SIMP-LEE AMAZING, Cliff Lee stuns Yankees in Game 3

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Bronx, NYC– Domination. That is the only word to describe what Cliff Lee was doing to the Yankee hitters last night in game 3 of the ALCS. Pitch number 120 was just as good as number 1. He had command of every single one of his pitches all night and he had the velocity to back it up. Some say this was Lee’s “try out” for his Yankee contract and I think that is certainly a possibility. If the Yankees were looking at last night as a “try out” for Lee than hands down they have to offer him a contract close to what their ace CC Sabathia is making. If Andy Pettitte does in fact retire this season Lee would be replacing him and being that second big lefty in the Yankee rotation. If the Yankees can get A.J. Burnett on track next season along with Phil Hughes, the Yankees would just need Lee and another starter to round out the 5 man rotation. Sabathia, Hughes, Lee, & Burnett is some rotation, that is a rotation with some serious depth and just about anybody can fill that 5 spot for the Yankees but I think they need another option that isn’t Javier Vazquez, Ivan Nova, Sergio Mitre or Dustin Moseley. We need someone that has proven themselves in the Major Leagues and someone who has gotten results in high pressure situations similar to the Bronx. Let’s focus on this postseason before we start worrying about next season though. Tonight in game 4 of the American League Championship Series it will be Tommy Hunter for the Texas Rangers and A.J. Burnett for the reigning World Champion New York Yankees. Burnett has had a rocky second half of the season and he never got his act together going down the stretch. Yankee manager Joe Girardi hopes to boost Burnett’s confidence by giving him the ball in a crucial postseason series. Players such as Damaso Marte have done what Burnett is looking to do and that is to turn your bad season around with a great postseason. One good postseason start for A.J. Burnett could erase an entire season of disappointing starts in the minds of the Yankees’ faithful. Hunter is a rookie right hander who will face a very tough Yankee lineup tonight. Hunter will face hitters such as Teixeira and Swisher who are switch hitters that are much better from the left side as well as natural lefty and possible MVP Robinson Cano. Hunter obviously does not have  the kind of stuff that Lee had last night and the Yankees will have a much better chance at putting some runs on the board against the rookie. If Burnett could pull out a quality start the series would once again be tied with one more game in New York before going back to Texas for 1 or a possible 2 games with Sabathia, Hughes, and Andy Pettitte if necessary. It is crucial for Burnett to have a good start tonight so the Yankees have the best possible chance to win this series in Game 6 rather than 7. Some have said the Rangers have been outplaying the Yankees and I disagree with that 110%. Nobody outplays the New York Yankees ever. Even the reigning World Champions are allowed to have a few bad games but now it is crunch time and this is what the Yankees do best win postseason games. THE CHASE FOR 28 CONTINUES….