Games 1-2 Recap: Same Old Song

There are times when it's difficult you be a Yankee fan.  I know we're spoiled by all the winning, greatest sports franchise in history, blah, blah, blah.  What comes with that vaunted status, however, is a cadre of non-fans and media "experts" that look to point out every little flaw or potential crack with the team.  It's like pointing out the specks of dust on a Ferrari.  When you start the season, anyone on the team who hasn't won a World Series MVP is deemed suspect and questionable.  Any injury is catastrophic and Mariano "looks like he may be losing it." (Don't they know he's not human).  Most of this is wishful thinking projected into actual articles and talking points in the media but as a whole make Yankee fans, or at least this Yankee fan, live in a semi-constant state of unrest.  When is the other shoe going to fall?

I say all this because as this years postseason approached and the Yankees did their best to back their way into the wild card, all the long knives were out.  The Yankees we're old, the pitching was suspect, their offense was too home run happy (is that really a problem?).  There was a genius scout quoted as saying the Yankees were the worst team of playoff teams (worst than the Reds?).

The other popular narrative was that facing the Twins was a bad thing.  The Twins were not the same perennial playoff doormats.  This team was better, better pitching, better offense, and a better Jim Thome.  All that and they play that spunky, solid fundamentally sound Twins baseball.  Baseball the way it's meant to be played.  All this hype and Carl Pavano, an unbeatable combination.

When will I learn?  Probably never.  The reality thus far of the 2010 ALDS is "deja vu all over again."  In both games, the Twins took an early lead.  The Yankees came back and either tied or took the lead.  In both games the Twins did tie it up again but to only have the Yankees strike the final blow and pull away.  New faces Granderson and Berkman played the roles of Damon and Matsui amiably, Tex came up big, Pettitte was vintage, and Mo was Mo, one night for four five outs, last night for three, game over, lights out, commanding 2-0 series lead heading home to the Bronx.

DMMA Update:  So far, by my estimation, Curtis Granderson is leading in the chase for the DMMA.  Hitting .500 (4 for 8) with the booming, bases clearing, triple in Game 1 followed up with a double last in Game 2.  If he had been able to hold onto that ball hit by Delmon Young he may have locked up the award already.  Berkman jumped into the running with his double and home run last night.  Tex's home run in Game 1 got him going but he's being judged on a different scale.  He's going to have to pull a Reggie, '77 Game 6, to truly win the prize.