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.

A Good Article Regarding The A.L. MVP...

BRONX BIAS STRIKES JETER

By Mike Vaccaro
November 22, 2006

MAYBE it's best that Derek Jeter get a preview of what's in store for him across the next 15 years. Maybe it's best that we get it on the record, from a sizable cross-section of the nation's baseball writers, exactly what his perception really is, what his national image really is.

This time, it was an MVP Award, one that he deserved, one that should have his name on it, one that was taken from him primarily because of the team he plays for and the city he plays in. The voters will tell you differently, but know this: If Derek Jeter had the season he had playing for the Minnesota Twins, and if Justin Morneau had the season he had playing for the Yankees, it would be Jeter who would be reserving space on his shelf for the MVP plaque.

But Jeter doesn't play for the Twins. He plays for the Yankees. He plays in New York City. He makes a lot of commercials, and he dates a lot of starlets, and he makes a lot of money, and if you think that doesn't count in the minds of the people who cast these votes, you're a greater believer in the purity of human nature than I am.

And here's the thing: This is only the warm-up. Just wait another 15 years or so, when it's time for the same assemblage of writers to size up Jeter's credentials as a Hall of Famer. Just wait, especially, when the arbiters of immortality decide whether Jeter's career merits the honor of a first-ballot selection, or whether they'll force him to endure a few years of consolation phone calls first.

Jeter has long been a source of endless speculation and endless fascination in the ongoing debate between we in New York who see him every day and the larger audience of Yankee-weary skeptics who've been convinced from day one that Jeter is solely a product of the New York hype machine.

Look, Morneau is more than a worthy candidate. Jeter may have outhit him by 23 points and had the better on-base percentage by 42 points, but the Twin had 20 more homers and 33 more RBIs, and his .559 slugging percentage dwarfed Jeter's .483. It isn't an outrage that Morneau won.

But this poll certainly is a commentary about the way Jeter lost. One voter, a shameless Chicago shill named Joe Cowley, actually listed Jeter sixth and then spent yesterday double-talking his explanation to anyone who would listen. Cowley didn't cost Jeter the MVP. No one voter robbed Jeter the way Ted Williams was robbed in 1947, when some long-forgotten Midwestern bum kept Williams off his ballot entirely and Williams wound up losing the vote to Joe DiMaggio by a single point.

Was Jeter hurt by the fact that, as an "intangibles" player and as a captain, that he failed to publicly support Alex Rodriguez during his most embattled year? It would be a shame if he were, but that's certainly possible. Was he hurt by the fact that, as an "intangibles" player, he was steamrolled by voters who always favor gaudy numbers? That's certainly possible, too.

What's hard to dispute is this: the overwhelming perception of the Yankees is that they are not a team that needs an "intangibles" guy, even if their lack of recent championships is a direct tie to a growing dearth of intangibles guys.

Alex Rodriguez won the MVP last year in what became a controversial duel with David Ortiz, but the truth is Rodriguez had MVP-level numbers that allowed voters to assuage their inherent anti-Yankee bents.

He was the best player having the best year. In the end, that mattered most.

Jeter didn't have those numbers. He'll never have those numbers. And it's not likely he's ever again going to have a year like this one when his singular presence in the Yankee lineup - during a year when the Yankees made the '06 football Giants look strong and robust and healthy by comparison - is what kept them from a freefall while half the batting order nursed injuries.

He should have won. He didn't. Now save your breath and wait, because in 15 years or so, you'll be hearing exactly the same arguments from exactly the same precincts. It's best to get used to it early. For Jeter and for his army of fans.

And The MVP Goes To...

Justin Morneau.

JUSTIN MORNEAU?!?!?!

You have got to be kidding me. Justin Morneau is not even the most valuable player on his own team. That distinction belongs to Johan Santana and Joe Mauer.

This is absolutely disgusting. The anti-New York sentiment is getting completely ridiculous and out of control. When Ichiro won the Rookie of the Year after leaving Japan, no one said a word, and rightfully so- He absolutely deserved it. But when Hideki Matsui came over from Japan two seasons later and put up EASILY the best season of any MLB rookie, suddenly the writers decided that he wasn't "technically" a rookie because he'd played professional ball in Japan. HELLO, AND ICHIRO DIDN'T?!?! And Robbie Cano was robbed of the ROY last season as well, because the writers chose YET ANOTHER member of the Oakland A's to firmly solidify the rampant West Coast bias that exists in Major League Baseball.

2005:

Huston Street (Oakland Athletics) over Robinson Cano (New York Yankees)- Rookie of the Year (1st and 2nd Finishers)

Bartolo Colon (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) over Mariano Rivera (NYY)- Cy Young (1st and 2nd Place)

2004:

Vladimir Guerrero (Anaheim Angels) over Gary Sheffield (NYY)- MVP (1st and 2nd Place)
2003:

Angel Berroa (Kansas City Royals) (HAHAHA!) over Hideki Matsui (NYY)- R.O.Y. (1st and 2nd Place)

{STILL UNBELIEVABLE, 3 YEARS LATER}

And just to further my point- Since 1996 (11 Award Seasons), you know how many players from the A.L. West won MVP Awards? 9. NINE! Disgusting. A-Rod (as a Yankee) and Morneau are the only ones not on the West Coast.
****************

Derek Sanderson Jeter, to say you were robbed would be an understatement.

Getting beaten by the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs was heartbreaking.

But when Tom Verducci interrupted the CNN Breaking News today and said there was a good chance that Cory Lidle was the pilot of the plane, it certainly put things in perspective.

God. This man was only 34 years old. He was a New York Yankee, who pitched just a few days ago in relief of Jaret Wright. I listened to him on WFAN maybe two days ago and saw pictures of him leaving Yankee Stadium on Monday. And now he's dead.

What a tragedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and son, his twin brother, and the rest of his family and friends.

As much as pinstripes and championships are part of the legacy of the New York Yankees, sadly, tragedy and loss are too.

Rest in peace, Cory.

Cory Lidle
May 22, 1972-October 11, 2006

Time To Pop The Corks...

...Because the New York Yankees are Division Champions once more! Congratulations, Bombers, it's been a difficult but rewarding season, and 9 division titles in a row is quite the accomplishment! Let's bring that trophy back where it belongs!

Lara*

(Photos courtesy of Yankees.com)

The Boston Massacre, Revisited (Composed After Sunday Night Baseball Between the Yanks and Sox)

Ouch...



Coming into tonight's game, the Red Sox had surrendered 39 runs to the Yankees, lost 3 games in a row and fell to 4.5 back in the division.



They had their savior and saint, Curt Schilling on the mound to be the stopper. The ace. To stop the bleeding (pardon the pun) and restore a sense of order and normalcy to Red Sox Nation. End the madness of the Boston Massacre, Revisited.



Alas, St. Schill could not. He pitched well enough for a win though. When he was forced out because of a high pitch count, things looked good for the Boys from Beantown. They had their phenomenal prodigy on the mound to close it out and beat the big, bad Yankees. They had Jonathan...........................................Papelbon. Savior of the Universe. The Mariano Rivera of Boston (haha, yeah right!). The be all and end all.



.....Or not. Papelbon blew the save, his 6th of the season, and the game was tied- Thank you Jason Giambi, Melky Cabrera, and Captain Jeter. The greatest closer of all time entered and got himself into a big jam. Bases loaded, only one out. But Mo showed the Fenway Faithful that ice water runs in those veins...That no matter how good your closer is, he will never equal the unsurpassed greatest of one Mr. Mariano Rivera. Papelbon? Second best closer in the big leagues, at least this season. But there's only one Superman.



And after Mo's escape-artist act in the 9th, Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada provided the final blows to bury the BoSox and break the hearts of an entire Nation. Big Papi made the last out and the Yankees prevailed in the biggest series of the season.



Four games, four wins. Come-from-behind victories. 47 runs in 37 innings. Turning around a 3 1/2 game deficit to a 5 1/2 game lead in only a month. Crushing defeats of epic proportions and historical significance. Tonight's 4:17 minute game may have been the most heartbreaking of them all.



How sweet it is.

Roadtrip!

I decided to spend the first game of the All Star break in a most dangerous way- At Fenway Park, in enemy territory, and decked out in green and yellow to show my support of the Oakland Athletics and my hatred and disdain for all things pertaining to Red Sox Nation.

And apparently, it worked. The Red Sox, who hadn't lost a game at home in a month, lost this game to Esteban Loaiza and the A's in the 11th inning. My first Fenway experience was an excellent and memorable one; I've been waiting to watch the Red Sox play in their home ballpark since I was a kid, so this was pretty awesome. I also think I might just have to move to Boston to help the Yankees- I was up there and the Red Sox lost three out of four to Oakland and the Yanks, of course, swept the defending World Champions at the Stadium to pull within .5 game of first place (*Of course, after yesterday's tough loss, the Yankees are now 1.5 games back).

Snubbed!

Mussina one of many All-Star snubs on our list

Michael Lazarus / Special to FOXSports.com

As hard as it may be to fathom that a New York Yankee who's a five-time All-Star can be underrated, it's apparent that Mike Mussina has turned the trick -- at least when it comes to this year's All-Star selection process.

If there's one player who should feel completely snubbed, it's Mussina, the second-ranked pitcher in our rankings this week and a mainstay for most of the season.

Ranked among the top 14 pitchers in baseball in all six of our categories (including wins and ERA), Mussina wasn't only left off the original roster – he wasn't even one of the five players added for the ballot for the final spot.

Granted some pitchers – like Mark Redman, Scott Kazmir and Barry Zito – are their teams' only representative so it's understandable why they were selected. But compare the raw numbers of Mussina and another All-Star pitcher. (Stats through Tuesday night's games):

Mike Mussina: 9-3, 3.17 ERA, 116.1 IP, 104 SO, 22 BB, 1.04 WHIP

Mark Buehrle: 9-5, 3.86 ERA, 116.2 IP, 51 SO, 28 BB, 1.31 WHIP

Of course, Buehrle plays for the same team as the AL All-Star manager. Perhaps this is payback for all the Yankees who made the game when Joe Torre managed (remember Mike Stanton in 2001)?

• The six statistics the rankings are based on:
  

ERA: The most common statistic to rate pitchers.
WHIP: Keeping batters from reaching base is of utmost importance.
Strikeouts/walk ratio: A big measuring stick for success.
Strikeouts/9 innings: Pitchers who strike out more batters tend to do better.
Opponents' slugging percentage: Limiting the home runs and extra-base hits.
Wins: Yes, wins aren't always "earned" but this is what the ultimate goal is

The 30 top pitchers in each category earn points (30 for first, 29 for second, and so on all the way down to 1 point for 30th place). Those with the most total points top our rankings.

Pitchers must have thrown enough innings to qualify for the ERA title (one inning per team games played) in every category except wins. Ties among wins are broken by number of losses. Rankings are through Tuesday night.


Rk Pitcher ERA WHIP K/BB K/9 SLG% Wins TOTAL
1. Johan Santana 28 30 29 27 21 14.5 149.5
2. Mike Mussina 20 28 26 19 22 17 132
3. Roy Halladay 23 27 25 NR 18 29.5 122.5
4. Pedro Martinez 9 29 23 30 27 NR 118
5. Curt Schilling 6 24 30 20 NR 27.5 107.5
6. Brandon Webb 29 20 28 NR 13 17 107
7. Jason Schmidt 30 23 NR 13 29 NR 95
8.Jeremy Bonderman 5 15 19 25 25 NR 89
9. Bronson Arroyo 27 21 14 1 14 11.5 88.5
10. Chris Young 21 26 1 21 19 NR 88

Next 10:
11. Jose Contreras (86)
12. Brad Penny (84)
13. Scott Kazmir (80.5)
14. John Lackey (79)
15. Justin Verlander (77.5)
16. Chris Carpenter (76)
17. Chris Capuano (74.5)
18. Jake Peavy (68)
19. Carlos Zambrano (6)
20. Aaron Harang (61.5).

Dropped out: Kenny Rogers (LW: 18).

*** Liriano is 2/3 of an inning away from taking over the No. 1 spot ***

Subway Series: Yankee Stadium Edition

There’s nothing better than a good, clean, well-pitched ballgame, except a good, clean, well-pitched ballgame in which the Yankees shut down the opposition and hold them to one measly little hit, especially when the opposition are their crosstown rivals who have prematurely been touted as “the best team in New York.” The Mets, without question, are having an incredible season thus far. However, facing some of the “big boys” of the American League has exposed quite a few weaknesses like their pitching staff, primarily the number three, four, and five starters. I was not at all pleased to have the Mets coming in having been absolutely pounded in Boston and having lost three games in a row for the first time all season, but then I remembered Moose was starting and that the Yankees are probably all a little sick of hearing about how great the Mets are and looking for a little respect, especially considering the Yankees have ten consecutive division titles and have been playing playoff-worthy baseball for much longer than just a few months.

It was very nice to watch another Moose vs. El Duque duel like the one last season while Duque was with the White Sox. They’re both such finesse pitchers that can throw an incredible arsenal of pitches, in any count and from any angle. I’d rather watch these kinds of guys, with pinpoint control and the ability to change speeds as dramatically as they both do, than some wild flamethrower that gets the ball up there around 100 but gives up monster homeruns and walk the guys they don’t strikeout. The Yankees caught a really bad break tonight when Moose had to come out of the game in the fourth inning with a no-hitter because of the rain delay and they had to go to the much maligned bullpen, but those guys did an incredible job and hopefully this shut out will give them all a little much-needed confidence. Villone did a great job giving them a little length, Proctor was trusted with the meat of the Mets lineup and looked sharp, Farnsworth did NOT give up a hit and looked like last season’s dominant and imposing reliever, and Mariano, the REAL Sandman and the best closer of all time, was, well, Mo. The first inning Giambi homerun turned out to be all the Bombers needed, but Andy Phillips’(Whom I affectionately call George, FYI) basehit in the 4th was a huge insurance run.

Taking a look around the league, Joe Girardi and the Marlins did tonight what Willie Randolph and the Mets couldn’t do in three games: beat the Red Sox. The Mets Fenway fiasco is, luckily for them, in the rearview mirror. However, the D-Train was able to hold the streaking BoSox to two runs and finally stopped Boston’s 12-game winning streak with a 5-2 victory. It’s about time!

Oh, and one last thing, going back to the Mets and Yankees. Why is it that the Yankees, according to the media at least, are inconsistent and struggling this year (45-32) while the Mets (47-32) are sometimes called the “best team in baseball”? Take a look at the records, and keep in mind the Yankees play in a division that is infinitely tougher than any N.L. Division, period. You don’t have to knock the Mets, but let’s give the Yanks a bit of respect, huh? I’m getting kind of sick of the Yankee-bashing.

This afternoon's game will be a match-up of Randy Johnson and Steve Trachsel. Hopefully, the Big Unit can continue pitching as well as he has of late and the Yankees can take the series and give their fans some bragging rights.

Lara*

Good News...

...I'm still alive and well for those of you who have been checking back to the site and wondering at my lack of updates. Basically, I've just been slacking off with the start of summer, but I plan on getting back into the site and following my beloved Yankees on here, so don't give up on me!

Lara*

Here It Comes...Subway Series Starts This Weekend

New York Yankees vs.

New York Mets

Round 1, Shea Stadium

Randy Johnson (5-4, 5.13)

Jeremi Gonzalez (0-0, 5.40)

Game 1: The Yankees should have the advantage here, pitching-wise, but who knows how the Big Unit will respond following his recent string of less-than-impressive performances?

HIP HIP, JORGE! HIP HIP, JORGE! HIP HIP, JORGE!

NEW YORK -- Yogi Berra would have loved this one.

Following the theme of "It ain't over 'til it's over," the Yankees and Rangers engaged in a slugfest in the Bronx on Tuesday night, with New York emerging victorious by a 14-13 final.

Appropriately, it was the Yankees' catcher that provided the final blow, as Jorge Posada blasted a two-run walk-off home run against Rangers closer Akinori Otsuka with two outs in the ninth.

"I was just hoping it was out of the park so we wouldn't have to keep playing," Posada said. "I didn't want to play anymore. It was a long game."

Posada's homer capped the wild, three-hour, 49-minute game which featured 34 hits, 11 walks, two hit batsmen and two errors.

The Yankees overcame an early 10-1 deficit, tying the franchise record for the largest comeback in a game.

"It's hard to beat that one," said manager Joe Torre. "It was such a team effort all the way around. I can't be more proud of the way this ballclub responded tonight. They fought hard, which is what they've done all year."

"Possible? Yes. Realistic? You'd have to think about that for a minute," Johnny Damon said when asked if he thought a comeback was possible at 10-1. "There's a lot of heart here. A lot of people doubted us with [Gary Sheffield], [Hideki] Matsui and [Jason] Giambi out, but we kept bringing it."

Derek Jeter went 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs, while Posada, hitting cleanup for the first time since Oct. 2, 2004, finished the night with five RBIs of his own.

"This says a lot about this team and about the guys," Posada said. "We did a lot of things right, we did a lot of things wrong, but we kept fighting."

Things didn't look good early on for the Yankees, as Texas tagged Shawn Chacon for eight runs on six hits and two walks in just 1 1/3 innings.

"Did he start tonight? I don't even remember, it was such a long time ago," cracked Torre after the game. "He got himself in trouble, pitched from behind and threw a lot of pitches early. When he tried to make a pitch, he didn't make it."

Aaron Small relieved Chacon in the second, promptly serving up a three-run homer to Hank Blalock on his third pitch, giving Texas a 9-0 lead.

With the score 10-1 after the top of the third, the Yankees started chipping away at starter John Koronka. Jeter and Posada each drove in runs to cut the lead to 10-3 in the third, then Posada and Robinson Cano added RBIs in the fifth, slicing the score to 10-5.

"You have to think small," Jeter said. "We had a long way to go, so you try to score one at a time, not try to get them all back at once."

"Once we stabilized them, then we score a run or two and they don't get it back, you're five runs back and it's realistic," Torre said. "I think everybody sensed that."

Posada helped hold the Rangers from extending their lead in the sixth, tagging Mark Teixeira out at the plate after a violent collision.

"That's probably the hardest I've ever been hit," Posada said. "I've never played football in my life, but that's probably what it feels like."

"He looked a little dazed, but he kept answering the questions the right way," Torre said when asked if Posada came close to leaving the game. "He seemed to have his senses about him."

The Yankees completed their first comeback in the sixth, scoring six times to take an 11-10 lead. Jeter's three-run homer brought New York within two runs, while Miguel Cairo's two-run single capped the rally, sending the 40,757 fans into a frenzy.

The euphoria didn't last long, though, as Scott Proctor walked Kevin Mench to start the seventh, setting up Brad Wilkerson's two-run homer, which gave the Rangers the lead once again.

Following the pace of this game, the Yankees wasted no time in tying it up. Damon reached on an error, moved to third on Jeter's bunt single and another Rangers error, then scored on Posada's sac fly. But the Yankees couldn't move the go-ahead run home from third, sending the game into the eighth tied at 12.
Closer Mariano Rivera entered the tie game in the ninth, and Mench blooped a broken-bat single to center to start the inning. Wilkerson bunted pinch-runner Adrian Brown to second, then Rivera walked Mark DeRosa, putting men at first and second.

Rod Barajas followed with a broken bat double down the third-base line, scoring Brown to put the Rangers back in the lead. Rivera got out of the inning without any further damage, giving the offense one final chance to pull out the win.

"You can't do anything against that," Rivera said. "When you have hits like that, bloops, you just have to continue to battle. I was disappointed, but you can't control it."

As the Yankees walked toward the dugout, Torre sent a message to Posada and his teammates.

"Skip said, 'This game is yours. You fought too hard to lose it,'" Posada said. "We kept coming. It was just meant to happen."

Damon reached base with a single, moving to second on Jeter's groundout. Alex Rodriguez lined out to center, bringing Posada to the plate. Otsuka fell behind, 3-0, then threw a strike to Posada. One pitch later, Posada crushed Otsuka's 3-1 offering into the front row of the right-field bleachers, capping the win.

"We just have one way we like to believe we do things; to get the most out of every at-bat, play every single inning, and when it's all said and done, let's see where we are," Torre said. "It was a big lift, to let us know what we're capable of doing."

"It was a great game for him," Damon said. "He saved a run at the plate by holding on to the ball, hit the two-run homer. He sent a lot of people home happy."

(((Article taken from www.yankees.com)))

Yankees vs. Red Sox- Series Recap

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*