STAND AND DELIVER LIKE A WARRIOR!

The headline above "Stand and Deliver", was the headline in the Bergen Record today, written by Steve Popper.  I added the "Warrior" part because... I make my own headlines here at BYB.

Popper wrote a good piece today on last night's game, read HERE.  I was half awake cracking open the paper this morning, ready to read Pete Caldera... then I realized that Caldera was doing his best Frank Sinatra at the Carnegie Club last night.... read CALDERA-PALOOZA! 

Popper will do... I like him too!  He did a great job writing phrases to pump me up, like, "If the sense of urgency didn’t show before the game, it was evident once they took the field" and "The Yankees began this crucial homestand knowing it could be a last stand".  All of this is true. But now the reality could be so painful to us Yankee fans, that if we root alittle harder, but lose... the disappointment will be a lot worse.

Look, we were handed a team that none of us were very fond of this season, but we rolled the dice with Cashman and the boys and hoped things worked out.  Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner haven't exactly been outstanding, which is why it's now crystal clear to me why the Angels unloaded Wells in the first place.  No one has a crystal ball, but he was traded for a reason. We now know what that reason may be.  The injuries have killed us too. The injuries have crippled us all season and while that's no excuse... it's a major blow.  True, 25 players make a team, but the 25 we have, and it's been a revolving door, have not been the "best team on the field" as Hal Steinbrenner has told us.  We know this... but we need to live with it and root for the team. That's all we can do.

But something big happened last night.  The Yankees fought.  They fought like warriors. They knew their backs were against the wall and the had a come from behind win!  CC Sabathia was down and they picked him up.  As CC said, "Unbelievable... That’s what I always talk about. If I can keep these guys in the game, we’ve got a good chance of winning. I was barely hanging on there but these guys come up with a bunch of runs.” It's true. We CAN accomplish anything, but we need to have a chance.

Now, don't rank on CC Sabathia.  Chalk up this season as a lousy one.  Every great pitcher is entitled to 1.  This is his year.  Now, that theory isn't exactly popular, I get that. I mean after all, big game pitchers HAVE to deliver, but I cut CC some slack. I just hope he can figure out whatever has happened and get back into being dominant again.  I trust he will.

The Yankees have a long, long way to go and  they're running out of time this year.  Is it possible that they can make the playoffs? Yes. Will they? It's tough to say, but I will say this... if they play every game like it's their last, or like they played last night... we DO have a chance.  We all know the talent is there.

Yankee fans are spoiled.  We expect to win.  That's just the way it's supposed to be.  If the Yankees don't win... there is something wrong in the universe.  So, we come to the ballpark ready for big things. We come to the ballpark wearing our #2 or #46 jersey. We spend big money on tickets and bring our families and spend hundreds of dollars to see our  team win. Why? Because we're Super fans... we're Yankee fans and losing isn't an option.  You have that mentality in life, so why not have it in Yankee Stadium?  It makes perfect sense to me.

Last night big things happened.  This morning, no one is more angry than Buck Showalter who wants revenge.  So, what do we do as a team? We keep stomping on the O's. We keep fighting because now it doesn't matter what team it is we need to beat. We need to beat ALL the teams that get in our way.  But one thing is important to understand in this whole scenario... Buck Showalter does NOT roll over. 

Today will be tougher than yesterday.  Sunday will be tougher than Saturday... and the competition, be it the Royals, the Orioles or the Red Sox should be a faceless enemy right now.

We should walk on the field as warriors... the same mentality... the same ferocity, the same animal instincts for ANY team we fight. They are the enemy, we need to beat them... at all costs... that's the Yankee way... that's always been our mission.

Let's do this gentlemen... let's do it now!

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If the sense of urgency didn’t show before the game, it was evident once they took the field as the Yankees took a first, tenuous step by starting a crucial 10-game homestand with an 8-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles. - See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Yanks_open_10-game_homestand_with_8-5_win_over_Orioles.html#sthash.GTrZLpA7.dpuf

If the sense of urgency didn’t show before the game, it was evident once they took the field as the Yankees took a first, tenuous step by starting a crucial 10-game homestand with an 8-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles. - See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Yanks_open_10-game_homestand_with_8-5_win_over_Orioles.html#sthash.GTrZLpA7.dpuf