Successful Road Trip

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.

Home Sweet Home?

Opening Day at the New Yankee Stadium

Indians 10 (WP- Cliff Lee, 1-2)
Yankees 2 (LP- Jose Veras, 0-1)

The New York Yankees did everything right during the pregame festivities at their new ballpark. Trying to evoke the ghosts of the past, Yankee legends, from Berra to Winfield, lined the infield. Bernie Williams played his haunting and melancholic interpretation of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in his old stomping grounds, center field. Babe Ruth's bat was laid across home plate as Derek Jeter stepped into the box. Johnny Damon collected the first hit in the history of the Stadium and Sabathia struck out the first batter. But it was all downhill from there.Starter CC Sabathia struggled with his control but managed a respectable 5 2/3 innings of one run ball. It took CC 122 pitches, though, so Joe Girardi was forced to go to the Jekyll and Hyde bullpen early. Thanks to a Jorge Posada homerun (the first in the history of the new ballpark) the game was tied 1-1 when Sabathia exited. By the time Jose Veras and Damaso Marte were finished, though, the game was out of reach, capped off by a Grady Sizemore grand slam. Veras and Marte were so bad that the listless crowd chanted, "We Want Swisher!" As easy as it was to blame the bullpen, the Yankee offense went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, an alarming trend dating back to last season. The first game at the New Yankee Stadium was memorable for all the wrong reasons, as Cleveland beat New York 10-2.

Game 11: Do Over


Indians 5 (LP- Jensen Lewis, 1-1)
Yankees 6 (WP- Brian Bruney, 2-0;
Save- Mariano Rivera, 3)

Derek Jeter hit the game-winning homerun in the 8th inning of a tie game and Mariano Rivera saved it with a scoreless 9th to secure the very first victory in the new Yankee Stadium.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The "Bronx Bombers" lived up to their moniker Friday afternoon, belting 5 solo homeruns (Damon, Teixeira, Cabrera, Cano, Jeter). The only other Yankee run scored via a throwing error by the Indians' Vinnie Chulk. It was just the right margin for victory. Joba Chamberlain, making his second start of the season, was not impressive, allowing 5 earned runs in less than 5 innings. Girardi was forced to go to the bullpen early once again, but, unlike the previous afternoon, Phil Coke, Jonathan Albaladejo, Brian Bruney, and Rivera got the job done by throwing 4+ scoreless innings. Earning the first victory at the new home of the New York Yankees was great, but the Yankees went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Timely hitting is sorely lacking thus far.

Game 12: Brutal


Indians 22 (WP- Fausto Carmona, 1-2)
Yankees 4 (LP- Chien-Ming Wang, 0-3)

Please don't make me recap this game for you. Look it up here if you must, but I advise against it.


Saturday afternoon's debacle featured 6 Cleveland homeruns and 16 surrendered earned runs between Chien-Ming Wang and rookie Anthony Claggett in only 3 innings. Every Yankee pitcher gave up a run (or eight) and every Cleveland starter had a basehit (or 4).

Embarrassing is an understatement.

A Look Ahead

The Yankees will try to salvage a split of the four-game series on Sunday afternoon when the newly appointed stopper A.J. Burnett takes on the Indians. Who will be opposing him, you ask? Why, none other than our old friend, Carl Pavano! Well, Carl is scheduled to pitch; he very well may break a rib or stub his toe or suffer a bee sting between now and 1:00 p.m. so it's best if you just tune in and see if he makes it.

Debate: The Overcrowded Outfield

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.

Yankees and Red Sox Round 1: The Battle For First Place

The Greatest Rivalry in Baseball Begins Tonight!

Yankees: Chien Ming Wang (1-1)

Red Sox: Tim Wakefield (1-4)

Expect a chilly reception for from the Fenway faithful when Johnny Damon steps into that batter's box with a big "New York" stretched across his chest. Should be fun!

Lara*

What's New With the Yankees?

George Steinbrenner- Yanks Will Win it All This Season

"It's been a while; we haven't won it," said Steinbrenner today. "We're going to win it this year. We're going after them this year." Steinbrenner has been more visible at this year’s Spring Training than any year in recent memory and has made a point of being there in order to patch up his relationship with Joe Torre.

Gary Sheffield (from www.yankees.com)

Sheffield took the entire winter off, giving his battered body time to heal. He said that the Division Series loss to the Angels didn't stick with him, as he traveled to Paris, Italy, London and the Bahamas, spent time with his family and got as far away from baseball as he could.

General manager Brian Cashman met privately with Sheffield after the right fielder finished with his physical, telling the nine-time All-Star that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the club would likely pick up the $13 million option.

"The only thing I judge it on is how many rings I have, and I don't have any," Sheffield said. "That's the thing that eludes me right now and agitates me. It agitates me a lot, because I feel with the guys in this room, we should have two rings since I've been here and be working on our third. With that in mind, the mission never stops until I get it."

Mike Mussina Not Concerned With Contract

Cashman spoke with starter Mike Mussina, conveying the impression that the Yankees want to keep him beyond this season. But even Mussina said he believes he will not return at a salary of $17 million, meaning the Yankees will probably decline his option for that amount and try to sign him for less. "I'm pretty sure it won't be picked up unless I win 25 games," Mussina said. "But I've known that for years."


Johnny Damon: High Expectations

"I thought Joe's introductory speech was amazing," said Johnny Damon. "It really hit home. We do have to enjoy being a part of this, because the game of baseball will pass you by. This is my 12th year, and it seems like yesterday that I took the field for the first time."

"Knowing we have a good team, knowing that the goal here is to win a championship, that's what it's all about," Damon said, adding that no other manager had ever set his sights that high on the first day of spring. "There is no reason to celebrate getting into the postseason. It's great, but it's winning that championship that stays with you for a long time."

Bernie Williams Looking Forward to New Role

"It will probably be a more complicated role than being an everyday player at a set position," Williams said. "If I look at it that way, I think it will be more of a challenge for me."

Alex Rodriguez (from www.yankees.com - Sorry, I was lazy today!)

Alex Rodriguez's 2005 season was as good as any player's in Major League Baseball. He led the American League in home runs, slugging percentage and runs scored, placed in the top four in batting average, RBIs and on-base percentage, capturing his second AL MVP Award in three years.

None of that matters to the 30-year-old superstar. The Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, sent home early after just five games in which he went 2-for-15.

"It was very painful," Rodriguez said Monday, shortly after arriving at Legends Field for the first time this spring. "When you play as miserable as I did in the most important five games of the year, that kind of fuels you going into this year. It fuels me tremendously, because I feel that my career won't be complete without a world championship.

"This year, to use a poker term," he added, "we're all in."

Aside from A-Rod's obvious crack at his offseason poker scandal, it is clear that the third baseman is extremely focused on filling in the one gaping hole on his resume.

"[The MVP Award] is a consolation, but if you don't win in October, if you're not a world champion, nobody really cares about anything else," he said. "I came here for one reason. Winning, that's it. I could have won MVPs in Texas. I did that."

Lara*