The Bombers' match-with the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series could pose the biggest challenge of their post season.

The two players who might determine whether or not the Red Sox get through the first round and beat the Yankees are not All-Stars, aces, former playoff heroes or high-dollar investments.

In the old days, these teams didn't need no stinkin' playoffs to get all nasty with each other. Then came the expanded playoffs.

Will former New York Yankees front office executive and coach Joe Espada be ticketed for a return trip to the Bronx? Currently the manager of the Astros, Espada is on the hot seat after failing to lead his club to the postseason this year.

The New York Yankees finished one win shy of repeating as AL East champions despite beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Sunday behind a pair of Ben Rice home runs for a season-ending eight-game winning streak.

The Yankees have won six straight games as they enter the final weekend of the regular season, with the AL East title still in play.