Derek Jeter knows when the seasons are changing, and he doesn't need any of those annually celebrated hints, like falling leaves, apple cider or crisp temperatures. All the Yankees captain has to do is listen.
This is the time of year when Jeter says he can begin to discern individual voices from the packed stands, separating from the pack of roaring noise. The topic he hears most is the pennant race, the scrutiny of those looking to forecast October.
"You're aware of it. Even the fans are talking about it," Jeter said. "You can just hear it; a lot of conversations. For us, we play those guys ... so if we win our games, we'll be fine."
As the Yankees board a charter flight late Thursday that delivers them deep into the heart of Texas, the Bombers embark on a trip that can serve as a litmus test for their playoff hopes, pitting them for three games with the Rangers and three more with the Rays before wrapping up in Baltimore.
The Yankees can't complain too loudly about their position as they pack their bags, owning the best record in the Majors at 87-53 and wielding a 2 1/2-game advantage in the American League East, but it hasn't all been smooth sailing lately.
Take this week's series at Yankee Stadium, in which the Yankees were two outs away from suffering their first Bronx sweep at the hands of the Orioles since 1986 -- when the losing pitchers were Ron Guidry, Tommy John and Ed Whitson -- before Nick Swisher rescued them with a game-winning two-run homer on Wednesday.
As Swisher clapped his hands, just hoping that the ball had enough steam to get over the wall in left-center field, he believed he'd hit a bigger home run than your typical Yankees-Orioles affair. The stretch run, Swisher said, has arrived.
"I think it's here. I really do think it's here," Swisher said. "We've got ourselves in a good spot -- the best record in baseball is not too shabby right now. I think if we continue to keep the mojo that we've got, our pitchers have been doing a tremendous job for us. That's always been the key to our success."
He is correct, of course, in that the Yankees' success will depend in large part upon their starters. Swisher had a front-row seat last year when the Yankees put all of their chips on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, asking those three to carry them through the World Series.
It worked out fine then, but there are heavier concerns this season. Sabathia has provided everything the Yankees could have hoped, sitting on the verge of his first 20-win season, but Burnett has been wildly inconsistent -- 1-6 with a 6.91 ERA since August 1 -- and Pettitte has been unable to pitch at the big league level since July due to injury.
"I think it's important to try to get it consistent down the stretch here," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We're still trying to win a division, trying to get into the playoffs. Home-field advantage is important to us. I think it's real important that our starters feel good about themselves going down the stretch here. We will work very hard at trying to get that ship righted."
But even Girardi, the eternal optimist, has to admit there are other concerns. All-Star Phil Hughes has wobbled some as he combats innings restrictions, Javier Vazquez has bounced in and out of the rotation with diminished velocity and rookie Ivan Nova -- though dazzling thus far -- is very much an unknown.
"I think people are going to go through ups and downs," Girardi said. "The big thing to me is wanting your starters to feel good about themselves at the end of the year. I think we've all seen a starter that's struggled and then goes out and throws a game that's lights-out. You say, 'Where did it come from?' Sometimes it clicks."
As they hope it will Thursday. There's nothing the Yankees can do to simulate the adrenaline Pettitte will feel Thursday, when he sets foot on the rubber at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J., asked to record outs in a playoff game for Double-A Trenton against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
It may not be the decisive contest of the Fall Classic, but it could be the Bombers' most important game of the week. Should Pettitte feel strong about his strained left groin and command of his pitches, the conservative estimate is that he could be back in the rotation on Sept. 19 at Baltimore.
By then, the Yankees' trip will be winding down, having already have gone to bat with the slugging Rangers, against whom they are 4-1 this year, and the tough Rays, who own six victories in their 11 meetings. It's no cakewalk.
"We've got to play well, no doubt," Swisher said. "We've got two great teams we're coming up on, Texas and Tampa Bay, [and then] Baltimore, who obviously has been playing amazing lately.
"We've got our work cut out for us. We've got ourselves in a great position right now, and I think if we can stay relatively healthy and keep that mind-set that we've had all season long, I think we're going to be successful."
If the season ended today, the Yankees would be facing the Rangers in the American League Division Series, and the thought of seeing Cliff Lee twice in a five-game series is hardly heartwarming; no wonder the Yankees tried so hard to acquire Lee themselves in July.
But Girardi said it is too early to begin thinking as though the ALDS setups are imminent.
"As far as scouting, we're not going to scout any more now than we would during the regular season," Girardi said. "We're just not going to do that, because you're making an assumption and I'm not big on assumptions. I think you prepare for this series just like you would any other series during the regular season.
"... I don't think you can put your eyes too much on the month of October until you're for sure in the playoffs. I don't think you can make assumptions until you're actually in."
So though the Yankees will try to keep it business as usual, the postseason picture might not seem as rosy as it did a year ago. There is still time to make that happen. Playing -- and more importantly, pitching -- well against the Rangers and Rays would provide just that boost.
"There's ups and downs," Jeter said. "You ride them out, and hopefully the highs last for a while and the lows are over quick. We don't have much time to think about it."
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