Here is the Yanks schedule and how they have faired this year, head-to-head:

• Sept 1-2, vs. OAK: Yanks are 7-1 against OAK this season and have laid the wood to the A’s the first two games. A four game sweep is a lot to ask for, but it would do wonders for the club.
• Sept 3-5, vs TOR: On the other hand, Toronto has played the Yanks very well this year, owning a 7-5 record against the pinstripes. Very impressive team and showing no signs of rolling over for anyone. Toronto will allow emerging ace Brandon Morrow one more start, vs. NYY of course, before shutting him down for the season.
• Sept 6-8, vs BAL: This concludes an amazingly long homestand and launches the team on a rigorous road trip. And these aren’t your father’s Orioles, either. Not since Sheriff Showalter strolled into town. The Yanks have crushed the O’s this year to the tune of a 10-2 record, though under Showalter, they’re playing much better ball. They finished August 17-10 under Showalter.
• Sept 10-12, @ TEX: Yanks are 4-1 against the Rangers and could face the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs (if the standings remain unchanged). Of course, with Texas, the Yanks get to face lefties: nemesis Cliff Lee and reliever-turned-awesome-starter CJ Wilson. Lee has been rather pedestrian post-ASB, posting a 4.30 ERA and a 2-4 record, but no one here takes their eyes off of him. He’s got a 1-0 record with a 4.11 ERA against the Yanks in 2010. Wilson, on the other hand, hasn’t let the increased workload affect him, amping up in the second half with a 7-0 record and an ERA of 1.99.
• Sept 13-15, @ TB: And the fun begins. At least the team will escape the Texas heat for the air-conditioned (and cowbell-laden) “bliss” of Trop Field. Tampa Bay has beaten the Yanks 6 of 11 games, so it’s as close as they are in the standings. It’s likely that these games will be for playoff seeding rather than make/miss, but that won’t dampen the tenor of these games. The question is, will the Yanks be able to slow the Rays’ running ways? Between poor catching defense and the distractions that seem to wrankle the Yanks pitchers, the Rays could run wild.
• Sept 16-19, @BAL: By the numbers, this appears to be a breather for the Yanks, but it just reeks of a “trap series”, wedged between seven games against the Rays.
• Sept 20-23, vs TB: A four game set, at home. The winner of this series could be in a prime spot to win the division and host the first playoff games rather than get on the road. By this point, this is probably all that will hang in the balance, which is fine by me. Just get in, then worry.
• Sept 24-26, vs BOS: Will it even matter? Of course, Boston would love nothing more than to play the role of spoiler, but at least the games are in our house. The Yanks are 7-5 against Boston this season but are an AL-best 44-22 (.667) at home. Regardless of their finish, I cannot be impressed enough with the way the Sox have stayed in the hunt amidst a gawdawful season of injuries. Pedroia, Youk, Beckett, etc. and the team is still fighting. Very impressive.
• Sept 27-29, @ TOR: By this point, the seedings could be determined, making this a AAA exhibition. But if not, the Jays and the Toronto fans will be more than ready to welcome the Yanks.

The key to September seems to lie in the Yanks ability to capitalize on their current 10 game homestand, of which they are already 2-0. Given that they have won two of every three games at home, taking 7 of these games would be a heckuvaway to start the month. If they indeed take five of the next eight, they would have 87 wins with 22 games left to play. Playing just .500 baseball for the rest of the string would give the team 98 wins. Whether that gives the team the AL East title or not, that would be an impressive year.

If the team plays just .500 from today on, they would wind up with 97 wins.  To match that, Boston has to go 23-7.

However, questions and issues still remain, lingering, looming:

• Andy Pettitte needs to return, healthy and effective. Too much to ask?
• Javy has been very good as of late, out of the bullpen. Can he reclaim his rotation spot?
• Can AJ Burnett recapture the “good AJ” and forget the “very, very bad AJ”?
• Will ARod’s return breath some life into the team? Sure would be nice to see him out there instead of Pena.
• Can Jeter snap this slump and his GIDP-proneness? Two questions, wrapped into one.
• Berkman’s due to return but what does he bring? Enough to make a difference? Enough to bump the white-hot Thames? (probably)
• Whither Granderson?
• Will the Yanks’ catching tandem be able to slow opponents’ running games, even a bit?
• At least the end of the bullpen (Joba, Robertson, Wood and Mo) seem to be well rested.
• Will Ivan Nova continue to impress, B12 shots or not?

Nothing here is a given. No one here is writing off the Sox or discounting any of the Yanks’ opponents. The month is setting up like a run through the gauntlet, again. Last time, the gauntlet won.

This time will be different. Right?