One Last Rally Cry For The 2014 New York Yankees

You will never hear anyone on the Yankees team or in the front office admit it but the chance for an AL East division crown came and went this week with the sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles took two games from the Yankees and Mother Nature took one as the Yankees fell to a season high nine games out of first place. If the team had any aspirations of making a comeback and taking a division crown those dreams went out over the left field fence in Camden Yards along with a few home runs balls. Should the Yankees sell?

The quick answer, and probably the correct answer, is no. The Yankees are still within striking distance of a Wild Card spot and have a talented enough team to make a run this late in the season. New York received a very encouraging start from Michael Pineda Wednesday night as he made it all the way back from his teres major shoulder strain and Masahiro Tanaka may not be all that far behind him. If the Yankees can hold on for just another week or so and make up some ground on the Detroit Tigers/Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and others there is definitely a shot.

The Yankees seemingly have a favorable schedule with Tampa, a fourth place team in the division, for three games, the Chicago White Sox at home and the Houston Astros next week to finish out the schedule. The problem is the margin for error with this team is dwindling and it’s getting close to being in the “must win every game” territory for the Yankees.

Can they do it? Sure they can, the second Wild Card game is very much attainable. Should they go for it? Absolutely! In a one game playoff with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim anything can happen, a bloop hit, a balk and a blast, anything. Do I feel confident? Right now it’s hard to even fake it.

This is not a rally cry for Brian Cashman’s job, I don’t want to see Kevin Long or Larry Rothschild fired. I don’t want Tony Pena or Joe Girardi’s head on a stake, and I don’t want to see Hal and Hank Steinbrenner crucified outside of Yankee Stadium. I just want to win, is that too much to ask?