Yankees To Face Tough Test In Anaheim

At 51-34 the New York Yankees stand tied with the Boston Red Sox for first place in the AL East. With just three games to play before the All Star break, the Yankees are well on their way to securing a playoff spot holding a four game lead on the L.A. Angels, and a four and a half game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Bombers have had a special season for sure.

They have eight players with double digits in home runs totals, 79 of which have come inside the bandbox that is the new Yankee Stadium. They have received superb performances from their top free agent pitchers, C.C. Sabathia (8-5, 3.70 ERA) and A. J. Burnett (8-4, 3.77 ERA), yet this weekend will be a true test of the Yankees mettle.

They have taken full advantage of the less superior teams on their schedule: 7-0 vs. the .500 Twins; 5-1 vs. the fumbling Mets; 5-3 vs. the horrible Indians. But the concern remains about how good the Yankees fare against stiffer competition.

They are 0-8 against the Boston Red Sox this year. The Sox have played with no fear against the Yankees, tattooing Yankee pitching and playing aggressive baseball to the Yankees passiveness. The Red Sox are 51-34 this year as well. The Bombers have had problems with the Rays (47-39) holding a 3-4 record against the defending AL Champions.

In a season where the Yankees have yet to see the Chicago White Sox (44-41), the Detroit Tigers (46-38) and the Angels (46-37), the Yankees did succeed in beating the Tigers in a short two game series in April, and beat up an injury riddled Angels team in April, but they have not encountered either team lately.

For the first time this year, the Yankees will travel to Anaheim, a house of horrors for the Yankees for the past decade. The Yankees have seen October dreams come crashing down in Anaheim and have never had much success against the Angels in the regular season either.

If these Yankees are indeed back to their old championship form of the late '90's, then they will come out and take two of three from the Angels. They will come from behind to win a game this weekend, something that has become commonplace this year. The Yankees lead the league in come from behind victories this year.

Therefore,tonight's game will be pivotal. The Yankees used up their entire bullpen to beat the Twins Thursday afternoon, so it will be important for tonight's starter, Joba Chamberlain, to provide the Yankees with some length. Going deep into games is not Chamberlain's forte. He has only one start this year where he has gone farther than six innings. Overall, Chamberlain throws a million pitches in a short amount of time. By the fourth or fifth innings of games, Joe Girardi has had little choice but to call his pen when Chamberlain starts.

If Chamberlain struggles to get past five innings tonight, it could be a long evening. The only saving grace is the Yankee offense. From top to bottom the Yankees have the ability to erase any deficit at any time, even if their starters are not delivering quality stuff. Mark Teixeria has been a G0d-send to the Yankee lineup. His ability to hit in the clutch and run the bases with reckless abandon is something the Yankees have not had in a long time. His bat will be key in this series.

Saturday could be a tough test. Jared Weaver is having a incredible year for the Angels. He is 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA and is the owner of a 3-1 record against the Yankees in his career. He will square off against Andy Pettitte, who has gotten beaten up in two of his last three starts.

The finale should be the rubber game of this series, and it features a great pitching match up. Sabathia will look to lock down his ninth win of the year, and third in his last four starts, when he squares off with Angels ace John Lackey. Lackey has not been great this year. Ever since he came back from an injury, Lackey has struggled. He is 3-4 this year with a 5.18 ERA, which included a six run smack down by the Texas Rangers.

As for the Angels offense, they have woken up after a slow start to the season. Tori Hunter is having a big year, batting .305 with 17 homers and 65 RBI. Hunter has really stepped it up in the middle of the order, considering that Vladimir Guerrero has been horrible this year, (.290, 4 HR and 21 RBI).

Former Yankee Bobby Abreu (.304 6 HR, 52 RBI) has been terrific this year, and former Yankee prospect Juan Rivera (.313 16 HR, 52 RBI) has finally arrived as the next great power hitter.

This should be a dramatic series. If the Yankees win the series, then we can begin to assume that the Bombers are indeed back to the form of a champion. If not, the questions about how the Yankees play against the better teams will raise its head once again.

PREDICTION: ANGELS WIN SERIES 2-1.