The “Are the Yankees still contenders?” Report

Andy Pettitte had a Quality Start and Curtis Granderson homered as the surging Yankees finished off a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-3 win.

It was the Yankees 10th straight victory over the Jays and they have now won 13 home games in a row against Toronto, their longest streak against one team since a 14-game streak against the Royals from August 2002 to April 2006.

The Yanks have won five straight and have 10 wins in their last 12 games.

So..

Are the Yankees still contenders?

Amazingly, absolutely.

They are actually still in contention in the AL East and the AL Wild Card race.

The AL East Standings

Start by looking at the standings in the AL East and see how this absurd set of circumstances exists:

• The Yankees have 35 games to play and are six behind the Rays in the loss column, five behind the Red Sox, and one behind Baltimore.
• While their run differential is just two, they’ve allowed the second fewest runs in the division and their hitting has improved with the additions of Alfonso Soriano, Curtis Granderson, and yes, Alex Rodriguez.
• Derek Jeter has started playing rehab games. His return will help the offense, help the bench, and help the psyche of the club.

Look at the AL Wild Card Standings

Six AL teams have played over .500 in their last 10 games

It feels even crazier to discuss the Yankees as a postseason possibility until you see how close the Bronxers are to a Wild Card berth

Four of the six teams are wishing and hoping for the postseason: Joe Girardi‘s Yanks, Ron Washington‘s Rangers,  Terry Francona‘s Indians and Joe Maddon‘s Rays. Four dynamic managers, all of whom are renown for being “players’ managers,” an imperative for success in tough races.

As we contemplate the future, don’t forget that this team was 11.5 back as recently as August 7. We have seen hot streaks from the Jays, Mariners, and most recently the Royals and then watch them stumble as if they were flying with the wings of Icarus.  The difference with this Yankee ballclub, is that they have added players with perceived value. The other teams had those magical moments of players simultaneously getting hot.

Quite honestly, the promised land is still a long shot, which is why these veterans are playing each game with the sense of urgency of the final days of the season.

The folks at coolstandings.com still calculate the Yankees chances of reaching the post-season at just 15.6%, but earlier this week it was 6.3%.

It remains to be seen what will happen, but there is certainly a reason to pay attention to this team…at least for the next week or so.

The Yankee Road Ahead