Be Careful What You Wish For, Especially If They're Playing You

I’ve heard from multiple people this morning that the Yankees should lose on purpose against Texas tomorrow. The thinking is that the Rangers sweep of the Yankees would give them a great chance of catching the Boston Red Sox for the Wild Card. Then the Yankees would play the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs and have an easier time of advancing.

No! No! A thousand times no!

First of all, the Yankees haven’t been good “wishing” to face a team in the playoffs. In 2007, the Yankees wanted to play the Indians instead of the Angels and they got beat. In 2006, people were jolly over the fact they drew the Tigers in the first round and the Tigers went to the World Series. In 2003, the Yankees wanted the young Marlins in the World Series instead of the veteran Cubs and the Yanks got beat. In 2002, the Yankees got their wish when they played the Angels in the first round and the Angels won the World Series. In 1997, the Yankees got to face the Indians in the first round instead of the Mariners and instead of getting a break, they got sent home early. Wishing to face a team like the Rangers has not worked out for the Yankees in the past.

You also can’t throw games now if you think you’re going to face a team later on. The worst thing you can give a young, upstart team like the Rangers is confidence. They’ve been seemingly overachieving, much like the Tampa Bay Rays last season but the best thing that happened to the Rays was that they gained confidence by beating the best in the AL all season long. If the Yankees were to get beat in three games in the Bronx this week, why would the Rangers fear coming to the Bronx for three games in October?

Also, who would fear the Yankees if they played sub-.500 ball the last month? The biggest thing going for the Yankees is their hot play and the momentum they have going forward. Why break that by losing now?

But the most important reason you can’t lose on purpose is that the Yankees cannot afford to lose games now. Do you remember the 2008 Mets? Do you remember the 2007 Mets? Having a division lead in August does not guarantee you’ll play in October. Especially when a team like the Red Sox, with 3 games left against the Yankees and extremely dangerous in their home ballpark, is still alive.

Also, the Yankees need to shore up home field advantage. The Angels are 3 games behind the Yankees for home field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. The Yankees are 41-18 at home and the teams that they could play in the playoffs are not great on the road (the Angels are 38-26 but the Red Sox are 31-33, the Rangers are 28-30, the Rays are 25-35, the Tigers are 25-38, the Mariners are 31-34, the White Sox are 27-31, and the Twins are 28-36). The Yankees are 37-28 on the road having won 10 of their last 13, but they would be better at home within the friendly confines of the New Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

There’s one thing the Yankees need to do against the Rangers this week: Just win, baby.