The Rundown: Ode to the Dynasty Boys

It seems redundant to lead off with the Yankees after my 1,600-word monster of a post wrapping up the ALDS from last night. But the Bombers are the talk of the town after their sweep of the Twins over the weekend. And it occurs to me that I neglected to recognize the accomplishments of a very specific group of Yankees, who the New York Post's Joel Sherman aptly named "The Dynasty Boys" in his 3UP column Monday.

Sherman was referring to the quartet of Yanks who have been around since the beginning of the Joe Torre Era: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada. Sure, Posada was still in the minors when the Yankees won the 1996 World Series, and Pettitte was banished to the Astros for three seasons during George Steinbrenner's I'm-slowly-going-insane-but-still-making-all-the-major-baseball-decisions phase early in this decade. But from 1996 to 2009, these four have been on the Yankee roster for 52 out of a possible 56 seasons (the math works, I promise).

And each of them were vital to the Yanks' series-clinching, come-from-behind 4-1 win in Game 3. Pettitte set the tone by allowing just one run and three hits in 6 1/3 sterling innings, tying John Smoltz for the most postseason wins in baseball history (15) and taking his place in the pantheon of great postseason pitchers. Next came Posada, who smacked the biggest home run of his 13-year career to give the Bombers a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Posada took a fastball from Carl Pavano the other way, an impressive hitting job even though the ball barely cleared the left-field fence.

Then came Jeter, who for the second time in his career made a heads up, game-saving play in Game 3 of a divisional series. This one wasn't quite as extraordinary as his backhanded flip against Oakland in 2001, but it saved the game nonetheless. With Nick Punto on second and no one out in the eighth, Denard Span slapped an infield single up the middle. Jeter immediately recognized he had no chance of getting the speedy Span at first, so he turned his head towards home plate and saw Punto round third with a full head of steam, sure the Yankee shortstop would throw to first. Instead, Jeter threw home, a stunned Punto scrambled back towards third, and Posada's throw to A-Rod got there first. Rally over. Punto's atrocious baserunning aside, Jeter has displayed his incredible baseball acumen time and time again. In the age of Manny Ramirez, it's a refreshing thing to see.

Rivera provided the coup de grace, getting the last four outs for yet another postseason save and propelling the Yankees to the ALCS for the first time in five years. His wicked cutter got the best of Joe Mauer, whose .365 average was the best in baseball this season, and his pinpoint control and fastball took care of everyone else.

The Yankees open the ALCS at home on Friday against their old nemesis, the Anaheim/Los Angeles/California Angels. The men in pinstripes are 0-for-2 in playoff series against the Halos this decade, but with the Dynasty Boys on their side, you can never count the Yanks out.

NEW YORK GIANTS: Eli Manning didn't really have to play Sunday against the hapless Oakland Raiders. But the fact that he did sent a powerful message to his teammates and Giants fans everywhere. The fact that he played out of his mind -- that sent a message to the rest of the NFL.

Manning went 8-10 for 173 yards and two touchdowns in a little less than one half of work on his way to a perfect 158.3 passer rating and a 28-0 second-quarter lead. He then handed the reins to backup quarterback David Carr, who added a rushing touchdown of his own in a 44-7 thrashing that said less about the Giants' place among the elite teams in the league and more about the heart of their starting quarterback.

Eli has now started 76 consecutive games, behind only his brother Peyton (181) and octogenarian wonder Brett Favre (274) among active quarterbacks. Say what you want about Archie Manning's handling of his sons, but he definitely imparted a truckload of toughness into Eli and Peyton. Both the Giants and Peyton's Indianapolis Colts know they have a leader who's willing to play banged up, and though you can't measure the tangible effect that has on a football team, you can count the two Super Bowls won by Mannings in the past three years.

The G-Men will learn a lot more about their team next week when they travel to New Orleans to face Drew Brees and the 4-0 Saints. But at least they know what they've got at quarterback.

NEW YORK JETS: The Jets play tonight against the Miami Dolphins, so I'll save my comments for tomorrow. I will say this, though: Man, does Gang Green have an easy schedule! Beat all the teams they're supposed to beat and the Jets go 11-5 without breaking a sweat.

NEW YORK RANGERS: The Blueshirts have shot out of the gate this season and are tied atop the Atlantic Division -- and the NHL -- with eight points in their first five games. After a 3-2 loss to the defending champion Penguins to open the season, the Rangers have won four in a row, including a 3-0 pasting of Anaheim that featured the debut of backup goaltender Steve Valiquette, who dazzled the Madison Square Garden crowd with shutout in his first career appearance. Don't expect starter Henrik Lundqvist to lose his job anytime soon -- he shut down Alex Ovechkin last week -- but Rangers appear to have a competent fill-in.