The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

The Good: Game 5

WP: CC Sabathia (1-1)
LP: Horacio Ramirez (0-1)

CC Sabathia took the mound Saturday afternoon looking to rebound from a rough Opening Day outing in Baltimore. Any panic over Sabathia's first start was quickly abated, as CC pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings, racking up 6 strikeouts and dominating the Royals. Nick Swisher had another big day, scoring 3 runs and driving in 3 with the help of a triple and a long 5th inning homerun. Jorge Posada drove in 3 runs thanks to two consecutive doubles and Xavier Nady also had a multi-hit ballgame to propel the Yankees to a 6-1 win.

The Bad: Game 6

WP: Juan Cruz (1-0)
LP: Phil Coke (0-1)
S: Joakim Soria (3)

Joba Chamberlain made his first start of the season in the series finale at the revamped Kauffman Stadium. Despite a rough 4th inning (made rougher by a Nick Swisher fielding error), Joba showed flashes of dominance and ended up striking out 5 over 6 innings while allowing only one earned run. Chamberlain left the game with the Yankees trailing, but the offense came back against Gil Meche in the 7th thanks to an RBI double by Nady and a Mike Jacobs error. The Yankees were winning 4-3 with no one on and two outs in the 8th when Joe Girardi pulled Damaso Marte in favor of Jose Veras. Veras came in and promptly walked one batter before yielding to Phil Coke. Coke then allowed three consecutive base hits and the Yankees found themselves trailing once again. Joakim Soria came in to pitch the 9th and dominated, striking out the side and securing a 6-4 Royals victory.

The Ugly: Game 7

WP: Scott Kazmir (2-0)
LP: Chien-Ming Wang (0-2)


Chien-Ming Wang allowed 8 earned runs and could not get an out in the 2nd. Jonathan Albaladejo entered with the bases loaded and allowed all of Wang's baserunners to score on a Carlos Pena grand slam. Tampa Bay scored 15 runs off the combination of Wang, Albaladejo, Edwar Ramirez, and Phil Coke. Just to further exemplify how ugly this game was, the most successful Yankee pitcher Monday night started the game as the first baseman and hit a solo homerun in the 4th- Nick Swisher.


Swisher, who apparently can do everything, pitched a scoreless 8th, even striking out Tanyon Sturtze's best friend, former Red Sox Gabe Kapler. Swisher kept the ball from his first (and hopefully last) Major League strikeout. It was obvious that Tampa Bay's season opener at Tropicana Field would not go the Yankees way right from the start. Trailing 4-0 in the top of the 2nd, Xavier Nady smoked a ball 400+ feet to dead center that B.J. Upton effortlessly tracked down at the wall with an over-the-shoulder basket catch that would make Willie Mays proud. On the night they raised their very first American League Championship banner, the Tampa Bay Rays crushed the Yankees, 15-5.

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.

Into the Win Column With A.J. and Andy

Game 3- New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

WP: A.J. Burnett (1-0)
LP: Alfredo Simon (0-1)

A.J. Burnett made his Yankees debut during the series finale at Camden Yards, going 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, and striking out 6. While Sabathia and Wang hadn't managed a strikeout between them in the first two games, it took A.J. all of two batters to break that streak. Burnett got into trouble in the 3rd and 4th innings but had his offspeed pitches working well enough to earn the victory. Phil Coke, Jose Veras, Brian Bruney, and Mariano Rivera combined for 3+ innings of scoreless relief.


Nick Swisher, starting in place of Hideki Matsui, was the star at the plate, driving in 5 runs with a homerun and a double. Mark Teixeira also had a multi-hit ballgame and launched his first homerun as a Yankee, finally quieting the boos of the scorned Baltimore fans. Robinson Cano went 3-4 with his first homer of the season and scored 4 runs. The Yankees won the ballgame 11-2 despite the absence of Matsui and Jorge Posada and a combined 0-8 afternoon from tablesetters Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon.



Game 4- New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals

WP: Andy Pettitte (1-0)
LP: Sidney Ponson (0-1)
Save: Mariano Rivera (1)

Number 4 starter Andy Pettitte pitched absolutely beautifully in the series opener against Kansas City. Pettitte breezed through 7 innings, striking out 6 and allowing only 1 run (although it really ought to have been a shutout, as Nick Swisher misplayed a ball in right that led to the one run). The late afternoon start in Kansas City had a lot to do with the success of the pitchers as the game went on, as shadows crept across the field and made seeing the ball nearly impossible. Ex-Yankee Sidney Ponson pitched fairly well for the Royals, and another familiar face, Kyle Farnsworth, came in to pitch the 7th and struck out the side. Mariano Rivera came on in the 9th and was his usual dominant self, striking out 2 and earning his first save.

Offensively, Yankee bats were quiet with the exception of Jorge Posada, who delivered a 2-run single in the first, and Robinson Cano, whose hot hitting and newly acquired plate discipline continues. Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher delivered the other 2 RBI. Swisher started in right field for the first time this season, spelling Xavier Nady.

The Yankees are now 2-2 on the season. CC Sabathia gets another chance at his first Yankees win Saturday night in Kansas City.

R.I.P. Nick Adenhart

Nicholas James Adenhart
1986-2009



22-year-old rookie Nick Adenhart, along with two fellow passengers, was killed by a drunk driver early Thursday morning in a hit-and-run accident in Fullerton, California. Nick had just finished pitching six masterful, shut-out innings hours earlier and was considered the top prospect in the Angels organization. A moment of silence was observed before most Major League games and tonight's Angels/Athletics game was postponed.


What a needless and tragic loss for the Adenhart family, the Angels organization, and the entire baseball community.


Rest in peace, Nick.

Welcome to the Big Leagues, Koji

New York Yankees 5
Baltimore Orioles 7

WP: Koji Uehara (1-0)
LP: Chien-Ming Wang (0-1)
HR: Derek Jeter (1), Nick Markakis (1)

From the Mound

- Chien-Ming Wang just did not have it Wednesday night. After giving up three consecutive doubles in the first, it was apparent that his sinker was not working. Once again, a Yankee starter failed to finish 5 innings or record a strikeout. This was Wang's first big league start since injuring his foot back in June.
- Between Sabathia and Wang, Yankee starters have allowed 8 walks and no strikeouts. Not an encouraging statistic.
- On the bright side, New York's bullpen was effective. Edwar Ramirez, Jonathan Albaladejo, and Jose Veras combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
- For the O's, Koji Uehara, one-time teammate of Hideki Matsui with the Yomiuri Giants, went 5 innings and earned the victory in his Major League debut.

At the Plate

- Derek Jeter had a nice game at the plate, capped off by a ninth inning homerun that jump- started a late Yankees rally that came up just short. Through the season's first two games, the new leadoff man and Yankee Captain has gone 5-9 with a homerun, 2 RBI, and a stolen base.
- Robinson Cano went 2-4, delivering an RBI double in the sixth. He also stole a base and made a nice defensive play. It's certainly too early to make any definitive statements, but I think the Cano of '06 and '07 is back again for 2009.
- Mark Teixeira looked woeful at the plate once again, popping up three times to the infield and striking out in the 7th. He finally came through with his first hit of the season during the late ninth inning rally, providing an RBI double that scored Johnny Damon.
- After pinch-hitting for Cody Ransom and working a walk in the ninth, Nick Swisher is still batting 1.000.

A Look Ahead

The Yankees will look to A.J. Burnett to avoid a series sweep when he takes the hill at 1:35 Thursday afternoon at Camden Yards. The Orioles will send Alfredo Simon to the mound, looking to start the season 3-0.

Inauspicious Beginning

Opening Day 2009

New York Yankees 5
Baltimore Orioles 10

WP: Jeremy Guthrie (1-0)
LP: CC Sabathia (0-1)
HR: Jorge Posada (1), Hideki Matsui (1), Cesar Izturis (1)

From the Mound

- Sabathia had nothing working for him today. He really labored through 4+ innings, allowing 6 earned runs, and didn't strike at least one batter out in a start for the first time since 2005.
- Scary Stat: Five Yankee pitchers combined for more wild pitches than strikeouts today.
- Jonathan Albaladejo, the last pitcher named to the 25-man roster, was the only reliable man out of the pen today. Phil Coke was left in too long, Brian Bruney was channeling Kyle Farnsworth, and Damaso Marte was similarly ineffective.

At the Plate

- Derek Jeter had a nice day at the plate from the leadoff spot until he stepped up with a runner on third and less than two outs and failed to drive in what would have been the tying run.
- Johnny Damon was the only other Yankee with a multi-hit ballgame.
- Jorge Posada hit the first Yankee homerun of the season, a shot into the centerfield bullpen. Hideki Matsui followed suit in the 7th.
- Mark Teixeira, booed mercilessly throughout the ballgame, went 0-4 and stranded runners in the 1st, 3rd, 7th AND 8th innings.
- The best debut for a newly-acquired Yankee? Nick Swisher, who came up with a pinch-hit double in the 8th.

Around the Diamond

- Cody Ransom looked shaky at third, botching a potential double-play ball in the 5th that was generously (and inexplicably) scored a single.

A Look Ahead

The Yankees and Orioles will enjoy a day off on Tuesday, before Wednesday night's matchup, in which Chien-Ming Wang will take on Koji Uehara, the Japanese import making his Major League debut.

Opening Day 2009

Following a long and eventful offseason, baseball is finally back, as CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees take on the Baltimore Orioles and Jeremy Guthrie from Orioles Park at Camden Yards.

The Yankees christened their new $1.5 billion ballpark with two exhibition games over the weekend as a final tune-up before the regular season. I was fortunate enough to attend Friday night's game and experience the new Yankee Stadium for myself. Having attended the final game at the original Stadium last season, it was fitting that I should be in attendance for the very first game played at the new incarnation. But that's a write-up for another day. For now, it's time to look ahead to what promises to be an exciting 2009. New acquisitions Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira have gargantuan contracts and high expectations to live up to; Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Chien-Ming Wang are all coming back from injuries; Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano are looking to come back from sub-par performances in '08; and Manager Joe Girardi has to decide how to shuffle five outfielders in Johnny Damon, Brett Gardner, Melky Cabrera, Xavier Nady, and Nick Swisher (not to mention Matsui once Interleague play rolls around). And, of course, there is Alex Rodriguez, who will carry all of his baggage onto the team sometime in the next few weeks as he recovers from hip surgery (and a bruised ego).
Despite the questions surrounding the 2009 New York Yankees, to me, they are the best team in the American League, if not all of Major League Baseball on paper. We'll just have to let the season play out to see if that translates to a division title and the ultimate goal of World Championship #27.

That quest for #27 finally gets underway April 6th in Baltimore.

May 8, 1994:





It was an overcast day in the Bronx, rain clouds threatening to burst at any moment. Six-years-old and clad in my brand-new pinstriped Yankees cap, I walked into Yankee Stadium for the very first time. And I think it's fitting to allude to the old cliche, "Love at first sight." I sat on the lower deck about twenty rows from Don Mattingly and watched the Yankees, on the strength of back-to-back-to-back homeruns by Gerald Williams, Mike Stanley, and Danny Tartabull, beat the Red Sox by a score of 8-4.





From that point on I was hooked. Summertime meant trips to the Stadium to watch my beloved Bronx Bombers win. And win they did, consistently, everytime I was in attendance for more than five seasons. From my first playoff game in 1997, where the Yankees went down 5-0 in the first inning of Game 1 of the ALDS but managed an 8-6 comeback thanks, again, to three consecutive homeruns, this time by Tim Raines, Derek Jeter, and Paul O'Neill, to David Wells' 6 2/3 perfect innings in September of 1998, following up his May masterpiece. It wasn't until Pedro Martinez struck out 17 Yankees and threw a complete game one-hitter to win his 21st game of the 1999 season that I was on hand for a Yankees loss.

Don't Be Alarmed...

...because it looks like old Kyle Farnsworth has returned, just in time to renew his role as the setup man now that Joba's headed to the rotation. Excellent timing, Kyle. Ugh, God help us.

What's Gotten in to Kyle Farnsworth?

Who is this man...

...And what happened to the Kyle Farnsworth we all know and loathe?

Something is amiss here.

This cannot possibly be the same man who took it upon himself to introduce Paul Wilson to a face-full of Wrigley dirt.

...And it certainly isn't Jeremy Affeldt's worst nightmare, reincarnated.

This isn't even the Yankees' much maligned mop-up man incapable of pitching more than an inning a night, whose balky back would act up without notice. (Because look at how fragile that Farnsworth was!)

There must be some kind of mistake. Because the current Kyle Farnsworth has been...dare I say it?... reliable.

I'm not sure we Yankee fans are ready for a world in which Kyle Farnsworth pitches on back-to-back nights, no longer walks the ballpark, and posts a respectable 2.84 ERA.

And bakes delicious peanut butter cookies to help overcome his crippling shyness.

What?!

I am seriously alarmed now.

If only there were some kind of reasonable explanation for that smile, the hair, the glasses, and this new softer side of Kyle Farnsworth.

Wait, wait. What do we have here?

"Farnsworth is taking PR steps to improve it (his
public reputation). He recently hired Steve
Fortunato, a marketing consultant who
has worked with Damon, Alex Rodriguez and Bernie
Williams among others" (Feinsand, 2008)

Ah, that is enlightening. I was worried that someone mistakenly subjected him to a brain transplant when he spent the offseason in the hospital with a staph infection that almost cost him a leg.

But Kyle, do you really want the man in charge of your public persona to be the same one Alex Rodriguez uses? I'm not sure that's the best course of action.

Any day now, Farnsworth will be spotted sunbathing in Central Park, passing out at the birth of one of his children, wandering Toronto with an exotic dancer, and wondering if people dislike him because he's good-looking, biracial, and because he plays for the most popular team.

It should be fascinating to watch.

****************************************************

UPDATE:

For the record, this post was published a day before the same story appeared on Deadspin(which was weird, considering the article I referenced is two months old). Just sayin'.

Opening Day 2008: Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees

The 2008 season finally gets under way for the Yankees today, marking their final season at The House That Ruth Built.


The league's top two pitchers in terms of winning percentage over the past two seasons will be toeing the rubber for their respective teams (Roy Halladay and Chien-Ming Wang), and the Yankees' Opening Day starter will also be celebrating his 28th birthday.


Lineups are set for both clubs.


Baseball is back!

2008 Season Preview

With the commencement of the 2008 Yankees season just a week away, I thought now would be a good time to resurface and give my thoughts on another year of Yankee baseball.

With only three games remaining, Spring Training has gone incredibly well for the New York Yankees (knock on wood). About this time last season, it was announced that Carl Pavano, of all people, would be the Opening Day starter, thanks to the plethora of injuries that befell the pitching staff before the games even counted.

Fast forward one year, and the staff, as well as the entire roster, is not only intact, but in excellent shape, thanks to Joe Girardi's renewed emphasis on conditioning and the Yankees' desire to avoid 2007's disastrous, injury-plagued beginning. Andy Pettitte is the only concern at this point, as he continues to deal with the back spasms that caused him to miss his last start.

Given that the biggest question mark going into the 2008 season surrounds the pitching staff, I figured today we'd take a look at the starting rotation.

With the most wins of any Major League starter over the past two seasons, Chien-Ming Wang will start the season opener on March 31st, and the Yankees hope to see more of the same from their ace. Wang is a steady presence on the mound, and equipped with his devastating sinker, should have yet another successful campaign.
Andy Pettitte is slated to be the No. 2 starter, although the longer he is hampered by a sore back, the less likely he is to be ready to go on April 2nd. Pettitte is essential to the Yankees' success this season. If they hope to make the playoffs, the always consistent Pettitte will need to make about 35 starts and throw 200+ innings because the back end of the rotation have innings-limits and there is only so much of a burden Girardi can put on his bullpen. Pettitte also has to continue to contend with the fallout from the Mitchell Report and the Roger Clemens saga, but I honestly don't see that being an issue that will manifest itself on the playing field.
Veteran Mike Mussina is the No. 3 starter, and he looks to rebound from an injury-filled 2007 in which his season ERA ballooned to over 5.00 thanks, in large part, to an abysmal August. Mussina has had a very good spring and is about as intelligent a pitcher as you'll find in the game, so I look for a bounce back season for Moose, so long as he stays healthy and gets a little bit of luck (I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me that Mussina is incredibly unlucky. Either he gets no run support, the bullpen blows a lead, or his fielders- especially A-Rod- fail him and make a ton of errors).
At the back end of the rotation, the Yankees are counting on a 21 and a 23-year-old with less than a full year of Major League service between them.

Phil Hughes is coming into his first full M.L. season after an up-and-down rookie campaign. While he may not always have looked like the highly-touted phenom that all the hype had suggested, there were flashes of brilliance from Hughes, especially his relief appearance and victory in the ALDS and, of course, the 6 1/3 no-hit bid in only his second big league start. A pulled hamstring forced him out of that game and onto the D.L., and he suffered a setback with an ankle injury while rehabbing. Coming into the 2008 season, Hughes is back to 100% and knows now what to expect at the big league level. He's gotten knocked around a bit in Spring Training, but that doesn't concern me in the least. I've loved what I've seen from him; he has command of all his pitches, he's poised on the mound, and he seems remarkably mature for a 21-year-old whose been called "Baby Rocket." I think we'll soon believe the hype surrounding Phil Hughes.

Ian Kennedy is the final pitcher in the Yankees' starting formula. There is nowhere near as much publicity for him as there is for Hughes and Chamberlain, but Kennedy will play an equally important role in the pitching staff. He may not throw as hard as Hughes or intimidate batters the way Joba can, but he is arguably the most polished of the three, and showed last September that he absolutely belongs in the same company. Kennedy has impeccable control and can throw all of his wide assortment of pitches for strikes. He has already been compared to teammate Mike Mussina (who has taken him under his wing this spring) and Greg Maddux. Kennedy won't overpower you, but like the cerebral Mussina, he can outthink you. And the Yankees are banking on that.

(All photos, with the exception of my own Stadium shot, from Yahoo! Sports , Yankee Kids, and Getty Images)

Here We Go Again

Who would've thought that, after their abysmal beginning, the New York Yankees would be playing a meaningful series against the Boston Red Sox in September?

As they prepare for a three-game set in Fenway Park, the Yankees look to topple the Red Sox from their perch atop the American League East standings, where they've resided all season.
With only two weeks left, a 5 1/2 game deficit is not easy to surmount. The best, and possibly only chance the Wild Card leading Yankees have is to sweep this series and hope for some help. In the meantime, Boston would like nothing more than to give the Yankees a taste of their own medicine and sweep them out of town. Once up by 14 1/2 games (shades of '78), the Yankees are a little too close for comfort in the eyes of the best team in baseball.
Despite having the best record in the Majors, the Red Sox trail the Yankees 7-8 in the season series, thanks in large part to the most recent series between the two in which New York swept Boston two weeks ago. In fact, since May 23, the Yankees are 7-2 against their rivals, and remain the best team in baseball since the All-Star Break (Boston is second).
The epic rivalry is renewed this evening, as Daisuke Matsuzaka and Andy Pettitte face-off at Fenway Park. Dice-K has been smacked around by the Yankees this season, to the tune of a 6.98 ERA, and he's coming off the worst outing of his (albeit very short) Major League career. Pettitte, on the other hand, is 2-1 against the Sox this season, is 9-2 since the All Star break, and is looking for the 200th win of career.
The pitching match-ups this weekend couldn't be better. Matsuzaka and Pettitte tonight. Tomorrow, two 18-game winners in Josh Beckett and Chien-Ming Wang will toe the rubber. And on Sunday night, Roger Clemens returns to Fenway as a Yankee for the first time since the 2003 ALCS (a.k.a. "Ultimate Fighting Championship: Pedro Martinez vs. Don Zimmer), to take on another fiery old veteran in Curt Schilling.
As is typical with these two teams, there are several underlying storylines and a fair share of bad blood that will likely be stirred up this weekend. This season alone, there have been hard hits and questionable slides (Mike Lowell, Alex Rodriguez), head-hunting (Scott Proctor), hit batsmen galore (Jeter, A-Rod, Posada, Pedroia, Youkilis), veiled accusations and league suspensions (Terry Francona, Kevin Youkilis and Joba Chamberlain). Never a dull moment with these two. This weekend should be no different. With this being the last meeting between the two bitter rivals and the playoffs just around the corner, all bets are off. This is the last face-off between the powerhouse Yankees and Red Sox of 2007. Unless, of course, October beckons.

(All photos courtesy of Yahoo! Sports and Yankee Kids)

The Great Debate

After the wrap-up of this season’s installment of the Subway Series, I felt compelled to weigh-in on the recent debate surrounding the question: Who is the best shortstop in New York?

To me, this question is extremely premature. That being said, Derek Jeter, without question, is far superior to Jose Reyes.

Don’t get me wrong; Reyes is probably the most exciting player in Major League Baseball. He is the catalyst and key to the Mets’ formidable lineup and his explosiveness and prowess on the basepaths makes him invaluable to his team. He has a quick bat and can hit the occasional homerun, and Reyes probably has a better throwing arm than half the pitchers in the Mets’ current rotation.

But the only thing that really distinguishes Reyes from Jeter is his speed (and, perhaps, the fact that he is a switch hitter). Derek Jeter is a better all-around hitter. He hits for a higher average (.342 compared to Reyes’ .320 this season), scores more runs, and possesses more power. Jeter also drives in more runs, but that I won’t hold against Reyes considering he is a leadoff hitter and Jeter’s customary position in the Yankees batting order is 2nd.

More importantly, Derek Jeter is a winner. Jeter made his Major League debut in 1995, but was a rookie in 1996, his first full season in the big leagues. All he did that season was earn the Rookie of the Year Award, hit .314 and win a World Championship- all at the tender age of 22. Through his first five seasons in the majors, Jeter had a .312 batting average, 78 homeruns, 996 hits, and, incredibly, four World Series rings, an All-Star MVP, and he was named the MVP of the 2000 World Series.

Reyes, on the other hand, is currently batting .289 lifetime (this being his 5th M.L. season). He has 36 homeruns, 611 hits, and one National League pennant under his belt. In other words, 0 Championships. Even if the Mets were to win it all in ’07, he’d still be three behind his counterpart.

What Reyes also lacks is the leadership quality that propelled Derek Jeter to be named Yankee captain in 2003, only the 11th in New York Yankees history.

Jose Reyes has tremendous upside, and has the potential to be one of the best shortstops, not just in New York, but of all time. As of right now, though, all it is is potential. A few years ago, plenty of people were ready to crown Ken Griffey, Jr. the “Homerun King.” Now, despite Junior’s recent resurgence, he’s not getting anywhere near Hank Aaron. It’s one thing to look at a player and project his potential; it’s another thing for him to actually go out and fulfill it. If Reyes can sustain his excellent numbers for another 7+ seasons (and win a couple of World Series’ in the process), talk to me then.

But for now, Derek Jeter still reigns supreme in the Big Apple.

(Photos from Yahoo! Sports)

Another Yankee Game, Another Yankee Loss

In the past, I've tuned in to every Yankee broadcast, expecting my team to win. It didn't matter who they were playing or who the opposing pitcher was- The New York Yankees, night after night, went into a ballgame anticipating a "W", regardless of the circumstances.

The 2007 Yankees? I tune in now just waiting to see what will go wrong and how they will disappoint me on a given evening.

Tonight's disappointing loss to the White Sox, well, didn't fail to disappoint in this regard.

It is becoming increasingly disconcerting to win a big ballgame in dramatic fashion and seemingly take the next game off, yet that is exactly what has been happening all season. And tonight was no different.

Every time I see a glimmer of hope, this Yankees squad sends my expectations crashing back down to earth almost immediately.

I am at a loss as far as the Yankees are concerned. I still believe that they can (and likely will) go on a run and play the way everyone expected at the start of the season, and I still believe a playoff berth is not at all out of the question. But if it's going to happen, it had better happen sooner rather than later.

Someone not named Jorge, Derek, or Alex needs to step up and carry this ballclub on their shoulders. And a little luck wouldn't hurt either! Despite losing to the Red Sox on Saturday, it was encouraging that Mike Mussina wasn't sent to Mass. General with a broken bone. Unfortunately, this time it was Doug Mientkiewicz suffering such a fate. Seriously, the Yankees need to petition FOX to stop making them play the "Game of the Week"- First, it was a broken leg for Karstens, then a broken hand for Rasner, and finally a concussion, cervical sprain and broken wrist for Mientkiewicz courtesy of Boston third baseman/linebacker, Mike Lowell. That's quite enough.

And that's quite enough from me on the matter. Any day now, the New York Yankees will wake up and start playing like the Yankees. Any day now. At least that's what I keep telling myself.