Ok so I realize we're just hours away from the HR Derby at Yankee Stadium, but here's an interesting thought.  Since there are no Yankees competing with A-Rod declining and Jason Giambi not being selected, why not Derek Jeter? 

I believe the Stadium crowd would get a kick out of their favorite son taking part in the last HR Derby in The House That Ruth Built.  Who cares if he hasn't hit for power this season despite connecting for his 200th career HR on Saturday in Toronto, I believe it would be something really fun to see, especially since Jeter has never done it before.

Contrary to other sluggers like Rodriguez, I can't see how it would mess up Jeter's swing, especially his power stroke.  Heck if anything maybe it'll get his bat jumping with some more pop in the 2nd half? 

In any event does it sound any more or less insane than NL HR and RBI leader Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies not even making the NL All-Star team?  And MLB wonders why it has such problems maketing the sport to the African American community.

Let Jeet compete!

Brian Cashman’s record on pitching is an outright abomination.  When takes an honest look at his pitching acquisitions, it has become even clearer that he simply gravy trained on the success of Gene “Stick” Michael and Bob Watson.

This guy's record on pitchers is a joke.  I mean look at the championship rotations: Stick Michael: Pettitte, Cone, Key, Mendoza, Wetteland, Rivera, Boehringer, etc.  Bob Watson: Wells, Nelson, Stanton, Lloyd, Weathers, Mecir. 

If you want to give Cashman credit for Clemens and El Duque then fine, but those were more George M. Steinbrenner III moves than Cashman.

Let's look at Mr. Cashman's record though with pitchers shall we:

1.) Mike Lowell for three minor league pitchers from the Florida Marlins who barely if ever saw the light of day in MLB.

2.) Jason Grimsley, decent rubber arm out of the pen.

3.) Denny Neagle, the beginning of the love affair with NL pitchers who were former Atlanta Braves.

4.) Letting go of Jeff Nelson, though Torre probably had as much to do with that.

5.) Mark Wholers (another ex-Brave) and Jay Witasick, wonderful replacements for Nellie eh?

6.) Ted Lilly for Jeff Weaver for Kevin Brown, guuuh, then signing Kei Igawa instead of bringing Lilly back, double guuuh!

7.) Signing Chris Hammond (another ex-Brave) to replace Mike Stanton, bringing back Stanton, Mendoza and Nelson after letting them go and bringing them back after they were even more washed up.

8.) The "Felix's" Heredia and Rodriguez.

9.) Mike Mussina (a no-brainer signing).

10.) Trading Sterling Hitchcock to the Cardinals in 2003 for a bag of baseballs, who pitched well in relief in the 2001 WS, came back to bite the Yanks against the Marlins where they could've used him instead of Weaver.

11.) Javier Vazquez, instead of Curt Schilling.

12.) Steve Karsay (another ex-Brave).

13.) Jaret Wright (another ex-Brave).

14.) Carl Pavano.

15.) Letting Pettitte go (though probably a George move), getting Pettitte back.

16.) Alan Embree, Wayne Franklin, Darrell May (make sure your kid is left-handed).

17.) Al Leiter, Shawn Chacon, Aaron Small, finally found lightning in a bottle.

18.) Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, decent but blown out by Torre come playoff time because of spotty rotation.

19.) Cory Lidle, decent pickup.

20.) Kyle Farnsworthless (another ex-Brave).

21.) Randy Johnson, mixed reviews, decent regular season poor playoffs.

22.) Luis Vizcaino, decent but blown out by Torre, see Scott Proctor.

23.) La Troy Hawkins, forget Paul O'Neill, why does he have anyone's number at this point.

24.) Sidney Ponson (twice for the love of God!), Dan Giese, the Columbus shuttle is back!!!

(Other dishonorable mentions):

Buddy Goom.
Gabe White.
Donavan Osborne.
Antonio Osuna.
Juan Acevedo.
Tim Redding.
Chris Britton.
Alex Graman.
Scott Erickson.
Armando Benitez.
T.J Beam.
Colter Bean.

As someone who was an advocate for the hiring of Joe Girardi as Yankees manager it pains me to write this.  There needs to be some accountability in the Bronx and a change of culture.  For far too long dating mostly back to the end of the 2004 season, there has been far too much of a prevailing "fat-cat" attitude in which veteran players would stroll into town looking to gravy train a ride to a championship on the backs of the guys who've done it four times before.  Except there's only four guys left from that run and they're getting older and their backs are breaking with nobody else picking up the water.

While a shouting Hank Steinbrenner is much better than an empty missive from "The Boss" via a publicist, those words need to be followed up with action, pronto.  It's not enough to tell A-Rod to go jump in a lake when he opts-out, only to come back and reward him with $300 million, especially when your captain starts talking like the Yankees won before without him and with gamers like say perhaps a Mike Lowell type at 3rd.  You can't complain or should take action if your GM didn't want Johan Santana and you did, you're the new boss, you have the final say to sign off on it.

This Yankees team should've unloaded some fat contracts along with Torre and Cashman after the 2004 ALCS debacle.  The problem here is when you scream at these guys (especially the hitters) they realize that the Yankees can't move 'em because of their contracts and there's no competition off the joke of a bench (somewhere Bernie Williams is laughing) and nobody but the likes of Brett "freaking" Gardner to pressure them from the minors.  And why if you're pegging Ian Kennedy as a big part of your future or you have guys in the minors touted as the next "Joba" or "Mo" such as Mark Melancon, J.B. Cox or Daniel McCutchen are you stunting their growth with stop gaps like Sidney Ponson, Darrell Rasner and LaTroy Hawkins?

In my view if the Yankees after playing the next five games against Boston and Tampa, end up ten games out of a playoff spot at the All-Star break, I would advocate making some serious changes.  This team can't have it both ways, either trade for some big ticket guys who'll help your squad for the next 3-5 years or rip it all down and start getting rid of the old overpaid guys. 

So far there have not been any high expectations held on Girardi like there were on Torre, whose contract renewal was dependent upon incentives such as say reaching the ALCS in 2008.  And why was Girardi chosen?  The same reason Lou Pinella was not: Brian Cashman wanted all the power and Lou Pinella with his popularity, track record and high regard from The Boss, would've usurped Cashman's power with the Yankees in wanting his own players in his clubhouse. 

So if the Yankees are ten out at the All-Star break or trading deadline, I say start making changes at the top.  Hence my new GM would be Gene "Stick" Michael and my new Manager would be Buck Showalter and if A-Rod doesn't like it, tough he can leave just like Roberto Kelly, Mel Hall and the like of the early 90's.

Following that I would try to make some deals to bring back some younger players.  For example the Yankees have a few guys in the last year of their contracts.  Thus I might try and deal a guy like Jason Giambi to a team that needs a bopper and is in contention like his old team the A's, his old manager Joe Torre and the Dodgers or even the Giants who are incredibly still alive in the sorry NL West. 

After that I'd try to flip a guy like Mike Mussina who is having a fine season to a contender where he'd get a shot at a ring.  Moose lives in Pennsylvania and the Phillies with Brett Myers blowing up, could use a vet to help bolster a post-season run and team him up with the guy he was compared with, "slow and slower" Jamie Moyer.

Though he is a quality character guy in the clubhouse and has won in New York before, would be good with the young pitchers and they would risk him not returning next season, they might be able to get something back for Andy Pettitte.  If Texas continues to hover around .500, they need pitching.  Perhaps if Arizona (closer to home) or old skipper Joe Torre comes calling in L.A. Pettitte would be open to it if for just a 2-3 month playoff run. 

Maybe a team with closer issues such as the Tigers or Cardinals takes a bite on either Kyle Farnsworth or LaTroy Hawkins.

Finally, both Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon are swinging the bats well enough this season to warrant some interest.  Perhaps a team with the need of a veteran presence comes knocking, like Oakland, Minnesota, Florida or Milwaukee.

Of course I could be way off here and the Yankees wheel off 15 wins in a row.  But in any event someone has to stand up and be accountable or held accountable and decide where the Yankees are headed in 2008 or start getting ready for 2009 and beyond.  Because you can't have your cake and eat it for too long, or else you risk getting really fat and imploding all together.

It sounds odd to say just days after Friday afternoon's debacle, but when one takes a step back and looks the the 2008 New York Yankees after 81 games (44-37) they are much improved compared to the 2007 version (40-41) at this point.  Which not to slight Torre, but makes me wonder with the kind of talent he had if Buck Showalter wouldn't have done as good if not better or if Don Zimmer really was the "man behind the curtain" whom Torre had little post-season success without from 2004-2007.  In any event the Joe Girardi Yankees aren't perfect but they are better.

Jorge Posada (A): I know Jorge hasn't had a huge sample given injuries, but he can still flat out hit and his presence alone on this team really shows. 

Jason Giambi (B+): Who says the ghosts don't still come alive at Yankee Stadium?  This guy was dead in April, but now leads the team in homers and is in the top five in the American League and probably should be an All-Star.  Contract year sure, but Girardi really cracked the whip on him in Spring Training and it shows.

Robinson Cano (F): I know that Robbie has picked it up the last two weeks or so, but given his new contract he has just looked lethargic this season.  Terrible on base percentage.

Derek Jeter (B-): Ok its a bit of a pass but Jeter is a gamer, coming back quickly from a strained quad and playing regularly after getting hit on the hand.  Jeter like Cano has picked it up in the average department the last couple of weeks, but it would be nice to see some more power output.

Alex Rodriguez (A): Sure Mike Lowell would've plugged in nicely, but like with Posada and Kobe and Shaq, the Yankees couldn't do without A-Rod.  A-Rod has been blazing a trail since his return and is still near the top of the A.L. with 15 homers and a .327 batting average.

Johnny Damon (A): Another guy who looked almost completely lost but has been burning up the basepaths of late.  Damon has been the consumate table setter, leading the team in hits with 93, doubles with 20, steals with 13 and is sporting a .322 batting average.

Melky Cabrera: (C): Melky got off to a hot start which really raised expectations in a hurry.  No he's not Bernie Williams yet (if ever) but he does give the Yankees a plethora of contributions either in the field or on the bases even when he's not hitting.

Bobby Abreu (A): Probably the most consistent of all Yankees hitters to date.  Abreu leads the team with 53 RBI, is second in hits and third with 10 homers.

Hideki Matsui (A): Was tearing it up, now his knee might be torn up, again.  Helped to carry the team in the early going, but with all of these knee injuries I really have to start wondering about steroids with this guy.

Bench (D): The bench pretty much gets a D.  Duncan didn't play enough, Betemit was hurt too much and Ensberg was a Josh Phelps-esque bust.  Moeller and Molina have provided some stout defense as well as Gonzalez but this group just can't hack it.  Bring back Bernie anyone?

Mike Mussina (A): Speaking of those ghosts at Yankee Stadium, Mussina has been flying around New York but instead with a super-hero's cape.  Moose was being counted on as a 4th/5th starter to win 10-11 games.  In order to keep the Yankees in the race he's had to pitch like a 3rd starter and has already won 10 to lead the staff before the All-Star break.  He would've probably tied last year's total had the Yankees game in Pittsburgh not been rained out.  Who would've thunk Mussina would be the leader in wins and Giambi the leader in homers at this point? 

Andy Pettitte (B+): After a rocky start Andy looked a little tired from all of the off-season circus that was the Mitchell Report.  But with 9 wins and a recently concluded 20.2 scoreless innings streak, Pettitte looks primed for another huge 2nd half.  Pettitte is the best 2nd half pitcher in baseball and who wouldn't rather have him at $16 million for this year than Johan Santana for $150 million minus your best prospects? 

Chien-Ming Wang (B+): Wang looked as if he'd put those doubters to bed with a rapid 6-0 start.  He tailed off a tad and was just starting to get back into a groove before his freak injury.

Darrell Rasner (C): Some of his early starts Rasner got no run support.  In some of his more recent starts he's gotten knocked around.  But Rasner is what he is, an adequate back of the rotation guy who can eat up innings and keep you in the game.

Phil Hughes & Ian Kennedy (F): It should probably be an incomplete because of injuries but a combined record of 0-7 doesn't cut it boys.

Joba Chamberlain (A): Last year contrary to popular belief, he not Roger Clemens spurred this team onto the post-season.  Joba was lights out again in the pen and will try to save the Yankees bacon again, this time as a starter.  One can tell already just how mentally tough those late inning situations out of the pen have helped in Joba's progression.

Mariano Rivera (A+): You can tell I don't throw around A+'s lightly.  Think the Yankees may have wanted to give MO a 4th year on that contract?  Rivera an ERA under 1.00 and perfect in saves with 22, enough said.

Kyle Farnsworth (C+): Has been better than most in the Yanks pen which isn't saying a lot, but he does seem a little more confident with Girardi at the helm.

LaTroy Hawkins (F): I'm sorry but did anyone mention to Brian Cashman that this guy has the worst ERA of any pitcher at Yankee Stadium?  Forget O'Neill or Clemente, why does this guy have anyone's jersey number? 

Ross Ohlendorf (F): Maybe the Yankees should groom his as a starter because his confidence looks shot.

Edwar Ramirez (C+): If this guy could learn a pitch to compliment his change-up he might really turn out to be something good.

Jose Veras (B-): Sometimes he's lights out, sometimes he's lit up.  Effectively wild with some great velocity.

Bullpen etc: Bruney and Albaladejo were solid early before getting hurt, Giese was decent in long relief, but Traber and Igawa have looked like flops as lefties out of the pen.

All in all Joe Girardi has navigated this group fairly well in the early going.  He's done a much better job of balancing the bullpen and seems to have instilled more aggressiveness into this squad.  Given injuries to A-Rod, Posada, Wang, Jeter, Matsui, Hughes, Kennedy, Bruney and Albaladejo, considering the Yankees are only four games back in the loss column to Boston speaks volumes about Girardi.  No Girardi hasn't been as "rah-rah" in public as say Billy Martin, and sometimes he does look like a 2nd year manager still learning the ropes, but he does know and uphold the principle of the "Yankee-way" of the late 1990's. 

This Yankees squad, somewhat in transition is in almost the same place as another pioneer Yankee team.  The 1993 Yankees under 2nd year manager Buck Showlater posted a record of 46-35 after 81 games.  That was the last Yankees team in a non-strike year to miss the playoffs, however had there been a Wild Card back then they would've made it.  This Yankees squad is better than that one talent wise and this time around there is a Wild Card, but the division is still very much within reach.

The National League is the only league left anywhere that pitchers still bat.  While I'm of a younger generation, I still consider myself a big time historical baseball aficionado.  And I can see both sides of the argument, strategy and purity and tradition vs. offense and entertainment, I get it.  That being said its really stupid and boring to watch pitchers bat.

I say this coming from the perspective of a Yankees fan, American League baseball fan and as someone who has known nothing but the DH in the AL growing up.  And to that #### Steve Phillips (are the Seattle Mariners going to rally back and make the playoffs this year Stevie?) over at ESPN who talks about the "tradition of the game," I've got news for you.

If baseball stuck to tradition Chien-Ming Wang wouldn't never gotten hurt running the bases.  Know how I know how?  Because if baseball stuck to tradition and never installed inter-league play, American and National League teams wouldn't meet until the World Series in October and hence Wang never would've been running the bases because the Yankees wouldn't have been playing in Houston, but maybe in Arlington you know against a team in their own league who they've still yet to play this season! 

Does this come off a bit as sour grapes?  Sure.  Could Wang have gotten hurt as easily running sprints in the outfield warming up?  Possibly.  Say what you will of how fluky the injury was or how asinine it is that anybody would come up lame like that just simply running the bases, but the point is Wang should've never been on the bases to begin with.

I've voiced my opinion in previous posts about my feelings on instant replay and the wild card and while NL owners stick with the pitcher batting for financial reasons, I have no use for it as a fan.

Nobody wants to see a pitcher bat in the All-Star Game, but it can still happen in an NL park.  Sure it makes things interesting in the 6th or 7th inning strategy wise, but in the 3rd or 4th inning with runners at the corners and two outs, nobody in their right minds wants to see the pitcher come up to the plate.  One could even argue that in a close game in the AL, the manager of the team with the lead has to make more of a decision strategically.  Do I leave my starter in to face the power hitting DH or do I go to my pen, or do I go to my pen because there's basically no easy automatic outs in the lineup.  In the NL if I'm a manager with the lead and the pitcher comes up, there's no way my starter is coming out, so I sit there and say ok go strike 'em out kid! 

If you enjoyed watching Billy Crystal batting in Spring Training, then knock yourself out, because like him most pitchers are an automatic out, but the sad thing is these guys aren't 60 years old either.

And you thought the New York Yankees were done with fat, moody, booze bag, washed up head cases as pitching solutions right?  Except this time it won't be David Wells but apparently Bombers brass thought it poignant enough to give Sidney Ponson a second go-around before say I don't know Sidney Crosby? 

Ponson is 4-1 this year with a 3.88 ERA, but if you're a pitcher not named Edison Volquez and the Texas Rangers get rid of you, that's not a good sign.  If one wants to argue he'd be able to eat up some innings if nothing else in the interim, fine.  But you can't tell me that David Wells wouldn't have been a better fit.  Plus Wells is a lefty to boot, something the Yankees really can't boast at the moment. 

Just to note, Ponson in his first stint with the Yanks in 2006 had an ERA of 10.47, yikes!

I'll admit from the start I liked it, thought it was a novel idea to perhaps even ####e up the long and arduous baseball season. Now however it needs to end, because other than a few geographical rivalries which bring in big box office numbers, there's really no point to it anymore.

It is only May and some teams in both the American and National League are already done with each other for the rest of the year. How crazy is that? Or that fact that some divisional rivals won't play until late July, long after they've already played multiple teams from the other league. Additionally I also believe that the schedules of teams playing within the same division should be hacked from 18-19 games down to 13-15 games.

Even those big rivalries have been over saturated with the Yankees-Mets, Dodgers-Angels, White Sox-Cubs, A's-Giants playing against one another six times. Heck that's only one less game than those teams play against some opponents in their own league!

On a few other notes of why this idea has lost its spark: 1.) The games are on virtually everywhere all the time, one can simply order MLB Extra Innings and watch any team, any player any time. That is also another reason why the popularity and viewership of the All-Star game has dropped over the last decade or so. 2.) With free agency players switch teams and leagues and cities practically all the time. 3.) For every good rivalry there's always a Houston-Minnesota series.

Maybe it doesn't have to be completely abolished but it would heap a great deal to mix it up a bit.

The scene is set for a 1PM game at Yankee Stadium on May 17, 2008 against the New York Mets.  On the Diamond Vision highlights are playing from exactly ten years ago when David Wells reached baseball immortality against the Minnesota Twins by hurling a perfect game.  Then an announcement is made directing fans in attendance to turn their attention to the owner's box behind home plate for a special announcement.  And it is no other than "Boomer" himself, announcing his triumphant return to the New York Yankees.

After the latest Kei Igawa debacle, why not?  And if Darrell Rasner is unable to duplicate his brilliant outing against the M's, unless you really believe what you're seeing in Ian Kennedy's turnaround at AAA, those calls will become even stronger and louder in the Bronx.

Is bringing back Wells the old way of doing things?  Yes and no.  Especially when one considers that the old ways of say last year wrought Roger Clemens and his $ 28 million dollar price tag.  However Wells comes in with lower expectations and at a lower cost to the Yanks.  Think Al Leiter circa 2005.

While GM Brian Cashman may harbor some ill feelings towards Wells, there is no rift with ex-teammate Joe Girardi unlike former Yanks skipper Joe Torre. 

Even if Wells is only a short term fix, like Leiter he could become a long-man out of the pen a situational lefty or spot starter, neither of which the Yankees have at the moment. 

The argument against it of course is if Wells is completely shot or they want to try some more kids out of the farm system.  Speaking of which, what exactly does "major league ready" mean to the Yankees?  This season they started with Phil Hughes (21), Joba Chamberlain (22) and Ian Kennedy (23) and back in 2005 when they were throwing out over priced losers like Kevin Brown, Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano, they had Chien-Ming Wang at age 25 sitting around in the minors who wasn't given a chance until those guys got hurt.  Was he not major league ready or did they not even have a clue about him until they were forced to use him?  Part of their problem for all of their change in philosophy towards the farm system is that some factions are still prone to thinking that guys like Shelley Duncan, Andy Phillips and Darrell Rasner are considered rookies. 

Whether you believe that Boomer III should happen or that the Yanks should keep on throwing kids at the wall in Monument Park until they get a number that sticks, this much is clear, Kei Igawa needs to hit the showa and hit the road and hit the bricks and just go away forever.

Before one starts clamoring for Johan Santana, I would just ask you to take a moment and look at your starting centerfielder.  Now granted Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy could use some extra seasoning in the minors but, dealing them would've also meant dealing Melky Cabrera and that would've been an even bigger mistake.

Now my opinion on the pitchers is that by sending them down they have the opportunity to fine tune their stuff and perhaps by beating up on some minor league competition, build up some confidence along the way.  I'm a big believer that Darrell Rasner, just named International League pitcher of the week, can be an adequate 4th or 5th starter and as much as it pains me to say it they are paying Kei Igawa $ 46 million so at least try to get something out of the guy.  There's nothing to say these guys can't be brought back up in early June and perhaps if they weren't limited to a certain amount of innings and were allowed to be stretched out, maybe they'd go six or seven innings instead of three or four like a reliever.

But onto our beloved centerfielder "Leche."  Ok so you want to tell me the Yankees could've signed Torii Hunter or someone like him to replace Melky?  Fine, but he may be the next Bernie Williams and may already be the best centerfielder in New York.

 Thus far in 2008 Melky vs. Carlos Beltran has two less runs scored (17-15), five more hits (24-19), three more homers (5-2), two less RBI (13-11), one more stolen base (3-2), better batting average (.289-.224), lower OBP by one percentage point (.359-.358) and a higher slugging percentage (.494-.412).  Mind you the calendar can flip to May and all of this could just as easily go out the window, however people are taking notice.

As for the "Bernie Baseball" comparison, adding up the first three years for Bernie (1993-1995) and Melky (2006-2008): Bernie leads in hits (443-302), runs (240-156), doubles (89-52), triples (14-10), homers (42-20), RBI (207-134), stolen bases (33-28), Melky has struck out less (140-258), Bernie walked more (189-109), both batting averages are fairly even.

Though Bernie did seemingly take off with his power numbers in his "third year" of 1995, he was 26, Melky is still only 23.  In any event the one player the Yankees may be estatic they didn't trade for Johan Santana is wearing number 28. 

So apparently in Spring Training Yankees Manager Joe Girardi asked his players to drop and give him 15. And they did so accordingly, dropping right onto the 15 day DL. So now the Yankees try to figure out just what condition their condition is in. Thus far one really has to wonder what the impact was of all that.

When looking at the Yankees roster from top to bottom there has been a plethora of injuries. Jorge Posada will be put on the 15 day DL for the first time in his career with a potential shoulder tear.

Jason Giambi had groin issues in the early going. Andy Pettitte was pushed back in the rotation at the beginning of the season with back spasms. After losing about 20 pounds in the off-season, reliever Brian Bruney may be done for the season with surgery on his right foot. Kyle Farnsworth felt a twinge in his elbow, throwing off the mound in Chicago. The Yankees are without a lefty in their bullpen because Sean Henn developed shoulder tendonitis this spring.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez have both suffered quad injuries. Pitcher Jeff Karstens is on the DL with a groin injury. The Yankees other catcher Jose Molina was beset by a hamstring injury. Infielder Wilson Betemit is also on the 15 day DL with corneal ulcers. Even Joba Chamberlain tweaked his hamstring while slipping on the mound in Chicago.

And Mike Mussina's renewed commitment to a more rigorous regiment hasn't exactly translated to quality outings or increased velocity on the hill.

So while I applaud Girardi's philosophy of really pushing his players to bust it and get in great shape, I do find it to be a precarious situation to have evolved this far to this point with these injuries.

Are they too old or were they just pushed too hard? Well here's my take, playing in the cold weather is horrible for older clubs and it takes them longer to get loose and comfortable. Discounting the steroid allegations, even an old 46 year old workout freak like Roger Clemens broke down on numerous occasions for the Yankees last season, so it does happen to old guys. I also believe that more than anything else Girardi was simply trying to foster a different, more focused mindset so that his players would know to be ready from day one.

The Yankees final game in Kansas City before they head off to Boston, showed just how different this team is at the start of this year compared to the 2007 Bombers.  Well ok, so Andy Pettitte is still back to being the stopper again, but it goes much deeper than that.

Pettitte who shut down the American League in the 2nd half of 2007 to win 15 games overall, still could've won much more.  In fact had Pettitte had this type of run support and bullpen help early last season he could've easily gotten himself around 21-22 wins.

Pettitte and his efficient outing of 6/2/3 innings of one run ball were aided by a couple of guys who weren't in the mix this early last season.  Melky Cabrera the Yankees now starting Centerfielder batting in the two hole for the injured Derek Jeter, went 2-5 with a solo HR, two RBI and a run scored, raising his average to .320 on the season.  Remember folks, Melky was being used as the 4th outfielder at this time last year and got off to a slow start, not this time around. 

Morgan Ensberg also had his best game as a Yankee, filling in for Mr. .056, going 2-4 with a run scored.  Jose Molina was also 2-4, brilliantly continuing his play for Posada.  Additionally chipping in for the Yanks were two guys who were hot last April and are hopefully breaking out of it just in time for Boston in A-Rod who hit his 520th career HR while passing Mickey Mantle on the RBI list and tying Bobby Murcer on the Yankees HR list and Jorge Posada who went 2-4 with a HR as well.

Finally the Yankees got some Mo-Jo out of their bullpen to pick up Pettitte and keep the lead.  Joba Chamerlain was just dominant, there's just no other way around it, as he worked 1/1/3 fanning two on 98 MPH fastballs.  And of course Mariano Rivera was as sharp as ever in his one inning of work, sending the Yankees off to Boston with a 5-5 record.  

Apparently that brand new HD scoreboard in Kansas City didn't come with a quality drainage system, though the Yankees bats seemed to go right down it on Wednesday night.  If we're going to have a Northeast team that can't hit in the cold weather, be it April or October, perhaps they may want to add a retractable roof on the new digs across the street.

Honestly though in all fairness, this was a game that only "Mr. Slip 'n Slide" former catcher Rick Dempsey could love.  No there weren't any "Lake Erie Midges" out there this time, though there may have been termites.

While I understand it is early and some guys are hitting .700, I still can't understand how Jason Giambi is batting .056, Robinson Cano .194 and Johnny Damon .212.  And before everyone jumps on me about there being no such thing as "clutch hitting," there is such a thing as timely hitting and this group leaves a lot of people on base, 14 to be exact, scoring no runs against the Kansas City Royals! 

Way to go Brian Cashman!  A-Rod's not going to duplicate last year's totals, nor is Posada who is a year older.  And then you are naieve enough to think that Jason Giambi is going to play first and be productive for 130-140 games a whole year older?  Thus with no power in center or at first you neglect to sign either Torii Hunter or Aaron Rowand?  Having Cabrera-Hunter/Rowand-Abreu in the outfield seems like a much more solid configuration to me!

And oh what you couldn't afford these guys or decided not to sign off on a Johan Santana deal because of lack of "payroll flexibility."  And yet YOU sir signed our vaunted Triple-A "ace" Kei Igawa for $46 million and gave A-Rod a "hardball offer" of $300 million (yeah you guys really show him huh?) and somehow with the four-million plus migrating to the final year of Yankee Stadium and the flood rush of revenue coming in next year from the new ball park, you were having issues with "payroll flexibility?"  OH COME ON PALLY!

To be fair for the record I was for getting Santana, but not for getting ripped off by the Twins in order to get him, just as they were by the Mets.  But really YOUR "genious" robbed us of another year from Bernie Williams, because you said Jason Giambi couldn't play first base a year ago and so you decided to give him the boot, sign Josh Phelps who didn't even last through June and Doug Mientkiewicz who is now history.  And yet now again Giambi is somehow capable of playing first and you have no true defensive first baseman off the bench.  Oh and the Yankees could've used Bernie off the bench to DH when Giambi was hobbling around last October in the playoff and Matsui was having knee issues hitting into double-plays!

Bomber Bites: Can't say I blame manager Joe Girardi too much on his pitching strategy, except for when it comes to using another brilliant Brian Cashman signing, Kyle Farnsworthless.  FARNSWORTHLESS SHOULD NEVER EVER EVER BE USED AGAIN PERIOD!

While Girardi said he was sure he could straighten out his old battery mate from Chicago, its too bad he couldn't coax Cashman into bringing back another one of his old Cubbie teammates, Jon Lieber.  Lieber who pitched pretty decent with the Yankees in 2004, is the long-man/spot-starter for the Cubs this year (something the Yankees don't have) and is 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA pitching in two games striking out three in five innings of work.

The Yankees had won two in a row with Giambi out of the lineup, they've lost two in a row since his return.  Well ain't that a co'inkie'dink!

Mr. Matsui, Johnny Gomes and Ross Gload thank you for contributing to their hit totals on this young season.  I guess it always was King Kong who was more prone to scaling large buildings than Godzilla.

Memo to Cashman, I applaud your willingness to cultivate the farm system, but I'm starting to believe that the Yankees need their own version of the "football Giants" Jerry Reese. 

The offense exploded and Mike Mussina never imploded as the Yankees cruised on by the Tampa Bay Rays by a final of 6-1 Monday.  The win gained the Yankees a split in the series and finished off their first homestand with a record of 4-3 as they head off to play the Kansas City Royals.

Mussina was superb, going six strong allowing only one run on two hits.  Moose, who also had three K's was dialed in enough to tie Hall of Famer Bob Gibson with 251 career wins.

The offense struck early as Bobby Abreu who finished a double away from the cycle, continued his barrage of hitting heroics with an early 2nd inning HR, a two-run shot to put New York out in front 2-0.  Abreu is hitting .400 on the young season.

Flashing ahead to the 6th, Abreu tripled, Alex Rodriguez singled him in and Hideki Matsui doubled in A-Rod, increasing the lead to 4-1.  The Yankees tacked on two more in the 7th on hits by Matsui and Cano, making the final 6-1.

Finally Brian Bruney, Kyle Farnsworth and LaTroy Hawkins pitched brilliantly, thus saving the arms of Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera for the next series in KC.

Bomber Bites: Should the Yankees have hung on to Doug Mientkiewicz or Andy Phillips instead of signing Morgan Ensberg?  I'm getting the feeling he might be this year's version of Josh Phelps.

Brian Bruney is making me feel a lot better about the Yankees trading away Scott Proctor.  The guy who was the "2006 version of Joba" has looked sharp thus far, velocity wise and with his control.

Hey Joe Girardi, with Derek Jeter out can I please see A-Rod at SS, if only for a few games?

Phil Hughes faces former Mets pitcher Brian Bannister in KC and they wonder why people decry the "Los Mets" philosophy, this guy for Ambiorix Burgoss?

Jose Molina, what a steal!

Well at least the Yankees won't be getting swept by the Rays.  The Yanks used some "Asian Persuasion" to turn away the Rays on Sunday afternoon, winning 2-0. 

It was vitrually the same formula the Yankees used on Opening Night against Toronto, pitching, defense and timely hitting.  Ok so there wasn't a ton of timely hitting, but as I've said before, what a difference it is to have a healthy Chien-Ming Wang along with Joba Chamberlain, two cogs they didn't have this time around last season.

Wang set the tone against Tampa, having held the Rays hitless through 4/1/3.  Additionally, Wang who improved to 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA, threw six innings of scoreless ball striking out six along the way.  Is anyone worried about Wang now?

In the bottom half of the 4th, Hideki Matsui continued his handling of Rays pitching by smacking a two-run homer to right, driving in A-Rod who had doubled.  The hot hitting Matsui batted in the five hole for the injured (suprise!) Jason Giambi, and went 3-4 raising his early season average to .350. 

When Wang got in trouble, Manager Joe Girardi called on Joba Chamberlain to keep Tampa at bay.  In the 7th Chamberlain after striking out Willy Aybar, with runners at the corners got Shawn Riggans to line out to Robinson Cano who then doubled off Eric Hinske at first on a nice scoop by Wilson Betemit to end the frame. 

After Chamberlain worked a perfect 8th, Mariano Rivera kept his excellent start going by striking out two and closing out the Rays for his 3rd save of the season, the Yankees 3rd win of the season.

Bomber Bites: If calling Chien-Ming our ace is Wang, then I don't want to be Jaret Wright.

Ok so let's be honest here, when did you have Jason Giambi getting injured in your office pool? 

So Alex Rodriguez is praying for young Alexa Rodriguez who was attacked by a hawk at Fenway Park eh?  Too bad she didn't pray for Dave Winfield!

What a suprise, its up to Andy Pettitte fresh off the DL to be the Yankees stopper once again.  Though Pettitte couldn't have rounded up enough leeches to place on LaTroy Hawkins right arm to stop the bleeding on Friday night as the Rays spanked the Yanks 13-4.

It all started when Ian Kennedy walked the ballpark, allowing six runs and four walks in just 2/1/3 innings of work. 

 With the Rays out in front 6-0, the Yankees bats came alive in the bottom half of the 3rd, cutting the deficit to 6-4.  Hideki Matsui homered to get the Yanks on the board, then Jose Molina singled, Derek Jeter tripled him in with a booming fly ball off the wall in center, Bobby Abreu grounded to 2nd scoring Jeter, A-Rod then singled up the middle and Jason Giambi smacked a double off the wall in right to score Rodriguez making it 6-4.

While Johnathan Albaladejo, Ross Ohlendorf and Billy Traber were able to hold the game in check, LaTroy Hawkins became gasoline man in the 8th getting torched for six runs including a HR to Cliff Floyd.  Not to be outdone Kyle Farnsworth then came on and gave up a solo shot to Carlos Pena.

Bomber Bites: Yes it is early, but if the Yankees have to keep dipping into the bullpen in the 4th or 5th inning, these once valuable relievers not named Hawkins and Farnsworthless are going to become very worn out very quickly.

What was so wrong with Luis Vizciano?  If Torre hadn't blown him out he'd have been fine to bring back.  Certainly better than LaTroy "I have an 8.64 ERA at Yankee Stadium" Hawkins!  Additionally if Joe Girardi was so convinced that he could fix Kyle Fransworthless, then why is a 23 year old kid named Joba Chamberlain setting up Mariano Rivera instead of pitching in the Yanks starting rotation?

And another thing... why with a weak bullpen did the Yankees trade Scott Proctor for Wilson Betemit?  You know the same Wilson Betemit who hasn't seen the field at all this year?  Just wonderful!

Andy Pettitte must be the stopper once again, suprise, suprise!