Yanks Jump Out Early, Get Bombed Late

Mark Mulder, one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, gave up three runs in the first inning to the Yankees. When one of the best pitchers in baseball gives you a three run cushion, you have to take advantage of it, Jon Lieber did not. Going into the 4th inning Lieber had a 4-1 lead on a 3-run Posada home run and a Gary Sheffield (what else is new) solo home run. going into the bottom of the fifth, the A's were up 8-4. Lieber gave up six earned runs and the A's cruised to a 13-4 win.

Getting four runs off Mulder is like getting a date with Carmen Electra, it just doesn't happen that often. The Yankees pitching continues to be a problem. The offense has been consistent all year, but the pitching is another story. The Yankees are not worried about losing a few games in the regular season to the Oakland A's, but the signs are there for a mediocre off-season, due to the poor pitching. In the playoffs you win games 3-2 or 2-1, not 10-9. That is what concerns the Yankee fan, what is going to happen in October when we match up aagainst three top notch pitchers.

Looking at the play-off teams right now, it does not look good for the bombers. If they play Oakland, you have to go up against, Mulder (15-3, 3.50), Tim Hudson (7-3, 2.98), Barry Zito (7-7, 4.81) and Rich Harden (5-5, 3.92), with Octavio Dotel slamming the door shut at the end. If it is Minnesota, you have Johan Santana (maybe the best pitcher in the league of late) 8-3 since June with a million strikeouts and an ERA below 2.00. Brad Radke (7-6, 3.77) and Carlos Silva (10-7, 4.23) would pitch in games two and three. Boston would throw Pedro, Schilling, Lowe and Wakefield. Let's face it, the Yankees would have to rely heavily on "The Curse" to win that series the way their pitching is going right now.

Jose Contreras' replacement, Esteban Loazia (9-5, 4.86) takes the mound tonight against Rich Harden (5-5, 3.92). Contreras got the win for his new team, Chicago White Sox, last night.

In off the field news, Torre says that he will rely on John Olerud as the starting Yankee first basemen for the rest of the way. He also stated that when Jason Giambi returns he will be used exclusively as a DH.