Do or Die Game 5 ALCS Playoff Notes

If you take a step back and put the Yankee season in perspective, you realize one thing after a brutal 8-3 loss last night, the human element of the game.
The bats have gone cold, the once unhittable bullpen has cracked, and the magic of Yankee Stadium hasn’t shown up yet in this series. The Bombers are 4-25 in the series with runners in scoring position while seeming allergic to getting the big hit or any huge momentum shifter for that matter.

That doesn’t eliminate any level of frustration that Yankee fans (including myself feel), a level of frustration that boiled over last night watching the Bombers kick the ball around the infield when their season was being engulfed in flames. However, you must take into account the greatness it takes to bring these #NextManUp Yankees back to earth. Swallowing the hatred toward the Astros, they are an incredible team, with once in a generation talent, on an incredible stretch of dominating the game. This three-year run by Houston has completely changed baseball analytically, cemented Justin Verlander’s career in baseball lure, and give clubs a “blueprint” to try to duplicate their style of winning. With all that, if the ball bounces the Bombers way on a few plays, this series is completely different. The doom and gloom that Yankee fans are feeling today could be optimism in a competitive series.

By no means is this a 2019 Yankee obit, that might come later tonight, rather this is me trying to look at this series and season differently.

Besides the 8^th inning last night where Yankee fans soles were ripped from their chest while watching: a modern legend walk off the field for presumably the last time due to an injury, a usual sure-handed infield field the ball with greasy fingers, and the premier offseason acquisition continue to show that he is completely lost on the mound during the biggest moments of the season. Still, Yankee fans should have faith tonight, with the odds stacked against them, and Verlander looking to spartan kick the Yankees into the offseason. In Verlander’s career at Yankee Stadium he has given up 23 extra base hits in 10 games (14 homers, eight doubles, and one triple), a .251 average against balls put into play, a 4.02 ERA, and is 3-4 in 65 innings pitched at the Stadium. There is the silver lining for a Yankee ball club that has been completely shutdown in the first two games at home. Also, Verlander hasn’t fared well away from the friendly confines of Minute Maid Park so far in this postseason. The sample size is miniscule (one start) but Verlander wasn’t his MVP self in Tampa Bay. Verlander will be on full rest, which he wasn’t against the Rays, however the Bombers can utilize Verlander’s aggressiveness against him if they jump early. If Verlander pounces on this offense early and takes the crowd of the game, that will draw the dagger for any chance at a comeback, but aggressive early count hunting has been a strategy that has worked well for the boys in pinstripes.

That strategy will take a massive hit if the Yankees don’t set their lineup correctly. This task has been Aaron Boone’s achillies heel so far this series. Everything he has tried, excluding Game 1, hasn’t worked, and has been nightmare fuel to the Yankee skipper. Every fans lineup would look different, here is how I would set up the do or die Game 5 lineup:

1.      LeMahieu (1B)

2.      Torres (2B)

3.      Judge (RF)

4.      Hicks (CF)

5.      Stanton (LF)

6.      Sanchez (DH)

7.      Urshella (3B)

8.      Didi (SS)

9.      Romine (C )

If Stanton cannot play the field, put Sanchez behind the plate, and play Maybin in left batting 7^th sliding Urshella and Didi down. Under no circumstances should Encarnacion play in the lineup today. His ALDS performance is long behind him and he is completely lost at the plate. Additionally, Gardner is just as lost. In games like this the team that is down has to reach deep down and make moves that may seem unorthodox, but changes must be made. The other change I would make is sitting Ottovino unless there is nobody else, but Happ to turn too. Ottovino simply doesn’t have it right now, and instead of damaging his confidence further, give him a rest and hope the rest of the troops can push this series back to Houston. Boone can re-evaluate the situations surrounding Ottovino’s usage once this series is extended.

It is time to put everything on the line for the Bombers—you still should keep in mind what a win tonight for the Yankees would mean, and understand Boone’s decision making trying to extend the series while trying to manage complete depletion of resources if  they can extend the series. The goal is to complete one of the best comebacks in baseball history, not just take an extra road trip down to Houston to get bounced in Game Six. Ultimately, if the outcome is crowing the Astros the kings of the American League again, do appreciate the group in front of you that defied all odds to get here. This wasn’t the group that was supposed to be here at the start of Spring Training, yet they are and that is outstanding.

We are witnessing history in front of our eyes, with two incredible teams, if tonight is the last matchup between them for the 2019 series, pray for competitiveness regardless of the outcome. This series deserves more than a washout clincher and the players in both dugouts do as well. Route for whoever, just understand the level of baseball that we have been graced with watching.