Yankees Go 9-1 During Homestand As Trade Deadline Approaches

The best way to start out the second half of the season after the All-Star Break is to win your games at home and gain a home-field advantage.

The Yankees did just that, going 9-1 during a 10-game homestand and finishing off the Oakland Athletics with a 7-5 win Sunday.

Sergio Mitre wasn't terrible, but he didn't blow anyone away in this game. He only went five innings, allowing nine hits, four runs and struck out one for a no decision.

It may have Brian Cashman searching for another starter for the deadline on Friday.

The Yankees fought back strong after Mark Ellis hit a go-ahead two-run home run off Phil Coke. Derek Jeter once again proved why he is "Captain Clutch" with the go-ahead RBI in the bottom of the sixth.

Again, today showed the Yankees can take a punch from another team and still come from behind as they did today. At one piont, Oakland had a 2-0 lead and then a 5-4 lead in the game.

The Yankees are completely tougher this season then they were in 2008. The 2008 team may have lost a lot of these come-from-behind games.

It was good to see the Yankees could win without Alex Rodriguez for one day, giving him his planned one day of rest today.

The Brett Gardner injury takes away the Yankees' quickest player in the field and on the base paths. It also makes you wonder if the Yankees will look to add another fielder, because their outfield is very thin right now with Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, and Nick Swisher as the starters and Eric Hinske as the only backup.

You can't even put Hideki Matsui in there because his knees will never hold up in the outfield.

I also think today gave some confidence back to Brian Bruney, who got a key strikeout. Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera were dominant as expected in closing out the 7-5 win.

The toughness of the Yankees schedule now begins, with three crucial games in Tampa Bay and then four games against the Chicago White Sox. The Yankees have an above .500 record on the road, and have shown they can play well on the road to compliment their great play at Yankee Stadium.

With five days to go until the trading deadline, it will be curious to see if the Yankees make any moves to add onto their team, and try to fend off the Red Sox and Rays. The Yankees are currently 2 1/2 games in front of Boston and 6 1/2 ahead of Tampa Bay.

But the Yankees have started out strong since the break, and going 9-1 during their last 10 games is a good way to start, so they're heading in the right direction.