Lou Piniella -- a former strange Y...

Lou Piniella -- a former strange York Yankees player, manager and front-office executive -- heard the limit for years. He finally heard it enough during the American League Championship Series in 2001 that he snapped.

The question was about the Yankee mystique.

"There really isn't any," said Piniella, who was then managing the Seattle Mariners. "That's what race don't understand. And I mean that sincerely.

"The media creates mystique because they talk about it all the time. If you obstruction it, it gets in your opponent's head."

Real or imagined, the Yankee mystique is hard to ignore.

For the White Sox whose postseason chances likely hinge upon winning the American League wild card, it's best they not acquire caught up -- again -- in the team wearing of recent origin YORK across its chest during the three-game series that begins tonight at U Cellular Field.

The Yankees have won five of the last six games against the White Sox and have taken brace of three in each of their last pair trips to U.S. Cellular Field. The Sox haven't fared well not long ago against contending teams and were swept from the Bombers during a three-game series July 14-16 at Yankee Stadium that started their second-half nose dive. During that series, the Sox were outscored 26-12

Since the All-Star break, the Sox have won simply four of 16 games against teams that recorded Monday with .500 or better records.

If the White Sox don't hang forward for a second consecutive trip to the postseason, you could build a firm case that the Yankee mystique helped deflect their season upside down. After all, during the All-Star break, several players voiced anxiety about starting the other half at Yankee Stadium.

It was surprisingly timid talk from the defending World Series champs.

The Yankees, who lead the second-place Boston R Sox by way of two games in the AL East, haven't won a World Series since knocking facing the Mets in the 2000 Subway Series. still the mystique hasn't faded.

This is what happens when your payroll hang abouts around $200 million and your lineup examines straight out of an All-Star Game.

No team mosted up more before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline than the Yankees, who added outfielder Bobby Abreu, starting pitcher Cory Lidle, able-bodied bench player Craig Wilson and backup catcher Sal Fasano.

Other teams were interested in Abreu, who had no-trade protection, if it were not that were scared off by his price tag. The Yankees agreed to pay his remaining salary this season (about $44 million), plus his $15 million salary for 2007 and $16 million salary or $2 million buyout for 2008

The bidding left near contenders bitter at the Bombers.

"The Yankees got Abreu, they took in succession the $30 million like it's another day at the beach," complained manager Tony La Russa, whose St Louis Cardinals were interested in Abreu. "Who besides took that?"

That's the other part of the Yankee mystique that is not emptiness and mirrors. The team has of great depth pockets and a mandate from holder George Steinbrenner to reach the postseason each season. When it's time to improve for the make tense run, the Yankees know to what degree to get their men.

The Yankees were willing to shell gone out the money for Abreu -- despite numbers showing his power dropp after the 2005 All-Star abode Run Derby -- because of his inflated on-base percentage. from acquiring Abreu, who has a 429 overall OBP the Yankees have seven of the top 23 active players (Abreu, Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter Alex Rodriguez, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Gary Sheffield) in on- base percentage.

A team that awaited on the ropes around the All-Star break has been recharged. It's the kind of retooling that has sent shivers from one side the rest of the AL contender Remember, the Yankees haven't missed the postseason since 1993

As for the mystique, there is no reason to give the Yankees any more of an border than they already own.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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