Big benefits to Yankees winning ALCS a day early

Bill Eichenberger, Sporting News NEW YORK — Crisis averted. There will be no 2004-like collapse in the Bronx. The Yankees ended the Angels' ALCS comeback bid with a 5-2 win in Game 6 on Sunday night. The Yankees' focus now shifts to winning their first championship since 2000, while the Phillies will try to be the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 Yankees.   Why wrapping up the ALCS in six games was crucial:  1. CC Sabathia. Instead of burning him in an ALCS Game 7, the Yankees can start their ace on more than a week's rest on Wednesday against Phillies ace Cliff Lee. If the ALCS had gone seven, Sabathia likely wouldn't have pitched until Game 3 of the World Series.  2. Confidence. Any doubt that crept in after the Game 5 loss was exterminated. "The biggest difference is we had players play big in the series," manager Joe Girardi said. "CC, Alex (Rodriguez) and Mariano (Rivera), they all were ...