Yankees fall to Angels, reason for concern?

Angels 6
Yankees 4

Somehow, in some way the New York Yankees have found ways to win ball games with one of the league's most mediocre pitching staffs. Using smoke and mirrors all year with the likes of A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova, many wondered when the Yankees would trade for a legit number two starter behind CC Sabathia.

They never traded for that starter, who was, in truth, never available to them. The thin market, perhaps, is to blame.

Yet here are the Yankees at 69-45 still within reach of the Red Sox for the best record in the AL.

There is reason for concern though. Three straight losses, two of which were to the Red Sox last weekend, and last night's loss to the Angels, should have fans wondering if this Yankee team is destined for a first round exit from the playoffs?

Burnett was typical Burnett. Five good shutout innings were wasted by a implosion in the sixth, where he gave up four runs to the Angels, including a homer to former Yankee Bobby Abreu.

Then in the ninth, after the Yankees offense tied the game, the great one, Mariano Rivera served up the game winning two run blast to Abreu.

The Yankees look beatable -- they have looked beatable all season. Sure the Yankees may rebound tonight, but the disturbing pattern of behavior by this pitching staff is now firmly apparent.

If the Yankees end up as the wild card, they could be in big trouble. They will face either Texas or Anaheim in the first round. Both of those teams are known for having deep pitching staffs. While the Rangers don't have the big names, their pitchers have been solid all season, not to mention the Rangers have one of the best offenses in the game.

Anaheim is two and sometimes three pitchers deep with Jared Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana. While the Angles don't hit, they make up for it with pitching and defense.

Post season success is dictated by pitching, and right now it continues to be obvious that the Yankees just don't have enough of that this season.