Stick A Fork In 'Em... Yankees @ Rangers Game 6 Preview

Down 3-2 in the series, The NY Yankees are facing elimination and an abrupt end to their quest for a 28th World Series title. They send 18-game winner Phil Hughes to the mound to face a Texas lineup that led the AL in batting average for the regular season and also leading MLB in postseason hitting. Hughes so far is sporting a 5.73 ERA this postseason, and gave up 7 runs to the Rangers while losing Game 2. Previous to Game 2, Hughes was 7-4 with a 3.47 ERA on the road in the regular season.

The Yankees will face veteran right hander Colby Lewis, who is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts this postseason and was 6-4 with an ERA of 3.41 at home this season. Lewis also ranked 7th in the AL in strikeouts and will attempt to again keep the Yankees at bay with a mix of off speed pitches. Lewis was the victor in Game 2 while holding the Yankees to only 2 runs in 5 and 2/3 innings.

Player to Watch: Texas OF Josh Hamilton

So far this postseason MVP candidate Hamilton is leading the AL in home runs (4) and RBI's (8) despite only batting .216... in the regular season Hamilton led the AL with a .359 batting average, and hit .390 at home and .401 against right handed pitching.

Prediction: Rangers send the Yankees packing and will make their first appearance in the World Series behind their offense in a close one. Texas 6 - NYY 4

-ALR

Alex Rodriguez Hits No. 600 (But No. 1 in Our Hearts)

The wait is finally over. Alex Rodriguez joins such baseball greats as Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, as players to have hit over 600 homeruns while using insane amounts of steroids and other supplements. Sosa stands alone as the only one to have done so, and successfully completed Michael Jackson-like skin transformation.

The homerun came in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, and gave the Yankees a lead they wouldn't relinquish, cruising to a 5-1 win. Who says he isn't clutch?

Way to go, guy.

The Best Team Money Can Buy

Watching baseball early this AM, I had an epiphany... The Yankees have a boat load of money.

Amazing what a few billion dollars can buy you. Like the best team (on paper) in Major League Baseball. As yesterday's trade deadline passed, the "Evil Empire" NY Yankees again flexed their formidable financial muscles by acquiring 1B Lance Berkman, who in his prime was a perennial all-star and one of the top hitters in the league, reliever Kerry Wood & OF Austin Kearns, who at one time was considered a top prospect before injuries slowed his career.

How do the Yankees continue to stockpile such high-profile players, you ask? Could be the ire of playing for the storied NY Yankee franchise who have amassed more championships than any team in history, in any sport. Could be that the Yankees can offer top dollar to free agents with no regard for the dreaded MLB luxury tax. Rarely are they outbid. Smaller market franchises just can't compete with NY's buying power. Just 2 off-seasons ago, the Yanks added the best pitcher (CC Sabathia), top free agent bat (Mark Teixeira) and another top-tier pitcher in AJ Burnett. Those signings alone equaled a whopping $423 million combined. Put this into perspective: just the salaries of these 3 players is more than seven teams total payroll! Add in A-Rod, "Mr. Yankee" Derek Jeter, closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano, and a circus monkey just for kicks, and you have the favorites to win the world series almost every year.

I can't fault the Steinbrenners for abandoning the traditional strategy of building your team through the farm system. They go out & repeated get players that have already established themselves as top players and worry about chemistry later. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes its a failed experiment (see Gary Sheffield). It definitely makes them mighty easy to root against.

Time will tell if this season's trade acquisitions will be enough to vault the Yankees to their second championship in as many years. Tampa Bay has been strong this season and will continue to present a challenge in the loaded AL East. But one thing is for sure; Money Talks.

-ALR