FWIW, the Yanks are 47-27 at home this year, 38-36 on the road. Orioles are 35-39 both on the road and at home. I like those odds.

AND - our boy "Rob ROY" Cano shared AL Player of the Week honors with Ortiz. Now if he can keep up the torrid hitting at home . . .

HOME: .248/.620 AWAY: .332/.897

Odd for a lefty.

http://tinyurl.com/9ojoa

btw, rbj, Do you mean the '02 Angels?

Randy,
it's also interesting that a couple of righty hitters are having awesome years at the stadium versus away.
Jeter: .966 Home/.690 OPS away (He should start wearing I Love NY shirts all the time).
A-Rod: 1.116 Home/.936 Away (not a huge dropoff or anything)

Lefty Home cooking
Matsui: .985 Home/.732 Away

Considering out last 7 are on the road, I'll take Cano's numbers, and love it!

Re: lineup
D. Jeter ss
A. Rodriguez 3b
J. Giambi 1b
G. Sheffield dh
H. Matsui lf
J. Posada c
B. Williams cf
R. Cano 2b
B. Crosby rf

If Sheff can't follow through on his swing, he should rest it and have Ruben dh, or Bernie DH Bubba in CF, Vento in RF. Or something.

Half a Sheff is still a full kitchen, I'll take it.

But I like Tino . . . stomping feet!

There tons of options. I um, gave myself more money when managing the Yankees. Hey, I'm just making it realistic.

I smell what the Sheff is cooking tonight and I like it. A win over the O's with some basil and a light cream sauce. He'll be fine, can't fix his thigh in a week anyway.

Runs...

But jeez, I hate to see Giambi stretched that way if his back is bothering him.

Here comes the bottom of the top of the order. Get to Jorge and Robbie so we can get some runs.

Now please, please, PLEASE don't do anything dopey on the basepaths.

And yay, Derek!

C'mon, Yanks. Keep it going. Baltimore obviously doesn't want to screw up their golf schedule by straining themselves.

Scalpal, Nurse! Scalpal! I have to perform another emergency LOB-octomoy. Only my 135th this year!

Are they in such a bad shape that they have to put him on the line-up? The Yanks don't need this macho stuff, they need effective players.

Man, talk about laziness

Funny though huh. They don't even care, and we are still losing.

.391 .500 .391

Wang has two more big innings to get us through and you got to figure the O will score some runs for him.

We should be up by 4 or 5...

Know where I could get a total on LOB this year?

naaa, I want to see if we can break the record:)

Top of the order coming up!

I hope you were paying attention, Bernie. Don't be swinging like crazy here.

Well he is our best hitter, this week.

Wonder what the Vegas odds where for Cleveland having the best record in the AL this year?

Red Sox are on their 3rd pitcher. It's the 5th inning.

C'mon, Rob ROY! D'oh.

BTW, BxSparksNYC, I have DirecTV and we (30 miles SW of Boston) are getting the Yankee game tonight. I'm as confused as you are.

Now get some runs dammit. What more do you want out of this guy.

Ah, the curse song playeth!

BTW, for anyone interested, Giants 21-10 at the half.

Rich, I agree - only way Moose should pitch is if Wright is ALSO ready to go. Have him shadow Moose, just to be safe.

Amazing what an O'Line will do for you huh?

Hughes
Wang
Clippard
Chacon
insert FA

But I miss him. However we wont need him to guve NE their first back to back losses in 3 years!

Rich, what about Henn? DeSalvo? Juillien? (I'm sure I've misspelled his name.) Could you imagine a rotation 4/5ths homegrown?!

GOOOOOOOOOOOO Devil Rays!! =)

Yup, we need depth. Young depth. This season has demonstrated that you can't have too many starting pitchers.

Tampa up 7-4?

We are the new Broncos backfield. And I love it!

Run Willie Run!

You're right. I forgot about out DeSalvo.

Rich — would you bring Small back next year?

I would, but barring an unconscious playoff run, it would merely be for depth. I wouldn't guarantee him a spot in the rotation.

C'mon, Godzilla . . .

But that's next year...let's win the division first...starting with the win tonight (p.s. Go Giants).

However, I do like our back-up!

Very happy to see Wang still pitching. Now we need a run!

However, I do like our back-up!

Is that Walter Mattheau in the dugout?

We need this game!!!!

Now come on, Yanks. Let's see some scoring.

Now let's score!!!!

98 pitches for Tiger Wang - I think its time to take him out. Hopefully we'll score about 10 runs here, so neither Gordon (who's already been up) nor Mo has to come in.

... C'mon Robbie!!!

You see that? If Aaron Brooks had three living brain cells, he would be one hell of a quarterback, alas, he does not.

NICE PLAY, Tino!

Jeter certainly owes us one.

Meanwhile, Archie Manning is on the phone with the ESPN booth while Eli is messing up - oh well, he is just a kid, right? As long as he wins . . .

That oughta get you some playing time, kid!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Alex, now can we talk some football? =)

Bubba!

If anyone was expecting that...you are Ms. Cleo.

WoW. Come onnnnnnnn Tampa!

Joe just announced tomorrow's lineup, Ruben Sierra will be in right! LOL.

But in a good way

I believe Rich and I were!

Rueben in right tomorrow... ROFLMAO!

Whatta pose by the hero. =)

What a night it would be, to have a Yankee win, a Red Sox loss, and the Giants win too. Here's hoping!

I mean seriously, if that can't earn him a start, I don't know what will.

Shit, infield hit for Cora..

bottom 8...

Down in Tampa, Olerud strikes out . . . and Cora thrown out trying to steal second! TB only needs three more outs!

Just before that walk-off blast, I said aloud "The sluggers havent touched this guy yet, maybe Bubba will be a hero." And then...bang! zoom! Go Tampa!

I want to relish this win, but there is a part of me that still believes I'll see Ruben out in right tomorrow and that frightens me, no comprende.

Norv Turner should've stuck to being an O-coordinator. Just like Gregg Williams should stick to being a D-coordinator.

Hell of a catch by Toomer! Hard to believe a Yankee-Orioles game is over before the football game. =)

The Pirates should be ashamed for the pathetic product they've put on the field for 12 years now. Pittsburgh will clearly support a competitive team - but when you sign guys like Derek Bell and Kevin Young . . . but I digress. They could be something going forward, though, with all that young pitching . . .

P.S. I really believe that the Sox will lose the Kazmir game - he is just dealing right now and I think that he can shut down the Sox (along with any other team right now).

http://tinyurl.com/8ltyr

Huff singles to right, Gomes out at home. Two runs is not bad - hope Baez can hold it. I've got to get some sleep.

C'mon Tampa...3 outs before you allow 2 runs.

I can't understand why you are physically allowed to block the plate. Very un-baseball like.

Shit...... Otiz hit another!!!!!!
8-7... Manny up. 2 out.

A-Rod = MVP

Fuck you, Ortiz.

HELL YES!!!! MANNY K'S TO END IT!!!!

Rays win! Thhhhhhaaaaa Raaaaaaaaaaays win!

You're right about the Rooney's. They are what can be good in sports. The anti-Jerry Jones. I grew up in NY but my dad grew up in Penn., so I adopted his team in the 70's (big surprise), but wouldn't give up my Yankees, thank goodness. However I am glad I stuck with the Steelers, they are just a class outfit, how can anyone, well Cleveland, Dallas and Oakland, but how can anyone pull against them.

Bettis staying, his press conference with Ward, almost made me cry.

And I say again, I would rather have Ward any day of the week over T.O. any day. I think a wide reciever who catches every ball thrown his way, blocks well and plays special teams, just never gets credit in this league. T.O. is like the 5th or 6th, but certainly not the top guy. It's all flash flash.

Redrum Redrum.

Here's DADDY!

Those tickets you got me for last weeks game were pretty bad here in Chicago, but I'm pulling for you.

That boy is huge, he is staying in the same rental building I am for a few months.

Blew it! Dammit!

Great night for Yanks. (I'll try not to think about how much greater it would be if they'd won yesterday, too.)

And holy cow, can you believe that Cowboys TD? A 70-yard flea-flicker. Why didn't Bledsoe play like that for the Bills?

Honestly, i have no idea who to root for in that series. I love the way the Indians are set up and they all seem to be good kids who play the game right...on the other hand, Chicago would be the (far) easier opponent. Decisions, decisions...

You beat me to it.

It is an awful lot to ask for the Sox to blow that lead. I will be happy facing either. To be honest, and I know you'll jump on me, but, if we have to lose in the playoffs, both those teams are class teams, better than losing to Boston. Ozzie, Wedge, good guys, good managers, good teams.

On that note, night to everyone and God Bless Bubba.

2 down now... ground out to 3rd...

I wonder which starter Torre's going to send to the bullpen. I'm glad I don't have to make the decision. On YES, they were joking about it being Randy Johnson. I think I'd be tempted, if only to get Posada in the game.

shhhhhhhh, that's the Yankees.

"Poor Gibbs. It's a different NFL than he remembers. Free agency and the cap means you can no longer just buy the players you want. Kind of Spurrier, who was used to the college system, where you can buy all the players your budget allows."

I think I'd send Wright or Chacon to the pen before Small.

No way in hell do you send Chacon. His era is below 3 away from Coors and with the Yanks, best on the entire staff! Look it up.

I love Small, but he's gotten knocked around a bit his past two starts.

Same reason you saw Brown in game 7 last year, and not Duque. They will say his arm, but that's the excuse. Why was he on the ALCS roster then, if his arm was dead? Duque or Brown, come on, no brainer, how many 5's and 7's did he close out for us?

Brain says Wright. Money says Small. It will be Small. If Wright goes, the injury makes for a convenient excuse, but I'd be surprised if they send Wright out there, although I think it's a perfect fit, he has the attitude for the pen, no doubt. I think the injury gives Joe a little leeway to do it, we'll see. It is the right move, but I doubt it will happen.

I think Woody "how the hell did I get this job" Paige said this morning that it would be the biggest since like 1884. 15 games since July 1, now that's news.

Eat your heart out Cubbies:)

This will never fly, but I like a 4 man. Considering the junk in the pen, I think it's wise.

Randy
Moose
Chacon
Small

Wang, Leiter, and Wright in the Pen to get to GorMo. Wang can go long if necessary. Leiter for lefties, and Wright when Gordon and Mo need a rest, he can go 6-9.

Use Mendoza and Sturtz only in emergency, never use Embree or Proctor.

Move Wright up if Moose can't go.

Bullpen problem solved!

Si!

Add F-Rod to the PS "never, ever, under no circumstance" list...

Tomorrow's games are huge: Small vs John Maine; Schilling (6-8) vs McClung (6-10)...

... 1/2 game lead entirely possible

He's been hampered by injuries, both real and freak. His season has been abbreviated and he's never had the chance to get into the flow of things. As a result, you never see him go deep into a game.

The other guys can eat innings and keep teams off balance. I say, let the guys who can pitch deep into ballgames effectively do so, and let Wright work 2 or 3 innings at top velocity.

Wright might be the best choice to send to the pen, if only because he's so fragile. But Torre put Small there the last time, because Small, supposedly, Small has experience and pitches well out of the pen. Wright, like Wang, often seems shaky for the first inning, which could be disastrous in the bullpen.