*NOTE: The following entries span from May 20 to June 17, all prior to the blog being moved to this website. Unlike the blog is now, these begin with the oldest. Catch up prior to the newer entries if you like.

May 20, @ Mets W (6-2) 19-23

So the Yanks finally took one from the Mets tonight, 6-2 behind an incredible and totally unexpected performance from Tyler Clippard. Yeah that's exactly what I said-Tyler Clippard? We'll take them however we can get them these days, and there was finally some timely offense in this one and yet another HR from April-Rod. Must say I was impressed this evening by the overall play, it was nice to feel good about the team for the majority of the game, albeit difficult when Mariano allowed yet another HR in the 9th. Whatever is wrong with him has me perplexed and is really wearing on my patience and continua optimism. Although Mariano has earned plenty of leeway from the fans, watching him struggle like this is pretty frustrating. Clippard was on it tonight though; the kid was beaming with confidence. What I found most significant was that the guy was locating, he was hitting his spots the whole time. He ran into some trouble once he allowed the HR to Wright, who has come alive since being booed for the first time in his career, but was bailed out and pitched really well. At this point I'm not so concerned about pitching as I am about hitting. You expect that since most of these guys, actually all of these guys, are veterans that they will come around, but the pitching has improved of late and guys are not supporting their pitchers. Plus, if I see Pettitte pitch one more gem and not get any run support there will be a cell phone-shaped hole in my window. Maybe tonight was something to build on, or maybe it was yet another tease from a team with so much potential yet so little success.

The plot thickens as the Sox are in town for 3 starting later on tonight, and just as with the MetsI am fearful of what the outcome may be. No it's not about Sox mystique or Mets mystique, it's about the Yankees constant sub-par efforts, the ones that have the Yankee-hating world rejoicing. The Sox are up 10.5 games coming in and are playing the best baseball they've played throughout these last few years, mostly because they are pitching so well. A solid lineup, good starters, a reliable bullpen, and a good closer, man that sounds familiar... It is still May of course and I refuse to believe that the Sox will continue at the current pace. I still recall the ESPN guys proclaiming the Sox as early locks for the division last year, granted the situation is more serious this year but come on fellas; it's freakin' May. Joe Morgan articulated that exact point tonight and I couldn't agree with him more. Clemens comes at the end of the month, Hughes will likely come back for some more time in the show, and putting those 2 with Moose, Andy, and Wang is competitive with any staff in the game as far as I'm concerned. I don't expect Clemens to come in and be Cy Young for 4-5 months, but he brings something that Yankee fans have missed since he left in '03: balls. Testicular fortitude as I like to call it. I have fantasized many times of a scene where Roger puts a fastball right by David Ortiz' chin and drops him like a hot potato, then whiffs him with the splitter. Not one Yankee pitcher has put him or Manny on their asses yet, Roger will.

It's not all about brushbacks, however, but about what Clemens brings to that team. He's a 44 year old b-12 shot. A shot that this team desperately needs. Right now that team is Jeter, Jorge, Andy, and a whole bunch of confused individuals with all the potential in the world (in Rivera's case proven potential) but a halogen bulb inside themselves instead of a bonfire. Roger is an influential clubhouse guy, he gets respect because he's earned it, and anyone who has a problem with his contract has my endorsement to call him out on it. A little clubhouse shakeup may be a good thing in this situation. Roger is not the messiah, but he can be that spark that sets this team on fire. He is also likely the sole reason why Torre will last through the season. The rumors are that they will see the team's progress through the end of May and make a decision, but I think Torre makes it though the year. It would be a storybook ending if the Yankees could win one more for Torre this year and send him off with honors. It's difficult to picture a happy ending for Torre, however, as more and more people are calling for his head. That all remains to be seen as always, but at least they let the fans rest a little easier tonight.

May 21, Boston W (6-2) 20-23 9.5 GB

The boys took game one of three from the Sox tonight, 6-2. Apparently 6-2 is the current score of choice for the Yanks, as they've won with the same score in consecutive days. Wang was sharp tonight, going 6 and 1/3 with 2 earned and 5 K's., and115 Pitches with 65 strikes. He ran into a couple of jams, but was able to get out of them with brilliant pitching and solid defense in the field. It was comforting to see Wang pitch well in what we all know was a big game that wasn't really a big game but actually was a big game. Equally impressive was the fantastic breaking ball he got Youkilis with in the 2nd with a full count and the bases loaded, it was a thing of beauty. And of course, guys were able to hit yet again tonight. Homeruns from Giambi and May-Rod combined with timely hitting by Cano and Jeter. Wakefield hung one of his famed whiffle balls around chin-level and Alex put it into the stratosphere. The hitters were uncannily aggressive tonight as well, even stealing four bases in the game. Abreu was aboard twice, once with a hit and again with a walk and also swiping a bag, making him effective in consecutive games. I won't delve into the seven left on base by Matsui because I know he's better than that. Additionally, I am willing to sacrifice the 9th slot in the order for Doug Mientkiewicz' ability in the field because of how incredibly reliable he is at 1st base. Watching the many fiascoes at first base over the years has taught me to appreciate the value of a defensive first baseman, and Doug is exactly that, even if he stinks at the plate. The efficiency of the Yankees lineup can render the 9th hitter relatively invisible even when it is functioning at a lower level anyway.

One thing I noted as I watched this game was how the Yankees looked like the Yankees again. They were in control from early and made the Red Sox look like the inferior team, like the old days. Granted it's only one game, but that is the nature of the current Pinstripes: glimpses of greatness among long stretches of mediocrity. It was the same case against the Mets on Sunday. We know that success breeds confidence, and maybe something is finally building inside these Yankees. Boston is a good team and surely they will be ready to go tomorrow as they have been against every team they have played this year. The Moose goes against Tavarez tomorrow night and that matchup favors the Yankees. These things don't always go as they should so I won't make any predictions. The level of play from the last two games has me feeling better, however, and I thus feel good about their chances.

May 22, Boston L (7-3) 20-24

Alas, it would only be two in a row. Missed most of tonight's game, but saw the last couple innings of a 7-3 defeat. Mussina gave up 7 earned in 5 and 2/3, the final 3 being the coup de grace in this one. It was a 4-2 game up to that point though that would be as close as the Yanks would get. They had a small rally going against Papelbon in the 9th, but it was all for not. The stat of the night though, and I cannot stress this enough, was 20 Yankees were left on base tonight; completely inexcusable. They can't let Julian Tavarez take the mound for the Red Sox in The Stadium and come out unscathed, it is unfathomable to even imagine that. 20 men left on base. Unconscionable. Mussina allowed 4 runs though six innings and seemed to have calmed down since allowing 3 in the first, but a blown steal call at second base let the game continue on in the 7th. I won't nit pick, the 3 extra runs were not the difference in the game either way. I was glad to see Mussina pretty down on himself after the game, one thing about the Moose is that he has always taken this game very seriously. He may be staring his own mortality as a pitcher in the face right now, but I am confident he'll do all he can to correct himself. He was excellent last year for a good while, and then injuries slowed him down.

May 23, Boston W (8-3) 21-24 9.5 GB

You have to love the 3 run first. Another fantastic outing from Pettitte was bolstered with 8 runs tonight and the Yanks took 2 of 3 from Boston in the series. Andy went 7 strong while giving up 8 hits, 1 earned, one walk, and striking out two. Going into the 5th, Andy had 6 runs behind him while yielding none. What is more, Schilling the idiot gave up 6 runs in 6 innings while giving up 12 hits. Watching him get beat around the park certainly made my Wednesday night that much better. Remembering what I said yesterday, the Yankees left 10 on base to the Red Sox 19, there is your stat of the night. Matsui and Doug both went yard tonight and I find myself appreciating Doug more and more. Only Giambi went hitless tonight and considering the controversy swirling around him he may be doing that much more often. There are rumors that the Yankees are trying to void his contract as well as word that the Angels are looking at a trade for Jason in order to help their anemic offense. If a trade is even remotely possible I would hope that the Yankees don't settle for garbage in order to simply get rid of Giambi.

So three games under .500 and a day off tomorrow with a series against the pesky Angels at The Stadium this weekend. The Yankees always have trouble with the Angels. Mike Scioscia loves to send runners and the Yankees hate few things in the world more than teams that run a lot. They're 28-19 right now and atop their division meanwhile winning 11 of 14, and then there's Vladdy. Mr. Guerrero should be in his 4th year in right field for the Yankees in my mind, but unfortunately he has been destroying the baseball while most of the country has been asleep these last 4 seasons. He won't be making things any easier over the weekend. The Yanks have won 3 of 4 incidentally and coming off a solid victory today they have some momentum going into the weekend. We'll likely see Tyler Clippard give it a go once more on Friday.

A quick word on Kyle Farnsworth before I go. It seems like this idiot gives up a homerun every single time he steps on the mound. And you would assume that with his new glasses he could see the plate more, which couldn't be further from the truth. What the glasses likely improve is his ability to immediately measure the approximate length of each homerun he gives up. As inconsistent as Rivera has been, if Farnsworth is the bridge to Rivera then he's more like the bridge in the last Indiana Jones movie: you can't see it but you're supposed to trust its existence and jump on it. How the hell are you supposed to trust this guy?

May 26, Angels L (3-1) 21-26

Eight innings pitched, six hits, four walks, six K's, three earned runs; that was Wang's line today and he went home with a loss. A quality start that covered eight innings and the Yankees could only give him one run. Kelvim Escobar was even more fantastic allowing one earned and six hits over seven while totally baffling the Yankees in every way. The last pitch of the game was a generous strike about ten inches off the plate from K-Rod, but I won't lay the result on that alone. That last at bat belonged to Abreu, of course, with the tying run at first and Damon at third, but alas Bobby would not wake up from his nightmare today. There were other opportunities in the game, with there being 17 Yankees LOB after the last out. Torre continued playing battleship with Abreu today as well, placing him in the leadoff spot.

It was another frustrating case of the same old song - when they pitch they don't hit, and when they hit they don't pitch. It just can't seem to come together and they now find themselves looking at a possible sweep tomorrow with John Lackey on the mound for the Angels (and trust that with Lackey a sweep is very possible). They are five games under and with Boston playing the Rangers I can sense that deficit growing to yet another game later today. I know that the return of Clemens is supposed to give the team a much needed boost, and I'm confident it will, but it won't score them six runs a game or hold a lead in the late innings. There are so many more issues to resolve besides bolstering the starting rotation.

Baseball people will tell you that the hitting will work itself out, and maybe it will, but squandering good pitching efforts like today cripples the cause completely. Johnny Damon's health issues are severely hurting the team because that leadoff spot is so important, and his coverage in centerfield is now limited. Then you have the inconsistency from the rest of the lineup. This is the part that makes me grind my teeth since they are squandering the numbers that Jeter and Posada and even A-Rod are putting up. There have to be men on base when Alex comes up, period. Then you have the chicken coop...I mean the bullpen. Sure, they were burned out in April, but I don't excuse all of them anymore. Luis Vizcaino and Kyle Farnsworth are chronic back pains and need to be eliminated already. I would have given Vizcaino the benefit of the doubt earlier in the year, but this is comical already. When is it going to change? Will it change? Will they turn it around? I have so much patience with this team though every loss hurts more than the last. We're all looking for the turnaround, but live in fear of the burning question: when they do turn it around, will it still matter?

May 28, @ Toronto L (7-2) 21-28

Sid is on the radio killing the Yankees, saying how the season is over and they should blow the thing up now. This follows the Red Sox fan gloating about how terrible they are. It's not a good time right now. I just want to mark this time down in order to have something to go back to if and when they turn it around. It's twice as hard to deal with this because the Sox and Mets are in the middle of promising seasons, but as Yankee fans everyone has to simply deal with it. The Yankees put both those teams through many years of misery and it's only fair that the victims enjoy their opportunity to gloat. I pray that these guys can turn it around so that I can have some fun with the Yankee-bashers in October. We'll see how it goes.

May 29, @ Toronto L (3-2) 21-29 14.5 GB Tied for last place

Polar Opposites. That is what the Mets and the Yankees are right now, and I can recall no day where that was more evident. Missed most of the Yanks' game tonight but managed to get the gist - Pettitte pitches another brilliant game yet the Yanks manage only 2 runs while leaving 18 on base and lose. They miraculously found a new way to lose tonight when they allowed the Blue Jays to steal home. They freakin' stole home, who the hell steals home anymore? The mighty Shawn Marcum was the victorious pitcher for the Jays, and provided a new low for which the Pinstripes may lay their heads tonight. Why are the Mets polar opposites, you ask? Because tonight they hosted Barry Bonds and the Giants and went 12 innings until two balks allowed the tying run to score and followed that with a walk-off homerun. The enthusiasm and energy beaming out of their players reminds me of the old Yankees teams. Must be nice.

A-Rod's BA has dropped 62 points since April 29 and Andy is now 3-4 with a 2.51 ERA. I find no stats more telling than those, mainly Andy's stats. Every time I look at his ERA and record I clench my fist. On a pitching staff that is as reliable as a con-man he has been the constant, yet they give him nothing. Andy is as classy as they come but I wonder how long he can go without letting off some steam. It's well within his right to do so. Josh Beckett is the front runner for the Cy Young while Andy should be right there with him. The sole difference is run support, and Andy has a better ERA. I couldn't be angrier about that.

Every game gets harder to watch and you can see them pressing more and more. Robinson Cano is chasing more balls than John Amaeche at a Cher concert; he looks like an absolute fool every single game, even considering the hitting streak he was on. And all this comes with news that Roger will make his first start on Monday - oh happy day... Plus, they get to go to Boston this weekend and play the Sox for the 600th time this season. Yogi once said "it ain't over 'til it's over" and I'm certain he would say that now, but he also said "baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical." I think it's all mental with these guys, and their minds are crippling them.

June 3, @ Boston In Progress

Stuck here in the 5th inning where the Yanks have blown a 4-0 lead that they just finished putting together in the top of the inning. Unbelievable. The fans were just cheering "where is Roger?" Pettitte was out dueling Beckett and had a cushion, but I won't be blaming this one on the offense this time. They gave him what he needed and he threw it away. A 5-run inning for Boston; what a load of camel shit. That little munchkin Pedroia hit a bases-clearing double off the wall and then Abreu misplayed (yet again) a ball off Ortiz' bat that scored the tying run. It's like even when the Yankees have things going in their favor they manage to screw it up. I'll likely finish this later, but I had to release some of the anger.

*Update* W (6-5) 24-30 12.5 GB

It's incredible how unpredictable sports can be. So the Yankees blow the 4 run lead and I'm ready to break as many household items as humanly possible, plus my Xbox remote control is in several pieces. It looked as though all was lost yet again, but I was unaware that this was one of those nights where fans would have to endure some pain before their glory. Beckett remained in the game through 6 and was in line for a win despite getting beat around in the 5th, and was likely saved from further disaster once he was handed 5 runs in that 5th inning. The Yankees could not get anything going in the 6th or 7th , with A-Rod blowing an opportunity to score Damon from third with one out, and it was the wildly overrated Okajima that held them off going into the 8th. He would finally come back to earth of course. Matsui singled and Cano blasted a triple off the center field wall to score him, and the game was tied. Despite no one being out, the bottom of the Yankee order was unable to bring him home. In the 8th Pedroia the munchkin drove one into the gap that seemed guaranteed to score two runs and put it out of reach, but Bobby managed to get across the field and somehow reach (almost blindly, mind you) and snow cone the ball in his glove to end the inning. And then came the 9th.

Boston brought in their little hero, Mr. Papelbon, the greatest closer in the history of the world who has yet to accomplish anything of merit, to hold off the Yankees. He, like Okajima, got a reality check. He blew through Jeter and Abreu, and had A-Rod 0-2, and then the baseball gods smiled on the pinstripes. Alex belted a fastball into the Red Sox 'pen and took one of the most gratifying trots around the bags of his career. My mouth dropped so far a car could have parked in it, what a moment it was. Then came the 9th inning and Mo came on for the save against Papi, Manny, and Youkilis. It was as nerve-racking an inning as there can be, I almost expected Papi to hit a homerun, but Mo survived him. He then struck out Manny and after plunking Youk he made Lowell look like a fool on a check swing and the game was over. A big win earned in dramatic fashion, something the Yankees have had very little of this season.

This game had it all. Both Alex and Bobby managed to make-up for earlier blunders in the game and Mo got a big save opportunity and came through. If there was any moment or game to build on, it was this one. Whether they will or won't still remains to be seen. Oddly enough, the loss of Doug did not have a deep impact in the game, though Phelps did botch a chance to get Lugo in a rundown. It would be unfair if I didn't mention Vizcaino as well because he came in for Andy and calmed the situation down; he and the rest of the 'pen truly did their jobs in this one. How about A-Rod though? The look on Papelbon's face was absolutely priceless. With all that Alex has gone through and the extra nonsense of the last week he must have been ecstatic on the inside, and he did it during a downpour of vicious rain. What a great win, I hope this is finally a turning point.

June 6, @ Chicago W (7-3) 25-31 11.5GB 6.5GB Wild Card

I like Tyler Clippard. He's no savior, but there is something about him that makes me want to see this guy get more opportunities; I feel he can make the most of them. He's now 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA and is earning the right to continue pitching for the big team. Torre only let him go 5 innings once again, which seems to be Joe's MO with TC, though TC tends to get himself into jams and pull out of them. A surprising stat for him is that lefties are only hitting .128 against him while righties are pounding him at .351 (both with about the same number of at bats). These numbers are literally night and day across slugging and on base as well. His whip isn't great nor is his K/BB ratio either, but they aren't terrible and with more work I think this guy can put something together. What people forget is that every single time a pitcher goes out for the Yankees they're in need of wins and are often coming off of a loss. The team isn't playing well so the pitchers press even harder than the hitters do, and this sort of thing weighs heavily on the staff, especially the younger guys. I think TC can be very effective if and when the staff is solidified and the team begins to improve. Having a good team behind you breeds confidence, just ask Oliver Perez.

Johnny had 3 hits today as did Alex, and A-Rod hit his 21st homer of the season. Bobby went 2-4 and I've read that there have been discussions with the White Sox about swapping him for Jermaine Dye; very interesting. I'll get back to that later. The setup guys ran into trouble in the 8th, namely Farnsworth, and then Bruney had trouble in the 9th forcing Mo to come in. All the baserunners allowed Mo to earn a save opportunity in a 4 run game. I think the way it works is if the tying run is on-deck it counts as a save, something like that. Anyway, Mo nailed the last 2 outs on 10 pitches, which means he's saved 2 games in 3 days. Cano has gotten his average up to .276 and is looking a lot better at the plate while only striking out once in his last 6 games. That is fantastic news given we all watched him swing at nose-high pitches, toe-high pitches, pitches a foot outside the zone, and pitches a foot inside the zone during April and May.

Let's get into this Abreu/Dye thing. Despite the rumor circling it is now being denied, especially by the White Sox people. This could be some kind of smokescreen considering I'm sure Guillen wouldn't mind having a fellow Venezuelan on his team. Abreu is on a 5 game hit streak right now and has raised his BA 17 points because of it. His on-base is .343 and he may be coming around, but he's still only slugging .326. Dye is in a terrible funk following a gargantuan season last year, hitting .228 right now despite slugging .426. His on-base is a miniscule .291. The Yanks would likely be better served to not make this deal, if it even exists, and hope that Abreu continues to improve and parlay that into a trade opportunity. I realize at this point that the Phillies knew something last year when they let him go. I can only hope I'm wrong about him, but I don't think he has much left in the tank.

The big trade talk in baseball is about Mark Teixeira and how he may be moved by the deadline next month. What a come-up that would be for the Yankees. I can only imagine the uproar if they were to get him. I know Cashman will be very careful to not give away too much for him, that is, if he even has the opportunity to acquire him. Teixeira would be the best move they have made in years, however. He's only 27 years old, just easing into his prime, a gold glove 1st baseman, and a power hitter that will hit around .300 and plant balls on the short porch like there's no tomorrow. He has all that Giambi doesn't. I'll keep my fingers crossed on that one.

June 6, @ Chicago W (5-1) 26-31 11GB 6.5GB Wild Card

Newsflash: A Yankees Pitcher Has Pitched the First Complete Game for Them This Season. Wang was brilliant tonight in Chi-town, yielding 1 run on 5 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4 on a measly 104 pitches. The official game time was 2:40 and was filled with White Sox grounders (15) and fly-outs (7). Flipping through the game in my mind, I can't say I recall Guidry ever coming out tonight. That in itself is incredible. The Chi Sox can't really be blamed for blowing opportunities either because in the end they left 6 men on base, that's a credit to Wang and his defense for letting few men reach; Wang made it laughably easy for his defense, however, minus one brilliant outfield assist by Melky.

The Yanks mustered 11 hits in the game, 1 of which was A HOMERUN BY BOBBY ABREU!! Even seeing those words in print is unbelievable, and it was to left center of all places. Bobby continues to make small strides as he homered and walked in this one. The DH project for Johnny is working out so far because Melky has been playing a mean centerfield, and I don't see that changing in the near future, though once Johnny gets his legs back completely things will likely go back to normal. It seems as though the team is making baby steps toward some form of unison and confidence. With Mussina going tomorrow I hope the trend continues.

The White Sox are the poorest scoring team in baseball right now and it has shown in the last 2 games, but beating on weak teams is essential if the Pinstripes want to ascend in this league. They have to start winning the games they're supposed to win. With the Pirates coming into the Bronx for the weekend the Yankees have a good opportunity to put together some more wins. They've now won 5 of 7 and surely I'm hoping by late Sunday afternoon it's 9 of 11, but the "one game at a time" clich