AJ Burnett has a chance to put a cap on the ALCS tonight. Even if the Yankees lose I believe there is little chance Anaheim can win two games at Yankee Stadium. Of course, I said the same thing in October of 2004 and we know what happened then. Obviously a loss doesn’t kill the Yankees, but the last thing this team needs is to battle it out over the weekend while the Phillies sit home and wait.

On one side you can talk about momentum and long layoffs. This could be true, but remember the age of the Yankees roster. The starting lineup is an average age of 31 years. If you look at the core Yankee bats, sans Teixeira, it’s around 35. When the clock strikes midnight on November 1st they will have been playing baseball for about 10 straight months. On the other hand you have the bullpen. Sure there are the young arms of Hughes, Robertson, and Chamberlain. They also have never pitched this long before in their life. The last three weeks have also brought about the strain of high leverage playoff baseball. I am sure they could use a rest.

The Phillies are not going to be a push over. One word I would use for that team is maniacal. The team and city has an inferiority complex to New York. A summer without the Mets probably will enhance their desire to “topple Gotham” in the World Series. Imagine the bragging rights of being the perpetrator of an historic Mets collapse and denying the Yankees their 27th World Series. Rest or not the Yankees are in great shape to finish the job over the next couple of weeks. I just think a rested Yankees team gives them a heck of a lot better chance.

As I said on last night’s show: get up on the Angels early, withstand their one run, and watch them fade into the night. That would be the perfect ending to the ALCS in what has been a perfect blueprint season for the Yankees.

Listen to my ALCS Update show with LA Angels prospect Val Majewski by downloading it here.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com

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Tags: 2009 ALCS, 2009 World Series, AJ Burnett, Anaheim Angels, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees, Phil Hughes, Philadelphia Phillies, Yankee Stadium