Big Papi and Manny outted!!!

George Mitchell tried to hide it and the media might have helped him, but the truth has a way of slipping through even the firmest of grasps.

OF COURSE Big Papi and Manny were juicing. Ever since 2002 when John Henry bought the team and promised to "end the curse of the bambino", the entire organization has indulged in a win-at-all-costs mentality that surely gave rise to a permissive drug culture on the team. And you can bet that it still exists today. After all, can anyone really look at the monstrous physiques and bloated faces of Beckett, Lester, and several other Red Sox players today without wondering not whether they're juicing, but how often?

And you know what? None of this would matter so much if the Red Sox hadn't waged an all-out anti-drug crusade, led by George Mitchell, and a propaganda war, led by the media (cough NYTimes cough) and the new Red Sox front office, against the Yankees as part of their win-at-all-costs strategy. It was a war begun in 2002 with the "evil empire" nonsense, a war that the fans and players themselves responded to with unmitigated aggression and indignation about some perceived and wholly imagined wrong that the Yankees had done them. Spurred on by the Red Sox management's irresponsible remarks, on the field and in the stands the rivalry turned violent and culminated in the 2003 playoffs with several players and fans getting hurt, extraordinary ugliness on the field and Aaron Boone having to deliver the deciding blow, a home run that, for every Yankee fan, felt like justice done.

Today's report on the Red Sox is more of that justice. It's as though Paul O'Neil and Bernie Williams were both caught doping in 1998. Except they weren't.

Red Sox fans thought their team was so different, and yet the characteristic that defines the Red Sox is how desperately it yearns to overtake the Yankees and undermine the legacy of the Yankee glory years of a decade ago. But it's a desperation that has done nothing but turn the Sox into a collective steroid freak and a finger-wagging, hypocritical disgrace.

Some good news

But here's the bright side:

The Yankees are 3.5 games ahead of Boston, who just lost two of their last three to Oakland (the same Oakland team that the Yankees just smoked in 3 out of 4). The Bombers are also 7.5 games ahead of Tampa, who looked outclassed over the last 3 days.

Since we're keeping track, I'll also mention that the Yanks are 2 games better than the Angels right now, for the best record in the AL. And today they tied Joe Torre's L.A. Dodgers for the most wins in baseball.

Posada's opinion

From the NY Times:

"Posada said he could not imagine Wang leaving:

'I think of Wang as a Yankee, and he wants to be here.'"

A Yankee for sure.

Wang

As you've probably heard by now, Wang is having season-ending surgery this week to repair his ailing shoulder. Many are speculating that this could be the end of his tenure with the NY Yankees because the team has the option of not renewing his contract next year. When the year is done, they are no longer under any further obligation to him.

Whether or not the Yankees keep him will depend on how he recovers from the surgery. If his arm comes back just as strong as in the past, the Yankees may elect to keep him, as he has been a dependable #1 starter in the past, and can still contribute to an organization that suddenly finds itself without a go-to starting 5 rotation. But most suspect that he'll be traded or simply allowed to go into free agency.

It'll be a sad day for me if Wang leaves NY. I'd always wanted to bring my Taiwanese girlfriend to see him pitch at Yankee Stadium. And my love for the Yankees and Taiwan's love for Mr. Wang is one of the things that I feel truly brings us together.

For Taiwan, Wang has been a superstar, the first Taiwanese-born player to reach the big leagues. And he didn't only play. For two years he became the ace of the NY Yankees, a rock solid starter and 19 game winner two seasons in a row. He stopped losing streaks and at times carried the team when they were slumping, all when he must have felt enormous pressure to represent his country (as the only high-profile Taiwanese baseball player in MLB). His poise under that kind of pressure was truly awe-inspiring.

Taiwanese should be proud. It was a great honor for him to be given a Yankee uniform. But it was also a great honor for the Yankees to be blessed with such a talented, courageous pitcher who led the pitching staff for two years. I think CC Sabathia said it best yesterday:

"We really need him. He's a great pitcher."

That said, let's hope he makes his return stronger than ever...and in pinstripes.

The Starter (Yanks 6, Rays 2)

It has looked all season like Joba belonged in the bullpen, and this is the first game he has pitched all year that suggested that he actually belongs in the rotation.

Never before this season had he put it all together in this way (video here):

1. Keeping the pitch count down (101 pitches)

2. Pitching into the last third of the game (8 innings)

3. Preventing baserunners (3 hits, 2 walks)

4. Keeping the opposition scoreless (0 runs allowed)

5. Doing it all on the road against a good lineup (priceless)

It took him until almost August to do this. This was a gem in the rubber match of a very important series for the Yankees, on the road against Tampa Bay. Just extraordinary.

You really can't say enough about it, but to say that Joba proved something today. He proved that he can be a starter.

Myriad miscues (Rays 6, Yanks 2)

Well you can call it a letdown, overconfidence, fatigue, whatever. The Yankees played badly today, making several blunders in the field and on the bases that would have otherwise kept the game close. Kazmir pitched well, the Yankee bats were silent, and the result was a 6-2 defeat.

Tomorrow is the rubber match, with Joba Chamberlain taking the mound, probably against Garza.

Oh there might be one more explanation for the Yankee loss and the mental mistakes that caused it....boredom.

Roughing up the Rays (Yanks 11, Rays 4)

Cashman's memo to Tampa's GM:

AL East Champs, huh? Defending pennant winners? Well why don't we come down to your house and pack your stadium with our fans, making up 30-40% of the people in the ballpark? Then we'll pound on your starter, your long relievers, and anyone else you send out there. And then how about we just take our world class pitcher and shut your "red hot" lineup down for 5 innings while we launch home runs to every part of the ballpark, making sure every one of our batters gets a hit and pitches in on extending our lead over your team in the division to a season-high 7.5 games?

Good then, that's what we'll do. See you tomorrow, Champs.

An inspired homestand (Yanks 7, A's 5)

With full belly and a two and a half game lead over Boston, the Yankees now travel to Tampa to face the red hot Rays in a series that pits the two best teams in the division against each other (right now, you can't tell me Boston, half of whose lineup is slumping pathetically, is the #1 or #2 team in this division).

This was a homestand to be proud of. Everyone contributed, up and down the lineup, from the role players and journeymen to the everyday superstars, and from deep in the bullpen to the starters who got the job done when it counted. One could say "it was the pitching that won these ballgames", and others can claim that "the Yankee bats lead the way" but in reality it was everything coming together at the same time, a team effort, an inspired performance by a group that, though they've got a league-full of multimillionaire veterans, is playing like they've still got something to prove.

Losing Happens (A's 6, Yanks 4)

It's funny how Yankee fans are. The team reels off 8 straight, takes over solo first in the toughest division in baseball, begins to chase down the Dodgers for the best record in either league, and all Yankee fans can do is second guess Girardi for letting this pitcher pitch too long or fail to give that pitcher a proper opportunity.

Now I'm not saying Girardi's a genius. He's not a top coach, fine. But when he's winning like this let's just sit back and enjoy, because the Yankees seem like they're just getting started with this whole "living up to their potential" thing.

Oh, and we've all seen the frauds at the Times try and spread the myth that the Yankees don't hit rookie pitchers or pitchers they've never seen before, and this game might have provided more evidence for that myth. That is, until YES posted this stat:

Yankee record against rookie pitchers this year: 19-7, best in the majors.

Onward.

Deceptive Domination (Yanks 8, A's 3)

Just when you thought it was time for Joba Chamberlain to take a hike to the bullpen, he pitches a game like this. Problem is, he still needs to take a hike to the bullpen because the A's can't hit and this really doesn't prove much.

Chow down! (Yanks 6, A's 3)

With Oakland coming to town without Giambi and Holliday, one can only expect the Yankees to feast on Oakland's youthful starting pitching and shut down the A's below average lineup. So let the feast begin, and please pass the gravy.

Looks like Hughes went back for seconds in the 9th inning and got his first save (video here). Mariano's been saving games every day and needed a break, I guess.

HOPE (Yanks 6, Orioles 4)

With 60 games left in the season, a 2 game advantage doesn't look like much. August hasn't even started.

But this week, the Yankees look awesome. Maybe it's HOPE week and the direct engagement with disadvantaged and amazingly courageous people that has made these megamillionaires a little more grateful for the charmed lives they lead. I'd certainly be less inclined to feel sorry for myself for something or other if I had the opportunity to make a direct difference in the life of a cancer patient or someone similarly disadvantaged. Their courage must humble even the mightiest Yankees.

It's a wonderful streak the Yankees are on, and they're clearly outclassing the opposition. But truly great play sometimes comes from players who have been touched or inspired in extraordinary ways. Perhaps we're seeing some of that this week.

Posting returns

It's been a while since I've posted, mostly because I've been busy pursuing other interests, like poker, a new job, facebook games, and Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

But that doesn't mean I'm not going to continue with my Yankee Baseball 2009 blog. If you're reading this and following it, you know I was pretty consistent with my reactions to every game the Yankees played. I plan to continue that, now that each game is more meaningful than the one before.

So without further ado, I present the second half the the Yankee baseball season, 2009. I'll update each game, but as it stands now, the Yankees are 1.5 games ahead of Boston and 5 games ahead of the nearest wild card contender. While the Yankees were in the midst of winning 8 straight, the Red Sox bats went into a deep freeze. Several of their "sluggers" are now batting under .250, which means they're having a tough time putting runs across the board.

And as you're about to see, the Yankees aren't having any such problems.

Back in the drivers seat (Yanks 6, Orioles 4)

Once again, the Yankees have overcome a deficit in the AL East and seized sole possession of first place, toppling the Red Sox and banishing them to second in the division.

Face it, Sox fans. Your team doesn't look like a championship club. Jason Bay, J.D. Drew, and David Ortiz are rally-killers. Ortiz looks finished. Youkilis, red hot in April and May when it matters least, has seen his average steadily decline the more games he plays. When will the decline end? Well he's a good .280-.290 hitter, and that's where he belongs. He certainly doesn't belong in the starting first base spot on the All Star team, to which he was almost dubiously elected.

With this win and yet another Red Sox loss, the Yankees, bolstered by Mitre, who seems to be the organization's choice to replace Wang in the 5th starting spot, are now in first. And, I think more importantly, they are in excellent position to reach the playoffs because they have now exceeded a 95-win pace for the season.

Thrilla! (Yanks 2, Orioles 1)

It was another great pitching (and defensive) performance . But as is the case in so many sports, the glory goes to Godzilla, whose walkoff blast and pie facial won the game in the 9th.

We may not see Hideki next year in a Yankee uniform. Today we saw him at his best when it mattered most, and I expect him to do that more often, the more important the games get.

So in the late innings of close games in big spots, look out. You never know when Godzilla's about to storm NY and start eating trains, as pictured above (or in Matsui's case, opposing bullpens).

Tiger mastery (Yanks 2, Tigers 1)

So in the last two games of this series, the Tigers brought Batman and Robin, their ace and his right hand man, Verlander and Jackson, to Yankee stadium to try an wrest the series from the Yankees' iron grip.

But they could not.

Instead, they both were outpitched by CC Sabathia and Joba Chamberlain on consecutive days. And though Leyland is a great manager and showed us a lot in this series (leaving Jackson in during the 7th inning, down buy just one run with two on and two out, a pitch count of 110 and Tex, who was 2 for 3 at the time, coming up...that was brilliant coaching. Tex flew out to end the inning), he couldn't get a win because the Yankees are just too good of a baseball team.

And is it just me, or did these two wins really show you something? These were gritty performances in close ballgames. The Yankees, especially the pitching staff, had lots of chances to blow it and lose any one of these games. But they didn't do it. They stayed focused. And I'm not convinced it's all about focus. I think the Yankees are reacting just a bit to their perceived status by the baseball community and the oddsmakers as the second best team in the American League. Maybe all those losses to Boston had an upside: they gave the Yankees another reason to play extra hard.

And believe me, if you're the Boston Red Sox or anyone else, you DON'T want the Yankees to be playing extremely hard and focusing extremely well. That spells doom every time.

1 behind Boston now, as the Sox just got 6 hit by Halladay.

(And here's some old-timers day footage from earlier in the day. Enjoy)

Wipe that smirk off your face, Jerklander! (Yanks 2, Tigers 1)

That smirk by Verlander was pretty funny to watch yesterday.

If you didn't see it, A-Rod hit one of those "new house homers" that just barely made it over the wall in right, one row beyond the outfielder's reach. As A-Rod trotted, Verlander made quite a face, a smirk that that aimed at telling the world that A-Rod's homer really wasn't fair.

So the Yankees went ahead and got another run. After a single and a double, Melky got an infield hit that put the Yankees up by two to stay. Verlander can go home now and practice that smirk in the mirror so the can get it right next time, maybe in the playoffs, when he leaves one out over the plate again for a Yankee power hitter to CHEAT by aiming for the right field seats.

What really should have wiped that stupid smirk off his face was CC, Hughes, and Mariano shutting his team down and Jeter's spectacular play in the ninth inning that sealed the series win by a 2-0 score so far.

Oh, and Boston lost. Yanks are 2 back.

The next chapter begins (Yanks 5, Tigers 3)

The Yankees just faced a division leader and probable playoff contender. Why not face another?

Yesterday the Yankees started their march to the playoffs in style, beating Detroit 5-3 on a monster blast by Teixeira (video here) in the 7th inning that scored Jeter and Damon and took the lead for good.

Why was the lead secure in the 7th inning? Well, Phil Hughes took the mound and shut Detroit down, that's why.

Yeah. Mr. Hughes can pitch from the bullpen, that's for sure. They're saying he hit 97 while getting those 6 strikeouts in two innings.

The Yankees might not need an official "setup" man for the 8th inning. In the championship years the Yankees had two, Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton, a righty and a lefty. A Hughes and Bruney duo, with Aceves and Robertson in the mix, should be able to get things done.

And so the second half of the season, and the playoff race, is officially underway. The Yankees remain 3 behind Boston with three months left in the season. Let's see what happens.

The Everyday Lineup Breakdown

At long last, here is the "midseason report" for the everyday players on the Yankees.

Nick Swisher-"Swish" hits from both sides of the plate. He has power. He can take pitches, draw walks, and tire pitchers He can play right field. He'll bat a reliable .250. He can play first base. And he can even pitch. He's a spark on the team and seems to be making Johnny Damon happy with the old heavy metal gesturing during games. Taken together, these little things add up to a major impact on the team.

Melky Cabrera-Melky does not take pitches, work deep counts, tire pitches, or draw walks. He's an average situational hitter.
And that's about all we can say that isn't right with Melky. The fact is that Melky Cabrera, when you look beyond his lack of patience, could be a superstar. An outfielder with speed and a good arm. A switch hitter with power. Able to hit .280 or better. A clutch performer. Melky has the tools to be great. Let's hope he learns more patience and fulfills his potential.

Robinson Cano-He and Melky share a difficulty with taking pitches. It's a Dominican thing and I'm not sure what the politically correct analysis would be. The research says that, while Latin players tend to walk less, they make up for this downfall by hitting better than their colleagues from other parts of the world.
But this is not what's wrong with Cano. Though he's a very slick fielder at second base, Cano cannot hit well in spots. Sacrifices, bunts, hitting behind runners....these things Cano cannot do well. And when he can't even get on base to keep a rally going, the Yankees have a problem. Girardi waited forever to move him down from 5th the lineup (until after he had gone more than 0 for 20 with RISP). I'm sorry to say it, and we will miss his winning smile and talented hitting/fielding. But this is as good as Robinson Cano is going to get, and I think the Yankees can do better.

Hideki Matsui-Among hitters on the Yankees with 274 or more plate appearances, Matsui is second on the team with a 880+ OPS. His knees are getting worn down but at the plate he's still an elite hitter, capable of winning games, extending rallies, getting big hits, wearing down pitchers, and hitting righties or lefties equally well. He should be the Yankees' #5 hitter for the rest of the season, with Posada behind him and A-Rod in front. Matsui is the man, always has been.

Johnny Damon-Another elite hitter who just barely is able to play the outfield. Like Matsui, Damon's value is almost completely in his bat. And this year Damon's bat has been on fire. His numbers are very similar to Matsui's and he shares with him an ability to tire pitchers, hit in spots, and hit for power and average. Damon also brings some speed to the table, and a positive attitude that must rub off on the rest of the team. And Mr. Damon will perform in the clutch.

Mark Teixeira-Tex started the season tearing things up...tearing up his reputation, that is. He batted .200 in April, and the boos rained down game after game, day after day. He was hitting the ball hard, but it always seemed to drop into someone's glove. And while he was drawing walks and making plays at first, when May rolled around and Teixeira seemed to be doing nothing, fans started wondering if Brian Cashman had finally made a fatal mistake with yet another fading superstar with a massive contract.

Wrong.

In May after A-Rod returned, Mark Teixeira's bat exploded. He now has a .275 batting average. He has hit 21 home runs. His OPS is in the top 10 in the American League. And he beat out Boston's Kevin Youkilis for the starting spot to represent the American League in the All Star game. Tex is one of the best first basemen in the game, a switch hitter with enormous power, able to draw walks and get on base, with a gold glove ability at first...and can win games with his bat and hit in the clutch, which he has done numerous times this year. Tex represents the best position player pickup the Yankees have made in a very long time, perhaps since the big pickups in the mid 90s (O'Neill, Martinez, Brosious) that brought the championship team together.

Derek Jeter-Jeter is hitting .321 this season, third in the AL behind Ichiro (one of the best players in baseball history) and Joe Mauer, who is having himself a career year. Jeter's OPS with RISP and 2 outs is 1.167, the best on the team, and in the top 5 in ALL OF BASEBALL (Jeter isn't even in the top 45 overall in OPS). What this means is that most of the time Jeter might be slightly bored, and only raises his game when it's needed. If he weren't bored all the time, he'd have not just hall of fame numbers (which he already has) but numbers that suggest he is, by far, the greatest shortstop of all time. He can take pitches, get on base, and steal (he has almost as many stolen bases as Ichiro, but has been caught far less frequently). He played such a slick shortstop that Peter King once called him "the best darn ballplayer I've ever seen." Jeter is one of the smartest veterans in the game, a clubhouse leader, the captain of the Yankees, a world series hero many times over, a clutch performer throughout his career, who doesn't just play well in the playoffs...but does amazing things when it matters most. Jeter is red hot right now, is surely planning on dominating down the stretch, raising his game against our biggest rivals. It has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to follow his career and be inspired by the amazing things he does in the biggest moments year after year, amazing things that give us all hope that we can follow in his footsteps in our own lives.

The Backup/DL Lineup Breakdown

And here's the lineup breakdown for players on the team with fewer than 280 plate appearances this season. Let's call them the backups and the DL group. Later we'll get to the everyday guys...those players who have had the greatest impact on the Yankees' fortunes this year.

Mariano- His .500 OBP leads the team!

Hinske-With three home runs in 12 at bats, the "lucky charm" leads the team with a 1.500+ OPS. Welcome to NY.

Berroa-He played a nice third base, but one needs to hit better than .170 to play in the major leagues.

Ransom-Is hitting .233, and was reliable and a spark when A-Rod was out. Lots of respect for the journeyman, who seems slightly starstruck in the dugout.

Kevin Cash-Nice job as a backup to the backup to the backup to Posada. We didn't expect anything crazy, just good work behind the plate, and he provided it.

Cervelli-Mr. Cervelli has the potential to be a real Yankee. A fiery warrior behind and at the plate, Cervelli is a dream successor to Posada, with a decent bat and outstanding defensive skills, along with an ability to get along with pitchers. He'll get stronger in AAA and return to the Yankees when he's ready.

Pena-OPS was a minuscule .657 but he had some memorable hits, and slick fielding. Fans and players like the guy, and he could become the defensive utility infielder of the future.

Nady-An excellent hitter with a bum arm. He would be such an addition to the team in right field and batting 6th or 7th. But it is not to be!

Molina-He does execute in the clutch. And he's an elite defensive catcher. Molina is a solid backup until Cervelli is ready.

Gardner-With an OBP of .350+ and 18 stolen bases so far, Gardner could be the leadoff man/center fielder of the future. A white (but not quite as skilled) Juan Pierre? And of course, Mr. Gardner has an inside the park home run, and seems to take bases whenever he feels like it.

Posada-He's been in and out of the lineup this year, but Jorge is the man, always has been. He's an elite hitter who will perform in the clutch. And he's a fine catcher, thank you very much. This year he's had countless big hits.

A-Rod-The Yankees went on a tear when A-Rod returned to the lineup. Though he slumped for a bit, he's now sitting on a .256 average and 17 home runs. And he's constantly walking. His presence makes everyone better and more confident. He has also had some very big hits, which has cast some doubt on the "choke artist", "A-Fraud" label. Some fans will forgive him already, but I won't. Even if he plays well down the stretch, he'll still be a chump in my eyes...until he gets it done in October.

The Pitching Breakdown

I'll be posting a breakdown for the lineup pretty soon. But without further ado, here's the pitching breakdown for the first half of the season:

Bullpen:

Aceves-2.49 ERA over 43 innings is second only to Mariano. Enormously important contributor.

Veras/Marte-Mistakes from the beginning. Marte showed us something last year, but was inconsistent and hurt all spring. Veras never established himself.

Melancon-Promising stuff. May need time to put it all together. Hasn't had a big impact.

Tomko-The garbage man. It's noble work he does.

Ramirez-He looked great last year, but a series of poor performances landed him in AAA where he seems to belong. Needs to get stronger.

Albaladejio-Has the size and strength to be very good. Had a few memorable innings this year, in which he got the nickname (Johnny A-ball). Inspires some confidence.

Coke-WHIP: 1.04. BAA .195. Last season's numbers weren't a complete fluke. He can pitch, and he's a warrior.

Bruney-Dominant for a while. Then hurt. Then motormouthing. Now mediocre. Which Bruney will emerge after the break? Nobody knows.

Hughes-A roller coaster first half saw Hughes go from AAA to a starting job when Wang's hips were abducted. Now he's in the bullpen and is "turn out the lights and go home" dominant. Go figure.

Robertson-An eye-catching .193 BAA, best on the staff. Extremely effective so far, seems like a finished professional with excellent focus.

Mariano-After a slow start Mariano is back in form. He's fine, and he'll be there in October if the Yankees need him.

Starters:

Wang-Never recovered his form after the injury last season. Was lit up spectacularly in his first three starts. Had a stint in the minors, strengthened himself, and got it going again, first from the bullpen and then as a starter. Has had good starts since the second return, but is hurt again with a "strain".

Pettitte-Has never been a dominant pitcher, but a solid one who gives innings and is relaxed in the toughest spots. A true professional. Needs to be watched closely this year, as he's on pace to post the highest ERA of his career.

Chamberlain-Has had a few impressive starts, one of them being a 12 strikeout performance against Boston. Seems to be more valuable coming out of the bullpen. May be tiring already. But who will replace him? Hughes? Someone in AAA? Or an acquisition?

CC Sabathia-After a slow start that earned him the nickname "CC Sabustia", CC has been a steady workhorse, with extended periods of near-dominance and an ability go consistently go deep into games. He's a pro, and has handled his role with grace and a very, very wide smile. He may become a Yankee, yet.

AJ Burnett-AJ has had more clutch performances than any other starting pitcher. His ERA is the best on the starting staff, and he's the only man on the Yankees with more than 100 strikeouts. He's a warrior, a positive clubhouse addition, and a winner. In short, he's been our most valuable pitcher this year. He had a great first half, but Yankees are not made in April and May. Yankees are made in October.

2 and 1 (American League 4, National League 3)

2= Jeter's runs scored, which provided the difference in the game.

1=Mariano's save. Which saved the game and gave the AL champion home field advantage in the World Series.

And by the way, Mariano's 4 All-Star game saves are the most in history. One of the main reasons why the American League hasn't lost in the All Star game since 1996.

Swept (Angels 5, Yanks 4)

I think this serves the Yankees well. They're three back heading into the all star break, and just a little bit humbled. It gives them a sense of urgency for the second half, and I think the team will respond with some inspired performances.

It's kind of like the "Seabiscuit" phenomenon. Seabiscuit wouldn't run at his best unless he had a competitor nearby. And the Red Sox (and Angels) have provided just that (Tampa Bay will also make a run at 90 wins).

So this is good.

And by the way, the Yankees have stayed on pace for a 93+ win season and, if they keep that pace, are virtually assured of a playoff spot. Though the schedule will be more difficult in the second half, I think the Yankees will rise the the occasion.

Projected Record for road trip: 3-3
Target record for road trip: 4-2
Result 3-3
Games remaining: 0
Games over .500: 14

Whatever (Angels 14, Yanks 8)

Whatever.

Projected Record for road trip: 3-3
Target record for road trip: 4-2
Result 3-2
Games remaining: 1
Games over .500: 15

A Joba in Jeopardy (Angels 10, Yanks 6)

OK, it's time for Joba to move to the bullpen. Right now.

Here's the most telling stat: Over the last 25 innings Joba has pitched, he has given up 41 hits and 9 walks. Those 25 innings span 5 games, three of which were wins because the Yankees hit well. Joba reached the 7th inning only once in those starts. And in the last two, he has been pounded.

I don't care what the Yankees have to do, or who they have to bring in. But it's obvious now that Joba Chamberlain's performances are worsening, and will probably continue to decline during the playoff race (but with a small uptick just after the break).

We've got a guy in AAA who is pitching very well. We need him to join the Yankees and pitch in Joba's place by the time August rolls around. The Yankees had intended to let Joba start games until around September, but it will be too late by then. He's finished.

And the fact that the Yankees lost again in Anaheim makes me sick. They're not as good as the Yankees, they never have been, and the Yankees need to step on their necks and break their spirit. This Angels team, a team that is going nowhere, needs to be put in its place.

Projected Record for road trip: 3-3
Target record for road trip: 4-2
Result 3-1
Games remaining: 2
Games over .500: 16

Swept (Yankees 6, Twins 4)

The Yankees have completely swept the Twins this season. They have won every single game against Minnesota. Set's take a look at the pwnage game by game.

Yankee Stadium 4 Game set with Minnesota:

May 15: Yankees win 5-4. Gardner hits an inside the park home run and Melky gets the walkoff hit and pie.

May 16: Yankees win 6-4. A-Rod homers in the 11th, pied in the face. Tex has another good game.

May 17: Yankees win 3-2. Damon gets the walkoff homer. And pie.

May 18: Yankees win 7-6. More damage done by Tex, who accumulates more RBIs than both M&M brothers in the series.

Metrodome 3 Game set with Minnesota:

June 7: Yankees win 10-2. The NY bats explode. Gardner dashes all around the bases. CC shuts down the opposition. The Twins look outclassed.

June 8: Yankees win 4-3. AJ follows CC with a gritty performance.

June 9: Yankees win 6-4. Tex homers, Gardner and Ransom get two RBIs each, and the Yankees finish the season sweep.

By the way, the Yankees have won 8 straight road games, the best streak they've had as a team since...

1998.

As I've always said, road wins demonstrate mental toughness. It's early to say this Yankee team is as tough as the 1998 team (the greatest all-around team in baseball history) but they're showing us something.

And the Yankees are tied with Boston for first place. Solo first at the All-Star break would make quite a statement, don't you think?

Projected Record for road trip: 3-3
Target record for road trip: 4-2
Result 3-0
Games remaining: 3
Games over .500: 17 (High water mark for the year, and tied with Boston for first place)

Any which way...(Yankees 4, Twins 3)

The Yankees have shown this year that they can beat the Twins any which way. Blowout? No problem. Walk-off? Sure. Comeback? Don't mind if I do! Pitcher's duel? Hey we LIVE for pitchers duels!

Today was just that. AJ didn't have his best stuff but found ways to get the Twins out anyway. The Yankees got the hits and bullpen support they needed, with Mariano finishing things off. Now they've won the series and are breathing down the Red Sox' necks for the best record in the AL. The march continues.

By the way, Cervelli was sent back to AAA. He'll be back some time in September, but the Yankees should miss him. He's the bomb.

Projected Record for road trip: 3-3

Target record for road trip: 4-2

Result 2-0

Games remaining: 4

Games over .500: 16

Torching the Twins (Yanks 10, Twins 2)

This will be the only stop in the metrodome for the Yankees this year. Usually that would be a good thing, as this place has been responsible for two World Series wins for the Twins. It's by far the most powerful home field advantage in baseball.

Well, the Yankees, who mastered Minnesota for four straight games in the Bronx, have continued to do so here. You might say that they're at home in the dome.

CC kept the Twins at bay, while the Yankee lineup pounded the Twins pitching for ten runs and 16 hits. Tex's four hits lead the way, and Tyler Kepner described Gardner's speed around the bases "cartoonish". Yeah.

Maybe this Yankee team will actually miss this place when the Twins move....

Projected Record for road trip: 3-3
Target record for road trip: 4-2
Result 1-0
Games remaining: 5
Games over .500: 15

On to Minnesota (Jays 7, Yanks 6)

The Yankees might have lost this game, and Pettitte might have given a sub par performance. But there were some things of note:

Hinske (pictured above) debuted and won the fans over, flexing for the crowd, making a diving catch in the first, and homering later in the game.

Matsui was there in the clutch again. This guy is a warrior, and I hope he'll be in the lineup for the major late-summer clashes that will determine the participants in the postseason.

The umpires had a rough day. They blew several calls that could have changed the game.

The Jays' rookie Romero pitched well after the first inning. Look for him to get smoked next time he faces the Yankee lineup.

That's about it. The team finished 5-2 on the homestand, taking 3 from the Jays and winning their series against Seattle. To finish the first half the Bombers will take a quick trip to Minnesota and then to Anaheim. I'm thinking they'll finish the trip at 3-3, which would mean a 51-37 record heading to the break, perfectly on pace to contend for the playoffs. The Yankees will start Sabathia and Burnett, then give Mitre a shot in place of the injured Wang. Then, presumably, it will be Joba, Pettitte, and Sabathia again to finish the first half. 4 wins and 16 games over .500 would be great. Let's see if they can do it.

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3 (Projected record exceeded)
Target record for current homestand: 5-2
Result 5-2
Games remaining: 0

Midseason outlook
Games over .500: 14
Pre-All Star break target: 16
Games remailing: 6

Worries?

The Yankees have won 10 of their last 11, hit a high water mark of 15 games over .500 for the year, are on pace to seriously contend for a playoff spot, are chasing down the Red Sox like lions after a limping zebra (and a mauling may be next), smacking around every pitcher they see, including Roy Halladay, and are playing their best baseball of the season. They have 48 wins, second only to Boston and L.A. for the best record in baseball, and they're still favored by many oddsmakers to win the World Series.

But there's still plenty to worry about so let's get to it!

Joba was abysmal yesterday. He fell behind hitters, walked people, gave up hits, threw without velocity, wavered with his concentration, threw too many pitches, and was knocked out before the 5th inning as boos rained down. Pitchers have bad starts sometimes. Let's hope this isn't a prelude of things to come. If Joba is a warrior, which we think he has the potential to be, he'll bounce back. But I wouldn't bet on it.

Wang is pitching very well but is on the DL now with a shoulder strain (and bursitis!). The guys on the NY Times blog think he'll be out for a while, and that the Yankees need to find a "more permanent" replacement. I'm not convinced that Wang will be out all that long. He'll start throwing again after the all star break and go from there. I'm not a doctor so I'm not going to try to tell you how long he'll be out. What we do know is that the Yankees have guys to take his place and give the team innings if they need it. But as a fan of Wang I'm feeling rather disappointed. The hope was that he would recover his form and health enough to help the team down the stretch and in the playoffs, something Wang fans missed last year. The injury news is a blow, but it does not eliminate that possibility. My opinion: he'll be back.

But that's about it. Other than these minor issues, fans should be happy with the way things are going. Maybe the Yankees could use another outfielder or another arm in the bullpen, but those aren't necessities. I think that, as the team is assembled right now, this group has the ability to win the World Series.

Ace (Yanks 10, Blue Jays 8)

Last season's rookie stats:

IP: 30

H: 25

ERA: 2.40

WHIP: 1.17

BAA: .227

This season's stats to date:

IP: 36

H: 29

ERA: 2.25

WHIP: 0.92

BAA: .221

Yesterday's performance:

4 innings, 1 hit, 5 strikeouts, no walks. And a save. (video here)

This guy doesn't just throw heat for an inning. When he comes in he pitches 2, 3, or 4 innings. He is bred to be a starter.

Alfredo Aceves, the 28 year old Mexican playing in his second year in the majors is the real deal. He is a finished pitcher, with veteran poise and guile, command of several pitches, and the competitive fire that comes from the experience of being a 27 year old rookie.

If the Yankees are going to win the World Series, guys like Aceves are going to be the difference.

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3 (Projected record exceeded)

Target record for current homestand: 5-2

Result 5-1

Games remaining: 1

Midseason outlook

Games over .500: 15

Pre-All Star break target: 15

Games remailing: 7

Posada Pie (Yanks 6, Blue Jays 5)

Yes, we can add Posada to the short list of face pie recipients this year. With his walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th, in what looked to be the toughest of these four games with the Jays for the Yankees to win, Jorge made sure that the Yankees could not lose this series, and that they would reach 14 games over .500, their best mark to date, while maintaining pressure on the suddenly average Red Sox. The Yankees are one game away.

It could easily have been two games. Roy Halliday started this one, but never found his rhythm against and red hot Yankees bats on an emotional Lou Gehrig day in the Bronx.

Halliday lasted more than six innings but was outpitched by Chien Ming Wang (video here), who gave up the lead when his shoulder problems flared up again.

So instead of Wang, the man of the hour was Posada. Of course, we knew his pie in the face would come. Posada, after all, is an old-school Yankee champion. Now I think it's Jeter's turn...

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3
Target record for current homestand: 5-2
Result 4-1
Games remaining: 2

Bovine Bombings (Yankees 4, Blue Jays 2)

Most people who watched or reported on this game found it to be boring, according to some blogs.

But winning is never boring. Thanks to AJ, good bullpen work once again, and some timely hitting, the Yankees have taken the crucial first game of a very important four game set from Toronto. Another A-Rod homer, a solo blast from Cano, and some poor fielding by the Jays also accounted for the win.

And they're two behind Boston now, which is perhaps the best news of all.

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3
Target record for current homestand: 5-2
Result 3-1
Games remaining: 3

Day off for CC? (Mariners 8, Yanks 4)

I didn't see the game so I don't know what happened to CC today. It seemed like he took the day off. He went 5.2 giving up 6 runs on 10 hits against a Mariners lineup that isn't exactly upper echelon. As theories emerge to explain CC's ineptitude today, I'll be giving updates.

Overall it was a day to forget for Tex, who made a costly error, and a handful of other Yankees as well.

Maybe they were looking ahead to the key 4 game set coming up with Toronto. And they were just a bit bored with playing against he Mariners.

Maybe...

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3

Target record for current homestand: 5-2

Result 2-1

Games remaining: 4

A-Bombed again (Yanks 4, Mariners 2)

Another A-Bomb from A-Rod lifts the Yankees to victory against the Mariners. All that talk just last week of A-Rod's energy problems and the links to his supposed abstaining from steroids (and subsequent decline in production) turned out to be nonsense.

I contributed to the conversation on the NYTimes blog. And if they don't print it there (they didn't print my last critical comment of their work, but that may have been because I used the word "stupid" to describe the questions that reporters must have been asking Jeter in an attempt to elicit a quotable response), then here it is below:

"I think it’s very unhealthy for the national conversation about baseball when we quickly assume that the lack of steroids is responsible for a player’s slump. We’re now learning that A-Rod didn’t appear energetic because his famously intense pre-game routine was not reduced in intensity, as the doctors had advised. But for several days we were in the dark about this, left to contemplate the possibility that A-Rod would never be the same without his anabolic steroids.

After a few game-winning home runs, we are now learning the truth. Let’s hope that in the future we learn the truth sooner, and that we do more to explore alternative, and more likely, reasons for slumps.

A-Rod’s positive test in 2003 was one among over 100 others. Surely many other players, like Bonds, escaped detection. And the evidence is overwhelming that players are still using and benefiting from PEDs, and not just in baseball. I think it would be wise for us to acknowledge the depth of the problem and look for better solutions than outright prohibition and witch-hunts for known or suspected offenders."

Anyway, I have to say this every so often, to remind people of how naive they're being when they complain about a player's apparent steroid use (or lack thereof).

In any event, Melky had a big hit for the second straight day, a majestic blast that seemed to soar over the foul pole. The Yankee pitchers kept Ichiro off the bases for a whole game for just the 2nd time since April 28th, and the 5th time overall this year. And Pettitte was dominant and very intense on the mound, more intense than I can remember him in years past (he's starting to seem like a pitching Paul O'Neil).

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3
Target record for current homestand: 5-2
Result 2-0
Games remaining: 5

Maybe the Orioles (Yanks 8, Mariners 5)

I don't know which was sweeter:

1. A-Rod blasting a fastball deep into the left field bleachers, putting the Yankees ahead by two in the seventh (and like in the Atlanta game a few nights before, the pitcher had been throwing some...ill-advised fastballs down the middle to get the older fella to swing late.)

2. Jeter, after going 0 for 4, lining a single into centerfield to give the Yankees two extra runs in the bottom of the 8th.

3. Mariano throwing the first and last pitches of the game.

4. The Red Sox blowing a 9-run 7th inning lead against the Orioles.

5. Or maybe the whole Red Sox TEAM forgetting how many outs there were....

What's your vote?

Projected record for current homestand: 4-3

Target record for current homestand: 5-2

Result 1-0

Games remaining: 6