2009 MLB Playoffs

New York Yankees superstars have come out to play in baseball’s postseason led by predictable, indomitable shortstop Derek Jeter and redeeming performances from third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

Despite cold, rainy conditions, these superstars are shining and the Yankees are up 2-0 in the American League Championship Series after New York’s highly-paid duo paved the way to a 4-3, 13-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels in Game Two.

The National League championship series is tied at 1-1 heading back to Philadelphia.

The Los Angeles Dodgers slipped by surrendering home field advantage, but all it takes is stealing one win from the Philadelphia Phillies to shift the balance of power back into their hands.

For Phillies fans, the joy of Game One of the NLCS was gone, when the Dodgers walked away with a 2-1 victory Friday.

The series is now tied 1-1 with Game Three in Philadelphia on Sunday night.

Wasted was a two-hit, three-strikeout, no walk performance by veteran Pedro Martinez, who hadn't pitched in 17 days. Martinez's day was over when Greg Dobbs pinch hit for him in the top of the eighth inning.

It was the vaudevillian comedian Joe E. Brown who went on the record about it most famously. It was he who put it into words with so much brevity yet pith.

“Rooting for the Yankees,” Brown was jotted down as having said, “is like rooting for U.S. Steel.”

Those Damn Yankees—welcome back to the playoff spotlight.

If Jimmy Rollins doesn’t beat you, then Shane Victorino will beat you. If Victorino doesn’t beat you, then Jayson Werth will beat you. If Werth doesn’t beat you, then Chase Utley will beat you.

And if none of those guys beat you, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, and Carlos Ruiz will beat you.

That is how deep and powerful the Philadelphia Phillies lineup is. The Los Angeles Dodgers found out firsthand how deep the Phillies lineup is in their 8-6 loss in Game One of the NLCS last night.

10. The Yankees know the Angels can beat them.

Yes, this is the same issue that just got blown to bits by the Angels in regards to Boston. Until the Yankees do to the Angels what the Angels did to the Red Sox, the Angels have the mental edge.

9. Speed.

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

About Los Angeles

The Angels are in uncharted territory, as they usually see themselves on the losing end to the Boston Red Sox. That changed this year with a 3-0 sweep, and now a showdown with the other AL East competitor, the New York Yankees.