By Geoff Walter / SNY.tv

 

In a playoff landscape where it looked as though all the divisional matchups would end in sweeps, one team dared to be different. Now the Yankees have a series. Now they have an offense full of hits and homeruns and RBIs. And more importantly, now they have a win and, for the time being, have staved off elimination. This has happened before and it can happen again. All you have to do is look at the 2001 ALDS against Oakland. It was then that Derek Jeter made what has become known as "The Flip" -- a toss to Jorge Posada at home plate as the Yankee shortstop ran across the first-base line to snag Jeremy Giambi as he crossed home. Johnny Damon can recall the ALCS three years ago when he wore a scarlet, olde English "B" above his brim instead of the interlocking "NY." All it took was the right kind of spark.

 

The Flip was that kind of spark. Damon's homerun in the fifth last night can be viewed the same way since the long ball always builds momentum. The name Ortiz definitely springs to mind. What the spark was for the Yankees this season wasn't the veteran pitching, namely Roger Clemens -- who we see falling apart right in front of us on the field -- but the young guns, namely Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Last night the entire game was a metaphor for the torch needing to be passed on to the next generation, with the old Rocket looking like (dare I say) Carl Pavano and the Baby Rocket looking like Clemens of yore.

Whether George "The Boss" Steinbrenner's ultimatum to Joe Torre is for real or just a ploy to deflect some of the attention off the then-struggling offense or to galvanize the lineup around the manager and off Alex Rodriguez, we may never know, but the Indians have to be paying attention now since doubt most certainly has crept into their minds. The point is, it worked. One loss has a way of becoming two, opening the door for stray thoughts where you start second guessing yourself, wondering if you can ever send the opposition into a long winter's sleep. We've seen it before from the Angels, Marlins, Red Sox, and Tigers where one rallying point turned it all around; now it's New York's turn. Cleveland doesn't have its back to the wall but they must be back on their heels after failing to sweep. The Yankees just need that feeling to last two more games.

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