by Jason Haskins

Created on: May 20, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The stranglehold will end and it won't be pretty.

The New York Yankees continue to play mediocre baseball as we head into the end of May. While so many believed (and maybe still do) that the New York Yankees are just in an early season slump, there are various reasons as to why the Yankees will continue to play average baseball. And contrary to popular belief, Roger Clemens will not rescue them as planned. In his first start in the Single A, he only struck out two and did not perform with outstanding authority. Sure, it was his first game in about 9 months, but that's no excuse for a man that has 19 years of Major League experience. He should be dominating at any level.

Enough about the Rocket. Let's get back to the hated Yankees. This team, while still pennant winners the last five years, have only been getting older. Brian Cashman was able to convince the boss to bring up some of the youngsters, but as a whole, the team is old. Especially the pitching staff. Clemens is 44. Andy Petite and Mike Mussina are both in the swan songs of their careers. They are not as dominant as they once were. Sure, they can usually give the team five, six, maybe seven innings, but that's not quite enough with the overworked bullpen. Even Mariano Rivera, perhaps one of the greatest closers ever, has shown cracks in his exterior. Despite a great offense, you still can't win games if you can't stop the other team from scoring as well.

Injuries certainly have taken their toll and the Yankees used to have the depth to replace their star players for a limited time. That is not the case anymore. When Josh Phelps as to step in at first base, it's not the same as Tino Martinez stepping in for Giambi. Their pitchers have had unusually bad luck in the pitching department. While they can't be faulted for that fact, it would help if the pitching staff was younger.

The main reason the Yankees stranglehold on the AL East will end is simple: The Boston Red Sox are on a tear right now. Sure, the season is 162 games long and anything can happen, but the Red Sox are playing great baseball right now. They are getting production from both the pitching and the offense. Boston's starting pitchers regularly go seven innings, setting it up for a bullpen that has been near perfect this year.

With all that happening, this could be the year the Evil Empire comes toppling down completely. And I, for one, would be happier than anything else to see that happen.

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