ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting the Yankees are close to a deal that will bring back Andy Pettitte to the Bronx. The deal is a 1 year deal at a $6 million base salary with another $6 million offered in incentives. This could make the deal worth $12 million.

Pettitte will be the 4th or 5th starter for the Yankees this season. The move will now give the Yankees the best rotation in baseball and gives them the pitching depth they lacked last season. Youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy will be the 6th and 7th starters if any of the starting 5 go down due to innjury. It's certainly a move the Yanks needed to make. I'll have more throughout the day as more details become available.

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Yankees

This 10-game road trip has been a disaster for the Yankees. They are 2-5 through the first 7 games, they have lost 3 games in the AL East to Tampa and 1.5 to Boston in the wild card. Not to mention, they lost their ace-to-be Joba Chamberlain.

What's interesting to note is that the Yanks had a lead in each of the 3 games against the Angels this weekend and could not hold any of them. Ian Kennedy got rocked again Friday night and said..

“I felt like I made some good pitches,” he said. “I’m not too upset about it. … What was it, a bunch of singles and three doubles? I’m just not real upset about it. I’m just going to move on and I’ve already done that.”

...wow, did he really say that? That earned him a first class ticket back to AAA Scranton. Good move by the Yankees. He later apologized for those comments, but come on you got to be smarter than that.

Saturday, Dan Giese pitched 6 solid innings giving up only 1 run, but the bullpen blew up thanks in part to an 8-run 8th inning. The first 6 runs came before the Yankees recorded an out. Ouch! Joe Girardi was asked how he felt watching that 8-run 8th unfold...

“What do you think? You think it’s fun watching that crap?” Girardi snapped. “Silly question.”

...I agree.

Sunday, the Yankees were again ahead in the score, but could'nt hold on. This time a baserunning mistake by Alex Rodriguez in the 7th ended a chance at a rally that could've broke a 3-3 tie and a walk by Damaso Marte in the 9th to the 9th place hitter set up the game winning single by Chone Figgins. Those two plays sealed the Yanks' fate this weekend.

"We had a lot of opportunities. We have to blame ourselves," said Abreu, who grounded to second with the infield in and a runner on third in the fifth inning. "I wish I had an explanation. I don't think we understand what's going on."

The Yanks have a chance to redeem themselves with 3 games against the Minnesota Twins. A team they trail in the wild card by 2.5 games. It'll be worth watching to see how the Yankees respond to being swept this weekend in Anaheim. 44 games left to go.


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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Abreu, Chasing 800, Damaso Marte, Dan Giese, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi

Now what I saw yesterday was just down right terrible. The combination of Edwar Ramirez, David Robertson and Jose Veras did their best Kyle Farnsworth impression. They blew a 3-1 lead and most importantly, they blew a solid performance by Dan Giese. That's something the Yanks can not afford to do given their situation. With 45 games to go, the Yanks must win the games their pitchers allow them to win.

During the 8-game winning streak a few weeks ago, everything was clicking on all cylinders. The pitching, the hitting, the bullpen, the defense, the clutch hitting. Now, the Yanks have lost 9 of 14 and are really pushing towards the possibilty of no postseason. While everyone, myself included wait for the Rays to fall on their face, it doesn't appear thats going to happen anytime soon. Time is running out. The past few seasons, this is usually the time the Yankees go and make up their ground and win the games they need to. That's not happening this season. The heart of the team seems to have fallen once Joba Chamberlain went down. Ian Kennedy doesn't seem to be the answer either as he pitched poorly once again. Granted he did face the best team in baseball but nothing in his approach gave you any sense of encouragement for his next start or two. Phil Hughes is on his way back and I hope he becomes "The Franchise" once again and lives up to his expectations.

Expectations need to be met now, the Yankees are always in a win now mode, just look at the trades they made last month. That tells you the Yankees want to win and will do anything they can to do just that. Now, four games out of the wild card, there should be no cause for concern but after seeing the 7th and 8th innings of yesterday's game, there certainly is a lot to worry about. Joe Girardi and his troops have time to turn this around, but the clock is ticking...they better start doing whatever it takes to win. The last winning streak showed what the Bombers are capable of. The loss of Joba put the Yankees down but they're not out. Here's one of my favorite quotes:

"..it ain't about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done." - Rocky Balboa

Yes that is from the last installment of the Rocky series, but there's much truth to it. Rocky was an underdog in most of his fights and eventually came out on top. I realize he lost his last fight in the last movie but he gave it his all. I want the 2008 Yankees to do the same no matter what their situation is. I think it's time for Girardi to be as encouraging as Mickey was for Rocky. Something has to work...but it needs to be done.... time is running out.

Yanks 2nd Half Record: 13-9
My Yanks 2nd Half Prediction: 39-27

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Tags: Baseball, Dan Giese, David Robertson, Edwar Ramirez, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Kyle Farnsworth, Phil Hughes, Yankees

The Yankees are in it to win it this year. All it took was an 8-game winning streak and GM Brian Cashman was ready to make some moves, some serious moves. With Thursday's 4 pm trade deadline looming Cashman seems to be working 24-7. As a result, the Yanks went from being left in the dust to serious heavyweights.

On Wednesday afternoon the Yankees traded reliever Kyle Farnsworth to the Detriot Tigers for Ivan Rodriguez. All I can say is wow. This is an excellent trade and Brian Cashman once again shows why he's one of the smartest men in baseball. This is the second major trade that the Yankees have pulled in less than a week. With less than 24 hours away Cash may have one more trick up his sleeve. Is that going to be Washburn? We'll find out before Thursday's deadline.

It's a great move and came at the right time. It addresses the catching issue that needed to be addressed and it doesn't interfere with Jorge Posada and his surgery. Both I-Rod and Farnsy are in the last year of their contracts and both address needs to their new respective teams. The Tigers need a set-up man with Joel Zumaya injured and Fernando Rodney named the new closer, and the Yanks need a stable catcher because Jose Molina just isn't an everyday player.

Rodriguez will be just as solid as Molina behind the plate but he will give the offense a boost. He batted .295 5 HR 32 RBI this season. An upgrade over Molina's .230 0 HR 11 RBI. Molina is best suited as a back up and his defense is superb so you have to look at this as a win-win situation for the Yanks.

Farnsworth has been on a role of late and became of one Joe Girardi's reliable guys out of the bullpen BUT the main factor in this is....he can't be trusted. In Friday night's 1-0 win in Boston over the Sox, Farnsy came into the game in the 8th, surrendered 2 hits and was immediately taken out for Mariano Rivera. To be fair, Kyle just had a bit of bad luck that night because he wasn't hit hard but Girardi wanted to take no chances of a possible mental breakdown so opted for Rivera to finish off the 8th and eventually the 9th. That move right there should've told you that no matter how good Farnsworth pitches, he can NOT be trusted in big spots. So the move was made, Pudge comes to the Bronx and Farnsy goes to Motown.

Pudge helped the Marlins get to the World Series in 2003 and the Tigers in 2006, both times it was his first season with the team. Let's see if he can bring that success to the Bronx.

With Klye gone from the 'pen, it nows leaves the question of who fills in the late inning roles. The 8th inning set-up job appears to be going to Jose Veras who has become a reliable option in the late innings. Edwar Ramirez will probably be your 7th inning guy. I have to say this is a gutsy move on the Yankees part but I like it. Brian Bruney is rehabbing his injured foot and is slated to rejoin the bullpen in the coming weeks so he could also fill one of the late inning spots if the men in front of him don't perform. With the addition of Demaso Marte last week, the Yankees bullpen is looking good and that will be a key factor down the stretch. The pieces are falling into place now and I like it. With Manny Ramirez apparently on his way to Florida, you got to think that the Yankees have a serious shot at October.

The recent dynastic run of the late '90's was the result of a strong core and a combination of a deep bullpen, good starting pitching, productive offense and a mold of solid all around players. My friends, the Yankees are one trade away from returning to form....a trade that appears to be on it's way tomorrow afternoon. If that doesn't happen, Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Carl Pavano all may make a return before year's end. If you're a Yankees fan, you have to like your chances now....if not, Brian Cashman's got a trick up his sleeve for sure.

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Tags: Baseball, Brain Cashman, Chien Ming Wang, Demaso Marte, Edwar Ramirez, Ian Kennedy, Ivan Rodriguez, Joe Girardi, Jorge Posada, Jose Veras, Kyle Farnsworth, Phil Hughes, Yankees

With the 2008 All-Star game behind us, the second half of the season is upon us. This is where the contenders show their worth and the pretenders fade away. The Yankees have been known as a good second half team over the past few seasons but this might very well be the toughest second half of recent memory.

The Yankees are 51-45 and 5.5 games out of first place. 66 games to go. Now granted this is no reason to be alarmed, BUT do you really think Sidney Ponson is going to continue to pitch effectively throughout the second half? Do you think Richie Sexson will be that much of a help in the lineup? Those two are replacing ace Chien-Ming Wang and slugger Hideki Matsui. Mighty big shoes to fill. How much longer is Mike Mussina going to pitch like its 1999? All of these are BIG questions going into the second half. How about Melky Cabrera in CF? When the heck is he going to hit? Robinson Cano, when does he show us that talent that makes him so untouchable? My friends, I think these Yanks are in serious trouble.

The Yankees were 49-46 after 95 games last season. They ended up winning 94 games. I am a fan and sometimes that alters my thinking of the team and what's realistic but this time, this year I don't see the fight in this team. I don't sense it. I want to believe the Yankees will be playing October baseball but I just don't believe they have it in them. I will admit despite all the injuries (Wang-September, Matsui-Out for the year?, Phil Hughes- September?,Ian Kennedy- ?, A-Rod- 3 weeks, Jorge Posada- 6 weeks, Johnny Damon- a few weeks) the Yanks have done a good job in staying in the race. The Tampa Bay Rays will give the Yanks and Red Sox a run for their money this summer but will eventually fade out. It's the Yanks job to gain ground as the end of the season approaches.

The reason for concern is the .254 hitting with runners in scoring position (heading into last night's game). They hit .293 in similar situations last season.

"It's something that's hard to make sense of," general manager Brian Cashman said. "I have to have belief that these guys will hit because that is what they have done in the past. I have to go on what their track records have been."

But again, this is not Joe Torre's Yankees, it's Joe Girardi's team now. We will now see how much of the last few season was Torre's doing or was it the players? The Bombers have 35 games left on the road, 43 games against teams with a record over .500. Things have to get going now. I've said it all season that I will wait until at least the All-Star break to look at where the Yanks are and what their situation is and what lies ahead of them. Well, at this time, things don't look good in the Bronx. I don't want to count them out just yet, but they're not showing me anything worth believing October baseball is in the future.

In order to reach 94 wins the Yankees will have to go 44-23. It's possible and I hope they do make it. But I predict a 39-27 second half. The result of injuries, inconsistent play and lack of clutch hitting. This will leave them with a 90-72 record. I honestly think even that is a stretch for this team but I'm trying to be as realistic as possibe. The Yanks don't take the divison, the wild card is certainly a possiblity because how many AL teams are going to finish with 90 wins?

"I think we can get it done with the players we have," Derek Jeter said. "There's enough talent on this team to get it done."

Is the captain speaking out of confidence or is he speaking like someone who just happens to always say the right thing?

"It's time for us to get going" Girardi said.

I couldn't agree more. I hope the Yanks prove me wrong.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes, Richie Sexson, Sidney Ponson, 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

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

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

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

Kyle Farnsworth got hit with a three-game suspension yesterday by Major League Baseball. Why? Because he tried to hit Manny Ramirez after Manny hit two shots off of Mike Mussina that night. Last time I checked, that pitch didn't hit Ramirez. If you want to discipline him then fine him, but three-game suspension? That's crazy.

Since 2002 Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez have been plunked a total of 22 times, while Manny and David Ortiz have been hit a total of 3 times. We all know Joe Torre wasn't one to get caught up in beanball wars, but you would have to think this ruling is a little questionable considering the pitch didn't hit the Boston slugger. Joba Chamberlain threw behind Kevin Youkillis and got suspended. That was ok beacuse Joba threw at Youk twice...there's no way the ball slipped out of his hand on two straight pitches.

Now here's how bizarre this suspension is...even Manny himself is questioning the suspension! Yes, you read that right. Manny Ramirez said the suspension is undeserving.

“He doesn’t deserve that,” Ramirez said. “He was trying to protect his player. You know, we hit A-Rod the game before. When you’ve got a guy like that on your team, you’re going to protect him. . . . That’s the way the game is played. You hit one of their guys and they’re going to hit one of yours.”

Now that is something you don't see. A red Sox player siding with a Yankee player. But Manny's right on this one. The suspension will be appealed so let's see how this plays out.

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Ian Kennedy completely bombed last night....again. He only lasted 2 and 2/3 innings thus causing the bullpen more work. He gave up four runs on five hits while allowing five walks. A night after Hughes got lit up again for five runs, Kennedy did no better. At this point in time the Yankees youth movement is NOT working, but it's ok because yesterday I told you why Yankee fans shouldn't worry. Well can these guys at least try and make that statement look somewhat credible? The Hughes-Kennedy duo have combined for an 0-4 start 9.20 ERA in seven starts. Not excatly what the Yanks had in mind this winter when they decided to keep their young guns instead of trading for superstar ace Johan Santana.

The 2005 Yanks started 11-19, the 2007 Yanks started 21-29 and made the playoffs both times. So a 9-10 start for 2008 isn't anything to get alarmed at, especially considering the depth of this rotation. Let the guys in the minors have a shot before moving Joba to the rotation. But someone has to tell Joe Girardi that having Mussina, Kennedy and Hughes following eachother in the rotation is a bad idea. Throw Andy Pettitte in there somewhere, at this rate every time he takes the mound he has to stop a three game losing streak. Alright today is going to be his fourth start of the season but let's hope it doesn't become a habit.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Ian Kennedy, Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Johan Santana, Kyle Farnsworth, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes, Yankees

The struggles for the Yankees continued last night as Phil Hughes picked up his third loss of the season. With the Yanks losing 8-2 in Baltimore last night, it pushes their record to 9-9 on the year.

Over at Peter Abraham's LoHud Yankees Blog, he notes why Yankee fans shouldn't be worried about the team's performance to this point. Here are some highlights:

* The Yankees have played 18 straight days. Kids making shoes in factories in Third World countries don’t work 18 straight days.
* The following players have missed games because of injury: Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada, Jose Molina, Wilson Betemit
* The following players missed games because of suspension: Melky Cabrera, Shelley Duncan.
* The following players have so far forgotten how to hit: Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano.
* The following players have been away to care for critically ill fathers: Joba Chamberlain.
* The following managers missed games because of illness: Joe Girardi.
* Number of games at home: 9
* Number of games on the road: 9
* Number of games when it was warmer than 60 degrees: 5
* Number of new managers: 1
* Number of new coaches: 4
* Number of games against the defending World Champions: 5
* Number of starts by Andy Pettitte: 3 out of 18.
* Number of times Joba and Mo have pitched in the same game: 3

I know it hasn't been typical Yankee baseball this season but as you can see, it's been a little crazy around the team in such a short period of time. Once everyone gets healthy and people settle into their roles on the team then things will start to click. It took until July last year for things to get rolling. Phil Hughes,Ian Kennedy, and Mike Mussina are a combined 1-7 Let's not even go to the E.R.A. because that will just make your head spin.

So far the year of transition is in full effect, just as many people predicted. Hughes looked a lot better last night through the first five innings than he did in previous two starts. He will be better and so will Kennedy. Mussina on the other hand better start finding some tricks up his sleeve or else he won't be around for much longer. Kei Igawa won't be much better. You think the Yankees would've posted more money to sign Matsuzaka last winter if they knew they would be in this position with their pitching? It's worth the thought. But if the struggles continue, Joba will be in the rotation faster than Roger Clemens recieved that check for the pro-rated $28 million he got last year. Speaking of Roger..do you think its possible the Yanks would give him a call this season or is that completly out of the question??

Anything is possible. I would sign Clemens but it would HAVE to be at a salary of about $1 or $2 million. Or do the Yanks make a trade for a stud? Well it's way too early in the season to be asking these questions, so sit back and relax, it's only April. Things have been worse around here, no need to worry....yet.

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Ian Kennedy, Jason Giambi, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano, Shelly Duncan, Yankees

In a new feature here on HSNY is Beyond the Bleachers. It will feature some thoughts from fellow Yankee fans around the Stadium. You will get some news and notes from right outside the right field bleachers on River Ave that are witnessed first hand by yours truly. So let's get on with the show.

Monday: Opening Day (it was suppose to be that way.)
There was much hype surrounding the last Opening Day at this Yankee Stadium but Mother Nature didn't allow there to be a game. Wait..they could've played the game and should've played the game. After months of anticipation the Yankees final home opener was upon us. There's no way a little rain was going to get in the way of this game getting played. They played in snow in '96. But someone decided that it would be better to have the final home opener on Tuesday as opposed to Monday afternoon. I was right outside the Stadium that day, right by Stans bar and heard the voices of every Yankee fan trying to be optimistic. Somehow throughtout the day I became a weatherman as I was asked what the day's forecast was going to be. Had I said it was going to be sunny and 75 degrees by 3:00 pm that day, most people would've believed me. Those had to be the out-of-towners of course. Any New Yorker attending the game that day knew they were going to be in store for a long day.

Business was good anywhere you went that day. I would hope so as it was the final Opening Day in this Yankee Stadium (yes I've decided to jump on the media craze that keeps reminding you of all the FINAL occurences in this Yankee Stadium.) Shirts flew off the tables, hats went off the shelves, beers and hot dogs were in high demand and everyone was happy. Until the game was called that is. It was called as soon as it had stopped raining...go figure. That didn't make too many people happy. I, for one was. That meant I got to go home early and would be able to watch the final home opener from the comfort of my own home. Although the media was everywhere you turned, News 12, NY1, NBC 4,ABC 7, YES, ESPN just to name a few, the game was still called and EVERYONE was told to come back on Tuesday night. Oh joy, what a way to take the fizzle out of the final home opener (that was the last mention of "final", I promise). I was lucky enough to make it on to News 12. I'm not sure but I might've made it on to NBC and YES too but didn't see if my 15 seconds of fame caught new life.

Friday Night: The Tampa Bay Rays

Completly different atmsophere as opposed to what I witnessed Monday. Maybe it was because it was Tampa Bay but com' on the Spring Training stuff didn't get you hyped for this series?? Ehh, I didn't think it would. Maybe it was the fact it was nasty out and 40 degrees. Usually a Friday night game the fans would come in bunches and flock the stores and stands. Not tonight. Dead. As my boss would say, "Power Hour" never came. This would be the hour where everyone got off the train and came straight from work and made it to the Stadium and started to settle into their seats. It never happened last night. And judging by the result of last night's game, I don't think the Yankees showed up either. Even manager Joe Girardi called in sick. Well he did show up for work, he just fell asleep in the office. Man, that's a great job. But on all seriousness, I had a conversation with my boss about how good Joba and Hughes looked so far and how we could see really good things from Kennedy. Boy, did that blow up in our faces. My boss did say he sees Kennedy giving up a lot of homeruns. We also talked about the Yankees new lefty Billy Traber being impressive.

If I had stayed around the whole night last night I would have more to add but I was home before Kennedy hit the showers in the 3rd inning. Maybe I should've started throwing in the Yankees bullpen last night, I probably would've gotten better results than Farnsy and Hawkins. In my opinion by July these guys will be looking for work. Maybe I could get them a spot next to me selling shirts and hats outside the Stadium. They'll probably get booed doing that too. Life in the big city isn't easy. Until next time, that's whats going on BEYOND THE BLEACHERS.

- Any thoughts on this article? Please feel free to leave me your thoughts and any personal expirences you may have at Yankee Stadium this season. I want to hear from you! -

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Tags: Baseball, BEYOND THE BLEACHERS, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Phil Hughes, Yankees

Yesterday at Legends Field, the Yankees and Indians faced off. The starting pitchers were Chien-Ming Wang against C.C. Sabathia respectively, a rematch of Game 1 of last year's Divison Series. Just another Spring Training game to most but to the Yankees and their front office, it was an up close look at a potential ace that could be in pinstripes in 2009 .

It's a subject thats sure to be brought up multiple times over the course of the season. That's because Sabathia is a free agent at year's end and will not have any discussions over a new contract during the season. He has already turned down a four-year $68 million dollar contract extentsion from Cleveland. Sabathia for the time being has his sights set on the upcoming season.

"I'm just thinking about this season right now," Sabathia said after allowing three runs over four innings against the Yankees. "I think we've got a good chance with the team we're bringing back and that's all I'm really focusing on. At the end of the year when everything unfolds, I'll cross that road when I cross it."

At season's end, the Yankees will have around $80 million off their payroll due to expiring contracts (Bobby Abreu, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, Kyle Farnsworth, and Carl Pavano to name a few.) Also, Mussina and Pettitte could call it quits leaving the Yanks with some major shoes to fill in the rotation. Sabathia seems like a good fit. He could be the new ace of a staff that heads into a new era as the Yankees move into the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

Sabathia won the A.L. Cy Young last season compiling a 19-7 record and 3.21 ERA. Although he didn't perform well in the postseason last year, neither did the Yanks current ace Wang. In the event Sabathia does end up in the Bronx next year, it would surely help Wang and the rest of the rotation (Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, and supposedly Joba Chamberlain.) That is a strong young rotation that could lead the Yankees to the promise land for years to come, but for now that's only a thought for the imagination. But that dream could become a reality come 2009..lets see how this unfolds throughout the year. I'll be watching.

(Frank's articles can also be found at HotStoveNewYork)

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, Ian Kennedy, j, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Spring Training, Yankees

I hope yesterday was a preview of things to come this summer for New York baseball. The Mets had their first look at their new ace Johan Santana in game action and he didn't look good. The Yankees had their prized three of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy go in their game against the University of South Florida . The trio combined for five innings only giving up one hit.

"I think it's great for the organization, the scouts, the people who draft and develop," said Joe Girardi. "It's an organization thing that everyone should be proud of."

The world got to see how good these three can be. Ok so they were facing a college team, and it's still early in the spring but you have to be excited about these guys and their seemingly constant successful progression so far this spring. The baseball world, as well as those in New York will be closely watching these guys' every move. That comes along with the territory of playing in the Bronx, but since Yankees GM Brian Cashman was so stern on his stance of not wanting to trade his young talent, the microscope is even bigger on this trio.

Each pitcher seemed to be very attentive of the other's work on the mound as they complimented one another.

"I want Joba's fastball, Ian's change and Joba's slider," Hughes said. "And I'm keeping my curveball." Chamberlain said he'd love to have Kennedy's changeup and Hughes' cool demeanor.
"I'm a very excitable person," Chamberlain said. "Phil can give up a two-run homer or strike out 40 and he's the same. That's something we could all learn from.

Another day has passed and another step has been taken in the right direction. More work has to be done this spring before anyone gets giddy, but for right now it's ok. That's what spring training is all about, and for now, the Yankees are looking alright, which is fine by me.

(Frank's articles can also be found at OnTheBlockNY and HotStoveNewYork.com)

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Tags: Baseball, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Phil Hughes, Spring Training, Yankees

On Monday night, Andy Pettitte informed the Yankees that he has declined his $16 million player option for 2008.

The decision to decline the '08 option doesn't mean Pettitte's time in pinstripes is over.

"He told me specifically this is not about waiting to see what kind of club we have on the field and anything regarding the manager," Yanks GM Brian Cashman said. "He's earned the right to take some more time, as far as we're concerned."

It appears that Andy isn't completely ruling out a return to the Bronx in 2008, but does need some more time to decide. Pettite told KRIV television last week "It probably wouldn't be real honorable for me not to do anything other than if I shut it down, shut it down or go back and play for the New York Yankees."

At the moment the Yankees rotation looks like this: Chein Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Kei Igawa could be placed in the rotation if Pettitte does indeed decide to shut it down. Joba Chamberlain could also be another option in the rotation but his '08 status depends on wheter the Yankees re-sign close Mariano Rivera. If Rivera walks, then it is more than certain that the Yanks will throw Chamberlain in the closer's role.

The offseason of change in the Bronx continues. If Andy does hang it up and go home, it would certainly be a huge blow to the Yankees and their fans. The heart and passion that Pettitte brings will be missed. The last time we sw him, he was leaving with a 1-0 Yankee lead in the 7th inning in Game 2 of the Divison Series. That night we saw Andy Pettitte at his best. Could that have been his last game? According to Andy...only time will tell.

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Chien Ming Wang, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, Yankees