Up Your Big Fat DH Ass

Up your ass Papi. That's all I've got to say.

Are Yanks On Cruise Control?

I mean they could be with a nine game lead over Boston, but this is the time of year where they need to start developing a little momentum. They got pounded by the Orioles last night. Or rather Corey Lidle got pounded by the Orioles and Eric Bedard gave the O's a serviceable six plus innings fanning eight to get the win. However, if the Yankees are going to go into the post season with the correct expectation of bringing home number 27, they need to start putting together some decent winning streaks. While a 100 win season is still technically reachable, it seems that may be out of reach now.

One Up, One Down, One To Go

The Yankees came back on Monday night by scoring ten runs in one inning winning 12-5 against the Royals. Too bad they didn't save some for last night as they were shutout 5-0. They finish up the rubber game tonight before heading to Baltimore for a four game series against the Orioles. In the batting race Derek Jeter went 1-5 and his average remained at .343, while Joey Mauer went 1-4 and his average dropped to .345.

Weekend With A-Rod

A-Rod broke out of his slump in a big way this weekend. He capped it off yesterday hitting two home runs (five in four days) (31) and driving in five (104) while going three for five in the Yankees 10-1 thrashing of the Twins. Darrell Rasner pitched a helluva game giving up four hits and one run over six innings in getting his first major league victory.

In the batting race Derek Jeter went 1-4 (.342) while Joey Mauer went 0-4 (.348) and is now just .06 percentage points behind Mauer.

The Yanks take the show on the road to Kansas City tonight for a three game set against the Royals.

Probable starters:

Tonight: Chinny Wang (16-5) vs. Luke Hudson (7-5) 8:10 PM EST
Tomorrow: Mike Mussina (13-5) vs. Jorge De La Rosa (3-4) 8:10 PM EST
Wednesday: Randy Johnson (15-10) vs. Runelvys Hernandez (5-8) 8:10 PM EST

Twigs and Berries: Jeter extended his hitting streak to a season-best 14 games and tied Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto for the most games played at SS with the Yankees (1,647). Hideki Matsui is scheduled to work out with Class-A Staten Island on Monday and Tuesday before beginning a rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Trenton on Wednesday.

Yanks Take Opener From Twins

On a night of intermittent rain and blustery wind, the Yankees teed off on starter Carlos Silva (8-13) and dominated behind the excellent two hit pitching of Corey Lidle through six innings (3-2) on their way to an 8-1 win in the Bronx.

A-Rod had another good night going 3-5 with two homers (29) and three RBI (99) and one curtain call. Derek Jeter also had a good night going 3-5 to raise his average to .342 and is now just .08 percentage points behind league leader Joey Mauer who broke out of an 0-16 slump with a base hit that bounced out of the webbing of Johnny Damon's glove in the fourth.

The Yankees remained eight games ahead of Boston who beat Toronto tonight 2-1. It seems that the fight is out of the Sox as they have some serious pressing personnel issues to deal with presently.

Twigs and Berries: The Yankees clinched their 15th straight winning season at home.

The remaing two games of this series seem somewhat in doubt and at the mercy of the remnants of Ernesto. You can track its progress here.

A-Rod, Unit Help Yanks To Win

The Yankees, whether conscience or not, made a statement today. Yes, A-Rod had three hits, including his 27th home run, got a curtain call request from the sellout crowd and RJ (15-10) pitched into the ninth inning before surrendering a two run homer to Marcus Thames in the ninth.

Mo Rivera came in and gave up a leadoff double to Magglio Ordonez before retiring the next three batters to record his 33rd save. This is the fourth year in a row that Mo has recorded at least 30 saves. Only two other relief pitchers have accomplished this feat. Lee Smith and Trevor Hoffman, who happen to be #1 and #2 in career saves.

But where the Yankees made their statement was their in your face Pudge, we're gonna steal your ass off today. The Yankees were three for three in stolen bases against Pudge Rodriguez. A-Rod got his 12th, Johnny Damon got his 24th and Derek Jeter got his 28th, all off of Rodriquez. To put that in perspective, only 30 baserunners have even attempted to steal off of Rodriguez this year! Pudge had not allowed as many as three steals in a game since Sept. 16, 2005, when the Angels swiped four against him.

The Yankees are putting on their game faces for the stretch drive and showed their gritty determination today against what is record-wise, the best team in the league.

Twigs and berries - Detroit manager Jim Leyland was ejected between the top and the bottom of the seventh inning and it was all rather bizarre. After the Tiger's half of the seventh, Leyland came out to home plate to have a word or two with home plate umpire Jim Hoye. In the middle of the argument, a recording of Kate Smith started singing "God Bless America". Leyland took off his cap, put it over his heart and listened to the entire song. As soon as it was over, he was back in Hoye's face arguing over balls and strikes. He got the gate, but the whole thing was rather comical.

Jeter now has an 11 game hitting streak and is now hitting .340 just .10 percentage points behind league leader Joe Mauer who has been slumping lately and hit only .276 for the month of August.

Speaking of which Mauer (who is only two for nine this year against the Yankees) and the Twins come in for a three game weekend set.

The probable pitchers:

Carlos Silva (8-12) vs. Corey Lidle (11-10) on Friday at 7:05 PM
Scott Baker (3-7) vs. Jeff Karstens (1-0) on Saturday at 1:05 PM
Matt Garza (1-3) vs. Ron Villone (3-2) on Sunday at 1:05 PM

Monroe Spoils Sweep

For the first time this season Jaret Wright pitched into the seventh inning. As a matter of fact he pitched rather well, allowing only two runs over 6 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and the key - only one walk. All of that was wasted on a two out, three run home run by Craig Monroe (23) in the top of the ninth off of Scott Proctor.

The Yankee hitters were held in check on three hits all night by five Detroit pitchers. The key hit came from who else? Derek Jeter's two run double in the sixth inning.

After having pitched an inning in the day portion of the doubleheader and getting a save, it seemed prudent that Joe Torre not use Mo Rivera in the ninth, considering that the Yankees have now amassed an eight game lead over Boston. He'll be needed down the road.

Tomorrow's series finale will be at 1:05 PM and will broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Chinny Gets 16th In Game One

The Yankees only scored two runs but that was all they needed as Chinny Wang racked up his 16th victory in the first game of the day/night doubleheader today. He faced only 28 batters in going 7 2/3 innings, surrendering only three hits while walking two. Mo Rivera pitched the ninth for his 32nd save of the season. Craig Wilson's homer and Jason Giambino's sac fly, both in the fifth inning was all the offense that he needed. The Yankees' win, combined with Boston's loss at Oakland now puts them 8 1/2 games up in the East.

If the Yankees sweep the Tigers in this series they would be 1/2 game behind Detroit for the best record in the majors.

Update On Matsui's BP Session Today


Twigs and Berries:

Since falling a season-high four games out of first place on July 4, the Yankees have gone 31-17 to make up 11 games in the standings. ... The Yankees and Tigers are meeting with both teams at least 25 games over .500 for the first time since 1961. ... The Yankees have had 25 innings in which they've scored at least five runs, which leads the majors, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Texas is second with 22.

Injury Updates

Hideki Matsui - He is cleared to start taking live batting practice today. He won't do it on the field, but rather in the cage. It's all about getting his timing down. Despite the stellar play of Melky Cabrera in his absence, the Yankees are still counting on him for September and hopefully the playoffs.

Gary Sheffield - Sheff who has been taking underwater BP (I'd love to see that) has been progressing more slowly than Matsui and any timetable for his return is uncertain at this point.

Mike Mussina - His is still scheduled to come off the 15 day DL and pitch on Tuesday @ Kansas City.

Melky Cabrera - He was scratched from the finale in Anaheim due to a toothache. He was penciled in the lineup card last night before the rainout and is expected to play today.

As The Worm Turns

While the Yankees sat around in the clubhouse waiting for their game against the Tigers to be officicially called because of inclement weather, the subject of Carl Pavano was still a simmering one. Manager Joe Torre has pretty much written him off for the remainder of this year.

"I'm sure we'll see him sooner or later, but I don't think we can count on him for this year," Torre said before the Yankees' game against Detroit was rained out. "I'm not going to sit here and wonder when he's going to pitch, because we've got work to do at this point. We were sort of penciling him in and trying to figure out where he would fit."

Meanwhile the game between the Yankees and the Tigers was officially rained out and will be made up as part of a day/night doubleheader today. Game one will be at 1:05 PM and game two will be at 7:05 PM. The projected pitching rotation was tweaked slightly by the Yankees, with Jaret Wright pitching tonight's game and Randy Johnson moved to tomorrow's game. This will be the Yankees second twin bill in 12 days.

Three articles on Pavano-gate.

Newsday

Carl Driving Yankees Nuts, from the Daily News

Crash Course In Losing Patience by John Harper, New York Daily News