CALL OF THE ‘WILD’
It was just a matter of time before the Yankee lineup clicked.
The Bombers have feasted on the have-nots of the American League throughout July and early August, putting them in the AL wild card race.
But the competition stiffens tonight with the start of a crucial three-game series against the Indians in Cleveland – and the pressure will be on the Yankee hitters to keep putting up those runs.
“If they can get ahead early and get in the head of the Indians’ pitchers it would be important,” said John Kruk, an analyst on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight.
“Because, believe me, everyone knows what the Yankees are doing offensively, and if they come in and drop a five spot in the first couple of innings it would put tremendous pressure on Cleveland.
“Then the Indians’ offense starts pressing. They start thinking, ‘If our pitching can’t stop these guys, we are going to have to score seven or eight runs and it’s going to be tough.’ ”
But the Yanks figure to have a tough time piling up runs against a talented Indians’ pitching staff. They will miss Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia this series, but will face Fausto Carmona in tonight’s series opener. Carmona, in his first year as a starter, is 13-6.
“You talk to hitters in the AL Central and they will tell you Carmona has the best stuff in that division, and that includes [the Twins’] Johan Santana,” Kruk said.
The Yankees are loaded with high-priced talent, but Kruk credits their resurgence to the likes of Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano and Shelley Duncan.
“These young kids are re-energizing this team with the way they are hitting,” said the former Phillies’ first basemen. “Cabrera is getting on base and playing a solid center field and has taken the pressure off of Johnny Damon, who has really had a dismal season.”
The Indians are in a tight race with the Tigers in the Central, but Kruk thinks once the Tigers’ pitchers get healthy Detroit likely will win the division.
The Yankees, even with their recent run, might be too far behind a stacked Red Sox team to catch Boston in the East.
“I think Boston’s too strong, especially with them picking up Eric Gagne and not giving up a lot of major-league talent,” Kruk said.
That could leave the Yankees and Indians battling for the last AL playoff spot, which puts a lot of emphasis on this series, their last of the season.
“You know the Yankees are going to score runs, and it will be up to the Yankees’ pitching to slow down the Indians, who have been struggling a little bit offensively,” Kruk said. “When you are scoring runs the way the Yankees are all they have to do is ask their pitcher to hold them to five runs. But can they do that?”
