Returning Pitchers: Wang, Pettitte, and Chamberlain

Chien-Ming Wang looked like the rotation’s ace last year until he was sidelined with an injury and the early-struggling Mussina rose up into the limelight. Thankfully the injury didn’t involve his arm or shoulder and he should return to form again this year. The published projections for Wang aren’t that hopeful. Both sources (the Bill James Handbook and Baseball Prospectus) are counting on Wang to make 30 appearances, but while Bill James predicts 200 innings, the Baseball Prospectus guesses 126, suggesting another setback might be on the way. BJ predicts an ERA of 3.70 while BP predicts 4.39. Obviously here one is looking for a solid season from Wang while the other is forecasting a big slide. Personally I think Wang will be back on his game and will produce numbers similar to his 2007 season. If he doesn’t, the injury prone and depleted rotation could be in big trouble.

Andy Pettitte was last season’s workhorse, the guy who would eat up innings and deliver stuff that was good enough to keep the team in the game. He had his off days and he had good days but in the end the innings went by and the team was still in a position to win. BP suggests a dropoff in Andy’s innings, games played and wins, but also a drop in ERA. BJ predicts a full workload of games and innings, a drop in wins and also an improvement in ERA. Pettitte’s deal with the Yankees took a while to iron out, but hopefully he stayed on top of his offseason conditioning. I’m looking for Andy to be Andy. Not the pitcher he once was, but still a reliable guy to go out there every five days. The media attention about his past PED use has all but disappeared and hopefully he can concentrate fully on the season ahead and deliver the goods.

Joba Chamberlain was impressive in everything he did last year. For the most part, people seem to be accepting the argument that  his talents are best used in the rotation rather than the bullpen. The big concern is his durability. The Yankees need to enforce a strict pitch count and innings limit for him from day one and need to be able to rest him every so often, skipping his start (by using him as the 5th man or having a 6th starter ready).  The only projections available are from Baseball Prospectus which seem to think his status is up in the air, making a bunch of starts but also getting some bullpen work while seeing 126 innings total. His ERA is predicted to be a mere 3.09, up from last year but still impressive. I personally don’t have a strong feeling about what’s going to happen with Joba. Starting him is the right thing to do, but he’s going to need rest, and he might not be able to hack it. If anything does happen, he’ll quickly be back in the bullpen where he’ll spend the rest of his career as a set up man and closer.

The Rest of the starters, well, there really aren’t any. I don’t have faith or hope for Kennedy or Hughes. The two of them need an entire year in the minors before I’d want them back. They will see time in the majors, however, because it’s inevitable that someone on this rotation is going to have at least a minor injury that will require a spot starter. Traditionally, a long reliever on the roster can fill in in these instances, but despite Girardi saying he wants a long reliever on the team, I don’t see it happening. I’d be willing to give Giese a shot and we should get a look at him in spring training.

Should Andy Pettitte Come Back

Pettitte has been a staple of the Yankees rotation for many years, and an important part of the team. He returned to NY after a stint in Houston and this year hasn't been one of his best. He had a few impressive games, still has one of the best pick up moves in baseball, but just isn't the same player he was in the past.

The Yankees are in desperate need of starting pitching and need to have a major shakeup next year. Do they take a chance on older, veteran pitchers like Pettitte and Mussina? Moose had a phenomenal year this year but Andy has struggled. Could he do some work in the offseason and turn things around completely like Mussina did? Somehow I doubt it. Mussina's steallar performance this year was the exception rather than the rule. Most likely Andy pitching next year would look an awful lot like this year.

The real issue to me is whether or not the Yankees are going to be able to get enough starting pitchers to fill out the rotation if they let Pettitte go or if Andy decides to retire. Yanks fans will have plenty of time to mull over these issues this October.

The Yankees lost to Los Angelas, helping LA clinch a share of the divisi0n title. Chamberlain pitched two innings while only giving up a hit. Tampa beat Boston to maintain it's lead in the East while the Bombers remain 11 games out of first.

Another Important Game Lost

Alex Rodriguez treated last nights game like it was an October playoff and did nothing offensively. Andy Pettitte was hit hard and the offense did little in return.

A few fellow bloggers and writers are saying that the next two games are must win, but I think yesterday's game was a must win as well. The Yanks needed (however improbable) a sweep of the Sox and they blew it in game one. Don't expect any last minute heroics from this heartless team

Mike and Mike in the morning touched on the team a bit and came to the conclusion that Texiera and Sabathia would be in Yankee pinstripes next year. From what I hear, that isn't all that likely, but the point is that just about all talk regarding the Yankees is focusing on next year, this one's long gone.

Angels Strut Their Stuff

The Los Angeles Angels showed that they are the team to beat in the American League. Boston's hopes appear to be fading with the trade of Manny Ramirez and despite how well the Rays are playing, does anyone really see them going to the World Series. No, the best team in the AL is in LA.

Both Andy Pettitte and Chris Britton were helpless to stop the Angel's bats, giving up a combined 12 runs and 18 hits. It was definitely a night those two would like to forget.

New acquisitions Rodriguez and Nady went 1 for 3 and 2 for 3 respectively. The rest of the offense wasn't bad and the Yanks managed to put 6 runs on the board (some of them were during garbage innings). Once pitching rights itself again, the team should be in good shape.

Baseball is a game of streaks and this year, more than ever, the Yankees look to be one of the streakiest.

Yanks Take Second Game From Sox

10-3 Yankees behind strong pitching from Andy Pettitte and the unstoppable offense of Robinson Cano.

Newly acquired Damaso Marte came in late in the game to face David Ortiz and got the job done, striking out Big Papi. If he can be reliable, the Yankees will definitely benefit from having a lefty in the bullpen. Xavier Nady didn't have any hits, but reached base on a walk and scored.

This was a great win for the Yankees although Johnny Damon appeared to come up lame after running to first late in the game. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed that it's nothing serious; the Bombers need his bat in the lineup.

There have been more roster moves today. Brett Gardner was optioned to Scranton which isn't surprising. He didn't do anything in his big league appearances other than run fast.

Latroy Hawkins was designated. I wouldn't be surprised if another team picked him up.

The earlier players I named in the trade with the Pirates wasn't accurate. Pittsburgh received Ohlendorf, McCutchen, Tabata and Karstens. McCutchen has potential and Karstens is serviceable. Pittsburgh got 3 a prospect and 2 guys with potential. Tabata could work out for them as well if he can behave. The deal sounded pretty one sided yesterday, but the actual details are more reasonable.

Yankees Hang Tough

A great win for the Bronx Bombers tonight against the first place Rays. The Yankees did a lot of things right tonight. Andy Pettitte was a machine, going 8 innings without allowing a run. The offense got some hits, but most importantly got the hits at the right times. The Pinstripers were able to move batters over with bunts and knock them in with hits.

The hitters were patient at the plate today, and worked deep in to counts and wore out Kazmir early.

Derek Jeter had a clutch hit and a nice score, getting a decent jump off of first place and motoring around the bases to score on a double.

Jorge Posada got thrown out at home by a mile, and never should have been waved home. This seems to be a commonality that all Yankee third base coaches share. No matter what the situation, it seems there arms are flailing waving the runner home.

The offense came alive, but Andy's four-hit night really was the story of the game. Edwar Ramirez was sharp in relief, but I wonder if that was just more from the Rays being stunned by Pettitte.

A quality win against a quality division opponent.

In trade news, the Cubs finally got the deal done to acquire Rich Harden, who was mentioned in Rumors regarding the Yankees all season long. with his injury history, I certainly wasn't in a hurry to see the Yankees go after him. CC Sabathia is a likely short-term rent for the Brewers and could be available to the highest bidder next year. At the end of the season, take a good look at his stats and overall performance and then decide how much he's really worth. At this point in time, he's not totally dominating, and it remains to be seen how he'll fare in the second half.

Pettitte's Got Game

Andy Pettitte pitched a fantastic game, striking out 9 batters in 7 scoreless innings. The most impressive thing to watch is his pick off move. Andy picked off a runner at first today and it was a thing of beauty. Pettitte has one of the best moves ever and more pitchers should watch video of Andy's work.

Jason Giambi is on a personal crusade to prove me wrong when I said the Yanks should cut him loose earlier in the season. Giambi knocked in homers 16 and 17 today. He's been on an absolute tear lately.

Billy Traber has been brought back as a lefty situational reliever, and was effective getting the out he needed tonight. Jose Veras struggled a bit, giving up 2 hits.

Morgan Ensberg has been signed by the Indians. It's not surprising that someone picked up Ensberg, he's a decent backup if you have a particular need, but he didn't fit in on this Yankees roster.

Jorge Posada is hitting well in his return from the DL and has significantly contributed offensively.

The Yanks have won 5 straight but are still 5.5 games out of first. If they can continue to win like this, they'll creep up further in the standings, but it's still hard for me to imagine them in the playoffs this year.

It's looking like the Bombers will try to get by with Geise filling in for Wang, but despite all the talk, I wouldn't be surprised to see them pick up a veteran if they can get one for the right price.

Happy Birthday Hideki

In an unsurprising turn of events, the Yankees rebounded after a loss with a win, putting them one game over .500. The story of the day was Hideki Matsui's birthday grand slam home run. The big hit came at a good time because there weren't many other scoring opportunities. Who needs A-Rod when you've got Godzilla?

Andy Pettitte was at the top of his game, striking out six batters and only allowing one run in eight innings of work. Mariano Rivera pitched for the fifth time in six games and picked up another save.

Joe Girardi's use of Rivera is telling of how much he really trusts anyone else in the bullpen to throw when the Yanks have a lead.

There is talk that with the interleague games coming up that Girardi may do some roster shuffling to bring up a capable bench player. Look for Duncan to be finally sent down and someone like Alberto Gonzalez to be called up.

A win is a win and I'm glad to see the Bombers come out on top, but at this stage it's hard for me not to be cynical and expect a quick loss to keep them right at their .500 mark.

Blown Leads Prove Costly

Andy Pettite and the Yankees offense had an up and down night. The hitters would put a lead up and Andy would take it down. Pettitte worked through 7 complete innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned). He had a lead several times but would end up getting hit and blowing it.

Kyle Farnsworth didn't fare much better. He came into the game in a tie game and proceded to give up 3 quick hits and 1 run. It's painful to watch Kyle pitch at times. He puts the ball right over the plate and it get hits deep. Repeatedly. Day in and day out. I really don't know what Girardi sees in this guy. Sure, he throws hard and can get that fastball cooking, but Farnsworth has the most hittable 97 mph fastball in all of baseball. The faster he throws it, the further into the stands it goes.

The good news is that Joba is going to get the start tonight in New York, and that should give fans something to watch.

The Yankees had some decent offense last night, although they left 10 runners on base. Giambi continues to hit solidly and is definitely out of the slump. Robbie Cano shows us that he can't hit and he can't field any more. Chad Moeller continues to hit just above .250 and will most likely stick with the team for a while even after Posada gets back, as he has proved to be a valuable backup.

In the press conference after the game, Girardi sounded ticked off and upset. Maybe it's about time for another behind closed doors meetings with the players. As a whole, this team is not playing up to it's potential. The biggest personnel decision has to be for the setup man. Farnsworth was never 8th inning material. He didn't all of a sudden change when Girardi took over the team. Joe and Cash need to realize what they've got, and find a better solution. Maybe they need to bring in someone from outside or maybe they need to re-evaluate their own talent (Edwar Ramirez anyone?) and make a change.

Chamberlain Continues to Stretch Out

Andy Pettitte was pitching at a high enough level last night that the Yankees didn't bring Joba in until midway through the bottom of the 7th inning.  Chamberlain pitched 1.1 innings, threw 28 pitches and faced 6 batters. With a 2 run lead, Joe Girardi went with Mariano Rivera in the 9th and Joba continued to throw in the bullpen afterward.

Jason Giambi went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and a home run. His average is now up to .244 and he continues to have a hot bat. You've gotta respect the 'stache. Melky Cabrera has been struggling at the plate a bit lately and had a nice outing hitting in the 9th spot and going 2 for 4. Matsui also had 2 and Damon went 3 for 5.

It's good to see Pettitte deliver a quality outing, going 6.2 innings. The bullpen is looking rather vulnerable at the moment and the Yankees absolutely aren't equipped to handle an early exit by too many of their pitchers. Ian Kennedy has a strained Latissimus muscle and some shoulder bursitis. Apparently he is expected back in 15 days and shouldn't miss an extended period. He probably deserves an extended stay down in the minors, and might need to be joined by Ohlendorf for a while.

There has been no official word yet on what will happen for Ian's next scheduled start. Pettitte may move up a day or Joba may get his first start. I doubt we'll be seeing Igawa back in New York. Chris Britton was called back up to fill Ike's spot on the roster temporarily, but the Yankees like moving him back and forth too much to let him linger long in the Big Apple.

Offensive Explosion

The Yankees put another game in the win column last night by scoring runs. A lot of runs. The final score was 13-2 and almost everyone in the Yankee lineup got in on the fun. Other than Hideki Matsui, who went 3 for 5, no one particular Yankee really stood out above the rest, the whole team seemed to get the hits when they were needed. Even guys like Shelley Duncan, who got 1 hit in 4 AB, had the hit come at the right time and was able to drive in a run.

Jason Giambi went 2 for 3 and Robbie Cano went 2 for 4 and both seem to be hitting better lately.

Andy Pettitte needed 105 pitches to get through 6 innings, but only allowed 2 runs on 8 hits.  Hawkins and Ramirez were scoreless in their 2 and 1 innings of relief, respectively.

Joe Girardi had the night off after being suspended for his tirade on Thursday.

There's not much commentary that I think needs to accompany last night's game. The Yankees, as a team, started hitting the way they were capable of. They strung together hits and scored runs. The starting pitching wasn't perfect, but delivered a quality start and the relievers shut down opposing batters.

Let's just hope we see a lot more of this from the Bomber's in the days and weeks to come.

Poor Pitching and Poor Hitting

The Mets beat the Yankees 7-4 yesterday afternoon and there weren't many positives to take away from the game.

Andy Pettitte started out sharp, getting 5 strike outs and a pick off in his first two innings. In the fourth inning, the wheels were coming off and Pettitte began giving up runs. He later settled down in the fifth a bit, but did hit a batter.

Later in the game Farnsworth came in and looked like the Farns of old, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits in one inning. I was trying to stay up on Kyle when it seemed he had turned a corner, but I think the book on him is closed. He'll pitch a few gems and look good, then at other times he'll get hit hard for quite a few runs. There's no way you can go to this guy in a close game. No way. A lot of teams out there need help in the bullpen, Farnsworth might be of some value in a trade.

The Yankees just cant hit. I know Posada and Rodriguez are big parts of the offense, but the rest of the guys are expected to perform a lot better than they currently are. I think the Steinbrenners and Giardi have been remarkably patient and calm throughout all of this. If it were me, I'd be reading the team the riot act.

Giambi and Cano are still struggling. Better lately, but still struggling. Ensberg and Duncan had a few good hits early on but are starting to settle down into poor hitters with a little power. Jeter and Matsui are the only offense the Yankees have. I can't hold replacement players Gonzalez and Moeller to too high of a standard and think they've done reasonably well. Johnny Damon has produced, but you'd like to see him doing even better. Melky Cabrera also seems to be delivering the goods mostly.

This team isn't going anywhere this year. Only being 5 games out of first, they're definitely still in the mix and have a very real chance of winning the division if they turn things around, but I don't see it happening. I think at this point the Yankees need to start focusing on next year. Start working on Kennedy and Hughes and settling them in, seeing if they really can handle the big leagues. Get Joba into the rotation now. If he reaches his innings limit by September, fine, the Yankees aren't going to be in the race by September.

If moves need to be made, get rid of over-paid, aged veterans who aren't producing, like Giambi. Get rid of someone like Cano, who has potential but doesn't look like he's going to find it again in NY. Get rid of guys who are afraid of the walls at Yankee stadium like Abreu. The Yankees have a decent bullpen with a few arms to spare and could easily trade Farnsworth or Hawkins.

A few veteran utility backups and young bats could also find a home somewhere else. Betemit needs to be dealt or cut. Ensberg and Duncan aren't ever going to be much more than they are now. Duncan seems like a great, fun guy, but he's not going to start hitting like Paul O'Neill anytime soon. I'd rather keep him than Giambi, but if the right trade offer came my way for Duncan, I'd take it.

Garza Shuts Down Yanks

Matt Garza went 7 innings and didn't allow any runs to score on 5 hits. Andy Pettite gave up 8 hits and 5 runs over 4 innings. The bullpen wasn't as bad for the Yankees, but did help Tampa tack on a few extra runs. Chris Britton gave up 1 hit and 1 run in 2.0 innings while Jose Veras gave up 4 hits and 1 run over 1.2 innings. Edwar Ramirez got the final out of the game.

Alberto Gonzalez is hitting .310 and went 2 for 3. Hopefully he can continue to do well at the plate and open Girardi's eyes to that fact that he's a much better all around player than Betemit.

As a team, the Yankees left 11 runners on base, and won't win many games if they can't drive in those runs.

Ian Kennedy only pitched one inning in his minor league game today and likely will get the start on Friday, in place of the inept Igawa.

I really think Kennedy could have used the benefit of another full start in the minors to help him get his head screwed on straight, but the Yankees don't have many other options when it comes to starting pitchers right now. Kennedy has looked very sharp in AAA and if he can continue to pitch that way up in NY, he'll be a fine pitcher at the back end of the rotation.

What worries me is that Kennedy will get scared again when he returns, won't throw strikes and will revert to trying to paint the corners. When he does this, hitters work him deep in counts and start taking advantage of him. If Ian can come out and throw strikes and challenge the hitters, he should be fine.

Alex Rodriguez's quadriceps hasn't fully healed yet and he'll be out another week.

Thankfully for Yankee fans the Red Sox lost again tonight and so the Bombers remain 4 games back.

Yankees Dejected in Second Loss

Injuries are the story of the day. Posada is getting second opinions, Bruney is getting second opinions, Rodriguez is on the 15 day DL and in a new startling development, Phil Hughes is injured.

No one really seems to have a good explanation but today Phil Hughes was placed on the 15 day DL with a strained oblique muscle. This means someone will have to get called up to fill in for Hughes' next start (my money is on Rasner). I'm not buying into this being any sort of actual injury, rather an attempt to bend the rules a bit by Girardi. Hughes can have a few days off to get his head screwed on straight, then can come back for a "rehab" start down in the minors.

Hopefully this will work out for the better, giving Phil a day or two off and giving Rasner a chance to strut his stuff.

The Yanks lost 6-2 tonight, and there weren't too many bright spots for the Bombers. Hitting was abysmal and the offense couldn't put enough runs on the board to bail out Andy Pettitte, who was roughed up a bit for 5 runs. Andy still has that magic pick off move, and got an easy out at first. That move is a thing of beauty.

LaTroy Hawkins gave up 1walk and no hits in a scoreless inning. Edwar Ramirez looked sharp, giving up 1 hit and 1 HBP in his inning. In between those two was Kyle Farnsworth who was typical Farnsworth - he threw hard and gave up a home run.

I don't want to dwell on the poor starting pitching and the anemic offense, and so I'll wrap things up.

In other roster news, Chad Moeller cleared waivers and was brought back up with Stewart being sent down. Wilson Betimit is better and is playing a few games in SWB before heading back to NY.

2009 Free Agents

Just for kicks I thought I'd take a look at who will become a free agent at the end of the season. I'm listing all the important Yankees, and a few non-Yankees of interest.

First Base:

Jason Giambi*

Third Base:

Morgan Ensberg

Outfielders:

Bobby Abreu

Starting Pitchers:

Mike Mussina

Andy Pettitte

Relief Pitchers:

Kyle Farnsworth

LaTroy Hawkins

 

At first base, Mark Texiera will become available, and at 28 still has quite a few good years left in him. Several of the Yankees are getting a bit old at their position and might want to consider sliding over to first (Jeter, Posada). I don't see any way Giambi gets re-signed and wouldn't be surprised to see him get traded or cut if he continues to struggle. Also in the wings is Shelley Duncan, the utility OF/1B who has shown promise in the minor leagues but hasn't hit well in the majors this year.

Morgan Ensberg is more of a utility guy for the Yankees right now, and could get a better offer from someone else who wants to make him a starter. He is nice to have around, and currently adds more value to the team than Giambi. There are always youngsters like Eric Duncan and veterans like Cody Ransom ready to step in.

Bobby Abreu is an afterthought at this point. The Yanks already have too many outfielders and unless they trade someone, there's no need to keep Abreu around. Damon, Cabrera and Matsui can handle the job and guys like Duncan and Brett Gardner can fill in and you still have Tabata in the wings.

Mussina will likely be gone, Pettitte might sign on for another year if he holds up but the Yankees are going to need someone to fill in at least one spot. Assuming everything works out and Joba, Ian and Phil all come around as productive starters, Wang will still be an ace and then you've got one spot to fill. If Pettitte comes back you've got 5 but that's a lot of if's. Especially the way the staff is struggling right now, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Yanks pick someone up this year and then only re-signing Pettite if someone else doesn't work out.

I can't see the Yankees keeping Farnsworth around, despite Girardi's fascination with the hittable reliever. Hawkins is definitely gone. By next season Bruney should be healthy again and you've got Albaladejo,  Ohlendorf, Betances, Melancon and Patterson ready to take over.

There's a chance another minor league guy could be ready to try starting in the bigs. Darrel Rasner has been pitching well in the minors, but I see him as more of a long reliever. Jeff Marquez and Daniel McCutchen will get their shots eventually.

The Yankees have a lot of prospects that could play a role on next year's team. It would be hard to justify signing an overpriced veteran on the decline to a big contract when you've invested so much into bringing the young talent along. Then again, we're talking about the Yankees here, who am I kidding.

Another Tough Loss

Andy Pettitte didn't have his best stuff and unlike his last start, couldn't tough out a win. The Yankees lost 6-4 to the Cleveland Indians, mostly due to a poor fifth inning by Pettitte. Andy gave up 2 home runs in that inning and just threw some bad pitches. The rest of his performance was decent, but all it takes is a few lapses and the opposing batters will make you pay.

Billy Traber struggled in his one inning appearance. I liked what I saw from him early in the year but his last 3 appearances have been worrisome. This time he gave up 2 walks, 1 hit and earned 1 run in his single inning of work. I'm not ready to give up on him yet, but I'm keeping him on a shorter leash at this point.

Albaladejo pitched 2 scoreless innings and was the only pitching bright spot. I really like this guy and think he deserves a full time spot in the bullpen.

Jason Giambi's bat came alive as he hit 2 home runs and was a few feet away from a third. In his last 7 games, Giambi is hitting .375 with a .500 OBP and a 1.000 SLG. While it's good to see him hitting again, I wouldn't complain if he were traded an a better defensive player were brought in.

There were three stolen bases against the Yankees, one against Pettitte and two against Traber. Traber has a slow delivery and no pickup move and Posada had no chance to throw out the runners. Expect to see much more base stealing against Posada and the Yanks in the next few games as Posada is slipping to Piazza-like levels of play defensively (but not quite matching him offensively).

Ian Kennedy gets the start tonight. Lets all keep our fingers crossed that he starts pitching at the level he is capable of and can last 6 or 7 innings or more.

Strong Outing For Pettitte

Andy Pettitte pitched a strong 7 scoreless innings today, providing the bullpen some much needed relief. Yankee fans need to hope and pray that Pettitte can stay healthy all year and not miss any starts.

Joba faced two batters but was unable to get an out and Bruney relieved him and let an inherited runner score, giving Chamberlain an earned run.

Johnny Damon went 2 for 4 and hit a 2 run home run. Chad Moeller continues to impress, also going 2 for 4. One of his hits bounced off of the centerfield wall and was half an inch from being a home run. He's done more than anyone expected and will be kept around for a while longer just in case Posada has a setback when he returns to catching.

Jason Giambi continues to struggle at the plate and is now hitting .109 for the season.

A Rod had a strained right quad and left the game. Expect him to be out for the better part of a week.

There were two rain delays, each of 37 minutes, but the wait didn't affect Mariano Rivera who came in and closed out the 9th inning.

This game should boost spirits a bit. Andy Pettitte was the star of the game and is still a cornerstone of this team.

It's hard to believe this Chad Moeller is the same journeyman with the abysmal bat in prior years. He's excelled in his latest big league stint. Good job Chad!

Final score: Yankees 7, Orioles 1.

Quality Start For Pettitte

Andy Pettitte used 100 pitches to face 32 batters over 7.0 innings in a winning effort as the Yankees beat the Rays 5-3. Andy gave up 9 hits and 3 runs and got the run support he needed. This is exactly the kind of outing you like to see from Pettitte. Even without his best stuff, he managed to keep it together and get through the innings he needed. If you can consistently get through 7 innings with your starter, your in a lot better shape to win a game than if you have to bring relievers in early.

The Rays' Edwin Jackson came back down to reality today, giving up 5 runs in 5 innings. His early numbers this season have been a bit deceptive and things are slowly starting to level out.

Yankee batters hit well in the clutch with some big 2 out RBIs from Jeter and Abreu. Derek Jeter went 3 for 4 and drew a walk. More importanly, he was able to hustle home from second base on a deep line drive to center, a good sign that he is recovering from his injury. Matsui was sharp at the plate with 2 RBIs on 2 hits including a solo home run to center.

Giambi and Cano struggled at the plate but Robby had some nice plays at 2nd base. Earlier in the year he seemed a little off his fielding game but tonight he made a few tough plays and saved a hit or two.

10 men were left on base tonight, a stat that continues to be a bit too high for my liking.

Kyle Farnsworth is doing his best to prove me wrong about his talent (or lack thereof). I was getting nervous when he came in with only a 2 run lead, but he got all 3 batters out in short order, needing 10 pitches. Farnsworth is perfectly capable of pitching an inning in relief and holding a lead. Good outings like this are deceptive however, because despite his strong arm, Kyle's stuff is extremely hitable and he frequently gets abused by opposing hitters.

Chad Moeller was  0 for 2, but drew a walk. No one attempted a steal off of his arm. All in all the cagey veteran is holding his own.

Yankees Return to Form With Win

There were quite a few things to encourage the Yankee faithful watching last nights game. Most importantly, the Yankees won the ballgame 6-1, avoiding a sweep by the Royals and moving back to .500.

The offense started to emerge from its slumber and the bombers were finally able to put some runs on the board. Melky Cabrera continues to deliver excitement, going 2 for 5 with a home run and an RBI single. Alex Rodriguez was 1 for 4, but was able to knock in two runs and hit a solo home run shot late in the game. A-Rods homer was followed by a solo dinger by Posada, hitting in the DH spot due to a sore shoulder. Morgan Ensberg had a nice night going 2 for 4.

Andy Pettite was the story of the evening in my book. Andy looked strong in 6.2 innings of work, giving up 5 hits and allowing only 1 run, walking 2 and striking out 1. This was the Pettitte pitching Yankee fans were hoping to see this year.

Pettitte still has a great pick off move. Andy was able to pick off Alex Gordon and held runners close to the bases. KC was unable to steal a base all night. Andy has always had one of the best moves to first in baseball, and it really helps at times, especially against speedy small ball teams like the Royals.

In the bottom of the 6th Pettitte had a line drive drilled inches to the right of his head. Andy ducked out of the way and managed to get his glove up for the out. It was a pure instinct play and most importantly Andy avoided injury. Catching the ball while hitting the ground was downright amazing. Molina and Rodriguez both came over to check on Pettitte after the play and Andy didn't look particularly happy at the time. Despite the close call he managed to strike out the next batter and get the following hitter to ground out for a 1-2-3 inning. Making great plays, getting shaken and coming back to dominate the next two hitters shows again why Andy is one of the best in the game.

Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera were their usual awesome selves in the final innings of the game, making a fantastic combination the Yankees haven't had since the Rivera-Wetteland days.

Hopefully the Yankees will continue this level of play both hitting and pitching. They've got their work cut out for them in the upcoming series with Boston.

AL East notes:

Edwin Jackson looked sharp again in Tampa's 7-0 win over Seattle.

Baltimore dropped 2 to Texas and may finally be starting their migration to the back of the pack.

Toronto lost to Oakland in 12 innings.

Boston outslugged Detroit 12-6 in a game that lasted 3:44. Both starting pitchers

Pettitte Unsuccessful In First Outing

Andy Pettitte couldn't quite deliver the goods in his first appearance of the 2008 regular season. The day started well with a warm reception from the fans despite the offseason HGH/steroid controversy.

The box score tells the tale pretty well. 8 hits and 3 walks in 5 innings is not going to get the job done. 5 runs scored but only 3 were earned to deep ball that was dropped by Matsui. Pettitte's control seemed decent (despite hitting Pena twice), but he didn't have enough "stuff" to get the batters out and gave up too many hits. Hopefully he'll revert back to his old self sooner rather than later.

Ohlendorf and Bruney eached pitched two good innings although Ross did give up a single home run. I'm liking these two guys so far this season.

A-Rod had a nice clutch 2 out RBI double to score Damon in the first. Nice to see Rodriguez get a hit when it matters.

The play of the day occurred early on when Jonny Gomes hit what looked like a home run that bounced off the top of the outfield wall and fell into play. Bobby Abreu made a nice play to throw the ball to Jeter who was able to tag Gomes, who had assumed the ball was a homer and was doing a lazy, head down trot. Gomes made up for it later by hitting a 3 run homer.