I think there's been way too much Mets coverage lately and I would like to fix that.

As the Mets were heading to the west coast and firing their manager and coaches, the Yankees lost their ace, and have quietly won seven straight.

Joba Chamberlain pitched 5.2 innings in his fourth big league start. He recorded a career-high nine strikeouts and threw 100 pitches. He was able to get out of big jams and keep his composure as he helped the Yanks to victory.

It was a pretty quiet afternoon in the Bronx. Not much going on except for Joba-Mania. The offense did just enough to secure a win. What was interesting to note in this game, is that the Yankees managed to steal four bases. Derek Jeter led off the sixth inning with a base hit then promptly stole second. He then took third base on a grounder and eventually scored on an Alex Rodriguez single to left. They used small ball to get them an extra run. An extra run that proved to be decisive.

Mariano Rivera pitched for the third consecutive day and recorded his 20th save in as many chances. The bullpen pitched 3.2 innings while striking out six. Three of those went to Rivera. With that being said, in the three-game series against the Padres he struck out 7 of the 9 batters he faced. Wow. How good is this guy? He's been as consistent as anyone has ever been on the mound.

The Yanks continue to ride their hot streak against the National League this weekend as they face the Cincinnati Reds at the Stadium for the first time since the 1976 World Series. That year the Yanks were swept by the Big Red Machine. The Yanks hope for a different outcome this weekend.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Joba Chamberlain, Yankees

One of the things that made the Yankees great over the years was they knew who was playing centerfield. Bernie Williams was their centerfielder and there was no doubt about him. He could run, he could hit and he could field. Ok so he couldn't throw but with all the upside, the throwing aspect of Bernie's game was his only downside. Nowadays Melky Cabrera mans CF. But there's some debate about if he should be the man out there.
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Many people, such as myself are Melky Cabrera fans. I love the guy's arm. When there's a ball hit to him and he's getting ready to try and throw out a runner don't tell me you don't start to get excited. His arm is incredible. His fast start this season mad you wonder can Melky be a top notch CF? Does he have ther power to go along with his arm? He's a decent .280 or .290 hitter. He runs pretty well, he's not slow. But since that quick start this season Melky has cooled off. He's only had three extra base hits in his last 30 games. He's missplayed a few flyballs that have caused a few unearned runs. So shall we ask the question, is Melky Cabrera the Yankees CF of the future? or is he holding that spot warm for highly touted prospect Brett Gardner?

Gardner was selected in the third round of the 2005 draft. Down in the minors everyone is raving about him. He has a career .387 OBP since he started playing in the Yankee organization. He has a .290 average to go along with 141 stolen bases. Now for the stuff that are making people in the organization drool, hrough 60 games he’s tripled his homerun total of the previous two seasons combined. He's slugging .454, 80 points better than his career average. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Now he doesn't have the arm Melky does but those offensive numbers to go along with his speed surely raise the question of who's better suited for CF.

Gardner is only a year older than Cabrera. The Yankees have a good dilemma on their hands. I can see both of these guys running flyballs down in the outfield for years to come. In the near future why not have Melky in left and Gardner in center.

I believe Gardner will one day take over the Yankees CF job because of all the hype we've heard about him. Melky is a solid baseball player. He will improve with time. I can't wait to see them side by side out there. Until then I like Melky in CF but I want to see what Gardner can do at the major league level. Hopefully by the end of the year I'll get to see the future of the Yankees right before my eyes. Who do you think should be playing CF?

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Tags: Baseball, Bernie Williams, Brett Gardner, Melky Cabrera, QUITE FRANKLY, Yankees

Johnny Damon returned last night to Oakland. A place he used to play in 2001. In the last few weeks, Damon has returned to being "Johnny Damon". He's playing the way he is know for, being an offensive sparkplug.

His batting average has gone from .265 to .325 in his recent surge. That placed him third in the American League at the start of play last night. His OBP is .392, a stat that is very important now that Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada are back in the lineup.

"Last year, I wasn't healthy for at least 100 games," Damon said last night before the Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1. "You could definitely tell. But things have gone OK so far this year."

He's also growing a mustache. Jason Giambi has been sporting it and has seen his numbers go up as well. Maybe there is something to the 'stache. Damon has also been very vocal about the team's moves and inconsistent play.

"We've had some great comebacks the last couple of days. You think it would help us out the next day and it hasn't. We haven't been able to build off the momentum. There's a lot we need to figure out.
We definitely think we can get on a run. But we need to do it now. Last year was just an amazing comeback that we had," he said. "But with our division being tougher, that's going to be tougher to do."

I agree. I feel like Damon is speaking for the fans. Damon is addressing a lot of issues that Yankee fans want answers to. Joba's move to the rotation and the inconsistent play are some prime examples. I hope his teammates are listening to him and will respond with playing well on the field. Last season when Posada questioned the heart of the team and they responded. Let's see if Damon's recent "rants" lead to any change in play. Let's hope so.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Yankees

Joba Chamberlain is expected to be the ace of the Yankees staff one day. The shut down kind of ace that Boston had last year with Josh Beckett. He's expected to send the Yanks to the promise land on the strength of his blazing fastball and sweeping slider. Right now, he's expected to reach his pitch limit and get himself mentally prepared for a starter's role in the majors.


After his first start, Joba admitted to having some nerves about his first major league start. That could explain his 38 pitch first inning. It resulted him lasted only into the third inning. On Sunday Joba got into the fifth. Chamberlain allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits. He walked one while striking out five. He threw 78 pitches (53 strikes).

"I think he went out with the intention of being aggressive and getting some quick outs," Joe Girardi said. "He was real aggressive Sunday with his fastball, which I love."

The difference between Tuesday's start and yesterday's start raise more questions to the debate of Joba as a starter. His next outing is going to be Friday against the Houston Astros. His pitch limit in that game will be about 90-95. After that you think he would be able to go as far as he allows himself to go. The Yanks will get a better idea of how Hoba will be as a starter when he's able to pitch with no restrictions (surely they won't let him get to 120 pitches either on any start but you know what I mean).

"It's good to see it's going up, going up and going up," Chamberlain said of the well-publicized calculations. "Hopefully after one or two more, it will just be, 'Go out there and wherever it falls, whether it's 50, 80 or 140, go out there and do everything you can.' "

It'll be interesting to see how he responds to the increased workload. It'll be interesting to see how he fares against teams he faces a second and third time around. He has the stuff to be a good starter. An ace? I dont think you can determine that just yet, without seeing him pitch in pressure situations (ones where he can't use his 100 mph fastball most of the time).

If he Yanks can find a guy to fill the set-up role that Joba left, then it makes the move to the rotation even better and strengthen the team overall. Yes I stated the obvious, but the Yanks have not perforned to the level we have expected them to,at this point anything can be viewed as a positive.

Joba's going to be fine. This weekend was a good sign as the Yanks once again fought back and got a come from behind win. Yesterday's win was a team effort. They need more of those type of wins. I like what I'm seeing. I just hope they can be consistent with this.

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Tags: Baseball, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Yankees

The New York Yankees (30-30) start a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals (23-37) at Yankee Stadium tonight. After yesterday's improbable win, the struggling Royals come in at just the right time for the Yanks to feast on. Here are your matchups this weekend.

Tonight - 7:05 p.m., YES
Kyle Davies - RHP (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Darrell Rasner - RHP (3-2, 2.67 ERA) NOTE: Davies served up A-Rod's 500th HR last season.

Tomorrow - 1:05 p.m., YES
Brian Bannister - RHP (5-6, 4.60 ERA) vs. Andy Pettitte - LHP (5-5, 4.21 ERA)

Sunday - 1:05 p.m., YES
Zack Greinke - RHP (5-3, 3.56 ERA) vs. Joba Chamberlain - (1-2, 2.42 ERA)

Monday - 1:05 p.m., YES
Luke Hochevar - RHP (3-5, 5.13 ERA) vs. Mike Mussina - RHP (9-4, 4.01 ERA)

Prediction: Yanks win 3 of 4.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Darell Rasner, Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Joba Chamberlain, Mike Mussina, Robinson Cano, Yankees

Michael Kay said it best when he said "this is the biggest win of the season". No question about it, it surely was.

Chien Ming Wang was awful again and goes winless for the sixth consecutive start. Melky Cabrera didn't help his cause either by dropping a flyball that helped jumpstart the Toronto offense.

Kyle Farnsworth did his usual, give up runs. The Yankees have had many leads this season that have quickly disappeared, something that is occurring too often in my opinion.

But the Yankees fought back. On the day they got Jorge Posada back in the lineup, we saw life from the New York offense. Wilson Betemit slugged his second homerun in as many days and Jason Giambi on a sore foot hit a game winning two-run homerun into the upper deck to send the fans home happy. Yes, the 'stache is working.

Whatever powers that come from the 'stache or the gold thong, Giambi has been hitting the ball well in recent weeks. Today, with two outs and two strikes he hit one far into the afternoon sun. And so as a result, the Yanks are back at .500 and won the series from Toronto.

I, along with many people (Kay and ESPN's Tim Kurkijan) agree that this is the biggest win of the year and this should be the point where this 2008 season takes a turn for the better. It's no coincidence that with Posada back in the lineup, the offense got going. We'll see what the Bombers do from this point forward.

You had to see it coming. In the bottom of the 8th, Johnny Damon (another guy donning the 'stache) almost gave the Yanks the lead. With two outs and runners at second and third Damon drove one out to deep right center where Lyle Overbay made a great catch to save the game. Gotta give Overbay some love for his "web gem."

On the downside of things today, Wang was not himself. It's getting to the point where you have to start wondering what's wrong with the Yankee "ace". Wang says his arm slot is not there and thus causing him to elevate his slider but now having gone six straight outings without a win, something is wrong. If it's an injury, the Yanks will keep that tight lipped. If it's mechanics, then Wang needs to tinker around with them during his bullpen sessions. One would think that Wang's leg injury that had him get an extra day of rest a couple weeks ago is the root of the problem.

I'm no doctor but the Yanks better find out what's wrong with him and find out soon. You're not going to have games like today every fifth day so if Wang is injured, then rest him and have him miss a start if need be. But if Wang continues to struggle like this then the Yanks can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. There's no calavary on the way this year, unless you view free agent David Wells this year's impending savior. Joba's in the rotation now, so now is the time to get it together and win.

Today was a huge win for the Yankees for so many reasons. It's time to build off of it and run with it. Time is ticking...but you have to believe this team is about to hit their stride. I can only assume for now...I just hope they don't make me look bad for being so optimistic.

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Tags: Chien Ming Wang, David Wells, Jason Giambi, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera

It seems as nothing comes easy to the Yankees anymore. Last night the Yanks were on the verge of losing but held tight and pulled out a 7-6 win over the Minnesota Twins in 12 innings.

Chien-Ming Wang didn't look like the ace he was in May as he had another rough outing. You have to wonder if this is something worth some concern. He's is 0-2, 5.67 in his last five starts.

"When he's off, it's not like he gives up 10 or 12 runs," Joe Girardi said. "He's not going to be on his A-game all the time, so you have to give him credit for battling and keeping us in there."

The Yanks came close to falling to defeat a couple times in the extra frames. In the bottom of the 10th Ross Ohlendorf served up a double to Mike Lamb that appeared to being heading out of the park but bounced off the baggie in right field instead. After an intentional walk to Nick Punto, Ohlendorf went right at rookie Carlos Gomez. He struck him out on three pitches.

"He's pretty aggressive," Ohlendorf said. "I felt pretty good about my slider tonight, so I just threw him sliders."

The go-ahead hit came in the top of the 12th, Bobby Abreu singled home Johnny Damon and the Yanks never looked back. For the second straight night the Yankees were looking in the face of defeat but victory prevailed for the Bombers. They have taken the first two games of the four-game wrap-around series against Minnesota.

"Hopefully we're not done," Damon said. "Hopefully we can come out here (today) and put together some more good at-bats. It could have gone either way today, but our bullpen showed its strength and we showed some perseverance. No quit."

Two good wins for New York and good signs. Ohlendorf got himself into and out of trouble by being aggressive. A sure confidence boost for the youngster. They're going to need him this season in big spots and last night was an example of how good this kid can be.

The Yankees have pulled to a game over .500 for the first time since May 4th. Another good sign as it points to the Yanks heading in the right direction. The starting rotation gets a boost from Joba Chamberlain on Tuesday so things are definately looking up in the Bronx.

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Tags: Baseball, Bobby Abreu, Chien Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Ross Ohlendorf, Yankees

The Yankees are showing life. Last night's 13-2 win was their third straight. Another step in the right direction.

Andy Pettitte picked up the win, after going over a month without one. He got support from an offense that is starting to wake up. The Yanks sent 13 men to the plate in the bottom of the 5th inning scoring 8 times.

"This game may have been a turning point," Hideki Matsui said last night after the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 13-2 before a crowd of 52,005 at the Stadium. "We are starting to play well."

This win marks the fourth time the Yanks have beat up on the Mariners this season, all this month and all at Yankee Stadium.

I am liking what I see from the Bombers as of late. Since the debacle on Tuesday night against the Orioles, the Yanks have answered back and answered in a big way. It's no coincidence that since A-Rod's return the Yankees are 3-1. He was deeply missed in the lineup and it shows.

"I think Alex helps everybody, no matter where they are in the lineup," hitting coach Kevin Long said. "When he's around, everything falls into place much easier for us. We're not so dependent on left-handed hitters. We're just a harder team to pitch to, which is what we thought we had in spring training."

The offense got the best of Seattle ace Erik Bedard, a lefty. It was nice to see Shelley Duncan finally get a big hit with his three-run homerun last night. It's also nice to see the Yanks playing with consistency. Solid pitching and an offense that hits can do wonders. With the Mariners in town for two more you have to like the Yankees chance of winning the series. The weather is warming up and so are the New York Yankees.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Hideki Matsui, Joe Girardi, Shelly Duncan, Yankees

Joe Girardi got his money's worth last night in the bottom of the 9th inning and minutes later pulled out a 2-1 win.

Jason Giambi was called out on a pitch by home plate umpire Chris Guccione on a "foul tip." A couple problems with that. The ball didn't appear to hit Giambi's bat and Guccione didn't make the call until Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez pointed it out. That brought Girardi out of the dugout and in the face of the home plate ump. He was then ejected.

"I didn't think it touched him," Girardi said. "Hence I was a little upset..... I wanted to kick something, and I figured that was the best thing. Walls don't work too well. ... I wasn't happy with the explanation."

Before he hit the showers he put on his best Lou Pinella impression by slamming his hat to the ground on two occasions and kicked it for good measures.

"I enjoyed it," Derek Jeter said. "I was hoping he would kick it all the way to the dugout like Piniella. ... Girardi wants to win. He cares a lot. Just because some people may not have seen it, I know he has that in him."

That was the greatest thing I've seen all season. It's excatly what every Yankee fan wanted to see all these years. The crowd went crazy for Girardi's antics. A manager that will fight for his team and do everything he can to protect them. Girardi has done just that and last night was the icing on the cake. Joe Torre was critcized for not showing that type of emotion during his tenure in the Bronx. This is excatly why I thought Girardi would be a perfect fit for the Yanks as manager. Did it fire up the team? Let's hope so.

Robinso Cano provided the exclamation point on the night as he singled home the game winning run. Is that the type of hit that gets Cano going for the rest of the season? Probably.

Ian Kennedy started the game and pitched well. It was his best start of the season. He did give up four walks but he was agressive in the 3rd inning when he was faced with bases loaded and one out. He got out of the jam and his confidence started to rise.

"For me, in recent history, it was a rarity for you to see that," Kennedy said. "But in my past, I've always pretty much come back and have done that."

It was the second consecutive solid outing by a Yankee starter. Now the Seattle Mariners come into town just at the right time. The Yanks swept them earlier in the month and are looking forward to the rematch. The Bombers have their top three pitchers going for them this weekend so it's a chance for the Yankees to right their ship. Last night's win was good for so many reasons, now they just have to keep building off of it.

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Tags: Baseball, Derek Jeter, Ian Kennedy, Jason Giambi, Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Robinson Cano, Yankees

Joe Girardi got his money's worth last night in the bottom of the 9th inning and minutes later pulled out a 2-1 win.Jason Giambi was called out on a pitch by home plate umpire Chris Guccione on a "foul tip." A couple problems with that. The ball didn't appear to hit Giambi's bat and Guccione didn't make the call until Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez pointed it out. That brought Girardi out of the dugout and in the face of the home plate ump. He was then ejected.

"I didn't think it touched him," Girardi said. "Hence I was a little upset..... I wanted to kick something, and I figured that was the best thing. Walls don't work too well. ... I wasn't happy with the explanation."

Ian Kennedy started the game and pitched well. It was his best start of the season. He did give up four walks but he was agressive in the 3rd inning when he was faced with bases loaded and one out. He got out of the jam and his confidence started to rise.

"For me, in recent history, it was a rarity for you to see that," Kennedy said. "But in my past, I've always pretty much come back and have done that."

It was the second consecutive solid outing by a Yankee starter. Now the Seattle Mariners come into town just at the right time. The Yanks swept them earlier in the month and are looking forward to the rematch. The Bombers have their top three pitchers going for them this weekend so it's a chance for the Yankees to right their ship. Last night's win was good for so many reasons, now they just have to keep building off of it.

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Last night Joe Girardi announced to the world that the "process has started" with Joba Chamberlain. To many fans and many critics it was an announcement that has been long overdue. To some, it's a decision in question.

To any Yankee fan, you know wheter Joba pitches from the bullpen or in the starting rotation he's an important piece to the team now and in the future. There's no debate that he will be a starter next season, a season where the Yankees will need valuable arms in the rotation. Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte could be on their last legs in pinstripes this season so the move to the rotation for Joba is logical. The question is wheter the Yanks can win with Joba making this transition in the middle of the season.

Personally, I love Joba in the 8th inning. He comes in and blows away hitters, he ignites the crowd and brings an abundance of energy with him to the mound. He's the perfect set-up guy to Mariano Rivera, and as we've seen in season's past, that role hasbeen shaky (see: Tom Gordon, Kyle Farnsworth Jeff Nelson II). But the idea of getting Chamberlain ready for a starter's role while still in the 'pen is a good idea. He can still prove to be valuable in the late innings,yet work on his arm strength without going to the minors.

The 2009 projected starting rotation looks to be Chien Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and player to be named. Many, myself included would add C.C. Sabathia to that rotation in '09, but that will be up for discussion during the offseason. Wang is a sure thing at the top of the rotation, Hughes, Kennedy and PTN isn't. Joba has four major league ready pitches and they need to utilized. He simply can not be wasted in the pen for the rest of his career. So the process has begun.


I like the way Girardi made the announcement, I felt like a kid in the candy store when i heard it, I got goosebumps. This also does hint at the Yankees going into Year of Transition. It's been a tough year to this point but it can only get better. By the end of the summer one would think Joba's going to be in the rotation following Wang, Pettitte, Moose and Rasner? What happens to Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes? That's a question that can't be answered now, but it's a good problem to have. The only answer that matters now is that Joba is beginning his transformation into a starter.

Debate it all you want, Joba The Starter vs Joba The Set-up Man. But the call has been made. Joba told Girardi, his coaches and team officals that he wants to be a starter and that's what's going to happen. A good 8th inning guy can come along every now and then but a guy of Joba's talent come once in a blue moon so take advantage of the opportunity that is presented before you. Don't second guess the move, embrace it. Before you make your judgement, why don't we wait to see how this plays out, after all the Yankees will never set themselves up for failure and if they think this is the right move, then that's good enough for me.

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Darell Rasner, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Mike Mussina, New Yankee Stadium, Phil Hughes, Yankees

Things aren't right in the Bronx. That comes as no surprise. What does, is the lack of offense coming from the Yankees.

The Yankees lost another game and another series. This loss might be cause for some action. The powers that be, Hank Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman might need to find something to boost this ballclub. In recent years the Yanks have made additions to the ballclub when they felt it was necessary. We've seen them get guys off the free agent market: Aaron Small, Shawn Chacon, Roger Clemens and we've seen them promote within the organization: Chien Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, and Joba Chamberlain.

Each of those moves have proved to be vital in terms of injecting life to a team that lacks the energy a $200 million ballclub should have. Granted, these moves have not led the Yanks to the World Series, but it has led them to the postseason. October baseball is a long way from now but it seems like years away with the way the Yankees have been playing.

12 runs scored in the last 6 games?? Horrid. Losing 8 of 11? Terrible. 20-24? Disappointing. Last place? Embarassing. I think the point was put across. I have said time and time again that the Yanks have been in worse situations ('05 and '07) but those were under different situations. Those were under the calm, cool, and collected Joe Torre. Those teams seemed to have an answer for the slow start. This season is under Joe Girardi, a much more emotional guy. Also, the Yanks had to go on incredible runs to make the playoffs in those years. Robinson Cano had a monster second half. Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada had career years last season and ironically both are out now with injuries.

“It doesn’t matter if people are out. You can bring back Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, other guys have to step up. Every team deals with injuries over the course of the year” said Derek Jeter after Sunday night's 11-2 loss to the Mets.

A-Rod is expected back on Tuesday which will help the offense but he can't do it alone. The Yanks need to find a way to get things going. Darrell Rasner so far has been a nice addition to the team but he's only had 2 starts. The bench has been awful, the bullpen has come back to earth after having a nice stretch and the top guys in the roation Wang and Andy Pettitte are expected to win every game they pitch..that's not possible. Mike Mussina has stepped up nicely recently, let's hope that continues.

So what excatly is the answer for the 2008 Yankees? I wish I knew. I hope Cashman and his crew have a plan or else it's going to be a long and ugly summer.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Chien Ming Wang, Darell Rasner, Derek Jeter, Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera, Mets, Mike Mussina, Yankees

In the wake of the Subway Series, I have a lot of questions going in.

I would have to say that New York is still a baseball city. Just anyone you ask has an opinion on the Mets and Yankees. You don't really get that with the other sports. Everyone in New York knows who Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Jose Reyes, David Wright are. You ask many people who made that Super Bowl saving catch,possibly the best catch ever for the Giants this year and it might take awhile to get an answer. Sure, everyone knows who Eli Manning is...now, but this is still a baseball town. Look around the 'net and you see Met and Yankee blogs and sites all over the place. With that being said, there are a lot of frustrated people out there. Especially those fans who followed the Knicks and Nets during the winter. Now they see the same thing happening with the boys from the Bronx and for the guys from Queens.

Both teams have underachieved this season thus far. This meeting this weekend will put even more pressure on the two teams. The question right now is, who is under the most pressure to win this series?


The logical answer seems to be the Yankees and their $200 million payroll and last place status. Especially after losing three of four to the not-so lowly Rays. But, I believe Willie Randolph and company are in serious trouble if they don't show some life this weekend. They are coming off losing three of four to the lowly Nationals. Word around town is that Willie might not even make it to Monday as Mets skipper. I don't think the guys in the office need to push the panic button this early into the season but for a franchise that is still trying to recover from last Setember's collapse, it seems like the apprioate action.

Johan Santana was thought to be brought in as a savior..I guess his 4-2 record isn't good enough. Andy Pettitte is 3-4 and you don't see Yankee fans going crazy. It's because we trust Pettitte and we know he will work himself out. So does the organization. The Mets need to trust their guys, there's reason for concern, sure but no need to worry. Johan is still going to win 15 or 16 games, he is still going to be what you need him to be. John Maine is pitching like the number 2 guy the Mets need. I'd wait at least until the All-Star break before putting anyone on the hot seat.

In the Bronx, the Yanks haven't hit. The pitching has been there. Ok, so Ian Kennedy wasn't great in his return, but the bullpen has been as good as we've seen in a long time. If the Yankees didn't have their "B-" lineup out there, then it's logical to think that one of Joba Chamberlain's loses and Mariano Rivera's loss could've been avoided. Chien-Ming Wang could be halfway to 16 wins by now, but the offense has slept through the first quarter of the season. No A-Rod and no Posada sure does hurt..but so does Jason Giambi's sub .200 average. Also one thing that manager Joe Girardi needs to stop is the constant changing of the lineups. It's a different lineup every single day. Why? What's the purpose? Leave it alone, be consistent with it. Melky Cabrera comes in and see himself batting, 1st,2nd,6th,8th, and 9th. Why is he all over the lineup? He's either your 1st or 9th hitter. With his new found power, 6th is passable, but that's not his game.

All the nonsense needs to leave the clubhouse too. Get rid of the gold thongs, get rid of the he said-she said stuff and get down to playing baseball. Concentrate on playing the game. A lot is expected of both teams so start giving everyone their money's worth.

This series, which is now a two game series might be benefical to both clubs. Spilit the two games and you're back at square one. The team that loses both games is going to be in trouble and will have to answer a lot of questions. Wait...that happens now. So what excatly do we get out of this series? Both teams are stinking up the town so should we really except great games or should we expect both teams to play up to their capabilties? I hope for the latter. Nontheless, New York is going to be watching this weekend, the country will be watching Sunday Night on ESPN, so I sure hope both teams can put on a show.

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Tags: Baseball, Chien Ming Wang, Eli Manning, Ian Kennedy, Jason Giambi, Joe Girardi, Johan Santana, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Melky Cabrera, Mets, Yankees

The Yankees were hoping to get Alex Rodriguez back this week. Just in time for the Subway Series this weekend but that isn't going to happen.

The MRI A-Rod took showed some progress but it wasn't enought to get him in rehab games like the Yankees had hoped.

“We can’t afford to have him come back for two days then lose him for six weeks,” Girardi said. “We want to have him fully healed.”

Good move by the Yanks here. It's best to play it safe, especially when it comes to A-Rod. You have to be 150% sure that he's healthy enough to play. He's a very big part of this offense so no need to rush him again.

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In other news of importance in Yankeeland now, Ian Kennedy is scheduled to pitch one or two innings tonight in his minor league start. With that being said, in all likely-hood he will make the start on Thursday against the Rays.The move has not been offically announced. I assume that they would have liked Kennedy to do some more work in AAA but Kei Igawa's very unimpressive outing on Friday changed those thoughts. Again, I stress that Igawa should NEVER throw another pitch for the Yankees and that Kennedy could do a better job. I guess Girardi and company agreed.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Kei Igawa, Yankees

Tonight - 7:10 p.m., YES
Andy Pettitte - LHP (3-3, 3.77 ERA) vs. Matt Garza - RHP (1-1, 4.91 ERA)

Tomorrow - 7:10 p.m., YES
Chien-Ming Wang - RHP (6-1, 3.12 ERA) vs. Edwin Jackson - RHP (2-3, 4.04 ERA)

Wednesday - 7:10 p.m., YES
Mike Mussina - RHP (5-3, 4.36 ERA) vs. James Shields - RHP (4-2, 3.14 ERA)

Thursday - 4:10 p.m., YES
TBA vs. Scott Kazmir - LHP (1-1, 2.70 ERA)

Kei Igawa was slated to pitch Wednesday but due to the rain out the Yankees have a couple of options for Thursday. They can pitch Darrell Rasner but one would think that Rasner is going to open up the Subway Series on Friday against the Mets. The Yanks could also go to the minor leagues for options for Thursday's starter.

I can not stomach another Igawa start. I hope Ian Kennedy is back up sooner than later, so we'll have to wait until Joe Girardi talks to his people internally. Let's see if they tell us the plans BEFORE the game starts on Thursday.

The Rays are coming off a series sweep of the Anahiem (not Los Angeles) Angels. They are five games over .500 for the first time in franchise history and find themselves 1.5 games out of first. This will be a tough series for the Yanks but with Pettitte, Wang, and Mussina going in the first three, I like their chances. Thursday's game is up in the air because of the rotation issue and the Rays throw Kazmir. The Yanks always have trouble against lefties. It should be a good series.

Series Prediction: Yanks take 3 of 4.

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Chien Ming Wang, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Kei Igawa, Mike Mussina, Yankees

Good morning to all, here's some of my thoughts on a few topics going on in the New York sports scene.



Yankees streaky play

The Yanks are 19-19 after 38 games.It's amazing to see how this teams goes in spurts of winning three, losing three, winning two, losing two. This has been a result of the inconsistent production by the back end of the rotation and the offense. No Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada to go along with sub .200 hitting from Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano can be best to blame for the .500 play. Cano seems to be coming out of his funk as he quietly has a six-game hitting streak, he plays a big part of the lineup if he's able to get it going.

Darrell Rasner had another good outing yesterday and provided the Yanks with a win. He has accomplished more in his two starts than Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Kei Igawa have combined. He has two wins, the other three...zero. Keep the guy in the rotation as he seems to have the tools to stay with the big club for awhile. It's very important if he can prove to be a reliable starter. Not just for this season but for next year too. There won't be a Mike Mussina or possibly Andy Pettitte come 2009 so his quality pitching proves to be bigger than you think.


D'Antoni to Knicks
Not sure how this will play out at The Garden for Knicks President Donnie Walsh and company but anything is better than Isiah Thomas and his monopoly of control. For a team that needs to focus on defense, hiring an offensive style coach is questionable, but it'll be interesting to see if the Knicks continue to make moves to fit D'Antoni's style. He couldn't do much with the Suns as far as the postseason was concerned, but bringing the Knicks back to respectibilty seems like more of an accomplishment. With that being said, let's see how the players respond to the new coach, assuming there are no drastic changes,


Jefferson Assualt Charges
I happen to believe that Richard Jefferson is a good guy. I find it hard to believe that he choked someone out and I think he side of the story seems to be legit.

"There were no punches thrown. They were saying there was choking. ... This individual doesn't have a scratch on him. There was no mark. There was no blood. There was no anything," Jefferson said. "Obviously, we have a target on our back and it is unfortunate that these people would even do this."

He says that the accuser, Lyle Fox, a 28-year-old South Dakota resident was drunk and was being disrespected. According to police, Fox is still having trouble swallowing and speaking. The police report also has Jefferson yelling "Do you know who I am?"

This story can go either way but the fact that Fox is having trouble speaking and swallowing to this day is a little sketchy to me. The incident took place Janurary 28th. Also, one would think if Jefferson really did choke this guy out, wouldn't this be a big story in Janurary?? Not to mention, have people come forawrd with their accounts of the story siding with Fox? We'll see where this story goes.

Mothers Day

Happy Mother's Day goes out to all the moms out there that make us who we are. Enjoy today with your mother and whoever else is deserving of this special day.

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Tags: Baseball, Basketball, Knicks, Nets, QUITE FRANKLY, Yankees

Kei Igawa is NO GOOD! It's that plain and simple. He gave up six runs on eleven hits in three-plus innings. I'm not sure if Ian Kennedy would've done any better but I'm going to say at least he would've lasted until the fifth inning.

I'm sure many Yankee fans share my frustration. Manager Joe Girardi shared his frustration with the media after the game last night.

"He couldn't get a breaking ball over, whether it was his changeup or slider," Girardi said. "They were basically able to focus in on one pitch. It's not pitching like he's capable of pitching. We need him to pitch with all his weapons."

I'm not sure Igawa has any weapons at all. If anything, the way he pitches you would think he was sent by the other team as a spy. Ok, that's a little far fetched, even for me, but you get the point.

I don't like this guy and I don't like his style. He's afraid to challenge hitters and everything he throws over the plate gets tattooed all over the ballpark. He was a bad investment and I don't think he will ever turn out to be any good. Why GM Brian Cashman didn't send him to the Padres last season is beyond me.

What makes this start even more laughable is that Igawa thought he was ok.

"The result is part of baseball," Igawa said through his interpreter. "It can happen in any game at any time. The next thing I would like to work on is getting more strikeouts."

That's great because he had no strikeouts.

The Yankees made a late inning comeback...or at least tried to. Down 6-2 in the ninth inning, they were able to make it 6-5 and have the tying run at second base and the go-ahead run at first. With Shelley Duncan at the plate, he made solid contact, that at first made you think he might've tied the game but it turned out to just be a flyout to left-center to end the game.

Wilson Betemit was also a guy the Yankees can fault for losing last night's game. He misplayed a few groundballs at third base that led to Detroit's onslaught in the early innings. To be fair, the Yankees couldn't get a hit with runners in scoring position again...until the ninth inning. Too little, too late.

Igawa's turn in the rotation is next Wednesday when the Yanks visit Tampa Bay. Let's keep our fingers crossed Kennedy makes another brilliant start so he can get his spot back. And you thought it couldn't get any worse than Kennedy. Did we forget about Igawa and how awful he is?? Apparently so did the Yankees. One would think they would give another shot on Wednesday but if he bombs, Kennedy will be on his way to the Bronx in a hurry.

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Tags: Baseball, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Kei Igawa, Shelly Duncan, Yankees

Is it possible to see David Wells come back to Yankee Stadium one more time? According to the NY Post,Wells wants to come back and Hank Steinbrenner is a fan of his.

Wells went unsigned over the winter but continues to throw to his son's high school baseball team to keep in shape.

"I'm in shape, I'd just have to fine-tune a couple of things," Wells said. "I'd need a little bit of time, but not much. Physically I feel fine, real good."

David pitched for the Bombers from 1997-98 and 2002-2003. In '98 Wells pitched a perfect game at the Stadium against the Minnesota Twins. He is beloved by most Yankee fans, although David did raise some eyebrows in Yankeeland. He took himself out of Game 4 of the 2003 World Series with a back injury, which forced Joe Torre to put in Jose Contreares in the game for a second consecutive night. That game was lost in extra innings when Torre summoned Jeff Weaver in and he promptly served up the game winning homerun. In 2005, Boomer signed with the rival Boston Red Sox, a move in which he once stated he would never do.

"New York has always been the favorite of all my stops," Wells said. "When I got traded, I was bitter. When they didn't re-sign me, I was bitter, but I know that wasn't the Yankees, everything was Joe Torre. I wasn't one of his boys. I don't think he liked the way I lived my life or that I spoke my mind."

Wells would welcome the idea of pitching under his former catcher Joe Girardi. Hank admits he's given Wells some consideration concerning a return.

"Obviously, he'll always be a Yankee to me," Steinbrenner said. "I've thought about it.....I saw him on TV, and I did think about it when I was watching.You never know," Steinbrenner said. [Wells] hasn't come up in conversation, but I've had so much other [bleep] to deal with lately."

Wells also stated he believes the Yankees have nothing to lose if they were to resign Wells. I agree. He's a lefty with expirence in New York and might still be able to pitch that big game they need. Whether David can prove to be useful in his mid-40's is another story. I don't think he can do much worse than Phil Hughes and his 0-4 9.00 ERA or Ian Kennedy's 0-3 8.37 ERA.

Give the guy a chance, you never know what you might get. I think the Yanks should take advantage of this situation while the time is right. This Wells-Yankee love affair could take on some stem if fill ins Darell Rasner and Kei Igawa struggle in their starts. As I always like to say, stranger things have happened, so the idea of Wells coming back may seem outrageous at first, but think about it...it could very well be what the Yanks need. I would love to see Boomer back, let's see if the door opens for a return to the House That Ruth Built.

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Tags: Baseball, Darell Rasner, David Wells, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Phil Hughes, Yankees

After getting swept by the Detriot Tigers in the middle of the week, the Yankees responded with their own three game sweep of the Seattle Mariners this weekend.

“It’s been kind of streaky,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I’d like to shorten one streak and lengthen another.”

The Yankee offense which was quiet for much of the Detriot series came alive in the recent days. Led by Derek Jeter and his four hit performance on Sunday, the Yanks were able to complete the series sweep with an 8-2 victory at the Stadium. Bobby Abreu also contributed with three hits of his own, Johnny Damon drove in two runs, and the Bombers got back-to-back homeruns from best buds Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano.

The other story in this game was the pitching of Darrell Rasner (1-0). Making his 2008 debut, Rasner pitched well. After giving up a first inning two-run homer to Adrian Beltre, Rasner settled down to pitch six innings, giving up five hits on only the two runs, and struck out four. His performance was much welcomed as he was filling in for the injured Phil Hughes, who has yet to record a win this season and is also on the DL until at least July.

Before Sunday's game the Yanks sent down struggling pitcher Ian Kennedy to Triple-A Scranton to work out his problems. Japanese import Kei Igawa will most likely take Kennedy's spot in the rotation when it presents itself next weekend.

Rasner's performance was the third consecutive start in which a Yankee starter pitched six innings, following Chien-Ming Wang on Friday and Mike Mussina on Saturday.

“Just try to run with this opportunity,” Rasner said. “I think I’m finally getting back in the groove.”

The bullpen was also effective in the victory on Sunday. Ross Ohlendorf, Kyle Farnsworth and Mariano Rivera each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

With the series sweep of Seattle, the Yanks are (17-16) and responded to co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner, who said he was “disappointed” with the season this far on Friday. The Yanks have an off day Monday but are back at it with the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday at the Stadium. The two teams split a four game series last weekend in Cleveland. Andy Pettitte (3-3) goes for the Yanks.

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Bobby Abreu, Chien Ming Wang, Darell Rasner, Derek Jeter, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Kyle Farnsworth, Mariano Rivera, Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Yankees

These are NOT your New York Yankees playing out there. It can't be. They look like the Yankees, but sure aren't playing like them. If you saw last night's 8-4 loss to the Detriot Tigers then you know what I'm talking about.

Ian Kennedy pitched well through the first 2.2 innings, then gave up four runs before he got the final out of the inning. Bobby Abreu misplayed two flyballs that arguably could've been caught. Instead he stumbled and crashed into walls. As a result, the Tigers were all over Kennedy and the Yanks. Kennedy never made it out of the fifth inning. His final line for the night: five hits,four runs and three walks over 4 2/3.

The Yankees offense did little again. Abreu got the Yanks rollin out of the gate with a three run homerun in the first but that was it. They left 11 men on base, 28 for the series. A series that saw the Tigers get their first three game sweep in the Bronx since 1966.

Earlier in the day, it was revealed that Phil Hughes would be out for at least two months with a strain in his rib cage. With him out of the rotation the Yankees need to find a replacement. With Kennedy and his 8.37 ERA in six outings, they also need to find a replacement for him.

"He's still having that inning that he's having a hard time closing out, and he's not giving us the distance that we need," manager Joe Girardi said. "It's frustrating for him and it's frustrating for us. ... We have to talk about it. We don't need a fifth starter as much in May as we did in the month of April. We have to figure out what's the best plan for Ian Kennedy."

Girardi's club is 14-16 and headed in the same direction as last year's team and the 2005 Yanks, down....but not out. Both the '05 and '07 teams made it to the postseason after dreadful starts so there should still be optimism. You could look at the injuries as a reason to justify the record or you could blame all on Hughes and Kennedy. That wouldn't be right because the offense hasn't done much either. The missing links of Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez seem to be the biggest losses. Posada is good at helping a pitching staff, one that needs all the help in the world and Rodriguez is one of the most feared hitters in the game.

The biggest concern is the pitching and after last night's outing where do they go from here?

"I think I've proven I can pitch here in the past," Kennedy said. "I might not be pitching that well now, but it's only my fourth or fifth start. It'll work out sometime."

Sometime needs to be sooner than later...A LOT sooner. If this keeps going on, the question then becomes how desperate are the Yankees going to become? At this rate, we're going to find out very soon.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Bobby Abreu, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Jorge Posada, Phil Hughes, Yankees