Yankees 5 Detroit 2: It’s only two starts, but Darrell Rasner has given the Yankees exactly what they needed, quality pitching. Rasner was impressive on Saturday, holding one of the more dangerous lineups in the league to only two runs and four hits over six innings. Most importantly, he didn’t beat himself, issuing only one walk. Derek Jeter got things going with a solo shot in the first and was one of five different Yankees......

Photograph of Joba Chamberlain after giving up a three-run homer run in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium by Julie Jacobson/AP Cleveland 5 Yankees 3: Could the definition of irony be that Joba Chamberlain gives up three runs in the majors on the same night that Ian Kennedy dominates AAA? Perhaps, but maybe we should just focus on how tough it is to protect a one-run lead. Joba couldn’t do it in the 8th,......

Yankees 9 White Sox 5: Bobby Abreu had a huge grand slam in the seventh to put the Yankees up 6-3 and Johnny Damon added a 3-run shot in the 8th to put the game safely out of reach. Chien-Ming Wang was shaky, but fought through six innings and got the win. It is the 50th win of his career and Wang becomes the fastest pitcher to win 50 games since Dwight Gooden did it......

Photo of Yankee Stadium during the Canadian national anthem by AP/Kathy Willens It may have come a day later than many people wanted, but the Yankees opened the final season of the Stadium on a high note, winning a close and well-pitched game 3-2. Chien-Ming Wang went seven innings allowing only two runs and Joba and Mo closed the game out with a scoreless inning each. Melky Cabrera was the offensive and defensive hero with......

Photo of Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman before an exhibition game against the Florida Marlins by AP/Luis M. Alvarez Joe Girardi made the goal clear from his introductory press conference donning the number 27 to represent the quest for a 27th title. But, despite their tremendous resources and talent, this Yankees’ team is further away from winning a title than any in recent memory because of the question surrounding the starting pitching. It is......

Entering Spring Training the Yankees had three big questions to answer. The biggest and most obvious was the role that Joba Chamberlain would play. Hank proclaimed that he wanted Joba to start and Joe Girardi’s insisted that Joba’s future is as a starter, but in the end the Yankees put him in the bullpen for at least the start of 2008. And it makes sense because while they won’t admit it publicly, the Yankees are......

If Barry Melrose ever goes to Newark, he probably won't be getting a warm reception. Melrose, a hockey analyst for ESPN and a former player and manager, said some disparaging words about the city of Newark when talking about the new Devils arena on his webcast last week. Melrose said, "It looks great on the inside but don't go outside, especially if you got a wallet or anything else because the area around the building......

The reports of George Steinbrenner’s demise may have been exaggerated. In an interview with Ian O'Connor, Steinbrenner showed the fire that longtime fans of the Yankees are used to. While it wasn’t punching out someone in an elevator, this was a classic motivational ploy from the Steinbrenner textbook - win or the manager is gone. Of course all of this ignores the fact that the Yankees are lucky to have even made the playoffs. Teams......

Cleveland 2 Yankees 1 (11 innings): Baseball has had many weird games and plays in its history, but it is hard to think of a more bizarre scene than Jacobs Field in the eighth inning last night. Swarms of mayflies descended on the stadium, disrupting play and perhaps affecting Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain, called in to protect a 1-0 lead in the seventh was swamped by the insects and suffered an uncharacteristic bout of wildness. Two......

At first glance it is easy to draw the parallel between the 2007 Yankees and the 2006 team. Once again the Yankees’ bats are the strength of their team and once again they are facing an underrated team from the AL Central with very good pitching. But, as much as the parallel works, there are three key differences with this Yankees team that makes a repeat of last year’s first round flameout unlikely. First......

The Wizard of Oz has really been updated for current times. Now, in addition to Toto, Dorothy carries a bag from the 5th Avenue Apple Store with her. At least that's what Dorothy, played by Ian Kennedy, did as part of the Yankees' rookie hazing tradition where green players dress up in crazy outfits. We expect this version of The Wizard of Oz to come to an off, off, off Broadway location in the......

Mets 7, Marlins 6 (11 innings): A third straight win has pushed thoughts of panic to the back burner. Philadelphia lost, meaning the Mets' lead is 2 1/2. Stranger things have happened, but the Mets have buckled up in the driver's seat in the National League East. Please support David Wright for the MVP award. He put the team ahead in the 11th after another poor performance from the relievers. That bullpen still has to......

Blue Jays 5, Yankees 4 (14 innings): If they knew their four-run rally in the ninth inning would only result in a 14-inning loss, maybe they wouldn't have been so excited when they produced that unexpected effort. Roy Halladay hardly had to exert himself over the first eight innings, but some shoddy defense and timely hitting in the ninth undid all that.They always say it's better to have loved and lost than to never have......

A spectator at Fenway Park in Boston took to the field and interrupted the game during last night's Red Sox-Yankees rubber match. With the game still tied 1-1 at the bottom of the 7th inning, Boston first baseman Eric Hinske was leading off for the Sox and was the first batter to face pitcher Joba Chamberlain, who relieved Roger Clemens. Hinske managed a double to left field after facing a full count at the......

Yankees 4, Blue Jays 1: Entering this game, who would have thought Joba Chamberlain would allow more runs than Mike Mussina? The rookie reliever's scoreless streak finally ended, but that's small potatoes in the Yankees' seventh straight win. Besides, his ERA's still at 0.00 because Alex Rodriguez's error allowed the run to score. Mussina's start makes a case for him to be of use in October, a month that each day seems more likely to......

Yankees 3 Kansas City 2: It wasn’t always pretty and it was too close for comfort, but in the end the Yankees got the job done. Alex Rodriguez got things going in the second with his 49th home run of the year and Jorge Posada added his 19th to put the Yankees up 2-0. But, Ian Kennedy struggled with his command, walking three in the first and then allowing four hits in the second to......

Yankees 10 Seattle 2: A-Rod didn’t want to go for a MRI and while the results were negative, he had to talk Joe Torre into putting him into the lineup. Good thing he did, because A-Rod hit two home runs in the seventh as the Yankees exploded for eight runs in inning. A-Rod’s home runs and the Yankee explosion will overshadow a great start by Phil Hughes, but they shouldn’t. Hughes was brilliant over six......

Phillies 11, Mets 10: When a team enters a four-game series against a team six games behind in the standings, one thought has to be, "Let's not get swept." Well, the Mets got swept, and they didn't look good doing it. They put up several fights Thursday, battling back from 5-0 and 8-5 deficits to take a 10-8 lead into the eighth. But Billy Wagner, summoned to pitch an inning early, allowed a home run......

Yankees 5, Red Sox 3: This game wasn't important in the American League East race. If a miracle occurs over the next three weeks, it may be looked upon as signifcant, but right now it simply helps the Yankees in their quest to make the playoffs as the wild card. Andy Pettitte threw seven innings of three-run ball, and the Yankees broke a 3-3 tie when Johnny Damon homered off Daisuke Matsuzaka in the seventh......

Mets 8, Nationals 2: After fooling around with some of the National League's weaker teams, the Mets finished a sweep in Washington with this drubbing. Carlos Beltran led the way with two homers. His trip to the disabled list seems to have helped him out of his slump. Orlando Hernandez, who said his team had "good offense" and "good defense," won his fourth straight decision. He hasn't lost since July 4. Yankees 9, Tigers 3:......

Yankees 6, Indians 1: The Yankees played well against the soft part of their schedule and last night, against an actual playoff contender, they continued their recent winning ways (they've won 20 of the last 27 games). In his second start since returning from a May leg injury, Hughes, a key player in the future of the Yankees rotation, pitched brilliantly. He allowed only one run over 6 innings to the AL Central-leading Indians. Equally......

Yankees 9 Blue Jays 2: Tempers flared in Toronto as the Blue Jays decided to retaliate for a second day against Alex Rodriguez for his infamous “HA!”. Josh Towers plunked Alex and the benches emptied twice before play resumed. Things cruised along from there until Robinson Cano got hit, although it looked unintentional, in the seventh. But, that was enough for Roger Clemens who started the bottom of the seventh with a fastball away before......

The Yankees and Mets head into today’s trade deadline with similar objectives, upgrading their bullpens, but the Mets have already strengthened their team. Yesterday, the Mets acquired Luis Castillo from the Minnesota Twins for AA catcher Drew Butera and Class A outfielder Dustin Martin. Martin had a .779 OPS for St. Lucie while Butera, considered more of a defensive player, had struggled in AA hitting only .188. In Castillo, a three-time All Star and former......