Yankees have no excuses now that AL playoffs are out of Central casting

MILWAUKEE — This is evolving into a playoffs out of Central casting for the Yankees.They have yet to play a game, yet it hardly could be going better.Their October nemesis is out, and what is forming in their way is the division — the AL Central — that they all but have the deed on; such is their ownership (especially recently at this time of year).Yeah, we know: The short-series format makes October a crapshoot.

But at some point that has to become just a crap excuse, particularly this year if the Yankees do not, at minimum, go to their first World Series since 2009.They entered with the best record in the league and, thus, home-field advantage through at least the ALCS — if they survive.Now, the foe that has been in their way, in their heads and under their skin is gone two days into the playoffs.The Astros, despite their home-field edge in the wild-card series, were eliminated by losing two straight to the upstart Tigers.

It means their streak of appearing in the ALCS seven straight years is over.In that run, the Astros went to the World Series three times — in each of those years they defeated the Yankees in the ALCS.If you want to add the 2015 single-game wild card, the teams had faced each other four times in the postseason — and Houston won each.That is a decade of dominance.

Would this year have been different? The Yankees began the season by sweeping the Astros four straight at Minute Maid Park and went 6-1 overall against Houston.But the season series ended May 9.

The Astros were 13-24, better in the AL than just the White Sox en route to Chicago’s historic year of losing.From there onward, the Astros were an MLB-best 75-49.If they were looming in the ALCS awaiting the Yanks again, was what happened in March, April and May really going to matter over what has happened in all these recent Octobers?Now, the Yankees do not have to face down those ghosts.And it is not just that the Astros are out — as huge as that is.

It is who is in.With...