Down the Stretch

The Yankees' season comes down to this final week. They are in a flat-footed tie with Boston for the AL East lead, and both teams are a half game behind the Cleveland Indians for the wild card. For the Yankees, it is the first time the last week of the regular season has mattered since 1995. For Yankee fans, it may be a bit too tense; for baseball, it's great.

The Yankees and Red Sox battle for the first time in a generation where the loser does not have the safety of the wild card. This could be the most significant race since the wild card made its debut ten years ago. Yankee fans are unsure enough of their team's chances that they cheered Bernie Williams throughout Sunday's game. Whatever happens, the Yankees will have played their most perplexing and exciting regular season in the Joe Torre era, adding spice and suspense to a process they had spoiled their fans by making appear so routine.

Photo by Kathy Willens/AP via Yahoo

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By Tom Boorstein on September 26, 2005 9:44 AM

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sp

"Yankee fans are unsure enough of their team's chances that they cheered Bernie Williams throughout Sunday's game."

That isnt quite accurate. I think they were simply cheering for him because they know he is likely not to return next year, and it was their last chance to thank him him at the Stadium.

However confident (or not) they are about the team making the playoffs and Bernie being back in the Stadium, not everyone can get postseason tickets. It was more about honoring him than it was about being unsure of the Yankees' chances IMHO.