Jeter not giving up on one last postseason

• Derek Jeter isn%27t giving up on the Yankees%27 playoff hopes despite what looks like long odds.

Derek Jeter doesn't want to retire this month.

The Captain of the Yankees wants to retire next month.

We're talking about playoffs, and a deep run at that.

Just one thing: The Yankees haven't shown the offensive consistency yet to be able to make it and then run far. There are only 21 games left in their regular season, including eight against the soaring Orioles, who have been running away with the East.

The Yankees are trailing Seattle by five games in the race for the second wild card. Detroit and Cleveland are running ahead of the Bronx as well. And Toronto is in a virtual tie with the Yankees.

So is it wishful thinking about the postseason? The Captain of Optimism would never admit that. Jeter isn't surrendering, although even he kind of admits the situation isn't optimal.

"We're still in a position where if we win our games, then we'll be all right," Jeter said. "I like to be in a position where we control some things. I mean, yeah, obviously we're chasing a few teams, but all we can control is winning games. So that's all I'm concerned with now."

Manager Joe Girardi said they're "going to have to win a whole lot" to get there. Eleven of the games are at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees had their final scheduled day off Monday after getting shut out twice in the last three games against Kansas City, including a 2-0 setback Sunday, better known as Derek Jeter Day. They have been blanked five times dating to Aug. 9.

The Yankees are just 3-3 on this nine-game homestand that resumes Tuesday night against Tampa Bay. They are 10-8 since Aug. 21.

Is this any way to chase a playoff ticket?

"Well, it's obviously not the easiest path that we've built for ourselves, but we're going to keep fighting," Chase Headley said. "We've got to take care of our own business. We've got to go out and win games and win series. That's all we can really focus on.

"Obviously we wish it was a different circumstance, but it's not. So we're going to have to play extremely well from here on out. We're capable of doing it. We've just got to come out and put it together."

Comebacks have been known to happen in September. And teams can get hot in the October chill. Just one more thing, though: The Yankees don't have any head-to-head games left with the wild-card contenders currently ahead of them.

"You can't pick up games just by playing them," said David Phelps, who's hoping to come off the disabled list and join the cause as a reliever. "We rely on what they do. But at the same time, as long we win games, hopefully it'll take care of itself."

Extra bases: MLB released its 2015 schedule Monday. The Yankees will open at home against Toronto on April 6. They will play six games against the Mets instead of four — at the Stadium on April 24-26 and at Citi Field on Sept. 18-20.

Twitter: @bheyman99

Yankees remaining schedule

Home (11)

Sept. 9-11 vs. Tampa Bay; Sept. 18-21 vs. Toronto; Sept. 22-25 vs. Baltimore.

Away (10)

Sept. 12-14 at Baltimore (Sept. 12 is a doubleheader); Sept. 15-17 at Tampa Bay; Sept. 26-28 at Boston.