There is no better time in baseball than the stretch run going into the playoffs, Augst going into September, where contending teams duel each other for the chance to call themselves World Champions, and teams long gone from the playoff hunt get to play spoiler. As the play-by-play voice of the winningest franchise in all of sports, it’s been rare for me to be a part of this excitement, so to have the rest of the league neck-and-neck with the New York Yankees in 2005 is a unqualified pleasure.

Thanks to the Wild Card and the parity brought about through revenue sharing, the excitement of the playoff hunt can be felt all across America. In the National League, no less than five teams are vying for the final playoff spot, while teams under .500 are vying for first place in the west. In the American League, there’s a dogfight between the Mike Scoscia’s scrappy Los Angeles Angels and the surprising A’s of Oakland for first place. Meanwhile, the defending World Series winners, the Boston Red Sox, find their spot atop the AL East in jeopardy as the Yankees fight a war on two fronts. If you’re a fan of baseball, then this time of year is your Garden of Eden, your Nirvana. And no game looms larger in defining the shape and nature of this year’s playoff picture than the game being played tonight between two powerhouse teams. The outcome of this game could determine not only the future of multiple teams for this year, but could also shape the destiny of teams for years to come.

Tonight, at gorgeous Safeco Field, the Yankees and Seattle Mariners find themselves bridging a generation gap, as veteran flamethrower Randy Johnson goes against the young phenom Felix Hernandez. Only 19 years old, Felix Hernandez has quickly become the Mariners’ top starter, as well as a cause celebre throughout the sport. He is 2-1, with an ERA of only 1.75 in 36 innings of work. And he’s only allowed 23 hits and 5 walks in those 36 innings. Granted, he’s faced the struggling Minnesota Twins twice, and beat up on the doormats of professional baseball, the Kansas City Royals, but he’s gotten those hitters out, so he’s done his job. You can’t ask any more from him than that.

Johnson, the Yankees’ prize acquisition during this hectic offseason, hasn’t been as impressive as in years past. Still, Johnson at 80% is better than most pitchers on their best day. At 41 years of age, he still averages almost a K an inning, and has an ERA just over 4.00, which is quite a feat in today’s American League, especially when you have to face lethal hitters like David Ortiz, Sammy Sosa and Shea Hillenbrand multiple times throughout the year. And even when his stuff hasn’t been sharp, his guile and veteran experience allows him to gut through tough outings and give the Yankees a chance to win every single start.

Both the Mariners and Yankees find themselves at a crossroads. Up until last year, the Mariners have been perennial playoff contenders, threatening to win 100 games every year with their combination of great hitting and great pitching, and the exciting presence of Ichiro gives Seattle one of the most exciting players every to play the game. Despite signing sluggers Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson to address their lineup deficiencies, Seattle finds themselves once again looking up at the rest of their division. For them, Felix Hernandez represents a new future. He is their Roger Clemens, their Pedro Martinez, their Andy Pettite. Hernandez is the axle upon which the Mariners’ wheel of fortune turns. As he goes, so will the Mariners. With the Yankees in town, tonight is a chance for Hernandez to show if he has what it takes to bring the Mariners back to the promised land.

This year, with a reloaded pitching staff, one of the best lineups in baseball, and one of the best double play combos in the game with newly acquired Tony Womack taking throws from all-world shortstop Derek Jeter, the Yankees were picked by many to acquire their 27th world title. However, the injury bug came a-callin’, unexpectedly decimating their starting staff and their bullpen, and putting undue pressure on the Yankee hitters to slug their way out of trouble.

But adversity builds character, and this year proved to be no exception. The troubles experienced by Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright and Kevin Brown and Randy Johnson allowed the Yankees to discover what kind of players Aaron Small and Cheng-Ming Wang are. The slow starts by Tony Womack and Bernie Williams gave youngsters like prospect Melky Cabrera and superstar-in-waiting Robinson Cano a strong cup of coffee. And Brian Cashman, one of the best GMs in baseball, hasn’t been standing pat. Al Leiter. Alan Embree. Mark Bellhorn. It’s only fitting that former Yankee nemeses, shunned by their former teams, have come into the pinstriped fold to become a part of the rich historical tapestry that is New York Yankee baseball.

Earlier in the year, many thought New York was done, trailing three teams for the top spot in the East. Now, with just over a month left in the season, they trail the Red Sox by only 2 and a half games, and are in a virtual tie for the wild card. 2005 has been a test of character for this revered franchise, and one more month remains before a final grade can be awarded. Tonight’s game is only one of 162, but what a game it will be!

John Sterling is the longtime radio voice of the New York Yankees, and host of the YES Network’s “Yankeeography” and “Yankees Classics”. He enjoys attending Broadway shows and boasts an extensive knowledge of the lyrics to many American pop standards.