BY KAT O'BRIEN
Newsday.com|
Sept. 7,2008




SEATTLE - Even Alex Rodriguez seems to have realized that the Yankees are not playoff-bound.

After a 5-2 loss to the Mariners Sunday knocked them into fourth place in the American League East, behind the Rays, Red Sox and now the Blue Jays, Rodri.guez was asked about being passed by Toronto.

"Toronto's playing really well," he said. "I'll tell you what, a lot of people should be happy they're not in the playoff race, because they'd be the scariest team, with the 1-2 punch they've got over there with Halladay and Burnett."

But, Alex, if the Blue Jays are ahead of your team, and they're not in the playoff mix, what does that mean about your chances to make the playoffs?

When the question was repeated, pointing out that the .Yankees can't be in the playoff race if the Blue Jays -- ahead of them in the standings -- are not, A-Rod tried to backtrack. "What I'm saying is if Toronto was to get in the playoffs, they would be the scariest team to face, by far, with those two," he said. "I'm not saying anything else."

Rodriguez already said what every Yankee must be thinking deep down,

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