ALCS Game 6 PREVIEW

                                     

           Chone Figgins and the Los Angeles Angels know they're heading straight into more than one kind of storm, and they can't wait to get wet. Heavy showers in Saturday's New York forecast are threatening to wash out Game 6 of the AL championship series, yet that's a minor drizzle compared to the high-pressure system the Angels created for both themselves and the Yankees by extending the ALCS to the weekend.

Rejuvenated by a ramshackle win in Game 5 that cut the Yankees' series lead to 3-2, the Angels still face long odds to make the seldom-seen comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against their star-studded opponents. Yet Figgins still senses a team-wide confidence that the Angels can rain on the Yankees' 27th championship parade. "It doesn't get any better than this, especially going into that ballpark," said Figgins, the Angels' leadoff hitter. "It's going to be another crazy game, I can tell you that. You go back and just enjoy it. The pressure is on both teams." The Yankees arrived back in New York early Friday morning and held an "optional" workout -- "In the playoffs, it's not optional," catcher Jorge Posada said with a grin -- under an overcast sky in the Bronx that afternoon. A chilly wind rippled the flags that line the top of the stadium and jostled the ceremonial red-white-and-blue bunting along each deck.
It was a much different scene than the picturesque weather they had in Southern California, and they still were thrilled to be back.

   "Our guys feel very good when we walk in this ballpark," manager Joe Girardi said.

          The Angels were grateful to show up to work Friday in suits instead of sweats, holding a brief workout before flying to New York.

I'm going to cut to the chase. Yankees need to do a few things to become victorious today.

• Andy Pettitte, must get a "quality start" aka get into the 7th inning
• How will the weather effect todays contest.
• Joe Girardi should sit this game out and let Pena manage, OR go with what got you their with the bull pen. If their's a lead we better see Joba and Hughes... but on a short leash.
• Make em pay for Free passes, aka Intentional Walks. 
• Bench Nick Swisher (.103 BA), Start Brett Gardner in CF and Melky in RF. OR Swisher better start hitting.
• Get the ball to MO, who hasn't given up a run this post season in over 8 innings.
• Don't let Figgins or Aybar run havoc on the bases.
• What ever manager makes the least amount of mistakes.
• The team who favors the most from the Umps bad calls.

Swisher

The Picks

Andrew Tilden- 7-3 YANKEES

Matt Cole- 5-2 YANKEES

Robert Luckett - 6-4 YANKEES

"Andy gives a quality start over 6 and the bullpen shuts it down"

Ed Tierney- 7-3 YANKEES

"The bats come out, the pen shuts up the critics. Party in the Boogy Down"