MLB Playoffs 2011: Why Yankees Will Regret Blowing Lead to Rays

By Thursday morning, the Yankees had blown a seven run lead, the Red Sox were out and the Rays were in. Now the Yankees will have to answer for least talked about choke job of the night. 

All we could talk about on Thursday was the giant collapse of the Red Sox and Braves, and how exciting it made the final night of the 2011 regular season. 

I agree that for a moment, the sport was more exciting than anything the NFL or NBA could dream up. Baseball just isn't a sport that commands such immediate switches in emotions. Rallies are coerced over what seems like hours. 

In a night, we had two games that featured dynamic turns of the tables. The one that will really matter is the the Rays coming back from a seven run deep grave. 

I had all but dismissed them. And in doing, had placed the New York Yankees on the short list of teams that could win the World Series. 

Then the Rays battled back and proved my point before I make it. The Yankees could have taken their Kryptonite out of the playoffs and didn't. Granted, Joe Girardi was playing to the health of his pitching staff. 

As we saw though, that staff is neither deep nor all that good. After Mo Riviera and Rafael Soriano, the bullpen begins to get awfully suspect.

The Rays are a team that sticks around like gnats, making each pitcher throw as many pitches as possible. This is not why the Yankees should have finished the job.

The Rays have one of the deepest and most devastating rotations in the playoffs. The Yankees cannot beat the Rays in seven games, making the second round a nightmare scenario.

If the Rays and Yankees meet up in the ALCS, you can bet that game #162 will be brought back to the forefront of out consciousness.

The Yankees dropped an opportunity to rid the post season of their perfect foil and didn't. These things have a way of resurfacing down the road.