2010 MLB Playoffs

There is not much going wrong for the New York Yankees, after sweeping the Minnesota Twins easily to advance to the ALCS.

However it happened, this is not the same team who finished off 2010 regular season barely breathing.

Resembling championship form almost overnight has caused rumors to swirl for the sudden upgraded play.

Maybe it’s just pure postseason rush?

So far in the 2010 NLDS we have seen one dominating sweep from a team seeking their third straight World Series appearance and another series go back and forth with three thrilling games so far.

The Phillies have already clinched their spot in the NLCS with an easy three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, including a no-hitter from Roy Halladay.

In the other series we have seen some dominating pitching along with some late inning heroics throughout the first three games. Right now the Giants lead the series 2-1 but honestly it could have gone in any number of directions.

All season long, Yankee fans have rooted against the Rays.

Especially down the stretch, when both teams were locked in an epic battle for the AL East crown.

There were some epic moments, too. Like Robbie Cano's homer. Or arguably the best-pitched game by two teams in a game this season, with Sabathia and Price on top of their games. And of course, Derek Jeter's "hit by pitch" that almost cost the Rays the game.

Yep, plenty to hate about them Rays.

But this is the time to be rooting for them.

So far in the 2010 ALDS we have seen one series dominated by a perennial powerhouse, and another series go back-and-forth between two teams with little postseason history.

The New York Yankees of course finished off another sweep of the Minnesota Twins Saturday, marking the second straight year they did so.

In the other series we saw the Texas Rangers take the first two games on the road only to drop the next two at home to the Tampa Bay Rays. Game 5 is on Tuesday as we will see a matchup of aces Cliff Lee vs. David Price.

It's been written all over the blogosphere how the Cincinnati Reds have self destructed in their NLDS series against the Phillies. A series that was wrapped up in the minimum three games on Sunday night.

But how much of the errors that other teams make are the result of bad timing, poor fundamentals or bad luck and how much can be attributed to the lurking presence of the Phillies causing teams like the Reds to feel the pressure of having to play a perfect game to win?

One of my favorite umpires in the MLB is Jim Joyce. Not because I hate the Tigers (I don’t) and was excited to see someone get robbed of history when it was within his grasp.

No, I like and respect Jim Joyce because after everything that happened, he was “man” enough to throw his pride out the window and admit that he messed up and cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game.

Well, now it’s time for Paul Emmel to step up and admit that he messed up.

Hey everyone, baseball fanatic Evan Adrian here, live blogging game 3 of the NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds. Cole Hamels will attempt to close out a sweep of the Reds. Cincinnati turns to Johnny Cueto, hoping the right-handed fireballer can keep this series alive.

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Every year we hear the same whispers:

"How much longer can Mo last?"

Because it's such an infrequent occurrence, anytime he blows a save, the doubters surface with their proclamations of Mariano's imminent demise.

At a point in his life where most of his peers are playing golf, or delving into post-playing-career business ventures, the inimitable Mariano Rivera is continuing to add luster to his likely first-ballot Hall of Fame credentials.

After scoring just one run in the first two games of their series, the Tampa Bay Rays kept saying all they need is one big hit. One big hit and then the floodgates would open. I guess the Rays know themselves pretty well because they were right on the money with their thinking.

Going into Saturday night's Game Three, the Yankees had to be feeling very confident of their chances to sweep the Twins.

They were up 2-0 on the Twins and they had history on their side since Minnesota had not won a playoff game against the Yankees since 2004.