HE SAID: Red Sox Redemption

"Momentum goes as far as today's starting pitcher."

One of those classic baseball cliches, of which there are many (if you don't know them all, just listen to a Derek Jeter interview). This particular sentiment was personified this past weekend in the Yankees' demoralizing four-game sweep of the rival Boston Red Sox. As expressed in an earlier entry, I didn't really believe that the 0-8 schneid against Boston would have much bearing when the teams met again in August. In reality, if any team was entering this series with momentum, it was the Yankees, who have been steamrolling opponents since the All-Star break, playing an especially dominant brand of baseball in their new home in the Bronx (15-2 since the Midsummer Classic). Nevertheless, the inconsistent Sox had plenty of personnel to compete with their rivals, but were unable to muster even one victory. The reason? Today's starting pitcher.

Thursday night matched up the sizzling hot Joba Chamberlain (4-0 since the break), against the corpse of legendary Atlanta Braves ace, John Smoltz. Although Chamberlain displayed erratic control (7 walks), he was able to get through five innings relatively unscathed due to some key strikeouts with men on base. Even though his line wasn't pretty, Chamberlain did exactly what the Yanks needed; hold the Sox at bay (not Jason Bay). Why such low standards for our young ace-in-the-making? Because the Sox were only as good as that day's starting pitcher. And on Thursday, they started the corpse of John Smoltz. Smoltz's corpse didn't pitch like one of those superpowered zombie corpses, a la Frankenstein. His performance more resembled that of a limp, lifeless, recently deceased corpse prior to any supernatural transformation (think "Weekend at Bernies"). Smoltz's corpse was sent back to the morgue early (and unceremoniously designated for assignment the next morning) by the inspired Yankees offense. After some tack on runs against former Yankee, and current Red Sox batting practice pitcher Billy Traber, the 0-8 streak was over. In game 1, the Red Sox were only as good as that day's starting pitcher.... meaning they sucked pretty hard.

The next three games, the story was the Yankees, who were only as good as that day's starting pitcher. Frankly speaking; really effin good. New York gave us fans an erection-inducing preview of what their starting staff might look like in a playoff series. Co-aces AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia pitched lights out baseball against a very good lineup. They each had no-hit stuff, and they brought it in a big game. Another encouraging sign for fans with dreams of baseball after September. Especially impressive was Burnett's performance, as he matched zeros with Sox ace Josh Beckett deep into the Bronx evening. Perhaps the biggest positive that came out of the pitching performances was that of Andy Pettitte. Andy continues pitch like an ace in the second halves of seasons, as he's done throughout his Yankees career, with the exception of 2008 (in which, as we've since learned, he was pitching with an injury). Pettitte has the highest August winning percentage in Major League history. For three straight days, the Yankees were as good as their starting pitching; they were the best team in baseball.

There were plenty of other storylines of note during Boston Massacre Part III (After the 1978 and 2006 Yankees series at Fenway Park). With the exception of Phil Coke's deflating hiccup against Victor Martinez on Sunday night, the bullpen looked as good as its been in years. I know I'm not the first person to say this, but Alfredo Aceves is a modern day Ramiro Mendoza (except that his numbers are way better). One thing aspect of the games stood out to me in particular; Yankee Stadium.

Whether the front office planned it or not, this current Yankees team is built to dominate opponents at the new House that Ruth Built. The Yankees improved to 41-18 at home with yesterday's win against Toronto. If the Yankees won at the same clip on the road, they would be on pace to win 113 games (slightly better than their current 101 win pace). In terms of the stadium's structure, the Yankees have assembled the perfect lineup of left handed power to take advantage of the theoretical jetstream that has been sending balls into the right field seats at a record pace. Their regular lineup includes 3 lefties (Damon, Matsui, Cano), and 4 switch hitters (Teixeira, Posada, Swisher, Cabrera) that all have 20+ HR potential this season. Also, the two right handed hitters (Jeter, A-Rod) have a natural HR stroke to the opposite field. The right field phenomenon has certainly been a quantifiable advantage. Twice this year (Posada on Tuesday, and A-Rod earlier on a Saturday against Philidelphia), have the Yankees won a game by a righty flipping a ball into the first row of the right field stands in the late innings. On the pitching side, the Yankees have assembled a staff in the best way to prevent the stadium from hurting them. Their starting rotation has three strikeout pitchers (Sabathia, Burnett, and Chamberlain) that have the stuff to avoid hard contact, and another (Pettitte) with the control to make hitters hit the ball to the bigger part of the ballpark. In the back of the bullpen are two other power arms that induce strikeouts and soft contact (Hughes and Rivera).

Even more encouraging is that beyond the technicalities of the new Stadium, this Yankees team has also demonstrated the late-inning mojo, reminiscent of the championship teams of the past. The Yankees have 11 walk-off wins already this season (most in almost 20 years), and are 8-0 when tied after eight innings. Chalk it up to player comfort, crowd noise, or simply talent, but any way you slice it the Yankees are the hardest team in the league to defeat in their house. The importance of that is amplified since the Yankees have the AL's best record, and combined with the league's All-Star Game vicory, the Yankees could be looking at home field advantage throughout the playoffs. And all that means is that if they don't lose at home, they're World Champions of baseball.

So, things are good in Yankeeland right now, perhaps the best they've been in two years. But a dreaded 10-game West Coast/Boston trip looms ahead; places that have not been friendly to the Yanks this year. It'll kick off tonight in the Emerald City of Seattle. With CC Sabathia on the bump, hopefully the Yanks will be as good as today's starting pitcher is.