Bleacher Report - Articles by Greg Cohen

The Boss Optimistic About His Yanks

Greg Cohen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:25:00 -0400

It's been a long time since we heard anything from George Steinbrenner, but in today's Post George King says that The Boss is confident the Yanks can win their 27th World Series.

The Boss wants a seventh World Series ring.

In other years, George Steinbrenner wouldn't have been pleased being three games behind the Red Sox at the All-Star break and winless in eight games against the Yankees' blood rivals.

However, according to PR guru Howard Rubenstein, The Boss likes what he saw in the unofficial first half when his team, which leads the AL wild-card race, went 51-37.

"I am very pleased with the team and the spirit," The Boss said through Rubenstein yesterday. "I am hoping for another World Series ring. Tell everyone I feel great."

It's good to hear from the Big Stein, even if it is through his public relations man. I do miss the days where he would speak for himself. These statements through Rubenstein are too bland. You know he'd have a lot more to say if he still had his old spunk.

MLB Nixes Yanks Signing of Damian Arredondo

Greg Cohen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:04:00 -0400

From SI.com:

A top New York Yankees prospect is not who he claims to be, sources tell SI.com. Two weeks ago, the Yankees signed a shortstop purporting to be 16-year-old Damian Arredondo from the Dominican Republic to an $850,000 bonus. Now Major League Baseball's Department of Investigations has determined that Arredondo is not the player's real name and that he is older than 16.

The Yankees signed the player they thought was Arredondo on July 2, the first day that major league teams are permitted to sign international free agents as young as 16. The Yankees were impressed with the switch-hitter's strong arm and speed -- he reportedly ran a 60-yard-dash in 6.4 seconds.

According to a new Major League Baseball rule, a player found to have used a fraudulent identity or to have misrepresented his age cannot sign with another club for one year. Major League Baseball has recently increased its efforts to deter identity fraud in Latin America by hiring new investigators and dispatching other investigators from its New York City office to oversee the process.

In general, sources say that MLB will be working with authorities in the Dominican Republic to bring criminal charges against the orchestrators of fraud -- often the trainers and agents who stand to make large percentages of the prospects' signing bonuses.

The Yanks will not lose any money in this because the signing bonus was was contingent on the outcome of this investigation.

Is it just me or should the Yankees be blamed for doing a crap job in figuring out exactly who they were signing? How do you sign someone who isn't who they say they are? I know things get a little confusing with names and ages in these places, but come on, you have to do a better job than this.

Another question; What if the kid they thought was Arredondo is actually 17 or 18 years old and has all the talent they thought he had? Can they still sign him?

Second Half Issues: Clutch and Situational Hitting

Greg Cohen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:45:00 -0400

The Yankees have a great offense, there is no doubt about that. They walk the most, they've hit the most homers, and they lead the league in runs scored, but can they be better? Is there an area of the Yankee offense that has room for improvement? Well, the answer to that is yes, and it's situational hitting.

How many times have the Yankees gotten the leadoff man on only to have him remain stranded at first, while batter after batter comes to the plate swinging for the fences? How many runners have been left stranded at third after getting there with fewer than two outs?

Right now the Yankees are tied for 11th in baseball with a .264 batting average with RISP. They also rank 11th with a .271 average with men on base. Looking into this further we see that with RISP and two out they drop to 13th with a .243 average, and with the bases loaded they drop even further to 22nd with a .257 average. On the bright side, they are second in baseball with nobody on with a .279 average.

If you're wondering, the Red Sox rank third in baseball with RISP, third with RISP and two out, and seventh with men on. The Angels rank first with men on, second with RISP, and first with RISP and two out.

Could that be why those two teams keep finding ways to beat us?

One of the main reasons the Yankees are struggling so much in these areas is the struggles of five of their regulars. Melky Cabrera (.250), Mark Teixeira (.243), Hideki Matsui (.238), Nick Swisher (.211) and Robinson Cano (.200) are all hitting .250 or worse with RISP, and have been struggling in the other splits mentioned above. There is no reason why a player's average with RISP should be any lower than their overall average, and each of them must show improvement in this area in the second half.

Besides that I really can't figure out why this team has had problems in this area. The lineup is full of very good hitters who should really have no problems hitting with men on base, but for some reason it seems like they do.

Is it their approach? Is it bad coaching? Is it a lineup full of players who hold their bats too tightly when the pressure is on? Again, I'm not really sure, but what I do know is that a few more hits with RISP here and there can win you a few games, and those few games can be the difference between making it to the playoffs or going home early.

Angels Sweep

Greg Cohen — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:53:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYY	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	0	4	8	0
LAA	0	0	0	4	0	0	1	0	X	5	9	2

WP - John Lackey (4-4)
LP - CC Sabathia (8-6)
SV - Brian Fuentes (26)

For three straight days a Yankee starter had pitched well for the first three innings of a game.

For three straight days each of those starters fell apart in the fourth and/or fifth innings.

What this means I'm not quite sure, but it bothers me. Once through the order and all of a sudden the Angels batters own Yankee pitching.

This afternoon in Anaheim it was CC Sabathia who allowed two hits and a walk over the first three, only to implode in the fourth, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk. A 1-0 Yankee lead turned into a 4-1 deficit. Sabathia would last until the seventh, when he allowed the Angels fifth run on a two-out triple by Chone Figgins, and then an RBI single to Maicer Izturis.

It wasn't as bad as Pettitte or Chamberlain, but 5 runs on 9 hits and three walks is still bad. He threw 114 pitches, 71 for strikes. I still think Joe Girardi should have gone with Phil Hughes once the Angels got a runner on, but that is still no excuse for the way CC pitched today.

Speaking of Hughes, he did come into the game, AFTER the Angels extended their lead from 4-2 to 5-2. He pitched 1.1 scoreless, walked two, and struck out one.

For the third straight day the Yankees blew a lead, although today it was just 1-0 and not the four-run leads of Friday and Saturday. Like the previous two games the offense fought back after falling behind.

Angels' starter John Lackey was very good today, holding the Yanks to just two runs over seven innings. The Yankees scored two more in the eighth on an RBI single by Melky Cabrera and a sac-fly by Posada. Those runs cut the Angels lead to 5-4, but in both innings the Yankees squandered golden opportunities to either tie the game or take the lead.

With the Angels up 4-2 the Yanks had the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh with Mark Texieira and Alex Rodriguez coming to the plate. You'd think they'd at least get one run in, but no, Lackey buckled down to strike out Texieira and get A-Rod to ground into an inning-ending double play.

An inning later the Yankees had runners on first and second with one out and Nick Swisher at the plate, he was pinch-hitting for Brett Gardner. Swisher lined a ball that was ticketed for center field, but Angels' reliever Darren Oliver stuck his glove down and snared the ball, and then threw to first to double off Cabrera.

Like I said yesterday, it doesn't matter how well the Yankees are playing, they can't beat the Angels, especially in Anaheim. This year, they also can't beat Boston, anywhere. they have a dismal 2-12 record against those two teams combined.

That they've played so poorly against these two top tier teams concerns me. Don't get me wrong, they've had a very good first half, but eventually they're going to have to figure out how to beat the better teams in the league, especially if they want to go anywhere in October.

The Yanks now have four days off for the all-star break. They open a three-game series against the first place Tigers on Friday in The Bronx.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Gardner, CF	4	0	1	0	0	1	1	.282
b-Swisher, PH-LF	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.237
Jeter, SS	5	0	2	1	0	0	2	.321
Teixeira, 1B	5	0	1	0	0	2	5	.275
Rodriguez, A, 3B	5	0	0	0	0	2	4	.256
Matsui, H, DH	1	1	0	0	3	0	0	.265
Cano, 2B	4	1	1	0	0	0	4	.308
Hinske, RF	3	0	0	0	0	1	4	.263
Cabrera, Me, LF-CF	3	2	2	1	1	0	0	.285
Molina, J, C	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.271
a-Posada, PH-C	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	.285
Totals	33	4	8	4	4	7	23
a-Singled for Molina, J in the 7th. b-Hit into a double play for Gardner in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Cabrera, Me (14, Lackey). TB: Gardner; Jeter 2; Teixeira; Cano; Cabrera, Me 3; Posada. RBI: Jeter (37), Posada 2 (40), Cabrera, Me (34). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hinske. SF: Posada. GIDP: Teixeira; Rodriguez, A. Team RISP: 3-for-9. Team LOB: 9. FIELDING DP: 2 (Rodriguez, A-Cano-Teixeira 2).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia (L, 8-6)	6.2	9	5	5	3	6	0	3.86
Hughes, P	1.1	0	0	0	2	1	0	3.91

ANGELS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: John Lackey (W, 7 IP, 6 H, 2, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)

HONORABLE MENTION: Bobby Abreu (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R)

Tomorrow's Game

off day - all-star break

This Week in Yankees History (7/12-7/18)

Greg Cohen — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:07:00 -0400

This Week in Yankees History
July 12th - July 18th

July 12

1905 - The Tigers beat the Yankees by a score of 6-3, with the help of two errors by Highlander 1B Jack Doyle. The veteran Doyle was signed yesterday and this will be his only appearance for New York.

1911 - Yankees 3B Roy Hartzell, acquired from the Browns in January for Jimmy Austin and Frank LaPorte, has a career day as the Yankees cleanup hitter.

He hits a three-run double and another double in one inning, then piles on a sacrifice fly and grand slam HR, to drive in eight runs. It is an AL record until Jimmie Foxx's 9 RBI in a game in 1933. Yankees defeated the Browns by a score of 12-2.

1912 - In the Yankees 4-1 win over the Browns, Yankees starter Jack Warhop swipes home in the third inning. It is Jack Warhop's second steal of home plate in three years.

1921 - Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits his 137th MLB career HR, passing 19th-century MLB star Roger Connor's MLB record of 136 HRs.

1934 - Tigers starter Schoolboy Rowe fans 11 Yankees batters in a 4-2 win that puts the Tigers back in 1st place in the 1934 AL pennant race.

1951 - At Cleveland in the 1st game of a doubleheader, Yankees starter Allie “Super Chief” Reynolds no-hits Cleveland by a score of 1-0, for the 1st of his 2 no-hitters of the 1951 AL season.

Yankees OF Gene Woodling's seventh inning HR off of Tribe starter Bob Feller is the difference in the 1-0 game. The Chief's no-hitter is the first by a Yankee pitcher since Monte Pearson in 1938.

The night before this game, Yankees Manager Casey Stengel was asked why by the Cleveland news media, why he refused the Yankee bullpen pitchers to ride in golf carts on their way in from the bullpen.

Stengel replied that, "Yankees only ride in Cadillacs," whereupon the Indians GM Hank Greenberg had a Cadillac convertible placed in the Yankees bullpen for the next game.

Obviously, it went unused with Allie Reynolds throwing a no-hitter. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Yankees win behind starter Vic Raschi as Joe DiMaggio cinches it with a three-run HR off of Tribe hurler Chuck Stobbs.

1955 - In the All-Star Game at County Stadium in Milwaukee, the AL takes a five-run lead on a three-run HR by Mickey Mantle off of Robin Roberts, only to see the NL tie it. Braves hurler Gene Conley strikes out the side in the 12th inning.

Stan Musial comes to bat in the bottom of 12th inning of a 5-5 All Star deadlock. AL C Yankee Yogi Berra complains about his feet hurting and Musial tells him "Don't worry, I'll have you home in a minute," then “Stan the Man” hits a game-winning HR on the next pitch.

1959 - NBC-TV uses outfield TV cameras with 80-inch lenses to show the catchers' signals during a Yankee-Red Sox game. MLB Commissioner Ford Frick requests that they halt its use. It doesn't help Yankees, who drop their last four games to the Red Sox, who wins today’s game by a score of 7-3.

1968 - The Giants trade veteran P Lindy McDaniel to the Yankees for P Bill Monbouquette. Lindy McDaniel would pitch effectively three of five seasons as a Yankees relief pitcher, including a 9-5 mark with 25-saves season in 1970.

In December of 1973, he was traded to Royals for OF Lou Piniella and P Ken Wright. Bill Monbouquette was at the end of his fine MLB pitching career, which started with the Red Sox in the 1950’s, then the Tigers during the mid 1960s.

1977 - Yankees 2B Willie Randolph hits the game-winning HR as Yankees starter Don Gullett pitches the Bronx Bombers to a 5-2 win over the Brewers. The win stops the Yankees losing streak at three games.

1987 - The Yankees traded P Bob Tewksbury along with two minor league pitchers Rich Schied and Dean Wilkins to the Cubs for starter Steve Trout, who has just pitched back-to-back shutouts for the Cubs.

Steve went 0-4 in 14 games with a 6.60 ERA for the Yankees. On December 22,1987, Steve was traded by the Yankees along with reserve OF Henry Cotto to Mariners for pitchers Lee Guetterman, Clay Parker, and Wade Taylor.

1989 - Yankees 1978 Cy Young Winner Ron “Gator” Guidry retires from MLB baseball. During his 14-year career (1975-1988) with the Yankees, "Louisiana Lightning" compiles a 170-91 pitching record with a 3.29 ERA.

The Gator is most remembered for his 1978 AL season, when he went 25-3 with a WP .893 with a 1.74 ERA, winning the AL Cy Young Award.

1990 - The White Sox starter Melido Perez pitches a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter over the Yankees, as the White Sox win the game by a score of 8-0. His brother Pascual is watching the game on the Yankees bench.

This is the seventh no-hitter of the 1990 MLB season, the most since 1917. Lance Johnson makes a diving over the shoulder catch in the fifth inning to save a hit and also he belts out a three-run HR.

2000 - In a six-player deal, the Reds traded veteran starter Denny Neagle (8-2, with a 3.52 ERA) and OF Mike Frank to the Yankees for minor leaguers 3B Drew Henson, OF Jackson Melian , pitchers Brian Reith and Ed Yarnall.

2008 - Former Yankees INF/DH/OF, MLB Coach and long time Yankees broadcast announcer Robert “Bobby “ Murcer (1965-66,1969-1974,1979-1983) passes away from cancer. Bobby was groomed to be the next Mickey Mantle, but it didn’t work out that way, but he still had a very good MLB career with the Yankees.

He made the AL All Star team in 1971-74. He won AL Golden Glove in 1972. His best Yankees season with the bat was in 1971, when he hit .331. In the winter of 1974, he was traded to the Giants for All Star OF Bobby Bonds.

Bobby would return to the Yankees in 1979, being reacquired from the Cubs. After finishing out his Yankee playing career in 1983, Bobby became a Yankees radio-television announcer.

2008 - In a 9-4 victory over the Blue Jays, the Yankees AL MVP Alex Rodriguez hits his 537th MLB career HR passing Yankees HOF CF Mickey Mantle on the all-time MLB career HR list.

Already this season, A-Rod has passed Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Jimmie Foxx, and Mickey Mantle. Next up on the list is former Phillies HOF slugger Mike Schmidt who is 12th on the list with 548 MLB career HRs. As a Yankee player, A-Rod has hit 192 HRs. Also in the game Yankees Captain Derek Jeter hit his 200 MLB career HR for the Yankees.

July 13

1889 - Former Yankees and HOF P Stanley “The Silent Pole” Coveleski (1928) was born. Stan finished his long MLB career with the Yankees going 5-1 in 12 games in 1928. He was elected to the HOF in 1969.

1905 - The A's "sell" catcher Mike "Doc" Powers to the Highlanders. Powers will be sold back to the A's on August 7. As noted by Lyle Spatz, Powers was needed to replace back up C Red Kleinow, injured yesterday in a game with the Tigers. Doc Powers will play mainly at 1B, replacing starting 1B Hal Chase, whose nose was broken in the Tigers game.

1919 - Submarine starter Carl Mays quits the mound after two innings at Chicago, blaming his Red Sox teammates for lack of support a-field.

In defiance of Ban Johnson's order that no action be taken until Mays is returned to good standing, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee trades Mays to the Yankees for P Bob McGraw, Allen Russell and $40,000.

Ban Johnson suspends Carl Mays indefinitely and orders AL umpires not to let him pitch for New York. The Yankees get a court order restraining Ban Johnson from interfering, further eroding Johnson's authority and standing.

The AL directors will reinstate Carl Mays. In retaliation, on October 29th the National Commission will refuse to recognize the Yankees' third-place finish and will withhold the players' share of the pool. New York's owners will pay the players shares out of their own pockets.

1920 - The fans are flocking to see the mighty Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hit HRs (12 HRs in June). A twin bill with the Browns draws a Polo Grounds record of 38,823 fans, the 3rd record-breaker of the year.

1920 - Former Yankees P Frank “Dutch” Hiller (1946,1948-49) was born. In 1943, Frank Hiller was signed by the Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. He posted a 5-6 career record for the Yankees in 29 games, before being sold to the Cubs in February of 1950.

1923 - Yankees starter Bob Shawkey hits a triple and double in the third inning, tying an AL record for most extra-base hits by a pitcher in 1 inning. The Yankees downed the A’s by a score of 10-6.

1934 - In front of 20,000 fans during the 3rd inning at Navin Field in Detroit, Babe Ruth wallops a Tommy Bridges' 3-2 pitch far over the RF wall for his 700th MLB career HR. The 4-2 Yankee victory over the Tigers put the Bronx Bombers back into first place, but Lou Gehrig is helped off the field in the 1st inning with a severe bout of lumbago.

1934 - Former Yankees OF Ken Hunt (1959-1960) was born (1934-1997). In 1952, the Yankees signed Ken Hunt as a MLB free agent. He appeared in only 32 games during the 1959-60 AL seasons, batting .303 for the Yankees.

He was unable to crack the regular starting Yankee OF. In December of 1960, Ken was drafted by the LA Angels in the AL team expansion player draft. Former Yankees Manager Casey Stengel, who helped the Angels with scouting reports on MLB players available, recommended him to the Angels management.

1940 - Former Yankees reliever Jack Aker (1969-72) was born. The Yankees obtained Jack from the Seattle Pilots for P Fred Talbot during the 1969 AL season. Working out of the Yankees bullpen, Jack went 16-10 with 59 saves in 126 games with the Yankees.

On May 17, 1972, he was sent by the Yankees to the Cubs to complete an earlier deal made on January 20, 1972. The Yankees sent a player to be named later to the Cubs for OF Johnny Callison. The Yankees would send P Jack Aker on May 17, 1972, to the Cubs to complete the trade.

1940 - Joe DiMaggio drives in seven runs during the Yankees 10-4 win against the Browns in the first game of doubleheader. DiMaggio had four hits in that game, 2 HRs and 2 singles. In the second game, the Yankee Clipper adds a two-run HR, to finish the day with nine runs batted in and help the Yankees complete a sweep of the Browns, by a score of 12-6.

1947 - Making his 14th MLB uniform switch, Bobo Newsom joins the Yankees. His 7-5 pitching record for the rest of the 1947 AL season will help the Yankees to win the AL flag. The next season, Bobo Newsom will join the Giants.

1948 - Vic Raschi of the Yankees drives in the winning runs with a bases-loaded single in the fourth inning and is the winning pitcher as the AL again tops the NL by the score of 5 -2 in the All-Star Game held at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

AL All Stars Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, George Kell, and starter Hal Newhouser miss starting in the AL lineup due to injuries.

1952 - Yankees starter Vic Raschi gives up only one hit as the Yankees rout the Tigers by the score of 11-1 in the 1st game of a doubleheader. The Yankees win the second game by a score of 12-2.

1959 - The Red Sox sweep their five-game series with Yankees with a 13-3 rout featuring a big sixth inning. Gene Stephens pinch runs for Ted Williams and, when the Red Sox bat around, Gene Stephens then hits a grand slam HR.

1960 - The Yankees host the 29th All-Star game with AL losing by a score of 6-0. Yankees starter Whitey Ford is the losing pitcher, while Pirates starter Veron Law is the winner for the NL.

The midseason classic only draws a crowd of 38,362 fans at Yankee Stadium. The following Yankees were on the 1960 All Star team, C Yogi Berra, Pitchers Jim Coates and Whitey Ford, C Elston Howard, CF Mickey Mantle, RF Roger Maris, and 1B Bill Skowron.

1961 - White Sox veteran starter Early Wynn gets an early departure as he retires just two Yankees in the first inning.

Then Mickey Mantle (30th) and Roger Maris (34th) belt back-to-back HRs to send the veteran pitcher to the showers. For Mantle, it is the 13th HR in his MLB career off of Early Wynn, his favorite target. The Yankees win the game by a score of 6-2.

1964 - The Yankees hit four HRs in Cleveland, to top the Tribe by a score of 10-4. Yankees starter Roland Sheldon pitches a complete game, giving up only 6 hits and 4 runs. The Yankees four HRs were hit by Clete Boyer one HR (two-run), Tom Tresh two HRs, (two-run HRs), and a solo HR shot by Mickey Mantle.

1973 - Yankees OF Bobby Murcer hits three HRs, all off of Royals starter Gene Garber, as he knocks in all the runs in the Yankees' 5-0 win over the Royals. Yankees veteran starter Mel Stottlemyre scatters 6 hits in racking up his 39th shut out of his MLB Yankees career.

1979 - Current Yankees minor league hurler Kei Igawa was born.

1984 - The Yankees retire Roger Maris (No. 9) and Elston Howard (No. 32) Yankee uniform numbers. The team also erects plaques in their honor to pay tribute to their achievements as Bronx Bombers.

July 14

1908 - Former Yankee reliever Johnny “Grand Ma” Murphy (1932, 1934-1943, 1946-47) was born. (1908-1970.) Johnny went 91-53 in 415 games with 104 saves for the Yankees.

Johnny would later work in the front office for the New York Mets, first as the Director of Player Development, then as a General Manager before having a fatal heart attack in 1970.

1934 - At Navin Field in Detroit, in an effort to keep the consecutive game streak intact, the Yankees have lumbago-stricken Lou Gehrig's bat lead off and list him as the shortstop in the line up. After singling in the 1st inning, the "Iron Horse" leaves the game without fielding as the Tigers pound out 11 doubles to edge the Yankees, by a score of 12-11.

1939 - The Yankees tie the AL record with only one assist, as Yankees starter Red Ruffing wins by a score of 8-3 over the Tigers.

1947 - Former Yankees OF Danny Walton (1971) was born. On June 9, 1971, the Yankees obtained OF Danny Walton from the Brewers for INF/OF Frank Tepedino and OF Bobby Mitchell. Walton never turned out to be the power hitter the Yankees were hoping for. He would be traded to the Twins for back–up C Rick Dempsey in the fall of 1972.

1957 - Bill “Moose” Skowron of the Yankees hits an MLB-record second pinch-hit grand slam HR of the 1957 AL season, off of Jim Wilson of the White Sox, in the second game of a doubleheader. Bill Skowron’s hit comes in the ninth inning as the Yankees score 6 runs to win the game by a score of 6-4. The White Sox take the first game by a score of 3-1.

1964 - Oriole’s Bob Johnson's sixth straight hit as a pinch hitter sets an AL mark, but the Yankees win the game by a score of win 4-3. Yankees starter Al Downing pitches a complete game picking up his sixth victory of the season. The Orioles veteran reliever Stu Miller took the loss.

1967 - Former Yankees 3B/1B Robin Ventura (2003-2004) was born. The Yankees signed Robin as a MLB free agent during the winter of 2002. He was traded by the Yankees on July 31, 2004 to the Dodgers for 2 minor league players OF Bubba Crosby and pitcher Scott
Proctor.

1982 - Former Yankees OF and AL MVP Jackie Jensen passed away (1927-1982). Jackie was an All American football star at USC in college.

On October 13, 1949, he was purchased by the Yankees from the Oakland Oaks (PCL). Jackie was unable to crack the regular Yankee outfield lineup despite hitting .298/. 369/. 500 mark as a part time player in 1950 and having a solid 1951 AL season.

On May 3, 1952, he was traded by the Yankees along with P Spec Shea, INF Jerry Snyder, and OF Archie Wilson to the Senators for outfielders Irv Noren and Tom Upton. In 1958, he was voted AL MVP while playing for the Red Sox.

1988 - Former Yankees OF Whitey Witt (1922-1925) passed away (1895-1988). On April 17, 1922, he was purchased by the Yankees from the A’s. Whitey appeared in two World Series with Yankees.

In May of 1925, the Yankees released Whitey Witt. Later on that season, the Dodgers would sign Whitey. He would finish his MLB career in 1926 with them.

1994 - Former Yankees reserve INF Cesar Tovar (1976) passed away. He batted .250 in 13 games in September of 1976 for the Yankees.

1994 - Former Yankees INF Jimmie Reese (1930-1931) passed away. On January 4, 1928, Jimmie was traded by Oakland (PCL) to the Yankees for INF Lyn Lary and $100,000. Debuting with the Yankees in 1930, the 28-year-old hit.346/. 382/.489 in 77 games while backing up Tony Lazzeri.

He was assigned as Babe Ruth's roommate and famously joked that in reality, he roomed with Ruth's suitcase. He said Ruth treated him "like a son." In 1931, Reese returned to earth, hitting .241/.293/.335 and playing in 65 games. His Yankees career totals were .286 BA in 142 games.

That winter, he became the player to be named later in part of a deal to the St. Paul Saints (AAA) for P Johnny Murphy and Jack Saltzgaver. For many years, Jimmie Reese was a MLB coach for the Angels.

July 15

1907 - The White Sox pound the Highlanders, by the score of 15-0, the 2nd time this 1907 AL season they've beaten New York by that score. They'll beat them in 1950 by the same score, the Yankees team record for most runs by an opponent in a shutout.

1908 - Former Yankees OF Jake Powell (1936-40) was born. On June 14, 1936, Jake was traded by the Senators to the Yankees for OF Ben Chapman. Jake hit .271 for the Yankees in 272 games. He appeared in three World Series with the Yankees, appearing in 8 games and hitting .435.

In 1938, Bob Elson interviewed Powell for a pre-game show on WGN radio in Chicago. Elson asked Powell what he did as a policeman in Dayton, Ohio during the off-season. Powell said, “I crack niggers on the head.”

For this public statement, he received a 10 game suspension from MLB Commissioner Judge Landis. On December 5, 1940, Jake was purchased by San Francisco Seals (PCL) from the Yankees. Jake Powell committed suicide after being arrested by the police in Washington, DC for passing bad checks.

1917 - The Yankees send OF Lee Magee to the Browns for OF Armando Marsans.

1920 - Babe Ruth ties his 1919 record of 29 HRs with a game-winner in the 13th inning to beat the Browns by a score of 13-10. Two days later, he will break it by hitting two HRs off of White Sox hurler Richard Kerr.

1934 - Yankees slugger Lou Gehrig returns to 1B and goes 4-for-4, including three doubles, off of Tigers starter Schoolboy Rowe, but the Yankees lose to the Tigers by a score of 8-3.

1936 - After an absence of several weeks, Tigers Manager Mickey Cochrane rejoins the Tigers in New York City, as they split a doubleheader with the Yankees.

The Tigers take the opener, by the score of 5-1, then lose the second game by a score of 7-4, as the Yankees maintain their nine-game lead in the AL. Cochrane will suffer a relapse and Tigers coach Del Baker will take over the team on the 21st.

1952 - The Indian power hitters dazzle the Yankees with a triple steal in the first inning as Al Rosen scores, Larry Doby goes to 3B, and Luke Easter, in his only MLB theft, goes to 2B. The Yankees lose the game by the score of 7-3 to the Tribe.

1964 - Yankees Whitey Ford's 2-0 win over the Orioles raises the Yankees to first place in the AL. Orioles P Dave McNally takes the loss. Joe Pepitone has 2 hits and 2 RBI’s for the Yankees.

1965 - At Yankee Stadium, Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle's 5th inning HR, off of Nats hurler Phil Ortega, ties the game at 1-1, and the Yankees goes on to top the Senators, by the score of 2-1.

1969 - Red Sox slugger Reggie Smith collects five straight hits in the opener, stretching his AL hitting streak to 21 games, and leading the Red Sox to 7-6 win over the Yankees. He'll get another hit in the nightcap, a 4-1 win by Yankees starter Stan Bahnsen (5-10), but his hitting streak will stop tomorrow.

1984 - Yankees minor league P Anthony Claggett (2009) was born. Anthony Claggett's debut in the major leagues with the Yankees on April 18, 2009 was one to remember, but for the wrong reasons.

He came on in relief in the second inning when starter Chien-Ming Wang was chased after pitching 1+ innings. He closed out the inning, but not before the Indians had scored 14 runs in the inning (eight charged to Wang, and six to Claggett), the most ever given up by the Yankees in a single inning.

He then gave up two more runs in the third before leaving the came with his ERA standing at 43.20. The Yankees lost the game by the score of 22-4.

1990 - At Yankee Stadium, Royals slugger Bo Jackson slugs three straight HRs, the 3rd his MLB career 100th, HR then separates his shoulder in the sixth inning diving for a line drive off the bat of Yankees Deion Sanders. Sanders ends up with an inside-the-park HR but the Royals take home a 10-7 win. Bo Jackson will be out for six weeks.

1991 - Mariner's Edgar Martinez just misses hitting for the cycle for the second game in a row. He strokes a single, double, and a triple in a 5-1 win over the Yankees. On the 14th, he had 2 singles, a triple, and a HR against the Indians.

1997 - Despite a sluggish pitching performance, Hideki Irabu wins his second MLB start, leading the Yankees over Indians by a score of 12-6. Irabu gives up 5 runs and 9 hits in 5 innings, allowing HRs to Tribe hitters Tony Fernandez, Marquis Grissom, and Matt Williams.

Cecil Fielder, the Yankees' 270-pound DH, tries to score from first on a double and his head first slide results in a broken right thumb. Cecil Fielder will miss eight weeks of action for the Yankees.

2001 - The battle of two first place teams draws 59,470 fans at Philadelphia as the Yankees lose a sloppy game to the Phillies, by the score of 9-3. In the fifth inning, Jimmy Rollins takes 2B on a passed ball, and then swipes third for his 26th straight successful steal.

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has three passed balls and should have been charged with a fourth, while shortstop Derek Jeter makes a critical error. Jorge Posada will lead the MLB in passed balls this season with 18.

2008 - The AL squad defeats the NL team, by the score of 4-3, in 15 innings at the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. It is the first extra-inning wins ever for the AL after seven losses and one tie. The two teams combine for a record seven steals, six of them by the AL squad. The game goes four hours and 50 minutes, also a record.

July 16
1892 - Former Yankees reserve C Bubbles Hagrave (1930) was born. In 1930, the Yankees used Bubbles Hargrave as a backup catcher to Bill Dickey. He hit .278 on a Yankees team whose batting average was .309.

1904 - At Hill Top Park in New York City, Highlanders starter Jack Chesbro swipes home in the bottom of the 10th inning to win his own game, by the score of 9-8.

1920 - Yankees slugger Babe Ruth becomes the first player to hit 30 HRs in a MLB season. The historic HR breaks his own season mark of 29 HRs and the "Rajah of Rap” will finish the 1920 AL season with a resounding 54 HRs.

1940 - Former Yankees reliever Tom Metcalf (1963) was born. Tom was signed by the Yankees in 1961, as an MLB amateur free agent. He went 1-0 in eight games for the Yankees in 1963. In 1964, he broke his pitching arm and never returned to MLB.

1942 - The Yankees obtained P Jim “Milkman” Turner from the Reds as partial payment for OF Fran Kelleher. Jim would lead in the AL in 1945 with 10 saves. Later, he would be Casey Stengel’s longtime pitching coach during the 1950s. Also Jim served as a pitching coach for Yankees Manager Ralph Houk.

1947 - Two days after joining the Yankees, P Bobo Newsom wins his 200th MLB career victory, his first as a Yankee by beating the Indians at Cleveland by a score of 3-1. It was the Yankees' 17th straight win.

In the second game, the Yankees winning streak continues to 18 games, when Yankee starter Vic Raschi stops the Tribe by a score of 9-2.

1948 - The Browns frustrate the third-place Yankees, whipping starter Allie Reynolds by a score of 10-4. Bob Dillinger leads the way with a bases loaded triple, 3 singles, 2 stolen bases and 5 RBIs. Cliff Fannin holds the Yankees scoreless until Phil Rizzuto's HR in the eighth inning.

1951 - While in Detroit, the Yankees optioned rookie OF Mickey Mantle to Kansas City Blues (AAA). Mantle, plagued with strikeouts three on the 13th and in a slump, will go 0-for-22 in his start with the Kansas City Blues (AAA), before ending with a tear at .361. The Yankees will recall him on August 20.

Pitcher Art Schallock takes Mickey's place on the Yankees 25 MLB man roster and gives up seven hits in 2.3 innings in today's 8-6 win.

1953 - The Browns tie a record with three successive HRs by Clint Courtney, Richard Kryhoski, and Jim Dyck in the first inning. Their five bases-empty HRs in three innings establishes a new mark. It's enough to beat the Yankees by the score of 8-6.

1959 - After beating the Indians, yesterday the Yankees sweep a doubleheader today to knock the Tribe out of first place. Yankees win the opener when Yogi Berra ties the game in the ninth inning with a HR, and Mickey Mantle wins it, by the score of 7-5, in the 10th inning with a two-HR run shot off of pitcher Gary Bell.

Bobby Shantz wins the nightcap, by the score of 4-0. The Yankees are now 5 1/2 games out of 1st place in AL.

1961 - The Yankees edge the third place Orioles, beating starter Steve Barber by a score of 2-1. AL All Star CF Mickey Mantle drives home both Yankee runs.

1964 - Steve Barber regains first place for the Orioles with a successful 6-1 outing against the Yankees starter Jim Bouton.

1967 - At Yankee Stadium, Orioles outlast the Yankees to win the game by the score of 2-1, in 14 innings. The Yankees manage just only four hits, including a solo HR by Mickey Mantle, off of P Bill Dillman.

2003 - The Yankees send minor league pitching prospects Jason Anderson, Anderson Garcia and Ryan Bicondoa to Mets for hard-throwing embattled Mets closer, Armando Benitez.

The 30-year old All-Star reliever, who is slated to be the setup man for closer Mariano Rivera, blew 7 of 28 save opportunities and was object of much fan booing at Shea Stadium. Benitez will go 1-1 in nine games for the Yankees before being traded on August 6, 2003, to the Mariners for veteran reliever Jeff Nelson.

2005 - In an effort to bolster their injured pitching rotation, the Yankees acquired recently released Al Leiter from the Marlins. The 39-year old $8-million southpaw, who posted a disappointing 3-7 record and a 6.64 ERA with the Marlins, will quickly pay dividends for the Yankees by limiting the Red Sox to one run and two hits in his 1st start back as a Yankee.

July 17
1919 - The Yankees (21) and Browns (17) combined for 38 hits during the Browns 7-6, 17-inning win. The Browns winning run was a scored on a squeeze play.

1923 - An unsympathetic Yankees Manager Miller Huggins refuses to remove Yankees starter Carl Mays. He allows the Indians to batter Mays for 20 hits and 13 runs during a Tribe 13-0 win. Yankees Manager Miller Huggins and Carl Mays never got along well, it will end with Carl Mays later being traded to the Reds after the 1923 AL season ends.

1930 - Former Yankees minor league OF Jerry Lynch was born. Before the 1951 AL Season, Jerry was purchased by the Yankees from Greenville (Cotton States). Jerry never played for the Yankees at the MLB level.

On November 30, 1953, he was drafted by the Pirates from the Yankees in the 1953 MLB Rule 5 player draft. He would play in the NL with the Pirates and Reds finishing his 14-year MLB career with a lifetime BA of .277.

1934 - Yankees slugger Babe Ruth draws his 2,000th MLB base on balls at Cleveland. He will retire from MLB in 1935 with a MLB walk record of 2,062.

1936 - Yankees Red Rolfe, Lou Gehrig, and Bill Dickey hit third-inning HRs against the Tigers to tie the AL record, since topped. Yankees roll to a 9-4 victory, dropping the Bengals to fourth place in the AL. Goose Goslin has a pair of HRS for the Tigers.

1938 - Former Yankees OF/INF Deron Johnson (1960-1961) was born. In 1956, Deron Johnson was signed by the Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. Deron was never able to find a regular position to play with the Yankees.

At 3B, Clete Boyer blocked him and at 1B there was Bill Skowron. Plus Mickey Mantle (CF), Roger Maris (RF) and Yogi Berra-Hector Lopez (LF) filled the Yankees outfield. In June of 1961, he was traded along with veteran starter Art Ditmar to the A’s for veteran hurler Bud Daley. Deron would become a star in the NL with the Reds and Braves in the mid-1960's.

1941 - In front of more than 60,000 fans at Cleveland, Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak is ended at 56 games. Indian Pitchers Al Smith and Jim Bagby, Sr., plus sensational plays by 3B Ken Keltner, stop the Yankee Clipper’s hitting streak, but the Yankees edge the Indians by a score of 6-5.

1947 - The Yankees sweep a doubleheader against Indians by scores of 3-1 and 7-2 to extend their winning streak to an AL record 19 games. The streak matches that of the 1906 White Sox.

1948 - Yankees starter Ed Lopat scatters 11 hits to beat the Browns, by a score of 4-0. It is the Yankees hurler's second shutout in a row and his third this 1948 AL season.

1950 - Yankees rookie pitcher Whitey Ford wins his first MLB game, beating the visiting White Sox, by the score of 4-3. Closer Tom Ferrick finished game for the Yankees.

1955 - Earl Torgeson of the Tigers steals home in the 10th inning to beat the Yankees by a score of 6-5.

1959 - White Sox veteran starter Early Wynn and the Yankees Ralph Terry match zeros for 8 innings at Yankee Stadium. Before Chicago's Jim McAnany collects the first White Sox hit in the ninth inning. Jim Landis adds a second hit to drive home two runs to give the Sox, a 2-0 win. Early Wynn matched Ralph Terry by also allowing just two hits.

1961 - The Yankees top the Orioles by a score of 5-0, behind Whitey Ford's 13th straight win. Mickey Mantle (No. 33) and Bill Skowron hit long HRs at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium.

The nightcap goes into the fifth inning when, with two outs and the Yankees up by the score of 4-1, when a thunderstorm strikes. The umpires wait 65 minutes before calling the game, thus washing out HRs by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.

1961 - MLB Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick decrees that Babe Ruth's record of 60 HRs in a 154-game schedule in 1927 "cannot be broken unless some batter hits 61 or more within his club's 1st 154 games."

As the 1961 AL season with expansion of two new teams: Washington Senators and LA Angels, the AL goes to a 162 game schedule for the 1961 season.

1977 - The Yankees lose by a score of 8-4, for their third straight loss to the Royals. The Yankees have now lost seven of their last nine games and are now three games in back of the AL eastern division leading Orioles.

1978 - In the latest incident in his feud with manager Billy Martin, the Yankees Reggie Jackson ignores instructions and attempts to bunt in the 10th inning of a tie game with the Royals.

Jackson pops up; the Yankees lose the game by the score of 9-7, in the 11th inning. Manager Billy Martin serves Jackson with a five-day suspension without pay. The Royals' three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium left the Yankees in fourth place in the AL East, 14 games behind the Red Sox.

1987 - Yankees' first baseman Don Mattingly becomes the first AL player to hit a HR in seven consecutive games.

1989 - White Sox C Carlton Fisk gets his 2,000th MLB career hit in a 7-3 win over the Yankees.

1990 - At Yankee Stadium, Mel Stottlemyre, Jr. makes his MLB debut, pitching an inning of relief against the Yankees. He gives up three runs, but the Royals unload on Yankees starter Andy Hawkins (1-8) to win the game by a score of 10-7.

1996 - The Red Sox take a 9-2 lead over the Yankees into the seventh inning in at Fenway Park. New York scores three runs in the seventh inning, two runs in the eighth inning, and four runs in the ninth inning to move ahead, by a score of 11-9.

The Red Sox bounce back with three runs of their own in their last at bat to defeat Yankees by a score of 12-11 and end Yankees closer John Wetteland's record save streak.

July 18
1916 - Former Yankees OF/1B Johnny “Hippity” Hopp (1950-52) was born. On September 5, 1950, John was purchased by the Yankees from the Pirates. He would hit .333 in 19 games for the Yankees. In 1951, he faded to a .206 mark.

He was only hitting .160 in 1952, when he was released by the Yankees in 1952. The Tigers, finishing his MLB playing career with them, would pick up Johnny.

1918 - Former Yankees pitcher AL Lyons (1944,1946-47) was born. Al went 1-1 in 19 games for the Yankees before being sold to the Pirates in 1947.

1933 -The Yankees win their ninth straight game taking the AL lead from the Senators, by beating the White Sox by a score of 5-4.

1934 - Twenty-two players hit safely in the Indians’s 15-14 win over the Yankees. Babe Ruth is hit in the leg by the ball and will be out for 10 days. It is the second time an injury has sidelined him this 1934 AL season.

1940 - Happy Birthday to former Yankees’ Manager Joe Torre (1995-2007)!

1944 - Former Yankees P Rudy May (1974-76, 1980-83) was born. On June 15, 1974, Rudy was purchased by the Yankees from the Angels for cash. Rudy posted 26-19 mark in 60 games with the Yankees.

On June 15,1976, he was traded along with C Rick Dempsey, pitchers Tippy Martinez, Scott McGregor, and Dave Pagan to the Orioles for pitchers Ken Holtzman, Doyle Alexander, Grant Jackson, P Jimmy Freeman and reserve C Ellie Hendricks.

Rudy would return to the Yankees in 1980, posting a 15-5 mark with an AL leading ERA of 2.46. He will go 28-27 in 124 games with the Yankees from 1980-1983.

1947 - The Yankees 19-game winning streak comes to an end, when Tigers starter Fred Hutchinson shuts out the Yankees by a score of 2-0.

1954 - After winning 13 in a row, the Yankees lose the second game of a doubleheader to the Tigers by the score of 8-6. They now trail the Indians by 1/2 game.

1957 - In what will later be revealed as false testimony, Kansas City A's owner Arnold Johnson denies before the Celler Committee that he had any ties to the Yankees ownership or has favored them in any MLB baseball trades made by the A’s.

This committee was looking into MLB legal activities including anti-trust laws and the MLB players reserve clause.

1960 - The Yankees score five runs in the third inning off of Tribe starter Richard Stigman, as Whitey Ford coasts to a complete game 9-2 victory over the Indians.

1961 - Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle poles two HRs, off of rookie P Joe McLain, to pace the Yankees to a 5-3 win over the Senators. In pre-game ceremonies, Mickey Mantle teamed with New York Congressman Eddie Dooley to win the HR-hitting contest against other Congressional-player duos.

1985 - Current Yankees INF Ramiro Pena (2009) was born. Ramiro appeared in 46 games this season hitting .267 before being sent back to Scranton (AAA).

1987 - Yankees Don Mattingly hits a HR in his 8th consecutive game, tying the MLB record set by former NL slugger Dale Long in 1956, but the Yankees lose to Rangers by a score of 7-2. His streak will end tomorrow when he goes 2-for-4, but hits no HRs.

1995 - The White Sox blast Yankees starter Jack McDowell for 13 hits and nine runs in 4 2/3 innings in their 11-4 win in the second game of a doubleheader. McDowell makes an obscene gesture to the fans as he is booed walking off the field.

1999 - On “Yogi Berra Day” at Yankee Stadium, David Cone becomes the 16th pitcher in MLB history and the third Yankees starter in team history to toss a perfect game beating the Expos, by a score of 6-0.

In pregame ceremonies former Yankees P Don Larsen threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his former catcher Yogi Berra commemorating his 1956 World Series perfect game against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium.

2008 - The Yankees signed free agent 1B/DH Richie Sexton, who had been released by the Mariners. He would only appear in 22 games with the Yankees. He hit .250 before being released by the team in August of 2008.

previous week

(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)

New York Yankees Blow Another Lead, Lose Again to LA Angels., 14-8

Greg Cohen — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:19:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYY	2	1	0	1	0	0	2	2	0	8	9	1
LAA	0	0	0	1	7	1	1	4	X	14	16	1

WP - Jered Weaver (10-3)
LP - Andy Pettitte (8-5)

I'm really getting sick and tired of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. No matter how well the New York Yankees are playing they will still find ways to embarrass themselves against the Angels, especially in Anaheim where they are now 5-16 since 2005.

Today was like watching a replay of yesterday's game. Yanks jump out to an early four-run lead only to have their starter—this time Andy Pettitte—blow it, and then leave the game after just 4.1 innings.

Then, after the offense battled back to make it a game again, here comes the bullpen to hand the Angels all the insurance runs they'd need. Truly two pathetic losses, both of which can be blamed on the starting pitcher.

Pettitte started off the game very well, holding the Angels hitless over the first three innings. Then, in the fourth the Angels got on the board when Erick Aybar led off with a double and then score on a Bobby Abreu RBI single. It would be the first of three RBI for the former Yankee.

Everything fell apart one inning later when Pettitte would allow 5 runs on 6 hits while recording just one out.

After the game Pettitte said, "That's as frustrating as it gets right there," Pettitte said. "Your team gives you a four-run lead against a good pitcher, a guy who's throwing the ball real well here, and I wasn't able to hold it. I really can't put my finger on it."

I don't know why he stunk either, but he stunk.

Both Joba and Pettitte are becoming more and more unreliable with every start, and that's a major problem. The Yankees are not going to make the post season with just two reliable starters. If at least one of them doesn't get themselves right the Yanks will be in a lot of trouble.

David Robertson wasn't any help out of the pen. He came in for Pettitte with runners on the corners and one out. Mike Napoli was the first batter Robertson faced, and he lined a two-run double allowing both inherited runners to score. Coming into today's game Robertson had allowed 50% of inherited runners to score, which is terrible. Going 2-for-2 today didn't help.

He continued to get hit hard over the next 1.1 innings, allowing three of his own runs on three hits. I'm beginning to think it's time for the Yanks to send Robertson back down to Scranton and recall Jonathan Albaladejo. Robertson can be a good pitcher, but right now he's not. If you're wondering, he's allowed just 24% of inherited runners to score.

After the Yanks fought back to make it a 10-8 game in the 8th on back-to-back homers by Hideki Matsui and Alex Rodriguez—the HR was A-Rod's second of the day and 570th of his career, tying him for 10th all-time with Rafael Palmeiro—Phil Coke came in and had his worst outing of the season. In one inning he allowed four runs on three hits and a walk. The four runs killed any chances the Yanks had at a comeback.

Offensively, once again, I can't complain. When a team scores four off a very good pitcher hands their starter a 4-0 lead, then fights back after falling behind 8-4 and 10-6, they deserve some credit, even in a loss.

A-Rod hit two homers, drove in three and scored three. New Yankee Eric Hinske also hit two homers today, a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run homer in the seventh. Nice start for Hinske as a Yank.

Hopefully CC Sabathia can last more than 4.1 innings when he starts for the Yanks tomorrow as they look to salvage at least one game of this three-game set. John Lackey will get the start for the Halos.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	.320
Damon, LF	4	1	0	0	1	3	1	.276
Teixeira, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.276
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	3	2	3	1	1	0	.263
Matsui, H, DH	4	1	1	1	0	3	1	.266
Posada, C	4	0	0	0	0	2	1	.281
Cano, 2B	3	1	2	1	1	0	0	.309
Hinske, RF	4	2	2	3	0	0	2	.270
Gardner, CF	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.283
a-Cabrera, Me, PH-CF	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.280
Totals	35	8	9	8	3	13	8
a-Struck out for Gardner in the 7th.
BATTING 2B: Jeter (18, Weaver, Jr). HR: Rodriguez, A 2 (17, 1st inning off Weaver, Jr, 1 on, 2 out; 8th inning off Bulger, 0 on, 1 out), Hinske 2 (4, 2nd inning off Weaver, Jr, 0 on, 2 out; 7th inning off Oliver, 1 on, 0 out), Matsui, H (14, 8th inning off Bulger, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Jeter 2; Rodriguez, A 8; Matsui, H 4; Cano 2; Hinske 8; Cabrera, Me. RBI: Rodriguez, A 3 (50), Hinske 3 (15), Cano (46), Matsui, H (40). 2-out RBI: Rodriguez, A 2; Hinske; Cano. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Teixeira. GIDP: Jeter. Team RISP: 1-for-4. Team LOB: 3. FIELDING E: Coke (1, pickoff). DP: 2 (Jeter-Cano-Teixeira 2).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte (L, 8-5)	4.1	7	6	6	2	1	1	4.85
Robertson, D	1.1	3	3	3	1	3	0	3.57
Tomko	1.1	3	1	1	0	0	1	5.23
Coke	1.0	3	4	4	1	1	0	3.99

ANGELS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mike Napoli (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, 3 R)

HONORABLE MENTION: Bobby Abreu (2-for-4, 3 RBI, R)

GOAT OF THE GAME: Andy Pettitte For his great Joba Chamberlain impression.

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees @ Angels
Game Time: 3:35 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS

LHP CC Sabathia (8-5, 3.70) vs. RHP John Lackey (3-4, 5.18)

7/9 Minor League Report

Greg Cohen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:34:00 -0400

================

We are lucky enough to have a SWB report from BigGuy tonight.
He won't be doing these all the time by when he does I will
post them. Thanks BG for the great contributions.

(Triple-A) Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (49-34) lost to Lehigh Valley (41-46) 6-3: Box Score - Recap

The SWB Yankees were forced to play this home game at Lehigh Valley (Phillies) due to poor field conditions at SWB's PNC Field. LHV came from behind for a 6-3 win.

PITCHING: Josh Towers got the start for the Yankees. Lehigh Valley got to Towers for two runs in the third inning on two singles, a hit batter, and two-run double by rehabbing Raul Ibanez to tie the game at two. That was all the scoring off Towers, but he had base runners every inning and threw too many pitches. Towers was relieved after the fifth with a 3-2 lead. 5.0 IP, 2 runs, 5 hits, 2 K--2 walks, 101 P--66 strikes, 8 GO--5 FO.

Amaury Sanit, just up from Trenton, came on to pitch a scoreless sixth inning, allowing a double and walk. Sanit threw a scoreless seventh issuing a walk. 2.0 IP, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 K--2 BB

Edwar Ramirez came on in the eighth. He got two quick outs then gave up a double to former Yankee Miguel Cairo, followed by a walk and infield single that loaded the bases. Ramirez then blew the lead giving up a three-run double followed by another RBI double to give LHV a 6-3 lead. Ramirez threw a perfect ninth, but got the loss (0-4). 2.0 IP, 4 runs, 4 hits, 1 K--1 walk.

OFFEENSE: Gustavo Chacin (remember him from Toronto?) got the start and the win for LHV. The Yanks got to Chacin in the first inning for 2-0 lead. Ramiro Pena singled, stole second, Austin Jackson singled, Shelley Duncan RBI (69) double, Juan Miranda walked to load the bases. Francisco Cervelli followed with a RBI sac fly in his first AAA at bat. SWB took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on Yurendal de Caster's solo homer (1). The Yanks didn't mount another threat until the ninth when Colin Curtis and Doug Bernier walked but were stranded.

NOTES: Chris Stewart put on the DL (hamstring). It's not known if Stewart's injury will affect his all star game appearance. He was named to the team, while Shelley Duncan and Austin Jackson were voted in. Jesus Montero made the AA all star team from Trenton. Kevin Russo had his 31-game streak of reaching base snapped.

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Lehigh Valley	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	4	0	6	10	0
Scranton/WB	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	0

W: Chacin (3-3, 3.18); L: Ramirez, E (0-4, 4.00); SV: Bowers (4)
HR: SWB: de Caster (1).

Offense:
Ramiro Pena: 1-for-4, R, SB (1)
Austin Jackson: 1-for-4, R, one strikeout
Shelley Duncan: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB
Juan Miranda: 0-for-3, BB
Francisco Cervelli: 1-for-3, RBI
Colin Curtis: 0-for-2, 2 BB
Yurendell de Caster: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, R
Doug Bernier: 0-for-3, BB

Pitching:
Josh Tower: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (4.38 ERA)
Amaury Sanit: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (0.00 ERA)
Edwar Ramirez (BS, 1)(L, 0-4): 2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (4.00 ERA)

(Double-A) Trenton (42-43) beat New Hampshire (39-47) 7-3: Box Score - Recap

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New Hampshire	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	7	0
Trenton	1	0	0	2	0	4	0	0	X	7	10	0

W: Pope (3-6, 5.33); L: Rodriguez, K (1-1, 6.17)
HR: None.

Offense:
Austin Krum: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Reegie Corona: 0-for-3, BB, R
Noah Hall: 4-for-4, 3B, RBI, 2 R
Jorge Vazquez: 2-for-4, 2 R
Jesus Montero: 1-for-4 with a strikeout
Chris Malec: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Edwar Gonzalez: 0-for-3, RBI
Kyle Anson: 1-for-3, BB, R
Justin Snyder: 0-for-3, RBI, BB

Pitching:
Ryan Pope (W, 3-6): 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K (5.33 ERA)
Josh Schmidt: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K (1.26 ERA)
Wilkins Arias: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (4.10 ERA)

(High-A) Tampa (Overall 36-41, Second Half 6-4) had their doubleheader with Daytona (Overall 40-40, Second Half 6-7) postponed.

(Low-A) Charleston (Overall 45-39, second half 6-8) lost to Bowling Green (Overall 44-40, second half 9-4) 6-2: Box Score - Recap

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Charleston	0	2	0	1	3	0	3	0	0	9	13	1
Bowling Green	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	2	0	5	7	3

W: Walker (1-0, 0.00); L: Dyer (1-7, 5.25)
HR: None.

Offense:
Jose Pirela: 3-for-5, R
Melky Mesa: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, @ R
Corban Joseph: 2-for-3. 2 BB, 2 R
Taylor Grote: 1-for-4, BB, 2 R
Abraham Almonte: 3-for-4, 3B, 4 RBI, R
Garrison Lassiter: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, R
Chase Weems: 0-for-4, BB, R

Pitching:
Manuel Banuelos: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (2.20 ERA)
Edwin Walker (W, 1-0): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (0.00 ERA)
Daniel Kapala: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (2.78 ERA)
Jonathan Ortiz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (2.35 ERA)

(Single-A Short-Season) Staten Island (8-12) lost to Hudson Valley (10-10) 7-3: Box Score - Recap

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Hudson Valley	0	2	1	0	3	1	0	0	0	7	6	1
Staten Island	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	10	4

W: Gibson, G (1-2, 8.03); L: Patterson, P (0-1, 12.00)
HR: HV: Acosta (1).

Offense:
Jimmy Paredes: 1-for-5
Carmen Angelini: 3-for-5, RBI, R, SB (1)
Zolio Almonte: 0-for-4, BB, R
Kyle Higashioka: 2-for-5
Kelvin Castro: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Deangelo Mack: 2-for-4
Ryan J. Baker: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, R

Pitching:
Kelvin Perez: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (1.93 ERA)
Paul Patterson (L, 0-1): 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (12.00 ERA)
Benjamin Watkins: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (1.64 ERA)
Griffin Bailey: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (4.05 ERA)

(Rookie) GCL Yanks (10-3) lost to the GCL Phillies (7-6) 5-2: Box Score - Recap

Cmpl. Early: Rain	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
GCL Phillies	1	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	0	5	10	0
GCL Yankees	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	9	1

W: Poe (1-0, 2.31); L: Elam (0-1, 0.00); SV: Doll, M (1)
HR: None.

Offense:
Ramor Flores: 2-for-5
Jose Toussen: 0-for-2, 2 BB, R
Kevin Mahoney: 1-for-4, 2B
Kelvin De Leon: 1-for-4
Eduardo Sosa: 1-for-3, BB, R, SB (3)
Jose Mojica: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
Francisco Arcia: 1-for-3
Justin Milo: 1-for-3, BB

Pitching:
Nik Turley: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (1.80 ERA)
Sam Elam (L, 0-1): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (0.00 ERA)
Dickson Marquez: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (2.57 ERA)
Paul Heidler: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (4.50 ERA)

Visiting New Stadium Not on Torre's Itinerary

Greg Cohen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:32:00 -0400

Joe Torre is in town with his Dodgers to play three games against the Mets, but has no plans, now or in the future, to visit the new Yankee Stadium.

When asked before Wednesday night's game against the Mets if he had any interest in seeing the Yanks' luxurious new park, the Dodgers manager said, "Nope. None. I've heard good things about (the new stadium). That's about it."

Having grown up in Brooklyn, played Mayor's Cup games in high school at the old Stadium and won four World Series rings while Yankee manager, Torre said he'd like to remember the place the way it was.

"I left there, and I knew it was gonna be my last time. I would have been very surprised if it wasn't my last time, so I took everything in," said Torre, who managed the Yanks from 1996-2007. "I have so many great memories there."

Torre said he arranged to purchase seats from the old stadium, as he has done with other places where he played or managed, and that is all he will physically take from the place.

"Everything that happened (at the old stadium) was enough for me," Torre said. "Great memories."

As far as the new place, he's heard about it:

"I've seen it on TV and I've heard about it, you know about right field," Torre said about the high number of home runs being hit to right. "If you hit the ball straight away to right field in the old ballpark it was pretty friendly too."

Torre did admit that there is one condition under which he would like to check out the new stadium - leading the Dodgers there in a World Series.

"I wouldn't mind seeing it in October," Torre said with a smile. "But to be perfectly honest, I'd like to see any stadium in October."

It's obvious he's still holding a bit of a grudge against the Yankees, and especially the Steinbrenner Bros., Cashman and Randy Levine - he always hated Levine. But even if that wasn't the case, since he's still in the league I can understand why he'd want to stay away.

I'm sure he'll make it to the place some time after he retires, probably for Joe Torre Day.

Jays Will Make Halladay Available; Do the Yanks Have a Shot?

Greg Cohen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:34:00 -0400

From Ken Rosenthal:

Let the Roy Halladay sweepstakes begin.

"We have to see what's out there," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "I'm not saying we're going to shop him. But if something makes sense, we at least have to listen. We're (leaning) more toward listening than we've ever been."

They're falling out of contention. They probably cannot afford to keep Halladay when they owe outfielders Vernon Wells and Alex Rios approximately $160 million combined from 2010 to '14. And they know that Halladay would prefer to pitch for a winner anyway when he becomes a free agent after next season.

Oh, and one other thing: The trade market is barren of quality starting pitchers, much less one who is a true difference-maker and one of the top five starters in the game.

The Jays' goal is obvious: to make the same type of deal that the Indians did when they traded right-hander Bartolo Colon in 2002, acquiring outfielder Grady Sizemore, left-hander Cliff Lee and second baseman Brandon Phillips.

Money is tighter now.

Prospects are considered gold. But this is not three months of C.C. Sabathia we're talking about. This is Halladay for the rest of the season and all of 2010, at salaries of $14.25 million (pro-rated) and $15.75 million.

Rosenthal also mentioned that Halladay has a full no-trade clause, and that it seems that playing for a contender would be important to him.

As for the Yanks, here's what Rosenthal said about their chances to land Halladay:

The Jays will not hesitate to dangle Halladay to the Yankees and Red Sox, who will be perhaps their two most fervent suitors. A's GM Billy Beane never rules out trading within his division. Ricciardi, Beane's former assistant, probably would not, either.

The Yankees invested a combined $243.5 million on Sabathia and A.J. Burnett last offseason, and Halladay might be better than both of them. Right-hander Phil Hughes could top the team's package, and one GM who recently examined the Yankees' system says, "There are more intriguing guys down low than I anticipated."

Among them: catchers Jesus Montero, 19 and Austin Romine, 20.

Rosenthal mentions the Red Sox, White Sox, Phillies, Dodgers, Rangers, Cubs, Mets, Brewers and Braves as other possible suitors.

I love the Yanks to get Halladay, and a one-two-three of Halladay, Sabathia and Burnett is as good as it gets.

But, I don't see the Yankees trading away everything they have in the farm to land him.

Do they trade Hughes? What about Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero? Will Ricciardi ask for all three?

The Yanks need to be smart and see what the trade market is and plan accordingly.

Even if they don't trade for him, as long as the Sox don't get him, it's a win-win for the Yankees just to get him out of the division.

OK, you're Brian Cashman, what would you be willing to give up to get Halladay?

Blue Jays-Yankees: Bad Pitching, Umps Help Jays Avoid Sweep

Greg Cohen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:41:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TOR	0	1	3	0	0	0	3	0	0	7	8	0
NYY	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	1	2	6	12	0

Winning pitcher—Ricky Romero (7-3)
Losing pitcher—Andy Pettitte (8-4)
SV—Jason Frasor (3)

It was a frustrating day in the Bronx for the Yankees and their fans as they Jays salvaged the final game of the series with a 7-6 win.

The Yanks had a chance to take an early lead, but thanks to some bad base running, and worse umpiring, that didn't happen.

Derek Jeter led off with a walk, and then was balked over to second. He got greedy and tried to steal third, something you never do with nobody out unless you can make it easily.

Jeter could not make it easily.

The throw beat Jeter by a pretty decent margin, but Jeter avoided Scott Rolen's tag. Umpire Marty Foster didn't care, and called Jeter out.

And no I'm not kidding when I say that, he actually didn't care that Jeter avoided the tag. According to Jeter, Foster told him it he didn't have to be tagged to be out because the throw beat him.

Apparently Mr. Foster forgot the rules of the game.

There's no denying it was a stupid decision by Jeter to try and take third in the spot, but that doesn't give the umpires an excuse to make an equally bad call.

The Yanks would eventually get two men on in the inning before being retired. Had the ump made the right call, it's likely the Yanks take an early lead.

After retiring the first five batters he faced, Andy Pettitte allowed a run in the top of the second on a walk to Kevin Millar, a single by Jose Bautista, and a double by Rod Barajas, all with two outs.

Pettitte then got into some more trouble in the top of the third, and once again the umpires made their presence felt.

He walked Marco Scutaro to lead off the inning, then Aaron Hill grounded into a force for the first out. Then Vernon Wells grounds a ball in the hole between short and third, Jeter backhands the ball and does his usual jump throw to second, clearly beating Hill to second.

But once again, that's not how the umpires saw it. This time it was second base umpire Wally Bell with the call. So instead of two out with a runner on first the Jays have first and second with just one out.

Pettitte then struck out Scott Rolen for the second out of the inning—should have been the third out. Then Alex Rios, who should have been leading off the top of the fourth, but instead was hitting with two on and two out, took a Pettitte fastball just over the wall in left for a three-run homer.

I blame Pettitte for the terrible pitch that missed Posada's target by two feet, but he once again, if an umpire had done his job Pettitte never would have needed to throw that pitch in the first place.

With the Jays up 4-0, left-hander Ricky Romero started to get into a groove. He allowed just one run over the first six innings, a solo homer by Eric Hinske in the fifth—his first hit as a Yankee.

Pettitte also settled down and held the Jays scoreless through the sixth. He had walked two in the sixth and was at 96 pitches so I figured that was going to be it for him, but the Yanks decided to stick with him for the seventh.

It was a move that bothered me from the start.

Pettitte looked done after the sixth, the way the pen has been throwing, get Phil Hughes in there and put up a couple zeros. Instead they stuck with Pettitte and John McDonald hit his first homer in a year to extend the Jays' lead to 5-1. Pettitte then walked Scutaro before being replace by the struggling Brian Bruney.

Bruney's struggles continued as he allowed two more runs to score and the Jays now led 7-1.

Joe Girardi had been ejected from the game earlier for arguing the Jeter play at third base, but you have to believe he's the guy making the call from the clubhouse. There was no reason to send Pettitte back out there.

Why not bring Hughes in for two innings?

Even though they came up short, the Yanks once again showed that they're fighters. They cut the lead to four with two runs in the seventh on a Nick Swisher two-run single. The single came after the third blown call of the day for the umps. The Yanks got the first two men on in the inning, then Brett Gardner grounded a ball that was set up to be a routine force at second, but McDonald's throw pulled Scutaro off the bag, and Hinske should have been safe.

Once again the ump made the wrong call and the Yanks had runners on the corners with one out instead of the bases loaded with nobody out.

Still, the Yanks would bring the lead runs to the plate in the eighth, and then once again in the ninth, but came up just short. The Yanks had the bases loaded in the eighth with two out for Swisher, but he popped out to end the inning.

Then, after scoring two on a single by Hideki Matsui, the Yanks had two on and two out for Hinske, but he struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.

It may sound like I'm bitter about the blown calls, and I am, I truly believe if the umpires had done their job the Yanks would have won yesterday. That said, I also think that if Pettitte or Bruney did their jobs the Yankees would have won, too.

Like I said, it was a frustrating day in The Bronx.

Still, it was a successful homestand that saw the Yanks go 5-2. Boston got shut out by Brett Anderson and the A's so the Yanks remain just one game back.

The Yanks head to Minnesota to start a three-game series starting tomorrow night. Check in tomorrow for my series preview.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	2	0	0	1	3	0	1	.314
Swisher, 1B	4	0	3	2	1	0	3	.242
Teixeira, DH	5	0	0	0	0	2	6	.273
Rodriguez, A, 3B	4	0	1	0	0	1	2	.244
Posada, C	5	1	1	0	0	2	3	.282
Cano, 2B	5	2	2	0	0	2	1	.303
Cabrera, Me, LF-CF	4	1	1	0	0	0	1	.280
b-Matsui, H, PH	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	.267
1-Ransom, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.180
Hinske, RF	4	1	2	1	0	1	1	.264
Gardner, CF	3	1	1	0	0	0	2	.278
a-Damon, PH-LF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.284
Totals	37	6	12	6	4	8	20
a-Hit by pitch for Gardner in the 8th. b-Singled for Cabrera, Me in the 9th. 1-Ran for Matsui, H in the 9th.
BATTING 2B: Swisher (18, Romero, R), Cano 2 (21, Accardo, Frasor). HR: Hinske (2, 5th inning off Romero, R, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Swisher 4; Rodriguez, A; Posada; Cano 4; Cabrera, Me; Matsui, H; Hinske 5; Gardner. RBI: Hinske (12), Swisher 2 (43), Jeter (35), Matsui, H 2 (38). 2-out RBI: Jeter; Matsui, H 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Posada; Teixeira 2; Rodriguez, A; Swisher 2. Team RISP: 2-for-11. Team LOB: 11. BASERUNNING CS: Jeter (3, 3rd base by Romero, R/Barajas).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte (L, 8-4)	6.0	5	6	6	5	3	2	4.53
Bruney	0.2	2	1	1	1	1	0	4.11
Robertson, D	1.1	0	0	0	0	2	0	2.66
Albaladejo	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	5.40

JAYS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Vernon Wells (3-for-5, 2B, 2 R)

HONORABLE MENTION: Alex Rios (1-for-5 HR, 3 RBI)

GOATS OF THE GAME: The umpires. ... You could also throw Andy Pettitte in there too.

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees at Twins

LHP CC Sabathia (7-5, 3.85) vs. RHP Scott Baker (6-6, 4.99)

Game Time: 8:10 p.m. EST

TV/Radio: MY9, WCBS

Yankees-Marlins: It Wasn't Pretty, but Yanks Take Opener 8-5

Greg Cohen — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:46:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
SEA	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	2	0	5	12	2
NYY	0	2	0	1	0	0	2	3	X	8	11	0

Winning pitcher—Brian Bruney (3-0)
Losing pitcher—Sean White (2-1)
SV—Mariano Rivera (19)

The Yanks made it six in a row tonight with a 8-5 win over the Seattle Mariners in the Bronx. The win improves the Yanks to 44-32, a season-high 12 games over .500.

Joba Chamberlain started for the Yanks and was matched up against another young starter with a lot of potential, Seattle's Brandon Morrow.

Joba was pretty unimpressive. Once again, he had trouble throwing finding the strike zone and fell into too many deep counts. He needed 96 pitches—only 55 strikes—to get through just 5.1 innings.

It wasn't like he got hammered and he did keep the team in the game, but allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks to a Seattle team that really can't hit isn't anything to be proud of.

While he missed his spots with his fastball all night, the velocity was OK. His fastball averaged 92.02 mph and topped out at 95.3. His slider was OK, but his curveball was nonexistent tonight. He threw just eight of them and only three of those for strikes.

Like Joba, Morrow struggled a bit, and the Yanks made him pay with two early runs. Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada started the second with back-to-back singles.

Hideki Matsui then hit a slow tapper towards third, Chris Woodward bare-handed the ball, bobbled it, regained control, and then fired the ball past first baseman Russell Branyan, allowing Cano to score the Yanks' first run.

Woodward picked up two errors on the play, one for the bobble and another for the throw. The Yanks got their second run on a Melky Cabrera sac fly to deep left-center.

Seattle came back with one of their own in the top of the third when Joba left a fastball up to Ronny Cedeno who sent the ball into the left field seats for his third homer of the year—one of many examples tonight of Joba missing his spots.

The pitch to Cedeno was supposed to be a fastball low and on the outside corner, but he left it up in the zone and Cedeno smashed it.

A single and two walks loaded the bases for the Yanks in the fourth and then Melky extended the Yanks' lead by to two when he drove in a run with a force out. Joba wasn't the only one with command issues as Morrow walked five on the night.

Seattle then tied the game with two runs off Joba in the fifth. Ichiro reached on what was scored a single, but Joba should have easily made the play. He then stole second, and third, and scored on a single by Branyan.

Later in the inning Franklin Gutierrez drove in the M's third run with a two-out RBI single to center.

The Yanks went to the pen with one out in the sixth, bringing in Phil Coke. He once again did a very good job, retiring both hitters he faced.

Phil Hughes then came on for the seventh and needed just nine pitched to breeze through the inning. His stuff continues to be very impressive out of the pen tonight, hitting 96 with his fastball and adding that filthy curveball to go along with it.

Alex Rodriguez then gave the Yanks a lead in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homer off M's reliever Chris Jakubauskas. Johnny Damon, who led off the inning with a ground-rule double, was on second, and even though you never put the lead run on base, with Robinson "double play" Cano on deck I probably would have walked A-Rod. I'm glad they didn't.

Now this is where the game got interesting and, I guess, a little controversial. After needing just nine pitches to get through the seventh, a lot of people thought Joe Girardi should have kept him in the game. Instead, he decided to go with the struggling Brian Bruney, and Bruney continued to struggle.

Gutierrez singled, Woodward singled, and Jojima singled. Just like that, the M's had cut the lead to 5-4 and had two on and nobody out. Cedeno then moved the runners over and Bruney intentionally walked Ichiro to load the bases. Branyan tied the game with a sac fly and Bruney then got out of the inning by getting Jose Lopez to ground into a force.

I totally understand why people wanted Hughes in this spot, and I would have had no problem if that was the road Girardi decided to take. Hughes looked great in the seventh and has been lights-out since moving to the pen.

But at the same time, I also completely understand and agree with Girardi's decision to go with Bruney. After all, he is the team's setup man and they need to get him going.

I could understand if we were dealing with a really tough lineup, but this is the Mariners. Only the Padres have scored fewer runs. It didn't work out tonight, but I really don't think this was a major mistake on Girardi's part.

In the end it didn't matter because the Yanks came back with three runs to regain the lead. Matsui led off with a double and Nick Swisher reached on a bunt single and the Yanks were set up. Melky then stepped up and drove in his third run of the contest with an RBI double into the right-centerfield gap.

At this point, I actually expect Melky to come through in these situations. Derek Jeter then put the game away with a two-run single over the drawn in infield.

Mariano Rivera made it save 501 tonight with a very quick and easy ninth inning. He retired the M's in order and needed just 11 pitches to do so. Besides Bruney it was another very impressive night for the Yankees pen.

It was very cool of the Yankees to have Rivera throw out tonight's ceremonial first pitch in honor of his 500th save. I can't remember seeing any other active player throw out a first pitch before a game he was set to play in.

By the way, did anyone see what happened in Baltimore tonight?

Boston was leading the O's 10-1 in the bottom of the seventh, but then the Baltimore scored five in the seventh and another five in the eighth to take an 11-10 lead. The big hit was a two-run double by Nick Markakis off Jonathan Papelbon to give the O's the lead. George Sherrill then shut the door in the ninth to close out the great comeback.

The Yanks are now just 2.5 behind Boston.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	5	0	1	2	0	2	3	.307
Damon, LF	4	1	2	0	1	0	1	.291
Teixeira, 1B	5	0	1	0	0	1	4	.275
Rodriguez, A, 3B	4	1	1	2	1	1	2	.233
Cano, 2B	4	2	2	0	0	1	2	.300
Posada, C	2	1	1	0	2	0	0	.275
Matsui, H, DH	3	0	1	0	1	0	3	.248
1-Gardner, PR-DH	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.289
Swisher, RF	4	1	1	0	0	1	5	.237
Cabrera, Me, CF	3	1	1	3	0	1	2	.286
Totals	34	8	11	7	5	7	22
1-Ran for Matsui, H in the eighth
BATTING 2B: Damon 2 (19, Morrow, Jakubauskas), Matsui, H (13, White), Cabrera, Me (12, White). HR: Rodriguez, A (12, 7th inning off Jakubauskas, 1 on, 1 out). TB: Jeter; Damon 4; Teixeira; Rodriguez, A 4; Cano 2; Posada; Matsui, H 2; Swisher; Cabrera, Me 2. RBI: Cabrera, Me 3 (31), Rodriguez, A 2 (39), Jeter 2 (32). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez, A 2; Jeter; Matsui, H 2. SF: Cabrera, Me. GIDP: Teixeira. Team RISP: 4-for-16. Team LOB: 8. FIELDING DP: (Rodriguez, A-Teixeira).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Chamberlain	5.1	9	3	3	3	4	1	3.89
Coke	0.2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.24
Hughes, P	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	4.34
Bruney (BS, 1)(W, 3-0)	1.0	3	2	2	1	0	0	3.95
Rivera, Ma (S, 19)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2.84

MARINERS STATS

Player of the Game: Melky Cabrera (1-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, R)

Honorable Mention: Alex Rodriguez (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB)

Tomorrow's Game:

Yankees vs. Mariners
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (7-4, 3.55) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (3-3, 3.79)

Mo Picks Up Save No. 500 as New York Yanks Sweep Mets

Greg Cohen — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:38:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYY	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	4	0
NYM	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0

Winning pitcher - Chien-Ming Wang (1-6)
Losing pitcher - Livan Hernandez (5-3)
SV - Mariano Rivera (18)

Mariano Rivera threw a first pitch cutter to Alex Cora, perfectly placed up-and-in, and Cora could only do what so many left-hand hitters have before him - ground out weakly to second for the final out in the game. It was also the final out of Mo's 500th career save. He joins Trevor Hoffman as the only two pitchers in major league baseball's 500 save club.

Tonight he needed four outs to for the save thanks to a poor performance from Brian Bruney, but more on that in a bit. First, a little more on Mo's 500th; Joe Girardi caught Mo's first save all the way back on May 18, 1996 against the Angels, a game that Andy Pettitte won. Mo needed just 23 pitches tonight, 16 of which were strikes.

Chien-Ming Wang also picked up something of a milestone tonight, his first win in over a year—379 days to be exact. Wang was not sharp, but the results are what matters, and based on the results it was a pretty decent start.

In 5.1 innings, he allowed two runs on four hits, walked three, and struck out three. He threw just 85 pitches on the night and only 49 of them found the strikezone. As you can see he didn't have his best command and walked too many batters.

Had he been facing anything better than a Triple-A lineup he probably would have given up five or six runs. Either way, it's definitely a confidence boost for Wang.

The Yankees—and Mets' first baseman Daniel Murphy—gave Wang all the runs he'd need with a three-spot in the first inning. Derek Jeter led off the game with a double. Then Nick Swisher stepped up and hit a grounder to Murphy who decided to try to get Jeter at third, the only problem was he double clutched, the throw was late, and everyone was safe.

Even after the double clutch, he still had enough time to get the sure out at first, but for some reason he decided to go to third.

Mark Teixeira quickly made the Mets pay when he lined a two-run double into the left field corner.

Alex Rodriguez then walked and Robinson Cano followed with what should have been his first of three double plays on the night, but Murphy (again) couldn't come up with the return throw from Cora and Cano was safe. Jorge Posada then drove in Teixeira with a sac-fly and the Yanks led three-zip.

That's how the score would remain until Wang ran into some trouble in the fourth when he allowed two runs to score. Fernando Martinez drove in the first run with an RBI double, then two batters later Luis Castillo drove in another with an RBI single. That would be it for the mighty Mets' offense tonight.

The bullpen once again did a good job tonight. Phil Coke retired the only batter he faced, the left-handed Martinez on a strikeout. Phil Hughes had another impressive outing, allowing just a walk and striking out one in 1.1 scoreless.

Bruney came on for the eighth and like I said before, he struggled. He walked two of the four batters he faced including a four-pitch walk to David Wright to start the inning. And while he did get two outs he still had to be taken out of the game with two men on and hand the ball to Mo for a four-out save.

As we know already, Mo handled it pretty well, but still Bruney has to do a better job of throwing strikes.

The Yanks scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth, and they did so in the most improbable fashion. Francisco Rodriguez came in and Posada blooped a leadoff single into very short center. It was a ball Cora should have caught, but apparently there was some miscommunication between he and Luis Castillo.

After Melky Cabrera grounded into a force out, Brett Gardner walked to put runners on first and second. Damon then lined out and K-Rod decided to walk Jeter to face Mariano Rivera.

It was clearly a no-brainer decision for the Mets, but for some reason K-Rod actually threw him a strike, which prompted Jeter to give a pretty funny look as if to say, "You're pitching to me with him on deck?"

Eventually they walked him intentionally and that brought up Mo. Rivera got ahead in the count 2-0, then after watching strike one he took a big cut and fouled back strike two.

K-Rod then missed with a fastball up and Mo was now just one pitch away from being walked with the bases loaded to force in a run. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat K-Rod threw a four-seamer that missed up-and-in, and Mo had his first career walk and RBI, and the Yanks had a 4-2 lead.

I think it's time for Joe Girardi to move Robinson Cano down in the order. He's hitting just .215 with RISP this season and you can't have that hitting behind Teixeira and A-Rod. Move Posada or Nick Swisher up and drop Cano to sixth or seventh, tonight alone he went 0-for-4, grounded into two (should have been three) double plays and left nine men on base.

The Yanks did what they were supposed to this weekend and swept a Mets team that was without most of their best players. Boston lost today so the Yanks head into the off day 3 games out of first and two games up on the wild card. They will open a series with the Mariners on Tuesday at the new stadium.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	2	1	1	0	3	0	0	.309
Swisher, RF	2	1	0	0	1	0	1	.237
Hughes, P, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Matsui, H, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.246
Bruney, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Rivera, Ma, P	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.000
Teixeira, 1B	4	1	1	2	1	1	5	.276
Rodriguez, A, 3B	1	0	1	0	3	0	0	.232
Cano, 2B	4	0	0	0	0	0	9	.297
Posada, C	3	0	1	1	0	0	0	.272
Cabrera, Me, LF-RF	4	1	0	0	0	1	1	.286
Gardner, CF	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	.289
Wang, P	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Coke, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Damon, LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	.288
Totals	27	4	4	4	11	2	20
a-Grounded out for Hughes, P in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Jeter (15, Hernandez, L), Teixeira (22, Hernandez, L). TB: Jeter 2; Teixeira 2; Rodriguez, A; Posada. RBI: Teixeira 2 (60), Posada (33), Rivera, Ma (1). 2-out RBI: Rivera, Ma. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano 2; Teixeira 2. SF: Posada. GIDP: Cano 2; Wang. Team RISP: 1-for-8. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Cabrera, Me (5, 2nd base off Rodriguez, F/Santos, O). CS: Cano (3, 2nd base by Hernandez, L/Schneider). FIELDING DP: (Jeter-Cano-Teixeira).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Wang (W, 1-6)	5.1	4	2	2	3	3	0	10.06
Coke (H, 5)	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.31
Hughes, P (H, 2)	1.1	0	0	0	1	1	0	4.44
Bruney (H, 7)	0.2	0	0	0	2	1	0	2.84
Rivera, Ma (S, 18)	1.1	1	0	0	0	2	0	2.93

METS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mariano Rivera (500th save and first RBI.)

HONORABLE MENTION: Derek Jeter (1-for-2, 2B, 3 BB, R)

Tomorrow's Game

Off day.

This Week in Yankees History (June 28- July 4)

Greg Cohen — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:53:00 -0400

This Week in Yankees History

June 28 - July 4

June 28

1907 - The last place Nationals steal a record 13 bases off catcher Branch Rickey in a 16-5 win over the Yankees. Rickey, acquired last February from the Browns, is pressed into service despite having a bad shoulder because of the injury to starting C Red Kleinow.

Rickey's first throw to 2B ends up in RF and the subsequent tosses are not much better. He almost nips Jim Delahanty on a steal of 3B. In his 8 innings, reliever Lew Brockett helps the Nats with a deliberate windup. Only P Tom Hughes and 2B Nig Perrine are steal-less, while Hal Chase swipes 1 for the Yankees.

1915 - Yankees purchased P Bob Shawkey from the A’s for $8,500. Bob would pitch for the Yankees from 1915-1927. Bob would win 168 games for the Yankees, appearing in 415 games with 1,163 strikeouts in 2,489 innings.

He would complete 161 games and have 26 shutouts. His Yankee career ERA was 3.10. He would manage the Yankees in 1930 finishing in third place in the AL with an 86-68 record. He would be succeeded by former Cubs manager Joe McCarthy in 1931.

1916 - Yankees OF Lee Magee collects a record-tying four assists.

1919 - Red Sox submariner starter Carl Mays hurls two complete games beating the Yankees, by a score of 2-0, in the first game and losing the nightcap, by the score of 4-1.

1922 - Senators Ace Walter Johnson wins another 1-0 battle, this one over the Yankees, for his third straight shutout and 97th in his MLB career. Johnson strikes out nine batters. Waite Hoyt loses a tough one for the Yankees, just allowing just two hits in the first eight innings. Earl Smith's double in the ninth inning drives home the winning run.

1928 - Yankees OF Babe Ruth slugs two HRs to lead the Yankees to a 10-4 victory over the A’s, as the A’s veteran OF Ty Cobb appears in his 3,000th MLB career game.

1939 - The Yankees hit eight HRs in the first game of a doubleheader with the A's, and five more HRs in the nightcap. Both are MLB records, as is the 53 total bases in a doubleheader. Joe DiMaggio, Babe Dahlgren, and Joe Gordon each hit three HRs in the doubleheader.

Other Yankee HRs were hit by Billy Dickey, George Selkirk, Tommy Henrich and Frank Crosetti. The Yankees win the opener by a score of 23-2 and take the nightcap by a score of 10-0.

1941 - Former Yankees P Al Downing (1961-69) was born. Al was the 1st black Yankees starter. In 1964, he led the AL in strikeouts with 217. His best Yankees season was in 1967, going 14-10 and making the AL All Star team. In 1968, he suffered an arm injury, just going 3-3.

His last Yankees season was in 1969, he went 7-5. On Dec. 5, 1969, Al was traded by the Yankees along with reserve C Frank Fernandez to the A’s for INF Danny Cater and C Ossie Chavarria.

1941 - Former Yankees P Fred Talbot (1966-69) was born. Fred Talbot went 14-24 for the Yankees after coming from the A’s during the 1966 AL season, before being unloaded to the Pilots in 1968. Jim Bouton wrote about him in his book “Ball Four.”

1941 - Former Yankees reserve OF Len Boehmer (1969,1971) was born. His best showing with the Yankees was in 1969, hitting .179.

1949 - After missing the 1st 69 games of the 1949 AL season because of an ailing heel, Joe DiMaggio wakes to find the pain has disappeared. He returns to the Yankee lineup with a single and a HR that help the Bombers beat the Red Sox by the score of 6-4 in a night game at Fenway Park. He will hit 4 HRs in a three-game sweep of the Red Sox.

1958 - Former Yankees P Clay Christiansen (1984) was born. On June 3, 1980, Clay was drafted by the Yankees in the 15th round of the 1980 MLB amateur player draft. In 1984, Clay went 2-for-4 in 24 games for the Yankees.

1960 - Former Yankees minor league OF John Elway was born. John Elway was drafted by the Royals in the 1979 MLB amateur draft but did not sign with the club. He was again selected in the 1981 MLB amateur draft by the Yankees. He signed with the club and played right field for the Oneonta Yankees in 1982. He hit .318 in 42 games before giving up baseball for pro football.

1961 - Angels’ starter Ryne Duren goes eight innings and strikes out 12 former Yankee teammates to give the Angels, a 5-3 victory over New York. Mickey Mantle drives in all three Yankee runs, including two runs on a HR.

1962 - Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle break a 0-0 tie in the 4th inning with back-to-back HRs to lead the Yankees to a 4-2 win over the Twins.

1963 - Former Yankees HOF 3B Frank “Homerun” Baker (1916-1919, 1921-1922) passes away (1886-1963). On February 15, 1916, Frank was purchased by the Yankees from the A’s for $37,500. He would play 3B for the Yankees.

After his wife’s death, Frank had stayed home for during the 1920 AL season to care for his family. He came out of retirement in 1921 to help solidified the Yankee infield until the arrival of Joe Dugan. Frank would lead the Yankees in hitting in 1917-18 (.282 and .306) He would also lead the Yankees in hits from 1917-1919. He was originally signed with Connie Mack’s A’s.

1966 - At Fenway Park, the last place Red Sox cash in five Yankee errors to top the visitors, by a score of 5-3. All of New York's scoring comes from Mickey Mantle, who blasts a two-run HR in the first inning and an opposite field HR on the LF screen in the 8th inning.

1976 - Tigers' rookie starting pitcher Mark 'the Bird' Fidrych amuses a national “Game of the Week” NBC-TV audience talking to the baseball, as he 1-hits the Yankees, in a 5-1 Tigers victory.

1987 - Red Sox DH Don Baylor moves ahead of Ron Hunt on the all-time hit-by-pitch list when the Yankees' Rick Rhoden plunks him during a 6-2 loss. It is the 244th time that Baylor has been hit by the pitch. He'll end with 267, putting him third on the MLB career list behind turn-of-the-century star Hughie Jennings

1996 - Darryl Strawberry's 300th MLB career HR is a dramatic ninth inning, two-run shot, which gives the Yankees a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Royals.

1997 - Yankees hurler David Wells starts the game against the Indians wearing Babe Ruth's autographed cap from the 1934 AL season. Yankees Manager Joe Torre makes him take it off after the first inning, since it doesn't conform to the team's current uniform. Without the cap, Wells blows a 3-0 lead as the Indians go on to a 12-8 victory.

The Indians mount a 19-hit attack, as CF Marquis Grissom accounts for five of the hits, while 3B Matt Williams gets four hits, including a pair of HRs, and drives home six runs.

June 29

1899 - Former Yankees OF Bobby Veach (1925) was born. On May 5, 1925, Bobby was traded by the Red Sox along with Alex Ferguson to the Yankees for Ray Francis and $9,000. As a Yankee, Bobby appeared in 56 games hitting .353. On Aug. 17, 1925, Bobby was selected off waivers by the Senators from the Yankees.

1909 - While Pitching against the Highlanders, Senators starter Walter Johnson gives up a solo HR to Ray Demmitt in the seventh inning, the first HR, he's allowed since his debut in 1907. Demmitt's HR shot is the only score for New York, as Johnson beats them for the 2nd time in 10 days.

1912 - At Fenway Park, the Red Sox sweep two from the Yankees, winning by the scores of 13-6 and 6-0. Smoky Joe Wood wins the nightcap, his second shutout in a row, allowing just one hit, in winning 6-0 in seven innings. Dutch Sterrett's single is the lone hit. In the nightcap, Hick Cady makes two hits in one at-bat. His single scores Jake Stahl from 3B, but umpire Silk O'Loughlin rules that Stahl was balked home. In Cady's second chance, he doubles.

1915 - Led by Tris Speaker's 5-for-5, the Red Sox trip the Yankees, by the score of 4-3, in 10 innings. Red Sox starter Babe Ruth gets the win, going all the way before Sheriff Gainer hits for him in the 10th.

1932 - Yankees sign hurler Charles Devens straight out of Harvard University. Charles went 5-2 in 16 games for the Yankees (1932-1934).

1934 - Lou Gehrig is beaned in an exhibition game played in Norfolk, Virginia, and suffers a concussion.

1941 - In a doubleheader with the Senators, Joe DiMaggio ties and then breaks the AL consecutive game-hitting streak of 41 established by George Sisler. In the opener, he knots the record with a double off Dutch Leonard, and in the nightcap the 'Yankee Clipper' tops the record with a seventh-inning single against Walt Masterson.

1947 - The Yankees began a 19-game winning streak by beating the Senators by a score of 3-1.

1950 - Yankees rookie lefty P Whitey Ford is called up by the Yankees from Kansas City Blues (AAA). He will go 9-1 with 1 save in 20 games with a 2.81 ERA; including a game four 1950 World Series start against the Phillies.

Ford will throw pitching 8-2/3 innings of shutout ball until a dropped fly ball by Gene Woodling allows two Phillies runs to score. Allie Reynolds comes in and strikes out the next batter for the save and completes the four game World Series sweep of the Phillies.

1951 - Former Yankees minor league P Jimmy Freeman was born. Jimmy was originally signed by the Braves, later he was traded to the Orioles organization. On June 15, 1976, he was part of the trade that sent Doyle Alexander to the Yankees. He did not appear with the Yankees at the MLB level.

1958 - Former Yankees hurler Ralph Terry gets 12 run support from his A’s teammates to top the Yankees, by a score of 12-6. Mickey Mantle gets his first hit in his last 17 at-bats against the A's, a third inning HR.

1965 - The Yankees lose All Star RF Roger Maris for 49 games with bone chips in the heel of his right hand. The hand injury will affect Roger’s hitting for the rest of his MLB career.

1966 - At Fenway Park, Mickey Mantle opens the scoring in the first inning with a three-run HR shot, then sandwiches a HR between round trippers by Yankee teammates Bobby Richardson and Joe Pepitone in the third inning in New York's 6-5 win.

The consecutive trifecta was last done for the Yankees in 1947, when Charlie Keller, Joe DiMaggio, and Johnny Lindell connected for HRs. Yankees 2B Bobby Richardson is 5-for-5 in the game. Mantle's two HRs today, are his 37th and 38th at Fenway Park, will be his last HR hit in Boston, and ties him with Babe Ruth for most homers hit by a Red Sox opponent.

1968 - In the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle ties the score with a two-run HR in the sixth inning, but A’s rookie OF Reggie Jackson breaks the tie in the eighth inning with his ninth HR of the year. The A's win the game, by a score of 5-2.

1972 - Jim Palmer's eight-game winning streak ends as the Yankees chase the Orioles ace in the second inning of a 4-3 win. Mel Stottlemyre, with relief help from Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, gains his seventh win of the 1972 AL season.

1987 - Eight HRs are hit in Toronto as the Yankees outlast the Blue Jays, by a score of 15-14. Don Mattingly leads the Yankees power outage with a pair, while Dave Righetti gets the win.

1991 - The visiting Yankees score three runs in the ninth inning off of Brewers closer Dan Plesac to beat Milwaukee, in a 9-8 victory. Kevin Maas and Jesse Barfield hit HR for the Bombers. Teddy Higuera (3-2), in the first year of a $13 million, four-year contract pitches seven innings, allowing three runs.

Higuera, who started the year on the DL, will go on the DL again, when a significant tear to his rotary cuff is discovered. This is his last MLB career appearance.

1997 - At Yankee Stadium, the Indians score seven runs off the usually stingy David Cone, but the Yankees outlast the Indians, by a score of 11-10. With his ninth-inning single, Sandy Alomar extends his hitting streak to 26 games, sixth longest in Tribe club history.

2000 - In a prescient move, the Yankees obtained OF David Justice from the Indians for OF Ricky Ledee and two minor league players to be named. They were minor league pitchers Zach Day and Jake Westbrook. When Shane Spencer goes down with leg injury at Shea Stadium in 10 days, Justice will take over LF.

The trade occurs minutes before the start of the game against Detroit, an 8-0 Yankee victory, Ricky Ledee is scratched from the Yankees starting lineup. The Yankees also tie a MLB record with three sac flies in one inning.

June 30

1905 - At Hill Top Park in New York, Eddie Plank is removed with no outs in the 9th inning and the A's leading, the Highlanders by the score of 7-4. Rube Waddell comes in and retires the Highlanders to preserve the A's victory.

1908 - At New York's Hilltop Park, Red Sox legend Cy Young no-hits the Highlanders, by a score of 8-0. It the third time that the 41-year old Cy Young has accomplished this feat in his long MLB career.

1924 - At Yankee Stadium, 2B Max Bishop and 3B Sammy Hale, the first two men in the A's batting order, draw eight of the nine walks issued by Yankee pitchers in the A's 10-3 win. A .271 hitter for 12 years, "Camera Eye" Bishop will draw 1,153 bases on balls, giving him a walk percentage of .204, which is higher than Babe Ruth's and just behind Ted Williams's .207.

1927 - A crowd of 3,000 fans at Yankee Stadium see the Yankees hand the Red Sox their 12th straight loss, beating the visitors, 13-6 on 19 safeties. Lou Gehrig takes over the HR lead when he clouts his 25th HR in the first inning, a bounce HR off of Slim Harriss, but Babe Ruth, back in the lineup, golfs his 25th HR of the season in the fourth inning, also off of Slim. Lou Gehrig has three hits and also swipes home.

New York (49-20) wins its fifth straight game, while Red Sox loses its 12th straight game.

1928 - The Yankees win two from the Red Sox and close out the month of June 1928 having an 11-1/2 game lead in front of the A's. Yankees game attendance lags, as the 1928 AL race appears to be over. The 1928 Yankees will finish the AL season with a 101-53 record.

1934 - Lou Gehrig plays and hits three triples at Washington. However, the game is rained out after four-and-one-half innings, depriving Gehrig of a record.

1937 - Yankees starter Lefty Gomez has another no-hit bid foiled this time in the fifth inning with a HR by A’s Ron Johnson, as Gomez settles for a one-hitter in an 5-1 win.

1944 - Former Yankees OF/1B/DH Ron “Rocky” Swoboda (1971-73) was born. On June 25, 1971, Ron was traded by the Expos to the Yankees for OF Ron Woods. Ron hit .208 in 152 games for the Yankees.

1945 - Former Yankees INF Jerry Kenney (1967, 1969-72) was born. Jerry was below average INF, who was packaged in the Graig Nettles trade with the Indians in the winter of 1972. He played in 460 games for the Yankees, finishing with a .237 BA.

1950 - Joe and Dom DiMaggio, both hit HR’s in the 10-2, Red Sox victory over Yankees in the nightcap of a doubleheader. It has been 15 years since the two brothers homered in the same game.

1954 - Tom Morgan of the Yankees hits 3 Red Sox batters in the third inning of a 6-1 loss. Mickey Mantle's HR against Red Sox hurler Willard Nixon is the only Yankee run. Also the game was the last MLB game that INF Bobby Brown played as a Yankee, going 2-for-4, then retiring to practice medicine.

1960 - Yankees beat up on their cousins from Kansas City by banging out five HRs to win the game by a score of 10-5. Bill Skowron leads the Yankees attack with two HRs, with one each from Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Tony Kubek.

1961 - Whitey Ford (14-2) tops the expansion Senators by the score of 5-1 to give the second place Yankees their 22nd win of the month. Roger Maris drives in three runs and Mickey Mantle lines shot over CF Willie Tasby's that rebounds for an inside-the-park HR. Whitey Ford becomes the 1st pitcher in AL history to win eight games in one month.

1962 - Former Yankees shortstop Tony Fernandez (1995) was born. Tony was signed as a free agent, played in 108 games batting .245 in 1995.

1975 - Former Yankees minor league P Mike Judd was born. Mike was drafted by the Yankees in the ninth round of the 1995 MLB amateur player draft. He never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB Level. On June 22, 1996, he was traded by the Yankees to the Dodgers for P Billy Brewer.

1975 - The Brewers trip the Yankees, by the score of 5-4, by scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Bobby Darwin's eighth HR of the year is the big blow. Bill Travers (4-0) takes the win. The Brewers, winners of 15 out of their last 21, is in third place in the East.

1977 - Cliff Johnson becomes the second player in three days to hit a pair of HRs in an inning. He hits three consecutive HRs, including two in the eighth inning, as the Yankees rout the Blue Jays by the score of 11-5. New York (42-33) is a half-game behind the Red Sox. That year Cliff would hit .381 with six HRs against the Blue Jays pitching staff.

1985 - Current Yankees minor league P Pat Venditte was born. As of 2009, Pat Venditte is professional baseball's only ambidextrous pitcher. A natural right-hander, Venditte threw with both arms since he was a child, and his father encouraged it.

After attending Creighton University, he was selected by the Yankees in the 20th round of the 2008 MLB amateur draft and made his pro debut that summer with the Staten Island Yankees. With Staten Island, he allowed just three earned runs in 30 appearances, posting a 0.83 ERA, and led the New York-Penn League with 23 saves.

Following the season, he was named MiLB.com Short-Season Relief Pitcher of the Year. He began 2009 with the Charleston Riverdogs and saved 13 games and gave up only two earned runs in his first 18 outings.

Venditte uses a six-fingered glove with two thumbs. In 2008, the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation created a new rule pertaining the ambidextrous pitchers stating that a "pitcher must visually indicate to the umpire, batter and runner(s) which way he will begin pitching to the batter" because of Venditte.

1986 - The Yankees traded veteran OF Ken Griffey Sr. to the Braves for OF Claudell Washington and minor league shortstop Paul Zuvella.

2000 - The Yankees tie a MLB record when three players (Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez and Jose Vizcaino) each hit sacrifice flies in the fourth inning against the Tigers. The MLB record was set by the White Sox on July 1,1962, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Indians.

July 1

1915 - Yankees purchased P Dan Tipple from Indianapolis for undisclosed amount of cash. Dan went 1-1 in three games for the Yankees in 1915.

1935 - Yankees OF George Selkirk suggests a cinder path aka “warning track”, six feet wide, be installed in the outfield so a player knows when he is nearing the wall. MLB ignores his suggestion.

1938 - Yankees C Bill Dickey drives in seven runs during an 8-0 victory over the Senators. Bill hits three-HR in the fourth inning off of Nats starter Harry Kelly. In the fifth inning, he strikes again with a grand slam HR off of Kelly. The Yankees final run was score by a HR hit by Frank Crosetti.

1941 - Before 52,832 fans at Yankee Stadium, Joe DiMaggio leads a sweep of the Red Sox with scores of 7-2 and 9-2. The second game is called after five innings. DiMaggio has two hits in the first game and one in the second to tie Willie Keeler's MLB batting streak of 44 games.

The Yankees have 25 hits in the two games, but fail to hit a HR in the first game, ending their AL streak of 25 consecutive games with at least one HR. The previous record, set by the Tigers in 1940, was 17 games.

1950 - At Fenway Park, starter Tommy Byrne takes the loss for the Yankees, but rookie reliever Whitey Ford does little to help out. In his MLB debut, Ford throws four-and-two-thirds innings, allowing 7 hits, 6 walks, and 5 earned runs. Boston rolls to a 13-4 win. Rookie 1B Walt Dropo hits a grand slam HR for the Red Sox to dump the Yankees into third place in the AL.

1951 - Before 58,815 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees top the Red Sox, by the score of 5-2, behind Eddie Lopat's six-hitter. The victory moves the Yankees ahead of the White Sox by 4 percentage points. Jerry Coleman homers off of Mel Parnell, while Johnny Pesky connects for the Red Sox. Bobby Doerr singles for his 2,000th MLB career hit.

1952 - Former Yankees reserve OF Kerry Dineen (1975-76) was born. He appeared in 29 games for the Yankees in 1975-76, before being traded to the Phillies.

1956 - Mickey Mantle switch-hits HRs in the same game for the fourth time in his MLB career. The Yankees win by the score of 8-6 over the Senators.

1956 - Former Yankees Baseball Executive Brian Sabean (1987-1992) was born. Brian Sabean has been General Manager of the Giants since September 1996. He also served the Giants as a senior vice-president of player personnel in 1995 and assistant to the GM in scouting/player personnel in 1993-1995.

Prior to joining the Giants, he worked in the Yankees organization as Scouting Director in 1987-1990 and director of player development in 1991-1992. Sabean was an assistant coach at Saint Leo University in 1979 and the University of Tampa in 1980-1982. He was the head coach at Tampa in 1983-1984.

1957 - Orioles' P George Zuverink and C Frank Zupo form the first 'Z' battery in MLB history as the Yankees still beat the Birds, by a score of 3-2.

1961 - The expansion Senators stake rookie Carl Mathias to a 3-0 lead over the Yankees, but a Mickey Mantle solo HR shot, a few feet left of the 456-ft sign in LF at Yankee Stadium, puts New York on the board.

The Nats up the score to 5-1, but Mantle then bangs a three-run HR to make it 5-4 and knock out Mathias, who in his 11 ML games will give up 3 HRs to Mantle. In the ninth inning, Roger Maris hits a two-run HR, his 28th, to give the Yankees, a 7-6 victory.

1962 - Angels OF Albie Pearson becomes the first player to go hitless in 11 at bats in a doubleheader (both nine-inning games). The Angels split a doubleheader with the Yankees, losing 6-3 before winning by the score of 12-5. The Angels veteran reliever Art Fowler helps him to a win in the nightcap by driving in 4 runs on a pair of singles. The Yankees take over first place.

1964 - It's "Taxi Day" at Yankee Stadium with nearly 5,000 cabbies and their families are on hand as the A’s runs up the meter to win, a 5-4 victory over the Yankees.

1966 - At Washington, Mickey Mantle HRs in the first inning off of starter Phil Ortega, as Yankees edge the Senators, by a score of 8-6. Mickey scores another run, when Joe Pepitone cracks a two-run HR.

1970 - The return of Denny McLain following his MLB suspension is witnessed by a gathering of 53,863 fans and 71 writers. He is knocked out of the box in the sixth inning, but the Tigers rally to beat the Yankees in the 11th inning by the score of 6-5.

1979 - The Yankees hit five HRs off of Red Sox starter Dennis Eckersley to win, by the score of 6-5. The Red Sox loses speedster Jerry Remy, batting .304 for the 1979 season, when he injures a knee sliding home. He will appear in only seven more games all year. Remy will never swipe more than 16 bases, after averaging 35 steals his first four MLB seasons.

1982 - Former Yankees P Ray Scarborough (1952-53) passed away (1917-1982). On Aug. 22, 1952, Ray was purchased by the Yankees from the Red Sox. Ray went 7-3 in 33 games for the Yankees in 1952-53. He appeared in one game in the 1952 World Series for the Yankees, On Aug. 4, 1953, Ray was released by the Yankees. He would finish the 1953 AL season with the Tigers, retiring at the end of the season.

1990 - Yankees starter Andy Hawkins throws the 1990 AL season's sixth no-hitter, but still loses by the score of 4-0 to the White Sox. With two out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Yankees 3B Mike Blowers misplays Sammy Sosa's routine grounder for an error, and Hawkins walks two to load the bases.

Yankee outfielders Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield drop back-to-back fly balls to allow all four runs to score. Barfield loses Ivan Calderon's fly ball in the sun and the ball bounces off his glove. A’s knuckleball starter Ken Johnson in 1964, was the last pitcher to lose a no-hitter.

1996 - At Yankee Stadium, the Key outguns the Rocket, as Yankees starter Jimmy Key beats Red Sox hurler Roger Clemens, by a score of 2-0. Mike Aldrete's solo HR in the seventh inning is the first score for the Yankees.

2003 - Former Yankees P Bill Miller (1952-1954) passed away. Bill was originally signed by the A’s, and then he went to the Giants organization. On Aug. 1, 1951, Bill was purchased by the Yankees from the Syracuse (IL). Bill appeared in 36 games with the Yankees, going 6-7, before being traded to the Orioles in the big 17-player trade of December 1954.

He went 0-1 for the 1954 Orioles before leaving the MLB as an active player.

2005 - In the game of the year, the Yankees beat the Red Sox 5-4 in 13 innings. The score was tied 3-3 after nine innings and both teams had to wiggle their way out of many jams to keep it that way.

In the 12th inning, the Red Sox had runners on second and third with two outs when Trot Nixon lifted a fly ball to shallow left field. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter raced out and caught the ball before diving headfirst into the stands and bloodying his face, forcing him to leave the game.

In the top of the 13th inning, Manny Ramirez homered to give the Red Sox the lead, but the Yankees staged a two-out rally in the bottom half of the 13th inning. Ruben Sierra singled, then came around to score on Miguel Cairo's game-tying RBI double.

Pinch hitter John Flaherty, the last man off the Yankees' bench, followed that up with a game-winning ground-rule single to score Cairo.

July 2

1912 - At Hill Top Park in New York City, Red Sox Larry Gardner legs out 2 inside-the-park HRs but the Red Sox still lose the game by the score of 9-7, to the Yankees.

1922 - The A’s OF Tilly Walker hits 2 HRs, giving him 4 in 2 days, as the A's lose to the Yankees by the score of 9-3. He will finish with 37 HRs for the season, 2 ahead of Yankees Babe Ruth. The A’s, with the AL's winningest pitcher in Eddie Rommel (27-13) and losingest in Slim Harriss (9-20) will lead the AL with 114 HRs and climb out of the cellar.

1931 - Babe Ruth homers to drive in a run for the 11th consecutive game as the Yankees drub the Tigers by a score of 12-1. Ruth has 18 RBI in the string.

1938 - Former Yankees reliever Hal Reniff (1961-67) was born (1938-2004). Hal was signed as free agent in 1956. He appeared in 247 games with Yankees posting an 18-20 record with 41 saves out of the Yankees bullpen, before being sold to the Mets in June of 1967.

Hal would pitch for the Yankees AAA team in Syracuse in the early 1970’s, before retiring as an active player.

1941 - On sweltering day in front of 52,832 fans at Yankee Stadium, Joe DiMaggio breaks Wee Willie Keeler's 1897's MLB record consecutive game hit streak of 45 games with a three-run HR off of Red Sox hurler Richard Newsome.

1946 - The Yankees nip the Red Sox by the score of 2-1, before a Yankee Stadium crowd of 69,107 fans. Yankees starter Spud Chandler walks nine batters in the first four innings, but takes a no-hitter into the ninth inning, before Red Sox INF Bobby Doerr hits a 1-out single.

1948 - The Senators beat the Yankees, by the score of 2-1, in 12 innings as Walt Masterson allows only three hits and goes all the way for the win. Tom McBride makes 12 putouts to set the AL record for PO in LF in extra innings. The Yankees drop two games behind 1st-place Indians and one-and-one-half games behind the A's.

1951 - The Yankees gain a split of their four-game series at Fenway Park by trouncing the Red Sox by a score of 15-9. Veteran Johnny Mize plays 1B for the Yankees; he contributes with a HR and a single.

1961 - The Yankees hit 5 HRs including HR No. 28 by Mickey Mantle and HRs Nos. 29 and 30 by Roger Maris to easily beat the expansion Senators, by a score of 13-4.

1962 - At Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle deposits a 6th inning HR halfway up the third tier in RF to lead the Yankees to a 8-4 win over the A's. Mick walks his other three times up.

1964 - Former Yankees DH Jose Canseco (2000) was born. Jose was claimed on waivers from the Devil Rays during the 2000 AL season. He appeared in 37 games with 6 HRS, 19 RBIs with .243 BA.

1964 - Former Yankees minor league P Ozzie Canseco was born. Ozzie was signed as a pitcher by the Yankees as a second round draft choice in 1983 MLB player draft. He was released by the Yankees organization on July 4, 1986.

1966 - Frank Howard, Don Lock, and Ken McMullen hit consecutive HRs with two outs in the 6th inning, as Senators starter Mike McCormick pitches a complete game. The Senators defeat a winless Whitey Ford and the Yankees, by a score of 10-4.

Mike McCormick is the winner for the Senators, giving up five hits including a Mickey Mantle HR, his 14th of the 1966 AL season, in the ninth inning.

1978 - Ron Guidry wins his 13th consecutive game, the best start in Yankees history, in beating the Tigers, by a score of 3-2. With the Yankees down 2-0, Mickey Rivers long drive to right is caught by a fan reaching down to take it away from Detroit's Mickey Stanley.

The fan drops the ball and Stanley, waiting for an interference call, fails to retrieve the ball. “Mick the Quick” motors for an inside-the-park HR and the Yankees tie the game at 2-2, eventually winning it.

2002 - The Yankees obtained OF Raul Mondesi from the Blue Jays in exchange for minor league P Scott Wiggins.

July 3

1911 - At Philadelphia, the A's 3B Frank “Home Run” Baker hits for the cycle in a 5-1 victory over the Yankees in second game of a doubleheader.

1912 - Walter Johnson picks up a win and is given a rare rest in the sixth inning as Senators coasts to a 10-2 win over the Highlanders. Johnson will rack up an AL record 16 straight wins before he is beaten.

1914 - A’s starters Chief Bender and Bob Shawkey whitewash the Yankees, by the scores of 2-0 and 1- 0, for an A's doubleheader sweep.

1914 - Former Yankees reserve C Buddy Rosar (1939-42) was born (1914-1994). Buddy was the back up catcher for the Yankees. In 1942, Buddy was selected to AL All Star team. On Dec. 17, 1942, he was traded by the Yankees along with Roy Cullenbine to the Indians for Roy Weatherly and Oscar Grimes.

1922 - Former Yankees pitching coach and MLB player Art Fowler (1975-78) was born. Art was longtime pitching coach for Manager Billy Martin.

1922 - Bob Meusel hits for the cycle for the second time in his MLB career to pace the Yankees to a 12-1 whipping of the A’s. Meusel and Ruth go back-to-back in the seventh inning as Carl Mays cruises to his 22nd straight win over the A’s. As noted by baseball historian Ted Farmer, all of Carl Mays wins against the A’s have been complete games.

1923 - For the second time of the 1923 AL season, Babe Ruth hits a 15th inning game-winning-HR, as Yankee starter Joe Bush going all 15 innings gets a 2-1 victory over the Senators.

1925 - Yankees released veteran OF Whitey Witt (1922-25). On April 17, 1922, Whitey was purchased by the Yankees from the A’s. He appeared in 464 games for the Yankees, hitting .300; Whitey appeared in the 1922 and 1923 World Series for the Yankees, hitting .233 in 11 games.

1932 - With a Boston law restricting games within 1000 feet of a church on Sundays no longer in effect, the first Sunday game is played at Fenway Park with the Red Sox losing to the Yankees, by a score of 13-2.

1940 - Former Yankee reserve INF Cesar Tovar (1976) was born. On Sept. 1, 1976, he was signed as a free agent with the Yankees. He was only in 13 games for the Yankees, hitting just .154. On Dec. 17, 1976, he was released by the Yankees.

1941 - Former Yankees reliever Casey Cox (1972-73) was born. On Aug. 30, 1972, Casey was traded by the Rangers to the Yankees for P Jim Roland. Casey appeared in six games going 0-1 for the Yankees.

1950 - Yankees rookie 1B Joe Collins is not hitting well, with veteran OF/1B Tommy Henrich still injured. Yankees Co-Owner Dan Topping asks veteran CF Joe DiMaggio to play 1B in an experiment.

In the 7-2 Yankees loss, he handles 13 plays cleanly but is clearly not happy with the move. He goes back into OF when RF Hank Bauer sprains his ankle. After this one-game experiment, Joe returns to the outfield. Yankees Manager Casey Stengel was hoping the new position for Joe DiMaggio would extend his playing career with the Yankees.

Joe never forgave Casey for not asking him to his face to play 1B for the team. Fortunately Tommy Henrich returns and plays an excellent 1B for the Yankees.

1951 - Former Yankees reliever Hugh Casey (1949) shoots himself in a hotel room in Atlanta, GA. He was 37 years old. At the time of his death, Casey was pitching for the Atlanta Crackers, a minor league team. Hugh Casey spent most of his MLB career with the Dodgers.

On Sept. 4, 1949, Hugh was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. He appeared in four games with 1-0 record. On Oct. 13, 1949, Casey was released by the Yankees. He never appeared in the majors again.

1953 - Former Yankees P Frank Tanana (1993) was born. On Sept. 17, 1993, Frank was traded by the Mets to the Yankees for minor league P Kenny Greer. Frank went 0-3 in three games for the Yankees.

1960 - Before 50,556 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees sweep two games from the Tigers, winning by scores of 7-6 and 6-2. In the opener, Yankees closer Ryne Duren fans Tigers OF Charlie Maxwell with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning.

Detroit is ahead by the score of 2-1 in the night cap, when Norm Cash argues at length about a call at 1B, and he finally gets tossed from the game, when play resumes Tigers reliever Pete Burnside serves up a three-run HR to Mickey Mantle, who is batting righty. The Yankees are 23-5 since June 5, now lead the AL by three games.

1962 - The Yankees need all 5 HRs, two each by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, plus one by 2B Bobby Richardson to edge the A's by a score of 8-7. Mantle's second HR, in the eighth inning, is the tiebreaker.

1966 - Mickey Mantle hits a first inning HR, and for the second time this week has hit three HRs in consecutive times at-bat. New York blows a 5-0 lead in the eighth inning as the Senators storm back.

Bobby Richardson HRs in the 11th inning to give New York, a 6-5 lead. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Paul Casanova goes is on 1B, when a sac bunt moves him to 2B. He overruns the bag and decides to head to 3B, where he knocks the ball away from INF Tom Tresh. He then continues to home where he is thrown out by a mile.

1967 - Current Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman was born. Brian Cashman has been General Manager of the Yankees since 1998. Under his leadership, the Yankees have won three World Series championships and five AL pennants. He previously served as Yankees assistant GM from 1995 to 1997. Brian replaced GM Bob Watson in 1998.

1975 - Former Yankees P Christian Parker (2001) was born. Christian went 0-1 with the Yankees in 2001. On Mar. 22, 2000, he was sent by the Expos to the Yankees to complete an earlier deal made on Dec. 22, 1999.

The Expos sent players to be named later and P Jake Westbrook to the Yankees for P Hideki Irabu. The Expos will send P Ted Lilly on Mar. 17, 2000 and P Christian Parker on March 22, 2000 to the Yankees to complete the trade.

1977 - Yankees starter Ron Guidry pitches his second consecutive shutout of the 1977 AL season, a 6-hit, 2-0 win over the Tigers. Yankees Roy White broke up the scoreless duel with a run-scoring double in the eighth inning.

1978 - At Fenway Park, Carl Yastrzemski strokes a run-scoring double in the third, his 2,800th MLB career hit, as the Red Sox pummel the Yankees, 9-5. Yaz adds two singles in Boston's 12-hit attack, as Dennis Eckersley (9-2) tops Ed Figueroa. The win moves Boston ahead of second place Brewers by seven-and-one-half games with the Yankees now trailing by eight games.

1980 - The MLB's largest crowd in seven years (73,096) watches Wayne Garland two-hit the Yankees by the score of 7-0 at Cleveland Stadium.

1996 - The Yankees sign Venezuelan OF Jackson Melian, who had just turned 16, to a contract for $1.6 million. His bonus is a record for Latino ball players. He never reaches the MLB as a player.

July 4

1884 - Former Yankees P John “Jack” Warhop (1908-1915) was born. Jack went 69-93 in 221 games for the Yankees.

1904 - Jack Chesbro, the Highlanders spit-ball starter, wins his 14th game in a row, an AL pitching record until the Senators Walter Johnson wins 16 straight in 1912. The A's lose both games today, as the Highlanders sweep the three-game series.

1925 - The A’s Lefty Grove battles the Yankees' Herb Pennock 15 innings before taking a 1-0 loss. Herb Pennock is a model of control, issuing no walks and giving up only four hits.

1927 - The Yankees sweep the Senators in a doubleheader, winning by score of 12-1 in both games.

1930 - Current Yankees owner George Steinnbrenner was born in Cleveland, OH. The owner of the New York Yankees since 1973 when he bought them from CBS for $10 million, George Steinbrenner is well known for his love of firing managers. He hired and fired Billy Martin five times.

In more recent times he has changed that reputation sticking with Joe Torre as manager from 1996 to 2007. Since he has owned the club, the Yankees have won the World Series six times. Steinbrenner was routinely parodied on the show Seinfeld.

His voice was portrayed by the show's co-creator Larry David. He was also banned from baseball in 1990 by MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent for associating with gamblers to damage the reputation of former Yankees player Dave Winfield.

He was re-instated by MLB in 1993. After the 2008 AL season, he stepped down and handed control of the team to his son Hal Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner was also a assistant football coach at both Northwestern University and Purdue University

1932 - Yankees All Star C Bill Dickey punches and breaks Carl Reynolds's jaw after the Senator OF collides with him on a close play at home plate. The AL suspends the Yankees catcher for 30 days and fines him $1,000 for his one-punch fight.

1933 - The Senators widen their lead over the second-place Yankees to two-and-one-half games with a double-bill victory before 77,365 holiday fans at Yankee Stadium, 6-5 in 10 innings and 3-2. The Yankees would finish in second place in 1933 with a 90-59 record.

1934 - The 1934 AL pennant race has seesawed between the Yankees and Tigers with New York only 1 game ahead. The improved Red Sox are six-and-one-half games behind, and the Senators, last year's AL Champion, are seven games back and dropping fast. The Yankees would finish in second place in 1934 with a 94-60 record.

1937 - After the July fourth games are played, the Yankees have opened a three-and-one-half game lead over the White Sox in the AL.

1939 - It's “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” at Yankee Stadium with "The Iron Horse's” Yankees uniform No. 4 will be the first uniform ever to be retired. After emcee Sid Mercer informs the sell-out crowd the man of the hour is too moved to speak, Lou Gehrig changes his mind, when Yankee Manager Joe McCarthy encourages him, and delivers the keynote address history describing himself as "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

1942 - Former Yankees INF Hal Lanier (1972-73) was born. Hal was a good fielding INF with a weak bat. He was son of former NL pitching star Max Lanier.

1948 - Former Yankees minor league player OF/DH/C Wayne Nordhagen was born. On June 7, 1968, Wayne was drafted by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 1968 MLB amateur player draft.

On June 7,1973, he was traded by the Yankees along with players to be named later and OF/1B Frank Tepedino to the Braves for starter Pat Dobson. The Yankees would send P Dave Cheadle on August 15, 1973 and P Al Closter on Sept. 5,1973 to the Braves to complete the trade.

1954 - Yankees purchased P Marlin Stuart from the Orioles on waivers. Marlin went 3-0 in 10 games with one save for the Yankees in 1954.

1954 - Former Yankees P Jim Beattie (1978-79) was born. Jim was drafted by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 1975 MLB amateur player draft. Jim went 9-15 in 40 games with the Yankees (1978-79).

On Nov. 1, 1979, Jim was traded by the Yankees along with P Rick Anderson, OF Juan Beniquez, and C Jerry Narron to the Mariners for OF Ruppert Jones and minor league P Jim Lewis. His MLB pitching career would end with shoulder problems. Jim has worked in the front offices for the Expos and Orioles, as a General Manager.

1959 - Yankees starter Bob Turley turns in another 1-hit masterpiece at Washington’s Griffth Stadium. A lazy fly ball in the ninth inning by PH Julio Becquer drops in front of LF Norm Siebern for the only Senators hit. Yankees Shortstop Tony Kubek goes 8-for-10 in the doubleheader, as the Yankees sweep the Nats by scores of 10-6 and 7-0.

1960 - Mickey Mantle's three-run first-inning HR off of P Hal Woodeshick is the 300th HR of his MLB career. Mantle becomes the 18th MLB player to join the 300 HR MLB club, but the Yankees drop a 9-8 decision to Senators.

1961 - Before 74,246 fans, the largest crowd at Yankee Stadium since 1947, the Yankees split a doubleheader with the Tigers, winning the opener 6-2, before losing the nightcap 4-3 in 10 innings.

1964 - At Yankee Stadium, the Twins are leading the Yankees by a score of 5-4, when Mickey Mantle parks a three-run HR shot off of Twins reliever Al Worthington in the eighth inning to win it, by a score of 7-5.

1967 - At Metropolitan Stadium in Minnesota, Twins starter Jim “Mudcat” Grant stops the Yankees to give the Twins, an 8-3 victory. Mickey Mantle drives in all three Yankees runs with 2 HRs.

1967 - Yankees obtained veteran starter Steve Barber from the Orioles for 1B Ray “Buddy” Barker, minor league Outfielders Chet Trail and Joe Brody plus cash. Barber was washed up, never fully recovering from his arm problems.

He went 12-14 in 37 games for the Yankees (1967-68) before being drafted by the Seattle Pilots in the 1968 AL expansion player draft. Steve passed way in February of 2007.

1974 - Former Yankees co-owner Del Webb (1945-1964) passed away (1899-1974). He became part owner of the New York Yankees in 1945, when he was part of a group that purchased the team from the estate of the late Jacob Ruppert.

The group included Dan Topping and Larry MacPhail. Dan Topping and Del Webb bought out Larry McPhail after the 1947 World Series. Dan Topping and Del Webb sold the club to CBS, Inc. in November of 1964.

1977 - Yankees stay one game ahead of the Red Sox by edging the Indians, by a score of 7-5. The Yankees get HRs from Chris Chambliss, Roy White, Lou Piniella, and Graig Nettles.

1983 - Lefty starter Dave Righetti pitches the Yankees' 1st no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, handcuffing the Red Sox by a score of 4-0 before a holiday crowd of 41,077 fans at Yankee Stadium. It's the first no-hitter by a Yankee lefty starter since George Mogridge in 1917.

1984 - Yankees starter Phil Niekro strikes out five batters in the Yankees' 5-0 win over Rangers to become the ninth pitcher in MLB history to record 3,000 MLB career strikeouts.

1986 - At Comiskey Park, with the score 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, White Sox OF John Cangelosi leads off with a drive to the RF corner. A fans leans out of the stands and appears to touch the ball as he tumbles onto the field.

Anticipating an interference call, Yankees OF Claudell Washington slows down, while the speedy Cangelosi easily makes 3B. The umps don't see any interference and Cangelosi remains on 3B, and scores on a sac fly. White Sox win the game by a score of 2-1.

1988 - Rangers starter Charlie Hough strikes out four batters in the first inning of a 13-2 loss to the Yankees.

1996 - The Yankees provide the fourth of July fireworks, by signing free agent Darryl Strawberry. On June 24, Yankee GM Bob Watson said five times that Strawberry "doesn't fit" with the Yankees. Strawberry will be assigned to the AAA Columbus Clippers (IL).

2002 - The Yankees defeat the Indians by a score of 7-1. Indians slugger Jim Thome has his streak of consecutive games hitting a HR stopped at seven games, one short of the MLB record.

2003 - In a 10-3 victory over the Yankees, the Red Sox score all their runs with the long ball hitting a record 7 HR’s off the Yankee pitchers. Prior to today's Independence Day fireworks, the Bronx Bombers had given up six HRS in a game four times, including two to Boston (1997 and 1977) and the Indians (1970).

previous week

(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)

Yanks Drop Rubber Game, Girardi Wants a Do-Over

Greg Cohen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:46:00 -0400

(REUTERS/Hans Deryk)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYY	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	8	1
FLA	1	0	0	0	2	1	2	0	X	6	9	0

Winning pitcher - Chris Volstad (5-7)
Losing pitcher - Brett Tomko (0-2)
SV - Matt Lindstrom (14)

I'll get to the do-over part later, but first about the game. The Yankees dropped another series, losing 6-5 to the Marlins in tonight's rubber game. It was the Yanks' second straight series loss, and third out of their last four.

CC Sabathia allowed back-to-back hits and a run to start off the game, and was gone after allowing another double in the second because he has "tightness" in his left bicep.

After the game, he told reporters that Dr. Dan Kanell checked him out and told him he had biceps tendinitis. He's listed as day-to-day and there are no tests planned. He also said he will make his next start on Friday.

Alfredo Aceves took over for CC with one on and one out in the second and did a very good job. He pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two.

I've heard people asking why he didn't stay in the game longer. He came out after throwing just 43 pitches and the Yankees have an off day tomorrow. I have to agree, Aceves probably should have gone another inning. He's a starter—60 pitches isn't going to ruin the guy's arm.

The Yankees offense gave Aceves a 3-1 lead with three runs in the top of the third. With nobody on, Derek Jeter got on with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Nick Swisher walked to put two on with two out.

Mark Teixeira then lined an RBI double over the drawn-in infield and down the right field line. Alex Rodriguez followed with a two-run single breaking and 0-for-16 slide, and the Yanks had a two-run lead.

Brett Tomko replaced Aceves in the fourth. After pitching a quick 1-2-3 fourth, allowed the Marlins to tie the game on a Hanley Ramirez two-run homer in the fifth. In the sixth, Tomko would allow another bomb, this time off the bat of Cody Ross to give the Marlins a 4-3 lead. In two innings, he allowed three runs on three hits.

Tomko wasn't the only Yankee reliever to struggle tonight.

Phil Coke allowed a hit to the left-handed Chris Coghlan. He would eventually come around to score on a Jorge Cantu two-out RBI single off David Robertson, who also had a rough night. Two runs would score on the play thanks to a throwing error by Melky Cabrera. It proved to be a very important run.

The Yankees offense went to sleep after scoring the three runs in the third and didn't decide to wake up until their were two outs in the top of the ninth. Jorge Posada and Melky Cabrera singled to put two on and two out with Brett Gardner representing the tying run. He then lined a two-run triple deep into the gap in right-center to get the Marlin lead to 6-5.

Johnny Damon then pinch-hit and worked a walk to put runners on the corners. Jeter was up and got jammed on the first pitch he saw—a 94 mph fastball on the inside corner —and weakly grounded into a force to end the game.

Should Jeter have been more patient? Probably, especially with Matt Lindstrom struggling to throw strikes. But Jeter has always been an aggressive hitter, so this shouldn't surprise anyone.

The Yankees have now lost eight of their last 12 and four-of-six to the Marlins and Nationals. With Boston's win today, they are now four games out of first.

The Yankees need to start playing better, and most importantly they need to start hitting the ball.

They now have an off-day before opening up a series in Atlanta with the Braves on Tuesday. Chien-Ming Wang will get the ball in the opener, and look to build off his last start.

Regarding the "do-over" thing, check out this from MLB.com:

The Yankees have protested the game due to confusion created by a Marlins’ double-switch in the top of the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Marlins pinch-hit outfielder Alejandro De Aza for pitcher Renyel Pinto, who was batting ninth. When the inning ended, Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez made a double-switch. Reliever Leo Nunez entered the game, and Chris Coghlan remained in left field.

Nunez threw one pitch to Derek Jeter, a called strike. At that point, Yankees manager Joe Girardi brought to the attention of home plate umpire Tim Timmons that Coghlan was supposed to be out of the game, with De Aza in left field.

For more than five minutes, play was delayed, eventually with Coghlan leaving the field. De Aza headed to left field, only to be replaced by Jeremy Hermida.

After more discussion, it was determined that both Coghlan and De Aza were no longer available. So, the mistake cost the Marlins two players, with Hermida remaining in the game and slotted ninth. Nunez was placed in the leadoff spot.

Crew chief Jeff Kellogg told MLB.com after the game that the umpires are filing an incident report to Major League Baseball. He didn’t elaborate on anything specific.

“We’re going to file an incident report, and all that,” Kellogg said. “The protest is over the pitcher should have been removed from the game, or the pitch should not have counted. That’s the protest. Either or. One or the other should have happened.

“It goes to the league, and they will review everything. They will make a determination after that.”

What the Yankees are hoping is the game is resumed from the top of the eighth inning, no outs, with the Marlins ahead, 6-3.

When Girardi was asked if he hoped the Yankees would return to Miami to resume the game in the eighth inning, he responded: “I do.”

Any chance they get to play those two innings again?

I doubt it.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	5	1	1	0	0	1	2	.301
Swisher, RF	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	.245
Teixeira, 1B	4	1	1	1	0	0	1	.286
Rodriguez, A, 3B	4	0	1	2	0	2	1	.213
Cano, 2B	4	0	0	0	0	1	1	.305
Posada, C	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	.280
Cabrera, M, LF	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	.282
Gardner, CF	4	0	2	2	0	0	0	.284
Sabathia, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Aceves, A, P	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000
Tomko, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Matsui, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.251
Coke, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Robertson, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
b-Damon, PH	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.280
1-Pena, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.247
Totals	35	5	8	5	2	5	6
a-Grounded out for Tomko in the 7th. b-Walked for Robertson in the 9th. 1-Ran for Damon in the 9th.
BATTING 2B: Swisher (17, Volstad), Teixeira (19, Volstad). 3B: Gardner (3, Lindstrom). TB: Jeter; Swisher 2; Teixeira 2; Rodriguez, A; Posada; Cabrera, M; Gardner 4. RBI: Teixeira (56), Rodriguez, A 2 (28), Gardner 2 (11). 2-out RBI: Teixeira; Rodriguez, A 2; Gardner 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez, A; Jeter. Team RISP: 3-for-6. Team LOB: 5. BASERUNNING SB: Jeter (14, 3rd base off Volstad/Paulino). FIELDING E: Cabrera, M (2, throw).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia	1.1	3	1	1	1	1	0	3.71
Aceves, A	2.2	1	0	0	0	2	0	2.32
Tomko (L, 0-2)	2.0	3	3	3	0	3	2	6.28
Coke	0.1	1	1	1	0	0	0	3.64
Robertson	1.2	1	1	0	1	4	0	1.84

MARLINS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Chris Coghlan (3-for-4, 2B, 3 R)

HONORABLE MENTION: Hanley Ramirez (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB)

GOAT OF THE GAME: Brett Tomko

Tomorrow's Game

Off day

This Week in Yankees History (6/21-6/27)

Greg Cohen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:41:00 -0400

This Week in New York Yankees History: June 21-June 27

June 2

1897—Former Yankees reserve INF Spencer Adams (1926) was born. Spencer hit .120 in 28 games for the Yankees.

1906—Former Yankees P Russell (Russ) “Sheriff” Van Atta (1933-35) was born. Russ goes 15-9 for the Yankees from 1933-1935.

1916—Rube Foster of the Red Sox no-hits the Yankees by the score of 2-0, for the first no-hitter in Fenway Park, beating Yankees starter Bob Shawkey. Harry Hooper leads the Red Sox offense with three hits.

1930—Babe Ruth hits three HR’s in one game for the first time in his MLB regular-season career, but the Yankees still lose to A’s by a score of 15-7. The Yankees had been leading the game by a score of 6-0, when the A’s scored nine runs in the seventh inning. Ruth’s third HR of the game goes out of Shibe Park over the RF wall, landing one block away. In the second game of the doubleheader, the A’s woi again, beating the Yankees by a score of 4-1.

1939—The Yankees announce 1B Lou Gehrig's retirement from MLB, based on the medical report that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The 36-year-old star remains with the team as captain. He stays with the team in uniform until after the 1939 World Series.

1958—Tigers starter Frank Lary pitches his third straight shutout, beating the Yankees starter Duke Maas, 1-0. Tigers RF Al Kaline throws out Duke Maas at home plate and hits his seventh HR to extend his hitting streak to 18 games.

1960—Yankees starter Whitey Ford outduels Tigers “Yankee Killer” Frank Lary to give New York a 6-0 win at Briggs Stadium. Leading the Yankees hitting offense was Mickey Mantle, who was 3-for-5 with two HRs off of Tigers starter Frank Lary.

1964—The Yankees move into first place by eight percentage points over the Orioles, as they outpitch the White Sox to win a doubleheader by scores of 2-0 and 2-1. Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard solo HRs win it, 2-0 for Jim Bouton in the opener against White Sox pitcher Juan Pizarro, and an error wins the nightcap 2-1 in the 17th inning. The Yankees sweep four games, giving up just one run in 41 innings, and take nine games from White Sox in 11 days.

1966—In the first game of a twin bill, there are 2 Yankee runners on base with two outs in the 9th inning when Orioles RF Frank Robinson makes a spectacular catch against Yankees Roy White, diving into the stands over the short RF fence and disappearing from view. He emerges with the ball and it is ruled a catch, preserving a 7-5 Orioles victory.

1966—Minor League Note: Satchel Paige makes his final pro pitching appearance, going the first two innings for the Peninsula Grays (Carolina League) against the Greensboro Yankees. Satchel gives up two runs. As noted by historian Bill Deane, Peninsula's regular catcher, Johnny Bench, took the night off.

1967—A weird doubleheader spit between Yankees and Red Sox at Fenway Park. In the first game, the Yankees have a 5-2 lead in the 11th inning, only to lose the game by a score of 6-5. In the second game, the Yankees trail in the ninth inning by 3-2, and score four runs to win the game by a score of 6-3.

1988–With two outs in the 9th inning, Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell blasts a grand slam to give the Tigers, a 7-6 win over the Yankees.

1989—White Sox veteran backstop Carlton Fisk surpasses Yankees HOF catcher Yogi Berra as the AL leader for career HRs by a catcher as his 307th HR helps to beat the Yankees, by a score of 7-3.

2002—Minor League Note: During the New York-Penn League game between New Jersey Cardinals and Staten Island Yankees, a fan hops a fence goes and goes onto the field to argue an umpire's call at first base. The 38-year old woman is at the game with her eight-year-old daughter's Brownie troop.

2005—After building 10-2 lead at Yankee Stadium, the Devil Rays lose to the Yankees by a score of 20-11, making it the second time in the Devil Rays franchise history the team is ahead by eight or more runs and lose by nine or more. No other club history has ever achieved this dubious distinction.

June 22

1890—Former Yankees reserve OF Mickey Fitzgerald (1911) was born. Mike hit .270 in 19 games during the 1911 season.

1912—The Red Sox beat the Yankees by a score of 10-3, to complete a five-game sweep, in which they score 55 runs against the Yankees during the series.

1916—Red Sox starter Babe Ruth almost duplicates teammate Rube Foster's no-hitter, allowing just three singles, two by Frank Gilhooley, in beating the Yankees, in a 1-0 victory. The game takes only one hour, 18 minutes.

1928—Journeyman hurler Hank Johnson of the Yankees blanks the star-studded A’s by the score of 4-0. In the game for Connie Mack's team are Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker and Lefty Grove, all of whom are future Hall of Fame players.

1930—Babe Ruth ties a MLB record by hitting five HRs in two games and six HRs in three games. The Yankees outfielder hits three HRs in the second game of the doubleheader yesterday, two HRs in today's opener and one more in the nightcap.

1930—Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig hits three HRs in the second game of doubleheader against the A’s. The Yankees sweep the doubleheader beating the A’s by scores of 10-1 and 20-13.

1934—The Tigers takes over first place in the AL, beating the Senators by a score of 11-3, dislodging the Yankees, who lose by a score of 4-1 to the Indians.

1936 - Former Yankees P Jim Bronstad (1959) was born. Jim went 0-3 in 16 games with 2 saves with the Yankees in 1959. In 1963, Jim was purchased by the Senators from the Yankees. Jim was pitching at Richmond (AAA) at the time of the trade.

1959 - At Kansas City, Mickey Mantle drives in 6 runs with a triple and 2 HRs to lead the Yankees to a 13-6 victory. Bill “Moose” Skowron adds his 4th HR in 4 days to move Yankees to 3 games out of 1st place in the AL.

1961 - Yankees RF Roger Maris leads the Yankees on an 8-3 thrashing of the A's by belting his 27th HR of the 1961 AL season. He adds 2 doubles and a single. Maris has now, has hit 20 HRs in the past 30 days (May 24th -June 22nd) to tie the MLB mark set by NL slugger Ralph Kiner in 1947.

1965 - Ray Barker's MLB-record-tying 2nd consecutive pinch-hit HR is wasted in a 1st-game, a 6-2 Yankees loss to the A's. Mickey Mantle adds an HR in the opener, but in the 4-2 nightcap win, he tries to score from 2nd on a wild pitch and snaps a upper-thigh hamstring. He will be out for 3 weeks. The June 21st Sports Illustrated cover features Mickey Mantle with the prescient title "New York Yankees: End of an Era?"

1977 - Yankees 3B Graig Nettles 3-run HR and Reggie Jackson’s 2-run triple snap the Yankees 5-game losing streak and create a come from behind 12-11 victory at Detroit.

1996 - In Cleveland, Ruben Sierra HRs from both sides of the plate as the Yankees beat the Indians, by a score of 11- 9. One of Sierra's HRs comes in the 9-run, 6th inning by the Yankees. Albert Belle, back from a 2-game suspension, is 3-for-5 with a HR, while Eddie Murray adds his 488th MLB career HR for the Tribe. The game takes 4-hours, 10 minutes to play.

1996 - The Yankees acquired LHP Billy Brewer. Brewer went 1-0 in 4 games for the Yankees, after his trade on June 22, 1996 by the Dodgers to the Yankees for P Mike Judd.

June 23rd

1907 - Former Yankees reserve OF Allen “Dusty” Cooke (1930-32) was born. Dusty hit .294 in 122 games for the Yankees.

1915 - Former Yankees C Aaron Robinson (1943, 1945-47) was born. Aaron was the Yankees catcher from 1945-47, sharing duties with Yogi Berra (1947) and Sherman Lollar (1947) before being traded for White Sox starter Eddie Lopat in February of 1948.

1915 - The Yankees a draw a record 16 walks in 1-9-inning game against A’s pitcher Bruno P. Haas. It was Haas 1st MLB game; he added 3 wild pitches to the fire, which lead to a 15-0 defeat of the A’s.

1917 - The Yankees purchased shortstop Aaron Ward and OF Howie Camp from Louisville (Southern League). Aaron Ward would play shortstop for the Yankees for 10 seasons, while Camp hit .286 and was released by the team in 1917.

1924 - Former Yankees P Harry “Lefty” Schaeffer (1952) was born. Harry went 0-1 in 5 games for the Yankees during the 1952 AL season.

1927 - At Boston, Lou Gehrig leads the Yankees to an 11-4 victory by hitting 3 HRs, a 1st at Fenway Park. Gehrig hits a 2-run HR in the 2nd inning, adding solo HR shots in the 6th and 8th innings, off of Red Sox P Danny Mac Fayden. He adds a single to his total as Yankees starter Dutch Ruether coasts to the win.

1932 - Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig plays his 1,103rd successive game in a New York Yankees uniform, equaling Joe Sewell's record with one team (Cleveland Indians).

1935 - The league-leading Yankees (37-22) lose their 3rd game in a row, dropping a 6-5 decision to the 2nd-place Indians. Yankees 3B Red Rolfe's error in the 8th inning allows the Tribe to tie and Yankees starter Lefty Gomez losses 2 wild pitches in a row in the 9th inning to allow Joe Vosmik to get to 3B. Abe Wright's single brings home the winner. Mel Harder, in relief in the 9th inning, wins his 11th game of the 1935 AL season.

1950 - Eleven HRs, an MLB record drive in all the runs scored in a 10-9, Tiger win over the Yankees before a crowd of 51,000 Tiger fans at Briggs Stadium. Detroit has 4 HRs in the 4th inning as Dizzy Trout, Gerry Priddy, Vic Wertz, and Hoot Evers connected. Pitcher Dizzy Trout's HR, off of Yankees P Tommy Byrne, is his 2nd career grand slam HR. Hoot Evers hits another HR, an inside-the-park 2-run game winner in the 9th inning off of Yankees closer Joe Page to win it. For Yankees, Hank Bauer connects for 2 HRs, including 1 in the 4th inning. Joe DiMaggio, Jerry Coleman, Yogi Berra, and PH Tommy Henrich also belt round trippers. It is the 1st time that 9 different players connected for HRs in a game.

1957 - Japanese Prime Minister Kishi wearing a Yankees baseball cap, is one of 63,787 fans at Yankee Stadium to see Yankees split a doubleheader with the White Sox, winning the 1st game by a score of 9-2, then dropping the 2nd game by a score of 4-3. AL All Star CF Mickey Mantle goes 6-for-9 as the Yankees maintained their 1½ game lead over the White Sox. Mantle is leading the AL in hitting; HR’s and is 1 run behind the Senators' 1B Roy Sievers in RBIs.

1959 - The Yankees ride on 2-run HRs from Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer and Gil McDougald to a 10-2 win over the A’s. Yankees starter Whitey Ford throws a complete game victory, giving up only 5 hits, allowing only 2 runs with 5 strikeouts for his 7th victory of the 1959 AL season.

1960 - Former Yankees P Jim Deshaies (1984) was born. On June 7, 1982, Jim was drafted by the Yankees in the 21st round of the 1982 MLB amateur player draft. Jim went 0-1 in 2 games for the Yankees in 1984. On September 15, 1985, Jim was traded by the Yankees along with minor league players to be named later to the Astros for veteran starter Joe Niekro. The Yankees would send Neder Horta on September 24, 1985 and Dody Rather on January 11,1986 to the Astros to complete the trade.

1962 - All Star CF Mickey Mantle returns to the Yankees regular lineup and HRs against the Tigers starter Paul Foytack. But it is not enough as Detroit wins the game by a score of 5-4.

1963 - A MLB fielding record is set by Red Sox 1B Richard Stuart, better known as "Dr. Strange Glove" handles 3 1st-inning grounders and tosses to P Bob Heffner for putouts. Stuart's teammates and Fenway Park fans give him a standing ovation. The Yankees beat the Red Sox by the score of 8-0, behind Jim Bouton’s complete game victory. Bouton wins his 10th game of the 1963 AL season. While Yankees RF Roger Maris hits his 14th HR of the season to lead the Yankees hitting attack.

1964 - Charlie Lau ties a MLB record with 2 pinch hits in the 8th inning of Orioles 9-8 win over the Yankees. The O's, losing score 7 runs in the inning after 2 outs. Yankees manager Yogi Berra is criticized by some of his players for lifting starter Roland Sheldon, who was leading by the score of 7-2, having allowed just 2-solo HRs by Boog Powell. The Yankees rookie reliever Pete Mikkelson cannot hold the Yankees 7-2 lead as the Orioles move into 1st place.

1966 - At Yankees Stadium, Orioles hurler Jim Palmer beats the Yankees, for a 5-2 victory. Yankees starter Al Downing takes the loss dropping his 5th decision of the 1966 AL season. Mickey Mantle and Joe Pepitone, each hit solo HRs off of Orioles starter Jim Palmer for the only Yankee runs scored in the game.

1967 - Former Yankees INF/OF Hensley “Bam-Bam” Meulens (1989-1993) was born. Hensley was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1985. He really didn’t live up to his hype as power hitter. In 1991, he won the James P. Dawson award for best Yankee rookie in spring training camp. Hensley was released by the Yankees, after the 1993 AL season.

1988 - Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner fires Manager Billy Martin for the 5th time, replacing him with former manager Lou Piniella. In 1985, Piniella was fired and replaced by Martin. In 1985, Martin was fired and replaced by Lou Piniella. New York's 40-28 record is the 4th best in the MLB, but the Yankees had just completed a 2-7 road trip.

1989 - Former Yankees P Rick Anderson (1979) passed away (1955-1989). Jim was 0-0 in 1 game with the Yankees in 1979. He was unable to crack into the Yankees bullpen of Gossage, Davis and others. On January 12, 1972, he was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (5th pick) of the 1972 MLB amateur player draft (Secondary Phase). On November 1, 1979, Rick was traded by the Yankees along with P Jim Beattie, OF Juan Beniquez, and C Jerry Narron to the Mariners for OF Ruppert Jones and P Jim Lewis.

1995 - Former Yankees 1B/OF ‘Marvelous Marv' Marvin Throneberry (1955, 1958-59), known best by his playing antics with the Mets, dies from cancer at age 60. After unable to beat out Bill Skowron at 1B, Marv was part of the Roger Maris trade with A’s in December of 1959. He will become the 1st ex-Yankee MLB player to play for the Mets in 1962. During his MLB career, Marv played for the Yankees, the A’s, Orioles and finishing with the Mets in 1963. His brother Faye also played in AL, as an OF during the 1950’s. He will later become a minor league team radio announcer. During the 1980’s, Marv did appear in the Miller Beer commercials with other former star MLB players, with a line, “I don’t know, why I am doing here.”

1996 - The Yankees completed a 4-game sweep of the Indians in Cleveland for the 1st time since the 1964 AL season.

1997 - At Detroit, Yankees starter David Cone strikes out 16 Tiger batters, his highest game total in 6 years, as Cecil Fielder hits a 3-run HR as New York wins, by a score of 5-2. Cone, who had shoulder surgery to repair an aneurysm on May 10, 1996, allows only 4 Tiger hits, including HRs by Bob Hamelin and Damion Easley, in 8 innings of work.

2000 - Former Yankees reserve C Bob Tillman (1967) passed away (1937-2000). Bob hit .254 in 22 games for the Yankees after coming from the Red Sox during the 1967 AL season. In the winter of 1967, Bob was traded to the Braves along with minor league P Dale Roberts for Braves INF Bobby Cox.

2001 - The Yankees attempt to shore up their bullpen by getting reliever Jay Witasick from the Padres for minor league INF prospect D'Angelo Jimenez. The Yankees 1st choice, Montreal Expos closer Ugueth Urbina, failed to pass a physical and will end up with their eastern division rivals, the Red Sox. Jay Witasick was a major disappointment for the Yankees, going 3-0 in 32 games. On December 13,2001, Jay was traded by the Yankees to the Giants for OF/1B John Vander Wal.

June 24th

1908 - Charging the Highlander owners with refusing to spend money to build a winning team, Manager Clark Griffith resigns; Kid Elberfeld replaces him following today's 6-6 tie game with the A's. The Highlanders fade fast and finished last in the AL with a club record of 103 losses.

1930 - The Yankees sweep their 2nd consecutive doubleheader from the A’s by scores of 10-6 and 11-1, as Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits 2 more HRs and sets an MLB record with 8 HRs in 6 games.

1933 - Yankees signed veteran hurler George Uhle (1933-34) after his release by the Giants. George would go 8-5 in 22 games with Yankees.

1934 - After being hitless in his last 21 at bats, Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits a grand slam HR in a 5-0 Yankee win over the White Sox.

1936 - Rookie CF Joe DiMaggio ties 3 MLB records in the Yankees 10-run, 5th inning against the White Sox, hitting 2 HRs for 8 total bases. With 2 doubles, he equals the modern MLB record of 4 long hits in a game.

1950 - Art Houtteman pitches the Tigers to a 4-1 win over the Yankees. Yogi Berra's HR is the only Yankees score, as they lose their 4th straight game and 8th game in 12 games. The Tigers now lead the AL by 3 games.

1958 - The Yankees erupt for 5 runs in the 4th inning off of starter Early Wynn to beat the White Sox, by a score of 6-2 at Comiskey Park. Mickey Mantle's clout into the CF bleachers leads off the 4th inning, followed by a single, walk and Jerry Lumpe's 1st MLB career HR, and an HR by Norm Siebern. Yankees closer Ryne Duren strikeouts 6 of the last 9 White Sox batters to preserve Yankees starter Bob Turley's win.

1962 - A marathon game between the Tigers and Yankees ends in the 22nd inning at Tiger Stadium, when Jack Reed's HR, his only MLB HR career gives Yankees rookie reliever Jim Bouton, a 9-7 victory. Jack Reed had replaced Joe Pepitone in the 13th inning. For the Tigers, Phil Regan takes the loss while Tigers OF Rocky Colavito has 7 hits. Yankees 2B Bobby Richardson ties a mark by going to the plate 11 times. At an even 7 hours, the game is the slowest extra-inning contest in AL history and it is the longest game in innings in Yankees history.

1967 - Yankees All Star Slugger Mickey Mantle breaks a 3-3 tie in the 9th inning with a HR off of Tiger's reliever Fred Gladding to give the 9th place Yankees, a 4-3 victory.

1970 - In a doubleheader with the Indians at Yankee Stadium, Bobby Murcer ties Lou Gehrig's record of 4 straight HRs. The Yankees lose the opener by a score of 7-2, despite Murcer's 9th-inning HR off of hurler Sam McDowell. Bobby Murcer, next connects off of game 2 Tribe starter Mike Paul, hitting a solo shot in the 1st inning. He then drew a walk in the 4th, hit a 2-run HR off of Mike Paul in the 5th inning, and then a game-tying HR in the 8th inning off of reliever Fred Lasher. The Yankees score in the bottom of the 9th inning to salvage a 5-4 win. Indians 1B Tony Horton literally crawls back to the dugout after fanning on 2 of Yankees hurler Steve Hamilton's "folly floaters." Sensitive to fans' booing during the 1970 AL season, Horton will be hospitalized, and at 25, this will be his last MLB season.

1977 - Before an crowd of 54,940 fans at Yankee Stadium, Roy White launches a dramatic 2-out, 2-run HR in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Yankees, a 5-5 tie with the Red Sox. The Yankees score in the 10th inning on Reggie Jackson bases-loaded single to win the game by the score of 6-5. Roy White's key hit comes after Red Sox closer Bill Campbell retires the 1st two Yankees in the 9th inning, then Willie Randolph triples to bring up Bobby Murcer. Sparky Lyle picks up the win for the Yankees, handing the Red Sox their 1st loss in 8 games. With HRs from Yaz, Butch Hobson and George Scott, the Red Sox set a MLB record of 33 HRs in 10 games.

1986 - Current Yankees P Philip Hughes was born. Phil was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (23rd pick) of the 2004 MLB amateur player draft. He currently has a lifetime pitching record of 9-10 in 36 games for the Yankees.

1992 - Yankees veteran reliever Steve Howe is permanently banned from MLB by Commissioner Fay Vincent after having pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempting to purchase a gram of cocaine. It is Howe's 7th ban from the game, as he becomes the 1st player ever permanently banned from baseball because of drugs.

1996 - Former Yankees reliever Steve Howe, released by the team just 2 days ago, is arrested at Kennedy International Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his luggage. He will plead guilty to a misdemeanor and receive 3 years probation and 150 hours of community service.

1997 - Yankees 1B Tino Martinez hits 2 singles, a double, and a pair of HRs, while driving in 4 runs as the Yankees top Tigers, by a score of 12-9. Chad Curtis adds 5 RBI’s for the Yankees.

2005 - Thanks to Yankees CF Bernie Williams dropping a ball in CF, the Mets become the 1st NL team to hit 3 sacrifice flies in 1 inning. Catcher Ramon Castro's sac fly to right ties the game at 1-1 as David Wright advances to 3B; then the Yankee's CF then drops Jose Reyes deep fly ball allowing Wright to score; then Mike Cameron skies to right scoring runner Doug Mientkiewicz, who had advanced to 3B on an errant pick off throw.

June 25th

1904 - In Boston, the Highlanders starter Jack Chesbro wins his 12th straight game, beating veteran Red Sox starter Cy Young, by an score of 5-3. Patsy Dougherty has 3 hits against his former Red Sox teammates.

1934 - In an 11-2 victory over the White Sox, Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle. Although pitcher John Broaca ties a MLB record by striking out 5 consecutive times, he gets the 'W' for the Yankees. Not until Bernie Williams, on August 21, 1991, will another Yankee fan 5 times (by Bret Saberhagen).

1947 - The Yankees purchased reserve INF Lonnie Frey (1947-48) from the Cubs. Lonnie appeared in 25 games with the Yankees before being released in May of 1948.

1954 - Former Yankees P Bob Shirley (1983-1987) was born. Bob signed as a free agent. Bob went 14-20 with 5 saves in 145 games for the Yankees.

1953 - White Sox Manager Paul Richards uses five 1B in beating the Yankees by the score of 4-2. He brings in Harry Dorish to face 2 batters, moving pitcher Billy Pierce to 1B. The Sox 3-game sweep still leaves the Yankees 9 games up on the Indians and 9 ½ games on the White Sox.

1963 - Former Yankees Catcher/DH/1B Mike Stanley (1992-95, 1997) was born. Mike was signed as a free agent in 1992. He was the Yankees regular catcher until the arrival of new Yankees Manager Joe Torre. Mike was brought back to the Yankees in on August 13, 1997, he was traded by the Red Sox along with Randy Brown to the Yankees for a player to be named later and minor league hurler Tony Armas Jr. The Yankees would later sent P Jim Mecir to the Red Sox to complete the trade.

1964 - Orioles starter Steve Barber's 3-hit, 3-0 win gives the Orioles a 3-game sweep of the Yankees and 1st place in the AL.

1971 - The Expos traded veteran OF Ron Swoboda to Yankees, the Expos received OF Ron Woods from the Yankees.

1977 - Yankees starter Mike Torrez beats Red Sox rival Luis Tiant to give the Yankees a 5-1 win over the Red Sox. Yankees 3B Greg Nettles 3-run HR is the big blow of the game. The Yankees, now trail the Red Sox by 3 games in the AL Eastern division race.

1984 - At Yankee Stadium, Dave Winfield hits 5 singles and drives in 4 runs to lead the Yankees to a 7-3 win over the Tigers. Yankees starter Ron Guidry (6-5) is the beneficiary of Winfield's hitting. Dave is now hitting .750 against the Tigers this season. Winfield has three 5-hit games this month, tying an AL record set by HOF Ty Cobb.

1985 - Due to a Yankees batboy being hit by a line drive foul ball by Yankees C Butch Wynegar. The Yankees officials enact a new rule mandating the team's batboys will wear protective helmets during all games.

1999 - During the Orioles's 9-8 loss to the Yankees, O's reliever Jesse Orosco makes his 1,051th MLB relief appearance to break Kent Tekulve's MLB record. He is succeeded by Mike Tomlin, who takes the loss, when he serves up a 9th inning HR to Yankees OF Shane Spencer. Harold Baines has a pair of HRs for the O's, while Tino Martinez has 4 hits for the Yankees.

June 26th

1912 - The Yankees send future star hurler Hippo Vaughn (2-8), winner of last year's opener, to the Senators for the waiver price.

1929 - Former Yankees reserve OF Richard “Tut” Tettelbach (1955) was born. He was signed by the Yankees as MLB an amateur free agent in 1951. Richard appeared in 2 games with the Yankees in September of 1955, with no BA. On February 8, 1956, he was traded by the Yankees along with a player to be named later, C Lou Berberet, INF Herb Plews and P Bob Wiesler to the Senators for a player to be named later, Pitchers Bobby Kline and Mickey McDermott. The Yankees would send minor league OF Whitey Herzog on April 2, 1956 to the Senators to complete the trade.

1939 - At Shibe Park in Philadelphia, the Yankees play their 1st night game in their franchise history losing to Connie Mack's A's, by a score of 3-2.

1941 - Yankees southpaw ace Marius Russo throws no-hit ball for 6 1/3 innings before future Yankee George Mc Quinn spoils the bid with a HR. It was the only Browns hit in a 4-1 Yankee win.

1943 - Former Yankees OF Bill Robinson (1967-69) was born (1943-2007). Bill was brought to the Yankees from the Braves in the Clete Boyer trade in the winter of 1966. Bill Robinson struggled in New York, being labeled as the “black “Mickey Mantle. He would later have a successful career in NL with the Pirates and Phillies. After retiring as a active player, Bill would later become a successful MLB batting Coach. Bill passed away last year.

1944 - At the Polo Grounds with over 50,000 fans looking on, the three New York MLB teams played against each other in a 6 inning 3-team game (a team played consecutive innings against the other 2 teams then sat out an inning). The contest, which was played to raise money for war bonds ended with the final score of Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, and the Giants 0.

1961 - The Yankees beat the expansion Angels, by a score of 8-6, as Yogi Berra collects his 2000th MLB career hit, all as a Bronx Bomber. To celebrate the achievement a huge cake is rolled out in Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Angels’ reliever Art Fowler, who has allowed just 1 hit in his last 12 innings, serves up a 9th inning HR to Bill Skowron as Yankees wins the game by a score of 8-6. Mickey Mantle adds an earlier HR, off of Angels’ starter Ken McBride, as Yankees Ace Whitey Ford wins his 13th game of the 1961 AL season.

1962 - The Yankees sell veteran reserve OF Bob Cerv to the new NL expansion team, the Houston Colt 45.’s. Bob was at the end of his fine MLB career, which included 3 separate tours with the Yankees. He would be reunited with his old Yankees minor league manager and A's Manager Harry Craft.

1969 - Former Yankees reliever Mike Meyers (2007-08) was born. Mike went 4-2 in 117 games with the Yankees before being released on August 13, 2008. He would finish the 2008 AL season with the White Sox.

1974 - Current Yankees All Star Shortstop and Captain Derek Jeter was born. Derek was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 1992 MLB amateur player draft. Derek currently has a Yankee lifetime BA of .316.

1977 - In front of 55,039 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees complete a 3-game sweep of the Red Sox, avenging the 3 losses last week to the Sox at Fenway Park. The Yankees takes a 4-1 lead into the 9th inning, but the Red Sox tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Paul Blair bounces a bases-loaded ball over the head of Butch Hobson at 3B to pin the loss on Red Sox reliever Bill Campbell.

1979 - The Yankees reacquired the popular OF Bobby Murcer from the Cubs in exchange for minor league P Paul Semall and cash. Bobby Murcer will once again thrive playing in Yankee Stadium, hitting .273 with 8 HRs for the Yankees.

1980 - MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voids the Yankees' drafting of highly touted high school shortstop Billy Cannon, Jr. Four MLB teams had complained that Billy Cannon, Sr., college football's Heisman Trophy winner in 1959, had misled them with telegrams saying that his son would go to college, in the hopes that he would then he would be drafted by the Yankees. In a special draft, the Indians will pick Cannon but he chooses to attend Texas A & M instead. The young Cannon will be drafted number #1 by the NFL Dallas Cowboys in 1984.

1987 - Although the Red Sox have a 9-0, 2nd inning lead over the Yankees, starter Roger Clemens is unable to hold the lead with the Yankees winning by the score of 12-11 in 10 innings. Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs sees his 25-game hitting streak come to an end.

1999 - Former Yankees minor league P Tim Layana passed away (1964-1999). On June 2, 1986, Tim was drafted by the Yankees in the 3rd round of the 1986 MLB amateur player draft. On December 4, 1989, he was drafted by the Reds from the Yankees in the 1989 MLB Rule 5 player draft from Columbus (AAA). Tim was killed in auto accident in 1999.

June 27th

1904 - Patsy Dougherty has another 3 hits as the Highlanders beat their old teammate starter Jesse Tannehill and the Red Sox, by a score of 8-4. The Red Sox leads the AL by just a half game. Long Tom Hughes will win tomorrow to stretch their lead to 1 1/2 games.

1963 - White Sox starter Ray Herbert allows only 5 Yankee singles to beat the Yankees, by a score of 6-0, and to give the White Sox a virtual tie for 1st place. The White Sox assaulted Yankees young pitching star Jim Bouton (10-3) for all their runs in the 1st five innings.

1964 - The Yankees edge the Tigers by the score of 5-4, beating starter Denny McLain. Yankees CF Mickey Mantle's HR in the 4th inning makes it, a 4-1 game.

1972 - Making his last MLB career start, Wade Blasingame's AL debut for the Yankees is an inauspicious one, as the Tigers go deep 3 consecutive times in the 1st inning. The opening inning HRs are hit by Aurelio Rodriguez, Al Kaline and Willie Horton power Tigers over Yankees, by a score of 5-2.

1978 - Yankees 3B Graig Nettles belts a 2-run HR in the 14th inning to give the Yankees, a 6-4 win over the Red Sox. Richard Drago serves up Nettles' 13th HR of the year. Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, now 6-1 wins the game in relief. Yankees Ron Guidry (13-0) starts for the Yankees and gives up 8 hits in 6 innings.

previous week

(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)

Yanks Will Sign Dominican Catcher, More To Follow

Greg Cohen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0400

The international signing period begins on July 2nd, and according to George A. King III, the Yankees will be signing Dominican catching prospect Gary Sanchez to a $2.5 million deal. Here's more from King:

Sanchez, 16, isn't eligible to sign until July 2, but the Yankees' dogged pursuit of the right-handed hitter has resulted in him wanting to sign with the club.

According to a Yankees source, who didn't confirm or deny the agreement or money, nothing is guaranteed until a contract is signed.

"He is a big kid with a big arm," a Latin American talent evaluator for an NL team said of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Sanchez. "I would like to have him, but $2.5 million is a lot of money. He has a thick body. He is a real good hitter, but he doesn't hit like Jesus Montero."

A week ago, I posted that the Yanks were interested in Sanchez as well as 16-year-old (we think) Miguel Angel Sano. King also mentioned that the Yankees are interested in Sano and two Cuban defectors, lefty Noel Arguelles and shortstop Jose Iglesias. Here's a quote from the scout on Sano:

"If he is 16, I have never seen a 16-year-old with that type of body," the scout said of the 6-foot-3 Sano.

Here are Baseball Prospectus' pros and cons on Sano:

Pros:Sano has been described as "special" by multiple international scouting directors, and it all starts with the bat. He has a short, direct stroke that consistently shows up in games along with his present average-grade raw power to all fields, which will grow as his projectable frame fills out. Sano is athletic, with the hands and the arm to play shortstop for now. All reports on his makeup are excellent.

Cons:Sano's speed is average, and as he fills out he'll lose some of it, moving to third base or even right field. Some will nitpick and say that Sano is stiff, but even his detractors agree he's easily a seven-figure talent. As with many high-profile Dominicans, there are incessant whispers about his age.

And Sanchez:

Pros:Sanchez has some very take-notice attributes: a projectable pro's body, a plus arm, plus-plus power, and the ability to put on one of the most impressive batting-practice displays in Latin America. He has solid agility and adequate receiving skills, and many think he'll stick as a catcher longer than most Dominican catching prospects. The believers in his talent write him up with four plus to plus-plus tools (and below-average speed).

Cons: His representation has been very aggressive, making him available to a number of teams multiple times over the last few months, but many have said that he looks tired and overworked as of late. Nearly every team I talked to has seriously questioned his ability to hit in games and/or have not seen him take more than a handful of swings against live pitching. This understandably turns many teams off, having no idea how a potential seven-figure investment will perform in a game situation.

To view the rest of their scouting reports you will need a membership.

Here's a quote from King's article about the two Cuban prospects:

"He's 19 with a fastball between 89 and 93 mph," a scout said of Arguelles. "I would say he is two to three years away from the big leagues. The shortstop can pick it and is a plus runner but the bat is just OK. I would say he is a No. 7 or 8 hitter."

Good to see the Yanks are jumping on all these international free agents. Because of the draft, they can't use their financial might to sign all the top amateurs in the States, so they might as well use it to sign up all the top international talent.

Yankees-Nationals: Cano's Four Hits Leads New York to Win

Greg Cohen — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:31:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
WSH	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	3	6	1
NYY	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	1	X	5	8	0

Winning pitcher - CC Sabathia (6-4)
Losing pitcher - Ron Villone (3-4)
SV - Mariano Rivera (15)

CC Sabathia did not have his best stuff tonight, but it was good enough for him to pick up his sixth win of the year with a 5-3 win over the Nats.

In 7.2 innings pitched, the big lefty allowed three runs on six hits, walked one, struck out two, and of his 109 pitches, 75 were strikes.

All of the runs came in his one bad inning, the fifth. After retiring Austin Kearns to start the inning, he allowed singles to former Yankees Alberto Gonzalez and Will Nieves, then Anderson Hernandez hit a hanging slider out to deep left for a three-run homer. It was Hernandez's second career homer and first since 2006.

At the time the homer gave us fans a bit of a scare because it erased a 2-0 Yankee lead, but it didn't take long for the Yankees to get the lead back.

Johnny Damon led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. Mark Teixeira was up next and tied the game when he drove in Damon with an RBI double off the wall in left-center.

Two batters later, Robinson Cano gave the Yanks the lead for good with another RBI double. The double capped off a great day for Cano, who went 4-for-4 and had driven in the Yankees' second run of the game four innings earlier.

The Yanks got a bit of insurance with a fifth and final run in the next inning on a RBI single by Ramiro Pena. Derek Jeter had started the game at short, but left in the seventh because he had a sore ankle. It doesn't appear to be anything serious, but he could miss a day or two and is listed as day-to-day.

It didn't take Brian Bruney long to get his first game action since coming off the DL. He retired the only batter he faced to finish off the eighth inning. It doesn't look like he lost anything. His fastball was sitting at 96 mph. He only threw six pitches, four of them were strikes.

Mariano Rivera picked up his 15th save of the year with a one-two-three ninth. He threw 20 pitches, 14 for strikes.

Chien-Ming Wang makes what is a pretty big start for him tomorrow against the Nationals.

Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi have both made this seem like a make or break game for the Wanger, so it's important that he goes out and pitches a good game.

John Lannan will go for the Nats. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and the game will be on YES and WCBS.

Before I forget, following Teixeira's game-tying double, Alex Rodriguez struck out and was loudly booed by the fans at the stadium. Guys, it's getting old. Stop. There is no way any of this is going to help the guy produce for this team.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	3	0	0	0	1	0	2	.306
Pena, SS	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	.264
Damon, LF	5	2	1	0	0	0	3	.282
Teixeira, 1B	4	1	1	1	1	0	3	.283
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	0	0	0	1	1	2	.224
Cano, 2B	4	1	4	2	0	0	0	.309
Posada, C	3	0	1	0	1	0	2	.289
Matsui, DH	3	0	0	0	1	1	6	.253
1-Gardner, PR-DH-CF	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.276
Swisher, RF	3	0	0	0	1	0	1	.244
Rivera, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cabrera, M, CF-RF	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	.291
Totals	31	5	8	5	7	2	19
1-Ran for Matsui in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Teixeira (18, Villone), Cano (16, Villone). TB: Pena; Damon; Teixeira 2; Cano 5; Posada. RBI: Cabrera, M (27), Cano 2 (41), Teixeira (55), Pena (6). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Jeter; Matsui 2; Teixeira. SF: Cabrera, M. Team RISP: 3-for-13. Team LOB: 10. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner (12, 2nd base off MacDougal/Nieves). FIELDING DP: (Jeter-Teixeira).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia (W, 6-4)	7.2	6	3	3	1	2	1	3.67
Bruney (H, 5)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2.89
Rivera (S, 15)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.25

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Robinson Cano (4-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R)

HONORABLE MENTION: CC Sabathia (7.2 strong innings, just one bad pitch all night)

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees vs. Nationals
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
RHP Chien-Ming Wang (0-4, 14.34 ERA) vs. LHP John Lannan (3-5, 3.51 ERA)

Does Jorge Hurt the Yanks When He Catches?

Greg Cohen — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:12:00 -0400

Well, it seems that more and more people are starting to believe he does. And since Jorge Posada has returned from the DL, there has been a lot of talk about his ability to call games and work with pitchers. Today, Tyler Kepner tackles to topic:

"One unsettling fact for the Yankees is the difference when Jorge Posada catches. With Posada behind the plate, the Yankees’ pitchers have a 6.31 E.R.A. The combined E.R.A. with Francisco Cervelli, Jose Molina and Kevin Cash is 3.81.

"Posada has caught four starts by Chien-Ming Wang, whose job status is now evaluated on a game-by-game basis. Even removing those starts, the staff’s E.R.A. with Posada is still high, at 5.47.

"Posada, 37, has handled many exceptional pitchers in his career. Although some, like Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina, have preferred other catchers, Posada does not have to apologize for his résumé. Posada takes his job seriously and is an emotional engine of the team.

"Yet Burnett, in particular, seems to struggle with him. In Burnett’s four starts pitching to Posada, opponents have batted .330. In nine starts with the other catchers, the average is .223.

"When he lost a six-run lead in Boston in April, Burnett questioned the pitch selection, though he blamed himself, not Posada. Asked Sunday about the difference in pitching to the rookie Cervelli, Burnett gave a careful but revealing answer.

"'I think it’s just a matter of—I don’t know if it’s the catcher—but we threw curveballs in fastball counts, we had them looking for something and they had no idea what was coming, I don’t think,' Burnett said. 'That’s huge.'

"Manager Joe Girardi has started Cervelli once in each of the five series since Posada came off the disabled list May 29. But Posada remains an elite hitter, and there is substantial value in having his bat in the lineup. Only Teixeira has a better slugging percentage than Posada’s .568.

"'Jorge is obviously that rare combination of being a catcher and an offensive player,' Cashman said Monday. 'Cervelli and Molina are more one-sided, to the defensive side. I can’t really say why there’s a difference. It could be sample size. It could be that the other guys are just better defensive players.'

"Girardi is the one who must match the catchers to the pitchers and make the juggling work. The fate of the pitching staff and, by extension, the season, might depend on it."

This wasn't the only article today about Yankees catchers; Paul Catalano of Dugout Central says it's time for Francisco Cervelli to catch:

"I think Francisco Cervelli should begin taking over the catching duties for the Yankees.

"OK, I’m not putting Jorge Posada out to pasture….yet. But the time is coming. He is 37 years old, which is positively Jurassic by catching standards. And to put it mildly, his best days as a catcher and game caller might be behind him. If the above sentence from Burnett is any indication of how the pitching staff feels, then maybe Posada should spend more time at the DH position than at the catching position.

"OK, here are some stats. Opposing hitters are hitting .255 off of Yankee pitchers when Cervelli catches: They are hitting .285 off of the pitchers when Posada catches. When Cervelli catches, pitchers have a 2.26 SO/BB ratio; for Posada it’s 1.42. Opposing batters have an OPS of .755 when Cervelli catches; .841 when Posada catches."

"And the truth is, Posada was never the best game-caller; he was always a “hitting catcher.” That’s not a knock—he wasn’t a bad catcher…he just wasn’t the best game caller. He was never a Varitek or Charles Johnson type.

"And right now—who knows about September?—right now, you’re not missing much when Cervelli is in there. Posada definitely has the power advantage over Cervelli, but Cervelli is batting .298 to Posada’s .288, which is not bad. And frankly, the Yankees don’t need the home runs right now—they lead the league with 102 home runs….by 10.

"And defensively, you gain by having Cervelli back there. His fielding percentage is higher (.993 to .986) and has a better caught stealing percentage than Posada (38% to 32%).

"Of course, this is overstating it a bit. But not as much as you would think. The Yankees went out and spent the national debt on the front end of a pitching rotation. Why would you then put them in a position not to succeed? To not put them in the best position to pitch well?

"It’s just that this year—when the Yankee rotation is completely overhauled; when we have two new pitchers in Burnett and Sabathia (by the way, the stats holds true for Sabathia; opposing hitters hit .256 in the 5 games Posada called; a freakish .190 in the 6 games Cervelli was catching.), 2 young pitchers in Chamberlain and Hughes, and a pitcher struggling to return to form in Wang—what the Yankees need more than ever, is a catcher who is going to call the best possible game so that our staff feels comfortable and produces.

"And if Burnett is any indication, the staff feels more comfortable with Cervelli."

They probably should, but I know the Yankees aren't going to stop playing Posada everyday. Between what he has done for this team in the past and the money they have tied up in him, they're going to continue to run him out there. I know those are two terrible reasons to play someone, but you guys know that's how the Yankees (and a lot of teams) work. That's the only reason they gave him that stupid four-year deal in the first place.

For now, I don't think he should catch A.J. Burnett anymore; that's the least the Yanks can do. Clearly, Burnett doesn't like throwing to Posada and has done better when he someone else is behind the plate, whether it's Cervelli, Cash, or Molina. And with how important he is to this staff, I think the Yankees should keep Cervelli behind the plate for his games.

If it were up to me. I'd probably have Cervelli catch CC, too. He's pitched his best with Cervelli behind the plate and let Pettitte, Joba, and Wang/Hughes throw to Posada.

But like I said, I don't think the Yanks are ready to stop playing Posada every day, even if the stats say it continues to hurt them in certain situations.

What about you, how would you handle this situation?

Yankees Just Can't Beat Red Sox

Greg Cohen — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:29:00 -0400

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYY	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	10	1
BOS	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	X	4	8	0

Winning pitcher: Takashi Saito (1-0)
Losing pitcher: CC Sabathia (5-4)
SV: Jonathan Papelbon (16)

So which loss to the Sox was worse, the game Mo blew on Apr. 24 or tonight's disaster? I'm going with tonight, simply because tonight made it eight losses in a row against Boston.

It had all the makings of a great win. CC Sabathia pitched great for the first seven innings, allowing just one run on a solo homer off the day of a rejuvenated (thanks to Yankee pitching) David Ortiz. And, even though they made Brad Penny look like an all-star tonight, the Yankees' bats managed to put three runs on the board against the Sox pen and gave their ace a 3-1 lead.

The Yankees got their runs in the top of the seventh. Melky Cabrera led off with a single, Francisco Cervelli then lined a double down the left field line and with Cabrera running on the pitch was able to score all the way from first to tie the game at one. Later in the inning Alex Rodriguez line two-run double off the wall in center and the Yanks led 3-1. It looked like a huge hit for A-Rod, and a game winner.

That all changed in the bottom of the eighth.

After allowing the homer to Ortiz in second, Sabathia cruised through the next five innings and looked like he was on his way to giving the Yankees exactly the kind of start they needed, but he ran out of gas in the eighth and things quickly fell apart. Nick Green led off with a single, and then Dustin Pedroia had the at-bat of the game.

After fouling off six pitches and working the count to 3-and-2, he drew a much deserved walk on the tenth pitch of the at-bat. Not only did it put two on with nobody out, but it pretty much drained Sabathia of whatever energy he had left. The next batter was J.D. Drew and he lined an RBI single to cut the Yanks' lead to 3-2. That was it for CC.

Alfredo Aceves came into a very difficult situation with runners on first and second and nobody out in a one run game with Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay coming to bat. Two singles later the Sox had tied the game and the bases were loaded. Mike Lowell then hit a sac fly to shallow center to give the Sox a 4-3 lead. With a good throw Brett Gardner probably could have gotten Drew at home, but he threw the ball into the ground and never had a chance.

Phil Coke then came in to replace Aceves and after walking Ortiz on four pitches he got Jason Varitek to pop out to Teixeira, and then struck out Rocco Baldelli to end the inning. It was a pretty impressive outing from Coke.

Jonathan Papelbon made quick work of the Yanks in the ninth, retiring them 1-2-3 to finish off the game and the sweep.

In the end, this game, like the two before it, came down to two main things: starting pitching and hitting with RISP.

Brad Penny pitched very well for the Sox tonight, but there's no way he should have held the Yankees scoreless over six. They had runners on base in almost every inning; they just once again failed to get the big hit.

After going 2-for-17 with RISP in the first two games they followed it up with a 1-for-11 in game three. That's 3-for-28 for the series, and that's pathetic. I have to believe that they were pressing; there were many meatballs that they fouled back or missed completely, pitches they were crushing a week ago, you know, against teams not named "the Red Sox."

Then they finally get the hit they needed. In fact, they got two: Cervelli's game-tying RBI double and A-Rod's two-run double that gave them the lead, but that's when the starting pitching failed them. After A.J. Burnett and Chien-Ming Wang lasted just 2.2 innings a piece over the first two games CC gave the Yankees a much better effort.

He pitched great for first seven innings allowing just one run on four hits. And if Brian Bruney was healthy he probably would have been done after those seven. But Bruney isn't here and CC's job tonight was to hand the ball to Rivera. He failed.

I don't blame CC that much because he really pitched a hell of a game, but still, in the end he gave up four runs in seven innings and that's not the results we were hoping for.

Oh, I almost forgot Nick Swisher's terrible base running. What is going through this dude's skull? For the second day in a row, he inexplicably gets doubled off to end an inning. Today the brainfart came in the bottom of the second. With one out the Yanks had Hideki Matsui on first and Swisher on second and Cervelli was batting. He hit a fly ball to the warning track in left and for some reason Swisher was three-fourths of the way to third. Bay caught the ball and threw it to Green, who threw to Pedroia to complete the double play.

Even if Swisher thought it was going to hit the monster he had, there was no need to get that far off the base. Like the play in Wednesday's game, it was completely stupid and inexcusable. You can't make those kind of mistakes in one-run games against your rival, because they usually come back to haunt you.

Now the Yankees must move on, there is nothing else they can do. Losing eight in a row to the Red Sox sucks. But now they begin a three-game series against another rival, the New York Mets.

They also find themselves just two games behind the Red Sox for first place in the division with 100 games to go, so this team is far from being in trouble. Put this ugly series in their rear view mirror and get back to doing all the good things they were doing before embarrassing themselves in Boston.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	5	0	2	0	0	0	1	.298
Damon, LF	4	1	0	0	1	1	2	.286
Teixeira, 1B	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	.289
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	0	1	2	0	1	1	.234
Cano, 2B	4	0	1	0	0	0	3	.293
Swisher, RF	4	0	1	0	0	2	1	.255
Gardner, CF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.267
Matsui, DH	3	0	2	0	1	1	1	.260
Cabrera, M, CF-RF	4	1	2	0	0	1	3	.298
Cervelli, C	4	1	1	1	0	1	5	.269
Totals	36	3	10	3	2	7	21
BATTING 2B: Swisher (14, Penny), Cervelli (2, Delcarmen), Rodriguez, A (5, Delcarmen). TB: Jeter 2; Rodriguez, A 2; Cano; Swisher 2; Matsui 2; Cabrera, M 2; Cervelli 2. RBI: Cervelli (5), Rodriguez, A 2 (25). 2-out RBI: Rodriguez, A 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano 3; Cervelli; Matsui. Team RISP: 1-for-11. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING SB: Jeter (12, 2nd base off Penny/Varitek), Rodriguez, A (2, 2nd base off Penny/Varitek). FIELDING E: Damon (3, fielding). DP: (Jeter-Cano-Teixeira).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia (L, 5-4)	7.0	6	4	4	2	6	1	3.68
Aceves, A (BS, 1)	0.1	2	0	0	0	0	0	2.55
Coke	0.2	0	0	0	1	1	0	4.01

RED SOX STATS

Player of the Game: Brad Penny (6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K)

Honorable Mention: David Ortiz (2-for-3, HR, BB, R)

Goat of the GAme: Nick Swisher for three days worth of boneheaded plays.

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees vs. Mets
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880

Joba Chamberlain (3-1, 3.79 ERA) vs. Livan Hernandez (5-1, 3.88 ERA)

People Torn On What To Do with Chien-Ming Wang

Greg Cohen — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:25:00 -0400

First, there's Joel Sherman. He believes that the Yankees have to get Wang out of the rotation:

Both Joe Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland said late last night that there is nothing physically wrong with Wang. But what does that matter? They said that earlier in the season and a few days later determined -- get this -- that he had weakness in his hip.

They need such creativity again. Because they simply cannot let Wang continue to start. It has become like a once every fifth day concession speech.

There is no acceptable answer for sticking with Wang. Hughes may not be perfect. He still may have a lot to learn. But he is at least competitive. Wang, on the other hand, is making Kei Igawa look good by comparison.

Girardi tried again to talk about all the games Wang won in 2006-07. But it is 2009, and in 2009 Wang is killing the Yanks. David Robertson was warming in the first and warming in the second, and Hughes was in the game in the third. Nothing new there. Wang has worked just 14 1/3 innings over five starts. So he is a one-man bullpen wrecking crew.

Ultimately, this is not a scavenger hunt with prizes for anyone who can find a way for Wang to keep a consistent delivery during games. This is a major league season in which the Yanks must -- MUST -- win. And, right now, Wang is the biggest loser, so bad that he could give up four more runs and still have his ERA drop . . . to 14.34.

Girardi, Eiland and GM Brian Cashman will strategize today about what to do with Wang. Let him start against the weak Nationals. Use an off-day on Monday to skip him. Put him in the pen. Or pull out the medical dictionary to figure out a way to get him on the DL.

But there really is no decision. Wang needs to be removed and he does not simply get a spot back because of pedigree or a $5 million salary. He does not get a spot back with a few good side sessions or a couple of positive relief outings. This should now be Hughes' job to keep on his own success or failure. Wang goes to the back of the line and waits for an opening; an opening is no longer simply created for him based on past achievements.

No one cares anymore if he was the ace to start last year. It is this year, and in 2009 Wang is the majors' worst pitcher. And for the majors' worst pitcher you don't find excuses to put him back in the rotation, you find excuses to put him on the DL.

Then there was this from the much more rational John Harper:

Still, once the emotion wears off Girardi needs to do the right thing and give Wang another chance. It was the Yankees who panicked and rushed him back to the majors when they were worried about Joba Chamberlain taking a ball off the knee, and if they give up on him now, well, what was the point?

And it was Girardi who re-configured his starting rotation to put Wang into a spot where he had to face the Sox here at Fenway Park in his second start back from oblivion - not the ideal path to renewed success.

Is Phil Hughes a better pitcher right now than Chien-Ming Wang? There's no doubt about it. Hughes looked good again last night in pitching 3-2/3 innings of relief after Girardi took out Wang in the third inning.

But the Yankees need to find out about Wang once and for all before they banish him again. They can't invent another injury this time and send him back to the minors, so if they take him out of the rotation again, who knows what becomes of him?

If the Yankees were in a desperate situation maybe they'd have no choice. But it feels desperate only because they're 0-7 against the Red Sox. That's embarrassing, all right, but it doesn't make them desperate.

In truth, they're a game out of first place, they've still won 19 of their last 27 games, and they're still showing the grit that has helped them win so many games late this season, fighting back again in the late innings last night before falling a run short.

Even more relevant, they're ahead in the wild-card standings. Right now it's hard to see which other team in the American League is going to make a serious run at a wild-card berth, with so many clubs bunched up around .500.

And that matters because it provides a safety net that allows the Yankees to keep the big picture in mind. If they do that, it's too soon to give up on Wang, even if he was fairly awful again last night.

It's frustrating, exasperating, driving the Yankees crazy, but unlike early in the season, he is throwing hard again, reaching 95mph on the radar gun, and if anything, he had too much sink on his ball last night.

The Yankees can't wait forever on this, but for the moment, Hughes can help them in the bullpen and be ready to give them innings if Wang falters again.

It's only early June and the Yankees are in a position where they need to be sure about Wang before they toss him aside. After Girardi gets some sleep, surely he'll feel the same way.

I definitely think they need to keep him in the rotation, at least for one more start. If he was throwing 89-90 mph with no movement, I'd understand giving up on the guy, but last night he was throwing 95 with good sink, and his slider was good too, he just had zero command.

With the Nationals coming up on the schedule I see no problem with having him start against them. Worst case scenario is he gets bombed, but it's not like the Yanks will be facing Cy Young, the Nats currently have the worst team ERA in baseball at 5.41, so the Yanks will probably be able to score some runs.

What do you think the Yanks should do with Wang?

Four Homers Power New York Yanks Past Tampa Bay Rays

Greg Cohen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:27:00 -0400

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TB	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0
NYY	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	X	5	6	1

Winning pitcher - Andy Pettitte (6-2)
Losing pitcher - Andy Sonnanstine (4-6)
SV - Mariano Rivera (14)

The Yankees hit four solo homers on their way to their 5-3 victory over the Rays in tonight's rubber game at the new stadium.

Mark Teixeira hit his league-leading 18th homer in the first to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead.

Nick Swisher extended the Yankees lead to 3-0 with a two-run shot in the third.

Then, after the Rays tied it, Johnny Damon regained the lead with a solo homer in the sixth. Derek Jeter added a solo homer of his own in the eighth for a little insurance.

Andy Pettitte started for the Yankees and had an OK game, very similar to Joba Chamberlain's start yesterday. In six innings Pettitte allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits, while walking three and striking out seven, he threw 104 pitches, 64 for strikes.

The Yanks spotted him a 3-0 lead, but he got into trouble in the fourth, and allowed Tampa to tie it.

Ben Zobrist reached on an error by Alex Rodriguez to lead off the inning. He then moved to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a Michel Hernandez RBI single. Gabe Kapler then tied the game with a two-run homer.

Pettitte settled down before leaving the game after the sixth, and thanks to the homers by Damon and Jeter, was able to pick up his team-leading sixth win of the year.

Phil Hughes made his first appearance (it's about time) out of the bullpen and looked very good.

He pitched a one-two-three seventh, retiring B.J. Upton on a grounder to third, Carl Crawford on a grounder back to the mound, and then striking out Evan Longoria to end the inning.

He had great stuff tonight, all of his fastballs were either 94 or 95 mph and his curveballs had great movement. He threw 11 pitches, seven for strikes.

I'm not saying they should keep him in the pen for good, but they could have a weapon on their hands for at least the next few weeks.

Phil Coke came in for the eighth and was also very good. He didn't not allow a hit in one scoreless inning, but he did walk a batter. His velocity was also very good tonight, he regularly hit 93-94 on the gun.

For the third straight day Mariano Rivera came in for the ninth and for the second day in a row made quick work of the Rays.

He needed just 11 pitches to get through Kapler, Matt Joyce, and Upton. It was his 14th save of the season. The only negative to his outing tonight is now he's most likely unavailable for tomorrow's series opener against the Red Sox.

Speaking of the Sox, they were off tonight so the Yankees head to Fenway with a one game lead in the division. A.J. Burnett will get the ball for the Yanks in the opener, he will be facing Sox ace Josh Beckett. The game will be on MY9, and first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

How important is the upcoming Yanks-Sox series, and what are your expectations?

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	.306
Damon, LF	4	1	1	1	0	1	0	.299
Teixeira, 1B	3	1	1	1	1	1	0	.286
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	0	0	0	1	0	1	.248
Cano, 2B	3	1	1	0	0	0	1	.300
Posada, C	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.297
Matsui, DH	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	.246
Swisher, RF	3	1	2	2	0	0	1	.257
Gardner, CF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.265
Cabrera, M, CF-RF	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.297
Totals	28	5	6	5	3	2	6
BATTING HR: Teixeira (18, 1st inning off Sonnanstine, 0 on, 2 out), Swisher (12, 2nd inning off Sonnanstine, 1 on, 2 out), Damon (12, 6th inning off Sonnanstine, 0 on, 1 out), Jeter (8, 8th inning off Sonnanstine, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 4; Damon 4; Teixeira 4; Cano; Swisher 5. RBI: Teixeira (51), Swisher 2 (35), Damon (34), Jeter (26). 2-out RBI: Teixeira; Swisher 2. GIDP: Swisher; Rodriguez, A. Team LOB: 2. FIELDING E: Rodriguez, A (3, fielding). DP: (Jeter-Teixeira).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte (W, 6-2)	6.0	5	3	2	3	7	1	4.22
Hughes, P (H, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5.30
Coke (H, 3)	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	0	4.24
Rivera (S, 14)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.20

RAYS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Nick Swisher (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R)

HONORABLE MENTION: Mark Teixeira (1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB)

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees @ Red Sox
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: MY9, WCBS 880R
RHP A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA)

Is Mariano Rivera Losing It? Longoria Doesn't Think So

Greg Cohen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:21:00 -0400

From Matt Gagne:

The Rays have made the biggest impact on Mariano Rivera's reputation this season, twice rallying against the righthander, and leaving many to wonder if his days as the Yankees' closer are numbered.

But at least one person in Tampa Bay's clubhouse insists Rivera hasn't come upon the twilight of his career, even if his velocity has diminished and more balls are finding their way into the swaths of grass between outfielders.

Following the Yankees' 4-3 win at the Stadium Sunday—which ended on Evan Longoria's slow roller to second, capping a perfect ninth and Rivera's 13th save—the Rays' third baseman called the Sandman the best closer in all of baseball.

"Among the closers in the game, if I had to choose one guy, I would still want him running out there in the ninth inning," Longoria said. "If I was the manager, I would send him out there every day."

"I wasn't here when he was at the height, at the peak of his game, when every pitch he threw was 95-96 mph and cutting. The thing is, he's dropped a couple miles off his fastball, but he still puts it where he wants it...I don't really see his ability to get guys out in the ninth inning decreasing that much at all."

"He rarely makes mistakes. The times that he has, we've been able to capitalize on them," Longoria said. "He's still a big presence coming out of the pen. Maybe he's not as good as he was six years ago or when he was at his peak, but you have to be on the top of your game facing him...His ball is moving so much that even at 92-94 mph, it's still tough to handle."

I agree with Longoria, I don't think Mo is done or anything close to it. In fact, he could probably pitch several more years if he wanted to, and several more if he ever decided to bring back the change-up—but that won't happen.

But I'm wondering what you think. Do you think Mo is done (I know there are a lot of you out there who do)? If not, how long do you think he has left?

Was Mo Sick On Saturday?

Greg Cohen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:45:00 -0400

Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports says he was:

According the one Yankee, for several hours before Rivera took the ball Saturday afternoon in that tie game, he had suffered with a stomach ailment that brought aches and repeated vomiting.

Rivera had rolled off the trainer’s table, where he’d hoped to sleep it off, and into the bullpen in the eighth inning, where he began to warm up.

So, no, he didn’t have his best command. And, no, he didn’t have his best fastball.

But, he didn’t sprinkle the Yankee Stadium mound with breakfast, which, in itself, was a small victory, even though the game was a draw.

...

Asked if he felt better than he had the day before, Rivera said, “Oh, yeah. A lot better. Everything. The cutter. Myself. Everything.”

Mo didn't use it as an excuse and didn't even mention it after Saturday's game, but it could explain why he was so ineffective. It doesn't explain what happened the last time the Rays were in town, though.

This Week in Yankees History (6/7-6/13)

Greg Cohen — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:32:00 -0400

This Week in Yankees History
June 7th - June 13th

June 7th

1900 - Former Yankees P Ed Wells (1929-32) was born. On August 28, 1928, Ed was purchased by the Yankees from the Birmingham (Southern Association). Ed went 37-20 in 107 games for the Yankees. On April 14, 1933, he was purchased by the Browns from the Yankees.

1911 - Former Yankees P Ralph “Buck” Buxton (1949) was born. Buck went 0-1 in 14 games with 2 saves for the Yankees in 1949.

1913 - At the Polo Grounds, the Highlanders finally win one game, by the score of 3-2, over the White Sox. The Yankees end the13-game winless streak (12 loses, 1 tie.) It was the club’s longest winless streak ever. The Yankees are now 10-34 for the 1913 AL season.

1927 - At Yankee Stadium, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig hit back-to-back HR’s in the 4th inning, off of P Tommy Thomas, to beat the White Sox by the score of 4-1, increasing the Yankees' lead over Chicago to 2 games. Yankees C Pat Collins, also HRs for the Yankees, while Bud Clancy matches with one for the White Sox.

1936 - A HR by OF George Selkirk in the 16th inning, gives Red Ruffing and the Yankees, a 5-4 win over Indians P Oral Hildebrand. Red Ruffing has 3 hits, including a HR. In creditably, there are no strikeouts recorded in this 16th inning long game.

1939 - In his 1st at bat since April 29th, Joe DiMaggio hit a triple to pace the Yankees to a 5-2 victory over the White Sox at Comiskey Park.

1947 - Former AL All Star Yankees Catcher and Captain Thurman Munson (1969-1979) was born (1947-1979). Thurman Munson was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (4th pick) of the 1968 MLB amateur player draft. Munson was a graduate of Kent State University. Munson, who died in aircraft crash in August of 1979, finished his Yankee career with a lifetime BA of .292. He was named the 1970 AL Rookie of Year. In 1976, he won the AL MVP award. He was named Yankee captain. Munson was an AL All Star catcher in 1971, 1973-78. He won AL Golden Glove as a catcher from 1973-75. Truman was a modern day version of Bill Dickey. His World Series lifetime BA was .373 in the AL Playoffs series his BA was .339.

1967 - The last-place Yankees have the 1st pick in the1967 MLB free-agent player draft and use it to take 1B Ron Blomberg. Ron “Boomer” Blomberg will become the 1st designated hitter in MLB history. Ron Blomberg has scouted for the Yankees. He is the author of the book “Designated Hebrew,” about his MLB player days.

1968 - The Yankees drafted Kent State University catcher Thurman Munson in the 1st round (4th pick) of the 1968 MLB amateur player draft.

1971 - The Yankees obtained OF Danny Walton from the Brewers for INF/OF Frank Tepedino and OF Bobby Mitchell. Walton never turned out to be the power hitter the Yankees were hoping for. He would be traded to the Twins for reserve C Rick Dempsey in the fall of 1972.

1973 - In 2 separate player transactions; the Yankees purchased P “Sudden Sam” McDowell from the Giants for $100,000. Then they obtained starter Pat Dobson from Braves for 1B Wayne Nordhagen, OF Frank Tepedino, Pitchers David Cheadle and Alan Coster. Former AL All Star hurler Sam McDowell was still batting serious drinking problems. He was a major disappointment with the Yankees. Meanwhile Pat Dobson went 9-8 in 1973, and then he posted a 19-15 record in 1974, before fading in 1975, being traded in November to White Sox for OF/DH Oscar Gamble. The Yankees players sent to the Braves did nothing as MLB players.

1982 - In the 1982 MLB free agent player draft, the Yankees selected 2-sport star Bo Jackson in the 2nd round, but Bo opts for Auburn College to play college football instead; later he will sign with the Royals in 1986.

1990 - At Fenway Park, 2- Red Sox pitchers, starter Greg Harris and closer Jeff Reardon combine to hurl a 1-hitter, beating the Yankees by a score of 3-0.

1998 - Yankees starter David Cone strikes out 14 batters, as he hurls a 2-hitter to lead the Yankees, to a 4-1 decision over the Marlins.

1998 - Former Yankees P Tom Buskey (1973-74) passed away in Harrisburg, PA from injuries involving an auto accident (1947-1998). Tom was signed by the Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent in 1969. His pitching record with the Yankees was 0-2 in 12 games with 2 saves. Tom was a short relief man, who was traded by the Yankees to the Indians in the Chris Chambliss trade during the 1974 AL season.

June 8th

1927 - Tony Lazzeri hits 3 HR’s during the Yankees come from behind win against the White Sox 12-11 in 11 innings. Tony hit 2 HR’s off of starter Red Faber, and hit a game tying 2-run HR in the 9th inning off of reliever George Connally.

1933 - Jimmie Foxx hit 3 HRs in his 1st 3 at-bats as the A’s outscore the Yankees by a score of 14-10. Foxx had homered his last time up the previous day to give him 4 consecutive HRs.

1935 - Lou Gehrig collides with Carl Reynolds on a play at 1B and he leaves the game with arm and shoulder injuries. His MLB consecutive game streak is preserved, in part, by a rainout of the next day's game and an open date.

1941 -Yankees C Bill Dickey makes unassisted double play in the 1st game of a doubleheader again the Browns and thereby ties the MLB record for unassisted double-plays in 1 game by a catcher.

1954 - Former Yankees reserve INF Lenn Sakata (1987) was born. Lenn was signed as free agent by the Yankees. He appeared in 48 games and hit .267 as a reserve infielder during the 1987 AL season.

1969 - The New York Yankees' uniform No. 7 is officially retired on “Mickey Mantle Day.” A crowd of 60,096 fans come to Yankee Stadium to honor Mickey Mantle and watched Yankees sweep the White Sox in a doubleheader by scores of 3-1 and 11-2.

1977 - New York starter Mike Torrez’s 5-hit, 9-2, victory against the Brewers, puts the Yankees into 1st place in the AL East, the 1st time since May 20th.

1981 - The Yankees use their 1st round player draft pick to take college football QB John Elway, who will only play minor league baseball (Oneonta Yankees) for the Yankees before going on to a long successful NFL career.

1986 - In the longest 9-inning game by time in AL history, Orioles beat the Yankees by a score of 18-9. The game features 9 pitchers, 36 hits, and 16 walks, and takes 4-hours-16-minutes to complete.

1997 - Former Yankees OF Ken Hunt (1959-1960) passes away (1934-1997). Ken Hunt was signed as a free agent by the Yankees in 1952. He appeared in 32 games during the 1959-60 AL seasons batting .303. He was unable to crack the regular Yankees starting OF. In December of 1960, Ken was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in AL 1960 expansion player draft. Former Yankees Manager Casey Stengel, who helped the Angels with scouting reports on players placed in the draft, recommend him to the Angels management.

2005 - The Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez became the youngest member of the 400-HR MLB career club, when he hit a solo HR in the 8th inning of New York's 12-3 victory over the Brewers.

June 9th

1931 - Former Yankees minor league OF and Manager Bill Virdon (1974-75) was born. Bill was originally signed by the Yankees in 1950, but was later traded along with P Mel Wright and another minor league player to the Cardinals for OF Enos “Country” Slaughter in 1954. In 1955, he won the NL ROY award with the Cardinals. Bill would go on to be an All Star OF with the Pirates. He hit .241 with the Pirates in the 1960 World Series against the Yankees. He managed the Pirates before coming to the Yankees to replace longtime Yankees Manager Ralph Houk, who resigned at the end of 1973 AL season. He would later manage the Astros and Expos in the NL, after being replaced by the Yankees in 1975 mid season by Billy Martin.

1946 - The Yankees draw 66,545 fans for their doubleheader with the Indians at Yankee Stadium, breaking 1-million attendance mark in the earliest date in MLB history. The Tribe takes the opener by a score of 9-5, while the Yankees come back to win the nightcap by a score of 7-4.

1969 - The Yankees purchased veteran hurler Ken Johnson from Braves for undisclosed amount of cash. He was washed up. Ken was sent to the Cubs in August.

1977 - Yankee shortstop Bucky Dent’s 3-hits highlight a Yankees 10-1 win at Milwaukee over the Brewers with Yankees starter Don Gullet picking up his 5th victory of the 1977 AL season.

June 10th

1903 - The Yankees obtained shortstop Kid Elberfeld from Tigers for 2 shortstops, Herm Long and Ernie Courtney.

1905 - Former Yankees P Danny MacFayden (1932-34) was born. On June 5, 1932, Dan was traded by the Red Sox to the Yankees for P Ivy Andrews, Hank Johnson, and $50,000 in cash. Dan went 14-10 in 64 games with 1 save for the Yankees. On June 4, 1935, Dan was selected off waivers by the Braves from the Yankees.

1921 - Babe Ruth of the Yankees became MLB baseball's career HR leader by hitting his 120th HR off of Indians P Jim Bagby Sr. in the 3rd inning. The Indians won the game by a score of 8-6.

1956 - Former Yankees reserve C Brad Gulden (1979-80) was born. Brad was obtained from the Dodgers before the start of the 1979 AL season. He was one of the 2 catchers (Jerry Narron) used by the team after Thurman Munson’s death in August of 1979.

1966 - Yankees obtained P Fred Talbot from the A’s for OF Roger Repoz, pitchers Bill Stafford and Gil Blanco. Fred Talbot went 14-24 for the Yankees before being unloaded to the Pilots in 1968. Jim Bouton wrote about him in his famous baseball book “Ball Four.”

1977 - Yankees starter Ron Guidry does it again, stopping the Twins by the score of 4-1, with 9th inning help from closer Sparky Lyle. The key Yankee hit in the game was a 2-run double by 2B Willie Randolph.

June 11th

1927 - After Babe Ruth hits 2 consecutive HR’s, Indians’ catcher Luke Sewell demands that the umpires inspect Babe Ruth’s bat. The bat was ruled legal, but the commotion created gave the Cleveland crowd a thrill exceeded only by Babe Ruth striking out at his 3rd at bat.

1961 - Yankees All Star RF Roger Maris hits his 20th HR of the 1961 AL season in route to the magic 61 HR mark.

1974 - Yankees veteran All Star starter Mel Stottlemyre made his 272nd consecutive start, with no relief appearances, to set an AL record.

1976 - Former Yankees P Jim Konstanty (1954-56) passed away. After being acquired from the Phillies during the 1954 season, he posted a 1-1 mark in 9 games with 2 saves. In 1955, Jim went 7-2 with 11 saves in 45 games. In 1956, he was 0-0 with 2 saves in 8 games before being released by the Yankees. In 1950, he was the NL MVP with the Phillies, posting a 16-7 record with 22 saves. He appeared in 2 games with the Phillies against the Yankees in the 1950 World Series. He lost the opening game by a score of 1-0 to Yankees starter Vic Raschi.

1988 - Rick Rhoden of the Yankees became the 1st pitcher to start a game as a DH since the rule was adopted in 1973.

2003 - Astros pitchers Roy Oswalt, Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner combined for the 1st no-hitter against the Yankees in 45 years, winning 8-0, and stopping New York at 6,980 games with at least 1 hit. Orioles P Hoyt Wilhelm accomplished the feat in 1958, beating the Yankees by the score of 1-0. Houston sextet also set a record for the highest number of pitchers to throw a no-hitter in MLB history (4 accomplished the feat twice).

June 12th

1907 - The Yankees commit 11 errors in their 14-6 loss to the Tigers.

1912 - Former Yankees Co-Owner Dan Topping was born (1912-1974). Dan Topping became part owner of the Yankees in 1945, when he was part of a group that purchased the team from the estate of the late owner Jacob Ruppert. The group, which also included Del Webb and Larry MacPhail, who was bought out by Webb and Topping in 1947. He sold his majority interest in the club to CBS in November of 1964. Topping sold his remaining stake in the Yankees in 1966.

1922 - Hub Pruett of the Browns struck out Babe Ruth 3 consecutive times as Browns beat the Yankees by the score of 7-1.

1928 - Lou Gehrig of the Yankees collected 14 bases with 2 triples and 2 HRs in a 15-7 victory over the White Sox.

1938 - The Yankees score 7 runs in the 6th inning to come from behind and defeat the Indians by a score of 7-6.

1939 - The Baseball Hall of Fame was officially dedicated at Cooperstown, N.Y. The greatest-ever gathering of members and future inductees of the Hall of Fame accepted their plaques: Grover Alexander, Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, Walter Johnson, Nap Lajoie, Connie Mack, Babe Ruth, George Sisler, Tris Speaker, Honus Wagner and Cy Young.

1945 - Former Yankees P Gary Jones (1970-71) was born. Gary was 0-0 in 14 games with Yankees, before being traded to the Rangers along with pitcher Terry Ley for veteran INF Bernie Allen.

1953 - Yankees obtained INF Willie Miranda from the Browns from cash above the waiver price. He would back up Scooter at shortstop before being traded to the Orioles in the winter of 1954 in the big 17-player trade that featured Orioles pitchers Bob Turley and Don Larsen coming to the Yankees.

1962 - Yankees obtained OF Tom Umphlett and cash from Red Sox for veteran reserve INF Billy Gardner. It was a trade of weak players; Tom never appears with the Yankees at the MLB level.

1969 - The Yankees obtained P Rob Gardner from the Indians for reserve C John Orsino.

1973 - The Yankees obtained P Lowell Palmer from the Indians for P Mike Kekich. The days as a Yankee for Kekich were numbered since the pre-spring training announcement of his wife swap with teammate Fritz Peterson.

1974 - Current Yankees OF/DH Hideki Matsui was born.

June 13th

1913 - The Yankees notch their 13th win of the 1913 AL season at this incredibly late date. They had already lost 36 games.

1921 - Babe Ruth of the Yankees hit a 460 FT HR into the CF bleachers in the Polo Grounds, for the 1st HR ever hit to that spot. Ruth added his 21st HR of the 1921 AL season also he pitched 5 innings in the 13- 6 win over the Tigers, giving up 4 runs, but striking out Ty Cobb. The next day, Babe Ruth will hit 2 more HRs, his 6th and 7th in 5 games, in a 9-6 win over the Tigers.

1924 - A riot by 18,000 fans at Detroit caused a forfeiture of a game to the Yankees. The trouble occurred, when Yankee OF Bob Meusel was hit with a pitch by Tigers P Bert Cole. Bob Meusel charged the mound, swung at Cole and missed, but was followed a bench clearing brawl. Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth got into it. Meusel and Ruth were both ejected from the game. When they went out on field to get their gloves, fans poured out onto the playing field. Umpires not able to restore peace with the crowd, ruled forfeit of the game. Yankee players Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel were fined $1,000 each, while Ty Cobb received a formal reprimand. The Yankees were leading the game by a score of 10-6, when the incident occurred.

1937 - Joe DiMaggio hits 3 consecutive HRs in the 2nd game of a doubleheader at St. Louis. The game ended in an 8-8 tie with the game called because of darkness. Rules allowed the all records from the game to count. The Yankees won the 1st game by a score of 16-9, when they scored 7 runs in the 9th inning to break a 9-9 tie with the Browns.

1939 - Yankees obtained INF Roy Hughes from the Browns for OF Joe Gallagher. Roy Hughes never plays for the Yankees at the MLB level.

1948 - An ailing Babe Ruth made his final appearance at Yankee Stadium. With the crowd of 49,641 fans singing Auld Lang Syne, and members of the 1923 Yankees team (the 1st to play in the stadium) looking on, the New York Yankees retired Ruth's uniform No. 3 during ceremonies that also commemorated the 25th anniversary of Yankee Stadium. Fewer than 2 months later, the 53-year-old Babe Ruth will die from throat cancer.

1975 - Yankees purchased veteran shortstop Ed Brinkman from the Tigers for cash. He played 44 games for the Yankees before retiring as an active MLB player.

1978 - Veteran Yankees OF Roy White hits a HR from each side of the plate during a Yankee 5-3 win at Oakland. It was the 5th time in White’s Yankees career does this feat.

1979 - Former Yankees minor league C David Parrish was born. David was the son of former MLB player Lance Parrish.

2000 - Former Yankees reliever Bobby Tiefenauer (1965) passed away (1929-2000). Bobby went 1-1 in 10 games for the Yankees, after being acquired from the Braves for Yankees minor league P Tom Dukes.

2003 - Roger Clemens reached his 300th MLB career win and became the 3d pitcher in MLB history with 4,000 strikeouts, leading the Yankees over the Cardinals, in a 5-2 victory, in an inter-league game. Edgar Renteria became his 4,000th victim in the 2nd inning. Clemens, the 21st pitcher to make it to 300, allowed 2 runs in 6 2-3 innings and struck out 10 batters, raising his total to 4,006. Clemens joined Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Steve Carlton (4,136) in the select MLB pitchers 4,000-strikeout club.

previous week

(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)

Yanks Will Offer Live Streaming Games Online

Greg Cohen — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0400

From Richard Sandomir:

"Yankees fans will soon be the first in baseball to buy games streamed on broadband to computers and wireless devices within the team’s local market, according to executives briefed on the pending deal but not authorized to speak publicly about it.

The agreement between the Yankees’ YES Network and Major League Baseball ends a logjam that has prevented teams from making their games available on the Internet within their designated markets. Some teams have wanted to do it, but financial arrangements between them and baseball could not be reached.

Teams stand to gain a new source of revenue, from the millions of broadband users around the country who are not sitting in front of their televisions but are in offices and other locations with a laptop or a wireless device.

The agreement between the Yankees’ YES Network and Major League Baseball Advanced Media, which controls the Internet rights of all 30 teams, will let fans inside the New York market buy a subscription to Yankees games. They will be able to watch on computers, laptops and other devices, giving the games a portability they have not had.

The first carrier to sign up is Cablevision, which will share revenue with YES and M.L.B.A.M. Fans can buy the in-market Yankee games only if they already subscribe to the expanded basic service on Cablevision that includes YES. The Yankees’ cable network is pursuing similar deals with other local cable operators, like Time Warner, and telecommunications services, like Verizon.

With the Yankees deal complete, other teams are expected to follow.

The Yankees’ service is supposed to start sometime this season and follows quickly on Cablevison’s recent renewal of its YES contract. A price was not available."

This is very good idea and it's going to be great for fans. I'd be surprised to see the other cable channels not jumping at this opportunity. Hopefully they pick this up soon. I'm talking to you, Time Warner.

Hale: 2006 Draft Was A Turning Point For Yanks

Greg Cohen — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0400

From Mark Hale:

The Yankees' drafts were terrible for several years. But things have changed.

Take a look at the team's amateur drafts from early this decade and you find the equivalent of an abandoned old parking lot—it's basically just weeds and litter. But general manager Brian Cashman said the team altered its approach to the draft three years ago, and there have been better results to accompany it.

In 2006, the Yankees drafted Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Mark Melancon—all of whom have reached, or are excelling in, the majors—while also landing Dellin Betances, Zach McAllister and George Kontos, all of whom could get there at some point.

"It has a chance to be one of the better drafts of all time," Cashman said.

This year's draft is Tuesday—the Yankees pick 29th in the first round and at No. 76 in the second—and they will continue to use the philosophy born in 2006. That year vice president of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer became, in Cashman's words, "fully empowered." Before that, Cashman said, "There were a lot of cooks in the kitchen. A lot of different philosophies colliding at times."

But beyond who does the picking, the draft targets for the Yankees have changed. For example, now it's more about a pitcher's stuff than his statistics.

"Players with tools, tools scouting rather than performance scouting," Cashman said. "Going aggressively after the difficult signs. ... It's really just keeping it simple. Going after players with big tools. Big tools hopefully lead to championships."

In fact, from 2001-05, some of the few good players the Yankees drafted didn't sign. The Yankees took right-hander Daniel Bard in the 20th round in 2003. He's now with the Red Sox and ranks as one of the majors' most touted relief prospects. In 2004, the Yanks took Chris Davis in the 50th round but didn't sign him. He now plays first base for the Rangers.
The only contributing players that the Yankees drafted during that span were Phil Coke (26th round, 2002), Phil Hughes (first round, 2004) and Brett Gardner (third round, 2005). And the jury is still out on all three.

The Yankees did take outfielder Austin Jackson in the eighth round in 2005, and he could be their center fielder of the future. They snagged pitcher Jeff Marquez in the first round in 2004 before sending him to Chicago in the Nick Swisher trade—so he did help the Yankees in that sense.

But the Yankees also wasted first-round selections on John-Ford Griffin (2001), Bronson Sardinha (2001), Jon Skaggs (2001), Eric Duncan (2003) and C.J. Henry (2005).

True story; I have a friend who played for Seton Hall Prep with Eric Duncan. The day after the Yankees drafted him, my friend's father told me that Duncan would never make it to the big leagues, and he had no idea what the Yankees were thinking wasting an first-round pick on him. So far it seems that this kid's father knew more than the Yankees did.

The one area where I will give Brian Cashman credit is how he helped the team change its philosophy after he was given full control. Clearly the 2006 draft marks the beginning of this period. It's amazing to think where the Yankees would be if they didn't have idiots running the drafts from 2001-2005, and they should consider themselves very lucky that they were able to get players like Hughes and Jackson with all the crap they drafted.

The next chance the Yankees have for a good draft will come Tuesday night. You can watch the draft on MLB Network, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Aura and Mystique Stayed Across the Street for Tampa Bay Rays

Greg Cohen — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:46:00 -0400

From Matt Gagne (hat-tip to Was Watching dot com):

The aura and mystique of the old Stadium is gone forever, so say the Tampa Bay Rays.

"You're in the new Yankee Stadium. It's absolutely a different stadium," Rays manager Joe Maddon said before last night's series opener in the Bronx was rained out. "It's kind of nice, actually, because I hated the smell of the old place.... I don't know if that odor was the remnants of the ghosts walking around, but they always had a home-court advantage in that yard.

"I'm not saying they can't develop it here, but they had an advantage just based on the smell of the place. They could have put that in a bottle, sprayed it on somebody and you'd say, 'Oh, Yankee Stadium.'"

That antique smell—and a sense of history—could get opponents caught up in their surroundings. Evan Longoria, for one, couldn't help but think of all the great players who had gone before him when he visited the old Stadium as a rookie last season.

"You went into the old Yankee Stadium and there was just that feeling—almost like the calm before the storm—you knew what was going to happen, you knew it was going to be a battle," Longoria said.

"When you walked down that hallway, you knew that Ruth and the forefathers of the game had walked down that same tunnel. That was the cool feeling about it."

But it hasn't necessarily carried over to the new Stadium.

"It feels a lot different," added Longoria, who hurt his left hamstring on Tuesday and will be a game-time decision this afternoon. "You don't really get to feel the ghosts of the past."

This was always a fear of mine with the new stadium, and from everything I've read from opposing players it seems my worst fears have come true. The new stadium doesn't scare anyone.

It seems the Rays are proving that the new place doesn't scare them at all, so far they're 3-0 at the new stadium, and today they beat the crap out of Mo after the Yanks tied the game in the eighth. It's safe to say, they're not intimidated.

As far as that smell goes, I think anyone who has been to both stadiums knows what Maddon is talking about. Stale beer, stale hot dogs, popcorn, and peanuts, all combined with 80 years of dirt. It was awesome. The new place smells like an airport.

Andy Pettitte Struggles As Yanks Fall to Texas 4-2

Greg Cohen — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:37:00 -0400

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TEX	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	9	2
NYY	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	6	1

Winning pitcher - Scott Feldman (5-0)
Losing pitcher - Andy Pettitte (5-2)
SV - Frank Francisco (12)

Andy Pettitte started for the Yankees and had absolutely nothing from the very beginning. He walked leadoff man Ian Kinsler and things got worse from there.

After two singles, a walk, and another single, the Rangers were up 3-0 before the Yankees took a swing.

Pettitte battled his way through five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walked a season-high six batters, and struck out six.

Of his 104 pitches, only 59 of them were strikes. He obviously had problems with the strike zone, and never really was able to command any of his pitches.

Even though he battled his way through five and never let the game get out of hand, it wasn't a good start and he didn't give the Yankees their best chance to win like the rest of the starters have been doing.

After the game he said his back felt fine he just was never able to get into a rhythm and throw strikes consistently.

He's now 2-1, with a 5.79 ERA at the new Yankee Stadium, but in five starts on the road he's 3-1, with a 2.59 ERA, so you have to wonder if he's carrying the fear of the home run to the mound with him and if it's affecting him.

The Yankees offense couldn't get much going against Scott Feldman and the Rangers pen. They scored one run in the first on an Alex Rodriguez RBI single, but A-Rod would be involved in a much bigger play in the game a couple innings later.

With the score 4-1 Rangers in the bottom of the third, Feldman walked the bases loaded with one out for Rodriguez.

He worked the count to 3-1 but swung at a borderline pitch and rolled it to third base for a 5-5-3 double play to end the inning.

He was also up with Johnny Damon on third base and one out in the sixth, but struck out swinging, leaving Damon at third.

The Yankees added a second run on a solo homer from Jorge Posada in the seventh but the turning point in the game was the A-Rod DP. From that point on the Yankees looked like the walking dead.

After Feldman was taken out in the seventh, C.J. Wilson and Frank Francisco were dominating, combining for 2.2 shutout innings including three strike outs.

A few more notes on the offense: Derek Jeter's 16-game hitting streak came to an end with his 0-for-4. ... The Yankees seemed to really miss Mark Teixeira in the middle of that lineup tonight.

The Yankees 3-4-5 hitters (Damon-A-Rod-Cano) combined to go 1-for-11 with a RBI and a walk. ... Robinson Cano needs to stop watching the ball when he's running to first, especially on plays on the infield.

Tonight he hit a chopper over the pitchers mound and got thrown out by an inch by Rangers' shortstop Elvis Andrus.

Had he not been watching the ball as he ran up the first baseline I'm sure he beats it out. He needs to stop slowing himself down and just put his head down and run.

On the positive side, Brett Tomko pitched three very good innings in relief out of the pen. He allowed just two hits and struck out three, while throwing 27 of his 39 pitches for strikes.

Also, David Robertson had a nice outing, pitching a scoreless ninth. He threw 16 pitches, nine for strikes.

The Red Sox beat the Tigers tonight so the Yanks and Sox are now tied for first in the AL East.

The Yanks look to take this three-game set in tomorrow afternoon's rubber game. Chien-Ming Wang will make his first start since April 18th, and he will go up against Rangers' right-hander Brandon McCarthy.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.313
Swisher, 1B	3	1	2	0	1	1	0	.244
Damon, LF	3	0	0	0	1	1	2	.296
Rodriguez, A, 3B	4	0	1	1	0	2	5	.250
Cano, 2B	4	0	0	0	0	0	3	.305
Posada, C	4	1	2	1	0	1	0	.320
Matsui, DH	4	0	0	0	0	1	1	.261
Cabrera, M, RF	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	.313
Gardner, CF	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	.265
Totals	32	2	6	2	3	8	15
BATTING 2B: Swisher (12, Feldman). HR: Posada (8, 7th inning off Feldman, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Swisher 3; Rodriguez, A; Posada 5; Cabrera, M. RBI: Rodriguez, A (21), Posada (26). 2-out RBI: Rodriguez, A. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano. GIDP: Cabrera, M; Rodriguez, A. Team RISP: 1-for-6. Team LOB: 6. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner (11, 2nd base off Feldman/Saltalamacchia). FIELDING E: Pettitte (1, pickoff). Outfield assists: Cabrera, M (Byrd at 3rd base). DP: 2 (Cano-Jeter-Swisher, Jeter-Cano-Swisher). Pickoffs: Robertson (Kinsler at 1st base).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte (L, 5-2)	5.0	7	4	4	6	6	0	4.33
Tomko	3.0	2	0	0	0	3	0	2.16
Robertson	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2.16

RANGERS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Scott Feldman (W, 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)

HONORABLE MENTION: Ian Kinsler (2-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, R)

GOAT(S) OF THE GAME: Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees vs. Rangers
Game Time: 1:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880LHP
Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 16.07 ERA) vs. Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 4.35 ERA)

6/3 Minor League Report: Montero's Double-A Debut

Greg Cohen — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:26:00 -0400

================

(Triple-A) Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (32-20) against Syracuse (25-25) was rained out, a doubleheader tomorrow scheduled for tomorrow @ 5:35 p.m.

Check out this post from Chad Jennings. He spoke with Yankees' vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman about a number of Yankees minor leaguers including Sergio Mitre, Kevin Russo, Zach McAllister, Jorge Vazquez and Hector Noesi.

(Double-A) Trenton (28-23) beat Bowie (26-25) 8-0: Box Score - Recap

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Bowie	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2
Trenton	1	1	0	0	0	2	4	0	X	8	10	1

W: De La Rosa (3-2, 3.24); L: Deza (1-2, 3.67); SV: Texeira, K (2)
HR: TRN: Curtis (1).

Offense:
Justin Snyder: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB
Colin Curtis: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 R
Chris Malec: 1-for-5, 3B
Noah Hall: 1-for-3, 2 BB, R
Jesus Montero:1-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 R
Edwar Gonzalez: 2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Kevin Smith: 1-for-4, RBI
Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
James Cooper: 1-for-3, BB, R

Pitching:
Wilkin De La Rosa (W, 3-2): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K (3.24 ERA)
Kanekoa Texeira (S, 2): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (3.25 ERA)

(Single-A) Tampa (21-29) lost to Jupiter (26-24) 6-1: Box Score - Recap

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tampa	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	4	2
Jupiter	2	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	X	6	10	0

W: De La Rosa (3-2, 3.24); L: Deza (1-2, 3.67); SV: Texeira, K (2)
HR: TRN: Curtis (1).

Offense:
Eric Fryer: 1-for-3, 3B, RBI, BB
Brandon Laird: 2-for-4
Walter Ibarra: 1-for-3, R

Pitching:
Ryan Zink (L, 2-5): 5 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (4.93 ERA)
Adam Olbrychowski: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (2.00 ERA)
Craig Heyer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (3.91 ERA)

(Low-A) Charleston (30-22) beat Savannah (25-27) 4-3: Box Score - Recap

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	R	H	E
Charleston	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	12	0
Savannah	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	3	8	2

W: Rulon (3-1, 1.42); L: Cruz, R (1-2, 2.36); SV: Venditte (16)
HR: None.

Offense:
Jose Pirela: 2-for-4, R
Daniel Brewer: 2-for-6, RBI
David Adams: 2-for-6
Neall French: 2-for-6
Taylor Grote: 1-for-5, R
Mitch Abeita: 0-for-3, 2 BB
Mike Lyon: 1-for-5, R
Addison Maruszak: 2-for-4, RBI, R

Pitching:
Brett Marshall: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (3.93 ERA)
Cory Arbiso: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (3.42 ERA)
Brad Rulon (W, 3-1): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (1.42 ERA)
Pat Venditte (S, 16): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (0.77 ERA)

Olney: Pitchers Think New Yankee Stadium is a Joke

Greg Cohen — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0400

From Buster Olney's Chat this week (hat-tip to Mike Silva):

Doug (NY): "I think it's the ballpark. Every year in free agency, we generally see the elite pitchers avoid places like Colorado, Cincinnati and Baltimore, where they have smaller ballparks" I hope the Yankee brass is reading your chat, Buster

Buster Olney: Doug: That's exactly the point when it comes to the significance of how new Yankee Stadium is playing this year. During the '09 season, it's not that big of a deal -- and in some ways, it might give the Yankees a competitive advantage, because they are power-laden. But in the big picture, it is a big deal -- and I've already heard about conversations in the pitchers' fraternity about what a joke they think the park is. So if you are (I'm riffing here) a Yovanni Gallardo in four years and you can be a free agent, and Yankee Stadium is still a homer haven, would you rather go to that place or Citi Field? Most of the time, the best FA pitchers will avoid the homer havens.

Ultimately free agents will go where the money is, so if the Yankees continue to blow everyone out of the water with their offers they should have no problem signing free agent pitchers down the road. If the Yankees' pitchers prove you can pitch well at the new stadium, that would make this even less of an issue.

Do you think our new bandbox will scare away potential free agents in years to come?