Here we are in the middle of Janurary and Spring Training is about a month away. Most of the big moves have already been made this offseason but there is still one big name out there, Johnny Damon. As good as he would fit in the Yankees lineup this year, I still don't see him returning to the Bronx. As for the 2010 Yankees, I think improved from their 2009 World Championship team. Let's see how..

Curtis Grandersen will the Yankees CF in 2010 and he is a defensive and offensive upgrade over Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner. Curtis can give you 30 HRs, 90 RBI (100 depending on what spot in the lineup he's hitting) and 20-30 steals. He also is a solid defender and while he doesn't quite have the arm Melky has, he does a good one. Melky was traded to Atlanta in the offseason but he's best suited to be a fourth outfielder. It'll be interesting to see how he does with the Braves.

Javier Vazquez was acquired in the afermentioned Melky Cabrera trade with Atlanta. Javy had a nice first half with the Yanks in 2004 but it ultimately ended in disaster in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS when he came out of the bullpen and Damon hit the first pitch Vazquez threw for a grand slam, thus cementing the historic Yankee collapse that season. He is a strong option for a fourth starter replacing Andy Pettitte's spot in the rotation. Pettitte will take the number three spot in the rotation replacing Chien-Ming Wang's spot. The pressure will still be there for Vazquez to perform but with CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Pettitte ahead of him in the rotation, the lights might not be so bright for him this time around. He essentially is replacing Wang on the roster and if the Yanks won without Wang, they can certainly win with Javy being a solid pitcher and winnning around 12 games.

The losses of Damon and Hideki Matsui will hurt the Yankees as they are losing a lot of offensive production but Grandersen and Nick Johnson can help fill most, if not all that void. Vazquez as the projected fourth starter gives the Yankees one of the best rotations in baseball.

So are the 2010 Yankees better than the 2009 Yankees that won the title on November 4th? It's debatable, but I think so. Of course, the season will have to be played to get the answer to that. Until then, the Yankees are STILL the World Champs of baseball!

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Brett Gardner, CC Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, Curtis Gandersen, Hideki Matsui, Javier Vazquez, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Johnson, Yankees

The question in Yankeeland is what do the Yankees do with left field for 2010? The answer might not be what most Yankee fans want to hear. It's going to be a small move, like a Reed Johnson or staying with Brett Gardner. That means no Matt Holliday or Johnny Damon.

I would love to see Damon back in pinstripes but his asking price is just to high, even for the Yankees. GM Brian Cashman has made it known to everyone over the last couple years that he wants to get the Yankees younger and more athletic. Re-signing Damon goes against both. Damon is 35 and isn't getting any younger. His health, isn't getting any better and he most certainly would be more of a DH at this stage of his career than a LF. He started out as the Yankees CF in 2006 but because of his declining skills on the field and health issues, he became a LF, now he's a DH. The big thing against Johnny is his asking price of 3 years and $12 million per. Not an area the Yankees want to explore. With the addition of Nick Johnson at DH and no. 2 spot in the lineup, that all likely spells the end of Johnny in pinstripes.

Matt Holliday is a good player, but he wants Teixeria money ($18 million per year), not happening in the Bronx. The Yankees in my opinion have improved their roster from the final out of Game 6 of the World Series, so how much better can Holliday make the world champs? He would be a luxury, not a necessity. I expect him to re-sign with St. Louis.

That leaves Brett Gardner in LF. The Yankees won in the 90's and 2000 with players like Chad Curtis, Shane Spencer, Clay Bellinger, and Tim Raines. They have an All-Star at almost every position so I'd say give Gardner a chance to play a full season out there. If he struggles or gets hurt then you can make a move accordingly, but until then, Brett Gardner will be your Opening Day LF in 2010, I can't see it being any other way.

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Tags: Baseball, Brett Gardner, Brian Cashman, Johnny Damon, Nick Johnson, Yankees

The Curtis Granderson trade is a good move for the Yankees. At least I wasn't so sure, mainly because of his sub .200 average against lefties but the more I think about it, the more I like the move.

With Granderson's arrival, two of the Yankees key 2009 championship contributors are likely not coming back to the Bronx. Hideki Matsui for sure isn't coming back because he signed a one-year $6.5 million deal with the Angels and the other, is Johnny Damon.

Damon and his agent Scott Boras are apparently worlds apart on their contract talks and with the Yankees signing Nick Johnson on Friday, it appears Damon's door to return is just about shut.

It's a shame because Damon was a good player in many ways for the Yanks. His personality fit perfectly in the clubhouse. His "diminished" skills were perfect for the no 2 spot in the lineup in 2009. His subpar arm and shaky fielding skills led the Yankees front office to believe he is the perfect DH for the 2010 Yanks. Damon still believes he's one of the best players in the game. I have to disagree Johnny. I guess Johnny will go where the money is. That's a shame because if he agrees to a pay cut and DH's for the Bombers, he is certain to be in the thick of another 1 or 2 championship runs in the Bronx. Only time will tell.

I still want the Yankees to grab another arm for the rotation. I'm not sold on either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes being a solid starter for a defending World Series Champion. Much talk is around Ben Sheets and taking a risk with him. I like that idea, so I hope GM Brian Cashman makes that signing. You can never have enough pitching.

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Tags: Baseball, Brain Cashman, Curtis Ganderson, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Nick Johnson, Phil Hughes, Yankees

Today, we await a game that EVERYONE in New York will be watching. Today, we take in the game we witnessed last night. Today, the New York Yankees can become World Champions.

Last night in Game 4, CC Sabathia took the mound on 3 days rest and he pitched good. He kept us in the game and left in the 7th inning with the lead. Granted Chase Utley hit his 3rd HR of this World Series off of him, but the Yanks still led 4-3. Joba Chamberlain was lights out until that 2 strike pitch to Pedro Feliz. Feliz hit a ball into the left field stands to tie the game at 4, with 2 outs in the 8th. But then, DESTINY made an appearance in the 9th.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge got Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter for the 1st 2 outs, then got to a 1-2 count on Johnny Damon. Damon then put together one of the best Yankee at-bats of the season. He got the count to 3-2 and proceded to foul off pitch after pitch from Lidge. (This sounds alot like Paul O'Neill's at-bat against the Mets' Armando Benitez in Game 1 of the 2000 World Series. That game, because of O'Neill's at-bat, got the rally going for the Yanks to tie the game and eventually win. They later went on to the win the World Series.) Back to Damon, he got a hit to left field. Then stole 2nd and stole 3rd because no one was covering 3rd as a result of the infield shift given to Mark Teixeria. Tex gets hit with a pitch and Alex Rodriguez gets a hit to score Damon and the Yankees took off.

A-Rod has been amazing in the clutch this October and if they are able to finish the Phils off, Alex will be a World Champion. Something that has elluded him his entire career. Now, he is 1 win away from further cementing his legacy. He was brought in to the Bronx in '04 to win a championship every year. Not easy to do, but if the Yanks do win this series, A-Rod will be a BIG reason why.

Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada did their part to help the Yankees win Game 4 last night, just like they've done for the last 4 Yankee World Championships. Is there time for another one? You bet ya!

AJ Burnett takes the ball tonight on 3 days rest with the chance to win the World Series. This is why they shelled out $80 million for him last offseason. CC has held up his end of the agreement, now AJ needs to. If he doesn't, then old reliable Andy Pettitte will be waiting in the wings on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium against Pedro Martinez.

Today, will be the day the Yankees win the World Series. Today, the Yankees become World Champions!

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Philadelphia Phillies, World Series, Yankees

The Yankees are having a homestand for the ages. They have 4 walk-off wins and have had some memorible moments. Who says this Yankee Stadium doesn't have any history?

We saw 3 walk-off wins in a row last weekend. When did you ever see that? A-Rod has been hitting HR's left and right. That's all he's hitting right now but we'll take it. Mark Teixeria is hitting anything and everything. Robinson Cano remembers how he hit in 2007 and so far isn't breaking stride. CC Sabathia is finally the real CC. Melky Cabrera has been money in the clutch. I mean things are clicking on all cylinders now.

What makes this homestand so great is that you can see how the Yankees are finally loosening up. Pies in the face by AJ Burnett, crazy haircuts by Nick Swisher, a WWE Title awarded to the MVP of each game by Johnny Damon. This stuff is great. Where has all this been the last few years. The relaxed Bombers are a fun team to watch. It's been a pleasure to watch. I'm glad to see the chemistry is finally coming along.

The presence of Alex Rodriguez was thought to be sort of a distraction but it hasn't. If anything he was the right man at the right time coming to a team who deseperatly needed him. He's contributing and so is everyone around him. How long is this little run of coolness going to be around the Bombers? I'd say all season but it's going to be one long summer so anything can happen. But remember...the Yankees will get healthier, Jorge Posada, Xavier Nady,and Chein Ming Wang are all expected to reclaim thier roles in the next few weeks. What happens then? Who knows, but for the time being, this is the best team to watch, beacuse if you don't, you're gonna miss something amazing.



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Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Chein-Ming Wang, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Mark Teixeira, Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, Xavier Nady, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

Angels 8
Yankees 4

CC Sabathia looked alright through most of the game but Johnny Damon not being able to handle that fly ball led to the flood gates opening and the Yanks couldn't bounce back like they did Friday night. They added a few runs in the bottom of the 9th but ultimately came up short. Jorge Posada has been looking really good lately as he's been swinging the bat lately, his production last season was missed throughtout the year. Phil Hughes goes this afternoon and tries to top his stellar start in Detriot.


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Tags: Baseball, CC Sabathia, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Los Angeles Angels, Phil Hughes, QuickCap, Yankees

The Yankees are waiting to see what they're going to do with Alex Rodriguez and his hip injury. He could be lost for about 4 months if surgery is required. If that were to happen, the best option to fill Alex's shoes at this point is Cody Ransom. Ransom is no A-Rod by any stretch of the imagination but Johnny Damon says he's a great athlete. The proof is in a video floating around on YouTube showing Ransom's vertical leap of 60 inches, with no running start. That's impressive. Thanks to the age of the internet, you can find anything you want within minutes. With that being said, here's the video of Ransom's awesome leaping ability.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Cody Ransom, Johnny Damon, Spring Training, Yankees

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at the CenterField.

Center Field
The current CF situation is unclear at the moment. As we roll along in Spring Training, we will find out who will be the Opening Day CF. It will either be Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner.

I've discussed this in the past and I went to bat for Melky. My stance hasn't changed since, even with Melky's atrocious 2008. The reason is because he showed last April his potential. He hit 6 HR's in the first month and did as much as anyone to carry the offense. I also like his range in center. But what I like the most is his arm, he has a cannon of an arm that on many occasions have saved the Yanks a few runs. His presence in CF makes runners think twice about taking that extra base, which is important these days. He still has some time to show the Yanks what he can do but his time is running out.

Gardner is a different player in his own right. Think of a scrappy, line drive, speedster. That's how I see Gardner. His downfalls are his arm and the fact he can't get on base often enough to create runs. So far this Spring, he's shown his ability to get on base and cause the opposition some frustration. If he's able to maintain his success over the course of a season then the Yanks have a great weapon in Gardner. Batting 9th would provide the Yanks with their second lead-off hitter and give the guys behind him in the line-up, Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter some at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Nick Swisher could see some time in CF but that would be an unlikely scenario due to the fact he hated playing there in Chicago and he's the 3rd CF on the team.

Chasing800 Prediction:
Melky gets the Opening Day nod because of his prior experience. Although if Gardner has an impressive spring, then Gardner gets the nod, but I'm still sticking with Melky on this one. If Melky doesn't produce right off the bat, look for the Yanks to turn to Gardner and give him a longer leash to work with.

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Tags: 2009 Outlook, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Spring Training, Yankees

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at the Left Field.

Left Field:
Johnny Damon seems as the likely candidate to get most of the playing time in LF. He is entering the last year of a four-year contract that he signed prior to the 2006 season. Last season, Damon proved he was again one of the elite lead-off hitters in the game. His defense in LF is better than average in my opinion and he's better suited there, than he is in CF. His consistency at the plate will keep him in the line-up in some capacity, even if it means he gets a few days at DH.
On the days Damon isn't in LF, Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher will be there. Matsui is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2008 in which he only played 92 games. I'm optimistic in thinking he will have a solid season. Matsui will get the majority of his at-bats at DH because the Yanks want to keep his knees healthy but I believe he will still be a key player for the Bombers this season. Swisher was the starting First Baseman before Mark Teixeria signed in December but he's now been reduced to a part time role, mainly in the outfield. Swisher should provide reliable defense in LF and a decent bat at the bottom of the order when he's playing.

Chasing800 Prediction: Damon has another solid season in LF, in his free agent walk year, I expect him to bat around .315 14 HR 78 RBI. His speed is not what it once was, but I expect around 20-25 steals and to play above average defense. I don't see Matsui getting much time in LF, and I see Swisher being a nice back-up. Yankee fans shouldn't worry about this position because they will get production and defense from whoever is out there.


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Tags: 2009 Outlook, Baseball, Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Spring Training, Yankees

Spring Training is under way and the Yankees are eager to make sure the team is ready for Opening Day. After a week straight of workouts, manager Joe Girardi called for a day off and an afternoon of fun for the Bronx Bombers.

Girardi wants to build a better relationship with his players than he had with them last season and this, was a step in the right direction. He took his guys to play pool. Now this, you don't see everyday. I have to give the manager a round of applause for this. It's a nice way to get the guys to bond and get to know one another off the field and lt loose for an afternoon and not have to go through the everyday stress of baseball.

Here are what some Yankees had to say about Girardi's idea:

Johnny Damon:

"It was a great day. We’ve been at spring training for a week and Joe came up with a great idea to get us together as a team. It was great to break up spring training a bit, get the team together, get some camaraderie there.

“I think everybody had a great time. We got to see who’s been spending too much time at the pool hall and we know the ones that don’t spend enough time in there.

“For Joe to let us take a day off from practice like that, it makes you want to work even harder for him.”

“Camp has been going great so far. We all have been rallying around each other, having a good time in the clubhouse. Today is one of those days that, as a ballplayer, you’ll never forget. I don’t think any team has ever really done this. It’s a day I’ll never forget. It says a lot about Joe. He knows we’ve been working hard and he rewarded us with a day off.”

Mark Teixeria:

"It was great. That was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in spring training in my whole career.”

“I thought it was a great idea. We’ve been working really hard – the pitchers a little bit longer than the position players. We had a good week of practice and we’re going to start games here soon, so I think Joe just wanted to give us some time off.”

“I’ve never have (heard of a team doing something like this), but I think more teams should. This was a great time, great for all of us to get together.”

“There were probably 16-18 pool tables, there were some card tables, we had darts, we had guys playing dominos and we had lunch also. Everyone was just having a good time.”

“It makes you relax and realize that we can have fun off the field. Once we get on the field, it’s business, but we can build some relationships as well.”

“Usually during the season, you get to hang out with guys because we’re always on the same bus or the same plane. Our schedules are identical. In spring training, you don’t go on trips together, the pitchers have different schedules than the hitters and the hitters are in different groups, so there might be a couple guys you don’t get to know at all.”

In case you were wondering, Mariano Rivera won both pool tournaments the Yankees held amongst themselves. Not bad Mo, maybe he has another career lined up after baseball.


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Tags: Baseball, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, Spring Training, Yankees

The Yankees offically introduced CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett on Thursday at the old Yankee Stadium. It was really surreal to see those two men standing next to eachother wearing pinstripes. They were the top of the free agent market and the Yankees were able to get them to commit to the Bronx. It was a good day in Yankeeland.

Brian Cashman deserves a lot of credit for the work he's done. A few notes about the process that Cashman used in getting Sabathia are quite interesting. These notes I found while reading Peter Abraham's Yankees Blog . If you've never visited the site you should, it'll fulfill your every Yankee need and desire.

Cashman had a plan in mind and knew exactly what he was doing all along. In acquiring Santana the Yankees would've had to surrender Phil Hughes and throw an insane amount of money at Johan. Remember when Cashman was hesitant to make the move, everyone thought he was crazy. With Sabathia, he only had to throw the insane amount of money. Turned out to be the right move, as the Yankees kept their most prized pitcher. Here are some other notes in the CC Sabathia Recruiting Process:

• The Damons spent their first two years with the Yanks living in Manhattan, but then moved to the New Jersey suburbs, and Michelle Damon sold Amber Sabathia on the suburban life. “She said you’re going to love it,” Amber said. “The schools are good, the pediatricians are good, the supermarkets are good – it’s like a nice little place to live.”
• At the final meeting Cashman and Sabathia had at Sabathia’s California home, Cashman laid out exactly how long Sabathia had been on the Yankees’ radar. He told Sabathia and his agents how the Yankees had been targeting him for over a year and explained the entire process behind their decision, in hopes it would show how committed the Yankees were to Sabathia. “Ten minutes after he left, I called him to tell him I’m in,” Sabathia said. “That really meant a lot to me.”

In recruiting Burnett, Johnny Damon also played a part in the process by calling the big righty. Derek Jeter also called AJ. I think once Sabathia agreed to come to the Bronx that it would get another big free agent pitcher to come here too. The group of Burnett, Derek Lowe, and Ben Sheets you knew one of them was going to follow CC to the Bronx. There was even a point where some thought, myself included that the Yankees could very well sign all of them (that is still a possibility albeit an unlikely one). The Yankees in my opinion got the two best options and that's quite alright with me.

However you want to look at it, the Yankees did what they set ouot to do this winter, get starting pitching. Whether these guys work out in the end or not, Cashman did his job and filled the biggest needs of the team. If he doesn't get CC or AJ then everyone is calling for his head just like last winter. Good work Brian, I commend the work you've done this offseason. I've said it many times, he's the best GM in the game and that's not because he has an open checkbook to work with, it's because he lays out a plan before it's a thought in most people's minds. He's the right man for the job and he got the right men to fix the Yankees. Now all we need is for Andy Pettitte to re-sign and we're ready to go.

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Brain Cashman, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Derek Lowe, Johan Santana, Johnny Damon, Phil Hughes, Yankees

20 games to go, 7.5 games out of the wild card and the Yankees still think they have a shot at making the postseason. That shipped has sailed. The season ended the night Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedoria hit a grand slam to break open a "close" game. At the end of that grand slam Jonathan Papelbon stood with his arms opened as if he stood there in victory. Boy was he right. The Yankees haven't recovered from that onslaught.

As a Yankee fan I am ashamed of this team. Such promise and so talented, injuries or no injuries, they still had the pieces to make this thing interesting down to the last day but I feel like most of the team has given up. A-Rod can't hit the clutch again, Cano makes dumb mistakes a player of his caliber shouldn't be making, Jeter isn't himself this year, Pettitte seems to be down to his last few breaths, Melky Cabrera should be playing in some Independent League, Giambi is all or nothing, Veras is no modern day Jeff Nelson, Ramirez is no modern day Ramiro Mendoza. I've had enough of Girardi and his positive outlooks. That's not what he was brought here for. He was brought here to institute passion into the players who essentially need a good kick in their rear. Cano cost the Yankees a game last week by being nonchalant and when asked about it you compare him to being as smooth as Roberto Alomar?! Are you serious? I guess he was talking about the Roberto Alomar that couldn't buy a hit in his last days as a Met. That kind of stuff gets me pi***d.

Then you get quotes like:

"We're not out of it yet, All we can do is go out there and play hard." - Johnny Damon

"I look at this team and I look at our lineup and I feel like this team should win....I feel like this team should beat up on people. That's how I feel." - Andy Pettitte

“How many games do we have left?” Told there were 22, Rodriguez’s eyes grew wide and he muttered an expletive. “You have to do what you can do,” he said. “We have to take it one game at a time and look up after 15 games and see where we stand. Crazier things have happened.” - Alex Rodriguez

I mean why is there a sense of urgency now and why wasn't there any in August? I have to question the leadership of this team. They're in crisis mode now and need to win now at any costs. The Rockies did it last year, so did the Phillies. So you can't tell me the almighty New York Yankees can't make miracles happen. It just seems unlikely. What a shame. The Yankees will go home on September 28th once the final out is made in Fenway Park. Money can't buy you happiness or a championship these days. Not only that but now it doesn't even buy you a pass to the postseason. That's pathetic. 20 games to go, 10 more at the Stadium, why bother playing themnd ? Oh yea, it's the last year of Yankee Stadium, apparently the memo never got to the Yanks. Instead of playing for a championship to close out the most historic stadium of all time, they're closing it out against the Batimore Orioles on ESPN, oh joy, what excitement, I can't wait!

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Yankees

The Yankees took out their brooms yesterday in Baltimore as they completed a 3 game sweep of the Orioles. It got a scary towards the end in the ninth as the O's had the tying run on 3rd base with two outs but Mariano Rivera struck out Nick Markakis to end the game.

Robinson Cano went 4-for-5 with a HR,two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. He hit the go-ahead HR in tghe top of the 7th to break a 7-7 tie. Cano called it the biggest hit of the season for him. Johnny Damon added a 3-run HR while Bobby Abreu added three hits.

“Being able to sweep Baltimore definitely puts us in a much better situation against Boston,” Damon said.

Boston comes into town on Tuesday to start a huge three game series with the Bombers. Their lead on the Yanks is five games in the wild card.

The Yanks blew a five run lead in this game. Yesterday's starter Darrell Rasner had his shortest outing of the year: 3 1/3 innings, eight hits, five runs allowed (three earned). It was a sharp contrast to his last outing in Toronto on Tuesday against the Blue Jays where he went into the seventh and gave up only one run on three hits.

Rivera entered the game in the eigth and was asked to get a four out save. Rivera up for the challenge excelled in making manager Joe Girardi pleased with his decision to bring in his closer early. With two oouts in the ninth Rivera walked Brian Roberts on four pitches. Roberts then stole second and an erratic throw by Pudge Rodriguez led to Roberts also taking third base on the play. With the tying run 90 feet away Rivera caught the outside corner on Markakis and the Yanks were on their way home with a sweep. It was their first road sweep of the season.

The Yanks have Monday off before their big series with the Red Sox. Let's see if the momentum stays with the Bombers against Boston.

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Tags: Baseball, Bobby Abreu, Darell Rasner, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano, Yankees

You know some things just boggle the mind no matter how hard you try to understand it? Last night Joe Girardi did a mind boggling thing. He sat down Johnny Damon in favor of Justin Christian. Yes, you read that right. Why he would make such a move when the Yankees DESEPERATLY need a win? Especially against a team that they need to pass in order to gain control of the wild card.

Girardi's explanation:

“The turf sometimes can beat up his body,” Girardi said before the game. “We’ve got three days in a row with a short turnaround on Wednesday.”

His replacement Christian, went 0 for 4. Girardi then added this to reassure all of us why sitting Damon, who leads the American League in hitting was the right move to make..

“It’s tough, but the other thing you have to deal with is Johnny’s shoulder’s banged up,” Girardi said. “There’s a lot of things that go on that make the lineup the way we want to. That’s what I chose to do.”

Interesting. I'm speechless. If I was the manager of the Yankees, I'd have Damon out there until his arm fell off, even then I would still have him at DH if he could swing a bat. 43 games remain and the Yanks are now 5 out of the wild card. This ship is sinking and sinking fast, at this point you need to do whatever it takes to win. So what if Damon if a lefty and the opposition throws a lefty to the mound, who cares if you play 3 games in a row with the last game being a quick turnaround?? Who cares?! You must win now. At all costs. There is no excuse for this move.

Once again, the Yankees lost and that's now 4 in a row and 11 of thier last 16. The Titanic that is the New York Yankees are starting to sink as we speak, it seems it's only a matter of time before it's all over. I hope this season turns arounds quick, it has to...doesn't it?

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Tags: Baseball, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Justin Christian, 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

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

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

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

The first series of the season is over and for the Yankees, it was a good one.

The Yanks defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Thursday night. Phil Hughes looked good in six innings of work while manager Joe Girardi played small ball in order to pick up his second win of the year.

In the bottom of the 8th, Melky Cabrera led off with a single to right, then Johnny Damon pulled off a sac bunt but since Toronto reliever Scott Downs couldn't hold on to the ball, Damon was safe at first as a result of the error. Next up was Derek Jeter who also bunted and got Cabrera and Damon into scoring position. Bobby Abreu wasted little time as he got a bloop single to score the eventual winning run.

Hughes allowed two runs on four hits in six innings of work to go along with four strikeouts. Not a bad outing for the 21-year old Hughes. His curveball seemed to dance all over the strikezone tonight, a good sign indeed

.“Phil Hughes was ready when he got to camp, and he wanted to grab a hold of this role,” Girardi said

The Yanks also got to use Joba Chamberlain in the 8th and Mariano Rivera in the 9th to secure the win as they did Opening Night. The Blue Jays had the tying run on third base but Rivera struck out the final batter to win the game for New York.

Next up for the Yanks, the Tampa Bay Rays for a four game series. Let's not forget the fireworks these two teams set off in Spring Training, so this series should be something to watch.

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

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Tags: Baseball, Bobby Abreu, Derek Jeter, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, Mariano Rivera, Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Yankees