Sucks to have a day off in the middle of the homestand.

craptastic ought to be the story of Schilling's life. It would be so much more bearable.

This day off is nice. We should be very well rested for the weekend. And we need as much rest as we can get with the start we've had. I do think Clemens will start in Toronto. We have a gap in the rotation and it may as well be him.

Clemens laboring is to be expected. Is it better to let him labor in the minors or the bigs? The choice is between him and DeSalvo. I'm honestly not sure who to choose. DeSalvo could go 7 innings; doesn't seem like Clemens will at first, without his typical command. Maybe the Yanks should hold him back for the White Sox?

5/28 v Jays - Pettitte
5/29 v Jays - DeSalvo
5/30 v Jays - Clippard
5/31 - off
6/1 v BoSox - Wang
6/2 v BoSox - Moose
6/3 v BoSox - Pettitte
6/4 v ChiSox - Rocket

Let's hope Pavano takes his rehab seriously - and if not, that the Yanks push him to. He could be a long man out of the pen next year after the ASB.

Whatever, it's baseball. Would they prefer a rolling block and taking out his knees? Meanwhile, it accomplished the intended effect.

Plus, knowing the history, deep down don't you just know that [He who shall not be named] is history?

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0330/1360750.html

It's beyond belief that the $252 million player is being criticized for a tough slide. Even opponents should respect it, for crying out loud, in a league where some players cash in and get fat and lazy.

Last night, I very much enjoyed ARod's hustle double and ensuing dash home. Just because I can only think of a few other players ever that have combined much power and that much baserunning ability (Mays, Bonds, ???).

Fun to watch because most 500-HR hitters (never mind 800-HR hitters) would have singled and moved to second base on Posada's hit. Good stuff, ARod.

5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

This was after two scoreless starts (3 IP at A, 6 IP at AA).

I agree with 3 that Clemens should start at Scranton (they need the SP help there anyway) and wait for the White Sox game... if any "competitive" lineup can make a pitcher feel like a god, it's the White Sox.

Nice night for the Final Four: Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, and Mo.

Is it just me or has this one of the most herky-jerky bi-polar seasons ever?

The wins are extremely satisfying, and so full of promise -- while the losses couldn't be uglier or more discouraging.

Usually the team is comfortable and consistent enough that you can shrug off a win as easily as a loss, but this year every game feels like a life-or-death situation for the Yanks.

If the season is a marathon, the Yankees approach so far has been sprint, crawl, sprint, crawl.

Here's hoping they can settle in to a steady jog, and keep winning series.

9 Second.

Abreu still slumping, Giambi slumping/hurt, Cano adjusting... Looks like Damon is back, as is A-Rod (man he just missed a couple bombs). However, if Cano, Gimabi and Abreu can no longer be counted on, this team can't afford to carry MKZ. We all know this. Anyone got any suggestions?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6844468

I knocked A-Rod here yesterday over his slide (good intent, terrible execution) but he deserves props for his hustle last night.

A-Rod v Schilling is a always an interesting battle. A-Rod has smacked him around pretty good so far this year (3-for-6 2HR 4RBI), but career-wise (37 ABs) Rodriguez is a .243 hitter against Schilling (.263 OBP). However, A-Rod sports a .595 slugging percentage v Schill.

They seem to bring out the best/worst in eachother.

Again, I reiterate, as a middle infielder, going out of the baseline to take out someones legs is about 100 times more dangerous than popping up and leaning into an infielder (and make no mistake in slow motion its pretty clear that A-Rod's intent was to lean, not elbow).

I'd like to take this opportunity to gloat about my prediction that Pavano would be out for the year by the ASB. Not much of an achievement, actually. It's a bit like predicting the sun will rise in the east tomorrow. I think the entire readership of this website agreed, since no one took me up on my wager.

I believe Pavano is my Most Hated Yankee. I want to drive a monster truck over his house.

I'm moving on, though. I won't mention him again unless the Yankees express interest in another perpetually damaged jackass free agent during the offseason.

a lot has happened since those days of wide-eyed innocence and boundless hope.

as much as it pains me to do so, i hereby officially concede to my opponents, Health and Lazyness.

it is best not to think of what might have been. instead, let's turn our attention to the future. let's get excited about all that lies ahead. let's all close our eyes and imagine all of the injuries that will plague carl pavano in the future.i think that we all can agree that this common dream can unite us all.

thank you for your time, and may god bless the new york yankees.

http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/

Maybe Clemens should throw another minor league game, but I don't think he threw 100 pitches yesterday to pitch for SWB. He's in rocket express mode right now to "save" the Yanks

14 My most hated Yankee is still Kevin Brown. Followed by Tony Womack, then good ol' Glass Carl.

Alex Rodriguez always hustles. In fact, most of the team does. Even Giambi - he may run like Baby Huey, but he still busts his ass going down to first.

Petttittte was just wonderful last night. Not dominating, but always in control of himself. He's the anti-Mussina. The fifth inning started off with an infield single and an error by Abreu; Mussina would have gotten pissed and given up at least three runs. Instead Andy turned that sweet double play.

Jeter's triple was a thing of beauty. I love triples.

If someone tried to sell a "game worn" #45 jersey the ad might read like the old joke:

For sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain.

In any case, 23 thats a nice change, seems like for a few years there, it was always the most painful games...And is there really anything more fun and exciting than seeing a player round 2B and go for 3? HRs are fun, but the suspense is gone as soon as it leaves the bat. The triple combines all the great parts of baseball, and is so darn rare today, its way more of a treat...

I think He Must Not Be Named is a very fitting and worthwhile nickname for, well, He Who Must Not Be Named.

typing that made me remember my 23 "Hit Man" Mattingly t-shirt growing up : )

Now I can have one if I am willing to bid more than the $26.11 bid on ebay (plus $8.50 for shipping of course)...

This looks like a cool Mattingly T-shirt:
http://tinyurl.com/25jo3d

shipping prices at ebay are ludicrous, for the most part, esp. for posters and such.

that t-shirt is waaaaay cooler than the one i had. mine was just plain navy. said mattingly and 23 on the back. the front left breast had the interlocking NY. the best part, i guess, was the "hit man" part was a puffy white material that was kinda cool.

My roommate was also a big Yanks fan and he had a couple of other posters: Reggie, Nettles, Guidry.

Sadly, my Mattingly poster didn't make it home from college.

Roomie might have smoked it.

http://tinyurl.com/2py6dj

Cut A-Rod Some Slack: Dustin Deserves More Heat in Spat

"Please. This year, more than any other, Rodriguez deserves praise more than blame. He seems to have unburdened himself of the need to please everyone, and it certainly seems as if he is becoming an even better player for it.

Maybe Rodriguez crossed the line with his slide on Tuesday, maybe he did not. But if the Red Sox [team stats] were truly annoyed and felt the need to concern themselves with such things as they run away with the AL East, then let's all agree on at least one thing:

Dustin Pedroia wasn't the guy who should have been delivering the message."

I had a huge Mattingly door poster back in college (I might still have it somewhere). I would like to see your roomie smoke that one... ;-)

35 Did your REGGIE poster look like one of these:
http://www.coincollectables.com/ebaypic/M76.JPG
http://i6.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/d0/0b/e2_1.JPG

Here's one that I wouldn't mind having:
http://i15.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/9b/2f/612b_1_b.JPG

It's signed by Reggie and the three Dodgers pitchers that he took deep in the Serious. That almost seems like a bargain for the $149.99 (plus $9.99 shipping) asking price.

Isn't that taking the phrase, "Take a hit, man!" a little too far?

it was big, white border. home pinstriped uni. big, bold, black letters atop: REGGIE

33 Hey Sliced, while searching for the Hit Man poster I stumbled across this post over at NYYfans.com:
http://tinyurl.com/2daoe3

Could that RobRiv guy be your ex-roomie?

Although, I have to say...if he played for the Yankees, i'd be the first one to print up "Vote for Pedroia" tshirts. i love cheezy/witty t-shirts. they rule.