Long ball powers Yankees past Blue Jays

The Yankees hit a lot of homeruns. The actual number, 173, leads all of baseball. The Yankees hit seven against the Blue Jays, en route to a 2-1 series win. And for the first time in my lifetime, the Yankees hit back-to-back homeruns in three consecutive games.

• On Monday, it was Robinson Cano and Jerry Hairston Jr. who went back-to-back in the 4th. Derek Jeter also homered in the 5-4 loss, which snapped the Yankees seven game winning streak.
• Tuesday, with the game tied at five in the eighth inning, it was Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada who went back-to-back as part of a four run frame, as the Yankees won 7-5.
• Today, Johnny Damon (.282 avg, 22 hrs, 67 RBI's) and Cano went back-to-back in the fourth inning, as the Yankees won the rubber match 4-3.

Damon now has five homeruns and eight RBIs in last 9 games. His career high is 24 homeruns, which he accomplished in in his first year with the Yankees back in 2006. I think it's safe to say he will surpass that number this year.

The Yankee lineup is so dangerous because every batter in the order has the ability to hit one out of the park. That is why the Yankees are never out of a game, becuase even if they're losing, they have the ability with one swing of the bat to get right back in it. The 2006 Tigers hold the record with 11 players to finish the year with ten or more homeruns, but the Yankees may seriously challenge that this year.

Having tremendous power in your lineup is also important when you don't get a good outing from your starting pitcher. With the type of power the Yankees have, they can slug their way to a victory even if their starter isn't sharp that day.

Other Notes:

• Chad Gaudin (1-0) made his Yankee debut today, and earned himself the win by pitching a scoreless 10th and 11th inning. He looked sharp, stricking out three and only allowing one hit. Joe Girardi said in the postgame that Gaudin will probably start Sunday's game.
• Jeter had to leave today's game after the second inning after being hit by a pitch on the foot. X-Rays were negative, and hopefully Jeter won't miss any time.
• At 71-43, the Yankees hit their high watermark of the season by going 28 games over .500.
• The Yankees went 6-1 on their seven game homestand, and have the best home record in baseball at 41-18.
• The Bombers head west for a the first seven games of a ten game road trip. They open up a four game series with the Mariners tomorrow, followed by a three game series with the A's.
• C.C Sabathia (12-7 3.76 ERA) will take the mound tomorrow. The lefty comes off his best start of the year, when he shut out the Red Sox in Saturday's 5-0 win. Former Pirate Ian Snell (2-8 5.42 ERA) will start for the Mariners.

(AP Photos/Kathy Willens)

Yankee universe is sweeping the nation

The title should actually be in the past tense - as in, "Yankee universe has swept the nation." That's Red Sox Nation to be specific. But it was four up and four down in the Bronx, as the Yankees completed the four game sweep of their rivals, and now have a commanding 6 1/2 game lead in the AL East. At 69-42, the Yankees can aslo lay claim to having the best record in baseball.

The Yankees dominated the Red Sox with an easy formula - pitching and clutch hitting. Throw game one aside, which was just an offensive explosion. Games two-four however featured dominating pitching from both sides, but it was the Yankees who came up with the timely at-bats.

Game two was one of the best baseball games I have seen in awhile. Game three, while not as nerve wrenching, was equally as intense a ballgame. C.C Sabathia dominated, tossing seven and 2/3 of scoreless ball with nine strikeouts. Then you have last night's game. Andy Pettitte and Jon Lester dueled back and forth, but it was Pettitte who was just a little bit better, as he didn't allow a run in seven innings to Lester's one earned. For a second when Victor Martinez launched a two homerun off of Phil Coke, I thought OK, maybe the Sox get this one. Then Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira hit back-to-back homeruns off of Daniel Bard, and the Yankees retook the lead 3-2.

And how about this Yankee bullpen? I think it is quickly becoming the best in the majors. In Friday's 15th inning marathon, it went 7 and a third, allowed no runs on three hits, and struck out eight. And just how good is Mariano Rivera, who at 39 years old just keeps getting better. He recorded his 32nd save in 33 chances last night, also lowering his ERA to 1.88. He has converted 100 of his last 104 saves dating back to 2007, and hasn't allowed a run since the mid June. With the dominance of Rivera and Phil Hughes, and the versatility of someone like Alfredo Aceves, who can pitch two or three innings if needed, the Yankees are impossible to beat towards the end of the game. The numbers speak for themselves; the Yankees have only lost one game this year when leading after seven innings.

The Yankees get a ton of praise for some of the clutch hits, and specifically homeruns in this series. On Thursday, it was Melky Cabrera and Jorge Posada each hitting three run homeruns in an eight run 4th inning. On Friday night's it was Alex Rodrgriguez's two out, walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 15th that gave the Yankees the win. On Saturday, it was Derek Jeter's opposite field shot to right that extended the Yankee lead to 5-0 in the 8th inning. And finally yesterday, it was Damon and Teixeira hitting back-to-back homeruns in the 8th inning, that allowed the Yankees to retake the lead 3-2. This was the difference in this series, because the Red Sox starting pitching minus Thursday was equally as good as the Yankees. But New York time and time again was able to come up with the clutch hit in late inning situations.

The Yankee pitchers certainly deserve much of the credit, but the Red Sox bats were just awful this series. I mean they just couldn't buy a hit, especially with runners in scoring position. Boston scored just six runs in this series, and went a hideous 3 for 28 with RISP. Their ugly scoreless streak against New York was Boston's longest since a 34-inning stretch from Sept. 1-24, 1952, according to STATS LLC. The Red Sox had beaten New York eight straight times to start the season, but now find themselves limping back to Fenway Park. Boston is on a six-game skid and facing it's largest deficit in the division since Oct. 1, 2006. Even worse, Boston fell to 0-9 since the All-Star break against teams with winning records.

From here, the Yankees have what I would deem an easy ten games against Toronto, Seattle, and Oakland, before they play the Red Sox again in Boston later in the month. The Yankees will send Sergio Mitre (1-0 7.50 ERA) to the mound to open up Blue Jay series tonight. He goes up against Mark Rzepczynski (1-3 3.74 ERA) whom he faced in last Wednesday's 8-4 Yankee win.

So be happy Yankee Universe. Your team has won seven in a row. You have the best record in baseball. You just got a heavy dose of revenge against the Red Sox, and the views have to look nice from the top of the AL East. 0-8 seems like so long ago now. As Andy Pettitte said in last night's postgame, it's all about keeping the pedal to the metal, and the Yankees seemed poised to do that all the way into October.

(AP Photos/Bill Kostroun)

Game One: Yankees

The Yankees finally got off the schnide against the Red Sox tonight, and in a big way - thumping Boston 13-6 for their first win in nine tries this season. It took 3 hours and 45 minutes, but after it was over New York finally could breathe a sigh of relief.

Where to start in this one? The atmosphere before tonight's game was electric, and certainly had a postseason feel to it. But let's talk about the offense, which was great in this game. Thirteen runs on 18 hits is a lot. Johnny Damon went 3 for 5, and hit his third homerun in as many games that tied the game at one in the third inning. The key inning in this game was clearly the fourth. Trailing 3-1, the Yankees knocked starter John Smoltz out of the game, scoring eight runs in the frame. The biggest blow came off the bat of Melky Cabrera, who delivered another big hit for the Yankees with his three run homerun, that gave the Yankees a 5-2 lead. Jorge Posada also hit a three run homerun, and the Yankees led 9-3 going to the fifth.

The Yankees scored two more in the fifth, when Hideki Matsui doubled in two runs. The bombers also scored in the sixth and seventh, the later when Mark Teixeira belted his AL leading 28th homerun. That made the score 13-4. Yankee hitters 6-9 had nine hits tonight with two homeruns and seven RBI's. The bombers also were 6-13 with RISP tonight.

While the offense was cruising, Joba Chamberlain (8-2) was not sharp. Yes he got the win, but he barely made it through his five innings tonight, as he walked a career high seven batters. I give him credit for making pitches when he needed to though. In the fifth, Joba struck out Casey Kotchman and Nick Green with runners on second and third with one out. It was obvious the Red Sox strategy was to take pitches and make Joba labor, and they did a good job of that. Yankee pitchers walked 12 batters tonight. Joba had been electric in his previous three starts before tonight, and as he said in the postgame he is just glad the team got the win. Let's hope he can rebound from this outing next time out. Smoltz (2-5) was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings, sending his ERA to 8.33 for his eight starts this season. It was his most runs allowed since he gave up eight in a no-decision with Atlanta on May 28, 2006, at Wrigley Field.

So it wasn't pretty at times, but what a huge win for Joe Girardi's club to get the monkey off their backs. If the Yankees had lost this game after coming in with a three game winning streak and the favorable pitching matchup, there would have been chaos tomorrow. The newspapers, talk radio, and the fans would all have the same message - the Yankees just cannot beat the Red Sox. In his postgame comments, Girardi was clearly unhappy about the twelve walks, but you could hear the sense of relief in his voice that his club came away with the win. Now the bombers finally erase that sense of desperation against the Red Sox with this win. They can go into the remaining three games of this series lose and confident, knowing that they can finally beat this team.

The win and the offense aside, here's the other good thing that came out of this game: Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, and Mariano Rivera all did not pitch. That means that assuming A.J Burnett can go six innings tomorrow, the Yankees will have their best relievers ready to go out of the bullpen. Hughes was not pitching no matter what today after pitching both games in Toronto, and there was no need to throw Aceves or Rivera for that matter once tonight's game became a blowout. David Robertson, Phil Coke, and Anthony Claggett were able to perform mop up duty tonight to keep the core guys fresh for tomorrow.

With tonights win, the Yankees increased their lead over the Red Sox to 3 1/2 games. They also improved to a season best 24 games over .500 at 66-42. It was also great to see a sellout crowd of 49,005 for the game. Tomorrow night's contest should hopefully be a better pitchers matchup than today. A.J Burnett (10-5 3.89 ERA) and Josh Beckett (13-4 3.27 ERA) square off for the third time this season.

(AP Photos/Kathy Willens and Frank Franklin II)

Yankees wrap up Blue Jays, prepare for showdown with the Sox

For the seventh time in nine tries this season, the Yankees defeated the Blue Jays tonight, with an 8-4 win in the Skydome. With the win, they swept the two game series, and finished a nine game road trip 5-4.

Johnny Damon went 3 for 5 and hit a solo homerun, his 19th, and had three RBI's. Nick Swisher also connected on his 18th homerun of the season, a towering shot to left that tied the game at three in the seventh inning.

Early in this game it looked as if the Yankees would be in trouble. Sergio Mitre was once again awful, allowing three earned runs and ten base runners in four and 1/3 innings. He threw 92 pitches, in what was likely his last start for awhile. The bullpen did a great job tonight bailing Mitre out. Alfredo Aceves came on in relief, and threw two great innings, with the lone blip on the radar a solo homerun he allowed to Marco Scutaro in the seventh. Phil Coke, Phil Hughes, and David Robertson combined for two 2/3 innings of no run ball, with five strikeouts and no walks.

This game was won in the seventh inning, when the Yankees plated four runs against the Blue Jays bullpen. Trailing 3-2, Swisher led off with his bomb to right. Robinson Cano then doubled, and was brought home later off a Hideki Matsui single. Runs three and four came off of back to back singles from Damon and Mark Teixeira.

Damon's homerun came in the ninth, and was very important because it took a save opportunity away from Mariano Rivera, giving him another day to rest before the Red Sox series this weekend. Coke also threw just seven pitches tonight, so assuming Joba can go seven innings tomorrow, Coke would pitch the eighth to setup Rivera in the ninth. Hughes also only threw 25 pitches, so depending on the matchups Girardi may throw him out there for the eighth.

Now for the main event. The Yankees, holders of the best record in the American League (65-42), return home riding a three game win streak to take on their rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Boston has dropped its last two games to Tampa Bay, and come into the series 2 1/2 games behind New York. Here are the matchups for the four game series:

Game one: J. Chamberlain (7-2 3.58 ERA) vs. John Smoltz (2-4 7.12 ERA)
Game two: A.J Burnett (10-5 3.89 ERA) vs. Josh Beckett (13-4 3.27 ERA)
Game three: C.C Sabathia (11-7 3.95 ERA) vs. Clay Buchholz (1-1 6.05 ERA)
Game four: Andy Pettitte (9-6 4.35 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (9-7 3.79 ERA)

The Yankees are 0-8 against the Red Sox this year. It's time for some revenge, and a lot of it. If the Yankees win this series, they get the monkey off their back, and become the favorites to win the pennant. My money says they do, winning three of the four games.

(AP Photo/Frank Gunn)

Back to back and belly to belly

Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira hit back to back homeruns off of Roy Halladay in the eighth inning, as the Yankees defeated the Blue Jays tonight 5-3. The win improves their record to 64-42.

The Yankees never trailed in this one, scoring twice in the first inning off a Alex Rodriguez double, and a Kevin Millar error. The Blue Jays got one back in the fourth when Alex Rios hit a sac fly, but then Damon (18th) and Teixeira (27th) did their damage in the eighth, making it a 4-1 game. The Jays scored twice more in the eighth when Vernon Wells doubled off of Mariano Rivera, making it a 4-3 game. However Hideki Matsui hit a homerun off Halladay in the top of the ninth, providing a much needed insurance run.

Andy Pettitte (9-6) won for the first time in six starts. The lefty allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struggled with his control tonight by walking four batters, but struck out six and got two double plays. He left with runners at first and second in the seventh but Phil Hughes came on and struck out Jose Bautista. Hughes gave up two singles to begin the eighth, then struck out two batters before being replaced by Rivera, who picked up his 31st save in 32 chances. He hasn't surrendered a run since the beginning of June.

Halladay (11-5) was the hardluck loser in this one. He came into this game 16-5 all time against the bombers. He went this distance in this one, and despite allowing the three homeruns showed great control by not walking a batter and striking out five. He still gets my vote for AL Cy Young.

The Yankees finish this two game series in Toronto tomorrow, before the big four game series with the Red Sox this weekend. The contest won't be the pitcher's matchup that tonight was. Sergio Mitre (1-0 7.90 ERA), who got shelled for five runs in three innings against the White Sox last Friday gets the start. He will be opposed by rookie 23 year old Marc Rzepczynski (1-2 3.35 ERA).

This was a good win for the Yankees, who have rebounded nicely after three straight loses to the White Sox to win on Sunday, and now beat Roy Halladay tonight. All systems seem set to go for the four game series against the Red Sox this weekend. I'm expecting a great series, and hopefully the Yankees are ready to extract some much sought after revenge against their rivals.

For the full boxscore of this game, click here.
(AP Photo/Chris Young)

The Melk Man Delivers

For the first time in fourteen years, a Yankee player hit for the cycle. No it wasn't Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter, but 24 year old outfielder Melky Cabrera. Melky's career day helped the Yankees beat the White Sox 8-5, and they leave Chicago with at least one win in their four game series.

Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the second to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead, doubled in the fourth and chased Mark Buehrle (11-5) with an RBI single in the fifth. He then tripled to right leading off the ninth against Scott Linebrink, driving the ball over Jermaine Dye's head, and motoring around second before sliding safely into third. The cycle was the first by a Yankee since Tony Fernandez did it against Oakland on Sept. 3, 1995.

I'm very happy for Melky, who at .292, 10 homeruns, and 40 RBI's is having his best season in his fourth year with the Yankees. Yes he is only a fourth outfielder, but he has been an integral part of the Yankees success this year, with a number of big hits in late inning situations. He was the subject of trade rumours two years ago in the Johan Santana sweepstakes, but Brian Cashman decided to hold onto the switch-hitter. Melky has been working very hard this year with hitting coach Kevin Long on batting from the right side. The work is paying dividends, as Melky is batting .284 righty, as opposed to a career .252 average coming into the season.

Melky's career day isn't the only thing to take away from this game. Each Yankee starter had a hit, including two from Jeter, Nick Swisher, and newcomer Jerry Hairston Jr., who also played a nice third base today with Rodriguez the DH. Yankee fans also have to like that after blowing a 3-0 lead to go down 4-3 in the third, the Yankees responded with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings respectively.

This game never turned into the pitcher's duel that it seemed it would be between Buehrle and C.C Sabathia. Staked to the early lead after Cabrera's 10th homer, Sabathia quickly gave it back in a four-run third when Jermaine Dye hit a two-run shot and Jim Thome followed with his 559th home run. He battled though, tossing seven innings of five run ball with five strikeouts and no walks. He earned the win, his team leading 11th of the season. Buehrle was far from effective let alone perfect in his first start at U.S. Cellular Field since that perfect game against Tampa Bay on July 23. This time, he allowed seven runs and 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings after teasing another historic performance in his previous start against Minnesota. Mariano Rivera picked up his 30th save in 31 chances. Mo has been unconscious lately - he hasn't allowed a run since June 12th. At 39 years old, there is still no question Rivera is still the best closer in baseball.

The Yankees unfortuantely do not gain any ground with this win. With a final score that looked like a football game, the Red Sox defeated the Orioles 18-10, to remain a 1/2 game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. For the first time since the All-Star Break, New York has a day off tomorrow, before going to Toronto for two on Tuesday. That game features a great pitcher's matchup between Andy Pettitte (8-6), and ace Roy Halladay (11-4).

(AP Photos/Nam Y. Huh)

What happens in Chicago, stays in Chicago...

...or let's hope so for the Yankees sake. With today's 14-4 loss in the Windy City, New York has now lost the first three games of this four game set with the White Sox, and they have looked bad doing so. In the three games, the Yanks have gotten outscored 27-11. This after coming out of the All-Star Break having won 11 of 13 games.

On Thursday night, the Yankees were at least in the game, only losing the contest 3-2 in extras. Andy Pettitte and Gavin Floyd were locked up in a pitchers duel, as both allowed just one run each. The bombers got away with a costly Robinson Cano throwing error in the 7th, when Nick Swisher hit a game-tying two out homerun in the top of the ninth. I was at a bar watching this game, and the place went nuts when Swisher's ball reached the seats. Unfortunantely, Phil Hughes, who had come on relief in the seventh, ran out of gas in the tenth, and allowed back-to-back base hits before being taken out of the game. Lefty Phil Coke came on in relief and recorded one out, before Dewayne Wise hit a base hit up the middle that brought in the winning run.

The next two games get little mention, because they were flat out embarassing. Yesterday, the Yankees were up 3-0 early, and then things got out of hand. Down 6-5 after the fifth inning, the bombers failed to plate the tying run in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings. Alfredo Aceves, who has been sharp all season long coming out of the bullpen, was shelled for four runs in the bottom of the seventh. In today's 14-4 embarassment, nothing went well for New York. A.J Burnett, who had been 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA in his last six starts, was ghastly today. He allowed six runs in the second inning, and didn't even make it out of the fifth inning today. If A.J Burnett was ghastly, then Phil Coke was terryfing. The lefty allowed six runs in a third of an inning. Every White Sox starter recorded a hit.

As bad as these three losses have been, Yankee fans need not get crazy. Putting things in perspective, this is still one of the best teams in baseball, and they came into this series the hottest team in the league. Yes Burnett was awful, but he has arguably been the Yankees best starter since June, and hopefully today was just a blip on the radar. The bullpen has also been awful this series, but has been one of the strong points for this team for well over a month. The White Sox are also a very good ballclub, so I can't get too worked up over losing to them. I really think these three games are a bump in the road in what has been an otherwise impressive run for the Yankees. Win tomorrow, and move on. If they get beat up by the Red Sox again later this week, then it's time to start kicking and screaming.

Because Boston won their third straight game with their 4-0 win over the Baltimore tonight, they have inched to within a half game behind the Yankees (62-41) for first place in the AL East. The Yankees will try to salvage this series tomorrow with C.C Sabathia (10-7 3.83 ERA) on the mound. The big lefty comes off a rough outing on Tuesday, in which he allowed five earned runs to Tampa Bay in a loss. Mr. Perfect Mark Buehrle (11-4 3.45 ERA) will take the ball for the White Sox. Gametime is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

(AP Photos/Charles Rex Arbogast)

All's quiet in New York as trade deadline passes

At 4:01 p.m this afternoon, all was quiet in Flushing and the Bronx, except for a minor deal that brought utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. over from the Reds to the Yankees in exchange for minor league catcher Chase Weems. The blockbuster moves happened elsewhere. Jake Peavy finally decided he wants to win, as he lifted his no trade clause to accept a trade to the White Sox. Victor Martinez is now a Red Sox. The Detroit Tigers acquired LHP Jarrod Washburn in exchange for Luke French and a pitching prospect. So at 62-40 the team with the best record in the AL decided to stand pat, and at 49-52, the Mets decided now wasn't the time to trade what few prospects they have left.

I am not surprised, and am pleased as a Yankee fan that GM Brian Cashman decided not to pull off a major trade. This team is arguably the best team in baseball right now, having won 11 of 13 since the All-Star Break. So the Red Sox got Victor Martinez. I still think the Yankees have a better lineup and better pitching, and in my opinion are the favorites to represent the American League in the Fall Classic. There was no need to acquire someone like Roy Halladay, who would have cost the Yankees either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes. Manager Joe Girardi also didn't feel the team needed to make a move, saying this just the other day before the deadline:

"I'm not sure we'll do anything. As of right now we're playing very well and...there's always ways that you're trying to better your club, but sometimes things don't work out and you sit tight. I don't think there's a sense of urgency."

Girardi is right on the money. There is no sense of urgency right now. Remember, teams can still make trades through August 31st, except those players must now clear waivers. The Yankees could still pick up someone like Reds starter Bronson Arroyo, should they feel the need. With this team rolling the way they are, the Yankees can win the World Series with the pieces they already have in place.

The Mets however, seemed more inclined to make a move than the Yankees, and they didn't pull the trigger on a deal. The Amazin's have won 6 of their last 7, catapulting them back into the playoff conversation. At 49-52, and sitting just 6.5 games back of the Rockies for the wildcard, the Mets had been linked to such names as Victor Martinez, Nick Johnson, and a slew of left handed relievers. Speaking to reporters at Citi Field today after the deadline, GM Omar Minaya had this to say:

“The cost would have probably been too high… You have to take in to account where you are in the standings, and you have to take in to account the prospects you have… One thing that has been good about this process has been that I got a good feel for a lot of the teams and how much they like our prospects. But, some of those prospects that some teams wanted were too high to give them, and we have some pretty good young prospects… Unless it is someone we were going to hold on to beyond one year, we’re gonna hold on to as many prospects as we can.”

Give Minaya credit for acquiring OF Jeff Francoeur a couple weeks ago, as he looks like a player, and a steal for what they gave up in OF Ryan Church. However, it has to be frustrating for a Mets fan to watch the deadline go by, and see Victor Martinez get traded to the Red Sox, and Nick Johnson get traded to the Marlins. Judging by the players given up for Martinez and Johnson, the Mets certaintly could have pulled off a move. In the quote above, Minaya talks about the Mets good young prospects. These players he is referring to, like 22 year-old RHP Brad Holt and 19 year-old Jenry Mejia, were probably the prospects other teams would have wanted.

The Mets have one of the weaker farm systems in baseball, so I can understand why Minaya would want to keep onto the few prospects he does have. However, if Minaya's job is in jeopardy, I would think that he would pull the trigger on a deal to acquire someone of Martinez's caliber, in an effort to sneak into the postseason as the wildcard. The Met's can still make a trade during the waiver period, but it remains to be seen just who is out there that can really give this team a lift down the stretch. More importantly for the Mets is that they get some of their injured players back, like Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran.

Joba Rules part III

I now declare the Joba as a starter vs. reliever debate officially dead. Chamberlain (7-2) threw perhaps his best game as a starting pitcher tonight, going eight innings while not allowing a run, and leading the Yankees to a 6-2 victory over the Rays. For his third consecutive outing, Joba showed great command, surrendering just three singles as he struck out five and walked only two batters.

As Joe Girardi said in the post-game, Joba was crisp. He and Posada had great chemistry all game, and worked quickly together. Chamberlain was so effective because he got strike one, and was also not predictable in his approach. He was strong throughout the game, and was still hitting 95 mph on the gun in the eighth inning. Chamberlain didn't have one trouble inning. The fifth was the only inning the Rays had two runners on base against him, when he walked his only two batters. Over his last three starts, Joba is 3-0, with a 0.84 ERA. On the season, he is now 7-2 with a 3.58 ERA. He also improved his road record to 5-0 this season.

The offense was equally as impressive as Chamberlain was tonight. The Yankees built a 2-0 lead on Mark Teixeira's run-scoring single in the first and a single, double and Robinson Cano's RBI grounder in the fourth. Teixeira and Melky Cabrera hit solo homers in the eighth. Teixeira and Jorge Posada also had RBI singles for the Yankees, who have 11 of 13 games coming out of the All-Star Break. Cano grounded out to drive in a run in the fourth inning, then hit his 16th homer of the year in the sixth for a 3-0 lead against Matt Garza (7-8).

Back to the man of the hour. For his third consecutive start, Joba showed the type of consistency Yankee fans have been looking for. With this three start stretch, Chamberlain is firmly entrenched as a starting pitcher, and right now if the Yankees were to enter the playoffs, he would be their #3 behind C.C Sabathia and A.J Burnett. The All-Star Break must have really done something for Joba's psyche. Remember, in his three starts before the break, Joba allowed 16 earned runs. He used the break to go home to Nebraska, where he didn't think about pitching for awhile. Clearly, the time off rejuvinated him.

The bombers have now won 24 of their last 31, and are now 23 games above .500 at 62-39, their best record of the season. With Oakland's 8-5 win over Boston tonight, New York extended their lead in the AL East to 3 1/2 games. The Yankees continue their nine game road trip tomorrow. They head to Chicago to open up a four game set with the White Sox. Andy Pettitte (9-4) is set to start against youngster Gavin Floyd (8-6).

Tidbits:

• Chien-Ming Wang had season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his injured right shoulder in Birmingham, Alabama. Good riddance.
• New York is 6-5 against Tampa this year. The two teams do not meet again until September 7-9 in the Bronx.
• It was great seeing George Steinbrenner at the game and in the clubhouse tonight. Girardi and many of the players said it was great for himself and all the guys to see him, and that they want to keep their recent surge going for George.

(AP Photos/Mike Carlson)

Rays can't 'shield' Yankees from 10 out of 11

The Yankees hit four homeruns, including two by Nick Swisher, and A.J Burnett (10-4)was dominant once again, as the bombers won 11-4 over Tampa Bay in the first game of a nine game road trip. The Yankees were never really in any trouble in this one. They scored three runs in the second inning off of Rays starter James Shields (6-7), highlighted by a Jorge Posada RBI double, a Robinson Cano RBI triple, and a Swisher RBI groundout. The Yankees made the score 5-0 in the fifth, when Cano and Swisher went back to back, knocking Shields out of the ball game.

At this point the game was over, as Burnett was cruising once again tonight. He went seven strong, struck out five batters, didn't allow an earned run, and walked only two. He got nine swing-and-miss strikes via the fastball, and retired the leadoff man in every inning. Burnett has got to 10 wins for the 5th straight season, and has really been pitching well lately. He is 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA in his last six starts.

The Rays finally scored a couple runs in the 8th, but at that point it didn't matter. It was 7-3 when the top of the ninth started, and the Yankees went on to score four more runs on Swisher's second homerun, and a three run homer by Johnny Damon.

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This is a feel good win if you are a Yankee fan. The offense was clicking, as the team hit four homeruns, and the starting pitching was dominant. Plus, New York beat a division rival on the road. With the win, the bombers are now 7 1/2 games up on the Rays, which is a comfortable sized lead. There seems to be nothing that can slow this ballclub down right now.

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The Yankees improved their record to 61-38, and mantained a 2 1/2 game lead over the Red Sox. Game two of this series is tomorrow night. It's a good pitching matchup featuring a couple of southpaws. C.C Sabathia (10-6) for New York, and Scott Kazmir for the Rays.

(AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

Want to know recipe to Yankees success? Look no further than Phil Hughes

He's just 23 years old. He was the Yankees first-round pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. He can throw four pitches, and features a fastball that touches 96 mph, and a devastating knuckle curveball that freezes hitters. This season, Yankee fans are seeing why General Manager Brian Cashman wouldn't trade him in a deal for Johan Santana two offseasons ago. As the Yankees improved their record to 60-38 with their 7-5 win over Oakland today, they don't have to look far to find out one of the main reasons behind their success. Phil Hughes, the reliever.

Two months ago, Yankee fans had never heard of Phil Hughes the reliever. What they had heard of and seen, was Phil Hughes the starter: a 23 year old kid, albeit a very talented one, who was just 8-9 with an ERA over five in 28 career starts. Fast-forward to the present, and as any Yankee fan is well aware, Hughes is not starting right now, but throwing out of the bullpen. So what changed? Well, something happened earlier this year that may have switched the proverbial railroad tracks that represent Hughes' career. Chien-Ming Wang, the once ace of the Yankee staff who won 46 games in 2 1/2 years, returned from the disabled list in late May from hip problems. After making a few appearances in relief, the Yankees announced that Wang would be given his spot back in the starting rotation. Hughes, one of the Yankees top pitching prospects, had been starting in Wang's place. He was just 3-2 with a 5.45 ERA. Rather than go back to AAA to start, Hughes accepted a move to the bullpen in an effort to stay with the big club. "I'll do whatever the team needs," Hughes said. "Right now that's being in the bullpen."

So how's the move working out so far? Here are Hughes' numbers as a reliever this season:
24.1 innings, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 28 strikeouts , a 0.74 era, and a .145 opp avg. He also has a 24 inning scoreless streak going. In other words, Hughes has been unhitable. Look past the numbers for a second. Hughes looks like a different pitcher on the mound. His velocity is up to 95, 96 mph from the 91, 92 it was as a starter. In terms of his demeanor, Hughes looks as poised and confident as a 10x all-star. He also seems more mature, something Mariano Rivera noted when he spoke to reporters last week.

"It's all about how you take it," Rivera said of moving to the bullpen. "If you feel like you belong in the rotation and you don't want to do it, then it's more emotional. When you are just happy to be in the big leagues and do whatever the team needs you to do, everything will change. That's the attitude he has. Any opportunity to help the team, he'll do it."

The Yankees record from the time before and after Hughes became a reliever also shows the benefits the move has had. Before June 8th, which was Hughes first appearance as a reliever, the bombers were 33-23. Since then, they are 27-15. Not a huge number, but a difference nonetheless. If you're not impressed, check out Mariano Rivera's numbers since Hughes became a reliever. Rivera has allowed one run since Hughes made the switch, (18.1 innings) and has 16 saves in 16 opportunities.

Prior to this June, Hughes and reliever did not belong in the same sentence. At 6-5, 230 pounds, the California native has always been a starting pitcher. Through 2006, in his minor league career, Hughes was 21-7 with a 2.13 ERA in 237.1 innings (45 starts), in which he has averaged 5.7 hits, 2.0 walks, and 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings. Rated the #2 pitching prospect in the minor leagues for 2007 by Baseball Digest, Hughes made his major league debut on April 26, 2007. He was projected to be a frontline starting pitcher for the Yankees for many years. However, the success Hughes had found in the minor league level did not immediately translate to the show. As a starter from 2007 to early 2009, Hughes made the aforementioned 28 career starts, going 8-9 with an ERA over five.

Why did Hughes struggle as a starter through 28 big league starts? It really isn't a hard question answer: Hughes is still practically a baby, and has only thrown 165 innings in his big league career. Plus, how many established 23 year old starting pitchers do you know? Hughes also missed much of last season with a strained oblique and cracked rib. His 28 big league starts is still too small of a sampling to say that Hughes cannot be the frontline starters the Yankee organization believes he will one day become.

A lot of the credit for Hughes' success as a reliever, as well as that of the whole bullpen has to go to manager Joe Girardi. Remember the bullpen that came out of spring training? It was built around guys like Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and Brian Bruney. Veras was traded to Cleveland, Ramirez is in the minors, and Bruney is still struggling to find his command off of a DL stint. Now it's built around Hughes, as well as Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke, and of course Mariano Rivera. A lot of credit has to go to Girardi for changing the face of this bullpen, and managing it effectively. Girardi turned what was a weakness at the beginning of the year into a big strength. Hughes has been nothing short of brilliant, and Girardi has a reliable rotation of Coke, Aceves, and Rivera to go along with him. Such a dominant bullpen is why the bombers have won 22 of their last 28, and Hughes is a big part of it.

So has Hughes success as a reliever created a long term debate? For the remainder of this season, it appears Hughes will remain in the bullpen, serving predominately as the 8th inning guy setting up Rivera. The Yankees will tell you that Hughes and Joba Chamberlain are both starting pitchers down the road. I can only nod my head in agreement. Hughes has four pitches that he throws well, and he has the physical and mental makeup to be a dominant starting pitcher. The 'problem,' if we'll even call it a problem, is that Hughes has been so brilliant as a reliever. While this may stir a debate for the fans, the Yankee brass is stone set on reinstating Hughes as a starter next year. Once that happens, it is up to Hughes to throw with the same velocity and toughness that has him blowing away batters as a reliever. I for one, think that he can do that. I am not overly worried that he didn't have the same success as a starter he has now found as a reliever. Again, he is only 23, and it takes time. For now though, lets enjoy the ride Hughes is on this year. Perhaps it will take the Yankees all the way to number 27.

Tidbits from today's game:

• The Yankees won 7-5 against Oakland today, and went 9-1 on their 10 game homestand.
• Derek Jeter went 2-4 with 2 RBI's. He played in his 2,077th game, passing Bernie Williams for fifth in Yankees history.
• The Yankees have won 22 of their last 28 games. With the Red Sox 6-2 loss to the Orioles today, the bombers are 2 1/2 games up in the AL East.
  
• Robinson Cano's three-run double in the first inning gave him 25 on the season. He had only 25 all of last season. He has already matched last seasons homerun total with 14.
• The Yankees have a tough nine game road trip coming up, starting tomorrow in Tampa Bay. Good pitchers duel between A.J Burnett (9-4, 3.74 ERA) and James Shields (6-6 3.70 ERA).
  

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Joba Rules...Again

The Indians can keep Cliff Lee if Joba Chamberlain (6-2) pitches the way he has his last two outings. After allowing one run in 6 2/3 with eight strikeouts against the Tigers on Sunday, Joba looked even more impressive tonight against the A's. The young righty went seven innings, allowed just one run on two hits, and struck out six batters. In doing so, he lowered his ERA to 3.86. Oh by the way, The Yankees won the game 8-3 for their eighth consecutive win coming out of the All-Star Break.

This game was a lot closer than the final score indicates, just 2-1 heading into the eight inning. Heres how the Bombers got things started: the Yankees scored two runs in the third, highlighted by a Derek Jeter RBI single and a Johnny Damon fielder's choice. The Bombers tacked on another run in the fifth and six innings, off another Damon fielder's choice and a Hideki Matsui RBI groundout, respectively.

The key inning in this game was the fifth though. With the score only 2-1 in favor of New York, Oakland threatened by putting runners on second and third with one out. Joba then struck out the next two batters, Mark Ellis and Eric Patterson on two filthy sliders. Joba then gave his infamous fist pump, before heading back into the dugout. The Yankees would then blow this game open in the 8th, scoring four runs. The inning was higlighted by a Jorge Posada solo bomb to leftfield, and a couple more RBI singles from Jeter and Damon. The homerun was Jorgy's 13th of the season.

Cruise control is the only way to describe the Yankees right now. They have won 8 games in a row to start the second half, and remain 2 1/2 games up on the Red Sox in the AL East. Andy Pettitte (8-5) will try to make it nine tomorrow. The lefty is coming off one of his stronger starts of the year, when he went past seven innings and allowed just one run against the Orioles on Monday.

Back to Joba. I said after his last start that the important thing for him was stringing good starts together. With his performance tonight he did just that. Joba went deep into the game, keeping his pitch count low, and attacking the A's hitters. He was throwing first pitch strikes, and not getting deep into counts. Everytime Joba has a start like this, it will silence the Joba to the bullpen talk even more. If Joba can get on a roll now, the Yankees will have the deepest starting rotation in baseball. Even more importantly, they will have a 23 year-old who is perhaps poised to finally put it all together.

Tidbits:

• The Yankees have won eight straight games out of the All-Star Break. Interestingly enough, they did the exact same feat last year. Also in 2007, they won their first six out of seven post break.
• Johnny Damon had three RBI's tonight on just one hit. Two fielder's choices accounted for the other two.
• New York is 4-0 against Oakland this year.
• What was up with Oakland Starter Brett Anderson (5-8) in the dugout tonight? Everytime the cameras were on him, he looked spaced out, or was playing with his necklace like he had OCD. Weird. The 21 year-old lefty certaintly has talent though. He came into this game with a 21 inning scoreless streak.

(AP Photos/Frank Franklin II)

A Thrilla by Godzilla

"It is high, it is far, it is gone!" John Sterling had the call for Hideki Matsui's walk-off homerun tonight, his 15th of the season, as the Yankees won their 3rd straight 2-1 game and fourth overall. Matsui lined a a 2-2 pitch into the right-field seats off Orioles reliever Jim Johnson (3-4) for his second game-ending homer in the majors - the other was as a rookie on July 17, 2003, against Cleveland.

The Yankees got their fourth consecutive solid outing from their starting pitcher, as Andy Pettitte was superb. The lefty didn't record the win, but went 7 1/3, allowed just one run on six hits, and struck out eight batters. The only run he allowed came in the first inning, a solo homerun off the bat of Nick Markakis. If the Yankees can get solid outings from the back end of their rotation like they did tonight and last night, they won't need to make a trade for another starting pitcher. The first Yankee run came in the second inning, when Eric Hinske crushed a fastball that went off the Modell's sign in rightfield. It was the third homerun in a Yankeee uniform for the former AL Rookie of the Year.

The Yankees are now 55-37, and are now tied with Boston atop the AL East after the Red Sox lost tonight 6-3 to the Rangers. Game two tomorrow against the Orioles features Sergio Mitre making his first start for New York. Mitre takes the rotation spot of Chien-Ming Wang, who apparently had a setback to his right shoulder injury. It is uncertain if Wang will pitch again this season.

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Not much else to say - the Yankees are rolling right now, having won four straight games to start the second half. There is nothing to complain about right now in Yankee universe.

Joba Rules

Now we're talking. Joba Chamberlain (5-2) struck out eight Tigers and yielded just one run over 6 2/3 innings, en route to a 2-1 Yankee victory and series sweep today at the stadium for Old Timers Day. Joba had his best performance since his June 1st win against the Indians, in which he went a career high eight innings, allowed two runs, and struck out five. His win today was his first since June 24th.

What Yankee fans saw today was consistency throughout the game, and perhaps even more importantly velocity. Joba's fastball was repeatedly clocked in at 94 and 95 mph. Joba also finished his start just as strong as he began - he retired the last seven batters he faced and four of the final five outs were strikeouts. The righty was also attacking hitters every at bat. One of the knocks on Joba has been that once he gets ahead of a hitter, he tries to be too fine with his location and eventually loses the count. Today he was getting ahead of hitters and throwing purpose pitches throughout.

The Yankees only scored two runs today, but of course they were homeruns, and of course they came from Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. A-Rod's 19th came off of Tiger's starter Edwin Jackson (7-5) and tied the game at one in the fourth inning, and Tex's 23rd shot in the sixth proved to be the game winner. Mariano Rivera saved each game in this series, and is now 25/26 on the season.

The story today though is off course Joba. Chamberlain took the All-Star Break to go home to Nebraska, and regroup. Yankees color commentator Suzyn Waldman made a great point during today's radio broadcast. She said that sometimes when a pitcher is struggling, as was the case with Joba, you just need to step back, relax, and not think about pitching for awhile. In the post-game, Joba pretty much verified the point Waldman made during the game, with this statement:

"Being away for four days I kind of realized I was having fun but I wasn't being the Joba Chamberlain I should've been," he said. "That's not good enough. That's not good enough for my teammates, that's not good enough for my coaches and it's not good enough for myself."

For the year, Joba is now 5-2 with a 4.05 era and 1.52 whip. More importantly than the numbers though is consistency. Joba has turned in these types of performances before, like his June 1st start in Cleveland. But more often than not, he has followed those good starts up with a bad one. It is up to Joba now to have these types of performances on a consistent basis. If he does, he can prove to be the Yankees number three pitcher in the rotation behind C.C Sabathia and A.J Burnett. And finally, maybe he can put to rest any more talk of him going back to the bullpen.

Tidbits:

• After sweeping the series, the bombers are now 54-37. They are now just one game back in the AL East after Toronto beat Boston today 3-1.
• Watching all three games this series, it almost felt as if each game was a repeat of the previous one. The Yankees would get a good performance from their starting pitcher, Alex Rodriguez or Mark Teixeira would hit a homerun, and Mariano Rivera would shut the door in the ninth.
• The Yankees are in the middle of a ten game homestand. They begin a series with the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow, with gametime at 7:05 p.m. Southpaw Andy Pettitte (8-5) will oppose Orioles starter David Hernandez (2-2).
• Today was the 63rd Old-Timer's Day. It was great seeing Mike Mussina and Don Zimmer back as newcomers. Honestly, is there anything greater than Yankee's Old-Timer's Day?
  

(AP Photos/Seth Wenig)

Sabathia outduels Verlander

Pitching at its finest was on display in Yankee Stadium this afternoon. C.C Sabathia (9-6) out pitched Tiger's starter Justin Verlander (10-5), and the bombers took a 2-1 victory in a prime pitching matchup that lived up to its billing. Sabathia went seven strong, and did not surrender a run while striking out four. Verlander was the hard luck loser. He had a shutout going into the bottom of the seventh. Then Alex Rodriguez hit a popup that left the stadium in rightfield. The Yankees plated their second run on a Melky Cabrera infield single that scored Robinson Cano. The righty finished with seven innings of two run ball, and six strikeouts.

I don't think I'm alone when I say I love a great pitchers duel. In an era built around the long ball, it's great to see two craftsmen just go at it. Verlander has a chance to win the AL Cy Young Award this year - he's been that dominant (how's 155 strikeouts sound). Sabathia is also rounding into form for the Yankees - his ERA keeps creeping lower and is now at 3.66. Great pitchers duels are just good for baseball. They add a certain juice to the game, when each hurler is trying to match the other pitch for pitch. They also make the games shorter, (today's game was 2:39) which is never a bad thing.

The Yankees are now 53-37, and with the Red Sox 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays today, are just 2 games back in the AL East. The bombers go for the series sweep tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. It will be a good young pitching matchup - Joba Chamberlain (4-2) and the Tiger's Edwin Jackson (7-4).

Other notes:

• The Yankees have won 15 of 20 and are 40-22 since Rodriguez came off the disabled list on May 8 - the best record in the majors.
• New York improved to 18-5 against AL Central teams.
• A-Rod's homerun was number 571 of his career, leaving him two behind Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew for ninth place on the career list.
• Today is the 10th anniversary of David Cone's perfect game. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Yankee manager Joe Girardi, who was the catcher in that game.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

I Love Phil Hughes

I'm not afraid to admit that I love Phil Hughes. Why? Maybe because he has struck out 19 batters over 15 2/3 scoreless innings over his last 12 appearances. And because he has an ERA below one as a reliever. In tonight's 5-3 Yankee win over the Tigers, Hughes pitched the seventh and eighth innings, and recorded all six outs via strikeout. The effort enabled the righthander to pick up his first career win as a reliever.

With Hughes, the Yankees have clearly found their setup man. His velocity is up 5 mph since being put in the bullpen. After the game, Hughes said "it's just a matter of, you know, adrenaline taking over." And as the adrenaline takes over, Hughes takes over the eighth.

Hughes does have first baseman Mark Teixeira to thank for his first career win as a reliever. The all-star hit a three-run go ahead homerun in the bottom of the seventh off of Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya. It was Tex's 22nd homerun of the season, and gave him 66 RBI's for the year. His homerun and Hughes performance bailed out a shaky A.J Burnett. The hard throwing righty had trouble finding the strike zone tonight, walking five batters in six innings. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth for his 24th save in 25 opportunities. The Yankees improved to 52-37 with the win, but still remain 3 games back in the AL East after Boston's 4-1 win tonight over the Blue Jays.

Back to Hughes though. I think the Yankees clearly have a decision to make about Hughes at the end of the season. Hughes has always been projected as a starting pitcher, but his dominance as a reliever will force the Yankees to rethink his future role with the club . Remember, Mariano Rivera was also a starting pitcher when he was first called up in 1995. Eventually, he became a reliever after he pitched well in relief in the 95 ALDS against the Angels. How has that move worked out so far?

Newcomers Sabathia, Burnett, Teixeira lead Yankees in first half

On May 1st, after an April in which first baseman Mark Teixeira hit .200 with 3 homeruns and 10 RBI's, C.C. Sabathia went 1-2 with a 4.73 ERA, and A.J. Burnett went five starts with a 5.40 ERA, it would have been hard to imagine that Sabathia and Burnett would be the only staples in the Yankee rotation, and that Teixeira would be the Yankee MVP halfway through the season. But that is exactly the case, as the Yankees sit at 51-37 at the All-Star Break.

Teixeira turned it on in May (coincidently when A-Rod returned), hitting .330 with 13 homeruns and 34 RBI's. For the season, Tex is now hitting .275 with 21 homeruns and 63 RBI's, and was rewarded for his first half performance by being voted as the starting first baseman in the all-star game last night. He has also showed why he is a two time gold glove winner, flashing some brilliant leather at first base.

After a horrendous April, Sabathia validated the 7 year $161 million deal he signed in the offseason, going 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA. At the break, Sabathia sits at 8-6 with a 3.86 ERA. While that is above his 3.67 career ERA, Sabathia has proven to be a workhorse for the Yankees, as he has pitched 128.1 innings, just two behind the Cardinals Adam Wainwright for the league lead. Sabathia also has 95 strikeouts, which is second on the team.

First on the team in K's is the other big name pitcher the Yankees brought in during the offseason, A.J Burnett. After a 5.40 ERA in April, Burnett finally started worrying about pitching, rather than about who to hit in the face with a pie. Burnett went 5-2 combined in the months of June and July, with a 2.30 ERA. The former Blue Jay has shown some absolutely filthy offspeed stuff, and his ability to make hitters miss is a big reason why opponents are hitting just .199 against him with men on base.

Those three aren't the only ones having big years. Of course shortstop Derek Jeter is having another Jeter-esque season. Outfielders Johnny Damon and another newcomer, Nick Swisher carried this team in April. Even after missing more than a month, third baseman Alex Rodriguez still has 16 homeruns and 50 RBI's at the midway point. And at 39 years old, Mariano Rivera is still one of the best if not the best closers in baseball. Say what you want about his stuff not being as good as it once was, but with a 2.43 ERA and a 23/24 save record, he can close out for my team anyday. Rivera, along with Jeter and Teixeira, were American League all stars.

Enough about individuals. At 51-37, the Yankees have the second best record in the American League, and sit 3 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East. As is usually the case, the Yankees are right at the top of the league in offensive production. The bombers are first in slugging, OBP, runs, and in the banbox that is Yankee Stadium, lead the league with 132 dingers.

The biggest problem in the first half was the back end of the starting rotation. The Yankees were just 11th in the league with a 4.54 ERA. Joba Chamberlain continues to flounder as a starting pitcher. The 4.25 ERA doesn't look bad, but the 1.56 whip does. So does the average of 5 innings a start. Andy Pettite is 8-5, but sports an untidy 4.85 ERA, and finished the first half with a 7.27 ERA in his last three outings. The biggest disaster in the rotation though has been Chien-Ming Wang. In between two stints on the DL, Wang has been a shell of his former self. He has a horrific ERA of 9.64, and has the Yankee brass scratching their heads.

One more problem the Yankees had in the first half - 0 and 8 against the Red Sox, 1-2 against the Phillies, and 2-4 against the Angels. To be the best, you have to beat the best, and so far the Yankees have unable to do so.

Second Half Outlook

At 51-37, and in a weak American League, the Yankees are probably making the playoffs, whether as the division winner or the wildcard. They will continue to slug their way through the dog days of summer, and Yankee fans shouldn't have any worries about the offense. Despite missing more than a month, Alex Rodriguez will still hit 30 homeruns and knock in 100 RBI's. Teixeira could very well win the MVP, as he is right in the mix with Twins catcher Joe Mauer, Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay, and Rays third basemen Evan Longoria.

The starting pitching needs to round into form. Sabathia and Burnett will be solid, but the back end of the rotation is the big Yankee question mark going forward. Joba needs to start pitching like the frontline starter the Yankee organization hopes he is. Pettite, who is usually a better second half pitcher anyway, also needs to start giving more consistent efforts. Anything you can get out of Wang is a bonus at this point.

I think the bullpen will continue to be very solid, as it has been since Phil Hughes joined. In 18 innings of relief, the 23-year old has a 0.98 ERA, and has struck out 19 batters compared to just five base on balls. With Hughes, Rivera, Phil Coke, and Alfredo Aceves, the Yankees have very dependable arms that skipper Joe Girardi can call upon in late inning situations.

Looking at the schedule, the Yankees only have 10 series against teams under .500, and of those 10, four are against the Blue Jays and three are against the Orioles. The Yankees dont' see Boston again until August 6th. They still have 10 games with the Red Sox, who they have failed to beat once this year. They also have another trip to the west coast in September, where they will see their old pals the Angels. The bombers do have the advantage of opening up the second half at home, beginning a 10 game homestand friday against the Tigers.

So if you're still reading, here is my Yankee prediction. The bombers are going to the playoffs, and will win somewhere in the neighborhood of 95 games. Will they win the division? Unfortunantely, no. That will once again go to the rival Red Sox. And the reward for winning the wildcard this year? A trip to Anaheim, where the Yankees just play oh so well.

The four run, four hit fourth

Accept it Yankee fans, you cannot beat the Angels in their building. After a frustrating 5-4 loss yesterday, New York has now lost 16 of their last 21 games in Angel Stadium, dating back to 2006. As the title of this entry suggests, it was a four run, four hit fourth inning for the Angels that helped them complete the three game sweep, highlighted by doubles from RF Bobby Abreu and 2B Howie Kendrick. The fourth was really the only trouble inning for Yankee starter C.C Sabathia, who tossed 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out six.

Like clockwork, the Yankees were unable to come up with the big hit or the big play in this game. In the seventh inning, the Yankees had the bases loaded and nobody out, and failed to plate a run. In the eighth, they had runners on first and third with no outs, and were only able to score once. Both innings ended courtesy of the double play, from Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher respectively.

Yesterday's game was a microcosm of why the Yankees struggle against the Angels. They get the big hit, the Yankees don't. They make the big play, the Yankees don't. The bombers were only able to score two runs off of Angel's starter John Lackey, who went seven strong and struck out six.

The Yankees are now 0-8 against the Red Sox, 2-4 against the Angels, and 1-2 against the Phillies. Those records are a clear indication that New York needs to start beating quality opponents, and not just bully the average caliber teams.

If the Yankees don't win the AL East, their is a good chance they will have to travel out west again. Only then it would be as the wildcard and in the playoffs. For the Yankees sake, let's hope they win the division and stay home.

(Photo courtesy of the Associated Press/Mark J. Terrill)

Disgrace

Death, taxes, and a Yankee loss in Angel Stadium - those seem to be the only sure things in life. With today's 14-8 debacle, the Yankees have now lost 16 of their last 21 games out west, dating back over the last several seasons.

Today's culprit was again the pitching staff. Yankee starter Andy Pettite, usually solid on the road, got lit up like a Christmas tree. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings, and surrendered six earned runs. The bullpen was not much better either, higlighted by Phil Coke's eight inning where he surrendered four earned runs,and all but ended the Yankee chances at a comeback.

For the second consecutive game, the Yankees had at least a four run lead, and blew it. Here's a stat I would love to know. When is the last time a team hit five homeruns, and lost by at least five runs? That happened tonight, as Alex Rodriguez and Eric Hinske each homered twice, and Hideki Matsui homered once in the eight inning.

What was so frustrating watching this game was the poor pitching and inability to make key plays in big spots. Down 9-4 after six, the Yankees actually made a game of it, cutting into the Angel lead and making it a 10-8 game heading into the bottom of the eight. But then Phil Coke came in and stunk up the joint. A few wild pitches, an error, and timely Angel hitting put the nail in the coffin for the bombers.

I don't know why the Yankees can't beat the Angels in Anaheim. I don't think Joe Girardi knows either. It's up to C.C Sabathia to figure it out tomorrow.

(Photo courtesy of the Associated Press/Chris Carlson)

Joba needs to step it up

Joba Chamberlain was bad last night. For his third consecutive outing, the righthander failed to make it past five innings of work, as the Angels came back to defeat the Yankees 10-6. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings, and surrendered five runs on nine hits, throwing 94 pitches. The Angles have beaten the Yankees at home 15 of the last 20 games. Joba did nothing to help last night, as he blew an early 5-1 lead given to him by the offense.

If Joba wants to be a frontline starter, he needs to step it up. We've seen the flashes of brilliance, like when he allowed two runs against the Indians in eight innings on June 1st. But more often than not, we see the Joba from last night - the Joba who gets 3-2 on every hitter, and throws 100 pitches by the fifth inning.

What has to be even more frustrating to Yankee fans, is comments like these, from Joba:

"The last two starts, I have had the best stuff I have had all year," Chamberlain said. "That's the frustrating part. It's frustrating and embarrassing, but you can't do anything about it. The sun will come up tomorrow."

If that is the best stuff you've had all year, then perhaps you should go back to the eight inning. On top of those comments, is Yankee manager Joe Girardi. I listened to a radio interview he did with WFAN's Joe Beningo and Evan Roberts on Friday, where he tried to justify Joba's 4.25 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. Basically he said that throughout the season, the Yankees will see plenty of pitchers with worse numbers than that. Huh? How does that justify how bad Joba has been at times as a starter? It doesn't, and Girardi needs to show some accountability. And while Joba is struggling, Phil Hughes continues to blow away opponents in the bullpen, and I have no doubt he could make the transition back into an effective starter.

Perhaps Yankee fans are spoiled, because they saw how brilliant Joba was as a reliever when he was first called up. And maybe at 23 years old, it isn't time to throw in the towel yet. But it's time Joba started giving the Yankees better efforts than the one hes given over his last three outings, or else it's time to put him back in the bullpen.

(Photo courtesy of the Associated Press)