29-year old switch hitting 1B Mark Teixeira exploded on the scene for the Yankees last season as he finished 2nd in the voting for the American League MVP Award. He played in 156 games for the Yankees this year and he was 178 for 609 (.292 avg, .948 OPS) with 103 runs scored, 39 homers and 122 RBIs. In his 7 year major league career, Teixeira has now played in 1,060 games in which he is 1,167 for 4,023 (.290 avg, .923 OPS) with 669 runs scored, 242 homers and 798 RBIs. There is no reason to think that Teixeira won’t continue placing high in the voting for this award as he has an almost perfect spot in the Yankees’ batting order.

Hideki Matsui was a beast in this series against the Phillies earning the MVP Award. Last night sealed the deal of making him the MVP as he was 3 for 4 with 1 run scored, a double, homer and 6 RBIs. Godzilla played in all 6 games of the World Series for the Yanks and he was 8 for 13 (.615 avg, 2.028 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 3 homers and 8 RBIs. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees bring Matsui back for next season or not as he is a free agent.

It took the New York Yankees six games to beat the Los Angeles Angels in the ALCS as they won game six last night 5-2 at Yankee Stadium.  The Yankees got a great start from Andy Pettite, who went 6.1 innings and gave up only one earned run on seven hits and six K’s.  Pettite got his record breaking 16th career postseason win.  Joba Chamberlain did his job, finishing up the seventh inning for Pettite and setting it up for Mariano Rivera and his two-inning save.  Rivera did make things interesting in the eighth inning, giving up a run and making it a 3-2 game.  The Yankees tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth though, and Rivera settled down in the ninth to finish off the Phillies.

Johnny Damon had a big game at the plate in game six with two RBIs on two hits and a walk.  Alex Rodriguez was still hot, going 2-2 with three walks and an RBI.  ARod dominated in this series, hitting .429 with three HR’s, seven RBIs, eight walks, and a stolen base. He didn’t win ALCS MVP though, as C.C. Sabathia got that honor after having two dominant starts in game one and game four.  Sabathia pitched 16 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on nine hits and 12 K’s and will be starting game one of the World Series against his former Cleveland Indians teammate Cliff Lee.  The Yankees clinched their 40th trip to the World Series and game one is on Wednesday in New York against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Alex Rodriguez has shaken off his reputation of not playing well when the games get big in October. In 7 post season games this year, A-Rod is 11 for 27 (.407 avg, 1.469 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 5 homers, 11 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Teams continue to challenge A-Rod in big spots of the game and he has been making them pay big time. I can see Yankees’ fans starting to act like Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) at the end of Superman II when he says, “I was with you all the way Superman”.

The New York Yankees got another great start from C.C. Sabathia and their offense gave him plenty of breathing room.  Sabathia pitched a gem, giving up one earned run and five hits while striking out five in eight innings.  The Yankees got four RBIs from Melky Cabrera, who went 3-4 with a double and a run scored.  Alex Rodriguez continued his great postseason play as he hit another home run.  It is Arod’s third straight game with a homer.  He went 3-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.  The Yankees also got a homer from Johnny Damon, his second of the series.  Derek Jeter also had a solid game at the plate, going 2-5 and drawing a walk.

The Yankees’ bats looked great tonight and they have taken all of the momentum away from the Angels after their extra innings walk-off win in game three.  The Yankees can not let up though, as game five is still in LA and they should finish this series without having to play anymore in New York.  A.J. Burnett will do his best to end the Angels’ season as he is the started for game five.  Burnett pitched well in game two of this series going 6.1 innings with four K’s and giving up only 2 earned runs.  The Yankees will need him to try and shut down the Angels 1-4 hitters like C.C. Sabathia did tonight.  Chone Figgins, Bobby Abreu, Torrie Hunter, and Vladimir Guerrero went a combined 1-14 tonight and if Burnett can do more of the same then the Yankees will be on their way to the World Series after game five.  John Lackey will be starting for the Angels, and he went 5.2 innings and gave up four runs in game one.  The Yankees were helped by a lot of errors in that game though, and Lackey only had two earned runs.  Lackey is a big game pitcher and will be ready to go in game five, so the Yankees need to stay focused.