing a long time nemesis of their own.  The Red Sox had dominated the Angels in post season play by taking them out of the ALDS in 2004, 2007 and 2008 with a combined record of 9-1. The Angels met the Sox, once again, in the divisional series. However, instead of the Sox overpowering the Halos it was the Angels who dominated the Red Sox by eliminating them from contention with a 3-game sweep.  This set up the first ever Championship Series collision with the Yankees.

History did not favor New York.  Each time New York met the Angels in the post season the Yankees took the first game only to lose the series.  Keep in mind history didn’t favor the Angels going against the Red Sox either, but the Angels took care of business.  The Yankees were hoping to do the same.

The Yankees took care of business in the first two games in the Bronx. In less than ideal weather conditions the Yankees won both games with scores of 4-1 and 4-3.  They flew out west with the two-game lead only to see the lead evaporate by half as the Angels came back to nip the Bombers in Game 3, 5-4.

The Yankees took control of the series again on Tuesday night by taking the air out of both the Angels and their fans as they clobbered Scott Kazmir and the Halos in a 10-1 beat down.  CC Sabathia completely outdueled Kazmir for his second win in four games.

Both teams took the next night off, then came back on Thursday for Game 5.  It was a golden opportunity for the Yankees to close out the series and finally exorcise the Angels from their past.  AJ Burnett faced off against John Lackey.

Before an out was recorded Burnett placed the Yankees in a hole as the Angels put up a four spot in the first inning to lead the game 4-0.  Afterward, Burnett seemed to settle down, but the Angels kept the lead going into the 7^th inning.

After loading the bases with one out Lackey got Johnny Damon to fly out.  As Damon was making his way back to the dugout Angel manager Mike Scioscia bounded out of the dugout and headed for the mound.  An unbelieving Lackey looked angrily at Scioscia and said, “This is mine. Come on Scios.”  It didn’t change Scioscia’s mind and he took the ball from Lackey who stomped away and marched into the Angels’ dugout.

Scioscia called for lefty reliever Darren Oliver to face Mark Teixeira.  That’s when the wheels fell off the Angels wagon.  The Yankees scored 6 runs to go ahead of the Angels.  Right fielder Nick Swisher flew out to end the Yankees onslaught.  For the Yankees the finish line was on the horizon.

It didn’t last long.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi decided to stick with Burnett to open the bottom of the frame and Burnett promptly gave up a single to Jeff Mathis and then walked Erick Aybar.  Girardi pulled his starter and brought in lefty Damaso Marte.  Chone Figgins moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt.  Bobby Abreu grounded out to first scoring Mathis.  Girardi made another pitching change and called for righty Phil Hughes to face center fielder Torii Hunter.  Hunter walked and then Hughes gave up a run scoring singles to Vladimir Guerrero and Kendry Morales allowing the Angels to regain the lead.  Hughes struck out Maicer Izturis to end the inning, but the damage was done.

New York made one last attempt to take the game back in the 9^th inning when they loaded the bases against Angels closer Brian Fuentes.  However, Fuentes got Swisher  to pop out to short to end the game.

The Yankees now come home with the hopes of finishing this series on Saturday and then moving on to face the National League and defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.  The Bombers will turn to their playoff stopper Andy Pettitte who will start his 38^th playoff game.  The Angels will counter with left-hander Joe Saunders.  Saunders pitched well in Game 2 in New York, but left with a no decision as did Pettitte who gave up a 3-0 lead in Game 3 in Anaheim, which was eventually lost by the bullpen.

Heavy rains are predicted for the New York area on Saturday, which may push the game back to Sunday.  That may be a break for the Yankees who have scheduled Sabathia to start Game 7 if necessary.  An extra day would give him his full rest.

The Yankees want and need to close out the Angels in Game 6.  It would help them exorcise their past playoff woes against the Halos and it will stem any comparison to New York’s ALCS collapse against the Red Sox in 2004.

Another part of this puzzle is what losing this series would do to Girardi’s future.  Many believe that anything below a World Series appearance will cost Girardi his job.  Some of the pressure is coming because of questionable pitching moves he’s made in the two Yankee losses and some from just being the manager of the New York Yankees.

The Angels will be playing Saturday like there’s no tomorrow, because for them there isn’t one unless they win.  The Yankees need to do the same, because a loss on Saturday will put them in the same boat as the Angels.

Win and go to the World Series.  It’s as simple as that.

Analyze what has occurred with two evenly matched teams. Obvious that there has been no edge for either side, exception of course goes to Alex Rodriguez who should no longer hear that he is not a catalyst for his team. And enough said about Derek Jeter who has the eyes and ears of eight other teammates on the field.  And if CC Sabathia pitched the Yankees one step closer this week, and if the Angels force a game 7 in the Bronx Sunday evening, this will definitely look like a classic American League pennant series

The conditions were the same for both sides when this all started last Friday evening at the new Yankee Stadium. Cold and wind causing some havoc, though Sabathia with his eight solid innings put the Los Angeles Angels bats on ice and the Angels made a season high three errors. The Yankees capitalized, as they always do, in taking game one 4-1.

Then there was that classic Yankees 13-inning win that went into the early hours of Sunday morning on a cold and damp field in the Bronx.   Extra inning drama and the efficient Angels defense once again giving the Yankees what they needed with more postseason miscues that can be attributed to the intensity of what is on the line.

A trip to the World Series is what they are playing for. “They have a very good team and feel they are the best out there and we feel the same about ourselves,” commented the Yankees Johnny Damon after the Angels walk off 10-inning win Monday. That epitomizes what the players feel, and overall what baseball fans have been seeing.

The managers, Joe Girardi of the Yankees and Mike Scioscia also seem to be caught with emotion the past dew days. “We know this is going to be an extremely tough series,” said Giriardi after game one. He said it again after Games 2 and 3.  And he wasn’t surprised about the base running mistakes. “They don’t make them often,” he said about the Angels.

“We haven’t seen our guys crack the door open for a team like we did tonight in a long time,” said Scioscia about that first inning Friday night that led to the Yankees early lead because of errors his team hardly made during the season.

“The Yankees are going to take advantage of that, and they did,” added Scioscia showing the emotion on his face from a grueling first game, knowing full well that this series could resemble a good 12-round heavyweight fight with the last man standing.

And the series and Yankees hopes of returning to another World Series may rest on the shoulders of Sabathia, one of the big three acquisitions, along with AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira, that that were brought here to get the Yankees back to the big dance.  This series was supposed to be about the Angels speed and ability to take the extra base, if they can get there.

The Yankees with their power, A-Rod providing it and Teixeira not, instead sparkling at first and saving some runs for a bullpen that has been utilized, with the exception of Chad Gaudin who seems to be the odd man out. And you can fault Girardi for lifting David Robertson Monday with two men out and bringing in Alfredo Aceves that got the Angels back in the series.

But this is playoff baseball and these are the two best teams giving us all a thrill in October. Baseball at this time of year is supposed to be played this way, Managers going with the percentages, the way Girardi does and Scioscia with the playoff managerial experience.

After their loss Friday night the Angels Torii Hunter said “Wake up in the morning and feel like we had amnesia.”  For the fans, who have stayed with every pitch there has been no need for forgetting what a thrill it has been to see what their Yankees and Angels have done for them.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

After the Angels took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th inning on a Chone Figgins flair RBI single to left field off Yankees’ reliever Alfredo Aceves, the Yankees were saved by Alex Rodriguez’s clutch opposite field home run home run which barely cleared the right field wall and tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the 11th. Rodriguez’s blast came on an 0-2 mistake fastball from Angels’ reliever Brian Fuentes, who would have been a lot wiser to make Rodriguez chase a pitch or two with the favorable count and light-hitting, little-used Freddy Guzman on deck.

A-Rod’s homer eventually led to Izturis’ game-deciding error in the bottom of the 13th inning. With one out and runners at first and second, Izturiz, ranging to his left, made a nice backhand stop in the hole between first and second, robbing Melky Cabrera of what likely would have been a game-winning single. The smart play for Izturis would have been to get the sure out at first base and let Angels’ reliever Ervin Santana go after Yankees’ catcher Jorge Posada with runners at second and third and two outs.

Izturis however, made a poor decision, trying to start a double play that the Angels would have had little chance of turning. He threw the ball wildly toward second base, past shortstop Angels’ shortstop Erick Aybar, into short left field, allowing Yankees’ pinch hitter Jerry Hairston, Jr. to score the game-winning run from second base on the Angels’ second error on cold rainy night at Yankee Stadium, the fifth error of game combined for both teams, during an otherwise classic of a postseason game.

“I was a little aggressive there,” Izturis said. “I’m not scared to be aggressive. Unfortunately, it cost us the game.”

As, a result, the Yankees head to Anaheim up two games to none instead of being in a 1-1 battle, and all is okay with Yankee fans and with their current perception of A-Rod.

However, in the “What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately” city of New York, and in the “Only-A-World-Championship-Is-Acceptable” world in which the Yankees live, had the Angels evened the series early Sunday morning, A-Rod might have been vilified for yet another playoff failure after flying out to center field with the bases loaded, to end the bottom of the 12th inning.

Failing in the 12th inning despite saving the game in the 11th would give most teams and players a pass.

But, fair or not, that’s not usually the case in New York. Not with the Yankees, and especially, not with the controversial A-Rod, and his past playoff failures, off-the-field issues, and admitted steroid abuse.

This year, A-Rod to this point, has certainly changed his reputation of a great regular season player who fails in the playoffs in New York. He’s hit in all five Yankee playoff games in 2009, with a .368 batting average, a .409 on-base percentage, and an .842 slugging percentage, while smacking three home runs and driving in eight runs.

And, he’s proven to his detractors that he can indeed be clutch in October. Against Minnesota, A-Rod tied Game 2 of the American League Division Series, 1-1, with a two-out single in the 6th inning before hitting a huge game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Yankees to win that pivotal game, 4-3, on a Mark Texeira walk-off home run in the 11th.

Perhaps, the difference in postseason production this year in comparison with past seasons is due to a changed mental approach, and not succumbing to the pressures of producing in a city like New York and for a storied franchise like the Yankees. “This whole year I’m playing with no expectations,” Rodriguez said after that Game 2 win.

In Game 3 of the same series, A-Rod’s home run in the 7th inning drew the Yankees even, 1-1, before they went on to a 4-1 victory and a three-game sweep of the Twins.

But, this is New York, this is the Yankees, and this is A-Rod.

And thus, a whole different measuring stick is used to evaluate postseason success.

The memories of New York sports fans in general, are short, especially when it comes to the Yankees. And, even more so when it comes to A-Rod because of the factors mentioned above, as well the insane money that A-Rod commands — all of which causes many Yankee fans to often demand the impossible from A-Rod.

There’s no doubt that this has already been a vastly different postseason for A-Rod in New York than in past years. But, you have to wonder, even with his 2009 success through the 11th inning on Sunday morning, if Izturis makes a different decision in the 13th, and the game ends later with an Angels’ win, are Yankee fans pointing to that 12th inning, and again questioning A-Rod’s ability to come through when it matters most?

The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (I liked it better when it was just the Anaheim or California Angels) have been cross country rivals ever since 1961 when the Angels, under the ownership of the “Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry, was granted a spot in the American League.  The Angels shared digs with the Los Angeles Dodgers, first at the Coliseum in LA, and then later at Dodger Stadium.  This arrangement lasted until 1966 when the Angels opened up their own park in Anaheim and became the California Angels.

When you hear of a team having another team’s “number” you don’t have to look any further than the Angels and Yankees.  The Halos are the only team who has a historical winning record against the Bronx Bombers.  And, not just by a little either.  These two teams have met 586 times in the regular season and the Angels are 52 game over .500 against New York.

Living out here on the west coast, but still rooting for the boys in pinstripes I have seen my share of disappointments over the years.  More times than not I, like a lot of other displaced Yankee fans in and around Orange County, California, have seen the Angels make the Yankees look like a second rate team.  Whether the Angels were in last place or first they’ve always played the Yanks like it is the 7^th game of the World Series.

Earlier this season was no exception.  In July (10-12) the Yankees traveled to Anaheim for a 3-game set with the Halos.  It was their last series before the All-star break and they were coming in with a hot hand.  The Yankees had just won 15 of their last 17 games, but that didn’t matter to the Angels.  In Game 1 of the series the Yankees had a 5-0 lead, but blew it, and the Halos won 10-6.  In Game 2 the Yankees rewarded me on my birthday by allowing the Angels to erase a 4-1 lead by giving up 7 runs in the 5^th inning as the Halos won going away 14-8.  Game 3 saw the Angels overcome a 1-0 Yankee lead by scoring four runs in the 4^th inning and squeaking out a 5-4 win to sweep the Yankees going into the break.

Fortunately the Yankees didn’t stay down long and they ended up by going 48-25 in the 2^nd half to win the AL East Division by 8 games over second place Boston and they garnered the best record in baseball by six games over the Angels.  In fact, in September (21-23) the Yankees returned to Anaheim to take 2-of-3 from the Angels, splitting the season series 5-5.  There was room for optimism.  A glimmer of hope was on the horizon.

Both teams went into the divisional series with different expectations.  The Angels were facing the Red Sox who, like the Angels are with the Yankees, had the Halos’ number.  As many so-called experts saw the Red Sox winning the ALDS as those picking the Angels.  In 2004, 2007 and 2008 the Red Sox ousted the Halos from the divisional series with a combined 9-1 record.  You don’t even want to ask any longtime Angel fan about 1986.  The Angels lone win came during the ’08 series.  Although they lost the Angels won, because they finally had beaten their longtime playoff antagonists in a divisional game.  Now, at least they knew they could beat those pesky (no pun intended) Red Sox in a playoff setting.

The proof of that pudding came in this year’s divisional series as the Angels swept the Red Sox out of the playoffs and did so convincingly.  This set up this year’s confrontation with the Yankees.

On the other side of the coin, the Yankees were expected to beat the Minnesota Twins in their half of the ALDS quite handily.  Most experts predicted an easy series with the Yankees sweeping the Twins.  After all the Yankees won the regular season series 7-0, and the Twins have never played well at Yankee Stadium.  Well, the Yankees did sweep, but it was anything but easy.  In fact in all 3 games the Yankees had to come from behind to beat Minnesota to set up the first ALCS meeting between the Bombers and the Halos.

Depending on who you asked, the predictions about who would win this series was a varied as could be.  A lot of people pointed the Angels historical success as well as post season dominance.  The Angels rotation is better than the Yankees.  The Angels defense is better or the bullpen.  You would hear the same thing said about the Yankees.  The only area the Yankees were given a clear advantage was in the role of closer.  Mariano Rivera versus Brian Fuentes was a no-contest.  Rivera wins hands down.  Much of this predicting has been regional.  Los Angeles/Orange County area papers said the Angels would win, but newspapers in the east picked the Yankees.

In Game 1 the Yankees behind CC Sabathia handled the Angels very easily, winning 4-1.  The Halos helped by playing very sloppy and uncharacteristically poor defense.  However, for anyone who knows the playoff history between these two teams, the Yankees also won Game 1 from the Angels in the 2002 and 2005 ALDS only to lose those series in the end.

Last night, it appeared that the Yankees were going to follow past playoff scripts.  Game 2 was very important for both teams.  If the Yankees won they go to Anaheim up in the series 2-0 forcing the Angels to have to beat New York in 4 of the next 5 games.  Lose, and the series is tied 1-1 with the next three games played at Angel Stadium.  That would mean that if the Angels sweep the Yankees in their park they send the Yankees down to another humiliating defeat without ever getting the opportunity to get back to New York.

The Yankees jumped to an early 2-0 lead behind a run scoring triple by Cano in the 2^nd inning, followed by a solo home run in the 3^rd by Derek Jeter.  Yankee starter AJ Burnett was cruising through the Angels lineup in the first 4 innings, but, as has been the case in the past, Burnett got into trouble in the 5th inning.

Burnett surrendered a leadoff double to Izturis, a single to Erick Aybar scoring Izturis, then hit Chone Figgins with a pitch.  After getting Bobby Abreu to fly out to left for the 2^nd out Burnett walked Torii Hunter to load the bases.  With the ever dangerous Vladimir Guerrero at the plate Burnett uncorked a wild pitch past catcher Jose Molina allowing Aybar to score from third, tying the game at 2 apiece.  Fortunately, Guerrero cooperated by grounding out to short to end the inning.

Once again, it appeared that the Yankees were right where the Angels wanted them.  Lose Game 1, give the Yankees a lead in Game 2 only to come back to yank the rug out from under New York’s feet and steal another playoff series.

However, something different happened.  The Yankees refused to cooperate.  For the next five innings the Angels and Yankees threw up zeroes.  In the 11^th inning Yankees RHRP Alfredo Aceves took the mound to face the Halos.  All through the 2009 campaign Aceves has been the one guy manager Joe Girardi could point to in order to get the job done.  If he needed an emergency starter or a pitcher who could come into the middle of the game to give the Yankees length Girardi called on Aceves.

Nonetheless, Aceves committed the pitcher’s cardinal sin by walking the leadoff batter.  He gave Gary Matthews, Jr. a free pass and after moving to 2^nd on a sacrifice bunt Matthews scored on a soft liner by Figgins to left field in front of Johnny Damon.  Oh how many times had Yankee fans seen the Angels come back like this.

Aceves got out of the inning without any further trouble, but the damage had been done.  The Yankees had dug themselves into another hole against the team whom they’ve suffered their greatest failures.

For Yankee fans this game took on the look of a bad car crash.  It was ugly, but you had to watch.

In the bottom of the 11^th inning Angel manager Mike Scioscia sent in his closer Brian Fuentes.  Fuentes lead the American League in saves in ’09, but had blown 7 as well.  The first man he faced was Alex Rodriguez.  This Rodriguez was different from the Rodriguez the Angels have faced in the past.  This guy has been hitting and driving in runs.

Fuentes quickly got ahead of A-Rod by throwing 2 four-seam fastballs by him.  With the count 0-2 Fuentes made the mistake of going to the well once too often and tried to jam a third four-seamer by Rodriguez.  A-Rod did what all good hitters are supposed to do.  He promptly punched the ball over the right field wall to tie the game.

Said Fuentes to reporters after the game. “I was trying to elevate and didn’t get it up enough,” Fuentes talking about the pitch allowing A-Rod to drive the ball. “I felt like I threw the ball really well minus the one pitch. Unfortunately, it cost us the game. I take full responsibility for that.”

The two teams traded zeroes in the 12^th, and the Yankees kept the Halos off the board in the top of the 13^th.  This set up another improbable finish for a club who has been doing the improbable all season long.

Girardi started the bottom of the frame by sending up pinch hitter Jerry Hairston, Jr. to face the hard throwing Ervin Santana.  Hairston responded by lining a single to center.  Reserve center fielder Brett Gardner did his job by sacrifice bunting Hairston to 2^nd base.  Santana intentionally walked Cano in order to set up a potential inning ending double play.  Outfielder Melky Cabrera tried to cooperate with the Angels by hitting a hard grounder to second baseman Izturis’ left.  With Hairston moving to third and Cano to second Izturis made a beautiful grab, but instead of going to first to get Cabrera he decided to go to second.  The ball sailed by Aybar allowing Hairston to score the winning run.

It was the second game in a row where a team, which prides itself on playing sound defensive, has made a poor decision costing them a game.

“It shouldn’t have come down to that,” Chone Figgins said when  reporters asked him about Izturis wild throw. “We had too many opportunities that got away from us. That’s why we lost.”

Neither team did a great job in potential run scoring situations.  The Halos stranded 16 runners and the Yankees 12.

However, when it counted most the Yankees came through.

Hairston put a personal spin on his contribution.

“I knew if I got a chance to do something, I wanted to do something positive,” Hairston said after the game. “This game isn’t easy. I just wanted to enjoy the moment. My grandfather never had the opportunity that I’ve had. That was definitely for him.”

A-Rod who has now hit three, dramatic, late inning home runs told reporters, “I know I had a blast out there today. That was a great game. That’s what I’ve been doing all year — trying to keep things simple and not trying to think too much.”

Perhaps Joe Girardi summarized the game best.

“We’re fortunate to come out on top in this game, because it was a great game,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “And there were some miscues. Fortunately we were on the right side of it.”

The series now shifts to Anaheim where the next 3 games are scheduled.   Game 3 is scheduled for Monday at 4:13 EST for the first pitch.  It will be Andy Pettitte versus Jered Weaver.  In order to return to the Bronx the Angels have to take 2 out of 3.  On the other hand, the Yankees have the opportunity to do what no other team before them has done.  Celebrate a playoff series win on the Angels home field.

This series is hardly over and both teams know it.  That said the Yankees are now treading on heretofore unknown territory.  They are half way to a series celebration over their most successful playoff opponents.

Just another chapter in the Yankees latest ‘Bronx Tale.’

NOTE:  Derek Jeter just keeps adding to his legacy.  His home run in the 3rd inning was the 19th of his playoff career moving him past Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle (18) for third place behind Manny Ramirez (29) and Bernie Williams (22).

“Yeah, it was cold,” Sabathia said after the game.  “But you just gotta deal with it.”

The Yankee ace did just that, and unlike the Los Angeles Angels, whose sloppy fielding was clearly affected by the frigid temperature,  Sabathia showed little effect from the cold.

He allowed just one run and four hits over eight innings in the Yankees’ 4-1 win in the ALCS opener.  After completing a 1-2-3 eighth inning, the stadium exploded, chanting “CC” over and over again as the gigantic left-hander made his way to the dugout.

“It was a great feeling to have the Stadium rocking and the fans chanting my name.” said Sabathia, who threw just 112 pitches.

“He was sensational,” said manager Joe Girardi after the game. “There are conditions you have to deal with … and he threw extremely well.”

The only run off the left-hander – who struck out seven Angels and walked just one – came in the fourth, when Vladimir Guerrero doubled off the wall in and later scored on Kendry Morales’ RBI single.

It was all the offense the Angels could muster on this chilly October night, and their clumsiness in the field was as deadly as their offense was silent.

In the first, Los Angeles starter John Lackey allowed a single to Derek Jeter.  The Yankee captain then advanced to third on Johnny Damon’s fly ball single to left.  A poor throw by left fielder Juan Rivera – who missed the cutoff man – allowed Damon to advance to second base.

Jeter would score on a sacrifice fly by Alex Rodriguez, but the crushing play of the game was when third baseman Chone Figgins and shortstop Erick Aybar allowed a potential inning-ending popup to fall untouched between them.

The gaffe allowed Damon to score the only other run the Yankees would need.

“They are a very sound baseball club, and you certainly can’t count on that happening every night … it’s just one game,” Girardi said.  “I thought the first inning was really important to this game … you don’t want to walk away fro that inning without scoring.”

The Yankees capitalized on the two mistakes, and thanks to a tremendous pitching performance from their ace, bring a 1-0 lead into Game 2.

Check out BaseballDigest.com for more from Mark Healey.

“It’s tough putting pressure on CC when you get nobody on,” said Angels, outfielder Torii Hunter who got a single off Sabathia in the first inning. It was one of four hits off Sabathia who got his first LCS win and recorded a postseason high in innings pitched. “It was just CC,” said Hunter. “CC is the cold weather. CC’s the real deal, man” he said.

And again, the Yankees as they do so well, capitalized on the errors by the Angels, a team that set a franchise low 85 and third fewest in the league this season. One in the first inning opened the door for a New York early 2-0 lead when left fielder Juan Rivera threw to the shortstop that put runners on second and third.

Then, in the same inning there was the probable miscommunication of a ball in the infield, or the wind playing havoc which saw a popup from the Yankees Hideki Matsui drop between third baseman Chone Figgins and shortstop Erick Aybar. The result was a single and Johnny Damon scoring a run.

“”We haven’t seen our guys crack the door open for a team like we did tonight in a long time,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia about that first inning, And like so many other teams that have been victims, now are the Angels. “And the Yankees are going to take advantage of that, and they did,” added Scioscia.

From there it was all Sabathia.  This series is supposed to be about the Angels speed and ability to take the extra base, if they can get there.  The Yankees with their power, though no home runs this windy night, and ability to hold a lead then go to their pen in the late innings. Sabathia threw 113 pitches, struck out seven and had great command.. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth and got the save,

“I noticed he was able to get ahead and change speeds,” commented Scioscia. “He threw some good change ups. I think he commanded both sides of the plate better than we had seen him before. He pitched a heck of a game. He obviously is one of the best in out league.”

The Angels know for sure how important it was to get on base. But Sabathia did not let the cold weather get to him and made the Angels know he could be the difference in this series. Sabathia could face then two more times if indeed there is a seventh and decisive game in the Bronx next weekend.

“He kept the guys that can create problems off the bases all night,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, “and he was sensational.” Sabathia has now won two opening games in the postseason, the other against Minnesota last week in the divisional series.  And for the first time this season, with over 49,000 fans chanting CC in the seventh inning, Sabathia showed emotion after striking out pinch hitter Mike Naploi with a runner on second with a 4-1 lead.

Said Sabathia about the emotion, “That was a great feeling to have the Stadium rocking and to be chanting my name and to be able to get a strikeout. I was pretty pumped up. I don’t really show a lot of emotion a lot of times, but it came out of me there.”

But that emotion is what the Yankees like. They feel confident when their work horse takes the mound. Johnny Damon who made a defensive gem in left and had a fifth inning double hoped to have a powerful pitcher behind him in the postseason. This is his first ALCS with the Yankees.

“This is the first time we’ve been into the ALCS since I’ve been here,” he said. “The other two times we were knocked off in the first round. That’s why we got CC. To be a work horse during the season, of course, But to shut down teams in the postseason. They didn’t have too many base runners tonight. And any time you can do that, it definitely plays in our favor.”

As for the errors that the Angeles rarely make, said Damon “We’ll take it. We don’t see them do that too often, so we’ll take it.”  Miscues that spoiled a good pitching performance from Angels, starter John Lackey who gave up four runs on nine hits.

A loss that Hunter said will be forgotten. “Wake up in the morning and feel like we had amnesia,” he said.  The Angels hope to readjust and get out of New York with a 1-1 split before going home for Game 3 Monday.

Girardi also has the ability to use the bullpen Saturday evening in Game 2 because Sabathia went deep. That may now go to the Yankees advantage when A. J. Burnett takes the mound for New York opposing Joe Saunders.  “If we need multiple innings out of guys we know we can get it,” he said.

“Having a guy like CC, A.J. Pettitte (Andy) and the strong bullpen we have, it’s allowed us to get to this point,” commented Damon.  So Hopefully tomorrow night A.J. shows up and pitches well, and hopefully we can score a few runs off Saunders”

And if the Angels want to make this a series they know they have to avoid those costly mistakes. Burnett is not Sabathia, but one mistake against the Yankees, as Scioscia said, will crack the door open.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

You don’t make those mistakes against the Yankees, and their next opponent, the Los Angeles Angels, won’t make those mistakes when they come to the Bronx Friday evening as game 1 of the American League Championship Series begins.  The Angels score runs, steal bases, and play smart baseball.

And as the Yankees prepared this week to get one step closer to another World Series appearance, they too know that this will be a tough task, maybe more difficult than their pervious ALCS battles with Boston  The Angels were tops in the American League in hitting and third in stolen bases.

But that will not matter if the Yankees keep them off the bases offering CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, a capable one-two punch on the mound.  You wonder if it will go to plan, the Yankees and Angels, who split ten games during the season. “We expect a war,” said Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, the veteran, who has been around this many times before.

Posada wants that taste of another World Series appearance. So does the captain Derek Jeter, who always seems to get the big hit at the plate, or make the perfect play on the field when the Yankees are a part of post season October baseball.  So does pitcher Andy Pettitte, who got his record tying 15^th post season career, win Sunday against the Twins sitting there with John Smotlz

And there is the Mariano Rivera factor and his 35 career post season saves that will guarantee him Hall of Fame status.  A close lead, and get the ball to Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, all that now works well for manager Joe Girardi before Rivera takes over.

At least that is what the Yankees and Girardi hope for. They hit the most home runs in baseball and do it well at their new home in the Bronx.  “No easy out in their lineup,” says Angeles manager Mike Scioscia.  Especially in the late innings, as we saw with the lethal combination now of Rodriguez and Mark Teixiera who can change the complexion of a game quickly.

“They know how to play this time of year and the situation will not, phase them,” said Girardi Sunday night after the Yankees made their statement with a sweep over the Twins. They are factors in the post season again, just like they were in the 1990’s where Pettitte, Jeter, Rivera and Posada took control.

The only concern this time, not also forgetting that the Yankees were eliminated two times by the Angeles twice in post season play, is the availability of a fourth starter. Chad Gaudin probably will get the ball and has one inning of postseason experience when he was with Oakland. He got a no decision and gave up two runs on six hits, striking out three in a Yankees win out in Los Angeles on September 23^rd.

Other than that, the Yankees won with consistent pitching in the three games against the Twins. “How you win in the post season,” said Jeter.  Both teams score runs, 120 runs combined in their ten games and are about even at 5.85 runs per game.

Rodriquez would be expected to duplicate his performance against the Angels. The Yankees have the momentum and wait for the first pitch tomorrow evening, at their new ballpark that saw some magic come from across the street all season and in the series with Minnesota.

Important game 1 as always with Sabathia getting the ball for New York, He needs to make a statement right away. If not it gets more difficult, but in the end the Yankees will take it to a game 7 in the Bronx next weekend. They have home field advantage and the best record at home in baseball all season. Yankees take it.

And waiting for them?  Will be interesting if the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Philadelphia, and then all the story lines with their manager Joe Torre returning to the Bronx.

E-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com: Log on to: www.keepitinthering.net

The Los Angeles Angels sent a reeling Boston Red Sox squad home for the winter and now prepare to face a team that they have handled in the postseason of late. The two best teams in the junior circuit will now face each other in the American League Championship Series for the right of playing for a World Series trophy.

During the regular season, the teams split the 10 games. The Yankees were 3-1 at home but won only two of six on the left coast. Offensively, the Angles were the better team in face-to-face match-ups, out hitting New York .315 to .272, a .473 slugging percentage to .456 and outscoring the Bronx Bombers 61-55.

What does that all mean a few days away from the opener? Absolutely nothing but it its food for thought. Perhaps a stat that will weigh more on the Yankees’ minds will be 2002 and 2005 ALDS when the Angels ousted them.

POSITION-BY-POSITION COMPARISONS

FIRST BASE

YANKEES – Mark Teixiera (.292, 39, 122)

ANGELS – Kendry Morales (.306, 34, 108)

Advantage: Yankees – Both had quality seasons but Tex is a legitimate MVP candidate.

SECOND BASE

YANKEES – Robinson Cano (.320, 25, 85)

ANGELS – Howard Kendrick (.291, 10, 61)

Advantage: Yankees – Robby can flat out hit.

SHORTSTOP

YANKEES – Derek Jeter (.334, 18, 66)

ANGELS – Erick Aybar (.312, 5. 58)

Advantage: Yankees – Do we really need to explain this any further?

THIRD BASE

YANKEES – Alex Rodriguez (.286, 30, 100)

ANGELS – Chone Figgins (.298, 5, 54)

Advantage: Yankees – A-Rod may have had a rough start to the season but settled in nicely. A sub-par season for him is much better than Figgins could muster.

LEFT FIELD

YANKEES – Johnny Damon (.282, 24, 82)

ANGELS – Juan Rivera (.287, 25, 88)

Advantage: Yankees – Both are good players at this stage of their careers, but Damon has more postseason experience.

CENTER FIELD

YANKEES – Melky Cabrera (.274, 13, 68)

ANGELS – Torii Hunter (.299, 22, 90)

Advantage: Angels – Hunter can go and get it in the outfield and can hit, too.

RIGHT FIELD

YANKEES – Nick Swisher (.249, 29, 82)

ANGELS – Bobby Abreau (.293, 15, 103)

Advantage: Angels – Not by much, but the former Yankee is a clutch hitter.

DESIGNATED HITTER

YANKEES – Hideki Matsui (.274, 28, 90)

ANGELS – Vladimir Guerrero (.295, 15, 50)

Advantage: Angels – Both are in the later years of productive careers, but Vlad is scarier at the dish.

CATCHER

YANKEES – Jorge Posada (.285, 22, 81)

ANGELS – Mike Napoli (.272, 20, 56)

Advantage: Yankees – Posada has been there, done that.

STARTING PITCHING

YANKEES – CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.37), A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04), Andy Pettitte (14-8, 4.16), Joba Chamberlain (9-6, 4.75)

ANGELS – John Lackey (11-8, 3.83), Ervin Santana (8-8, 5.03), Joe Saunders (16-7, 4.60), Jared Weaver (16-8, 3.75)

Advantage: Yankees – The top of their rotation is stacked. A wild card in this could be Scott Kazmir for the Angels.

RELIEF PITCHING

YANKEES – Mariano Rivera (3-3, 1.76, 44 saves)

ANGELS – Brian Fuentes (1-5, 3.93, 48 saves)

Advantage: Yankees – Mo is the king.

PREDICTION:  Yankees in five games. The Angels will put up a fight, but the Bombers are just too strong is so many facets of the game.