WHY THE LIRIANO DEBATE IS BACK

Francisco Liriano pitched a no-hitter last night and suddenly every post I wrote about Liriano on Bleeding Yankee Blue was clicked on and read…a lot. We wrote WHY YANKS MAY BITE AT LIRIANO BAIT and WHY TRADING FOR LIRIANO IS A BAD IDEA and please are click happy. Funny how things work. People want to know about players more when a winner prevails. Liriano is a winner and was last night, congratulations to him. No, I’m no Twins fan, but as a baseball fan, you have to recognize quality athletes. Clearly, Liriano made it happen last night. Now the question all day has been, do fans think the Yankees should pursue him?

Liriano’s no-hitter was the first complete game of his career. Sounds crazy, but true. We hear about how talented he is, but in this day and age, every team has bridges and pitchers barely complete games. But my point is, with the no-hitter happening, Yankee fans will do what we normally do, covet Francisco Liriano. Yes, Yankee fans are trained to get whatever we want and that all goes back to the Steinbrenner days. The question is, can we get Liriano? Do we need Liriano? Will he hack it in the Bronx? Also, think about this, Liriano may have had a no-hitter last night, but he hasn’t had a great season.

Me personally, I like the kid, he’s had injury and he’s never been the same as they suggested he would be early in his career. The Yanks can beat him and I usually gauge it that way. But the fact of the matter is, Phil Hughes is currently down for the count and we don’t know how long Colon and Garcia will be studs. Colon’s been a surprise and impressive, but how long can that last? We’ll take what we can get now, but I do worry about that. Garcia on the other hand claimed he couldn’t get a “good feel” for the ball last outing. Let’s hope it was only 1 outing and it’s not the start of fatigue or something worse…breaking down. I’m just saying, there’s a lot of talk about Felix Hernandez and maybe we should also think about a Francisco Liriano as an alternative plan.

Look, there’s no comparison, King Felix is truly king, but the Yankees don’t want to trade the farm for him if they don’t have to. Would they trade for another pitcher like Liriano if they don’t want to give Montero, Banuelos and who knows what else away? It’s something to think about.

Liriano is hot right now it’s true, it’ll be interesting to see what the Yankees do, vote in our poll and comment here.What would you do. Do you want Liriano in the Bronx or do you NOT want him?

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WHY THERE’S NO EXCUSES

(photo: Daily News)
I’ve been reading about CC Sabathia and Comerica Park all day. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE is ranting about how CC and Comerica don’t mix. Sabathia is 1-5 with a 5.54 ERA in 6 starts dating back to 2006. I’ve been reading about how CC can’t win there and how he’ll never win there. Now it’s my turn… No excuses. Even CC will tell you that.

Do you think CC went out there hoping he’d get sympathy because he was pitching in Comerica last night and if he lost, no big deal? You think he was just chalking it up as another loss because his track record is horrible there? No, he went out there to pitch the best he could and he just didn’t have it last night. CC is a ballplayer, a popular ballplayer loved by millions and paid millions and he knows his job…shut them down or go down swinging. Last night, while not a horrible performance, was not a great one either, but it was amplified by the fact that the Yankees could not score runs because of shotty base running and lousy hitting.

You can sit there and make excuses about CC all you want. I’m telling you it will happen, he will figure it out and he has the same mentality going out there if it was a game against the Red Sox as it was in Comerica. Same mindset, try and shut them down. No doubt, Brad Penny pitched like a Cy Young pitcher last night the way the Yankees handling him in the batter’s box, but he’s no Cy Young, he was just super smart, changing up his pitches and shutting down the Yanks.

Please. You can’t give excuses…CC isn’t. He lost fair and square and no doubt about it, CC Monster will figure it out, and when he does, you’ll realize all the excuses and talk about losing in Comerica is just bunk.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STEVE KARSAY

When Steve Karsay came to the New York Yankees in 2002, I was psyched. I had followed this guy's career for a few years before and always loved the guys heart and talent. In the back of my mind, I always wanted to have him in the Yankees pen because I knew he'd do some damage. Luckily, it happened.

The Internet is a strange place. While I was tweeting one day, Steve Karsay was tweeting too. I figured, what the hell, I'll reach out. Well, it's not every day that athletes and celebrities reach back, after all, it's the Internet, but Mr. Karsay did and I couldn't have been happier.

It is with great pleasure that I was able to get inside Mr. Karsay's head and bring you our Exclusive Bleeding Yankee Blue Steve Karsay interview. Check it out, you will not be disappointed, and make sure you comment.

Oh, and most of all, Thank you Mr. Karsay for taking the time, for the fans, and for me, a fan as well.

BYB: According to my research, you grew up in Flushing. Were you a Mets fan or Yankee fan at that time?

Steve Karsay: Yes, I did grow up in the town next to Flushing which was College Point. To be quite honest, I was a baseball fan. I rooted for both the Mets and Yankees. I will have to admit, I did go to more Mets games because it was much closer and easier to get to by taking the 7 train just one stop. When having the opportunity to get to Yankees games though, it was definitely special because of all the history that the Old Yankee Stadium had and the players that I use to read about that played for such a storied franchise. I still get chills thinking about walking into Yankee stadium as a kid and knowing that I had what many kid's dream about... stepping foot and playing, in my opinion, in the best or one of the greatest stadiums ever built. I would say only Wrigley and Fenway are a close second.

BYB: Growing up, who was your favorite major league ballplayer and why?

Steve Karsay: Growing up and enjoying the game, I had many favorite players. There were so many it is hard to choose just one. I'll do my best. From the time that I was young, I always liked Thurman Munson and Ron Guidry. Goose Gossage was a favorite to watch as was Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, Oh and you can't forget Gary Carter. The last one I would have to clump in there would be Roger Clemens and the reason was, I liked to watch him play and compete. For me, to be able to watch these guys and be able to meet them and to actually have a chance to be their teammate was definitely something special.

BYB: I read that you were a starter early on in your career and later developed into a dominant relief pitcher. Why and how did that transition happen?

Steve Karsay: Yes, that is correct. I was a starter when I got drafted by the Blue Jays in 1990 and worked my way to the big leagues in 1993. I was starting, but injuries and a trade from the A's to the Indians is how I developed into the dominant reliever you had mentioned. In 1995, I had Tommy John surgery and at that time, the surgery was not perfected yet and was still a major surgery without knowing if a pitcher was ever going to be the same. It took me 18 months of rehab to get back to the big leagues and was able to get back to the starting rotation with the A's in 1997 and still didn't regain my velocity, so after the 1997 season, they decided to trade me to the Indians. At that point, the GM, John Hart saw my talents and decided to put me in the bullpen in 1998 and let me get used to being a reliever. After all, I was still working to get my velocity back. After the 1998 season, I went to Winter ball in Puerto Rico and at that point, my velocity was better than even I expected and came to Spring Training in 1999 throwing 97-98 MPH. From that point on, I had become a staple in the bullpen role for the rest of my career.

BYB: Yankeeland was excited when you came to the Bronx and you were impressive for us in 2002. What's it like to pitch in Yankee Stadium?

Steve Karsay: Pitching in Yankee Stadium is like no other when you have the Pinstripes on. Coming in and pitching as a visitor was nice, but there is a big difference being from New York and knowing the tradition and what was there before you. Many greats have put there stamp on what Yankee Stadium is with all the Championships that were won over the years. To say it quite simply... to play in front of the greatest fans in the world and to have a dream come true is truly AMAZING.

BYB: You've probably met several amazing Yankee Greats. What's your favorite meeting, who was the Yankee and why is it special to you?

Steve Karsay: Meeting any former Yankee is special. Having the opportunity to be around for Old Timer's Day and meeting the greats like Yogi, Ralph Houk, Ford and many others is like a kid in the candy store. But the ones who were the most special, were the ones whom I grew up watching and playing with, like Goose Gossage and Ron Guidry, when Guidry was an instructor. I got to learn the way to play the game correctly and they taught me how to respect the game as a player.

BYB: What is your favorite moment playing as a New York Yankee?

Steve Karsay: My favorite moment playing as a Yankee would have to be pitching at Yankee Stadium in the 2002 playoffs and getting the win against the Angels. My first Opening Day putting on the Pinstripes would have to be a close second.

BYB: Your last pro game was with the Oakland A's. You pitched against the Dodgers on June 17, 2006 and pitched 2 scoreless innings in a 17 inning game and you got your last win that day. On June 18th, you announced your retirement. Why?

Steve Karsay: This is how that story goes. After having my shoulder surgery in 2003 and having a rigorous rehab, I can truly say my shoulder was never the same. I continued to play, hoping that the pain would subside and I could get back to being a quality pitcher and helping a team win. It is no secret that I struggled in 2005 and 2006, but I was determined to battle and play the game that I love so much. After getting back to the A's in 2006 and pitching 1 month in Oakland, my shoulder again became to painful for it to be fun anymore. I wasn't just going to hang around if I felt in my heart that I couldn't compete at the level I wanted to... a big league level. So at that point, I had a conversation with Billy Beane and told him that it was best for him to get someone that could pitch healthy and help his team win the West. So I decided to retire and have my second shoulder surgery that off-season.

BYB: If fans want to reach out and meet you or get your autograph, how can they do it? Do you make appearances?

Steve Karsay: I do not make appearances anymore unless I am asked to which is occasionally for charity events and golf tournaments. To this day, I still get cards and other things in my mailbox. Not really sure how they get my address, but they do. Unfortunately, I can not give you my address but maybe we could do something through Bleeding Yankee Blue.

BYB: Do you read Bleeding Yankee Blue?

Steve: Karsay: Yes, I do read Bleeding Yankee Blue when I am interested in the article caption, and from what I have seen, you are doing a tremendous job running BYB.

Mr. Karsay, again, it was an honor to interview you and we appreciate the feedback. You're a great New York Yankee and we salute you. May we work together on something in the near future. The Best!

 

WHY THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPECTED

What the hell happened to CC Monster tonight? He lost and Brad Penny won and if you looked at that matchup at 6pm, you probably put $100 bucks on CC. Surprising. CC looked labored and not comfortable tonight. I could be wrong, but it didn't look good and you could see it early.

There's no mistake, the Yankees had plenty of chances to score and they blew it. There were many missed opportunities and they made Brad Penny look like a rock star out there. Now that I think about it, the whole team looked like they partied way too long last night. Bad swings, baserunning mistakes and just a lack of getting runs knocked in.

Look, there is something to be said about playing a team and playing hard and losing. It didn't feel good from the get go. Now, I'm not suggesting the Yankees didn't play hard, but it's clear to me that CC sets the tone out there tonight and if there's a whiff of struggle, I think the whole smelled it. The Yanks had quite a few innings of baserunners and no scored runs, so yes, the struggles ripped though the whole team tonight. (photo: Getty)
Trying to win games is one thing, but playing catchup is another and while Valverde caved last night and Swish looked like our champ, that Valverde meltdown is not going to happen every night. Opportunities were there and our Yankees weren't...bottom line.

1 highlight for me tonight, and it's an odd one. It was in the bottom of the 1st inning. Andruw Jones threw home to try and get the Tigers' runner from 3rd on a sac fly. Now, while the run scored, I was overly impressed by the strength of Andruw Jones arm. Yeah... that's my highlight...that's it. Nothing more to offer. Seriously, it was an off night and a lousy loss. The best part of tonight is we can win the rubber match tomorrow and take the series. To me, that's gold.

Final score tonight: Tigers 4 - Yankees 2. Let's go Yankees! Win tomorrow.

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HELLO & GOODBYE TO YANKEE STADIUM

I know it may be hard to believe, but this past Saturday was my first time at the new Yankee Stadium. I used to live at the old stadium, going to several games a month. But working two jobs, being a wife, and mother left me with little time or money to go as often as I did.

There was also a part of me that didn’t agree with the building of the new stadium at all. I could not fathom why the Steinbrenners and the Yankees organization would ever think of playing anywhere but the on the hallowed ground where Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle once stood.

But, when the opportunity presented itself, I went to see my Yankees play at their new house. As the train pulled up into the station nearby, I had some reservations. The last time I was there, the old Stadium was still intact and still functioning as the home of the New York Yankees, and the new stadium was being built. I prepared myself for the view as we walked away and toward the grand intersection where history was made.The first view I had was of the old field. Still intact and looking ready for play, it was amazing. The walkway literally goes through the old stadium, and I looked around, trying to envision exactly where I was walking as if the stadium were still there. I heard echoes of the noises that made the Stadium come alive- the sound of cheering crowds, the sound of Bob Shepperd’s voice, the sound of Scooter’s famous “Holy Cow, it’s a hit!”

As I continued to walk, the irony of seeing the grand new house with the original field in the foreground was breathtaking. The paved stone walkway is beautifully lined with new trees, bringing signs of new life and renewal. I walked slowly to absorb all of the pride, power, and passion for baseball that is the true history of the New York Yankees.

Although bittersweet, it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be, walking by the now named “Heritage Field” and seeing that the sacred grounds were still there, and I was closer to it than I had ever been before. I was actually pleased to see the way that it was preserved and the way the integrity of the site, giving it the historical credit that it deserves. The walls of the stadium may be gone, but the rich history and heritage will always remain.


--Christy Lee, BYB Staff Writer

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WHY NEGATIVE IS GOOD

(photo: Mike Stone/Reuters)
Phil Hughes doesn't have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. That's a good thing, the bad thing is, what the hell DOES he have?

Look, I'm not going to lie, in the back of my mind, with all this mysterious dead arm stuff going on with Hughes, I was almost hoping that he was diagnosed with a mild, yet managable case of TOS. Now, I have no idea if there is such a thing, but my point is, we would have at least pinpointed what could be wrong with poor Phil Hughes. Now we're back to square one.

So, now we are all forced to speculate whether or not Phil Hughes was overworked in 2010. The answer obviously is yes. The year before, he was a hot shot relief pitcher and last year he was an 18 game winner pitching 176 innings. That is up from 86 innings pitched in 2009. That is a significant amount is all goes back to what Tom Verducci said in the winter about overworking young pitchers and how they have tough years the next year. Read about the Verducci effect HERE.

(photo: AP)
So what happens now you ask? No idea. It's just a strange mystery to all of us. This is a young kid and if we really are overworking this young pitcher's arm, man oh man, it's going to take time to get him back to 100%. Look, if Colon or Garcia can handle the pitching while Hughes is gone and do it well, we will be OK, but we all really want to see this kid get back, he deserves it.

This year Phil Hughes has a 13.94 ERA in 3 starts. That's the bad news. The good news is with alittle rest, some rehab and time, this kid could be back and ready to go some time in the season, and wouldn't that be nice.

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WHY 3 IN A ROW IS A STREAK STARTER

(Photo: Getty)
So Joba gets the win today after Bartolo Colon had another decent outing. The trouble with tonight was Colon let up a homer in the 7th and that tied the game at 3. But, Colon looked like a true veteran and just pounded the strike zone with strikes. Very very nice Bartolo, you keep doing you, we love it.

Verlander pitched well tonight but he just didn't have the electric stuff he normally does. Don't get me wrong, he was still great. Luckily for the Yankees, they were able to capitalize on the bullpen and hand the Tigers their 7th straight loss.
Swish had 2 nice hits and an RBI. Jorge had 2 hits tonight as well and had 2 RBIs. Derek Jeter was 2-5. Remember him NY sports media? The old guy who was finished? Never under estimate the Captain. 11 hits tonight for the Bombers, I like that. Plus, Valverde practically handed the Yankees the win in the 9th inning losing all control and basically melting down.

For sure, the man of the hour is definitely Bartolo Colon, 7 strikeouts, no walks. Let's also give credit to a pumped bullpen. Joba with his fist pump after a strikeout to end the 8th inning and Mariano just makes it look easy getting his 11th save of the season... and it's only May 2nd.
Final Score, Yankees 5 - Tigers 3. I love it Yanks, that's 3 in a row. Keep the line moving.

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WHY JUSTICE WAS SERVED

Back on the morning of September 11, 2001, I was on my way to work. The day was gorgeous and all I remember was checking out the forecast for the Yankee game that night. After all, Roger Clemens was going for his 20^th win and I was going. It was going to be a great night and I couldn’t wait. Obviously, that game didn’t take place on that day and tragedy struck New York and the United States changed forever.

Baseball was cancelled and to tell you the truth, I don’t even remember the next game that Clemens pitched when it did finally resume on September 16th. To this day, I don't remember if he won or lost, what happened to the city was crippling. I do however remember the playoffs and the importance of winning the World Series for New York City and it was amplified because once baseball resumed, it seemed like every player was wearing hats representing our fallen heroes, FDNY, NYPD , PAPD. The world embraced us.

I remember there was moment of silence when baseball resumed during a pregame ceremony, again, maybe it was on September 16th or maybe it was the playoffs, but I recall it being at Yankee Stadium and I remember it was more silent than normal. Then I heard someone yell FREEDOM. Does anyone remember that? It was heard during the broadcast and I got chills. Some would call it disrespectful. I found it to be empowering. I realized right then, for me, the New York Yankees represented the United States of America and we needed to win it all, for the Americans that died, for the brave heroes of the tragedy, for New York City to feel good again, even if it was just for a moment.

The Arizona Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series. The Series was played with passion and both teams wanted the title of champion, and I realized right then that as much as I love my New York Yankees and I wanted them to win, baseball distracted me for alittle bit and the Diamondbacks winning was equally grand. Yes, my team lost, but I realized that the Diamondbacks were winning it, not just for them, but for America and New York as well. That World Series still stings, but I got over it, unlike say the 2003 World Series verses the Marlins.

Fast forward to last night. The United States killed Bin Laden after almost 10 years of searching for this loser. Americans all over the countrry cheered for the death if this terrorist. I tell you what, feeling good about killing someone is surely a weird emotion. All you’re life you’re not supposed to be happy about death,but the reality is, this death was right and it was just. Thousands of Americans died September 11th. The world stood still and all those thousands that died went to work to make a couple bucks to feed their family, and make a career for themselves. No one ever expected something so savage. Ironically, we were attacked in the melting pot of America, NYC.

So why am I bringing any of this up? I tell you because today brought me back to that day. All the emotion came back to me in a rush and while this War on Terror isn’t over, today represented symbolism. It represented that we are Americans and no matter what team we love or hate, at the end of the day, we all stand up for what’s best for our nation. All of us, and if you don’t believe me, just ask the Mets and Phillies fans. You will never see those fans together in the same room chanting the same thing again. USA... USA... USA. It gave me chills to hear that…it’s America…land of the free...home of the brave...America.

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KING FELIX RUMBLINGS... WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

A lot of people can argue that Mariner's pitcher Felix Hernandez is the best in the game. And at 25 years old, I would have to agree. This guy won the 2010 AL Cy Young despite winning just 13 games with the weak Mariner offense behind him. He also won 19 games in 2009, and in both seasons he had an ERA under 2.50. This season he's 3-2 with a 3.21 ERA. The Mariners are a near lock to finish last, again, in the American League West this season. And the closer they get to being locked in the cellar, the more rumors you'll hear about Felix Herandez and the Yankees.

Right now the Yankees have a solid rotation with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, and Ivan Nova, all of whom have pitched very well the last week and a half. But, don't expect Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to dominate the entire season. Ivan Nova will have his growing pains, and A.J. Burnett could self destruct and any minute, although I don't think he will even though it has happened in the past. With that in mind, the Yankees will probably try to go out and acquire an ace starter at the July 31st trade deadline, and they have their eyes set on Felix Herandez.

But before Yankee fans go out and buy their custom Felix Hernandez Yankee jerseys, you may want to re-think that. In an interview with Fox Sports, King Felix said the following about possibly being traded: "I don’t know, man, not my decision. It’s out of my hands. I want to stay here. I’m happy here. I’m part of the Seattle Mariners. That’s all I can say.”

Now, of course he's going to say that. It's not like he's going to say publicly that he wants to leave the Mariners to go to the Yankees. Maybe deep down he does, as of now, we don't know. By the way, Hernandez signed a five year extension with the Mariners before the start of the 2010 season. So, if the Yankees don't trade for him they'll have to wait until after the 2014 campaign and hope he hasn't signed another deal by then.A rival GM said that if he was Mariner General Manager Jack Zduriencik, he would trade Felix Hernandez to the Yankees for Ivan Nova, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, and Jesus Montero. That's where the Yankees should draw the line. If I was GM Brian Cashman, I would not make that trade. Manny Banuelos is supposed to be the next Ron Guidry or Johan Santana...he has nasty stuff. Ivan Nova is already in the rotation and the Yanks will probably need him later. But, Jesus Montero is expendable. With Russell Martin tearing it up in the big leagues, and with other options in the minors at catcher like Austin Romine and Gary Sanchez, I wouldn't mind trading Jesus. Many disagree and I respect that.

Although, a lot of Yankee fans dislike Cashman, he has made some smart non-moves.

• In 2007, he didn't trade for Eric Gagne. The Yankees would have had to trade Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera for a guy who fizzled with the Red Sox after being traded by the Rangers.
  
• After the 2007 season, Cashman didn't trade for Johan Santana. He would have had to package guys like Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Melky Cabrera.
  
• In the middle of the 2008 season, Cashman took a pass on trading for then Milwaukee Brewer CC Sabathia.
  
• And finally, after the 2009 season, Cashman decided to pass on trading for Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays.
  

So, we know Cashman has a history of keeping his prospects in potential blockbuster deals. But, don't forget, there was a deal in place that would have sent Jesus Montero among others for Cliff Lee, then a Seattle Mariner. Cashman may or may not pull the trigger on a Banuelos, Betances, Nova, and Montero for King Felix, but based on the recent history of non-moves, I wouldn't expect Cashman to accept that trade. We might have to wait until at least 2012 or even 2015 to see Felix Hernandez in pinstripes. That's how I see it anyway.


--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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WHY A SERIES WIN IS A GREAT WIN

There's something to be said about young pitchers going out there every 5th day and pitching their heart out. Sometimes they just can't adjust and are shipped back to AAA for alittle extra work. Sometimes they struggle, but the potential is there, so they stick around. Others earn a spot because they have heart and determination and the whole team is behind him. Ivan Nova is that choice for sure, because while we all know of his troubles the second and third time round the opposition's batting order, we know this kid is something special, so, we continue to put him out there. For both he and us, things are working out just fine so far.
Ivan Nova got his second win today and he did it well. Yes, there were moments where his fastball wasn't working, but for the most part, he was able to rely on other pitches and lasted until the 7th. The best part of Nova's appearance was he didn't freak out after letting up that home run in the second inning. Instead, he just kept on plugging away.

Mark Teixeira got us started with his home run in the first inning. And I need to tell you, at that point, I just had a feeling we were going to win this one. The shot was glorious and sometimes you just know when it's going to be a good day. Today was.
The bottom of the fifth is where it all came together for the Yankees and it gave Ivan Nova some breathing room. Jorge Posada got a double. Brett Gardner got a single to right and then Granderson got his 8th homer of the year.

Huge props to the Grandy man who just continues to hit homers and you really have to credit Kevin Long with this. Seriously, it's Granderson in the box and yes, he's the one cranking them out, but Kevin Long is the one that found the flaw in Grandy's swing and fixed it. A 3 run home run was great and put the Yanks ahead for good. Granderson and Cano both have 8 home runs and are tied for the team leaders in homers. Weird, right? I would have pegged Tex of A-Rod by now. Funny how baseball works.

All in all, a nice game for the Yankees and for Ivan Nova.

Oh and just a note for anyone that didn't know, Kevin Millwood has opted out of his contract with the Yankees. Yes, Millwood was trying to come back and accepted a minor league deal with New York but he had until May 1st to choose what the do, if by then the Yankees didn't call him up. Kevin, we wish you well.

Final Score today: Yankees 5 - Blue Jays 2.

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WHY YOU NEED TO GIVE AJ SOME CREDIT

“We did a lot of nice little things today, and that’s why we won.” --Joe Girardi

AJ Burnett deserves a standing ovation. Not because he was amazing yesterday... he wasn't, but because he received his 4th win of the season and has proven that he can be a leader on the Yankees. AJ has quieted the doubters Ladies and Gentlemen and I have no doubt that he will continue. The difference this year compared to others is confidence. AJ trusts his stuff. Yes, his curveball wasn't working for him, but he still did what he needed to do to get things done...again, not truly dominant, but he definitely helped keep the Yankees in the game. In years past, AJ has lost his mojo during the year and by September, there was struggle. But something's different... AJ is a new man this year thanks to Larry Rothschild and the Pyramid of Pitching Dominance, so expect AJ to have a good year. After all, he's overdue. Today AJ allowed 4 runs and 9 hits. He didn't walk anyone today and struck out 4. Not great, but not bad either.(photo:AP)

The best part of today was small ball and sacrifice. Yes, you know I'm a fan of that. No homers today. Wow. 7 Yankees had hits today and all of them were singles. Tex had a double... that was the only extra base hit for the Yanks. It's so weird if you think about it because this is a team that's been cranking out home runs every game this season. The Yankees hits today were built on patience. Waiting for the right pitch, not to crank out, but instead to put in play and hopefully get a run in. Today they did that and it's something I've been looking for them to do all season.

The play of the game came in the sixth inning. Russell Martin threw down to third to cut down Juan Rivera trying to steal. He got him and the best part was it completed a double play... AJ K'ed Encarnacion seconds earlier. It was heads up, no doubt.(photo: Daily News)
The Three Headed Monster appeared today and came to the rescue. There were no signs of trouble for them. The 7th, 8th and 9th were a piece of cake and Joba, Soriano and Mo are back.

Overall, nothing spectacular today, just good baseball. At the end of the day, the Yankees win and that makes me smile, but more importantly, we've tied the series and next we need to take the series. That, of course is the key. That, of course will get us to our goal in October... another championship.

Final Score: Yankees 5 - Blue Jays 4.

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