27 TO THE 27TH

Tonight, the New York Yankees embark on a daunting task. If they can somehow defeat the most fearsome pitcher of the post season, and record 27 outs while holding the lead, then they will be once again crowned champions, a title they have held 26 other times before.

They've failed twice this decade, once in a heart-breaker of Game Seven in the 2001 World Series, and two years later falling silently to the Marlins after spending all their energy on an incredible '03 ALCS victory over the Red Sox. That was on the decline of the Dynasty Era, but this now is on very cusp of a brand new one.

In their way tonight is Cliff Lee, a former Indians Cy Young winner who had a better season after being traded to the Phillies, and an ace who has simply been masterful in this post season. In Game One he dominated the Yankees, and while NY owns a 3-1 lead, he turns them into underdogs tonight.

That makes the Yankees' decision to start A.J. Burnett on short rest curious and ballsy all at the same time. Sure, they could have called it a wash and started Chad Gaudin instead. Sure, starting A.J. tonight also means no Posada to go along with no Matsui, further weakening an AL lineup in a NL park. Sure, it also means Pettitte on short rest, but for once, though, I'm with Joe Giradi here.

Cliff Lee may've been dominant to this point, but any line-up can beat any pitcher on any given day. That's baseball at its best. Starting Gaudin doesn't give the Yankees the best chance to win this game, A.J. Burnett does. And I'll also take Andy Pettitte on short rest over Gaudin as well. This is no knock on the guy, but I want my best guys in there right now. If A.J. fails tonight, then I trust Pettitte fully to go out there with his grit and guts get it done at the Stadium on Wednesday.

All the focus is on tonight, though, and the weakend Yankee line-up vs. the dragon Cliff Lee. A tough assignment indeed, and one that will require some warriors to fight their way through. An assignment that will also require A.J. Burnett, who showed a lot in Game Two swinging the momentum back to the Yankees, to swing his axe once again, slaying all the doubters in the process, and helping record the required 27 outs on the way to a 27th Championship.