I know I’m going to rankle some feathers with a few of my thoughts in this post, but I just have to throw the thought out there that after watching them play the Phillies, I couldn’t help but think the Yanks didn’t look as good as the World Series Champs.  Now I know that Saturday’ game was big.  The come back win, contributions from both the big bat Rodriguez and the little bat of Cabrera, as well as the blown save by Lidge, were signs that the Yanks can get the job done.  With the Red Sox taking over first place as the Blue Jays fall to the Atlanta Braves the division certainly seems possible, and even in my glass half empty way, I certainly think it is.  I learned a long time ago not to bet against the Yankees.  But in watching Friday’s and Sunday’s games, and even big parts of Saturday’s, I just don’t think the Yankees looked as tight or together as the Philies– and the Phillies are stuggling themselves.  Case in point- Brad Lidge.  They also just got back Jayson Werth.  Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer aren’t the same players they were last year.

Now what am I really saying?  I do think the Yanks could make the playoffs.  I also am reminding myself there is a lot of season left, and these Yanks are having fun and playing looser.  But without looking at the payroll, I just don’t think they look like a World Series champion team.

Across town, the Mets return from a bizarre road trip.  The beat the Red Sox two out of three, and did very well against the an Francisco Giants pitching, but the three games in the middle against the Dodgers they looked more like the bad news bears than a major league team expected to contend.

On Thursday, following the Dodgers Series, John Franco was a guest with Joe Beningo and Evan Roberts on NY sports talk station WFAN. Joe asked Franco if he thought thought this team was a division winning team, a world series winning team etc.  Franco,  any listener could tell was a little put on the spot here, but he said,  “Yeah, I think they could win the division.”  I felt like he wanted to add -”if everything breaks right” but he didn’t.  And that’ what I think the Dodgers series showed.  Are they good.  Yes.  Are they good enough to do more than win the division?  Doubtful.  And, this is gonna seem like a stretch, but I think the Dodgers are that good.  Even without Manny Ramirez they have put distance between themselves and the rest of the NL West.  They have looked great against the Angels- who everyone (but me) thought would run away with the AL West.  The Mets looked as overmatched in that series as the Cubs did last year in the playoffs.  So the Mets might win the division- or even win the wild card spot, but can they go deep into the playoffs?  A lot of things have to break right as the season moves forward.

This might be the day I lose all my New York readers…. because I don’t completely believe in either local teams.  But, you know what?  That’s why they play all the games.