The Yankees once again, ho-hum routinely find themselves in the postseason with a realistic shot still at the American League East Division title.

Which I did not think that they would have a shot at that division title. This is what the Yankees do. Listen, I didn't know what to expect coming to the year. I did not know. You lose Soto, you lose Garrett Cole. Louis Heel's not ready to pitch.

The first one of the offseason arms that you bring in, Devin Williams, has an ERA of nine, the first month of the season. We're all sitting there saying, what in the world is this season going to turn into? And as the years unfolded, and listen, I think that the higher you are in terms of accomplishment, unfortunately, maybe the more critical we get. So we probably, and when I say we, I mean all of us, and I'm guilty of this as well, we probably glossed over a lot of the good and really hammered over probably a little excessively some of the stuff that really bothered us. But this year for the Yankees has been littered with amazing stories.

I mean, Trent Grisham's story's amazing. Aaron Judge, I know we could have to debate, Cowrolley, whatever. He should win the MVP. Bellinger's been phenomenal. You look at the season that Ben Rice has had. The Yankees have two lefties that have won 18 games for the first time since 1979 in Rodden and freed, which was Gidrey and Tommy John.

So Stanton, you know, they said, we didn't even know if Stanton was going to play this year. And if you look at his numbers and prorate them, which you can't, but he can tell you how, you know, how effective he's been. He's on pace for 45 bombs at 100 and something RBI. So it doesn't mean they're going to win the World Series, but what it does mean is that the Yankees once again, when people aren't sure who they are, they just have this ability to

rise and give their fans a lot to cheer about. This was a great accomplishment based on some of

the issues they had this season. Look, they're held to a higher standard because of their great success. It is what it is. They're the New York Yankees. They're the greatest winning franchise in the history of sports. So they are going to be always held to a higher standard. But it doesn't mean that you shouldn't at least take a moment to appreciate. Now, I don't think just making the playoffs for them, especially with the expanded postseason, is a big deal. Like, they should make the postseason every single year.

But they do more often than not. They've made it the majority of the seasons for 30 years and counting, where we say it for other teams, like the match. Well, you should make the postseason every year with their payroll and Steve Cohen take it over. And they don't. Like, they fumble to do it. So if we see one team in their same town, not to mention the other teams across the league,

not make the postseason as often as the Yankees do, then there is something to it. It's just not as easy as well. They're the Yankees, and yet the expanded postseason, they should make it every year. So it is an accomplishment. But it's also not just about the weak American League. Like that was a big narrative last year, and I know I was talking about that.

I believed that that was true.

It was a week last year.

Okay, it's narrative last year. And I know I was talking about that.

I believe that that was true. It was weak last year. Okay, it's different this year. And what they've overcome, not to mention Gary Cole being out before the year. Like they wanted Juan Soto. He left them. They still pivoted to a significant plan B. We joked about the plan B and what that would bring in. it's even more than just that, even when they were starting to struggle a little bit. Cashman, what does he do with the deadline? Aggressive goes out and tries to rebuild the bullpen. Some guys hit, some guys don't, whatever, also gets Caballero in insurance, and that is helped. You go get a third basement and McMahon. The Yankees, I don't care if you hate them, if you love them, if you love them, and you're mad at them, whatever it may be, you're a Mets fan. If you don't respect and appreciate what the Yankees do routinely, routinely, you are missing the mark here. Every year they give their fans something to be excited about going into the postseason every year. Even if they don't win the World Series every time, every year they have a chance.

And I would say that they have as good a chance as anybody in the sport once they get in to go, I wouldn't say I'd bet on it. I'm just saying that they have as good a chance as anybody else. I'm starting to feel that way. And I haven't felt like that for most of the season here. You know, one of the things that frustrates me about the Yankees,

and this goes back to what I said before about,

we tend to, you know, beat to a bloody pulp because of the things that frustrates me about the Yankees, and this goes back to what I said before about, we tend to, you know, beat to a bloody pulp because of the expectations, the failures or the things that bother us.

Now, to be fair, the things that have bothered the Yankee fans, they've been constant for years.

So it's not like we've been completely out of whack, like whether it's a fundamental issue on the bases or, you know, the defense not

being tight enough in certain spots or not having enough left-handed six going back a few years

ago. The thing that bothers me about the Yankees is that for the payroll and the expectations

and the really good players that they generally tried out every single year, it's always this

mid-season, okay, what do they have to do to bring in?

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