This week’s series between the Yankees and Blue Jays was taylor-made to give the Yankees an opportunity to gain on the division leading Red Sox and Rays, but was also a perfect opportunity for the Blue Jays to make a move on the AL East’s 3rd place spot - a spot currently occupied by the Yankees.

After winning the first game of the series on Tuesday, the Jays had the opportunity to tie the Yankees in the division with a series sweep. After winning on Wednesday, the Yankees made that possibility null and void, however a 14-3 thrashing by Toronto sent New York packing with a one game lead over Toronto for the3rd place spot.

At this point neither of these teams is likely to acquire a playoff spot, much less a division crown - as the Red Sox and Rays continue to play well and the Yankees continue to fall. Despite their recent surge, Toronto is unlikely to climb out of fourth place in the division, however stranger things have happened.

The lop-sided loss to Toronto on Thursday was exactly what the Yankees didn’t need. With a full slate of NY Yankee games forthcoming against Tampa Bay, Chicago, Boston, and The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, they need to win all of their games against non-division leading teams. Furthermore, they certainly don’t need any more moral-damaging 10 plus run losses.

The New York Yankees are a proud and historic organization and will be playing in one of the nation’s most famous ballparks for the final time at the end of this season. However, the club is on the verge of ending their relationship with Yankee Stadium prematurely as they are in serious danger of missing the playoffs this year.

While there will full house after full house of fans buying NY Yankees tickets throughout the coming weeks, there may not be as much cause for celebration, as the Yanks stand 10 full games out of first place in the division and five-and-a-half out of the wildcard lead.

What’s worse, is that the team’s September slate is chock full of difficult opponents including six games against the AL East leading Rays as well as three game series against division leaders, Los Angeles, Chicago, as well as their final series in Boston.

What does this all mean? The Yankees need to start winning now, if they plan on prolonging their season - and the legacy of Yankee Stadium - beyond September.

Thanks to in part to a pair of 7-3 runs, as well as a Red Sox four game winning streak, the New York Yankees have found themselves facing a huge deficit as the season comes to a close. A Yankee 3-7 streak came at a bad time as New York now trails Tampa Bay by 9.5 games in the American League East standings.

In the toughest division in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays have thrown a wrench in the usual combination of the Red Sox and Yankees into the playoffs, as they lead by three games over Boston. Boston, in turn, is three games ahead of Minnesota in the Wild Card standings with six weeks left regular season play.

After a strong start following the All Star break, the Yankees made what were thought to be key moves prior to the trade deadline, and continued their dominance, however, the last two weeks have not treated the Yankees so well, has they have found themselves falling deeper and deeper into the division hole.

Yankee fans still have hope, however, as the Rays have a very difficult schedule facing them in the final few weeks. Meanwhile, the Yankees have a fairly favorable schedule outside of a couple of series each with Boston and Tampa Bay. It could all come down to a late September series in Fenway Park to decide the fate of the division - wouldn’t that be appropriate?

In a season that is more or less no different from most others, the American League East division is going to boil down the final week or two of the season, and will include the two historically dominate teams, the Yankees and the Red Sox. However, the Tampa Bay Rays will have something to say about who wins that division and fans NY Yankees tickets will become hot commodities, as will those for the Red Sox and Rays.

Yesterday, the Yankees attempted to match a victory by the Red Sox to stay in the hunt in the division. With the Rays on a recent roll, the Yankees and Sox both need every victory to remain alive in the race. The problem, for the Yankees, was that they ran into a brick wall on Monday in the form of Glen Perkins. The Twins pitcher threw eight scoreless innings as Minnesota blanked the Yankees 4-0. Obviously the offense for the Yankees was nada, while Adam Everett led the way for Minnesota with a one-for-three night that included a two-run home run.

The loss drops the Yankees to a whopping nine games out of first, behind the Rays, while the Red Sox are four games out. The nine game deficit is the largest one the Yankees have seen in over a month-and-a-half and makes their road that much harder as the season is down to the final six weeks.

After hearing the word yesterday, that Joba Chamberlain was facing unspecified time on the DL, many Yankees fans were probably understandably worried about the state of the team. Joba joins several injured key players on the DL including Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and fellow hurler Chien Ming Wang - a cast of players whose injuries cause understandable doubt to be cast over the remainder of the season.

However, great deadline moves and lesser-known players stepping up at the right time, are helping the Yankees continue their success as they move towards the playoffs. Last night was a good example as several “second-tier” players contributed to the Yankees victory over the Texas Rangers 5-3.

The leader of the pack was pitcher Sidney Ponson who threw into the 7th inning , giving the bullpen a much needed breather for the stretch-run into the late months of the season. Additionally, Jose Molina stepped up, going 2-for-4 after Ivan Rodriguez had to leave the game after a collision at home plate. Pudge is said to be uninjured and should return to the lineup tonight.

The Yankees are a club of contributors, and even the lesser-known and unheralded players know how to get it done. Look for more out of their benches as they continue to make waves in the AL East. Grab some NY Yankees tickets and take the opportunity to see some of these young stars - as well as the veterans. You won’t regret it.

Yankee Stadium played host to one of most exciting games of the year last night - a see saw battle that eventually ended up landing in favor of the home team as the Yankees took 2-of-3 from the MLB’s best team. The stars for both team were players that acquired on or around last week’s trade deadline.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim came into the game with a league-leading 68-40 record and on a serious momentum swing after dispatching the Red Sox in three straight games. The Angels have had their way with the Yankees in recent years, particularly in the playoffs and they may have been out to send a message that things are about to change.

After pulling out to a 5-0 lead into the 6th inning, the Angels saw their lead slip just a bit in the 5th with newly acquired Ivan Rodriguez’s solo homer. Then in the bottom of the 6th, they put together a 3-run inning, including a home run by another new acquisition, Xavier Nady, to pull the game to 5-4.

The Yankees then added four more in the 7th to take the lead 8-5 only to see the Halos own new addition, Mark Teixeira pound a grand slam to take the lead back.

It seemed karma had intended the Yankees to win, as they pounded out six more runs in the bottom of the 8th to win with authority in a terrific contest.

The Red Sox swept Oakland as well this weekend, so the Yankees were unable to gain any ground on them as both team still trail Tampa Bay. There are many more exciting Yankees games to come, so get out to the ballpark.

As the trade deadline approached yesterday, the Yankees were able to make a few adjustments that they think will up their chances to win the AL East down the stretch. As many teams do, who are in contention, the Yankees were able to give up some young less-proven talent in order to fill immediate voids.

The biggest move the Yankees made this week was the addition of former league MVP Ivan Rodriguez to take over behind the plate in the absence of Jorge Posada who had to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery earlier in July.

Pudge brings to New York, not only a solid defensive presence and a good bat for their catcher’s spot, but also experience and leadership - something no club can have too much of. Pudge entered his pin-striped uniform batting .295 this season with 32 RBI and 5 home runs thus far in 2008.

Pudge joins Richie Sexson, Xavier Nady, and Damaso Marte as the major pre-deadline additions to the club.

NY Yankees tickets for the remainder of the season are still available as the Yankees continue to make their run for the playoffs behind a solid group of talent.

Yesterday’s Red Sox/Yankees game was yet again another great example of why this rivalry is the best in all of sports. With their backs against the wall, down 2-0 in the series and one loss away from allowing the Yankees to tie them for second place in the division, the Red Sox found a way to pick up the 9-2 win and salvage the series.

Jon Lester, the big lefty ace-of-the-future went seven strong innings allowing two runs against the potent Yankees’ offense. He struck out eight, while walking only one. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were in the lineup together for the first time in nearly two months as the league’s leading 3-4 combination made their presence known. Ramirez went 3-for-5 with two doubles, and three RBIs, while Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs of his own.

For the Yankees, both Alex Rodriguez, and former Boston stand-out, Johnny Damon went 2-4 and contributed to the Yankees’ only productive inning (the 5th).

This truly is one of the great rivalries in any sport. If you have the change to get out and watch either of these teams, you should make it a priority. NY Yankees tickets would be a particularly wise investment, with this being the final season in Yankee Stadium.

Despite being plagued by injuries coming out of the All-Star break, the Yankees are still going strong with an eye on their goal - winning the American League Eastern division. As anyone with NY Yankees tickets can tell you, injuries can happen and losses can happen, and you can’t always prevent injuries, but you can prevent losses.

Monday night, the Yankees not only prevented a loss, but did so in a very convincing manner, defeating the Twins 12-4 in the Bronx. Derek Jeter led the way with a go-ahead single in the 3rd inning that drove in Jose Molina, as well as a solo home run in the 8th that capped of the Yankees 12-run offensive explosion in support of Sidney Ponson’s nine hit, three run effort.

Also homering for the Yankees were Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano, with their 21st and 8th home runs of the year, respectively.

The sole stand-out for Minnesota was Alexi Casilla, whose three-for-five evening at the plate accounted for two of the Twin’s four RBIs and a run scored.

The two teams will face-off again today with revenge on the mind of the Twins, while the Yanks look to extend their second-half streak.

As the second half of the season starts, the Yankees find themselves once again in one of the best division races in baseball. On the heels of an outstanding All-Star game, there’s just a little more to play for in the A.L. East as now the American League champion gets home field advantage in the World Series (for the record, the home team is 20-5 in the World Series in the last 25 years - so the stakes were huge!).

Currently the Yankees are six games back - trailing Boston, and Tampa Bay in the division. Tampa Bay is a half-game behind the Red Sox. Another option for the Yankees in the volatile American League is procuring the wild card spot, where they are five and a half games back behind four other teams, including Tampa Bay.

The Yankees hit the field next on Friday to face the Oakland Athletics in New York, where they have won 27 of 49 on the year - a mark that needs to improve if they are to secure a playoff birth. Several key injuries currently plague the Yanks, including Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Ian Kennedy, and Chien-Ming Wang. In the A.L. East, every team needs to be a healthy as possible, and getting the players back could really help the Yankees’ chances.

Fans with NY Yankees tickets are in for a great second half! The East almost always comes down to the final days of the season, and I’m sure this year will be no different!