On to the next round for the Yankees.  SU had predicted the Yankees in 4 games so I will take the sweep of course.  SU also notes that the prediction that Glayber Torres would come up big was naturally right on target.  Never doubt your friends at SU.

Now comes the hard part.  Yankee fans are hoping either that the Rays win the series with the Astros or at a minimum, push it to 5 games so that Cole needs to pitch game 5 back in Houston.  That will screw up their rotation for the ALCS.

A few observations on the Twins’ series:

• SU is not happy with Boone’s over-managing of the relievers.  I had no problem with when he took out the starters but with Betances on the IL, they are short one quality reliever, and they really don’t have a long guy.  You cannot just have Ottavino pitch to one batter.  In both games 1 and 3, they were really stuck with having to cover the last 2 innings one pitcher short.
• SU also believes that using all of your relievers every game gets the opposing hitters more familiar with the pitchers from game to game.  Not ideal.
• You had to laugh at John Smoltz’s commentary on Gary Sanchez that he could hit higher than .232.  Really??  And how might that happen?  Oh wait, I have it.  HIT TO THE OPPOSITE FIELD.  When FOX showed some of the shifts against Sanchez with a runner on 3rd and less than 2 outs, it was a joke.  No one on the right side of the infield.  Other than Mark Texeira, no one thinks beating balls into the shift is a good idea.  The Yankees could get away with it against the Twins but in the next rounds against much better pitching, situational hitting is huge.  Sanchez hit to the opposite field in his rookie season.  Somehow he needs to regain that mindset.  Very frustrating to SU.
• And then of course there is Giancarlo Stanton.  The announcers rave about his ability to not swing at the slider down and away.  For $30 million a year, this is what you talk about?  And did you watch him stumbling around in left field last night?  Terrifying.  SU says play Maybin.  He is better both defensively and offensively.  They never will.  But at least move him down in the line up.  It’s October: check your ego at the door.  In the 5th slot, he protects no one in the order.  Put him 8th and hope for the occasional meaningless home run.
• Didi needs to move up in the order.  He is a very good post-season player.  The Yankees need to re-sign him.  He is a key left-handed bat and is tailor made for Yankee Stadium.  Rumor is  they will move Gleyber to short and LeMahieu to 2nd.  No, no, no.

The National League series are both great.  There will be nervous fans in LA tomorrow night.

SU was impressed with the optimism of Yankee fans in the post-season predictions.  Clearly, only SU is something of a realist and hope springs eternal in October.  The stadium will be rocking tonight although the new Yankee Stadium is not as intimidating for visiting teams as the old one where the upper deck hung right over the field.  The new stadium is more set back which allows the noise to float up and out.  However, SU will gladly take the open concourses and the additional leg room as a trade-off.

A few things to keep in mind tonight:

• Do we need to sign up right away for 13 strikeouts?  Or can the Yankees change their approach a bit and put the ball in play more?  SU was impressed with the Cardinals last night which strung together 7 hits and 2 walks in the last 1.2 innings against the Braves leaky bullpen.  Mostly singles and doubles.  SU would love to see that.
• We know CC is off the roster – apparently for a sore shoulder.  Clearly, hanging out too much with Ellsbury.  Word is Encarnacion will be on the roster.  Let’s see if Voit makes it — and Ford.  And perhaps add Tyler Wade for a late inning stolen base?  And what’s the over/under for Gary Sanchez to reinjure his groin?  Game 2?
• Paxton is huge for the whole post-season run.  The loss of German really limits the Yankees as you want to avoid Happ starting any of these games – although it appears he is the game 4 starter unless they go with an opener.  SU says Paxton is up for the challenge.  This is his moment to show he is the man.
• The Yankees are solid on the road and a loss in NY is certainly not fatal.
• Glayber will be the series MVP.

All 4 series are playing today – very cool for baseball fans.  You really appreciate the Yankee bullpen after watching Atlanta’s implode.   I thought the Braves’ manager left Mark Melancon in too long in the 9th inning and it came back to cost him as Atlanta scored 3 in the bottom of the 9th.  He even gave up a hit to get out of the 8th inning.  Playoff series are won and lost on managerial moves with the pitchers.

David Cone has thrown his hat in for the Mets’ managerial job.  He would like to be considered.  SU thinks he would be an interesting choice – very into the sabremetrics.  Of course, Joe Girardi is out there as is Joe Maddon although he is rumored to be headed to LA.

Strap in.

Exciting finish to last night’s NL Wild Card game.  The Nationals were dead in the water but Brewers’ manager Craig Counsel decided to summon his inner Goose Gossage and get 2 innings out of his closer.  Now it’s true that this guy had closed a few times during the year for 2+ innings, but he was overly amped and missing badly.  If the Nationals hadn’t gone ahead that inning, he would have likely thrown over 50 pitches in total for a 2nd inning.  SU says good for the Nats who have a long history of failure in the post-season.

SU is a little nervous about the Twins’ series for the Yankees.  The crack research team has been running thousands of scenarios through our state-of-the-art analytics system using AI.  I know all about the history of beating Minnesota in the post-season but this year’s Twins’ team feels a bit different.  Both teams slug and the Yankees will need to score a lot to win.  The loss of Tauchman and Hicks means an almost totally right-handed line up.  And there are just so many strikeouts up and down the line up.  This will not be a cake walk.  SU says Yankees in 4 but some nervous moments along the way.

Earlier in the season, SU felt it was necessary to get to the World Series to say this season was a success but I revised my thinking to just getting to the ALCS and play Houston.  This is a bad match-up for the Yankees.    Too many hard throwing, right-handed starters.  Losing German is a problem.  Getting Stanton back is a problem.  But playing a long, competitive series would be great to see.  Losing in 6 feels like the outcome there and SU can live with that.

In the NL, the Dodgers are due.  An LA – Houston World Series would pit the 2 best teams against each other.  That would be entertaining.  SU sees the Astros ultimately prevailing in 6 games.

Of course, I am all in on the Yankees.  Keys to watch for:

• Boone rested the relievers a lot in September.  That is either a good thing or guys like Chapman and Britton will be wild.  SU is a little worried about that.
• Encarnacion is still not 100%.  Prediction here is that the Yankees will not put him on the roster for the ALDS but will for the ALCS.
• Voit should sit.  Put Ford on the roster for another left-handed bat.
• Great to have CC on the roster but not looking for him to pitch.  Let him root a lot instead.
• While he has also been slumping, SU feels Didi will have a big post-season.  He is also a free agent and will want to make a statement.  Also look for Gleyber to come up big.
• Paxton needs to be 100% for game 1.  They cannot afford to go to to the bullpen early.  Happ is the long guy but the Twins are heavily right-handed and Happ gives up a ton of dingers.  Not a good fit there.  The Yankees don’t have a true long man reliever right now and that is a problem if you have to burn the relievers in game 1.

OK.  As always, SU opens up the Comments section for your predictions.  This is your chance to become famous and qualify for the drawing for the SU logoed backpack for being right.  Have at it.