Yankees Season Ends in Disgraceful Fashion in 2012 ALCS

TIGERS 8
YANKEES 1

The hapless New York Yankees had no answer for the Detroit Tigers. After listlessly playing through three games in the ALCS, the Yankees went quietly in game four, as Detroit swept New York out of the postseason 8-1. One would have to go back to 1980, against the Kansas City Royals, to find the last time the Yankees were swept out of a playoff series. That was 32 years ago!

For years, many have wondered when the "great Yankees dynasty" would come to an end; and now, you can rest assure that it is officially over.

The Yankees were overhyped, bloated and aging as the season wore on. They went from a team of superstars to a team of has-been's in a New York minute.

Think for a second, here is a Yankees team that was 10 games in front of it's division back in July. The Orioles were playing surprisingly well, while the Red Sox and Rays couldn't get out of the their own way, the division was theirs for the taking.

But the flaws of this Yankees club caught up to them. They lived and died by the home-run, going an extended period of time without winning a game when they didn't homer. They went to the last day of the regular season without pulling out a win after 8 innings, 1-59 overall this year.

The Yankees watched their 10-game lead shrink to a 1-game deficit by mid-September and battled the Orioles all the way through the division series, which they barely got through.

If it weren't for Raul Ibanez, this Yankees team would have been home for the holidays weeks ago.

In game four of the ALCS, the Yankees were no hit through five innings by Max Scherzer, and only managed two measly hits by games end.

Embattled star Alex Rodriguez was benched yet again, but did come to bat midway through the game, and went 0-for-2, adding to his whopping 3-for-25 this postseason. Rumors abound that Rodriguez has played his last days as a Yankee. The front office approved Joe Girardi's decision to bench Rodriguez in lite of his postseason struggles, and the PR nightmare that became phone number-gate.

The only hitting Rodriguez did this Ocotober was hitting up two hotties in the front row behind home plate, asking them for their number on a baseball. That disaster, shows how self-absorbed and distracted Rodriguez is. He has pulled these antics many times before in New York, and this time it might be enough to boot him out of town.

Keith Olbermann, (yes, that Keith Olbermann) spread the rumor on Wednesday that the Yankees and Marlins lightly discussed the idea of and A-Rod to Miami trade, whereupon the Yankees would get Heath Bell and a few other players to make up for the big contract of Rodriguez. Granted the Marlins or any team that is crazy enough to trade for A-Rod, will not have to pay for the entire salary, the Yankees will have to pay for most of it.

Either the Yankees go into Spring Training with more questions about A-Rod and lingering doubts about his declining skills set, or the ship him off now and start anew. There is a third baseman that is about to hit the free-agent market in the next year anyway who is no stranger to New York in David Wright. 

Rodriguez stated that he wants to return to the Bombers, but ultimately that is the clubs' decision.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Yankees anemic offense was on full display, Thursday. Robinson Cano added to his fantastic October with an 0-for-4. He batted .056 this fall. Could be worse, he could have batted .000.

Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher were all again unproductive. What a shock.

On the other side of the field, the Tigers destroyed CC Sabahtia. They tatooed him for six runs, five earned, in three and two-thirds innings.

Delmon Young, who killed the Yankees with six RBI in this series, drove in the game's first run on an sharp single to right in the first inning. Then the Tigers poured it on with the long ball. Miguel Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta each corked a two-run shot in the fourth inning, building a 6-0, Tigers lead.

The fireworks wouldn't end there. Former Yankees' farm-hand Austin Jackson cracked a solo-homer in the seventh, and Peralta blasted his second of the day in the eighth to make it 8-1, Tigers.

The Tigers are back in the World Series for the first time since 2006, when they lost in five games to the Cardinals. The Cardinals are a win away from returning to their second straight World Series, after thumping the Giants 8-3, Thursday. Thus it looks like we are in for a World Series rematch between Detroit and St. Louis; should be a good one. This time, I think Detroit is going to take it all.

Lastly, what is left for this Yankees squad? Nothing but questions. Derek Jeter will have to rehab for four to five months after having surgery to repair the fractured ankle, which means he may or many not be ready for Spring Training. Jeter, 38, is no spring chicken, and at some point the Yankees are going to have to find a replacement at short stop.

Mariano Rivera, was lost for the year this year. While he stated he plans to come back, the Yankees can't bet that Rivera will return to his old form in 2013. Therefore they have to decide if keeping interm closer Rafeal Soriano is a long term proposition. Soriano is a free agent this winter. Then of course there are decisions to make in the outfield as both Ichiro and Nick Swisher are free agents this winter. Don't expect either player to return to the Yankees in 2013. And what will the Yankees do about their catcher, starting rotation, and bullpen? These are all questions that have to be answered between now and March 1. It will be a fascinating off-season for sure.