Rant #1,526: The Season Is Over

Kudos to the Houston Astros for beating the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game, leading up to the playoffs and the World Series.

Honestly, the Yankees overachieved this year. Most people thought they would finish way out of the playoff race, myself included, but somehow, they hung on and made it to this game.

The game pretty much played out like the second half of the season played out for the Yankees--decent pitching, no hitting, no big hits, nothing on offense.

I think the season really ended when Mark Teixiera broke his leg on a foul ball in a game against the Twins several weeks ago.

He was an MVP candidate at this time, providing timely offense and his usual stellar defense to the lineup. He was having a fantastic comeback season, and bolstered by an amazing comeback by Alex Rodriquez, the Yankees led the division by a good amount of games.

His injury--coupled with the team's complete inactivity at the trade deadline--hampered them the rest of the season, showed every wart they had, and yes, my prophecy pretty much was correct.

This was a pretty bad team.

But they had had such a nice first half of the season that they were able to ride it into October, and last night's game.

But the writing was on the wall that this wasn't going to be a good game.

The Yankees had not only been playing miserably the last few weeks of the season, but they seemed to be psyched out at their home, Yankee Stadium, where they really played horribly this season.

They were facing probable AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, yes, a Dallas pitching for a Houston team.

And then, they got hit with a bombshell, that C.C. Sabathia was taking himself out of the playoffs, checking into a rehab center for alcohol abuse.

Yes, the dark cloud was over the Yankees and the Stadium, and it just was not meant to be for the Yankees last night.

They put up goose eggs in a 3-0 loss. They had their chances, but once again, the offense was pretty offensive.

There will need to be some major changes made for next season, but that is next season. For other teams, the season has just started.

I have been saying for weeks that I think the New York Mets and the Blue Jays--two teams that clearly fortified themselves at the trade deadline--would meet in the World Series, with the Blue Jays winning, and you don't know how that pains this die-hard Yankees fan to say that the Mets will go to the World Series, but I do believe that.

And I guess Mets fans--after years of horror shows--are happy that the Yankees are out of it, so they can have the October spotlight in New York all to themselves for once.

Heck, they earned it, so I give credit where credit is due.

Looking back, the only thing I can take solace in for this season is that the Yankees defied the odds, and made it this far.

I would have like them to have gone further, but at the end, they were like an old car, that you hoped would last you one last good ride, but was so broken down that pretty much nothing could push it one more mile.

For me, the NBA season is around the corner, and more heartache awaits, with the New York Knicks.

To sports fans, the mere mention of that name provokes head shaking and for some, laughter.

This is the worst run franchise in pro sports, with the black cloud seemingly always over them.

After the Yankees' past season, I am hoping for the best and expecting the worst

Heck, they won't be 17-65 again, but they won't be that good, either.

Heartache, dead ahead.

The 2016 baseball season can't come quick enough for me.