Playoff plans can often go up in smoke

Turning toward thinking about the playoffs, 'jscape' wants to know which series you would choose. Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger breaks down the Twins and Tigers in an effort to determine which team is a better matchup for the Yankees.

Personally, I don't really care about either question. You can do all the planning in the world, and yet the playoffs are a strange place. You just never know how things will work out, what pitchers or players will step up, which ones will implode and which teams will play their best baseball.

It's a total crap-shoot. On paper, one series or one opponent might be the better option. In reality, all that matters is getting on the field and winning the game -- whenever it is played and whoever it is against.

Here are few other stories worth mentioning this afternoon Around the Yankee Universe.

• Winning two of three from the Angels, especially winning two close games, was a great sign for the Yankees come playoff time. 

The Yankees are a playoff team, and more comforting for them and their fans is that against one of their nemeses - and possible postseason opponent - they played like a playoff team. They beat the Angels at their own game, two straight days. And that will leave a mark.

The Yankees' 6-5, come-from-behind victory over the Angels on Tuesday night and their 3-2 win over them yesterday afternoon had their confidence soaring sky high as they prepare for a three-game series against Boston that could see the Yanks clinch the AL East.

"If we have to come back here we won't have to answer questions about how we haven't played well here (in Anaheim), because the last series we played we won," Teixeira said. "That's a good thing."

• Another positive was that A.J. Burnett has looked much better in his last couple of starts.
  
• John Kruk says the Yankees are a mess heading into the playoffs. I think Kruk is a mess, and I think he will say whatever the ESPN suits want him to say in order to keep his job and stir up a little discussion.
• NY Baseball Digest's Mike Silva has put together a Yankee post-season roster that does not include Joba Chamberlain. I think it's more than fair to wonder what Chamberlain's role will be in October. I would be really surprised, however, if a healthy Chamberlain is not part of the post-season pitching staff.
• The Yankees are shuffling their rotation to give CC Sabathia a little extra rest before the playoffs. Thank you very much. I've been wondering when they would ease off the big fella a little bit.
• The Yankees are trying to bring more college football games to Yankee Stadium.