New York Yankees: Making the Grade

Yankees + A-Rod - Giambi = Offense.

Manager Joe Girardi put out the best lineup the Posada-less Yankees have to offer, and the bats did the rest as New York snapped a four-game slide with an 8-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Robinson Cano got things started for the Yanks with an RBI double in the bottom of the second. It was the first time in SIX DAYS that New York scored a run without hitting a homer. The Yankees added two more homerless runs in the frame to jump out to a 3-0 lead.

But round trippers are fun too, and with Alex Rodriguez back, we can expect to see a lot more of them. A-Rod smacked two home runs on the night (only one of which counted), as he continues to recharge the Bombers' offense.

And let's not forget about Darrell Rasner. The starter now has a stranglehold on the number four spot in the rotation. After seven scoreless innings he dropped his ERA to 1.89 and improved his record to 3-0. That's three more wins than Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy combined.

But the biggest story may have come in the eighth and ninth innings, when Joba Chamberlain pitched two shutout frames, in what appeared to be, and what Girardi later confirmed was, the start of his preparations to transition from the bullpen to the rotation. Better late than never.

And now onto the grades from Wednesday night's victory.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (A+) Duncan over Giambi, Moeller over Molina, and stretching out Joba to become a starter? Doesn't get much better than that.

Johnny Damon, LF: (A+) 2-4, two two-out RBI, and a walk.

Derek Jeter, SS: (C-) 0-3 with an RBI, a run scored, a walk, and a stolen base, but the biggest thing was that Jeter was in the lineup just a day after getting hit hard by a pitch on the hand. That never would've happened under Joe Torre. Point, Girardi.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (A) 2-5 with a steal and two Ks.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (A+) 3-4 with a homer, two doubles (one of which should have been a second home run), two RBI, and two runs scored. He's truly incredible.

Hideki Matsui, DH: (C-) 0-3, but two walks and a run scored.

Shelly Duncan, 1B: (C-) 1-5 with a run batted in and a run scored. The Yankees are 6-3 this year without Giambi and 15-22 when he plays.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (A+) 2-5 with a double, a RBI, and two runs scored.  Cano is back.

Chad Moeller, C: (A) The bottom of the lineup went 5-12. I guess that's what happens when it doesn't consist of Giambi, Ensberg, and Molina.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (A) Melky's been slumping lately, so the nine hole might've been a refreshing spot for him. He reached three times in four plate appearances.

Alberto Gonzalez, PH-SS: (C) Struck out swinging for Jeter in the seventh, but made a nice play in the field.

Morgan Ensberg, PH-3B: (F) Struck out swinging for A-Rod with the bases loaded in the seventh.

Darrell Rasner, SP: (A+) He's quietly become the savior of the beginning of this season.

Joba Chamberlain, RP: (A-) Could he be the savior of the second half?

Yankees Overall Grade: (A+) Rock bottom one day and an A+ performance the next. That's why baseball is great.