Cause for Concern

Spring training has only recently begun and most Yankee fans have reason to be worried about the upcoming season. One of the main reasons for last year’s troubles was a plague of injuries and that slowly looks to be happening again this time around.

The biggest news of the pre-season is A-Rods upcoming hip surgery which will take him out 6-9 weeks. The idea is that he’ll have arthroscopic surgery to get him mostly healed and able to play the vast majority of season and then he’ll have another procedure in the offseason. If all goes well, they should only miss him for about 1 month of the actual season. If all goes well.

In the meantime, Cody Ransom is the everyday backup to start in his place and Cashman is probably exploring other options and thinking about making a trade to pick up another third baseman. This would be an unfortunate move if the Yankees had to give up anything significant, which they likely would. Moving Cabrera or Kennedy wouldn’t bother me, but giving up an actual prospect would be a big setback to the depleted Yankee farm system, especially if you’re only acquiring a guy who will likely only see a month or two of work as a Yankee.

The second area of concern is Jorge Posada, who had a bit of shoulder stiffness early in the spring and sat out a while. While his replacement Molina might be a fine defensive backstop, he is an offensive liability. The Yankees surely missed Posada’s bat last year and will do so again if he’s not up to snuff. The idea of DHing Posada doesn’t quite work out because of Matsui.

Which brings up the last area of concern, Hideki Matsui. Yes, he’s looking somewhat healthy this year and is expected to be able to DH, but there’s no talk of him returning to the outfield any time soon. The reason this is a concern is that the Yankees now have 3 guys who may end up being nothing more than DH when the people actually playing the skill positions have significantly lower offensive outputs. If A-Rod can move back to third and Posada can’t throw from behind the plate, the Yankees are going to be in a world of hurt.

Instant Replay Works!

Alex Rodriguez added an important home run at the end of the game that solidified the Yankees lead and allowed them to not have to bring in Rivera. The ball looked pretty foul to me and most everyone else watching, but the play was reviewed and a quick decision ruled it a home run. The replays being shown on ESPN afterward look like the call was the correct one, and the most impressive aspect of the process was that it didn't take much time at all. From start to finish the whole endeaver was under 2 minutes.

As to the game itself, Carl Pavano looked good early and then got tired out in the 4th inning, giving up a double, homer, and a hit batter. He came back out for the 5th but was quickly relieved. The Yankee bullpen did the job the rest of the way, and the offense made the most of it's opportunities with key hits and aggressive baserunning.

A-Rod was the offensive star of the game, and his late-game homer was important. Sure the Yankees had a 3 run lead already but having watched the team play recently, was anyone really feeling overly secure?

Tonight's win puts the Yankees 10 games out of first and puts Boston only 3 games out. Tampa has a tough schedule coming up and will have their work cut out for them if they are going to hold off the charging Red Sox. I don't see much hope for the Yanks, but it's good to see them winning again.

A Rod Moves Up

The Yankees offense showed up in full force this afternoon and Alex Rodriguez hammered his way past Mickey Mantly for 13th place on the all time home run list. Derek Jeter homered early to get the festivities started and had 3 RBIs for the day. Brett Gardner went 2 for 2, bringing his average up to .182. Posada was DHing again and Chad Moeller got the start behind the plate. Variety is the spice of life when it comes to Joe Girardi's lineups.

Congratulations to A-Rod for hitting the big home runs and moving up the list. Alex doesn't seemed too bother by all of the personal turmoil that's been surrounding him lately.

Darrel Rasner earned the win after striking out 6 batters over 5 innings. Rasner allowed 7 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) and threw 108 pitches. Not pretty, but good enough. Ramirez, Veras, Farnsworth and Hakwins eached pitched an inning and gave up no hits.

When they're on, they're on. This Yankee offense can put lots of runs on the board. The problem is they lack any sense of consistency and oftentimes seem to lack a sense of urgency. Games like this one just go to show what this team is capable of offensively.

Boston is off to an early lead today but Tampa is having some troubles early on. There may be a window to move one step closer to the Rays.

Rasner Win Overshadowed by Joba News

Let's get one thing straight, Darrel Rasner pitched one heck of a game last night. 7.0 innings of work, 6 strikeouts and only 1 walk with 0 runs. You can't ask for anything more from a starting pitcher. It's something no other Yankee pitcher has come close to in their recent starts. For a guy called up in the middle of the season, Rasner is doing a commendable job. It wasn't a flawless performance, as Rasner got himself in trouble once or twice, but just as quickly he got out of the jam without giving up a run.

I like what I see from Darrel. I'm not putting him down as the next Cy Young winner, but I think he could prove a reliable back end guy. If he could pitch like he did last night all of the time, he'd be the ace on someone's rotation, but not all of the games will go as smoothly as what we just saw.

The big news generated after the game was Joe Girardi's comments about Joba Chamberlain stating that the process had begun and that the Yankees were beginning to stretch out Joba's innings to prepare him for a starting role. More news has been coming out from various sources that Cashman had talked with Joba and the young star confirmed that he's mentally ready and wants to give starting a try. That is the most important part of the equation for me. I was getting worried that Joba would become too comfortable in his set-up role and might not look favorably on the move to the rotation which would subconsciously kill any real chance of him ever succeeding in that role. The fact that Chamberlain thinks he's ready is a good sign. It's also a good sign that the Yankees still have some baseball sense about them and realize what a tragic mistake it would be if they didn't give him a shot as a starter.

On the other side of the ball, Alex Rodriguez was on fire. Officially he had 3 hits including 1 home run and 2 RBIs, but anyone watching on TV saw the replay clearly indicating that one hit ruled a double was clearly a home run. There was no doubt about it in anyone's mind and it will again cause a bit of talk about the idea of instant replay in baseball. A-Rod looked good at the plate and seemed to run well also, hustling out plays and going near full speed. Even in his absence, the Yankee hitters should have been producing more runs and playing better than they had. I'm not buying the lack of A-Rod as a valid excuse for their previous struggles. Having A-Rod back, having a guy who starts making contact and hitting the ball can provide a spark that jump starts some of the other players.

Lastly I want to comment on another guy who's doing an outstanding job, Chad Moeller. Moeller seems to be doing an excellent job of reading his pitchers and hitters. He's made some nice defensive plays and has been hitting decently. Last night he went 2 for 5 and brought his average up to .262. Despite being placed on waivers earlier in the season, Chad indicated he would be happy to remain with the organization even in the minors. When he was called back up he continued to perform well. This guy has done all that you could ask and more. I don't know what his future with the Yankees will be, considering you've got Posada, Molina and Cervelli, but he certainly has served the team well.

A-Rod In, Jeter Out

The Yankees managed to lose again last night in humiliating fashion by a final score of  "way too many runs" to "pitiful number of runs".

Alex Rodriguez made his first start after coming off the DL and hit a home run. With his powerful bat back in the lineup the baseball fates found it necessary for Derek Jeter to get hit in the hand with a pitch, forcing him out of the game.

Yankees pitching slid back into familiar territory with Mussina not making it out of the first inning and Ohlendorf giving up quite a few in relief. Mussina is just cooked. There is no way he can contribute to a team that doesn't have a decent long reliever ready to come in at any time and finish out the game for him. The Yankees don't have that for him. On a related note, Ohlendorf isn't a long reliever. I think he could turn out to be a decent one inning guy, but he is not a long reliever. Three innings is too much for Ross. He's done it before this year with satisfactory results at times, but he's also gotten shelled in some of those extended appearances on the mound.

In minor league action, Jeff Karstens was roughed up a bit in his first appearance of the DL. Don't look for him to fill in as a long reliever anytime soon. Also, Girardi and Cashman seem to believe a long reliever isn't necessary. I have no idea why they think this, but they do. The evidence for this notion is the fact that Rasner was sent to the minors after spring training. Most of the media had assumed that after Karstens was injured that Rasner was a lock to make the team but Joe and Brian decided otherwise. Despite that fact that Pettitte, Mussina, Hughes and Kennedy all frequently got knocked out of games early, Rasner was never called up for long relief.

Mark over at the Baseball Hot Corner has a good look at the current Yankee situation. He points out that there is no short term cure and that the market for over the hill veterans is nill. I'd like to argue a small point that over the hill veterans can always find a home in a Steinbrenner led team like the Yankees, but his point that the Yankees won't find a trade partner for it's current over the hill veterans is spot on. Another good point, to quote Mark, "The payroll drops as Giambi, Mussina, Farnsworth, Abreu, Hawkins and Ensberg go away." This is as close to good news and optimism as you'll see. None of these guys will be around next year. The one possible exception is Farnsworth, who Girardi seems to love.

Earlier this week Hank Steinbrenner said there is a chance that Brian Cashman could be back. I don't see it happening. Personally, I don't think Cash is the end all be all GM. I don't see a whole lot of his labors paying off at the moment. The only success story that seems to have come out of his revamped scouting and farm system is Joba and the Yankees can't even seem to handle him. My prediction is that Cashman is done in New York. I don't envy whoever fills his shoes, but I can only hope they can do a more sensible job while still dealing with the likes of the Steinbrenner family.

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.

Yanks Fall With Poor Starting Pitching

Phil Hughes didn't have his stuff yet again, and only lasted 3.2 innings while giving up 8 hits, 6 runs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR, 82-50  PC-ST. Hughes didn't look in control of the mound at all and could have been pulled even sooner. Newly acquired catcher Chris Stewart didn't make things any easier, frequently getting signals crossed between himself and all 4 of the Yankee  pitchers used.

The good news pitching wise is that the bullpen was sharp once again. Joe Girardi called in Ohlendorf to be the de-facto long closer and Ross pitched 3.1 innings giving up only 1 hit while striking out 5. Edwar Ramirez and LaTroy Hawkins each came in to pitch one hit scoreless innings.

The Yankees offense was pretty anemic again with Matsui being the only hitter with multiple hits. Robinson Cano had a 2-run homer but couldn't deliver later in the game in a pressure situation. The Yankees blew a bases loaded 2 out situation without scoring any runs early on, and didn't show many signs of life.

Team LOB = 18. You're not going to win games leaving 18 men on base. I've been harping on this particular stat a bit lately and tonight was a prime example. Even with horrible starting pitching, the bullpen kept the club in the game but the offense fell flat, stranding runners without scoring.

Alex Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained quadriceps. With both Rodriguez and Posada out, the offense is taking a big hit. Posada is getting multiple opinions on his shoulder and the early word is that it will require extended rest but no surgery. Wilson Betemit is going to start a rehab stint in AAA. Brian Bruney is getting several opinions and is looking for an option other than surgery. Regardless of the outcome, he likely won't be back for a long time.

Once again we get to the same old story of starting pitchers not able to get out of the first few innings. This cannot and will not go on too much longer. I think the first thing for the Yankees to do will be to bring up Darrel Rasner to fill in either as long reliever or as a starter. Joba may end moving to the rotation sooner rather than later. If they move Joba up now, he might not be available to start in August and September due to his innings limit but if they don't they might be too far back in the fall to have any chance of making the post-season.

I'm sure the Yankees will jump on any halfway decent starter that becomes available for a reasonable price. The question is how many prospects will they have to give up. Rich Harden could be attractive if he can stay healthy. The Rays might be looking to move Kazmir although it's doubtful they'd let him go to another AL East team.

Stay tuned - more to come as the season continues!

Abreu Grand Slam Propels Yanks to Win

Chien-Ming Wang was getting hit frequently Tuesday night in Chicago, but Bobby Abreu came through with a 2 out grand slam home run.

Wang gave up 10 hits in 6 innings and allowed 3 runs. Many of Wang's pitches that were put into play went deep and were caught on the warning track. In a different ballpark the results could have been much uglier for the Yankees. Chien-Ming's win was the 50th of his career, reached in only 85 games. Dwight Gooden and Ron Guidry reached the 50 mark after 82 games.

The Bullpen was less than stellar today. Billy Traber was only allowed to face one batter, which he walked. Brian Bruney came on and proceeded to load the bases while only getting one out. Finally the Yanks called in Joba Chamberlain to get out of the bases loaded, one out jam. Struck out one batter, walked in a run, and then got the final out on a pop fly fielded by Posada.

To keep things interesting, New York manager Joe Girardi gave every fan watching a scare by brining in Kyle Farnsworth to close out the game. With the Yankees up 5 in the the bottom of the ninth, Farney walked one, gave up a hit, and allowed a run to score before getting the third out of the inning and ending the game.

Bobby Abreu had the biggest clutch hit of the night and put the Yankees on top in the seventh inning. Johnny Damon went 3 for 5 with a home run of his own. Jason Giambi was removed from the game with a swollen thumb after a horrible defensive play at first that should have been scored an error. While Giambi did hit a solo home run, his offensive production is still poor and he remains a huge defensive liability.

Surprisingly there were no stolen bases with Posada behind the plate, and no runners were caught stealing. Yankee pitchers did a good job of keeping runners close to first, but the one or two times runners went early, balls were put into play. I'm surprised that there weren't more attempts to steal, given the vulnerable arm that Jorge has.

The team LOB tonight was 6, a respectable number. If the Yankee bats can get on base and drive runners home like they did tonight, they'll be able to overcome their problems with pitching. Up until now it's mostly been starting pitching, but tonight the bullpen looked particularly vulnerable.

Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez and his wife on the birth of their second daughter.

Competition Notes: The Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-6, and are showing no signs of letting up. This is troubling to Yankee fans because the Sox ace Josh Beckett was scratched from the game. Instead, David Pauley was called up from the minors for the start. Pauley was shelled, giving up 7 hits and 5 runs in 4.1 innings of work. The Boston bullpen held strong, and even Mike Timlin got a batter out as they waited for the offense to come alive in later innings and secure the win. Even with their best starter out, this team finds a way to win. The Yanks will have to wait another day to try and close the gap.

Yanks Win 15-9

There would be no thoughts of a no-hitter for Chien Ming Wang on this night. Instead the Yankees ace gave up 8 runs on 9 hits in 4.0 innings. Boston starter Clay Buchholz didn't fare much better, lasting 3.2 innings and giving up 7 runs on 8 hits.

Boston's bullpen took a beating with Juan Tavarez and Mike Timlin giving up several runs each, although David Aardsma looked good in 2 scoreless innings.

There were some big innings which produced some back and forth excitement, but in the end the Yankees put more runs on the board.

Every Yankee hitter in the lineup got a hit, led by Chad "I can play in the show" Moeller. The backup catcher went 3 for 4 and drew a walk. The most impressive play by Chad was running the bases where he showed some savvy in sliding a bit wide on the outfield side of second base, still getting forced out but disrupting the double play and allowing a run to score. Nice work Chad!

Alex Rodriguez hit another home run, number 522, putting him ahead of Ted Williams and Willie McCovey in sole possession of number 15 on the all time list.

Ohledorf had a little trouble, giving up 1 run in one inning and was responsible for a few of Wang's runs from inherited baserunners. Latroy Hawkins looked sharp on his return home. There were no boos or chants of Paul O'Neil and Hawkins responded to his warmer reception by pitching 2 scoreless innings and getting the win. Billy Traber came in to face a batter and then Brian Bruney got the final 5 outs of the game and picked up the save.

Chad Moeller has exceeded expectations so far filling in at catcher. Latroy Hawkins looks like he may be over his early season gaffes and the offense is starting to produce. The Yankees only had 6 men left on base as a team this time, an important improvement.

The Yanks are now tied for first with the Red Sox. Beckett will face Mussina in tonight's game. Albaladejo, Farnsworth and Rivera should be fresh in the bullpen.

Yanks Win a Wild One

The Yankees beat the Rays 8-7 in a high scoring game. There were a lot of positives for Yankee fans to take away from this one. Ian Kennedy threw 94 pitches in 6 innings of work, giving up 8 hits and 3 runs. Kennedy came back out to pitch the seventh inning but was hit by a line drive in the hip and came out of the game.

It was reassuring watching Kennedy pitch well. He challenged hitters right from the beginning and threw plenty of strikes. He struck out 4 and walked 2. This is the Ian Kennedy the Bombers hope to see more of this season.

Andy Sonnanstine gave up 7 runs in 3.1 innings for the Rays.

The bullpen showed that it was human today as Billy Traber had some trouble and both he and Brian Bruney gave up two runs. Interestingly enough, Bruney gets credit for a blown save and the win. Rivera got the final four batters out.

The Yankees had some nice offensive performances tonight. A-Rod went 4 for 5 and hit his 521st career home run, tying Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for 15th on the all-time list. A very impressive game for Alex as he edges ever closer to the all time home run record.

Morgan Ensberg filled in for Giambi and went 2 for 5, scoring his first home run. Robinson Cano was called on to pinch hit for Gonalez and came through in the clutch with a home run.

Chad Moeller made his 2008 big league catching debut and went 1 for 4. Most importantly he threw out BJ Upton trying to steal 3rd.

Bruney and Traber had a little trouble, but it's hard to fault them too much given the earlier success they've had. Yankee fans have to be pleased that the offense came alive and that Kennedy delivered a quality start.

Happy Birthday to Kyle Farnsworth who turned 32 today.

Rain Delay in Boston -Resumed

Top of the 8th inning, Yankees trail 3-4, runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 out. With the Yankees threatening to score and the Sox about to bring in Papelbon early the umpire decides to cover the field when a little rain falls. There had been thunder and lightning in the distance but by the time the tarp was finished getting unrolled, before they had a chance to unfold it, the rain was letting up. Hopefully for the Yanks they won't have this one stolen away from them by mother nature and an anxious officiated crew. Oh, did I mention Alex Rodriguez was at the plate?

Beckett started strong and was in command of the early part of the game. Terry Francona let him start the 7th but he began to have some difficulty, giving up a run before Manny Delcarmen came in to relieve him with 2 outs. Delcarmen got out of the inning with a strike out. Okajima came in to pitch the 8th inning and left with 2 on and 2 outs, setting up Papelbon.

Beckett's numbers were 6.2 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 5 strike outs, and 88 pitches for 55 strikes.

For the Yankees, Mussina kept the game close and exciting. He put a few runners on and got out with some double plays. While not looking as sharp as Beckett, Moose kept the Yankees in striking range throwing 5.2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits, 1 K and no walks. He threw 71 pitches for 51 strikes.

Brian Bruney came in in the bottom of the 6th and have up an RBI hit and also gave up a run in the 7th. There's been no sign of Chamberlain warming up yet.

David Ortiz continues to struggle at the plate. Using the word struggle seems like an understatement. Ortiz can't do anything. He was up twice in clutch situations and grounded into a double play and later struck out. Manny Ramirez was the offensive star for Boston, hitting a solo home run and an RBI double.

The Yankees have only left 2 on base tonight but for the most part haven't done much offensively. Giambi has gone 0 for 3. Cano has 2 hits. Alberto Gonzalez is 1 for 3 with a run scored and is showing some speed on the bases.

If the game is resumed, the first at bat will be crucial as A-Rod tries to drive in some runs with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. Papelbon is set up to grab a save if he pitches well. If the Yankees do get some runs Chamberlain and Rivera will both be available to pitch in the 8th and 9th if needed. If the Yanks fail to score, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone else in to pitch, saving those two for Sunday.

Yanks fans, keep hoping the rain clears and that A-Rod can come through in the clutch!

Update: After a little over 2 hours, the game resumed. Papelbon delivered and A-Rod came up short in the biggest at bat of the game, striking out in the clutch. Latroy Hawkins shut down the Red Sox in the bottom of the 8th and then Papelbon came back out to pitch the ninth. The kid was sharp, striking out the first two batters and then getting a ground out to end the game.

Mussina and Beckett each had decent starts and the score was close, but Beckett was able to go an extra inning and was a little sharper. Both bullpens had some minor troubles but Boston was able to get Papelbon to the mound with a lead and he gave them 4 quick outs in a big game.

The Yankees still have Chamberlain and Rivera available for tomorrow. If Hughes can keep it close and Dice-K doesn't prove to be too much for the Bomber bats, the Yanks have a good chance to win another game and take the series.

Disappointing Outing For Hughes

Phil Hughes wasn't dialed in today and the quiet Yankee bats did little to help him out. Phil lasted 3 innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits, walking 4 and striking out 2. In defense of the Yankee starter, the umpire had an odd and inconsistent strike zone. Phil wasn't able to adjust and had poor control in his limited outing.

Ross Ohlendorf came in and pitched 3, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits. Billy Traber and LaTroy Hawkins each pitched a scoreless inning. Latroy performed a little better than he has previously and perhaps the absence of booing Yankee fans helped.

There were no offensive standouts today and Alex Rodriguez struck out in all 4 appearances at the plate.

The Yankees defense was rather poor today and Kansas City stole 5 bases. Wilson Betemit couldn't handle any of Posada's throws on a couple of pitchouts, and Jason Giambi had trouble getting the ball out of his glove when a runner should have been picked off going from 1st to 2nd. In the late innings Benji Molina had come in and made a nice throw to get Gload attempting to steal 3rd.

Posada left the game with a sore shoulder and might be heading to the DL. The Yankees will be sorely missing his bat.

The Yankees are going to have to put bigger numbers up on the board if they hope to have a chance of winning this season with 4 unpredictable starters (Wang being the only one who has shown consistency).

AL East News: Dice-K was sharp in Boston's 5-0 win over Kenny Rogers and the struggling Tigers. Manny Delcarmen had settled down and pitched 1.1 innings to set up Okajima. Youkilis had 3 hits and 2 RBIs to lead the offense.

Baltimore continues to win with a solid outing from Brian Burres who gave up 1 run in 6 innings of work. Baltimore outscored the Rangers 8-1 and 1st baseman Aubrey Huff went 4 for 4 scoring 1 and driving in 4.

Toronto and Oakland are tied 6-6 in the top of the 6th and Tampa Bay is trailing Seattle, down 4-3.

Textbook Win For Yankees Pitching

Chien Ming Wang showed that he is definitely the Bombers' ace this season. He pitched 6 solid innings, not allowing a hit until the 5th. Wang started the 7th but gave up 2 hits and Joba Chamberlain came in in relief. Chamberlain threw 2 innings, getting 6 outs facing 5 batters. Rivera was perfect in the 9th.

The Yanks offense didn't put too many runs on the board, but the two they had were enough. Despite 9 hits, they only scored on a Rodriguez double followed by a Matsui home run.

This is exactly the type of game you'd like to see more of from Yankees pitching. Eventually Joba will be in the starting rotation and hopefully he'll be responsible for some solid outings in the starting role later on.

Update: Joba threw several fastballs in the high nineties and one pitch topped out at over 100 mph!

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.

Yanks Take Opening Series 2-1

The New York Yankees split their last two games against the Toronto Blue Jays after winning the home opener. NY is now 2-1 on the season.

The New York media has had plenty to talk about after the opening series, both good and bad.

Joba Chamberlain's fist pumping self-congratulation after the Frank Thomas strike out has stirred up quite a bit of controversy in the media. Many are criticizing Joba for an excessive celebration that they see as a bit of a taunt. It didn't look like too big of a deal to me, just the natural reaction of a young kid who gets a big out against a tough hitter. I don't expect to see this happen every time Joba takes the mound, but in the opening game I can understand. Yankees skipper Joe Girardi said he didn't have an issue with Joba's actions, but if it becomes a regular habit and Joe feels it could have a negative effect, he would talk to Chamberlain about it and tell him to stop. Sounds reasonable to me Joe.

Alex Rodriguez and some big hits and big misses. I was watching game 2 of the series with some friends of mine (including a die hard Sox fan). When A-Rod hit his home run with the bombers down 5-0, my friend responded "Typical A-Rod, big hit when there's no pressure." Similar comments were made from the pundits on FSNY, who went on to bash Alex's poor post-season performances calling him the "best player in baseball - during the regular season." One of these days I'd like to go back and take a closer look at A-Rod's stats and situational hitting, but to the casual observer, he sure seems to lack "clutchiness".

The Yankees' starting rotation had it's ups and downs. Chien-Ming Wang was solid and Phil Hughes was very impressive, but Mussina struggled mightily. Hughes' numbers were great and I think he'll continue to deliver the goods as the season goes on, but I have the impression that once in a while he's going to get hit hard. Phil started out very strong, going right at batters and getting ahead in the count. In the 5th and the 6th inning, he seemed to have some trouble getting pitches over the plate.

Mike Mussina gave up too many runs in his 5.2 inning outing. One was due to an error, but it was clear early on that moose didn't have his best stuff. My impression is that we'll see a few better games from Mike but the number of wins he gets will largely be dependent on the run support his offense supplies.

The Yankees bullpen is looking strong early on. Hawkins is the only reliever to give up a run and Farnsworth allowed 2 hits in 1 inning pitched. The rest were rock solid. Billy Traber came in to face one batter and he did what they wanted him to do. Rivera already has 2 saves for the season. Chamberlain picked up a win for last night's work.

The Yankees are going to need someone to be a long reliever as the season goes on. Mussina is struggling, Pettitte has back problems and Hughes and Kennedy are young. Joba has the stuff to be a starter and will likely move into the starting rotation later in the year. Karstens is injured and Rasner and Igawa were sent down to the minor leagues. I don't know what Girardi has up his sleeve but before long he's going to need a guy who can come in and pitch several innings.

Latroy Hawkins caused some controversy when he chose to wear number 21. A few fans booed him, apparently taking it as a slight to former Yankees right-fielder and current announcer Paul O'Neil. For starters, Hawkins wanted to wear the number to honor Roberto Clemente, so fans shouldn't knock the guy for paying homage to another baseball legend. Secondly, Paul O'Neil shouldn't have his number retired. While he was a great player and a great guy he's not quite Mantle or Ruth material. The Yankees have gone overboard with retiring numbers and need to stop the insanity.

At the end of the series, the Yankees showed some holes in their starting pitching, some solid relief outings, and a somewhat lackluster offense. As the season goes on, look for more ups and downs with pitching and more runs being tacked up by their lineup as more bats start getting hot.