Your updated playoff seeds:
AL: Boston (1) vs. winner of Oakland (WC1) and Tampa Bay (WC2), Detroit (2) vs. Texas (3)
NL: Atlanta (1) vs. winner of St. Louis (WC1) and Cincinnati (WC2), Dodgers (2) vs. Pittsburgh (3)
Update: The Rangers’ victory over the A’s last night put Texas (80-58) a game up on Oakland (79-59) in the AL West race.
–The Yankees’ beleaguered farm system, just like the major-league team, still has a month to change its perception.
I spoke with a scout who covers the Yankees, and on the condition of anonymity, he didn’t express much optimism. He likes catcher J.R. Murphy, whom the Yankees just promoted to the big leagues, and noted how Murphy had steadily improved behind the plate while also providing some punch with his bat. At the lower levels of the minors, he likes third baseman Eric Jagielo, whom the Yankees selected with their first pick this year out of Notre Dame. The scout thought pitcher Dellin Betances, a September call-up for the Yankees, could benefit from a change of scenery.
The Yankees still believe in outfielders Slade Heathcott and Tyler Austin, both of whom have been slowed by injuries this season; for Heathcott, the injuries are a perennial problem. Shortstop Cito Culver, the Yankees’ surprise first-round pick in 2010, put up a .355/.394/.484 slash line with High-A Tampa after struggling at Low-A Charleston. So we’ll see next year if Culver has found something. Either way, the Yankees think Culver has a major-league glove.
In any case, if the Yankees can complete this miracle run into the playoffs, and guys like Nunez, Ivan Nova, Austin Romine, Preston Claiborne and Adam Warren can contribute, then the winter will be easier for everyone up and down the Yankees’ food chain.
— Here’s my column off Tuesday night’s crazy Yankees game. What struck me, as I wrote, was the good job the Yankees did in each and every at-bat of their eighth-inning rally, from Derek Jeter to Robinson Cano to Alfonso Soriano to Alex Rodriguez to Curtis Granderson to Eduardo Nunez.
Each of these players has been associated with one or both of two perceived Yankees offensive sins of recent years: a go-for-broke style and an inability to perform in the clutch. However, the only player from this group of six — throw in Mark Reynolds, who struck out in the eighth but at least put up a good at-bat against Donnie Veal — who has been a Yankee for the bulk of the season is Cano. If this had been a game in June, it would have been Cano and six inferior options trying to execute the rally.
–Congratulations to the Pirates, who picked up their 81st victory Tuesday night, ending their 20-year run of losing seasons. They’re of course aiming higher now, and gosh, they sure look like safe bets for the playoffs.
The Pirates made it this far because they committed to a plan and they stuck to it, even when they generated anger inside their clubhouse and among their fan base – such as when they traded Nate McLouth to make room for Andrew McCutchen — and even when several trades didn’t pay off as hoped. Even when the prior two seasons started encouragingly and fizzled, the Pirates stuck to their vision and blocked out the noise.
Which should be a primer, of course, for the Mets, who largely have succeeded in blocking out the noise, most notably when they traded reigning National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, and shrugging off bad stretches for the purpose of the bigger picture. There’s no guarantee the Mets can follow the Pirates’ path. But there are some lessons established in Pittsburgh that should continue to be applied in Flushing.
— Happy New Year to those who celebrate Rosh Hashanah. I’ll see you Monday.