Yanks Deal for Hinske

Long coveted for his multi-purpose bat and ability to play several positions, the Yankees, who talked about making a move for veteran Eric Hinske a few times the last couple of seasons, acquired the utility player from Pittsburgh Tuesday for a pair of minor leaguers.

The Yankees dealt right-hander Casey Erickson and outfielder Eric Fryer to the Pirates in exchange for Hinske. Hinske had signed as a free agent with the Bucs after appearing in his second successive World Series in 2008 with the Rays. As Tampa Bay’s Opening Day right fielder last season, Hinske delivered 20 homers and 60 RBIs for the American League champs.

Now 31, the left-handed hitter, who was part of Boston’s title run in 2007, batted .255 in 54 games with the Pirates this season. He had one home run and 11 RBIs. Hinske is a former AL Rookie of the Year, earning those honors in 2002 with the Toronto Blue Jays, who had made him their 17th-round selection in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft. He is a lifetime .257 hitter in 957 career games.

It’s not a bad move for New York, especially considering that Xavier Nady has now been lost for the season due to injury.

How much Hinske will perform in New York in a limited role remains to be seen. If he produces somewhere in between the kind of numbers he posted the last three seasons, he will be a valuable role player and hitter off the bench for the Bombers.

The Yankees also received cash considerations along with Hinske, whose 2009 contract is for $1.5 million. The team announced that Hinske will join the club in New York today and a roster move will be made to activate him for the game against the Mariners.

Reflecting on Mo’s 500

Sunday night, Mariano Rivera joined a very exclusive club when he became only the second closer in baseball history to lock down 500 saves.

For me, it goes without saying how incredible Mariano Rivera is. I remember him back in 1995 when he made about 10 starts and how mediocre he was as a starter. A lot of that had to do with his lack of repertoire.

But give the Yankees credit – more specifically former manager Buck Showalter and former GM Gene Michael – for moving Mo to the bullpen. The Yankees would go on to lose the first-ever Division series in five games in Seattle, falling in the dramatic, decisive Game 5 when Ken Griffey Jr. came around to score the game-winner off Jack McDowell.

That image isn’t what resonates when I think of that series. Losing that series hurt, especially when you think back and consider the Yankees having a 2-0 series lead, but that series did more good than bad in the long run, because it gave birth to Mariano Rivera as we know him today.

Mo would become the perfect setup man to John Wetteland in 1996 and shortly there after, the greatest closer in history.

Bar none. Without question.

Congrats to Mo. And consider this: Mariano has pitched for over a decade in the playoffs, nailing down save after save. He has a lot more innings on that arm, and a lot more saves to his record.

And the best part is, the 39-year-old isn’t showing signs of slowing down. He may not be as dominant as he once was, but I’d still take Mariano over anyone with the game on the line – and that includes Trevor Hoffman, who has the record 571 saves.

“You can add up all the players that ever played the game, and Mo has been as consistent as anyone," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. “He's done it in the regular season, he’s done it in the postseason, he’s done it in Spring Training, he’s done it in the Minor Leagues. He’s done it everywhere he’s been.”

Jeter nailed that response down like Mo in the ninth!

Rebounding from Interleague Woes

Since being no hit through five in the middle game of a three-game series with Atlanta last week, the Yankees have soared back, winning five straight against their National League opponents.

Interleague play wasn’t kind to the Yankees in the Florida series, but New York managed to take the final two games in the next series in Atlanta, which then fueled a terrific sweep this past weekend back in New York against the Mets in Queens.

Let’s quickly recap the Marlins, Braves and Mets series, and talk about some of the important highlights from each of the games.

A week ago, New York opened its series with the Marlins on a positive note. Boosted by a large contingent of Bomber fans in Florida, Andy Pettitte and two relievers combined on a three-hitter. The Yankees beat the Marlins 5-1 Friday night without a slumping A-Rod, who was benched due to fatigue.

But the Yankees had no answer for Marlin ace Josh Johnson Saturday night. The right-hander pitched seven innings of three-hit ball and Dan Uggla homered to lift the Marlins to a 2-1 win.

Johnson, who improved to 7-1, struck out five and walked two to outpitch former Marlins teammate AJ Burnett. It was the sixth straight start Johnson had gone at least seven innings.

Losses like that happen. The Yankees ran into a hot pitcher and he did what he’s been doing. That’s the “X-Factor” of the game. Good pitching always silences good hitting and while the Yankees boast a powerful lineup, Johnson was simply that good Saturday night.

No big deal. The rubber match called Sunday. But the result was anything the Yankees could have hoped for, especially with their ace on the mound.

CC Sabathia left early with an ailing arm and the Yankees fell 6-5. Florida’s Hanley Ramirez and Cody Ross homered and the Marlins staved off a late rally by the Bombers, improving to 7-5 against the American League East this season – the best interleague record of any National League East team this season.

Sabathia left in the second inning with biceps tightness. Thankfully, it wasn’t serious and CC would return this past Friday night – to form no less. More on this later.

As for Alex Rodriguez, he went 1-for-4 to snap an 0-for-16 streak. Still the Yankees lost for the fourth time in five games.

Believe me now when I tell how important it is for A-Rod to hit. When he does, the Yankees win. When he doesn’t, the entire lineup suffers. His impact affects both Mark Teixeira and conversely the rest of the entire lineup. Just his presence as a potential threat when he’s doing well is enough to generate a lot of punch at the top of the lineup.

The interleague series of late for the Yankees cause a number of problems. First and foremost, you’re talking about nine straight games on the road against National League competition, which nullifies the designated hitter for New York. This past week and a half has kept Hideki Matsui on the bench since he can’t play the field the way he used to. Who ever did the scheduling for New York wasn’t kind during this road trip.

The Yankees also continue to struggle with everything that is foreign to them. Mix in the loss of the DH and A-Rod not hitting, and you’ve got a remedy for disaster.
That’s what happened last Tuesday night when the Bombers opened their series in Atlanta following the off day.

Rookie phenom Tommy Hanson dazzled for the Braves, winning his third straight. Brian McCann had two RBIs, including a solo homer and the Braves threw consecutive shutouts for the first time in four years with a 4-0 victory over the Yankees Tuesday night.

This was, in my opinion, the worst loss of their recent struggles. New York managed just four hits and left 12 runners on base as Chien-Ming Wang lost his sixth straight. By the way, he pitched very well. He just happened to be the recipient of no run support for the second straight start.

At that point, New York had lost three straight and four of six.

All of that changed Wednesday night when the Yankees broke out of their funk offensively to beat the Braves 8-4.

Sparked by manager Joe Girardi, who got tossed early, Francisco Cervelli hit an unlikely home run and A-Rod finally came through for the Yankees in snapping a three-game losing streak.

New York didn't even have a base runner through the first five innings. But Cervelli hit his first career homer to break a 14-inning scoreless drought in Atlanta, and the slumping Rodriguez managed a two-run single that put the Yankees ahead to stay in the sixth. The Yankees had scored only 18 runs in their previous seven games, losing five.

Rodriguez and the Yankees kept rolling Thursday night. A-Rod tied Reggie Jackson with his 563rd home run, and Mariano Rivera earned his 499th career save in an 11-7 victory.

The Yankees won their second straight, taking sole possession of second place in the AL East and moved four games behind Boston for the division lead.
On a side note, Boston became the quickest team to 40 wins in the AL for a third straight year earlier in the week. I still think they are the team to beat in the division and in the league.

And I’m not just saying that because of the Yankees ineptitude against them this season.

The BoSox were one win away from the World Series last year. It’s amazing how much of a role reversal it is between the Bombers and the Sox these days. Everything Boston touches seems to turn to gold. For example, Nick Green played an entire season at Triple A last year for the Yankees. This year, he goes to Boston and has done a darn good job as its everyday shortstop, filling in. The Sox lose Mike Lowell. No problem. David Ortiz falls off the face of the earth. No problem. Dice K is out of the rotation with injury. No problem, Boston is still in first place. That my friends is the mark of a champion.

Sounds a lot like the Yankees of recent yesteryear. You know, the teams under Joe Torre. The ones that could plug any hole.

Things are different these days. The Yankees haven’t had as much good fortune. Granted, they are coming off a very good series against the Mets.

I’m not sure how much of a test the depleted Amazins were for New York, but a sweep and its fifth straight win Sunday night is good enough to remain in the thick of things as we approach the All Star break.

We covered the first two games of the series Friday and Saturday nights. Friday was historic for the Bombers as A-Rod passed Jackson on the HR list.

But the best news came from the pitching mound where Sabathia show no ill effects from his biceps tightness to stifle the Mets on three hits over seven innings. Sabathia improved to 7-4.

No one in the Yankee lineup gave CC more support than fill-in leadoff batter Brett Gardner, who raised his average 22 points to .303 with a career-high five hits, including his third homer of the season and a triple. That kid can fly. How could you not like Mr. Gardner? His speed is a welcomed addition to the lineup. If he can hit a little, he’ll man center for the Yankees the rest of the way. He brings so much to the table.

Fellow reserve Ramiro Pena had two doubles and a single as a late replacement in the starting lineup for flu-stricken Derek Jeter, sidelined by a cough and a fever.

Gardner and Pena provided some of that good bench depth I was just speaking about with Boston. You win at the major league because of 25 guys, not just the starting nine. That’s why everyone, from the last guy in the bullpen to the World Series MVP, gets a World Series ring in October. You need depth. You need character players.

These were some good signs for the Yankees – even if they came against a Met lineup ravaged by injuries.

One day after Sabathia and the bullpen combined on a three-hitter, AJ Burnett and two relievers authored a suffocating one-hitter against the punchless Mets, a 5-0 victory Saturday night in a runaway Subway Series.

Burnett finished the job, taking a no-hitter into the sixth. Check out this stat: 21 of 26 pitches were strikes with two strikes in the count (season-high 10 strikeouts).

“You can say I was inspired, definitely,” Burnett said later of taking the ball after Sabathia’s dominant performance. “I thought about his game all last night. And I've told him a handful of times over the season, 'I can't wait to throw behind you, Big Man, I can't wait.”

Sunday night, the Yankees completed the sweep. The final game of the series belonged to Mariano. Baseball's most unflappable closer became the second reliever to reach the 500-save milestone when the Yankees held off the Mets 4-2 for a Subway Series sweep.

Rivera joined Trevor Hoffman (571) in the 500-save club. It was Mo's 110th save of more than one inning pitched and his 18th career save against the Mets.

Chien-Ming Wang recorded his first win since June 15, 2008 and the Yankees outscored the Mets 18-3, out-hitting them 26-9 in the sweep.

The biggest surprise, though: Rivera drew a bases-loaded walk to add a ninth-inning insurance run.

Poor Francisco Rodriguez. First, Luis Castillo abandons him at Yankee Stadium and now this, an RBI, bases loaded walk to Mo.

The Yankees will look to continue their winning ways tonight when they welcome Seattle to the Bronx.

Yankee Insider

A few things to ponder:

Should the Yanks sign Pedro?

I blogged about this earlier in the season, but with reports flying around, from ESPN to Fox and everywhere in between that Pedro Martinez could land with the Yankees, I’m inclined to put in my two cents again on the subject and say I was ahead of the curve on this.

I suggested at the beginning of the season that they at least consider it, but honestly, I don’t understand why they would make the move now. The Yankees are rumored along with three or four other teams as possible suitors for Martinez. Ironically, all of the teams rumored don’t need help in the starting pitching department, the Yankees included.

They are set to take a look at Martinez in the Dominican Republic, where he will work out for a few teams. I would take a chance on Martinez if it was a minor league deal, or if he budged on his asking price of $3 million. You can never have enough pitching.

I genuinely believed Martinez would end up back with the Dodgers, or figured the Mets would finally cave and bring him back. It really makes more sense for him to return to the Mets.

I think he could be a serviceable arm in the bullpen – for the right price – and if nothing else will create a little buzz for whatever team takes the chance. Word is that the Angeles are hotly pursuing Martinez.

The problem for the Yankees centers more around having Martinez on the team. He’s never been popular with the Bombers.

Should the Yankees Leave Wang Alone?

Yes, no doubt. He pitched much better against the Nationals this week and for the first time this season, the Yankees failed to win a game when their pitchers gave up three runs or less. Talk about bad luck for Chien-Ming Wang.

By the way, congrats to Wang. His wife gave birth earlier in the week. Wang had tons of balloons and cards in his locker. He seemed upbeat and happy. In his culture, having a child is considered “good luck.”

That wasn’t the case Wednesday night, but Wang’s pitches are finally moving. His slider was sharp and his velocity is up. His sinker is finally starting to sink. You can’t move him to the bullpen now. He’s just not suited for the pen and won’t rebound as quickly pitching in shorter stints.

He’s starter and that’s that. Plus, Phil Hughes has embraced his new role – for the time being. Keep in mind people, Wang won 19 games twice as the ace of the last two Yankee playoff teams. He also won eight games before injury cut his season short last year.

The problems for him are not arm related – they are mechanical. He’s still searching for that arm slot and I truly believe he was getting over some shell shock after his first five starts. He’s never been this bad and for a pitcher of his success, sometimes making light of it is as tough as correcting it. Pitching is as mental as it is physical.

Wang should be fine. The Yankees should also be willing to wait him out – at least a bit longer. He’s too valuable and many contending teams have a bad starter or two in the back of their rotation. It won’t cost the Yankees a playoff spot in June. They are only three out of first place and Wang is making strides.

How’s Gardner?

Less than a day after being carted off the Yankee Stadium outfield with what the team feared might be a concussion, Brett Gardner was back on his feet and ready to play.

“I’m feeling all right, better today,” Gardner said Friday afternoon. “I’ve still got a little headache and my body’s a little sore, but other than that, I'm probably pretty lucky that it's not any worse.”

Gardner was not in Friday's starting lineup, still suffering from soreness and a minor headache. But he was available to pinch-hit and expected to be back to normal on Saturday.

Resting A-Rod a Smart Move

While Alex Rodriguez might feel better about having his homecoming interrupted, the Yankees are doing the best thing by resting their slumping slugger in the Marlins series.

Following a tumultuous month at the plate, A-Rod is being benched for two games for what he and the team called "fatigue."

The three-time AL MVP had been set to play his first regular-season games in his hometown of Miami against the Marlins, reserving about 100 tickets for family and friends.

Rodriguez is batting .145 (8 for 55) in June. He’s in an 0-for-15 slump, and is hitting .212 with nine homers and 26 RBIs. He was replaced Friday by Angel Berroa.
Rodriguez missed the start of the season following hip surgery and had played in every game since rejoining the Yankees on May 8 in Baltimore, where he homered on his first pitch.

His return sparked the Bombers. Likewise, his struggles have played a major role in their recent skid.

Face it: As A-Rod goes, the Yankees go.

They don’t need Rodriguez to be great, but they need him to be good enough. His presence commands respect when he’s going pretty well. The Mets elected to pitch around Mark Teixeira last Friday night and would have gotten the final out on A-Rod’s pop up to Luis Castillo had he not dropped the ball. The blunder scored two and gave the Yankees the win.

Without Castillo’s miscue, A-Rod is the goat yet again. Rest will be good for him. Plus, Berroa may provide a spark. He’s not A-Rod, but he can hit a little. He’s got some pop. Sometimes, you have to count on your reserves. It’s a long season. That’s why you have them – and that’s why all 25 guys get a World Series ring. Each one is as important to the next.

Nats Surprise Bombers

NEW YORK – It was a wild week for the Yankees after a pretty tough week of matchups last week. The Bombers were swept in Boston last week and then had to come home to meet the Mets.

Thankfully, they capitalized on some lucky breaks and took 2 of 3 from their crosstown rivals. Unfortunately, that some luck was nowhere to be found in the Washington series this week, which of course, is quite surprising.

The Nationals entered their series with the Yankees with a 16-45 record (.262 win percentage), but still managed to top the Bombers in 2 of 3, taking Wednesday’s game 3-2 and yesterday’s series finale 3-0. They are the worst team to beat the Yankees in a series in which the Yankees were at home (minimum 50 games into the season). The previous worst, 1939 St. Louis Browns (38-99).

The Nationals are also the third-worst team to beat the Yankees in any series.
It’s funny, because so much of the Bomber turnaround can be pointed at Alex Rodriguez’ return. However, A-Rod has now gone into a terrible slump, so much so that New York is benching him for two games to give him some rest.

After waiting out a 5 ½-hour rain delay Thursday afternoon, Craig Stammen earned his first major league win. Julian Tavarez provided some key relief and the last-place Nationals collected their 18th win of the season in the first game without a homer at the new Yankee Stadium.

Joba Chamberlain took the loss for the Bombers. He didn’t pitch all that bad, but the offense stalled against Stammen and the Washington bullpen.

As they say, every dog gets their day. This series was one for the Nationals.
Perhaps the rainy day played into their favor. Scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m., the game did not begin until 6:31 p.m. A postponement seemed unlikely because the teams shared only one mutual off-day the rest of the season for a possible makeup.

I was out at the game Wednesday night, wrapping up another edition of Yankees Insider for our morning show, which came great – might I add. I can’t believe it ended the way it did.

After fouling off four two-strike pitches, the hot-swinging Robinson Cano grounded into a game-ending double play with runners at the corners. Johnny Damon hit a solo shot to start the ninth that put the Yankees within one, but Cano failed to come through, sealing a 3-2 Nationals win.

The Yankees rested Derek Jeter Wednesday. He’s dealing with some ankle issues, but said he would play. Manager Joe Girardi held firm that Jeter needed the time off. He was sorely missed, especially late.

The Nats and Yanks scored just five runs total, but they hit three homers.
The story of the night was New York native John Lannan. The lefty allowed two runs and four hits in 8 1/3 innings, hurting one of his hometown teams for the second time in two weeks. He beat the New York Mets 7-1 on June 6, tossing a four-hitter for his first career complete game.

Lannan is the best Washington pitcher on the staff. He was quality, but the Yankees seem to always struggle when facing a pitcher for the first time. It happened in the Met series Saturday against Fernando Nieve and it happened again against Lannan and the Nats this week.

It’s an issue that Girardi addressed with the media and it shows a lack of scouting and preparation, in my opinion, even though Jeter said it doesn’t matter, because you have to see pitchers live. He noted all the preparation in the world doesn’t change how good their stuff could be when you step into the box.

New York won the series opener Tuesday 5-3 following the off day. Robinson Cano knocked in the tying run with an RBI double in the seventh, sparking a late rally for the Yankees in another comeback win.

The Bombers were lucky against the Mets over the weekend and got some good breaks against the lowly Nats Tuesday, but the rest of the series provided how the Yankees have to make their own breaks, especially against teams as awful – yes, I said it – as Washington.

Just when you think the Yankees are cruising, they get sloppy. A-Rod has struggled and now Mark Teixeira is cooling off, too. Jeter being hurt doesn’t help the situation either. Guys like Nick Swisher are also showing signs of fatigue.
The Yankees will try and bounce back tonight against the Marlins when they open a weekend series in Florida.

Yanks Welcome Nats to Town

NEW YORK – The Yankees look to take advantage of the worst team in baseball Tuesday night when they begin a three-game home set against the Washington Nationals.

Last week, New York (36-27) was swept in a three-game series at AL East-leading Boston before returning home to win two of three against the Mets.

The Yankees will be looking to avoid a letdown when they take on the Nationals (16-45), who are on pace for 119 losses. Washington is also enduring rumors that manager Manny Acta’s job may be in jeopardy.

The Yankees are happy to finally be returning to normalcy. Let’s see if they can get build off their series with the Mets by making fast work of the Nats this week.

Yanks Luck Takes Turn for the Better

NEW YORK – “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.”

As a sportswriter and sportscaster, you gotta love your clichés – and folks, I can’t think of a better one to describe this past weekend’s series with the crosstown Mets than the aforementioned one about luck.

The Bombers, like the Amazins, looked sloppy all weekend, starting Friday night at the Stadium. Thankfully, they were as lucky as can be.

I was out at the ballpark Friday night for what will go down as one of the most amazing finishes in Subway Series history thanks to Luis Castillo, who’s blunder in the ninth sealed an improbable Yankee win.

With two outs and two on in the ninth against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez had failed again in the clutch – or so it seemed – popping up to Luis Castillo in short right for what would have been, should have been the final out.

Instead, two runs raced home as the ball fell safely to the outfield turf after striking Castillo’s outstretched glove, a most improbable finish for the first Subway Series game at the new Yankee Stadium. The Yankees stole a 9-8 win over the Mets on Friday, an ending that will be talked about for decades to come.

"I really have never seen that before, and I’ve played for a long time," A-Rod said afterward. “That’s why you play for nine innings – that's why you play hard. The lesson we take from here is to play all 27 and hustle all the time.”

Yankee closer Mariano Rivera was in line for the loss. He should have been the goat after surrendering an RBI double in the eighth to David Wright that gave the Amazins a lead.

But the Bombers stormed back for the 21st time this season, the most in the majors, handing K-Rod his first blown save of the year – even if most of the blame should be placed on Castillo’s shoulders for failing to use two hands in catching the popup.
Luis, come on, that’s the first thing we teach little leaguers. TWO HANDS!
Derek Jeter, who has a lifetime average over .400 against K-Rod, lined a one-out single to start the rally in the ninth. He stole second, but pinch-hitter Johnny Damon – out of the lineup with an eye malady – struck out swinging for the second out of the inning.

Wanting no part of the hot-hitting Mark Teixeira, K-Rod walked the Yankee first baseman for Rodriguez, who has one career hit lifetime against K-Rod.

True to form, A-Rod provided what would have been the final out, popping up to right. K-Rod and the Mets were shocked when a hustling Texieira came flying across home plate with the winning run.

“I have to catch that ball,” Castillo said. “I didn't get it. I feel bad. It was a routine fly ball. I need to get it.”

The fortunate Bombers walked away Friday night with a gift win – one they quickly returned Saturday in a surprising 6-2 loss.

After Friday’s incredible comeback victory, the Mets got to Andy Pettitte for five runs. Alex Rodriguez went deep in the second inning, but it was one of only four hits for the Bombers against starter Fernando Nieve in the second game of the Subway Series.

The relatively unknown right-hander effectively silenced the Bombers’ bats in an exceptional fill-in start. Omir Santos homered and drove in three runs for the Mets in a bounce back win.

Now, as a Yankee fan, you have to be thinking the Bombers are going to lose the series with Johan Santana taking the hill Sunday, which means Mets fans will be saying how the Amazins should have swept the series with Friday night’s loss a defeat that should have never happened.

It was an unpredictable series to say the least. The Yankees were very lucky in my opinion, benefitting from some big breaks, none more important than Santana’s ineffectiveness Sunday. Santana was so bad, you have to wonder if he’s injured.

Whatever the reason, it was a lucky break for the Yankees as Santana was way off his game. The Yankees capitalized on the worst start ever by Santana, taking the first chapter of the 2009 crosstown series, 2-1. Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano homered in a nine-run fourth as the Bombers hammered Santana, coasting 15-0 over the Mets at the Stadium. The Bombers lit up Santana for nine runs.

“It shows you he’s human,” said Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett, who won for the third time in four starts. “It happens to everybody. This is a very, very potent lineup. Our job is to keep them in the game as best we can, because they’re going to score runs.”

Robinson Cano and Damon each finished with three RBIs, while rookie catcher Francisco Cervelli and Cano logged three hits apiece. Derek Jeter went 4-for-4 in the leadoff spot, setting the tone for the rest of the lineup in their 17-hit performance.

“It’s just the Subway Series – you’re going to see some strange things,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “If someone would have told us that’s how we were going to win two out of three, I never would have guessed it.”

Those are the breaks, Mr. Girardi. Those are the breaks. You didn’t get them in Boston, losing three straight, but you had to be happy to have them this weekend when the Yankees escaped winners of two of three.

The Bombers welcome lowly Washington next, beginning tonight at the Stadium. CC Sabathia will take the mound tonight for the Yankees.

Notes: Lefty reliever Damaso Marte got clearance from Dr. James Andrews on Monday, and is set to resume his throwing program at the team’s Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla…Yankees manager Joe Girardi devoted his off-day to a cause near and dear to his heart, hosting a fundraiser to benefit Alzheimer’s research. Girardi’s "Catch 25 Foundation" organized its second-annual "Remember When, Remember Now" gala on Monday at New York’s Grand Central Oyster Bar. Girardi’s father, Jerry, is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease…The verbal spat between Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez and Yankees reliever Brian Bruney escalated into a physical confrontation on Sunday, as the pitchers swapped aggressive words and gestures in the outfield before the game. The players had to be separated after K-Rod confronted Bruney in left field, once the Mets had completed their stretching regimen. Bruney said that his intention was to approach Rodriguez to make peace, after he was quoted saying that Rodriguez has “a tired act” and called the closer’s on-field actions “embarrassing.” Bruney later apologized for his comments…We covered the MLB Draft last week, which ended Thursday. In total, the Bombers made 20 selections – 12 position players and eight pitchers. New York had taken Slade Heathcott, an outfielder from Texas, on Tuesday in the first round with the 29th pick, bucking its trend of taking pitchers early in the Draft. The Yankees were sure to bolster their farm system with arms, though, taking pitchers in the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth rounds, including Seton Hall's Sean Black, who was a second-round pick in 2006.

This Sox! Yanks Still Winless Against Boston

Alex Rodriguez put the Yankees in position to win their first game against the Red Sox Thursday night with a two-run double in the seventh, but CC Sabathia and New York's bullpen faltered in the bottom of the eighth, allowing three runs despite not allowing an extra-base hit in a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox.

The Yankees were swept out of Boston, dropping their eighth straight game to their heated rival thanks to that crazy eighth inning.

Can you imagine, 0-8 this season against Boston?

The Red Sox won Tuesday 7-0 and then held on 6-5 yesterday.

Enough of this. I'm happy the Yanks won't play Boston again until August. The Bombers have a lot of work to do, beginning with fixing whatever has happened to Chien-Ming Wang.

The challenging week for New York won't get any easier. The Yankees return home and host the Mets for a weekend series.

Yanks Announce Holiday Twin Bill

Last week's postponed game with Tampa Bay has been rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 7 at 7:05 p.m., as the second game of a day-night Labor Day doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.

The Friday, June 5 game was postponed due to inclement weather and now becomes the first holiday twin bill for the Yankees since they split two games on Sept. 4, 1978 against Detroit at the old Yankee Stadium. The Bombers won the first game behind Ron Guidry's 20th win of the season.

In addition, the promotional item - a Yankee Stadium Figurine courtesy of Sports Authority - scheduled to be given away on June 5, will be distributed to the first 18,000 fans, age 21 and older, with tickets for the rescheduled game.

For more information, log onto yankees.com.

Yanks Grab Heathcott with Top Pick

SECAUCUS, NJ – Over the last few years, the Bronx Bombers have always turned to free agency for an outfielder.

That may change with the addition of a high-ceiling prospect in high schooler Slade Heathcott, whom the Yankees tabbed with their first pick in Tuesday night’s 2009 First-Year Player Draft, 29th overall.

Bucking their recent draft trends, Heathcott became the first position player the Yankees have taken with their top selection since taking C.J. Henry 17th overall in 2005.

Heathcott, a powerful offensive outfielder who is coming off ACL surgery, attended Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas.

The team's original first-round pick, the 25th overall, was awarded to the Angels as compensation for free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. But the Yankees received the 29th pick as compensation for Gerrit Cole, their first-round selection last year, who chose to enroll at UCLA rather than sign with the team.

Some mock drafts had the Yankees taking Reymond Fuentes, from Fernando Callejo high School in Manati, Puerto Rico, but Boston snatched up the nephew of Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran a pick before.

Heathcott is an enigma for scouts. He can play the outfield or pitch. He DHed for most of the spring and was out until mid-March recovering from November surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. Heathcott is also recovering from a jammed throwing shoulder that kept him from pitching.

When healthy, “he’s an athletic outfielder with five-tool potential,” according to Baseball America.

The 6-foot-1, 190 pound Heathcott was selected for the Aflac All-American Game last summer as a pitcher. It’s still unclear if the whether the Yankees will try and convert him to a pitcher. Some clubs coming into the draft liked Heathcott more for his prowess on the mound. The lefty hits 88-92 mph consistently and touches 94 on occasion, with a promising curveball.

There are some drawbacks that come with drafting the talented Heathcott, who’s had some issues off the field. In addition to questions about his character, Heathcott is verbally committed to LSU.

The Yankees will have until Aug. 16 or until Heathcott enrolls in college, which ever comes first, to ink him to a contract.

Inside the 2009 MLB Draft

SECAUCUS, NJ – The draft was a treat. The MLB Network’s Studio 42, which honors the late, great Jackie Robinson, is truly a classic baseball heaven, and was the perfect place to host the First-Year Player Draft.

Major League Baseball did a nice job televising the event for the first time. They still have some work to do to catch up to the NBA and the NFL, but it’s a step in the right direction, marketing the draft to fans around the country. On the TV side, you could tell they were still working on the some of kinks. The biggest change, in my opinion, should be having those first-rounders, or at least the top 15 prospects on hand for the draft, for both the media and the fans attending.

This was one of the biggest challenges for the network, too. Not having those selections readily available made it difficult to get their reactions. They had several picks on via phone and TV conferencing, but it’s the not same as having them front and center right after the pick.

With that being said, one of the highlights of the evening had to be local outfielder Michael Trout, who was the only amateur player on hand for the draft. A nervous Trout was taken late by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Surrounded by friends and family, Trout could barely express how happy and excited he was to move closer to realizing his major league dreams. He addressed the media afterward and then went around the room to thank all of the team representatives.

He looked like a kid in a candy store, even signing some autographs for the fans watching live in the studio.

While the top selections like San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who was taken No. 1 overall by the Washington Nationals, were nowhere to be found, each of the club’s had a representative on site to make the picks, many of which were legends from their respective teams. Hall of Famers like Detroit’s Al Kaline, L.A.’s Tommy Lasorda and Pittsburgh’s Bill Mazeroski took part in the festivities.

It should be noted that MLB invited the prospects to attend, but that Trout was the only player to accept the invite. Several of the notable amateurs are still playing college ball in the NCAA World Series, others chose not to sit there and potentially wait out a long selection – something that happens to the best young players in the football and basketball drafts.

Some, like Strasburg, simply speak through their agents. He’s represented by super agent Scott Boras, who is looking for a huge deal for the young flame thrower, rumored to be upwards of $30 to $50 million.

Baseball actually has a few things to work on when it comes to the draft. First, there should be some better rules in place regarding rookie salaries. Basketball has the best cap in place. Baseball on the other hand will allow Strasburg, who has never thrown a major league pitch, the opportunity to sign a huge, guaranteed contract, even though he may never make it to the big leagues.

Another interesting aspect of the draft has to be the fact that picks can’t be traded, putting teams like the low budget Nationals in jeopardy of not signing a blue chipper like Strasburg. That rule hamstrings some of the weaker clubs, but is intended to force them to draft a good player and develop him in their system. We know what often happens anyway. Small market teams develop talent only to watch them walk away in free agency, or get dealt by the club when the player’s free agency is approaching.

The MLB Draft may not be perfect, but I think it has the chance to really catch on. ESPN’s coverage of college baseball has increased in recent years with the additions of some of new channels like ESPNU. That expanded coverage will make some of these amateurs household names come draft time. It will never be like March Madness, a huge factor in making the NBA Draft as big as it is, but the growth of the MLB Network and the exposure of some of these young stars through expanded TV coverage gives fans some better insight leading up to the draft.

If nothing else, the presence of the legends added to the special feel of the night and was enough of a reason to tune in. Honestly, after those first few picks, my knowledge of the top up-and-comers rested solely on how quick I could thumb through the draft pick guide. I had my finger on some of the possible picks the Yankees might take late in the first round. Check out my feature on the Bombers’ first-rounder in my next post.

Commissioner Bud Selig is no David Stern, but he navigated through some fumbles to complete the first round in a little under three hours. The compensation round followed, concluding day 1 of the draft. The draft continues Wednesday, but will not be televised. Fans can keep up with the picks on www.mlb.com.

From a media perspective, only the major players in the business, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the AP, among others, were on hand for the draft. Only a few of the smaller media outlets, ourselves included, made the trip to New Jersey Tuesday night.

Yankee greats Tino Martinez and Lee Mazzilli picked for the Bombers. Below is a list of the first round choices. Tune in to Friday’s show for a full wrap up on the MLB Draft.

1 WAS: S. Strasburg
2 SEA: D. Ackley
3 SD: D. Tate
4 PIT: J. Sanchez
5 BAL: M. Hobgood
6 SF: Z. Wheeler
7 ATL: M. Minor
8 CIN: M. Leake
9 DET: J. Turner
10 WAS: D. Storen
11 COL: T. Matzek
12 KC: A. Crow
13 OAK: G. Green
14 TEX: M. Purke
15 CLE: A. White
16 ARI: R. Borchering
17 ARI: A. Pollock
18 FLA: C. James
19 STL: S. Miller
20 TOR: S. Jenkins
21 HOU: J. Mier
22 MIN: K. Gibson
23 CWS: J. Mitchell
24 LAA: R. Grichuk
25 LAA: M Trout
26 MIL: E. Arnett
27 SEA: N. Franklin
28 BOS: R. Fuentes
29 NYY: S. Heathcott
30 TB: L. Washington
31 CHC: B. Jackson
32 COL: T. Wheeler

BronxNet Visits Studio 42, Checks in on MLB Draft

SECAUCUS, NJ – Happily approved for the 2009 MLB Draft, I’m on location in New Jersey for the annual first-year player draft.

We’re taking part in some history as the draft is being televised for the very first time. I’ll have a more detailed perspective shortly, but here’s a quick post on the first couple of picks. The Washington Nationals selected San Diego State University right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the first overall selection. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo and Nationals Scouting Director Dana Brown made the joint announcement.

Strasburg, a 6-foot-4 power pitcher, went 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA in 15 starts as a junior for the Aztecs. He fanned an NCAA-best 195 in 109 innings, and did not issue more than two walks in any game this season. Strasburg, who was San Diego’s closer as a freshman and their top starter each of the last two seasons, walked one or fewer in 10 of 15 starting assignments.

“We are thrilled to select someone with the special talents that Stephen possesses,” said Rizzo. “Those talents have long been on our radar, and Stephen’s domination at San Diego State and vast experiences gained with Team USA last summer have done nothing to change our thoughts about his abilities.”

I’ll check back in shortly with more. The Yankees have the No. 29 pick in the first round.

Yanks Head to Boston

The Bombers seemed to be spiraling toward disaster the last time they had Boston in their sights five weeks ago. The Red Sox swept a two-game series in the Bronx, improving to 5-0 against the Yankees in 2009. The sweep occurred in the middle of a five-game losing streak for the Yankees. During that stretch, they went 2-7 to fall a season-high 6 ½ games out of first place.

But A-Rod’s return and a long homestand shortly after started the turnaround for New York. Now, the Yankees will enter the opener of a three-game series in Boston tonight atop the AL East. The Yankees own the best record in the AL at 34-23 and lead Boston by one game.

The revival has been fueled by good health, good pitching and Rodriguez’ return, which has made a significant impact on the lineup, lengthening the order and providing Mark Teixeria with some needed protection.

Pitching has been key for New York in its surge to the top of the standings. Tonight, the Bombers hand the ball to AJ Burnett. The Yankees signed the hard-throwing righty largely because of his success against the Red Sox. With the rain delay Friday, New York got the opportunity to push Burnett’s start back for tonight’s series opener in Boston. He is 5-0 with a 3.52 ERA lifetime against the Red Sox.

Burnett did not fare well in his last start in Boston. It was his worst ever against the Sox. He allowed eight runs over five innings. Burnett is coming off one of his starts of the season – seven innings, three runs and eight strikeouts against Texas. He comes in pitching on two extra days of rest.

The Red Sox will turn to Josh Becket, who is coming off one of the finest performances of his career in his last start, pitching a no-hitter for 6 2/3 innings. Over 7 1/3 innings, he allowed two hits and no earned runs, striking out nine. Beckett is on a roll, turning in a quality start in his last six outings. Beckett has pitched twice against the Yankees this season, going 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA.

This series will be a good indicator of how strong a contender the Yankees are. They need to take at two games in Boston. The Red Sox are banged up and the Yankees have a challenging week ahead with the Mets on tap for the weekend.

Yanks Win Another Series

I’m happy to return from L.A. and our coverage of the NBA Finals to a Yankee team that looks primed for its series with rival Boston.

Let’s quickly recap the weekend series. Four more homers by the Bronx Bombers Monday night backed Andy Pettitte in a 5-3 victory over Tampa, their second in as many days. Sunday Mariano Rivera righted the ship after one of his worst relief outings. Unlike Saturday, when his manager ordered him to walk Evan Longoria, Rivera got his chance to face the Tampa slugger, this time with two outs in the ninth and a one-run lead to protect.

This time, the outcome was more familiar for Rivera and the Yankees. He got Longoria to ground out meekly to second, closing out the Yankees 4-3, come-from-behind victory for his 495^th career save.

New York scored three in the eighth on a walk, an error and a fielder's choice in winning seven of their last 10.

Saturday, Rivera was simply off his game. Joe Dillon hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth and the Rays got to the all-time great for the second time this season, topping the Yankees 9-7. The Rays committed four errors, but came through when it counted most. B.J. Upton added an RBI single off the star closer, part of a four-run rally that carried the AL Champions to their fourth straight victory and sixth in seven games.

Friday night's scheduled game between the Rays and Yankees was postponed because of rain, pushing back David Price and CC Sabathia to Saturday afternoon.

That was a highly anticipated matchup, pitting Tampa’s promising young lefty versus the more established Yankee ace, but with the game tied late, it once again became a matchup of the bullpens. Unfortunately, Rivera didn’t have his best stuff.

Thankfully, baseball gives you a chance to redeem yourself the very next day. It was a terrific series for New York, serving as a good warm-up for the Red Sox this week.

Error-free, Homer Happy Yanks Battling for First

It’s been a minute since I have checked in. I’m in Los Angeles covering the NBA Finals for the show and although I haven’t taken an eye off the Yankees, they’ve been on the back burner the last few days.

Catching up, the Bronx Bombers took three of four from Cleveland over the weekend and looked very sharp, especially in the field where they put together the longest errorless streak for a team in history – 18 games, which came to a close Tuesday night at home against Texas.

The Yankees now have a share of the best record in the American League with Boston at 32-22 following Thursday's 8-6 win over Texas. Much of their recent success has to be attributed to Alex Rodriguez. New York is 18-7 since his return. He’s played pretty well, especially considering his lack of spring training.

But it’s actually been his presence that has had a dramatic effect on the team. The greatest beneficiary of all this has to be Mark Teixeira, who is knocking the cover off the ball since A-Rod’s return. Hitting in front of A-Rod, Tex has seen more fastballs and his resurgence has really lengthened the lineup.

Melky Cabrera's two-run home run in the eighth inning, his fifth go-ahead hit in the eighth inning or later this season, gave the Yankees their sixth win in their last eight games Thursday afternoon at the Stadium. Johnny Damon hit his 11th homer of the season, tying his career-high before the All-Star break.

In his first start since April 18, Chien-Ming Wang allowed five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings and took the no-decision. For the Rangers, Nelson Cruz homered, giving him eight home runs and 16 RBIs in his last 13 games. Nonetheless, Texas is 2-6 in its last eight games vs. the Bombers.

The Yankees kicked off the week in fashion, closing out a strong series in Cleveland. Joba Chamberlain returned to form and now has a strong hold on his spot in the rotation. He allowed two runs in a career-high eight innings while the Yankees set a record for consecutive games without making an error Monday night in a 5-2 victory over the Indians.

Chamberlain improved to 3-1. The right-hander retired the first 11 batters before Victor Martinez’s home run in the fourth. Chamberlain allowed four hits, walked two and struck out five, showcasing the same velocity that made his an instant star in Big Apple out of the bullpen. He hit 97 mph on the radar gun in the eighth.

The Yankees picked up right where they left off Tuesday night back in New York. Convinced he was being thrown out, Teixeira sparked the Yankees in a seven-run fourth on a hard slide at second that sent Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus flying. The Yankees pounded the Rangers 12-3 to take over the best record in the AL.

The Yankees' 12 runs set a season high and it was the eighth time they have reached double figures this season.

Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada hit three-run jacks for the Yanks. Through Tuesday night, there had been 24 games at Yankee Stadium and all had at least one home run – the longest streak of MLB games with a long ball from the start of play at any stadium in MLB history.

"We did the talking with our bats," Teixeira said.

AJ Burnett has feasted on the Rangers as well. The pitcher beat Texas for the second time in a week, allowing three runs in seven innings. He struck out eight in the win.

Sunday, Cleveland got the better of New York. Jhnonny Peralta provided the game-winner. He drove in three runs, including a one-out RBI single in the ninth in a 5-4 Indians win. Saturday was much better for the Yankees thanks to CC Sabathia. He didn’t allow a hit until the fifth. Posada and Nick Swisher provided the offense, homering in a 10-5 Yankee win. Friday, Andy Pettitte labored through a sore back, pitching into the sixth in a 3-1 New York win that gave the Yankees sole possession of first place in the division for the first time since 2006.

New York welcomes Tampa Bay this weekend for a four-game set.