EXPERTS WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THE YANKEES ARE OUT OF THE WORLD SERIES

I LOVE being the underdog. I LOVE when the Yankees win. I LOVE when the Yankees are the underdog AND they win. I'm hoping the Yankees continue to win all the way through the World Series. We've had our challenges, but you should never underestimate the Yankees, right?

Right! Some experts though are already counting us out. I'm okay with that. Sometimes things just don't live up to all of the hype, like the Boston Red Sox for example. The defending World Champions haven't looked like the same champions this season and have a 11-4 record against them. I never would've expected that, Boston has some very talented players.

But I also wouldn't have expected to still be considered an underdog going down the homestretch of the season. The Yankees have the most wins in baseball, that speaks a lot to how good this injury riddled team has been this season. The trade deadline came and went without adding the starting pitching we were hoping for, and the Diamondbacks surprised us all by trading Zack Greinke to the Houston Astros....who coincidentally are considered the Yankees biggest competition to get back to the World Series.

Just like no one should underestimate us....no one should be underestimating the Astros. The Astros are a good team, who are now an even better team with Greinke so maybe that is why sources like Sports Illustrated and USA Today are convinced that the American League will come down to the Astros and the Yankees....with a very strong following that the Astros will win. Interestingly enough, Sports Illustrated felt strongly about the Astros BEFORE they got Greinke at the trade deadline. The Yankees have a 3-4 record against the Astros this season, so this match up isn't a comfortable bet for either team.

Fact is both of these teams are strong. The Yankees have the power and the Astros have the pitching but if Luis Severino can return in time we will also have a pitching addition. Getting Sevy back would be a game changer for us, and I know nothing is guaranteed but I am cautiously optimistic. If he continues to progress, we MIGHT have him back in time for the postseason, read more HERE. At this point, any production we could get out of him would be a plus.

USA Today thinks that we may see a rematch of the 2017 World Series, but the Yankees aren't an easy victory. This team has a lot of heart and determination and the postseason is a different animal.

 I think USA Today is right and the Dodgers will likely make to the World Series....but the Yankees may be their opponents. It could happen. I'd love to see Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger try and out slug each other again. I hope the experts are wrong, and I hope the underdog Yankees can get to the World Series and shock everyone. There's only one thing better than a win.....and that's a win that no one thinks you will get.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj