The Yankees just wrapped a three game series against the surprising Toronto Blue Jays who currently sit atop the American League East standings.
After losing the first game of the series 5-1 to a dominant Roy Halladay (7-1), New York won the next two games to take the series and move to within 4.5 games of first place in the division.Injuries continue to plague the Yanks, as Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, and Phil Coke all missed significant playing time in the Toronto series.
On Wednesday night, that didn't matter much. Rookies like Brett Gardner, Ramiro Pena, and Francisco Cervelli propelled Andy Pettitte (3-1) and the Yanks to an 8-2 victory. Gardner also picked up his first major league home run in the game, a 2-run shot off Scott Richmond.
Jeter and Matsui were back in the lineup for the series finale, and both contributed to a well-pitched 3-2 Yankees win. CC Sabathia (3-3) threw 8 solid innings and the Yankees staged a late comeback with an RBI single from Jeter to tie the game and a go-ahead solo home run from Matsui in the 8th. Mariano Rivera came in and worked a 1-2-3 inning for his 7th save. Johnny Damon also continued his hot hitting, tying a Yankee record with 10 consecutive games with an extra-base hit (Paul O'Neill and Don Mattingly each managed 10 games, as well).
The Yankees finished up their road trip 4-2 and are back to the .500 mark heading into the next homestand. Alex Rodriguez will play his first game at the New Yankee Stadium Friday night against the Minnesota Twins.
Damon, Swisher, and Nady- Newest Rockettes?
The Yankees have three outfield spots available for five everyday outfielders.
Joe Girardi recently stated that Hideki Matsui would be a full-time DH, at least until Interleague play starts up this summer.
But that still leaves four outfielders vying for playing time.
Johnny Damon's days as a center fielder are long over, but he provides more than enough offense and still possesses enough speed in the field to warrant a guaranteed spot in left. 
Brett Gardner beat out Melky Cabrera (a sixth player to consider in the OF, if you are so inclinded) for the center field job thanks to a power-filled Spring Training. Gardner does absolutely nothing for me except provide speed, but of the players being considered, he is the best option for center.
Nice guy, Brett Gardner. Liked him in person. Not so much in centerfield. Where are you, Austin Jackson?So that leaves Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher. Girardi said during the Yankees' time in Tampa that the two would battle it out for the right field position and just before camp broke, it was announced that Nady had won the starting job.
Four games into the regular season, Matsui looks lost at the plate and Swisher has driven in 6 runs in the last two games alone. Nady is clearly the superior defender in right, but it's hard to justify sitting Swisher. As much as I hate to say it, perhaps it's time to thank Matsui for the memories and move on, with Nady in right and Swisher as the full-time DH.
How will Joe Girardi shuffle his outfield? It should be fascinating to watch the ongoing saga of the overcrowded outfield.
Game 1: An embarrassing debacle of a game for the Yankees. The Big Unit was useless again, A-Rod was his typical "un"-clutch, error-prone-in-a-tight-spot self, and who was out "playing" right field? Melky Cabrera (Shudders). 
Game 2: Quite the opposite of Tuesday night's game. The Yankees and Mike Mussina got off to a shaky start after the Moose surrendered a two-run homerun to- who else? - Big Papi in the first and a solo shot to Mike Lowell the next inning. With Curt Schilling on the mound, things were not looking up for the Yanks. However, Jason Giambi continued his homerun tear with a two-run shot after Bernie Williams drove in a run with a sac fly and the score was tied 3-3; suddenly, it was a whole new ballgame. Mussina bore down and ended up with another excellent outing going 6 2/3 innings and surrendering only the 3 early runs. Alex Rodriguez, whose two errors the night before had greatly upset George Steinbrenner, ended up hitting a solo homerun off Schilling to break the tie, and Jorge Posada hit a two-run homer later in the inning to provide all the run support Mussina and the bullpen needed. I was lucky enough to witness the game in person, and it was a typically exciting and atmospheric event like no other. Mike Mussina won his 230th career game and became the first American League pitcher to win 6 games, taking his record to 6-1 on the year with a 2.56 ERA, good for 3rd in the A.L.
Game 3: The Yankees lose the game, lose the series, lose first place, and lose their left-fielder for the foreseeable future. Terrible, just terrible. Hideki Matsui will undergo surgery on his fractured wrist tomorrow morning after injuring himself in the first inning of the Yankees 5-3 loss to the Red Sox and effectively ending his consecutive game streak that dates back to his days with the Yomiuri Giants. Don't be shocked to see someone like Ken Griffey, Jr. sporting the pinstripes in left field sometime in the near future... 
Lara*
