It begins Thursday in Cleveland.

The Red Sox clinched the best record in the AL on Saturday and chose option "A" which gives them three days off for the five game series.  The Yanks/Tribe series will have a max of two off days should it go five games.  That means the Yanks will need a fourth starter (unless they sweep) in Round 1.  The "longer" set means that you can use your top two pitchers for four games and teams won't have to use a fourth starter.  If you're a visual guy, the Boston-Angels series breaks down like this:

Wed. at Fenway

Fri. at Fenway

Sun. at Angels

*Mon. at Angels

*Wed. at Fenway

But, I'm more interested in the Yankees schedule.  The Bombers' schedule is as follows:

Thurs. at Jacobs Field

Fri. at Jacobs Field

Sun. at Yankee Stadium

*Mon. at Yankee Stadium

*Wed. at Jacobs Field

*if necessary

The Yankees will give Roger Clemens every opportunity to make the Game 3 start at The Stadium on Sunday.  If he can't go, the ball will probably go to Mike Mussina.  If Clemens is able to make his start and there's a Game 4, it will be interesting to see where Torre goes.  I think he gives the assignment to The Moose either way (Yanks up 2-1 or down 2-1).  Mussina was bombed in his last start, but I think he's regained the manager's trust.  On the other hand, Phil Hughes dominated the Tribe in August and finished up strong.  You can make an argument for both guys, but I don't want to go down there until I must.  It's just wasted energy and I'm a lazy guy.

DF already made his guess on the post-season roster and I've been discussing it with Vinny from Kearny, Bert from Hoboken and my brother so here's my two cents which is worth a lot less than that:

1. C Jorge Posada

2. 1B Doug Meintkiewicz

3. 2B Robinson Cano

4. 3B Alex Rodriguez

5. SS Derek Jeter

6. LF Johnny Damon

7. CF Melky Cabrera

8. RF Bobby Abreu

9. DH Hideki Matsui

10. Jason Giambi

11. Jose Molina

12. Wilson Betemit

13. Bronson Sardinha

14. Shelley Duncan

15. Chien-Ming Wang

16. Andy Pettitte

17. Roger Clemens

18. Mike Mussina

19. Phil Hughes

20. Mariano Rivera

21. Joba Chamberlain

22. Jose Vizcaino

23. Kyle Farnsworth

24. Ron Villone

25. Jose Veras

Should Veras make the the roster?  Not really, but I think he'll make it.  I'm not sure what's going on with Ian Kennedy (back stiffness).  I think the Yanks would put him on the roster if he was a proven commodity, but he isn't.  That's why I think he's out.  I think Sardinha makes it as a pinch-runner and also think Duncan makes it -- and this was before the news that Matsui had his knee drained this weekend.  We should all find out in a few hours what Torre and the Yanks have in mind.

The Yanks edged the Orioles on Saturday night, 11-10, and I would be lying if I told you that I watched more than 30 minutes of this game.  The Bombers notched 10 runs in the fourth inning and Andy Pettitte held on through five horrendous innings to pick up the victory and finished the season at 15-9.

It will be another exhibition on Sunday before the Yanks kickoff the second season.  Sean Henn goes for the Yankees and the O's will send out Brian Burres. 

The only drama for Sunday is to see which player Torre chooses to manage the final regular season game.

Rivera Falters and AL East Goes to Boston

[September 29, 2007 at 3:31 AM] And that's that. Alex Rodriguez went yard for the 54th time and drove in four, but the Yanks blew leads of 4-1, 7-2 and 9-6 and fell to the Orioles 10-9 in ten innings.  The Red Sox won on Friday... - Continue Reading

Kids, Reserves Help Yanks Top D-Rays

[September 27, 2007 at 10:25 PM] The faces were different on Thursday night, but the results were the same. Phil Hughes was solid through seven, Alberto Gonzalez and Bronson Sardinha both picked up their first big league hits and super-sub Jose Molina broke a 1-1 tie... - Continue Reading

Bombers Clinch Playoff Berth

[September 26, 2007 at 11:00 PM] It is done. Robinson Cano drove in five runs, Chien-Ming Wang picked up victory No. 19 and Mariano Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 ninth as the Yankees thumped the D-Rays 12-4 on a Wednesday night in St. Petersburg.  The Bombers rolled a... - Continue Reading

Yankees Blow Golden Opportunity

[September 25, 2007 at 11:43 PM] That was unexpected. The Yanks raced out to a 5-0 lead on the strength of an Alex Rodriguez grand slam, but the Devil Rays scored six runs in the sixth and one in the tenth and shocked the Bombers 7-6... - Continue Reading

Yanks Fall Flat in Final Home Game

[September 25, 2007 at 12:08 AM] This entry will be as quiet and listless as the Yanks on Monday afternoon. The Blue Jays clipped the Yankees 4-1 to earn a split of the weekend series.  I was at work during this one, but I was listening on... - Continue Reading

Molina's Three RBIs Spark Yanks

[September 23, 2007 at 9:30 PM] The Yankees honored the late Phil Rizzuto before Sunday afternoon's ballgame and then went out and showed the same grit and determination that made "The Scooter" a Hall of Famer. The Blue Jays jumped out to a 3-0 lead in... - Continue Reading

Melky Sends Bronx Faithful Home Happy

[September 22, 2007 at 11:32 PM] It was another marathon affair at The Stadium, but this time the Yanks came out on top. Melky Cabrera singled home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the tenth to give the Yankees a hard-fought 12-11 victory... - Continue Reading

Yankee Magic Falls Short in 14th Inning

[September 22, 2007 at 8:26 AM] I guess lightning can't strike twice in a week.  Or, it can strike, but the results aren't the same. Last Friday night in Boston, the Yankee scored six runs in the eighth to upend the Red Sox.  It looked like deja vu... - Continue Reading

Pettitte and Yanks Edge O's, Move Closer to First

[September 19, 2007 at 10:47 PM] One may be the loneliest number, but it's a great number if you're a Yankee. Andy Pettitte was masterful, the defense was superb, Hideki Matsui ripped his 25th homer of the season, Joba Chamberlain made his first appearance in the... - Continue Reading

Yankees Embarrass O's, Creep Up on BoSox

[September 18, 2007 at 10:24 PM] A-Wow! Mike Mussina followed up a solid outing with a terrific one, Hideki Matsui drove in three runs and Doug Mientkiewicz did Godzilla one better as the Yanks took off their belts and spanked the Orioles 12-0 at The Stadium. ... - Continue Reading

Yanks Outlast Baltimore

[September 18, 2007 at 6:30 AM] Things are getting pretty interesting as we head down the stretch. Hideki Matsui hit his first home run in over a month, Phil Hughes won his first game at Yankee Stadium and Mariano Rivera cleaned up a Kyle Farnsworth mess... - Continue Reading

Jeter's Three-Run Blast Downs Red Sox

[September 17, 2007 at 12:35 AM] In the end, the battle between two old pitchers was decided by two old reliable Yankees. Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling turned back the hands of time through six-plus innings, but Derek Jeter launched a three-run homer off Schilling in... - Continue Reading

BoSox Crush Yanks

[September 15, 2007 at 10:33 PM] The Yankees surprised Boston with a devastating barrage of combinations in a come-from-behind victory on Friday night, but the Red Sox responded on Saturday afternoon by delivering a knockout punch of their own. Chien-Ming Wang didn't bring his "A" game,... - Continue Reading

Six-Run Yankee Eighth Jolts Sox

[September 15, 2007 at 1:33 AM] There's a gleam! This game had disaster written all over it in the early and middle innings, but the Yankee bats came alive in the eighth as they racked up six runs and stunned the BoSox 8-7 at Fenway Park. ... - Continue Reading

Pitching Duel Goes to Blue Jays

[September 13, 2007 at 10:09 PM] At least this loss didn't take long. Rookie Ian Kennedy gave up only one hit through his seven innings of work and Johnny Damon lifted a game-tying homer in the sixth, but Frank Thomas singled home the winning run in the... - Continue Reading

Mussina Guides Yanks to Lucky Seventh in a Row

[September 12, 2007 at 10:49 PM] The Moose is back! OK, maybe not back, but he pitched his best game in months, Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano came through with big hits and the pen did just enough as the Yanks dropped the Blue Jays 4-1... - Continue Reading

Giambi's Slam Gives Yanks Sixth Straight

[September 11, 2007 at 10:45 PM] The baseball season is winding down and it looks like the Yanks are gearing up for the postseason. Phil Hughes gave the Yanks six gutty innings, Jorge Posada blasted his 20th homer of the season and Jason Giambi delivered the death knell with... - Continue Reading

A-Rod Helps Yanks Sweep Royals

[September 9, 2007 at 8:17 PM] It was the Alex Rodriguez show this weekend in Kansas City. A-Rod homered for the fifth straight game, Jorge Posada drove in the go-ahead runs with a towering double and Chien-Ming Wang won his 18th game of the season as... - Continue Reading

A-Rod Hits 50 and 51; Leads Yankee Romp

[September 9, 2007 at 1:20 AM] Baseball is a difficult sport.  You're taking a round ball and a round bat and you're trying to hit it square. And right now, A-Rod is making it look too easy. A-Rod crushed two more homers (number 50 and 51 on the... - Continue Reading

A-Rod, Joba Lead Yanks to Third Straight Win

[September 8, 2007 at 1:37 AM] It wasn't pretty, but at this time of the year, it doesn't have to be. Alex Rodriguez continued his torrid hitting, Joba Chamberlain pitched two emotional innings and the seventh inning proved lucky once again as the Yanks edged the Royals... - Continue Reading

A-Rod's Two Homers Help Yanks Topple M's

[September 5, 2007 at 10:11 PM] Right now, if you told me that Alex Rodriguez was faster than a speeding bullet or could leap tall buildings in a single bound -- I would believe you. A-Rod ripped two homers, both of them coming in an eight-run Yankee seventh,... - Continue Reading

Yankee Power Sinks Mariners

[September 4, 2007 at 10:58 PM] Nice comeback. The Yankees bounced back from an uninspired performance on Monday afternoon with a 12-3 thrashing of Seattle on Tuesday night.  Chien-Ming Wang earned his 17th victory of the year, Jorge Posada collected four hits and went deep twice... - Continue Reading

Mariners Draw First Blood in Wild Card Battle

[September 3, 2007 at 8:14 PM] I guess Seattle is going to put up a fight after all. Roger Clemens wasn't sharp, Ichiro Suzuki picked up three hits and tied an AL record by collecting 200 hits in seven consecutive seasons and the M's pitching staff... - Continue Reading

D-Rays Take Two of Three from Yanks

[September 2, 2007 at 10:19 PM] The Yankees entered the weekend series against the Devil Rays riding high from a three-game sweep of the first-place Red Sox. In the end, it turned out to be a lost weekend for the Bombers. Andy Pettitte started strong but faltered late,... - Continue Reading

Kennedy, A-Rod Shine in Yankee Victory

[September 1, 2007 at 4:55 PM] It was the smart move.  Torre was always smarter. Actually, it was a move Yankee fans have been demanding for some time, but I watched a bit of The Godfather recently and just felt like working in that line.  Mike... - Continue Reading

D-Rays Smoke Lifeless Yanks

[September 1, 2007 at 12:30 AM] So much for putting the pedal to the metal. Phil Hughes turned in his third straight disappointing game, the pen wasn't much better and the Yanks made Tampa starter Andy Sonnanstine (3-9 coming in) look like a potential 20-game winner as... - Continue Reading