MLB

Billy Ripken: Will be ‘awfully hard’ for Yankees to make playoffs

MLB Network analyst Billy Ripken talks Yankees’ age, Alex Rodriguez and who the favorite is in the American League with The Post’s Justin Terranova.
Q: Do you think the Yankees have enough left to survive the difficult stretch ahead?
A: They survived the early part of the season with, I don’t think it’s offensive to call them rejects, who played well. And now that (Curtis) Granderson, A-Rod and (Derek) Jeter are back they are all fresh. They’ve all got some life in their at-bats.
Q: But do you think they will make one of the wild cards?
A: The AL East has once again shaped up to be the best division in baseball, and these clubs are going to be playing each other down the stretch. So, it’s going to be awfully hard for these East teams to jump in there and do damage. That favors the loser of the A’s-Rangers race, the Indians, and dare I say it, the Royals.

Q: Would it bother you if Rodriguez was part of a team that did win the World Series, while he was appealing his suspension?
A: I think I’ll stick with A-Rod the baseball player. It’s been amazing to me what a guy with few at-bats over the last year, who got benched in the playoffs last year and is getting up in years, has done. In the baseball world, a lot of us are shocked at how well he’s doing.
Q: Do you consider the Red Sox or Tigers the favorites in the AL?
A: I still have faith and confidence that (Justin) Verlander is going to figure things out. Anibal Sanchez is pretty good and Max Scherzer has had an obviously impressive year. With the depth of that starting rotation and the best hitter on the planet in Miguel Cabrera, and they’ll make sure he’s healthy for the playoffs, I would fear playing the Tigers in a postseason series more so than the Red Sox.
Q: The Pirates clinched their first non-losing season in 21 years. Do you look at them as a legitimate threat in the NL?

A: Well, I am totally against celebrating the 81-win mark when you are sitting there with a slight lead over the Cardinals and Reds. They’re deep and a good team with the additions of Marlon Byrd and Justin Morneau. And the starting pitching of (Francisco) Liriano, (A.J.) Burnett, (Charlie) Morton gives them a chance.