Long time Boston Radio personality, Eddie Andelman coined the term “Yankee Elimination Party” back in 2002 when it looked like a hot, Manny Ramirez-led Boston Red Sox were off to the type of start that might have the New York Yankees on their heels and while 2004 celebrated the Elimination Party to end all Yankee Elimination Parties, a regular season elimination hasn’t happened in the Bronx since 1993.
The post-Aaron Boone Red Sox have clearly held the upper hand in the once lopsided rivalry, winning two World Series titles and wrestling the American League East crown from the Yankees mantle where it had sat under a decade of dust. But to the Yankees credit, post-strike baseball has yet to see a season pass without pinstripes in the post-season.
Enter 2008.
Nine and a half games separate the Yankees from the Rays atop the American League East leaving them with a 1.1% chance reclaiming their crown. But more troubling for the Yankees aspirations of continuing their post-season appearance run to fourteen straight seasons is the five games they trail the Red Sox in the Wild Card race. The Yankees Wild Card chances have slipped into single digits (6.5%).
Could a true September Yankee Elimination Party be right around the corner?
Of course before you count the Yankees out entirely, remember this; one year ago today, the Boston Red Sox held a eight game lead over the New York Yankees in the division. A lead they would see whittled away to five games following a 8/28 – 8/30 three game sweep in Yankee Stadium. A lead that would eventually fall to a mere game and a half only three weeks later.
Flash forward to tonight and the upcoming three game set that will likely see the last Boston Red Sox/New York Yankee game in the “House That Ruth Built”.
The Red Sox have been handed an opportunity that quite frankly just doesn’t come along often; put ring the death knell on the Yankees regular season.
These games are the Red Sox opportunity to control a modicum of their own fate in September. Should they push the five game deficit to eight, the would not only shutter Yankee Stadium locking Mystique and Aura away for good but also take one looming presence out of the rear view mirror.
However, if last year proves anything, when the Yankees are given an open door they usually find a way to storm through it. You don’t make it to thirteen straight post-seasons without that ability to seize the moment.
One thing is certain, the final series between these two rivals at Yankee Stadium couldn’t not produce at least a little drama along the way.
