2011 ALDS: 5 Keys To Victory For The New York Yankees

It's that time again, Yankees fans. 

That time of the year where a certain nervousness can be felt in the pit of your stomach. Yes, that's right, it's playoff baseball. 

After an exciting end to the season, you can pretty much throw out all the stats and story lines of the regular season, because it means squat. The playoffs are where legends are made and heroes are born. 

First step for the Yankees is defeating the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS.  Here are five keys to victory for the Bronx Bombers that will propel them to the ALCS.

1. Beat Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander has had a season for the ages with the Detroit Tigers and may be the best pitcher in all of baseball. 

With that being said, this brings up one of my favorite movie quotes of all time from the Rocky movies.

"He's not a machine!"

Yes he can be beat and the Yankees must find a way to do so.  CC Sabathia will take the mound against Verlander and it's vitally important to win a playoff game that your ace pitcher starts. 

It would seriously deflate the Tigers if the Yankees can find a way to defeat their ace. 

Not to mention, with question marks after Ivan Nova, the Yankees don't want to leave it up to Freddy Garcia and the rest of the rotation to take this series.

2. Ivan Nova Must Emerge as a Star

Ivan Nova is a rookie who has an incredible amount of weight on his shoulders. 

It isn't often that a playoff team will hand the ball to a rookie pitcher in Game 2 of the ALDS, but that is the case with Nova.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Throw out the incredible season that Nova has had because it means nothing. 

We'll have a good idea of what Nova is made of after his first playoff start, and if Nova can become the star many around baseball think he is, he'll be successful in his first start.

What can we hope to expect out of Nova? 

I think six innings of three-run ball would be more than sufficient for the Bombers to take Game 2 of the ALDS.  If Nova can come through in his first start and be successful, it will set him up for the rest of the playoffs.

If Nova reaches star status with a great playoff start, it will give the Yankees an enormous boost en route to a 28th World Championship.

3. Bridging the Gap

Joe Girardi announced that Freddy Garcia will take the ball in Game 3 of the ALDS, and that isn't much of a surprise to anyone. 

Garcia has been the Yankees' third-best pitcher during the 2011 season and has bested a struggling Bartolo Colon of late.

Garcia has given the Yankees several quality starts this season and has no doubt earned his spot.  Something that isn't very reliable is the amount of innings Garcia will give the Bombers.  Even if he only gives the Yankees five quality innings, it should be more than enough to give the Yankees the edge.

If after five innings Garcia is pulled, then it becomes the job of the Yankees' bullpen to handle the rest.  The Bombers have had great success out of their bullpen this year and will need that to continue to be successful in the playoffs.

Any combination of Boone Logan, Luis Ayala and Cory Wade should get the Yanks through the sixth inning in this scenario.  After that, Rafael Soriano, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera should be able to close out the last three innings, a recipe that has worked all year.

Bridging the gap may be important during Nova's first career playoff start, as well.  Nobody knows who will pitch Game 4, and if it isn't Sabathia on short rest, that may be another instance where the Yankees will need to bridge the gap to Rivera.

Yankees' Big Bats Need to Come Through

This goes without saying, but the Yankees will need major contributions from their big bats to win in the ALDS.

In 2009, Alex Rodriguez almost carried the Yankees to the World Series on his back.  Playoff performances like that of Rodriguez in 2009 don't come around very often, and with his numerous injury problems this season, he can't be depended on to do that again. 

He'll have slightly more support this season and won't need to be relied on as much.

The Bombers will need Mark Teixeira to snap out of his career playoff funk and contribute this season.  After a huge game against the Rays in the season finale, Tex is entering the playoffs hot and that could mean success for him against the Tigers.

Robinson Cano broke through in the 2010 playoffs, having his best showing in his playoff career.  That should give him a boost of confidence coming into the playoffs this year and should translate into more success in 2011.

Curtis Granderson may be this year's AL MVP, but that doesn't mean he'll continue that success in the playoffs. 

Granderson has been the most important Yankee hitter this season, and many times during the year has carried the Bombers on his back. 

If the guys I just mentioned can do what they're supposed to, Granderson won't have to do quite as much as he did during the regular season.

5. Don't Rely on the Long Ball

The Yankees have done a pretty good job this year of moving base runners without needing a home run. 

That wasn't the case as much during the beginning of this year, but has changed since then.

In the playoffs, you'll be facing every team's best pitchers, and sometimes extra-base hits are more difficult to come by. 

So when you have a runner on base, it's important you're not relying on big swings to get him home.

The Yankees finished the year fourth in the MLB in stolen bases, a trend that needs to continue against some of the best pitchers in baseball. 

Brett Gardner finished the year tied for the AL lead in stolen bases with 49.  Guys like Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter and others can help the Yankees' success in scoring runs if they can move station-to-station without needing a hit.

So that means stealing bases and moving runners over with a bunt or other sacrifice opportunities.

I know, I know, the Yankees' offense is built to score runs in other ways, but that can't always be relied on. 

When all else fails offensively—and it has in the past for the Yankees—at least the Bombers have multiple ways to cross home plate and aren't waiting for three-run blasts all night long.