New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins: Wild Card Preview/Prediction
Picture taken by The New York Post
I think we can all agree that this is the best time of the year.
Playoff baseball is hands down the best time of the year. No question. The stadiums, packed with fans of both teams, waving towels and celebrating their team. I still get chills watching Jose Bautista's go-ahead home run and infamous bat flip during game five of the American League Division Series in 2015. There is no better feeling in the world (for us sports fans anyways) than watching great games, with great atmospheres. I can easily say that playoff baseball has THE best atmosphere in all of sports.
Tonight, the playoffs begin with the American League Wild Card play-in game, featuring my New York Yankees, taking on the Twins of Minnesota. Ervin Santana will be on the rubber for the Twins, while the Yankees will put their young ace Luis Severino out to match him. The game can be found on ESPN.
While my Yankees are favorites to win this game (stat line has the yankees at -230), I have my concerns.
My first concern is Sevy. Luis Severino has been dominate all year long, and has quietly been a candidate for the Cy Young (wow, it's almost like I wrote an article on that like weeks ago...) I agree with the move to go with him on the mound, he's been by far our most consistent pitcher all season long. However. He has never been put into this kind of environment. I'm not just talking about it being postseason baseball. Postseason baseball and postseason baseball in New York are two WILDLY different things. My only concern is that Sevy isn't ready for this kind of pressure. He is, after all, still a youngin at 23 years of age.
While having the home field crowd on their side certainly helps, playing at Yankee Stadium is another concern of mine. The short porch, while it can certainly be our best friend, can also become our worst enemy. The atmosphere will be good for the players and keep them up, however, it's still scary with that short porch out there, knowing that what looks like a routine fly ball can turn into a home run and change the momentum of the game.
Sevy isn't the only one I'm concerned about when it comes to his inexperience. Aaron Judge, who has been ripping the cover off of the ball lately, may let the pressure get to him. If their is one thing us Yankee fans know from watching Judge, it's that he certainly hasn't developed that "clutch" gene. Judge has had 66 at-bats with runners in scoring, with two outs. In those 66 at-bats, Judge is hitting just .227, with 7 home runs, 24 runs batted in, and 24 strikeouts. When the game is late and tied, Judge's number drop even more. In 79 AB's, Judge doesn't seem to be able to come in clutch (.215/.380/.380, 3 HR's, 8 RBI's, 35 SO's)
The entire Yankees team is scary when it comes to age in general (Sanchez, and Bird, to name a couple more). They are a very young team, who might let the bright lights get in their eyes. The Yankees do, however, seem to have the Twin's number. In the past two seasons, the Yankees are 9-4 against the Twins. The last time they met in the postseason (2009) the Yanks swept the Twins in the ALDS.
This may be my favoritism speaking, but I still have faith in this team, and believe we can make a somewhat surprising run. I'm taking the Yanks in this one, 5-3.
