Yankees on course for a great October

It's never over 'til it's over, as a former great Yankee said years ago, but following the paths of the Big 3 in the AL East for the past month it's apparent that barring devastating injuries to a few key players, the Yankees have achieved what they set out to do when they shelled out the money to CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira in the offseason.

All three have found their rhythm and stride at the appropriate time. It takes a little time to adjust to the urgency of winning in the Bronx and it took a lot of successful Yankees in the past some time to feel comfortable (Tino Martinez, Jason Giambi and Paul O'Neill are examples who all reached their level of excellence over time).

Combine the pace the Yankees are on with the uncertainty in Boston, where I am residing for the summer and follow the fortunes of Red Sox Nation daily, and the inconsistency of the Tampa Bay Rays, and you have a formula for another AL East title and favorites to go on and get to the World Series.

I know postseason play is unpredictable, but there's more happening with the Yankees than the quality of their starting pitching.

• Alex Rodriguez's return made Teixeira a more relaxed hitter and it appears from a distance that he gets more hittable pitches with all the weapons in the Yankee lineup.

• The emergence of Phil Hughes as a solid seventh- and eighth-inning stopper to set up Mariano Rivera.

• A better-than-expected season from Derek Jeter and unexpected power from Johnny Damon.

The Yankees have too much in a lot of areas for any team to defeat them in a seven-game series.

If this was an election and I was a political analyst, I'd declare the Yankees the winner in the East and go so far as to say the ALCS and the favorites to win it all. I didn't feel that way in April or May. The Red Sox were getting great pitching and making a few runs stand up. Not anymore. The Angels are always troublesome and the Tigers can win with Justin Verlander on the mound, but the Yankees have defeated him and other top level pitchers as well (Roy Halladay and Mark Buerhle to name a couple).

The way the Bombers are the Bombers in the new Yankee Stadium, one which Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris would probably hit 80 home runs in, with that home field advantage and all their left-hand hitters, the Yankees seem to be unstoppable.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.