At the game yesterday, Matsui again came up in a clutch situation (after A-Rod walked) and right after some thunderclaps, Matsui delivered. His Clutch-O-Meter rating is back up to 9.4. (+.4). This guy should be batting 4th, A-Rod 3rd and Sheff 5th. I’m tired of Sheff’s meaningless RBI’s. Mike Caught a Foul Ball off of A-Rod’s bat. These are good omens.

Boston will have to make that game up (as well as another game against Baltimore). They only have 3 off days the rest of the season, so there is a chance they will have to either 1) Fly from LA to Boston to play the White Sox on Aug 22, then fly back to KC on the 23rd, 2) play Sept 5 after the series vs. the O’s (but that seems like a day to make up the O’s game, or 3) play the day after the last game of the season if necessary. (wouldn’t that be interesting).

By my calculations, if the Yankees want to have any hope of winning the division, they need to go approximately 17-6 over the next 23 games before Boston comes to town. This is a stretch that they “should” do this here are the next 7 series and what I hope they can accomplish. @TB (2-1), @CWS(2-1), TOR(2-2), KC(3-0), @SEA(3-1), @OAK(2-1), TB (3-0). Of course this requires them to win or split each of the next 7 series, but since Oak and the White Sox are the only “real” tough teams, this is possible.

Assuming Boston loses the 4 game series @ Anaheim and wins, without sweeping all of their series vs. @DET, @ KC, DET, TB, BAL, LAA, they would go 14-9 during that stretch. Meaning the records coming into the series between the Sox and Yanks would be… Sox 82-56, Yanks 81-58. Yanks would trail by 1.5 games. That would make that Boston Series (and the rest of the season) very interesting.

Let’s hope these guys can get on a roll.