WHY "TEAM" MEANS YANKEES

What is Team? Well, it's working together to get a win. How about never letting your unit fall apart and losing. How about CC stunk up the joint tonight but it really didn't matter in the end. The Yankees struck at the right time and didn't run out of time, until they pulled ahead.

When things were unfolding in this game tonight, I'm not gonna lie, I had a whole blog written already about how disappointed I was with the way the Yankees played. There wasn't much to say. CC was horrible, the Yankees were not hitting Wilson and it was clear to me that they were going to lose Game 1. Wow was I wrong and I'll never doubt them again.

It all started with Robinson Cano's home run. But, at the time, it was not a thought. At the time, they were down 5-1. But let's give a lot of credit to the Yankees Bullpen tonight. Yes it's true, the hitting was spectacular, but the bullpen held the Rangers so the Yankees could rally. Cano, by the way, had 3 hits, so, that helps him in the MVP race. More on that later.

The 8th was amazing and it started with Gardner's slide into first base. Ever since I was 6, my coaches said "Don't slide into first. You get hurt and you don't get to the base faster. " All that is true, But Gardner was a spark plug tonight that started the greatest rally in post season history. Jeter hit. Swisher walked, Tex walked, A-Rod hit, RBI's all around, and Thames came though big time. He put the Yanks ahead and they never looked back. Tomorrow there are going to be a whole new generation of youngsters sliding into first and coaches cursing Brett Gardner. Who cares, hustle wins ballgames.

Today, the Yankees started off scary. I was really worried. But they never gave up and like I've said, this team has confidence, this team has momentum, and while we didn't see it in the beginning, I go back to the bullpen and to Gardner. If Moseley doesn't pitch relief as well as he did, and Gardner doesn't get things going sliding into first, the Yankees lose tonight. The non- stars shined. and God Bless them.

The greatest part of this game was the small ball. Cano homered, but they scratched runs and they never gave up on themselves. Coming back from being down 5 runs is unheard of. But they finally got to Wilson and when the pretty boy left and handed it over to the bullpen, they couldn't hold the Yankees down.

Back to the MVP and Cano. If we learn anything in this ALCS this year, we learn that whomever does better in this series, Robinson Cano or Josh Hamilton, can really cement the MVP. Now I know neither of them are thinking about individual awards, but all eyes are on these guys. So, we will see. Cano was 3 for 4, 2 RBIs. Hamilton had a 3 run homer.

Tomorrow the Yankees will be flying high. If you're the Rangers, your pissed that you beat up CC and lost. If you're the Yankees, you're pleased with yourself and are riding high, ready to kick more ass. Confidence is great, and it's a bitch if the other team has it and you don't.

Hughes vs. Colby Lewis tomorrow. If Hughes pitches into the 7th and the Yanks hit this Lewis kid, we are up 2-0. Just the way you want it coming into the Bronx... as a team.

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