New York Yankees

The Yankees had little trouble topping the over-matched Twins in the ALDS, but things get serious starting tonight in the Bronx. The Angels have eliminated New York from postseason play twice this decade, and now they're the only thing standing in the way of a Bombers trip to the World Series. River & Sunset takes a closer look at what to watch for in Game One of this pennant-deciding series. 

Can A-Rod continue his playoff resurgence?

A little girl's unconditional love for her father is a heartwarming story that I can hear over and over again without tiring of it. More so, I feel absolutely within the boundaries of creative license to share the story on more than one occasion.

Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera are the last remnants of the Yankee dynasty from the 1990s and 2000. These few players are no strangers to big series, like the American League Championship Series. But tomorrow night, these Yankees are going to have to lead their teammates into unfamiliar territory.

Last year, some of us got all googly-eyed at the potential of seeing a World Series where Manny Ramirez would go against the very same team that traded him just a few months prior. It had all the makings of the perfect media circus.

But then it never even happened.

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.

With Major League Baseball down to the final four teams of the Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, and Phillies it seems the Vegas bookmakers have the most faith in the manager with the least experience. The VegasInsider.com has the New York Yankees as an even money bet to win the 2009 World Series despite the Yankees having a skipper who has never managed in the World Series. The odds for the final four teams are the following: Yankees (Even), Angels (3/1), Dodgers (3/1), and the defending champs Phillies are (5/1).

Billy Martin picked up where he had left off the year before.

In the seventh inning of the seventh game of the 1952 World Series, Martin had made a spectacular catch of a wind-blown Jackie Robinson pop-up with the bases loaded and two outs to save the game and World Series.

The Yankees and Dodgers repeated as pennant winners in 1953, and Billy Martin again was instrumental in the Yankees winning the World Series.

Because the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have made it to the postseason nearly every year this decade, it’s easy to forget that these teams have not had much success in October in recent seasons. The Yankees’ ALDS sweep of the Minnesota Twins earned them a berth in the ALCS for the first time since 2004. The Angels advanced to the ALCS for the first time since 2005.

Given his druthers, Joe Girardi would like to start C.C. Sabathia in Games One, Four, and Seven for the pennant. This would allow him to use a three-man rotation, with the others consisting of A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettite. That's possible, because of one day breaks after Game Two and Game Five.

But early indications of heavy showers, hence a rainout on Friday, could nix this plan. Then the first two games would be pushed back a day, with no break between Games Two and Three.

I don't know what to do right now, as we still have two more days until Yankee baseball. 

This should help you kill some time (it certainly helped me).

I'm a big Ian Kennedy fan. He absolutely tore up the minor leagues in his first full professional season, something that very few pitchers do. No, Kennedy doesn't have the front-line potential that Hughes and Joba have, but he still is a valuable asset. Check this out, his numbers speak for themselves: