Last night was the perfect night for the Yankees to get a win; with the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles off, they've couldn't gotta closer to their record. Then, to make matters worse, the Oakland Athletics won. Causing the Yankees to go back from 3.5 to 4.5 games out of the wild card.
We couldn't expect the Yankees to sweep the Toronto Blue Jays. Especially when the Yankees are 12-1 against them this season, before yesterday's game. Yankees have to take two of three. And so far since the second half of the season, when the Yankees lose the first game of the series, they've lost the series, or split.
Yankees have to take these next two games in Toronto.
Phil Hughes: Needs to be removed from the rotation.
I understand Ichiro Suzuki misplayed that fly ball that could've been the second out and probably only allowing one run in that bottom 5th, but every Blue Jay batter scolded the ball. He wasn't fooling anyone, last night.
I'm tired of hearing that Hughes is inconsistent. He's not inconsistent. If he was, he'd have some starts where he allows five runs, or some starts where he shuts down the opposition. A 4-13 record is not what you call inconsistent. Hughes is a bad pitcher this season. Or if anything, a .500 pitcher. Or, a pitcher you hope can get through five innings without allowing too much damage.
The Yankees can't have Hughes in the rotation pitching like this, with C.C Sabathia having a bad season. They won't make the postseason, or make it close to it.
It's not Hughes' fault -- it's the Yankees' fault for letting him pitch. He's a liability.
YANKEES 4.5 GAMES BACK IN WILD CARD:
They have to win this series and hope the Athletics lose one go the two games in Detroit; maybe two.
I said this a couple of weeks ago, the Yanks need to be, at least, 1.5 or 2.5 games out of the wild card by the end of August. Looks like 1.5 games won't happen, but 2.5 is reasonable this week's end. But they don't want to be 4.5 or worst by the end of August.
The Yankees don't have to worry about the Orioles, since they see them seven times before the end of the season and have a close record with them. They have to worry about the Indians and Athletics -- because if the Yankees are 4.5 or 5.5 by September 1st, and those two teams go off, you can kiss the season goodbye.
If the Bombers win these next two games in Toronto, they will gain ground.
