YANKEES (29-20)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: Phil Hughes (3-2, 5.16)

INDIANS (21-30)
Asdrubal Cabrera SS
Ben Francisco LF
Jhonny Peralta 3B
Shin-Soo Choo RF
Mark Derosa DH
Ryan Garko 1B
Kelly Shoppach C
Luis Valbuena 2B
Trevor Crowe C

Pitching: Carl Pavano (5-4, 5.50)

Yankees:

Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada - C
Hideki Matsui - DH
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF

CC Sabathia - P

Indians

Asdrubal Cabrera SS
Grady Sizemore DH
Victor  Martinez C
Jhonny Peralta 3B
Shin-Soo Choo RF
Mark Derosa LF
Ryan Garko 1B
Ben Francisco CF
Jamey Carroll 2B

Fausto Carmona - P

YANKEES (27-20)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (4-1, 4.30)

INDIANS (21-28)

Asdrubal Cabrera SS
Grady Sizemore DH
Victor Martinez 1B
Jhonny Peralta 3B
Mark DeRosa LF
Ben Francisco RF
Jamey Carroll 2B
Kelly Shoppach C
Trevor Crowe CF

Cliff Lee P

By Jon Lane
David Cone and I had our second question and answer session of the season today. You can check it out here. Among the highlights:

• It's going to be very difficult for the Yankees to carry three catchers and it may be the best thing for Francisco Cervelli to not sit on the bench. (It turns out that Kevin Cash was designated for assignment to make room for Jorge Posada, so no worries about that.)

• The Yankees won their series in Texas Wednesday night, which may turn out to be a breakthrough start for A.J. Burnett.

• Chien-Ming Wang can still be a valuable asset to the Yankees even pitching in relief for the time being.

• It's a much easier transition to go from the rotation to the bullpen, as opposed to vice versa, if the Yankees eventually decide to move Joba Chamberlain back into a set-up role.

• Phil Hughes out of the bullpen would work too. He belongs in the Major Leagues.

• Expect more changes to help the bullpen and fortify the bench.

• For all the bad press the new Yankee Stadium has received, there's been simple solutions, winning and those dramatic walk-off victories.

Coney is working the Rangers series next week at the Stadium. We'll be doing this again. Have any questions for the former Yankees pitcher and current YES analyst? Send them along and I'll pass them on.

By Jon Lane
The Yankees are about to get a lot stronger. After playing six innings in an extended Spring Training game Thursday, Jorge Posada told The Associated Press he was scheduled to fly to Cleveland to meet his teammates for the start of a four-game series against the Indians Friday night.

Posada has been sidelined since straining his right hamstring May 4 and I don't need to remind you how valuable he is to the Yankees. Someone will need to be dropped from the roster to make room for Posada. At this point it makes too much sense to DFA Angel Berroa. He hasn't had an at-bat since May 4, and young defensive whiz Ramiro Pena serves the same purpose. Besides, you want to carry three catchers to cover yourself in case that tricky hamstring acts up again and until Jose Molina returns you'll want to stash away Kevin Cash, who in a pinch can fill in at third base. Molina (strained left quadriceps) is working out in Tampa, but not ready for game action yet.

Of equal significance is Xavier Nady's two hits in five at-bats, including an opposite-field homer to right, while serving as the DH. He'll fill that spot in New York when he returns to help give Hideki Matsui a blow and eventually take over right field. Nick Swisher is a great guy whose positive energy is contagious, but he's batting .223 (.127 this month). He's being spared a night or two on the bench with Melky Cabrera out at least a week.

By Jon Lane
Wow! Such fervor on YESNetwork.com these days. The source of it is a 23-year-old kid from Nebraska who set a standard so high as a set-up man that everything he does is measured against it. And each time he fails or simply takes his lumps, his destiny has to be altered permanently.

Yeah, here we go again. Joba Chamberlain belongs in the bullpen. It's a topic that just won't go away (at least we're not discussing PEDs, the height of annoyance, this time) and right now it's hot. Chamberlain has labored as a starter, Chien-Ming Wang is not in the rotation and everyone in the Yankees 'pen not named Mariano Rivera can't be completely trusted. Since we live in a town that demands instant gratification, Joba to the 'pen will solve all the Yankees' problems.

I'm not suggesting this is an argument without merit. It is. Chamberlain was fantastic in his eighth-inning role and only midges off Lake Erie dented him in 2007. Pitching out of the 'pen allows him to go from zero to 100 using his best two pitches (2 > 4, writes Chris Shearn) while thriving off his emotion. Somebody has to eventually replace Rivera and Chamberlain is currently the best candidate to do it. Many made their points and they're all valid. Kim Jones is practical. Mike Francesa is angry. Jerome Preisler combines passion with historical precedent. You the readers are speaking too. At last check of our homepage poll, it was 171-5 with the belief that Chamberlain will be back in the bullpen before season's end. I can't scientifically prove it, but there are probably many who initially believed in Joba the starter have since changed their tune, which is their right.

I'm not budging. Why are we drawing conclusions after 21 career starts? Does Joba have to be Rick Porcello or Justin Verlander, two guys off the top of my head who instantly met (or meeting) success as rookie starters? Do enough people study the cases of Roy Halladay, Tom Glavine or Zack Greinke, the latter who four seasons ago was 5-17 with a 5.80 ERA and now 8-1, 0.84 with five complete games? (Greinke also overcame social anxiety disorder and depression, another layer to his amazing story.)

Another question: Does anyone notice if Chamberlain was pitching in Kansas City?

Look, Joba the starter has been a tease and often frustrating, but 99 out of 100 young starters pegged for greatness experience a learning curve, and some longer than others. If Chamberlain is moved back to the bullpen, you stunt his development and reduce the innings pitched the Yankees are trying to limit anyway. Furthermore, each time Phil Hughes is lights out, he's the phenom everyone was dreaming about. Every time he bombs - which will happen again - he's a bust and belongs either in the 'pen or the Minor Leagues. You can't have it both ways and the Yankees have made the choice to build not for only this year, but rebuild a program they hope will come close to winning four World Championships in five seasons.

A big part of that is learning from failure and learning how to lose. Chamberlain deserves the same education. Once he's a finished product he'll have four dominant out pitches and a fully matured state of mind. I'll take an elite starter over someone who only gets three outs and isn't assured of pitching in every close game.

_______________________

Another perspective: The problem isn't Joba the starter. It's the construction and handling of the current bullpen. Alfredo Aceves needs a defined role and why Jose Veras is continually asked to get big outs I'll never figure out. David Robertson is back in the bigs. Use him and not just for mop-up duty. Thankfully for the Yankees, Brian Bruney will be back, and this time every extra precaution will be taken. That will leave you with Bruney - not Chamberlain - as your eighth-inning guy, and young guns Robertson, Mark Melancon and Phil Coke as the underbelly.

A nicely-laid plan unless the Yankees manage to swing a deal for Huston Street.

_______________________

About Wang: Use him too. Don't wait another nine days to dust him off, but don't just shrug your shoulders and put him back into the rotation. Injury or not, Wang's ERA was still 34.50 after three starts and that's your judge and jury. Hughes got hurt and failed last year. He's earning his way back. Now it's Wang's turn.

YANKEES (26-20)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF
Kevin Cash C

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (2-2, 5.28)

RANGERS (27-18)
Ian Kinsler 2B
Michael Young 3B
Josh Hamilton CF
Andruw Jones DH
Nelson Cruz RF
David Murphy LF
Chris Davis 1B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Elvis Andrus SS

Pitching: Derek Holland (1-1, 4.82)

By Jon Lane
I'm trying to figure out how and why the Yankees are handling Chien-Ming Wang.

Here's someone coming into 2009 who was 46-15 with a 3.74 ERA in three seasons and slotted in between CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett in the team's revamped rotation.

Alright, Wang started  0-3 with a 34.50 ERA, allowing 23 runs on 23 hits over six innings. Apparently he wasn't completely over the foot injury that ended his season in 2008 and that contributed to the poor results. So the Yankees disable him to allow him to start from the beginning and clear his head. He throws 13 scoreless innings in two rehab games for Triple-A Scranton. One more was scheduled before his return to the big-league rotation, but that was changed when Joba Chamberlain was struck by a line drive in the first inning of a game last Thursday, which meant Wang was told to return to New York and serve as a needed arm in a depleted bullpen.

That's fair. You could not blame the Yankees for making a move they didn't want to make. The problem now is Wang is stuck in purgatory and the reasons are perplexing. Last night, after Chamberlain was removed after laboring for four innings, was the ideal spot to give Wang not just work, but quality work; the score was 3-1 Rangers in the bottom of the fifth.

Alas, Joe Girardi summoned Alfredo Aceves, who for reasons known only to Girardi pitched a meaningless ninth inning of an eventual 11-1 Yankees win the day before. Wang has thrown three innings in the last nine days. Aceves has been the best out of all of Mariano Rivera's set-up men.

Alas, Aceves (who has been real good) gave up three runs on four hits in two innings and the Yankees lost 7-5. Girardi said Aceves was his choice because he was the hot hand. So why pitch him in garbage time, in the middle of the game, while a two-time 19-game winner is sitting confused on the bench?

Very strange.

"I just felt like we'd go to Ace,'' Girardi said.

Meanwhile, it's hurry up and wait with Wang, out of the rotation with Phil Hughes pitching well and no chance he goes to the Minors because he's out of options. The Yankees hope A.J. Burnett can turn it up tonight and lead the Yankees to a series win over a first-place team, but would it hurt to give Wang some work?

"This is very hard for me," Wang told reporters in Arlington, Texas, before yesterday's game. "At least I could pitch. Now I don't know what to do."

And observers of the team are left wondering why.

By Jon Lane
The good people at Sports Illustrated passed along this release about a new book that presents a pictorial look back at some of the great moments in sports.

Walter Iooss, Neil Leifer, and Heinz Kluetmeier have been on the front lines of sports events for decades. The new book from Sports Illustrated, SLIDE SHOW, features their photographs, in their original slide form, complete with behind the moment notes and anecdotes that guided the pictures from the field to the pages of the magazine. They have never before been seen in this format.

These are three cover shots taken of Yankees legend Mickey Mantle. The one in the center is personally significant. It was the issue that covered Mantle's death, which hit my father hard. My dad's favorite player - past, present and future - is the Mick. A copy of this issue is framed and part of his personal museum.

Leifer's photo of Roger Maris was taken in 1960, one year before he became an unwilling cult hero with his chasing and breaking of Babe Ruth's all-time home run record. Of course, having Mantle bat behind you meant Maris saw his collection of juicy pitches. If not for an abscessed hip, Mantle and Maris may have both shattered Ruth's revered mark.

There are other cool images in the book, many subtle but poignant, including the American flag's position at the 1980 Winter Olympics Hockey semifinals moments before the U.S. Team's victory over the Soviet Union.

SLIDE SHOW is available to purchase. You can check it out here.

YANKEES (26-19)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: Joba Chamberlain (2-1, 3.70)

RANGERS (26-18)
TBA

Pitching: Kevin Millwood (4-4, 3.12)

Every Tuesday, YES Blog takes the pulse of New York on the hottest topics being talked about right now in the world of sports. What's your take on the below issues?

By Jon Lane
For those new to following the Yankees, or ones who skim past the transactions section, Brian Bruney was signed by the Yankees in May 2006 shortly after the Arizona Diamondbacks designated him for assignment. In layman's terms, Bruney was plucked off the scrap heap. There was no break out the fancy buffet press conference welcoming him to New York City and shirts/jerseys stitched with BRUNEY 38 weren't made for sale up and down River Avenue or at your local retail outlet.

There's that old as Angel Berroa saying about one man's trash. The Yankees took a flier on Bruney and caught lightning when the right-hander's explosive fastball made him an important member of the bullpen. In the last few weeks we've all learned just how important. This is not the older than cavemen expression, "Don't know what you have until it's gone." The Yankees are feeling the effects of Bruney's absence and bracing for what may turn out the worst possible news.

Bruney has pain in his right elbow and has no clue why. He's been disabled for the second time in a month and is visiting with Dr. James Andrews, synonymous with the famous procedure called Tommy John surgery. Dr. Andrews' recommendation will be the difference between a suspension bridge to Mariano Rivera, and one made of fraying rope and decaying wooden planks that connect two ends of a mountain.  

David Robertson is back with the Yankees. Mark Melancon could get another shot. Others (read Phil Coke and Alfredo Aceves) will see further action in the seventh and eighth innings. In short, the Yankees will evaluate internal options and not make a panic move, which is the right thing to do. But that's not stopping the speculation. Our partners at River Ave Blues run down a list of options that could be made available in a trade. One name in particular intrigues me, Huston Street.

Street's career is regaining traction four seasons removed from his Rookie of the Year campaign in Oakland. He was traded to Colorado in the Matt Holliday deal and earned back his closer's role after Manny Corpas pitched poorly. He's 25 years old, has pitched in the postseason, and is now working for a last-place team that may be sellers at the trade deadline. That means he's going to cost the Yankees at least one high-end prospect (Zack McAllister?). Street is 7-for-7 in save opportunities with the Rockies and currently has a scoreless streak of 11 innings in 12 games.  He's a free agent after the season, so it'll behoove the Rockies to not lose him for nothing.
 
If you're the Yankees, do you make a play for Street? Yes. He's young and battle-tested (only time will tell if he's New York tough), and this won't turn out to be an Eric Gagne situation. For those who forgot, the Red Sox acquired Gagne from the Rangers for Kason Gabbard, David Murphy and Engel Beltre, and to say he was a failure in Boston is a compliment. (Of course, in spite of Gagne, the Red Sox won their second World Series in four seasons.)

One more nugget, Street's 101 career saves are the fifth-most by any player before the age of 26. If he pitches well enough in New York, the Yankees could decide to extend him and groom him as Rivera's successor, which finally (you'd think) would end this Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes to the bullpen nonsense. The one player in the organization that has the look of the post-Rivera closer is Melancon, but give me production over potential any day, as long as that production is young , still peaking and a cost that doesn't tear apart the farm system Brian Cashman is painstakingly rebuilding.

Street hits all those checkpoints and more.

By Jon Lane
Read: Great anecdote from Yankees radio announcer Suzyn Waldman, who also pens for WFAN's Web site, about Phil Hughes and the fire in his belly. Hughes threw eight stellar innings on Monday in an 11-1 win over the Rangers, allowing only three hits and one walk while striking out six in the longest outing of his career.

React: And there are those who believe Hughes is better suited for the bullpen, even though it's temporary. Look, when it comes to Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, the two most cherished arms in the Yankees organization, this yo-yo business is stupid. Once you make a decision - starter or reliever - you stick to it without messing with a young pitcher's head or routine. Wisely, the Yankees are keeping Chamberlain in the rotation even with the possibility of Brian Bruney gone for the rest of the season and Hughes will remain among the five, Chien-Ming Wang or no Chien-Ming Wang.

Chamberlain is 23, Hughes is 22. These guys represent today and tomorrow, and have a great chance to be frontline starters within a few years. To quote "Wall Street's" Lou Mannheim, "Stick to the fundamentals. That's how IBM and Hilton were built. Good things sometimes take time."

Read: Wang is stuck in long relief purgatory.

React: Adam Jones' line drive that hit Chamberlain's knee last week put the Yankees in a bind, forcing them to forgo Wang's final Minor League start for immediate bullpen help. He's off the disabled list and the Yankees can't demote him because he'll be exposed to waivers. It has them in a quandary with Hughes pitching well and Wang needing in-game repetitions, but it's one of those nice ones. Joel Sherman of the New York Post sums it up best:

"Last year, Hughes was handed something he had not earned: a rotation spot. This year he is earning his spot. Will we ever say that about Wang in 2009?"

Read: Damaso Marte, out since April 26 with shoulder inflammation, is in Tampa, but it' unclear when he will return this season. The Yankees seem to have little interest in his return, writes Peter Abraham

"It's going to take some time," Joe Girardi said. "His timetable? We really don't have a timetable when he will be back."

React: Three years and $12 million for Marte? Abraham isn't the first to wonder why the Yankees are quick to share injury information about most players but not Marte. 

Yankees

Jeter DH
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Swisher RF
Pena SS
Cash C

Hughes P

Rangers

Kinsler 2B
Young 3B
Hamilton CF
Cruz RF
Blalock DH
Byrd LF
Davis 1B
Teagarden C
Andrus SS

Harrison P

Yankees

Phillies

YANKEES (24-17)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Kevin Cash C

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (2-1, 5.02 ERA)

PHILLIES (22-17)
Jimmy Rollins SS
Chase Utley 2B
Raul Ibanez LF
Ryan Howard 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Shane Victorino CF
Matt Stairs DH
Pedro Feliz 3B
Carlos Ruiz C

Pitching: Brett Myers (3-2, 4.50) 

By Jon Lane
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News is reporting that Chien-Ming Wang will be back with the Yankees for tonight's game against the Phillies. Before Joba Chamberlain took an Adam Jones line drive off his right knee last night, Wang was headed to Pawtucket for his final rehab start for Triple-A Scranton scheduled for tonight. A source told Feinsand that Wang was to turn around and head back to New York.

Led by Alfredo Aceves' 3 1/3 innings, the Yankees bullpen worked 8 1/3 innings in a 7-4 victory over the Orioles that extended the team's winning streak to nine games. Wang will be activated from the disabled list and be available as a long reliever and could get the call Tuesday in Texas if Chamberlain's bruised knee prevents him from making that start.

Chamberlain told reporters last night he's "100 percent" he'll make his next start, but the Yankees are bringing Wang back early as insurance. Assuming Chamberlain is a go, Feinsand added Wang will likely be slotted into the rotation on Wednesday (Texas) or Friday (Cleveland).

The team will need to make a roster move before opening a three-game set against the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

The latest leaders in the MLBlogs Network, by page view, was released for the period from April 15 through May 18. The big winner in the YESNetwork.com blog network is Kimberly Jones, who ranks third among the top 50 Pro blogs. Coming in eighth is Steven Goldman's Pinstriped Bible and 11th is this space featuring contributions from Jon Lane, Joe Auriemma and Glenn Giangrande.

More of our great contributors made the Top 50: Chris Shearn's Off the Wall, The Blob with Bob Lorenz, Jim Kaat's Korner and Mrs. Singy: Married to Baseball. And followers of the New Jersey Nets can enjoy Al Iannazzone's Nets Insider.

Thank you for checking us out and for your feedback. It's shaping up to be a great summer and you, the fans, are a major part of it.

YANKEES (23-17)
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera LF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner CF

Pitching: Joba Chamberlain (2-1, 3.76 ERA)

ORIOLES (16-24)
TBA

Pitching: Adam Eaton (2-4, 7.93)

By Jon Lane
WCBS News Radio 880 traffic reporter Tom Kaminski posted his latest overhead gallery of the deconstruction of the original Yankee Stadium. More and more seats are being removed from the building.

By Jon Lane
Crazy eights. Kangaroo Courts. Walk-off fever. CC's electricity. All of this and more have defined the Yankees' current eight-game winning streak. This will not last forever, contrary to a colleague's belief that this team will never lose again, but I reiterate what I wrote yesterday. Don't be afraid to enjoy this. The way the Yankees have been going about the business of winning is refreshing. For the first time in a long time, the players are acting like kids, which is what you're supposed to do while playing a kid's game.

The Yankees are also proving that they're a team of Guardian Angels. There's been enough bad press about the faults of the new Yankee Stadium, and how much money the team spends and asks of its fan base every year (folks, it's not how much money you spend, is what you do with the money you have). Not enough people (if anyone) talk about the the impact the Yankees have on people who are sick and dying, especially children.

Last season, a reader e-mailed me with a favor to help arrange a visit with the Yankees on the field at Camden Yards for a seven-year-old boy with an inoperable brain tumor. The team's media relations staff went above and beyond to create an amazing experience for young Jake Hill. The players stopped to take pictures, and sign baseballs, shirts and his field pass. Jake lost his battle in January, but that day in August created a large enough smile to carry him through a fight of which everyone knew he was a winner.

Last Friday, Brett Gardner's visit with Nico Viglitti, a cancer patient at New York Presbyterian Children's Hospital in Manhattan, earned plenty of coverage. Nico made Gardner promise he'd hit a home run that night against Twins. Gardner did - his way, an inside-the-park homer. I'm told Gardner cannot visit her again until she's out of ICU and every day he checks his messages for any updates on her condition.

During yesterday's pregame show, Kimberly Jones did an unbelievable interview with Polly Tompkins, who is battling Stage 4 breast cancer. Listen closely to her encounter with Derek Jeter. I'll make you laugh and tug at your gut.

Another anecdote just passed on to me: The Yankees received a phone call late Friday night from a New York City police officer whose son has leukemia and was looking for someone to visit him. Francisco Cervelli not only volunteered, he had each of his teammates sign a baseball before seeing the boy. And yesterday, Jonathan Albaladejo and Ramiro Pena visited children from the Collegiate Elementary School, an independent school for boys in New York City.

The moral of the stories is how every player, especially the young core, has been doing their part each day to serve as Guardian Angels. This happens around the league and it's great, but the Yankees' efforts aren't publicized enough in a media market that devotes two pages to a fist pump.

By Glenn Giangrande
With the Yankees playing on My9 versus Baltimore Tuesday night, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a game as a fan sitting in Section 223. Since I had been there as a YES employee for Opening Day, it was my first chance to get a taste of the new Stadium. Here are a couple of minor observations...

*I'm not sure how many extra entrance gates were added, but there wasn't a single long line for people to wait on upon entering the Stadium. There were a lot of shorter ones, and that's better overall.

*The garlic fries and natural lemonade are terrific. I actually didn't make a cross-stadium trek to get the fries, but a polite fan named Larry sitting in front of me offered up a taste of his. Larry, if you're reading, thank you.

*You know that big concrete wall beyond the retired numbers in left field, the one everyone wants to see painted? Here's my suggestion: recreate the mural painted across the street that depicts Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, George Steinbrenner, Roger Maris, and Thurman Munson. It'd be on a smaller canvas, so it'd have to be redone in a smaller fashion in order to accommodate any potential additions.

*Anyone who says that the Stadium is quiet is mistaken. From the second A-Rod went deep in the first inning to the Yankees' seventh inning explosion, there was buzz aplenty in the Bronx. My only disappointment was that the Yanks blew the game open to the point where I couldn't hear "Enter Sandman" since the services of Mariano Rivera weren't necessary.

Some other random notes from around baseball and life...

*My big money fantasy baseball team has a pitching staff in ruins. We know about what's been ailing Chien-Ming Wang, so when will Tampa Bay offer up some reasoning for Scott Kazmir's problems? They alone have anchored me down in ERA and WHIP, likely for the year.

*I missed the premiere episode of "Glee," but everyone I know who watched it seems to have enjoyed it. With the disappointing finale of "24" behind us, unless you've yet to view it on DVR, I don't have any scripted shows to watch until "Dexter" returns to Showtime in September. "Big Brother" doesn't count since it's reality programming.

*For the first time recently, I tried a mix of ginger ale and vanilla ice cream. It had been recommended to me, but I wasn't a fan.

*My eating habits are getting weird. I tend to sleep through breakfast on normal days, so that would cut me down from three regular meals to two. But if I eat lunch too late in the afternoon, then I find myself either a) stuffing food on top when I'm not hungry or b) eating too late, neither of which is good.

By Jon Lane
CC Sabathia is on track to become New York's top attraction this summer.

Last night he struck out seven over seven innings and allowed one run on three hits to win his third straight start. The big guy has allowed just two earned runs over in his last 24 innings while lowering his ERA from 4.85 to 3.43. To put it in perspective, the last time Sabathia lost was May 2, when he allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Sabathia has pitched into the seventh inning five straight starts. The Yankees haven't had that trusted horse to either stop a losing streak or extend a winning streak while preserving the bullpen since 2003. As my colleague Jerome Preisler put it, Sabathia is an Ace with a capital 'A.' He covered last night's game for us and best summed up what lies ahead this summer in these words:

Over his last several outings, CC has risen to the level of his advance billing and become the ace of the Yankee pitching staff. I am thinking now that the nights he takes the mound in the Bronx are going to become events in New York City, nights you want to be at the ballpark if at all possible.

If not the ballpark, you'll want to line the tri-state area's plethora of sports bars, jam the Hard Rock Cafe at Yankee Stadium, or settle into your easy chair when Sabathia's on tap, or for that matter anytime the Yankees play, period. The Yankees are going to lose eventually, and inevitably hit the skids, but someone like Sabathia stops losing streaks from spinning out of control. When the ball is in his hand, you get excited. You want to see him work and dominate the opposition. He got Milwaukee jacked over something other than Green Bay Packers football last October. This is why the Yankees had to have him and they got him.

_______________________

Jerome shared a funny moment that didn't make his piece due to space constraints. It went down during his trip to Fenway Park a few weeks back.

I saw this guy behind a soda bar in the press area and thought he worked there.

"How you doin'?" I asked.

"Fine," he said.

"Can I have Coke?" I said.

He looked at me and started chuckling. "Sure  . . . diet or regular."

"Regular," I said.

He scooped some ice in my cup and filled it under the spout and was still laughing at some private joke as he handed it to me.

That was when I got a recognized him as Tom Werner, Chairman and co-owner of the Boston Red Sox.

"Enjoy!" he said.

I stood gaping and didn't even tell the story till now, that's how embarrassed I was.
You can be sure I won't clap tonight.

By Jon Lane
WCBS-AM traffic reporter Tom Kaminski, aboard Chopper 880, provides the latest overhead shots of the old Yankee Stadium being taken apart. This time the seats are being removed. I'm still finding it very difficult letting go of the House That Ruth Built.

YANKEES (21-17)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: CC Sabathia (3-3, 3.70 ERA)

ORIOLES (16-22)
TBA

Pitching: Brad Bergesen (1-1, 5.27)

By Jon Lane
My first Q&A with David Cone was published today. We discussed the intangibles behind the Yankees' six-game winning streak and how Alex Rodriguez has helped Mark Teixeira turn it around, which goes beyond batting behind him in the lineup. Since he was a player, Cone had his sights set on a journalism career after he retired. He remains just as knowledgeable, bright, friendly and insightful as his days pitching for the Yankees when he was the media's go-to guy.

We'll be doing this periodically, so feel free to send along your suggestions.

Teixeira belted two more home runs Monday night, this time from both sides of the plate, and is batting .458 (11-for-24) with 11 RBIs during New York's current winning streak. To paraphrase Cone, The Big Apple tests your mettle during the worst of times. This city will either devour you or you'll emerge as a better and tougher player. Cone went through it. So did Reggie Jackson. So did Paul O'Neill. So did Tino Martinez. They persevered and the bet here is Teixeira will do the same. Cone and Ken Singleton said it best last night after Texieira's second homer in the seventh inning. His body language and facial expressions were 100 times more relaxed compared to last month.

Don't look now, but the Yankees are 8-2 since A-Rod returned on May 8. Yep, he's a real distraction and detriment to the team. Not only is A-Rod performing, he's keeping foot out of mouth. The media finds it boring, but in A-Rod's case, a boring personality is a winning ballplayer.

On paper the Yankees have a huge advantage tonight against the Orioles in the opener of a three-game set (My9 HD, 7 p.m.). On the hill for the O's is rookie Brad Bergesen, off which opponents are batting .348. Starting for the Yankees is CC Sabathia, looking to win his third straight start but first at the new Yankee Stadium. However, the Yankees' track record against pitchers they're seeing for the first time is dubious. It'll be interesting to see what breaks.

My colleague Jerome Preisler is covering the game tonight for a new Deep in the Red to be published tomorrow on YESNetwork.com. One thing we discussed this morning is that for all the bad press The Palace of Pinstripes (or Pinstriped Palace) has received, these last four games have featured an energy not yet felt in the new place. Just walking around the Great Hall and through the Hard Rock Cafe last night, there was a tangible excitement generated from fans wearing their Yankee colors. Okay, the new place has its faults, but there's a simple antidote for much of them, winning.

Every Tuesday, YES Blog takes the pulse of New York on the hottest topics being talked about right now in the world of sports. What's your take on the below issues?

By Jon Lane
Upon my arrival to the Bronx, Xavier Nady (elbow) and Cody Ransom (strained right quad) were running on the infield. Nady felt good after hitting off a tee on Saturday and remains on tap to start rehab later this month. It'll be a bit longer for Ransom.

Then right before heading downstairs I conducted my first Q&A session with David Cone. We'll be doing these periodically throughout the season. You can check out Cone's take on the differences with the Yankees today, compared to earlier this month off that 2-5 homestand, among other topics on YESNetwork.com tomorrow.

On to the news of the day:

Chien-Ming Wang will report here tomorrow to throw a bullpen session before Joe Girardi and his coaches, which will determine whether or not he'll need one more rehab start. Girardi detected some inconsistency in his sinker, citing location, and wants to see for himself and speak with the right-hander before making a decision. Wang looked tremendous Saturday pitching for Triple-A Scranton, throwing seven shutout innings and giving up three hits. While he has tossed 13 shutout innings in his two starts, Girardi noted his sinker has been up in the strike zone.

Even if Wang is deemed ready to return, there are no plans as to where to slot him into the rotation at this time. Phil Hughes is scheduled to start on Wednesday against the Orioles, so don't expect to see Wang activated - if that's the decided course of action - until at least Wednesday night.

Brian Bruney allowed a run on two hits with one strikeout in his one inning of work yesterday for Scranton and is hoping to be activated tomorrow, which is likely. The only thing Girardi confirmed is he will not carry 13 pitchers, which means a reliever will lose his spot on the active roster. Girardi and the bullpen sorely missed the hard-throwing right-hander who was 2-0, 3.38 with 12 strikeouts and two walks over eight innings (nine appearances). He'll return immediately to the eighth-inning role, which will allow Girardi to mix and match earlier in the game.

"It affected it us a little bit," Girardi said. "I think it's important to get him back. He's only thrown the one game, so the thing about him is, is he going to be as sharp as when he left us? I sure hope so, but you're not going to know for sure until you get him out there."

Brett Gardner is day-to-day and unavailable for tonight's game. Gardner complained of a sore right shoulder this afternoon, one day after his head-first slide into home plate completed a mad dash home that caught everyone off guard except Joe Mauer, and went for an MRI that revealed a contusion of the rotator cuff, in layman's terms a bruise.

CC Sabathia (3-3, 3.70) opens the Yankees' three-game series against Brad Bergesen (1-1, 5.27) and the Orioles tomorrow night. Sabathia was his old self his last two starts, limiting the Blue Jays to two runs on five hits in eight innings after tossing a complete-game shutout against the O's May 8 in Baltimore.

"He's had a little sharper slider and a little more depth to his slider at times," Girardi said. "CC is the type of guy who's going to locate a lot and that's what he did his last two starts. You hope that it just continues. You know he's not going to be perfect but he's also going to give you everything he's got every time he goes out. He'll give you some distance when he's on and that's always great for your bullpen."

Hughes (1-3, 7.56) opposes Jeremy Guthrie (3-3, 5.21) Wednesday. Joba Chamberlain (2-1, 3.76) and Adam Eaton (2-4, 7.93) conclude the set on Thursday before the Yankees welcome the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies to town Memorial Day weekend.

YANKEES (20-17)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Ramiro Pena 3B
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (3-1, 4.00 ERA)

TWINS (18-20)
Denard Span LF
Brendan Harris 2B
Joe Mauer C
Justin Morneau 1B
Joe Crede 3B
Jason Kubel DH
Michael Cuddyer RF
Carlos Gomez CF
Nick Punto SS

Pitching: Glen Perkins (1-2, 4.27 ERA)

By Jon Lane
The headline is an expression familiar to WWE fans, for it was a tag line for The Undertaker used during the days when his dead man character was replaced by a biker persona earlier this decade. Getting my Cup o' Joe this morning at 15th and 8th, 'Vice,' the kid who provided a fitting quote for Friday's entry, expressed pride in the Yankees' winning ways this weekend. I then told him he was quoted in this space and his reply, "You made me famous!"

Indeed, Vice. You and Yankees fans can stick out your chest and enjoy this run. The Yankees are winners of five in a row and six of their last seven. The way they're doing it is making them famous - and unique. For the first time since August 27-29, 1972, the Yankees earned three consecutive walk-off wins and there's a swagger about them that features plenty of layers.

Many players have told me how the camaraderie (with Nick Swisher the ringleader) gets them through the worst of times. This is a tight-knit group I haven't seen in a few years. Players are pulling for each other, on the top step of the dugout during crunch time and not blowing off games look out of reach. And heeding Mariano Rivera's advice, nobody is messing with karma. Because Johnny Damon was yesterday's hero, he received a whipped cream pie to the face from A.J. Burnett after Rivera convinced him to keep the tradition going. To also quote Crash Davis, "Never [mess] with a winning streak."

Earlier this season, Burnett, intense as they come when the lights are on but a big kid at heart, gave Damon a WWE replica championship belt as a present from he and his children. Since then, the strap is awarded to the player deemed the star of each victory. As Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record wrote, "It's the best $20 gag gift going. And it's part of the fun-fest that is the Yankee clubhouse, during this Walk-off Weekend."

Chien-Ming Wang was awesome in Sunday's rehab game, but Brian Cashman assumes the right-hander will need one more start with Triple-A Scranton, notes River Ave Blues.

Mark Teixeira is awakening from his spring slumber. Saturday he went 4-for-4 with four RBIs. His average has risen from .182 on May 2 to .231 with eight homers and 24 RBIs. On Sunday he showed another reason why the Yankees signed him. In a tie game with the bases loaded, Teixeira made a highlight-reel play to deny Denard Span of at least two RBIs, diving to his right to snare the ball and, from his knees, throwing home to force out Brian Buscher. Jason Giambi never did that, folks, and I doubt Swisher makes that play either.

Anyone have a problem with Brett Gardner's mad dash home in an attempt to win Sunday's game? I don't. Only a great play from Joe Mauer stopped Gardner from making out like a thief in the night. When you're as fast as Gardner, and at first glance the catcher is looking to throw to first base, you try and steal the game right there. I loved that aggressiveness. 

By Jon Lane
Expect Brian Bruney to return on Tuesday, a welcome and much-needed addition to the Yankees bullpen. Since Bruney was disabled, the bridge to Mariano Rivera was a wooden plank weathered by rain and fierce winds. If it's up to me, and it's not, here's how I'd reconstruct the bullpen:

Closer: Rivera (obviously)

Eighth-inning man: Bruney (obviously)

Underbelly: Alfredo Aceves. In case you didn't notice, he won both games this weekend and deserves to pitch in key spots.

Jonathan Albaladejo. Five 2/3 scoreless innings in last five appearances, fanned Jason Kubel for the third out with the bases loaded to end the seventh on Sunday. Albaladejo earned equity with that effort.

Phil Coke. Forget about the home runs allowed Friday and Saturday, Coke bailed Jose Veras out of a second and third, one out situation in the seventh on Saturday; this in the second of consecutive games coming off a bad back.  

David Robertson. When he was here he was relegated to mop-up duty. He deserves a longer look.

Long man: Brett Tomko. A veteran arm that can calm the waters during early blowouts and contribute in big spots.

Out: Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras

On the Radar: Damaso Marte. The Yankees have no choice with the three years invested in him. To be fair, Marte hasn't been healthy since the World Baseball Classic, but when he's back should be relegated to a LOOGY role.

Mark Melancon. A potential successor to Rivera, Melancon's successes and failures will help him grow. 

Twins

Denard Span LF
Matt Tolbert 2B
Joe Mauer C
Justin Morneau 1B
Jason Kubel DH
Michael Cuddyer RF
Brian Buscher 3B
Carlos Gomez CF
Nick Punto SS

Kevin Slowey P

Yankees

Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Ramiro Pena 2B
Kevin Cash C

A.J. Burnett P

Twins

Denard Span CF
Brendan Harris 2B
Joe Mauer DH
Justin Morneau 1B
Jason Kubel LF
Michael Cuddyer RF
Brian Buscher 3B
Mike Redmond C
Nick Punto SS

Nick Blackburn P

Yankees

Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Nick Swisher 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera RF
Brett Gardner CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Joba Chamberlain P

YANKEES (17-17)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Kevin Cash C

Pitching: Phil Hughes (1-2, 8.49)

TWINS (18-17)
Denard Span LF
Matt Tolbert 2B
Joe Mauer C
Jusin Morneau 1B
Jason Kubel DH
Michael Cuddyer RF
Joe Crede 3B
Carlos Gomez CF
Nick Punto SS

Pitching: Francisco Liriano (2-4, 5.75)

By Jon Lane
"Friday is the day when everyone gets their motivation and energy back."
- 'Vice' the coffee, bagel and danish vendor, 15th & 9th, Manhattan.

Nothing like a nice late-spring Friday morning to get you going and fill you with optimism. Our Steven Goldman, who can be a tough critic, gives props to the Yankees for taking two of three games from the first-place Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees haven't gained traction yet, but there are reasons for hope. They have won 4 of 6 and are home for 10 games. CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera are looking like, well, CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera, and the team has received surprising contributions from Brett Gardner and Francisco Cervelli.

Just like that, people are feeling good about the Yankees again. It's truly amazing how in baseball the story changes every day, even every hour. Wasn't two weeks ago when the Mets were declared finished because they lacked an "edge?" Last I looked they're 10-3 this month.

"It's a nice little shift for us," said Joe Girardi. "This is something that you can build on."

Back at .500 and trailing the Blue Jays by 4 ½ games, the Yankees face the Twins, Orioles and Phillies these next 10 days. Lots of baseball left to be played, but the time is now to take three of four here, two of three there - if not compile a winning streak. Girardi's bunch wants to be both winning and fully healthy by the time they tackle the Rays and Red Sox from June 5-11.

Onto a few random thoughts hours before Alex Rodriguez test drives the new Yankee Stadium tonight against the Twins (YES HD, 7 p.m.).

• Big start for Phil Hughes, 0-2 with a 17.49 ERA after silencing the Tigers for six innings on April 28. Good or bad, I see Hughes headed to Triple-A if Chien-Ming Wang pitches well in his second rehab start for Scranton on Sunday and cleared medically, but a strong effort would be one of those "nice problems to have" and build Hughes' confidence back up. There are people who are still expecting Hughes to throw zeros every time he pitches. Yeah, he gave up eight runs, eight hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings - the shortest start in his three-year career - last Saturday in Baltimore. Many are tempted to declare him a bust who will never live up to his promise as a first-round, can't-miss prospect. He also turns 23 next month. What's the rush? Not every youngster makes an immediate impact. Let him get more work at Scranton and allow him to mature as a pitcher. Then we can evaluate.

• Big day for Xavier Nady, out since April 15 with a partially torn elbow ligament and rehabbing in hopes of avoiding a second Tommy John surgery. Nady will swing a bat this afternoon and provided he feels no pain is hoping to begin a Minor League rehab assignment before the end of the month. The plan is for Nady to be a DH and ease him back into the outfield. Where that leaves Hideki Matsui is another story for another day. For Nady's sake, let's hope we have a chance to debate it.

• A-Rod is excited to play in his first game at the Bronx Mahal (© Chris Shearn). He's 3-for-14 since returning last Friday, but hasn't missed an inning. Look for him to be the designated hitter and for the home crowd to provide a nice response. Hometown fans have high thresholds for players who admittedly or allegedly dabble in PEDs (just ask Barry Bonds' loyal following). Only if A-Rod continues to not hit or fails in a big spot will boos grow long and loud.

• Sabathia's last two starts: 2-0, 17 innings, two runs, nine hits, five walks, 13 strikeouts. The left-hander got the Yankees going on the road with a complete-game, four-hit shutout in Baltimore, overshadowed when A-Rod hit the first pitch he saw over the left field fence, but also healing balm for an appalling 2-5 homestand.

• Cervelli (.316) has been impressive at and behind the plate, writes Tyler Kepner. At this rate it'll be another one of those "nice problems" once Jose Molina is eligible to come off the disabled list.

• How great has Johnny Damon been? The reigning American League Player of the Week has at least one extra-base hit in 10 consecutive games, matching a single-season franchise record held by Don Mattingly (1987) and Paul O'Neill (2001). He's 18 for his last 42 (.429), with at least one run scored in those 10 games. River Ave Blues analyzed Damon's run and desire to stay in the Bronx once his contract expires at the end of the season.

YANKEES (16-17)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Brett Gardner CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: CC Sabathia (2-3, 3.94)

BLUE JAYS (23-13)
Marco Scutaro SS
Aaron Hill DH
Alex Rios RF
Vernon Wells CF
Jose Bautista LF
Scott Rolen 3B
Kevin Millar 1B
Rod Barajas C
John McDonald 2B

Pitching: Brian Tallet (2-1, 4.95)

A win tonight and the Yankees are back at .500 while winning their third straight road series. If there's ever a time to do it, it's tonight with Sabathia on the hill. As Joe Girardi said after last night's win, a 4-2 road trip would be an accomplishment considering all the injuries, writes Kimberly Jones ... Gardner belted his first big-league homer and drove in three runs, so he gets the start in center. Girardi has said that he'll go with the hot hand, but Melky Cabrera is 20-for-57 (.351) in 15 games since becoming the nominal starter. One game doesn't change the story and even if Gardner is finally awakening from his long funk, he needs to do is find a way back into the lineup, which won't be easy, writes Steven Goldman ... Swisher is 3 for his last 30 with 16 strikeouts, but he's the guy with Xavier Nady's season still in question. - Jon Lane

YANKEES (15-17)
Johnny Damon DH
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera LF
Brett Gardner CF
Ramiro Pena SS
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (2-1, 3.82)

BLUE JAYS (23-12)
Marco Scutaro SS
Aaron Hill 2B
Alex Rios RF
Vernon Wells CF
Adam Lind DH
Scott Rolen 3B
Kevin Millar 1B
Rod Barajas C
Jose Bautista LF

Pitching: Scott Richmond (4-1, 3.29)

By Jon Lane
There's nothing anyone could have done about Tuesday's loss in Toronto. Roy Halladay is one of the top five pitchers in the game and was so dominant neither the 1927 nor the 1961 Yankees were hitting him. Doc also continued his ownership of the Yankees. He's 13-2 over his last 19 starts and 16-5 with a 2.79 ERA lifetime.

Meanwhile, A.J. Burnett is 0-1, 6.47 and has allowed five home runs in his last five starts. It's May 13 and already it's desperate times for the Yankees. Almost half the team is on the shelf or flirting with the disabled list, CC Sabathia is hoping to finally gain traction off Friday's nine-inning whitewash of the Orioles and Chien-Ming Wang will need one more Minor League start before he returns. Burnett has had his chances to show he can carry a team in need and hasn't done it.

Wang, meanwhile, threw six shutout innings for Triple-A Scranton Tuesday night, giving up three hits walking three and striking out six. It's still impossible to believe a two-time 19-game winner is 0-3 with a 34.50 ERA. The Yankees are praying that was due to the weakness in his hip abductor muscle and not anything mechanically or emotionally.

It's gotten ridiculous with these injuries. Derek Jeter sat out Tuesday with a strained rib-cage muscle and hopes to play tonight. Hideki Matsui, already playing on creaky knees, now has a tight right hamstring. Matsui says it's only a cramp, but I'd be surprised to see Matsui for the rest of this series given the Rogers Centre turf.

Normally, when in times of crisis, Andy Pettitte is the one you'd want on the mound. However, the veteran left-hander is 0-1 with a 6.62 ERA in his last three starts. This is a team that was pegged not only for greatness, but to do something special. Keep the faith that things can turn around quickly in this game, but at this rate the Yankees are looking like the 1992 Mets (minus the dysfunction). That team signed free agents Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray and Bret Saberhagen and had visions of a World Championship. They finished 72-90.

A bit over the top? Maybe so. But the Yankees Version 2009 are laden with big names who are also aging veterans. There's no need to worry about Sabathia, but Burnett is not doing what he did last year and any defense of Mark Teixeira and his history of slow starts no longer carry merit. Teixeira went hitless in four at-bats on Tuesday and has been stuck below the Mendoza line the past week.

This team needs to get healthy and get it going - quickly. The days of the AL East being a two-team race are long over, which means the Yankees are vulnerable to getting buried sooner than you think.

4:57 p.m. Jeter and Matsui are both out of tonight's lineup. Reports out of Toronto say the captain is hoping to return tomorrow.

YANKEES (15-16)
Derek Jeter SS
Brett Gardner CF
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera RF
Kevin Cash C
Ramiro Pena SS

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.26)

BLUE JAYS (22-12)
TBA

Pitching: Roy Halladay (6-1, 3.29)




Update: Derek Jeter was scratched with what WFAN reported as an oblique problem.

YANKEES (15-16)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera RF
Brett Gardner CF
Kevin Cash C

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.26)

BLUE JAYS (22-12)
TBA

Pitching: Roy Halladay (6-1, 3.29)

Every Tuesday, YES Blog takes the pulse of New York on the hottest topics being talked about right now in the world of sports. What's your take on the below issues?

By Jon Lane
We're just approaching mid-May and have reached the season's first "big" series. For once it's not Yankees vs. Red Sox, for the Bronx Bombers are in Toronto to face the first-place Blue Jays.

That's not a typo, folks. The Blue Jays, an afterthought for years in the AL East, are 22-12, boast four players (minimum 112 at-bats) batting at least .283 and have persevered despite a starting rotation held together by Roy Halladay, bubble gum and duct tape.

Already it's a big series and a proving ground for both teams. The Yankees need to work out of their annual early-season doldrums and make a statement, writes Steven Goldman. They will greet the sub-.500 Twins and Orioles on their next homestand before welcoming the World Champion Phillies Memorial Day weekend. If they can hold it together, notes Goldman, Jorge Posada (and perhaps Brian Bruney) will be back and the team will (theoretically) be fully staffed for the first time all year and can really make some progress.

Don't forget about Chien-Ming Wang either. Wang is starting in Scranton tonight and a strong effort might punch his ticket back to the Yankees along with the hope that his 34.50 ERA over three starts was a wicked aberration.

Think the Toronto media is pumping up this week's three-game set? The Toronto Star is hyping tonight's matchup as potentially the game of the year, and not just because it's Doc Halladay facing A.J. Burnett. The scribes have noted the critics who have cited the Blue Jays playing 20 of 34 games against the AL Central and have not yet faced their rugged division rivals. Then there's the return of Alex Rodriguez, and the sense of urgency growing in Yankeeland, that's expected to draw a walk-up crowd that will boost attendance to at least 30,000. Figure on a few of them holding foam syringes and wearing blond wigs. Necessary? No, but it's the nature of the beast.

Blue Jays fans have had nothing to cheer about since consecutive World Series championships in 1992 and '93, so you can't blame them for getting excited about their team holding the AL's best record. The Jays have rarely made a big bang during the offseason, but the core of the team is beginning to pay dividends. Cito Gaston's group lead the Majors in batting (.294) and runs scored (204), and are in the top five in on-base and slugging percentage. Then of course there's Halladay, whose six wins are tied with Zack Grienke for the league lead and his 52.0 innings pitched rank third.

It was September 24, 2008 when Burnett walked off the Rogers Centre mound for the last time as a Blue Jay after whiffing 11 Yankees through eight innings. A crowd of 28,701 gave him a standing ovation, imploring him to re-sign as a free agent. That didn't work, so expect Burnett to receive the treatment given to Mark Teixeira (Baltimore), Johnny Damon (Boston) and A-Rod (everywhere).

"I'm sure I'm going to get some boos," Burnett told the media in Baltimore, "as long as I hear a couple of claps in there. But to be honest with you, it's probably going to fuel the fire. I'm going to channel it that way."

Burnett needs something to get him going. He's winless in his last four starts (6.66 ERA) while allowing five home runs and walking 13 in 24 1/3 innings. CC Sabathia stepped up Friday in Baltimore in what everyone hopes will spark a turnaround. Now it's Burnett's turn. He'll have to out-pitch his old friend. Halladay was 3-0, 1.80 in two complete games against the Yankees last season and owns a career record of 15-5, 2.86. 

By Jon Lane
George King of the New York Post dissected the numbers:

• Overall, the Yankees' 5.79 ERA ranks 29th out of 30 teams. Only the Indians (5.83) are worse.

• The rotation is 28th in the Majors with a 9-10 record and a 5.64 ERA, leading only the Red Sox (14-10; 5.81) and the Phillies (7-10; 6.28), and Yankees starters' .289 batting average against is the fifth-highest in baseball. Why are the Red Sox 20-12 and the Yankees where they are? Simple, the Yankees' putrid bullpen is 28th with an ERA of 6.04.  

• The Yankees deserve credit for a few big hits in big spots, especially from Johnny Damon, named the AL Player of the Week. Overall, however, the Yankees are 14th with runners in scoring position at .244 (70-for-287). Mark Teixeira, a career .324 hitter in the clutch, is batting .192 (5-for-26).

• Too many times have runners been stranded early in games and has haunted the Yankees in the later innings. It's a problem that hasn't gone away and needs to be stopped, immediately. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett have been singled out for uneven beginnings, and now it's time for Teixeira to show his true colors. Otherwise, even Alex Rodriguez will fly under the radar while everyone wonders what's wrong with the $180-million man.

YANKEES (14-16)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Joba Chamberlain P (1-1, 3.77)

ORIOLES (13-18)
Brian Roberts 2B
Adam Jones CF
Nick Markakis RF
Aubrey Huff 1B
Melvin Mora 3B
Luke Scott DH
Gregg Zaun C
Felix Pie LF
Robert Andino SS

Koji Uehara P (2-3, 4.42)

Yankees (14-15)

Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
HIdeki Matsui DH
NIck Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Phil Hughes P (1-1, 2.70)

Orioles (12-18)

Brian Roberts 2B
Adam Jones CF
Nick Markakis RF
Aubrey Huff 1B
Melvin Mora 3B
Luke Scott DH
Lou Montanez LF
Greg Zaun C
Cesar Izturis SS

Adam Eaton P (1-3, 7.18)

YANKEES (13-15)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: CC Sabathia (1-3, 4.85)

ORIOLES (12-17)
Brian Roberts 2B
Adam Jones CF
Nick Markakis RF
Melvin Mora 3B
Aubrey Huff 1B
Ty Wigginton DH
Lou Montanez LF
Chad Moeller C
Cesar Izturis SS

Pitching: Jeremy Guthrie (2-2, 5.05)

TRANSACTION: Mark Melancon has been returned to Triple-A to make room for Kevin Cash, necessary with Jose Molina going on the DL.

By Jon Lane
Alex Rodriguez is back. Hooray! Great! He will help - a lot. But please remember, Alex Rodriguez stinks in the clutch, like the rest of the Yankees. He also cannot pitch out of the bullpen and has not played a game behind home plate.

Face it, there are MAJOR problems in Yankeeland. As always I'll be fair. It's May 8 and we've endured this almost season since 2005, when George Steinbrenner said "Enough is enough" and Joe Torre's Yankees started 12-19. The following year on this date they were on track at 18-11, but 14-16 in 2007 and 17-18 last season, when the slow start, injury and age caught up to Joe Girardi's bunch.

Today, May 8, the Yankees are 13-15. To be fair, they are decimated by injuries to where Ramiro Pena and Jose Molina anchored the bottom of the order, and Pena, Cody Ransom and Angel Berroa filled in for A-Rod by batting a combined .219. But injuries have been a cancer since last year and it makes you wonder how the Yankees handle them.

Flat-out disturbing is not once during the first five-game losing streak of the Girardi Era have the Yankees held a lead and in the last four games teams have scored a combined 15 runs before they've scored. Furthermore, they were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position (while stranding nine) Thursday night, and batting .140 (6-for-43) with 31 left on base in these five games, is absolutely inexcusable and unacceptable.

Then there's Mariano Rivera. In the past, if you hit a home run off Rivera, you'd keep the ball. He's never allowed more than five home runs in a season since he became a full-time reliever in 1996. This year, he's given up four in 11 1/3 innings, equal to the total in 70 2/3 worked in 2008. Thursday, when Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria belted consecutive homers off to break a tie game in the ninth, it was the first time Rivera surrendered back-to-back home runs in 1,035 career innings.

When Rivera fails, period, it's seismic. His ERA is 3.97, was yanked from the game and he heard boos - before the revelation that his arm strength is not yet at 100 percent following offseason shoulder surgery. This still came across as a shock given that Rivera was razor sharp the night before, which sparked fierce debate over why he didn't pitch the 10th inning. Now we know why.

"The velocity is not there, where it was last year," Girardi said. "I think that's part of it. I still think he's coming back from surgery, and that's why we've been very careful with him."

"I've been giving it my best," Rivera said. "I don't think it's 100 percent yet, but that's no excuse. I don't want to say that's the reason I lost the game today."

It's very hard to admit, but Rivera could be starting to hear the footsteps of Father Time, who spares nobody, not even the greatest reliever we'll ever see. Be thankful that Rivera isn't on the DL. Playing without A-Rod: Bad. Without Jorge Posada: Seriously bad. Without Rivera: Cataclysmic.

_______________________

Jose Molina (left quad) appears headed for the DL, which means a spot on the 40-man roster would need to be created for either Kevin Cash (9-of-18) or Chris Stewart (.216, 11-of-51) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Until Posada returns, the Yankees' catchers are one of the above and Francisco Cervelli.

Whoa boy.

The other day, Steven Goldman put up red flags. My guess is this morning he's rubbing his hands with an evil glee before his fingers start dancing with the message, "I told you so."

By Jon Lane
Today on YESNetwork.com, reaction to the suspension of Manny Ramirez:

"Manny being Manny" reached a whole new level, writes Chris Shearn.

The latest Manny saga is disgusting and abhorrent to baseball, writes Steven Goldman.

Alex Rodriguez should be thankful for Manny's logic-defying explanation, writes Kimberly Jones.

My hope, and I'm still holding out hope, is that players are finally scared straight into not doing anything so stupid.

Sadly, there was neither shock, nor awe, only sadness and indifference. Because Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez will now be judged against their recent (or distant) past, this will not go away and people will continue to bring this up.

I won't be one of them.

A-Rod returns tonight and that's great, because he's going to give the Yankees a big boost. Tabloid reporters have had a feast with tales of his tomfoolery, narcissism, steroid use admission and Selena Roberts' new book. Like him or not, the truth is he has 553 career home runs, a career .306 average, owns three MVP awards and is the Yankees' record holder for most homers by a right-handed hitter (54).  He will provide Mark Teixeira protection and the lineup is another step closer to becoming a circular threat. Teixeira needs Rodriguez behind him, anything to get him going, because right now, he's batting .198 and he stinks.

Tonight in Baltimore will be a circus with inquiring minds asking all questions A-Rod, but here's hoping that like yesterday, Manny's idiocy will keep the focus to baseball. Rodriguez is peculiar, but he's one of the best to play the game and his entire body of work cannot be judged on the three seasons spent in Texas in which he admitted steroid use. Starting tonight, it's A-Rod's chance to be a true impact player before judges and juries: the fans.

Thanks to Manny Ramirez, baseball fans have a new punching bag. That alone is a good start.

By Glenn Giangrande
Didn't the Rays stop the arbitration clock silliness by locking up Evan Longoria? Thursday's start by Jeff Niemann serves as exhibit A, B, and C for why David Price should be up in the Majors. Oh, and after his performances last September and October, no I don't care that he was 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA through May 6th at Triple-A Durham. He's going to get his money eventually. Start the clock already.
 
Niemann gave the Rays just 3.1 innings and 78 pitches before being lifted against the Yankees. He won the fifth starter job in Spring Training, beating out Jason Hammel before he was traded to Colorado. Price was ticketed for the Minors no matter what. Why? As long as a youngster proves that he is mentally tough, what's the harm in putting him into a prime Major League role if he is the best alternative? The high-end potential of Price versus what Niemann can offer - a 5.68 ERA in five starts this year heading into action versus the Yanks...who would you take?
 
To be fair, Niemann was a top prospect once upon a time, a 4th overall draft pick before arm problems set him back. Now 26, he might be right up against his ceiling. If you believe in having your best players on the field, Price should have started the year in the Majors and never looked back.
 
When I haven't been on the job with YES lately, I've been really getting into Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel. I have no idea when it airs on a normal programming schedule, but re-runs tend to air somewhere in the 1:30, 2 AM range. I don't know what show came first - that one, or Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives on the Food Network, but they look like they could be sister shows, and thankfully, us viewers win.

YANKEES (13-14)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Ramiro Pena 3B
Jose Molina C

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (2-1, 3.82)

RAYS (13-16)
Jason Bartlett SS
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Carlos Pena 1B
Pat Burrell DH
Ben Zobrist RF
Gabe Kapler CF
Akinori Iwamura 2B
Dioner Navarro C

Pitching: Jeff Niemann (2-3, 5.68)

By Joe Auriemma
The Yankees are 27 games into the season and under .500. They already have two four-game losing streaks and are playing exactly like their record states. This team has problems and it's the type of problems that won't just disappear with the return of Alex Rodriguez into the middle of the order.

As was the case with last season, the Yankees already have had major injury issues. The loss of A-Rod was just the tip of the iceberg when they lost two of their big money relievers in Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte. Now Marte had not been good before he was injured, but he is an experienced pitcher. Bruney has not had a full season with the Yankees since his 58-game performance in 2007. He has been lights out every time he's been in there and he seems to be what's missing from what has been a subpar bullpen this season. There are many inexperienced arms out there that give up the big hit at the worst possible moment.

I never like to blame injuries, but it has ravaged the bullpen, the lineup and the bench. The Yankees lost A-Rod, then his replacement Cody Ransom went down, Xavier Nady has been out and then they lost their leading RBI man in Jorge Posada. To make matters worse, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui have been playing hurt and let's not forget about Chien-Ming Wang, who was just putrid in three starts this season. Every team has injuries, but the Yankees' situation is pretty bad.

Could the injury bug for the second straight season be blamed on age? Yes, I think the advanced age of these players has a lot to do with the injuries. The Red Sox and Rays have a pretty young core of players and they don't seem to be going through this same problem over the last two seasons.

After the injuries and the bullpen issues, the Yankees have had a tough year defensively. That seems to be the difference between a lot of the upper echelon teams to how they are playing right now.

This team also is not manufacturing runs. They don't move runners over and when they do, they don't drive them in.

With all of this being said, the Yankees can still snap out of this with the talent that they have and win their share of ballgames. However, when you combine everything that's going on with the team right now, it really is true, "You are what your record says you are."

By Jon Lane
Maybe the suspension of Manny Ramirez is the best thing for the Yankees in some twisted, convoluted way. As Peter Abraham notes, the news broke one day before Alex Rodriguez makes his season debut. A lot of the heat is off of A-Rod - for now - and this topic is expected to share space with life as a sub-.500 team in the Yankees clubhouse before tonight's game.

Ramirez said in a statement that he saw a physician for a personal health issue who gave him a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay. Multiple reports have stated that it's an agent "customarily used for performance enhancing" and neither a steroid nor human growth hormone. Too many players are pointing fingers and not accepting blame. If you're given a prescription for an unknown drug, or visit your local GMC for some strange supplement, why on earth do you assume - especially in this day and age - that it's perfectly okay? What's so hard about seeing your team physician and taking it up with the office of Major League Baseball to receive a second and third opinion?

Manny being Manny just took itself to an entirely different level, writes Chris Shearn.

Baseball's new drug policy can improve, but it's good and it's tough. Phillies reliever J.C. Romero was given the benefit of the doubt when MLB never said he tried to cheat, yet he was ruled guilty of "negligence" and issued Strike 1. Here's hoping players are finally scared straight into taking more responsibility for what they put in their bodies. A little accountability helps too. A-Rod's explanation may have been shady, but he manned up and said, "I did it" without any excuse.

As far as the Dodgers, 21-8, off to their best 29-game start since 1983 and owners of a new record for consecutive home wins to begin a season (13), it'll be easy to write them off. Don't even think about it, third base coach Larry Bowa told Colin Cowherd today on ESPN Radio. Bowa looks at this as a challenge to his young players tired of hearing the Dodgers are winning because of Manny. Joe Torre's Dodgers feature rising stars Andre Either and Matt Kemp in the outfield, and James Loney at first base. Veteran Juan Pierre slides into Ramirez's spot in left field. Chad Billingsley (5-0, 2.21 ERA) anchors a rotation with promise (Clayton Kershaw), veteran stability (Randy Wolf) and supported by a lockdown closer (Jonathan Broxton).

And don't forget the Torre effect. He's the right guy to handle this crisis. Anyone who's followed the Yankees since 1996 knows how Torre cemented his reputation.

"It's time for some of our young kids to grow up now," Bowa said.
 
3:03 p.m.
Two sources told ESPN's T.J. Quinn and Mark Fainaru-Wada that the drug used by Ramirez is HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a women's fertility drug typically used by steroid users to restart their body's natural testosterone production as they come off a steroid cycle. It is, reports the duo, similar to Clomid, the drug Bonds, Giambi and others used as clients of BALCO.Yahoo! Health explains that HCG is used to cause ovulation and to treat infertility in women, and to increase sperm count in men.

The operative words are "steroid cycle."

"It's not infrequently part of the mix of the poly-drug approach to doping," Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that determines the banned-substances list for the World Anti-Doping Agency, told The Associated Press. "It typically is used most when people are coming off a cycle to restore to normal biophysiological feedback mechanisms."

_______________________

At least until first pitch, most of the focus is off another terrible loss from the Yankees and how they did nothing against Andy Sonnanstine, off whom opponents were hitting .366 and owned a 1-3 record with a 6.75 ERA. Blame the bullpen all you want; Phil Coke made one bad pitch, and Edwar Ramirez and Jonathan Albaladejo did their jobs. Second-guess Joe Girardi about not sending Mariano Rivera out for the 10th inning. But this is a problem which becomes more insidious with every loss: The Yankees went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and are 4-for-32 (.125) during their four-game losing streak. This team has showed little fire and passion, along with the obvious knack of failing in the clutch, but you have to love the mettle A.J. Burnett showed after the game.

"When it clicks, it will be ridiculous," Burnett said. "When it clicks, it will be fun to watch."



REACTION TO RAMIREZ SUSPENSION
Derek Jeter
"I'm still surprised. It's not like you assume everybody's doing it so you're still surprised when you hear about it.
 
"It doesn't look good. It seems like it's a never-ending thing. That's what it seems like as of late. So you want to put it behind you and then you have something like this come up."
 
Mark Teixeira
"I don't like to give too much reaction until more details are out there. It's just disappointing that it happened.
 
"I can only speak for myself. There's no resentment because I can sleep really good at night and at the end of my career I can look my kids in the eyes and say I [kept clean].
 
"IWe've done a lot. Ever since 2004, I've been at the union meetings talking about what we can do. It's almost every year like we try to test more and have it more strict. That's the only thing we can do."
 
Joe Girardi
"I don't have all the specifics and I don't know if we'll ever get all the specifics. But the commissioner has vowed to crack down. The rules are very stringent and we're seen another guy suspended 50 games."
 
Johnny Damon
"I'm just surprised somewhat but everything that comes out with baseball it seems like it's mostly negative stories and unfortunately, Manny's one of them, a former teammate of mine and it's disappointing to hear.

"This game has been able to withstand the test of time and this game has been able to I believe thrive so far this year. This is another black cloud and hopefully we can weed all this stuff out of the game in the upcoming years. Unfortunately, some very good baseball players have to go down with it.
 
"I think Manny's going to be the one that can answer that the best. That's all I have to say about that, I don't know. These guys want to be the best and to us they did look like the best and now they're paying for it."

By Jon Lane
Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez, suspended today for 50 games for violating baseball's drug policy, issued this statement through the MLB Players' Association:

"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.

"I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

Much more on this developing story later. It'll be interesting to find out if this medication was not a steroid whether that removes some of the sting. Nevertheless this is the second major drug revelation since February, when Selena Roberts broke the story of Alex Rodriguez taking steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-03. Like A-Rod, Ramirez is a lighting rod known for his immense talent along with idiosyncrasies and mannerisms that make you shake your head. From Los Angeles, to New York, to Boston and all around the game, people will be talking about this.

YANKEES (13-13)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Ramiro Pena 3B
Jose Molina C

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.40)

RAYS (12-16)
B.J. Upton CF
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Carlos Pena 1B
Pat Burrell DH
Gabe Gross RF
Jason Bartlett SS
Akinori Iwamura 2B
Dioner Navarro C

Pitching: Andy Sonnanstine (1-3, 6.75)

Steven Goldman is covering the game tonight. Check out the terrific Pinstriped Bible for pre and postgame nuggets like only he can share.- Jon Lane

By Jon Lane
Back blogging after a few days out of pocket and it figures I return to a mess. It's not my job to clean up, but I can weed through what's going on with the Yankees and do my part to calm the waters.

Right now, fans have a right to be angry. Granted, there's an absurd injury epidemic, but the Yankees are 0-5 against the Red Sox and stand at 13-13 coming off two hideous defeats.

Aside from the Red Sox' ownership of the Yankees, how is this different from any of the past few seasons? For the fourth time in five years, the Yankees are at or below .500 in May - and chasing their competition. On May 6, 2005, the Yankees were 11-19 and two games out first, and won the AL East. Two years later, with team executives breathing down Joe Torre's neck, the Yankees were eight games below sea level and 14 ½ back on May 29, but made it above .500 on July 14 and snuck into the postseason as a Wild Card.

Think Joe Girardi is having it rough? The 2005 season was when George Steinbrenner made his infamous "enough is enough" statement when the campaign was just 12 games old. In 1985, the last time the Yankees lost five straight to Boston, Yogi Berra was fired after 16 games. And be sure to catch the re-runs of "The Bronx is Burning" or buy the series on DVD to see how vintage Steinbrenner handled any time the Yankees were on a losing streak. Yet we're at the point where fans chanted "We Want Torre!" in the ninth inning Tuesday night. Chris Shearn speaks out about how New York is suddenly in love with Torre again. What's the next solution, purchasing Casey Fossum's contract?

The big problem here is that while the Yankees were given an expensive face lift, they have failed to avoid the slow start that is threatening to force them to piece together another miraculous run, which will leave this veteran team out of gas for the playoffs. The Yankees are winless against the Red Sox and 3-8 against the AL East. Spending $400 million on people will have you judged against ridiculous standards. Floundering against your chief competition and getting outscored 38-23 by your hated rivals leave you open to criticism - which like it or not is fair.

"It's not any fun. It's frustrating," said Girardi, thus far spared by Hal Steinbrenner and working with a roster with six key players on the disabled list and a bullpen underbelly nothing short of a complete disaster.

Think Joba Chamberlain still belongs in the bullpen? Yes, he was the losing pitcher. No, the total effort wasn't outstanding due to a miserable first inning when he allowed four runs. But instead of folding, Chamberlain gave his team a chance to rally and looked damn good doing it, whiffing 12 batters in 4 2/3 innings after the rough beginning. His last eight outs came via the strikeout until Girardi removed him after 108 pitches.

The crowd protested, but Girardi did the right thing. Chamberlain is a 23-year-old prodigy more important for tomorrow than today. David Cone brought up Dwight Gooden during Tuesday's telecast. At age 19, Dr. K threw 218 innings. The next two seasons, 276 2/3 and 250, and he was never the same again. The point is that organizations are being more and more protective of their young arms, especially when you have one in Chamberlain's that destined to be special.

"Physically, you can't do that to him," Girardi said. "It's a tough spot if we let him keep going and he gets hurt. That's the real tough spot."

Besides the lousy bullpen and Jason Bay taking Chamberlain deep for a three-run shot in the first, here's why the Yankees lost Tuesday night: Trailing 4-3 they put runners on second and third with one out against Josh Beckett in the sixth, getting a bad break when Melky Cabrera's double bounced into the stands and forced Nick Swisher to stay at third. Still, elite teams find a way to overcome bad luck. Ramiro Pena and Jose Molina, both playing thanks to injuries to Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, failed to bring anyone home.

Beckett scattered 10 hits but limited the Yankees to three runs. The Yankees were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position - 1-for-12 in the two games at Yankee Stadium - and are 8-for-54 (.148) against Boston in those situations. On the season, New York is batting .254 with RISP, .244 with two outs. You can have Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson leading your rotation, but even the all-time greats have gotten outpitched and if you don't score runs in the clutch, you're not winning. Period.

Don't think I'm letting the rotation off the hook. Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett are tied for the team lead in wins - two. Burnett's ERA is 5.40 and CC Sabathia 4.85. You certainly hope the sleeping giant awakes from his annual spring hibernation, because the returning A-Rod will do nothing to help the pitching. 

By Jon Lane
This release from the Sports Legends Museum:

BALTIMORE - Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards today announced that it will host a program with current YES Network analyst Ken Singleton on Saturday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m. while the Yankees are in Baltimore for a series with the Orioles. Singleton will offer his unique perspective on the 2009 AL East, discuss his role with the YES Network and comment on his days with Baltimore. Following the program, he will sign autographs for those in attendance. The program is free with paid admission to the Museum.

Singleton is in his seventh season with the YES Network, serving as both color commentator and play-by-play announcer for New York Yankees' games. Before joining YES, he divided his time calling play-by-play and providing commentary on Yankees' telecasts on the MSG Network. In 1998, he was part of MSG's production team that won four New York Emmys for its Yankees coverage.

Born in Manhattan and raised in nearby Mount Vernon, N.Y., Singleton played both baseball and basketball in high school, and also played baseball in the Bronx Federation League at Macombs Dam Park - across the street from Yankee Stadium. After receiving a basketball scholarship to Hofstra University and playing baseball as well for one year, he was drafted by the Mets in 1967.

Singleton spent 15-years in Major League Baseball. He began his major league career in 1970 before being traded to Montreal in 1972. He was acquired by Baltimore in a trade with Montreal in 1974, and helped the Orioles win two pennants (1979 and 1983) and a World Championship in 1983. Over his career, Singleton was selected to the American League All- Star Team in 1977, 1979 and 1981. He was named Most Valuable Oriole in 1975, 1977 and 1979, and his .438 on base percentage (in 1977), 118 walks (in 1975) and 35 switch-hit home runs (in 1979) are all still Orioles' single season records.  Singleton was inducted into the Orioles' Hall of Fame in 1986.

He is one of only six players in Major League Baseball history to hit 35 or more switch-hit homers in a season. In 1982, Singleton received the Roberto Clemente Award from Major League Baseball as the player who best epitomized the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team.

Located adjacent to the main gate of Oriole Park, Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards consists of 22,000 square feet of artifacts and interactive exhibits profiling Maryland's sports history, as well as legendary Yankees' slugger Babe Ruth. Sports Legends Museum is owned and operated by the Babe Ruth Museum.

By Glenn Giangrande
I just can't take it anymore. The Yankees bullpen is like a train wreck that I DON'T want to watch.

In defense of Joe Girardi, he was dealt a tough hand when he lost Brian Bruney to the disabled list and Damaso Marte apparently was pitching hurt. That being said, about half the active 'pen at minimum is downright unreliable right now. Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and Jonathan Albaladejo can't be trusted in big situations, but they also can't be counted on to keep games close when the Yankees are down. Girardi also doesn't seem to trust David Robertson much, and I can't imagine Mark Melancon helped himself by walking the bases loaded in the ninth against Boston Tuesday night. Aside from Phil Coke and Mariano Rivera, it's ugly out there.

So where on the planet is there to turn? For starters, Alfredo Aceves and his career .228 BAA deserve a chance to pitch some meaningful late innings. I'm not counting on Chien-Ming Wang's return, so I'll leave Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain out of the equation for now. Casey Fossum was signed to a Minor League deal after being cut loose by the Mets, a team that like the Yankees are dealing with a bullpen in dire straits. I guess Fossum is no worse than the current options, but anyone out there think he's a real solution to the problem? Is there even an realistic external solution to be had? It's too early to talk trade, not that the relief market is going to be any better than usual, and Fossum is clearly the best the Yankees could do via free agency.

On a brighter note, did anyone out there catch Family Guy this past Sunday? I was dying. Lauren Conrad-Bill Cosby sex tape, Mr. Magoo driving with Lindsay Lohan ... there was some tremendous stuff. If you want your mind taken off the Yankees' relievers, check it out on your preferred Internet TV portal of choice. 

YANKEES (13-12)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Ramiro Pena 3B
Jose Molina C

Pitching: Joba Chamberlain (1-0, 3.13)

RED SOX (16-10)
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Jason Bay LF
Mike Lowell 3B
J.D. Drew RF
Jeff Bailey 1B
Jason Varitek C
Nick Green SS

Pitching: Josh Beckett (2-2, 7.22)

YANKEES (13-11)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Melky Cabrera CF
Jose Molina C
Angel Berroa 3B

Pitching: Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00)

RED SOX (15-10)
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
J.D. Drew RF
Jason Bay LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Jason Varitek C
Nick Green SS

Pitching: Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40)

ACEVES RECALLED
The Yankees have recalled Alfredo Aceves from Triple-A Scranton to serve as the long man out of the bullpen. Anthony Claggett was optioned back.

ANGELS (10-13)
Figgins 3B
Izturis SS
Abreu LF
Hunter CF
Morales 1B
Napoli C
Kendrick 2B
Rivera DH
Matthews RF

LHP Joe Saunders (2-1, 3.51)


YANKEES (13-11)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Cabrera RF
Berroa 3B
Gardner CF

RHP Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00)

By Jon Lane
At what point do you worry about two of the Yankees'  big-ticket acquisitions? It's still too early in my view, and people around the team will insist that Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia will turn it around, and soon. But since a baseball season is dissected in reaction to daily events, Teixeira and Sabathia have been anything but impact players, and fans are getting restless.

Teixeira went 0-for-3 in today's 8-4 loss to the Angels, is 2-for-27 (.074) over his last eight games and is batting .182. In the sixth inning with Derek Jeter on third and one out in a 1-1 game, Teixeira flied out to shallow center, not deep enough to put the Yankees ahead.

"I'm very upset," Teixeira said. "I'm not getting hits. I'm very upset that I'm not coming through for my team. I'm embarrassed that I'm hitting one something.  Whatever one is, it's embarrassing.
 
"In the last couple of days, I've really worked hard. Kevin Long and I have been looking at videotape of my swings and my swing feels good. I just got to swing at maybe a few better pitches."

Metro New York reporter and stats guru Larry Fleisher compiled a list of his batting averages through May 2 in his career.
 
2008 - .265
2007 - .223
2006 - .292
2005 - .259
2004 - .222
2003 - .188

To be fair, Teixeira hasn't had Alex Rodriguez hitting behind him and once the sleeping giant awakens the Yankees will begin reaping the benefits of the $180 million they're paying him over eight years. Combine the fact that A-Rod will fortify a lineup playing in a hitter's park and Teixeira will turn those boos into cheers.

(A-Rod, by the way, went 0-for-6 in an extended spring game and is 2-for-18 in three games.)

Ditto Sabathia, who was brilliant for six innings before falling apart in the seventh. He's 1-3 and winless since April 11 and the Yankees are 2-4 in games he's started. Blame the big guy all you want, and he's with fault, but his team has supported him with one run over his last two starts, and today was 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position while stranding seven.

"Sure, I had given up the lead, Sabathia said. "It was just frustrating. It was a tie game up until that point  When we're not scoring runs, it's up to the pitcher to go out and keep it close when we get in that eighth and ninth inning. That's frustrating.  Every time you go out there, you want the team to win.  I'm just going to keep working hard and try to turn it around."
 
Fleisher the stat guru notes that Sabathia has thrown 656 pitches in 39 innings through six starts (119 today). At this point last season he threw 604 covering 32.

Angels (9-13)

Figgins DH
Matthews RF
Kendrick 2B
Hunter CF
Napoli C
Morales 1B
Rivera LF
Wood 3B
Aybar SS

RHP Matt Palmer (1-0, 6.00)


Yankees (13-10)

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Cabrera RF
Molina C
Pena 3B
Gardner CF

LHP CC Sabathia (1-2, 4.73)

By Jon Lane
Our friends at River Avenue Blues had their weekly live chat this afternoon. Among the highlights:

The Yankees made the right move by not offering Chien-Ming Wang a long-term deal. Wang's miserable beginning to 2009 is 20-10 hindsight, but RAB notes they could afford to go year to year and pay big arbitration raises as warranted. Count on this, though: Wang will right himself and when he's back - at 100 percent and nothing less - you'll see what you've seen out of the talented right-hander since 2005.

Let's defend A.J. Burnett's start Thursday night. Okay, four runs and eight hits in seven innings isn't pretty, but winning ugly is a beautiful thing. Burnett gave the Yankees seven innings and kept them in the game until they broke through in the eighth. John Flaherty made a great point during the telecast when he cited how Roger Clemens enjoyed pitching a lot more when he had to grind it out. You're not going to have your best stuff every outing. Burnett didn't but he found a way to survive and finished with a nine-pitch seventh.  

Who will be the odd man out once Brian Bruney returns? RAB speculates it'll be David Robertson, but Jose Veras and Jonathan Albaladejo better be on alert. Albaladejo has options and he's given up seven runs in his last inning of work covering two appearances. That three-year deal given to Damaso Marte is more and more of an albatross.

Interesting poll question: Who will be the Yankees' closer in 2011? (Mariano Rivera's current  contract expires after next season.)
 
Mark Melancon
Joba Chamberlain
Mariano Rivera
Other

Who do you think? Vote here and have your say.

It's Angels vs. Yankees tonight on YES (weather permitting). Kimberly Jones is there off a successful debut chat. Enjoy the game and the weekend.

YANKEES (12-10)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Ramiro Pena 3B

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (2-1, 2.96)

ANGELS (9-12)
Chone Figgins 3B
Gary Matthews RF
Bobby Abreu LF
Torii Hunter CF
Mike Napoli DH
Howie Kendrick 2B
Robb Quinlan 1B
Jeff Mathis C
Erick Aybar SS

Pitching: Jered Weaver (2-1, 2.45)