Mariano Rivera: "I Want To Play Centerfield For One Inning"

Yesterday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was asked by reporters if Mariano Rivera could cap off his Hall-of-Fame career by being granted one final wish-- to play centerfield.  Girardi sounded like, under the right conditions, he would consider it.

Today, on the Mike Francesa Show, Rivera was asked if he wanted to play one game, one inning or one out at the No. 8 position.

"Just one inning," the unassuming Rivera replied.  "If I caught one ball in centerfield, that would be it."

It sounds like it's more than a flight of fancy for Mo.

"I have one more year left," said the 41 year-old Rivera,  "So I will be pursuing that position."

When pigs fly or when Jorge Posada plays second base.  Oh wait, the 38 year-old catcher did, so now it's might be hard for Girardi to deny Rivera one of his final wishes on his major league bucket list.

Rivera checked off another to-do item when he had his one-and-only at-bat in the July of 2009-- a ninth-inning, bases-loaded pop-up-- which had the Yankees dugout rolling with laughter.

Now, it's time to bring John Fogarty's immortal song to life.

"Put me in, coach-- I'm ready to play today, Look at me, I can be Centerfield."

In  a week when Rivera reached the 600-save milestone, is poised to pass Trevor Hoffman on the all-time list and being lauded as one of the greatest Yankees of all time, it seems like a given that before the season's end we will see Rivera penciled in at centerfield-- under the right circumstances.

Or won't we?

Rivera is a gifted athlete and shags flies in centerfield all the time during batting practice.  It seems unlikely he would embarrass himself or make a silly error.  I mean look at the pressure-filled position he already excels at.

"He's incredible," said Girardi.

If there's a meaningless blowout before the end of the season, could we honestly not think of that  scenario happening at this point of Rivera's career?

"I'll think about that when he tells me he's near the end," said Girardi.  "It's something I would definitely think about.  That'll get me in trouble, won't it?"

Sounds like he is already given the idea some thought.

"Maybe I'd try it for one hitter," said the manager.  "A guy who hits a lot of ground balls, strikes out a lot... and there would be nobody on base where he'd have to make a throw."

Gloomy Gusses are already pointing out the dangers and hurdles.  Besides blowing the play-- unlikely-- or twisting an ankle chasing down a fly ball (devastating);  meaningless games come around about as often as an A.J. Burnett August win during a September playoff race, and the Yankees can't afford for any of those negatives from occurring.

So, when would the best time for Girardi to play fairy godfather and grant Rivera his final wish?

Rivera has one more year left on his contract but next season could be too late.  There's always the possibility of injury or a tighter playoff race to curtail his longing.

I say, this year, first blow-out at Yankee Stadium, put him in.  It's the least the Yankees could do for Mariano Rivera Appreciation Week.

It's the least they could do for the Sandman.

Heavy Metal's "Big Four" Replaces "Core Four" at Yankee Stadium

In what can only be described as the only time "Enter Sandman" blared through the bowels of Yankee Stadium and fans were not disappointed to see Mariano Rivera come trotting out of the bullpen; four of heavy-metal's most iconic bands took over the House That Jeter Built for a seven-hour headbanger's ball.

The speed-metal giants-- Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and headliners Metallica--  played in front of over 40,000 fans and there wasn't a fist not pumping or head of hair not flailing in the the whole crowd.

In front of a wall of amps, all four bands took to the stage and went loud and fast. A tribute to when music was born from aggression and not romance.

Anthrax-- die-hard Yankees fans-- kicked off the show at 4 p.m. under a blazing sun and it was a reunion and homecoming for the Queens and Bronx band members.  The only non-New Yorker in the band, returning lead-singer Joey Belladonna, reprised his role as a link to the bands finest years in the 80's.

Megadeth was the second act and lead-singer Dave Mustaine-- who just had neck surgery was less than 100 percent and he admitted it to the crowd.  Heed the warning Justin Tuck of the New York Giants.

Slayer lived up to its name and was the most fundamentally true to the genre-- with deafening guitars and beats faster than a Brett Gardner stolen base-- until the the night came to a climax with Metallica.

The most mainstream of the bunch, Metallica, may be the only band which could get cops, firemen, long-haired punks and biker gangs to rock as one.

The top-billed California quartet is the band which fills stadiums and the boys covered everything from the old, "Creeping Death," to the classics, "Master of Puppets."

While the other bands played one-hour sets, Metallica played twice as long and came out blazing with fireworks, videos and stage effects.

In a time when music tries to be controversial but ends up sounding fake, last night's night's self-proclaimed "Big Four" showed why they still draw new fans after thirty years.

The bolts and foundations of Yankee Stadium haven't been rocked that hard since the autumn of 2009.

For the New York Yankees, last night's show will be a tough act to follow but anytime you hear "Enter Sandman" in the Bronx, everything is alright.

Sabathia Gets Monkey Off His Back & Girardi Goes Ape As Yanks Beat Sox

It was like old times at Fenway Park on Tuesday night as tempers rose and benches emptied during the New York Yankees 5-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.  Batters from both sides were plunked and Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected.

The good news for the Yankees was that  CC Sabathia finally won a game against their division rivals.  The victory pulled the Yankees to within a half-game behind the AL East leaders.

It was Sabathia's first win this season against the Sox after losing his first four.  The victory was no thing of beauty, but it had to look like Miss America to the Yankees ace.

Sabathia (18-7) scattered ten hits and struck out the same amount through 6 1/3 innings. He threw 128 pitches-- the most ever in one game as a Yankee-- and was lucky the Sox stranded 16 runners.

The Yank's bullpen wasn't perfect either,  but were good enough to preserve the big guy's long-awaited win.

Boone Logan bailed out Sabathia by relieving him with two men on and one out in the seventh.  Logan struck out two after loading the bases.

Rafael Soriano threw a scoreless eighth and Mariano Rivera wrapped up the game in the ninth.

The real excitement was centered around Red Sox starter John Lackey (12-10) and his penchant for hitting opposing batters.  He now leads the league with 17.

While Sabathia did hit Jacoby Ellsbury to lead off the first, it was Lackey who was retaliating throughout the game.

In the first, Lackey bopped Curtis Granderson, who started towards first base, but was called back by the home plate umpire Ed Rapuano.

It was in the seventh, when Francisco Cervelli added a little spice to the game after Lackey's brush-back hit the Yankees player.

Cervelli, who sent a home-run ball sailing out of Fenway in his previous at bat, probably ticked off Lackey, who couldn't have liked the way the Yankees backup catcher clapped his hands as he emphatically hopped on home plate after circling the bases. 

After Cervelli got popped, he started to rush the mound before being held back by Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltamacchia.  Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild rushed in and was tossed out of the game by third base umpire Mark Wegner.

In the ninth, Girardi took offense when a Saltamacchia's check-swing stopped a Rivera cutter on his  arm.  This time the batter was awarded first.  Girardi stormed out and was hopping mad.  He was quickly sent to the showers by Wegman after arguing that the Red Sox batter had swung into Rivera's pitch.

It's good to see a little fire in the old rivalry.  They'll do it again tomorrow night.

Little Leaguers Make Major League Play at Home Plate

This isn't your daddy's Little League World Series anymore.  Besides playing in front of crowds of over 40,000, these kids have skills way beyond their years.  Now they are going nine innings too.

On Wednesday night, two Venezuelan teammates combined to make a clutch play in extra innings that would make Nick Swisher and Russell Martin proud.

Mexico was at bat in the top of the seventh inning during a 1-1 game with one out and men on first and second.  The Mexican batter looped a long single into right field where the Venezuelan outfielder scooped it up and, while on the run, threw a dart towards the plate where the Mexican player was steaming home from second.  The ball skipped once directly into the waiting glove of the plate-blocking Venezuelan catcher, who then did a swipe tag into the runner's ribs for the big out and preserve the deadlocked game.

It was a pretty incredible play for two kids, barely in their teens, in a clutch situation.

While the fantastic play kept the Mexican team from taking the lead, they did finally win the game when Mexico's Bruno Ruiz had a lead-off solo home-run in the top of the ninth.  It was the first home-run for Mexico in the tournament.

The good thing was that both teams will still advance in the tournament after playing one entertaining game.

Mexico's 2-1 victory guarantees a slot in the International Championship game.  Venezuela can't afford another loss and faces Japan next.

On a major league note,  New York Yankees Venezuelan catcher,  Francisco Cervelli, had a charitable bet with his Mexican teammate, reliever Luis Ayala, on the outcome of the game.  The loser would supply teams back home with baseball cleats and equipment.  Cervelli will be buying a lot of shoes tomorrow.

The Yes Network also reported that Yankees closer, Mariano Rivera, watched the match-up in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse and was immersed in the exciting game until the very end.

Bet the kids would love to know that a future Hall-of-Famer was impressed by their abilities as well too.

Joe Torre Admits Umpires Blew Home-Run Call Last Night

Joe Torre, MLB's VP of baseball operations, admitted today that the umpires did make the wrong call last night after they called Billy Butler's fly ball a home-run in the Kansas City Royals' 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees.

According to the New York Daily News, Torre-- the Yankees former manager-- looked at the controversial fly ball ruling and backed the Yankees claim that the ball never cleared the foot-high chain-link partition on top of the padded wall.  Torre said the hit should not have been called a home-run.

"It was a missed call, but there was also a misunderstanding on the rule," Torre explained.  "He just missed it but his interpretation was that the the back fence was behind the wall and out of the ballpark.  It certainly wasn't for a lack of doing his job, just a misunderstanding of the rule."

Let's get this straight.  Aren't the umpires supposed to know the rules?  It just seems logical that the men enforcing the rules-- including boundaries and what constitutes a home-run-- should be aware of each stadium's dimensions.

After second-base umpire Dana DeMuth  ruled that the fly ball cleared the fence, and the umpire crew spent five minutes reviewing the initial call, they still upheld the home-run call.

It was pretty obvious the ball didn't clear the fence because the ball bounced back onto the field where Brett Gardner scooped it up and put it back in play.

An irate Mariano Rivera knew it wasn't a home-run.  The KC broadcasters knew it.  In the Royals dugout, even Billy Butler had the look of a five year-old with the stolen cookie while the umpire crew reviewed the call.

Yankees first-base coach Mick Kelleher said the umpires knew it.  Before the game, Kelleher said the officiating crew explained that the ball had to clear the entire fence-- including the set back chain-link portion-- to be considered a home-run.

"It has to go over the padded bar," Kelleher was told.  "If that wasn't the case, there would be a yellow line."

Torre said DeMuth "feels very badly."

"He was wrong," said Torre.  "And there was a price to learn that lesson."

Torre stressed that the instant replay system didn't fail despite the muffed call.

"The game is over and that's what it is," Torre told the News.  "It's unfortunate.  Everyone had to cooperate to make it a one run game."

Girardi didn't file a protest after the ruling because he said he "believed the umpire" and figured "Dana knew the rules."  Now, that boat has long sailed and any correction is out of the question.

It's too late for the Yankees to take any sort of action to correct the costly error.  Girardi would have had to file a protest before the next pitch was thrown after the umpires made their final call last night to see any justice.

Yankees fans can blame the mistake on DeMuth's interpretation of the rules at Kauffman Stadium-- which had gone renovations in 2009-- but they should remember the image of Jorge Posada staring at a strike three with the bases loaded for the game's final out.

Mariano Rivera Loses It In Dugout Over Controversial Home Run

Yankees fans got to see a side of closer Mariano Rivera they've never seen in his 17-year Yankee career.  After a debated home run was allowed,  Rivera blew a gasket and had to be blocked from charging from the dugout.

At the center of the outburst  was a Kansas City Royals fly ball that hit the top of a fence and was ruled a home-run.  Rivera wasn't even on the mound and was watching the play from the Yankees clubhouse before he saw red.

It looked like Rivera got upset at the umpiring crew-- with good reason--  after they conferred on the controversial home-run, and opted not to overturn the call.  This was a side of the usually stoic Rivera that fans never see-- the emotional side.  If it was rare to see the always composed Rivera blow a couple of games last week it was even more unique  to watch the 41 year-old Rivera lose his cool for a couple of minutes last night.

Last week, fans saw the infrequent failures of Rivera in a few consecutive set-backs-- or blips as Manager Joe Girardi calls them-- in the closer's march to the Hall of Fame.

Rivera was tagged for a blown save, a loss and a scare in successive games in relief.  It had Yankees fans wondering if the reliable closer was slipping.  Through it all, Rivera never showed any emotion-- as is his usual modus operandi on the mound.

While the outburst may have been out of character for Rivera, his intensity was not.

 In the bottom of the third inning of the Yankees/ Royals game at Kauffman Stadium, Royals DH Billy Butler lofted a fly ball which bounced off the top of the padded wall in left-center but clearly didn't go over an eight-inch railing behind it.  Rightfielder Brett Gardner played the ball like it was a double.

After the initial call and protest by Girardi, second-base umpire Dana DeMuth  summoned the other umpires and reviewed the play.  Replays showed the ball hitting the top of the pad but bouncing off the fencing which connected the railing and wall-- which means the ball is still in play.

The umpires stuck by the initial ruling and gave Butler his 15th homer of the season and the Royals a 4-2 lead.  This prompted Girardi to approach the umpires again to no avail.  As the Yankees manager approached the dugout, Rivera could be seen being held back by coach Tony Pena and then Girardi himself.

The irate Rivera looked like he was ready to bolt through the dugout rail.  His laser like-glare alone could have cut the metal pipe.

Meanwhile, Butler grinned like he just got away with murder and paced in the Royals dugout waiting to see if he would have to take second base.

Butler's solo-shot would prove costly as Yankees starter, Bartolo Colon, was roughed up for five runs in five innings including the controversial home-run.

Alex Gordon tagged Colon for a three-run homer earlier in the third inning and the Yankees ended up losing 5-4 with the bases loaded and Jorge Posada called out looking.

Derek Jeter went 4-for-5 but was caught stealing right before Curtis Granderson smacked his 34th home-run in the first.

The Yankees still held a 1/2 game lead over the Boston Red Sox, who lost to the Tampa Bay Rays.

After the game, Girardi said he would not file a protest with the league.  DeMuth had no comment.

A.J. Burnett; One Game Does Not A Summer Make

A.J. Burnett finally won an August game wearing pinstripes and the New York Yankees are acting like they won the Powerball-- an $82.5 million lottery maybe.

The Yankees 7-4 victory over the lowly Kansas City Royals may be a sign Burnett, the much-maligned starter, has turned the corner on another season of desperation but it is nothing to cheer about.

The game proved that the ineffective righthander still can't make it through the sixth inning.

Burnett won his first game since since June 29 and, more importantly, finally won an August game as a Yankee after eight losses in-a-row.  The No. 2 starter had an 0-8 record with an ERA of 7.18 over that span.

It's been almost seven weeks since his last victory in June.  He slogged along with an 0-3 record, 6.00 ERA and four no-decisions during that losing streak.

If last night was an indication of Burnett lifting the monkey from his back, he can thank a cast of Yankees for the help.

Manager Joe Girardi lifted his starter after only 88 pitches-- probably because he's seen Burnett blow up enough times in the fifth and sixth innings this season.

"With a high salary is always high expectations," said Girardi.  "I think he's thrown the ball better than some of his outcomes he's had."

Burnett's final line read: 5 2/3 innings, 10 hits and three earned runs.

A big night by Derek Jeter (3-for-4, 3 RBI's) and Brett Gardner (2 hits, 2 RBI's) helped Burnett on the offensive side and Dave Robertson and Mariano Rivera threw perfect innings in the eighth and ninth to save the struggling Burnett from the bench.

Mariano Rivera Has Another 'Uh-Oh' Moment; Yankees Beat Angels, 6-5

Today, under the brilliant blue skies over Yankee Stadium, hot-hitting Robinson Cano made the Los Angeles Angels pay dearly for an error by Macier Izturis, after the second baseman muffed an easy ground ball that should have ended the seventh inning.  The goof led to the winning margin of a Yankees victory.  The only grey cloud in sight, on this sunny day, was the one hovering Izturis' head the rest of the game. 

With the score tied, 2-2, and two outs,  Mark Teixeira squibbed a soft blooper towards second.  Izturis bobbled, then dropped the ball after it hit him in the chest.  Teixeira was safe at first and the Yankees had the bases loaded.  Hot hitting Cano came to the plate and sent the next pitch from Scott Downs over the right field fence for the fifth grand slam of his career and a 6-2 Yankees lead. 

The Yankees held on to win the game and the series, 2-1, from the Angels but the 6-5 victory didn't come without any trepidation about Mariano Rivera.  The Yankees closer had another "blip" in the ninth inning after another fine start from starter Bartolo Colon.

Colon went six strong innings although he ended up with his second straight no-decision. The rotund righty continues to build on one of the great comeback stories in the major leagues this season.

The only slip-up in Colon's day was giving up a two-run to Alberto Callaspo in the fifth inning which gave the Angels a 2-0 lead.  Fourteen of Colon's 18 outs came from strikeouts or infield outs.  Colon finished the day going six innings, allowing 2 runs and striking out three.

The Yankees once again called on the smoking bat of Curtis Granderson.  The Yankees centerfielder skied--and I mean sent into orbit-- his 32nd home run of the season off Angels starter, Tyler Chatwood.  The homer knocked in Derek Jeter to tie the score.  It was Granderson's fourth dinger in three games.

Everything looked good for the Yankees after Robinson's curtain call.  That was until Rivera was called in to bail out an ineffective Cory Wade with one out in the ninth.

Rivera came in after Wade struck out Vernon Wells and allowed two hits which put two men on base. The Hall of Fame closer was coming off a blown save and a loss-- "a blip" as manager Joe Girardi calls them-- and a lot of hand-wringing by Yankees fans.  Rivera only needed to get the final two outs.

Digging in at the plate was the Angels pinch-hitter Russell Branyan.  Branyan-- who had eight home-runs in 47 at-bats at Yankee Stadium-- immediately sent Rivera's first pitch into the right field stands to close the score to 6-5.

Rivera did a half-snarl/half-grin as he watched the ball sail over his head and into the hushed crowd.  Uh-oh.  Could what was once called a blip, now be an epidemic many anxious fans were probably wondering.  Things were getting interesting-- and too close.

Not to worry.  The usually reliable Rivera got the next batter to ground out and the final out was a short fly to left which Brett Gardner gathered in as he crashed into the box-seat wall.

Game over and Rivera picks up his 30th save of the season for a record-extending 14th time.

It's been a long time since Yankees fans held their breath when Rivera was on the mound, if ever.

It was the ninth straight home series the Yankees have won and gave the Yankees a comfortable eight game lead over the Angels in the wild-card race.

Except for Wade, the bullpen was nearly perfect.  Rafael Soriano continued to play like the 45-save closer the Yankees spent $35 million for.  He handled the seventh inning handily but gave up his first hit in five appearances since coming off the DL on July 30.

Dave Robertson was perfect in the eighth.

After the game, Girardi was asked if he was worried about Rivera.  The manager joked, "If it happened for a month."

Girardi continued to downplay the anxiety surrounding Rivera and believes hitters are just being more aggressive with Rivera so they don't fall behind.

"He's close to the perfect closer as we'll ever see," said the manager.  "[But] He's not perfect"

Rivera said he wasn't concerned about his weapon of choice-- the cutter.

"I didn't lose velocity, " said the 41 year-old Rivera.  "I put the ball where I want it, that's about it."

Asked if he sees any trend to his last three outings, Rivera shook his head.

"It's always only one pitch, stressed the closer.  "It's one pitch, but it can't be like that."

A.J. Burnett Still Not Having Fun; Yankees Lose, 6-4

A.J. Burnett appeared on the mound tonight sporting a new bleach-blonde hair color and, for five innings, it looked like he was finally having as much fun as his care-free hair style.  Then, using the pitcher's usual modus operandi, he unravelled in his inimitable style.  The much-maligned New York Yankees righthander was coasting through the Los Angeles Angels line-up until the wheels came off  once again.

Up until the fateful sixth inning, Burnett had confidence, control and his fastball was working like a charm.  He allowed three hits and it looked like his "I have to find a way to have fun" theory on winning was working.  For a pitcher who hadn't won a game since June 29, all signs looked positive and Burnett had finally turned the corner on his losing ways.

Then he turned into Bad-A.J..  In the sixth, Burnett gave up a home-run to former-Yankee Bobby Abreu, which tied the score, 1-1, then he walked Mark Trumbo on a 4-0 count.  The slow-footed Trumbo tagged up to second on a long Vernon Wells fly to centerfield.  Manager Joe Girardi then had Burnett intentionally walk the next batter, Maicer Izturis, and, like a premonition, had his bullpen start getting busy.

In typical Burnett fashion, the pitcher walks Peter Bourjus, loading the bases, and the Yankees bullpen really got into full gear.

Next, facing Jeff Mathis, a .181 hitter, Burnett abandoned his 94 mph fastball and threw a slider.  Mathis bouces the ball over the outfield fence for a ground-rule double and the Angels take a 3-1 lead.  Burnett wasn't through making his life miserable just yet.  For an encore, his next pitch goes into the dirt in front of catcher Russell Martin and Bourjus scores from third to give the Angels a 4-1 advantage.

It was a league-leading 15th wild pitch for Burnett and it continued the struggling pitcher's 0-8 record in August as a Yankee.  Amazingly, that makes it three August moons without a victory in pinstripes.

More groans than boos filled Yankee Stadium for about the umpteenth time and Burnett was through for the night.

His final line was six innings, six hits, four earned runs, three walks and six strikeouts, but the most glaring stat was the four runs in one inning on two hits.

Cody Wade came into  mop up for Burnett in the seventh and struck out the Angels side and gave up one hit.

Meanwhile, Angels starter Dan Haren was mowing down the flat Yankees until Derek Jeter's two-out double knocked in Eduardo Nunez and Brett Gardner to tie the game at 4-4.

Mariano Rivera began the ninth inning by allowing a two out hit and then faced a patient Abreu, who drove a flat cutter from Rivera into the seats for his second home-run of the night and a 6-4 Angels lead.

The Yankees threatened in the ninth, but with two outs and Curtis Granderson  on first, the Yankees centerfielder-- in a what-were-you-thinking moment--  inexplicably got caught in a run-down to end the game with slugger Mark Teixeira at the plate.

For Rivera, it was his second blown game in a row.  On Sunday, he got his fifth blown save of the season against the Red Sox and tonight he got his second loss.

After the game, Burnett was asked why he switched from his fastball, which was clocked at 95 mph, to an irregular slider after the third inning.

"I wouldn't change a thing," said Burnett.  "But I'll get upset about it later.  It's frustrating, but I kept my team in it as best I could."

Asked to evaluate his performance, Burnett said, "I just want to keep the zeroes up.  That double was a big hit."

Girardi has a lot of evaluating to do himself.  The Yankees manager has to wonder if his "No. 2 starter" is ever going to get through a game without imploding.

Fans are also going to be asking Girardi 'why is it alright to bench Jorge Posada and his large contract and lousy play but, sitting Burnett and his huge paycheck, unless he gets better, is out of the question.'

Yankees To Stick With Robertson As Set-Up Man When Soriano Returns

It sounds like New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has decided who will set up Mariano Rivera when Rafael Soriano returns to the team and it looks like Dave Robertson, who replaced Soriano, will get to keep the job.  Soriano is expected to return to the club sometime this week after being put on the DL almost two months ago.

This will be the second demotion for Soriano since signing with the Yankees last winter.  Don't expect the surly pitcher to be happy.  First, he took a back seat to Mariano Rivera and now a rumble seat to Robertson.

Robertson has blossomed as the eighth inning set-up man since filling in for the injured and rehabbing Soriano.  He even has an 2011 All-Star Game selection to prove it.

The 26 year-old righthander may have stumbled a little in today's 7-5 victory over the Oakland A's, but over the last two months Robertson has been solid.  He is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA.  But the stellar stats hide a lot of nail-biting drama when Robertson is on the mound.

Robertson is the Yankees version of the Cardiac Kid.  In the 40 innings he has pitched, Robertson's bi-polar statistics include allowing 29 hits and 26 walks combined with an unbelievable 63 strikeouts of opposing hitters.

The tightrope-walking Robertson has allowed only two earned runs over his last 26 appearances and in 21 1/3 innings on the road has not given up a single run.  An amazing achievement, considering it always looks like the bases are filled when Robertson is staring down a batter.

On that note, the lanky hurler struck out a batter for the third out with the bases loaded for a record nine times in a row against the A's on Saturday.  The previous record of eight rally-whiffers was held by former Yankee Jeff Nelson when he was with the Seattle Mariners in 1995. 

Robertson stumbled a bit, during a downpour, in Sunday's 7-5 win against the A's.  He was pulled with two outs in the eighth after his curve ball wasn't tailing and he gave up a couple of earned runs.

When asked about his bases-loaded/strikeout record, Robertson shook his head and told the YES Network, "I can't stop doing that."

Whether or not your heart can handle Robertson's high-wire act, he's getting the job done.

Soriano, on the other hand, will have to earn back his old set-up spot.  The brooding righthander has already gone from closer to set-up this season.  There's really no shame there when it's behind Rivera, but coming back to Yankee Stadium as a middle reliever has to sting.

Before going on the DL on May 27, Soriano was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

The $35 million rightie pitched the seventh inning for Triple-A Scranton today.  Soriano gave up a lead-off home run before retiring the next three batters.  On Thursday, he threw 16 pitches for Class-A Tampa.  He gave up one run on two hits.  Not exactly reassuring stuff.

Girardi said Soriano could probably pitch Monday as well.

"We're looking at that," Girardi told the YES Network.  "I wanted to see how he feels today.  If he feels good after today and tomorrow, it is very possible he would pitch Monday."

In any case, Girardi said he was going with the hot hand and keeping Robertson as Rivera's set-up man.

On using Soriano as a seventh inning relief pitcher when he returns, Girardi used caution in his selection process and will cope with the eighth-inning conundrum later.

"It's important to get Soriano healthy first," he said.  "If he's healthy, it's a good problem."

Right Place & Best Cure For Yankee Blues: Camden Yards & Boog's BBQ

The New York Yankees took the first step to overcoming a tumultuous week by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays last night, 6-2.  Now the New York Grandersons take a two-day jaunt to their home-away-from-home--Oriole Park at Camden Yards. 

The remedy to any Yankees slump seems to be a series against the Baltimore Orioles.  It's take two and call me on Friday.

The confines of the Baltimore stadium seem to be as inviting to the Yankees and their fans as one of those Boog Powell pulled BBQ sandwiches.



When the Yankees visit the Yard, you can usually spot more pinstripes than orange and black birds in the stands.  If anything can help the Yankees get on a roll and win back-to-back games after a six-loss skid, it's the sight of the fragrant BBQ smoke wafting in front of the  Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse in right field.

The Yankees are in a lot of trouble.  Issues with Core Four members Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada in the clubhouse and front office, an aging starting rotation, a fragile bullpen and soft hitting.  Not to mention Hal Steinbrenner lurking in his luxury box last night.  Manager Joe Girardi is getting to know how Billy Martin felt during his five terms as manager under George's constant glare.

Besides Curtis Granderson (.270, 14 HR's, 31 RBI's) having an All-Star caliber start, most of the other Yankees make Abe Vigoda like spry.

A.J Burnett has reverted back to his bi-polar swings on the mound and the $30 million set-up man, Rafael Soriano, was just put on the 15-day DL.

There were a lot of high-fives going around after Alex Rodriguez busted out of his weeks-long slump by going yard twice last night.  Maybe his hip is okay.  There were even banner headlines in the tabloids after the DH Posada raised his average to a whopping .179 after getting two hits in the #7 spot.  I guess he showed Girardi who is boss.

One other bright spot is Brett Gardner who went 3-for-4 last night and is batting .397 over his last 22 games. 

The Yankees are 4-0 against the O's this season and will roll out Bartolo Colon (2-2,3.74) to battle the Oriole's Zach Britton (5-2, 2.42).  It won't be easy for Colon, who has a lifetime 10-7, 3.50 record against Baltimore, because  Britton is having the kind of season any of the Yankees starters could only wish for.

Let's see if Girardi has forgiven Posada for pulling out on Saturday night.  If he lets Posada (0-for-24 against lefties) start against the southpaw Britton, I'd say the manager is showing a lot of love.  Don't count on it.

The Yankees pulled out all the stops to beat the Rays last night.  They had Mariano Rivera come out in the ninth to protect a four-run lead.  That's how much Girardi thought his team needed a victory.

"We needed to win that game," said Girardi.  "I wouldn't say it was a must-win, but it was as close to a must-win is in May."

Posada Should Have Gotten Bronx Cheer Not Standing O

It only took one day for New York fans to forgive Yankees designated hitter Jorge Posada for abruptly yanking himself from the line-up one hour before a critical game against the Boston Red Sox.  The slumping Posada got a standing ovation from most fans when he pinch-hit for Andruw Jones in the eighth-inning of last night's 7-5 loss to their division rivals.

Neither Posada or the Yankees deserve any sort of applause after dropping their fifth straight game and nine of their last 12.

True blue Yankee fans will claim that the one-time starting catcher had shown remorse for his temper tantrum and earned the right to be upset after being demoted to batting in the ninth spot by manager Joe Girardi.  A spot where he hasn't hit in 12 years.

Truth is, Posada has been moping since platooning with Francisco Cervelli last year and was batting a measly .165 when Girardi penciled the prideful DH in at the # 9 spot.

Besides Posada's lack of production, it is his lack of clubhouse instinct.  After 17 years in the big leagues, you would think Posada would have figured out that something was in the wind.  A player with less of a history with the Yankees would have been benched weeks ago.  He was hanging on by tenure and World Series rings.  The statistics don't lie, so why was it such a surprise?



The anemic batting average aside, Posada hasn't hit a leftie in his last 24 at-bats.  His six home-runs  came mostly during a hot streak early in the season when it looked like he might realistically bash 40 homers this season.

Posada has always been a notorious fast starter who slows down in the stretch.  What else could Girardi do?  Posada had 38 games to prove his worth at DH and produced diddly.  It seems like ages ago since the former-catcher was an All-Star at that position and it is sad to see him lose control--especially during a crucial series and losing streak.

Derek Jeter went to bat for his long-time friend last night, and rightfully so.  They've shared a lot over the past 16 years.  Even so, Jeter sounded vague when it came to details about the spat with Girardi without rocking the boat.  Typical Jeter.

"But my understanding is he [Posada] went, told the manager he needed a day, and if that's the case, I don't see anything wrong with that," said The Captain.

The other remaining member of the Core Four, Mariano Rivera was just as diplomatic after he was asked if Posada should have apologized.  "I don't know," said the closer.  "That's a decision he has to make."

The Yankees are putting Posada's issue on the back burner and spinning a nonchalant slant on the story.  He will not be disciplined.  The Yankees have more pressing things to concern themselves with.

Age has reared it's ugly head in more than Posada's form.  Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are also on the back-end of 30--and showing it.  The whole team has creaking joints holding it together.

The three-game sweep by Boston has put the talented Red Sox back into the thick of the AL East race and the Yankees now face the younger, division-leading Tampa Bay Rays for three games.

Next weekend's series against cross-town rivals the Mets once looked like a minor distraction.  Now, where these games were once just for New York bragging rights, they might be orange and blue nails in the Yankees' coffin.

The 39 year-old Posada has earned the right to discuss his position with his manager but his timing was awful.  He is not in any way, shape or form to argue with facts.  And the fact is Posada is a burden to the team right now.  An apology is not enough.

"I let some people down," Posada confessed. "All the frustration just came out."

It is sad to see a once-great warrior try to battle his demise.  It was a shame to see the injury-plagued Ken Griffey Jr. go through the same motions in his final years.  Or any other sports star.  Only an athlete knows that frustration and, as with a player of Posada's stature, it could be unfathomable.

Girardi hasn't revealed how long Posada (with 30 strikeouts in 109 at-bats) would sit while he figures out what to do with his $13 million lame duck.

"Yeah, he's gotten off to a real slow start," said Girardi.  "But I don't think that's how this chapter has to end this year for him."

If Posada is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, I hope voters remember the 15 great years behind and at the plate, not the foot-stamping behavior of a player having a "bad day."

Yankees Rivera Still 'Mo'ing Down Opposition

Is there anything in spring so sweet to the ears of New York Yankees fans than the bells of an ice cream truck or, even better,  Metallica's "Enter Sandman"baring over the Yankee Stadium P.A. system.  The two sounds are a prelude to a couple of sweet sights--ice cream and Mariano Rivera's trot out of the bullpen to the pitcher's mound.

Rivera continues to defy time as he marches towards his quest of becoming the all-time saves leader.  The "Sandman" is now at an an AL record 566 and closing in on Trevor Hoffman's MLB record of 601 saves.

For the 2011 season, Rivera has been almost untouchable.  He has had a hand in eight of the Yankees nine victories so far.  He picked up save No. 7 after throwing a scoreless ninth against the Texas Ranger, in a come-from-behind victory, last night.

It's amazing how the 41 year-old defies nature.  It seems like he is the only member of the original Core Four who isn't showing signs of aging.  The other members, Derek Jeter hit 30 points below his average last season, Jorge Posada is struggling as DH and Andy Pettite is already enjoying retirement.  Rivera keeps plugging away--and better than ever.

The righthander and his deadly cutter have gone nine innings in 2011, allowing 4 hits and zero runs.  He is 1-0, has seven saves in as many chances and giant goose eggs for an ERA.

Rivera's cutter still baffles hitters.  Last night, the powerful Ranger batters could only toss their bats at the darting balls.  As predictable as Rivera's repertoire of pitches is, it is pretty amazing that opponents still can't touch him.

Since 1996,  Rivera has always answered the call.  Mo's body still looks freakishly as young as any twenty-something.  In his 15th season in pinstripes last year, Rivera had 33 saves and was selected to the All-Star game. 

This season he has reached seven saves in the fastest time ever and Rivera is on pace to equal his age in saves plus some.

Rivera has recently stated that 2012 could possibly be his last year.  If that's the case, it's unfathomable to think that a 41 year-old  leaving the game could be considered an athlete retiring in his prime.  With Rivera, that would be the case.

Springtime brings a lot of perennials like the inevitable Baltimore Oriole's flop and European tourists in sandals and black socks, but there is nothing as dramatic as Mariano Rivera running across the Yankee Stadium outfield as the thumping chords from Metallica fill the air.

Ahhh...springtime in the Bronx.






 

Soriano's Silence Says A Lot About Yankees "Eighth-Inning Guy"

CC Sabathia must know how Yankees GM Brian Cashman felt when he put on a big fat happy-face while the team signed Rafael Soriano's huge contract last winter.  No other team was even willing to sign Soriano as a high-priced closer, but the Yankees did pay him--against Cashman's wishes--big bucks to become a over-priced set-up man for Mariano Rivera.  Some called it more of a bribe than a contract.

Last night, the surly Soriano bolted from the Yankees clubhouse a lot quicker than his fastball without speaking with reporters after blowing a four run lead against the Minnesota Twins.

Today, the day after Soriano ruined Sabathia's 2-hit gem against the Twins, the on-the-run righthander still hasn't said anything and is considered M.I.A in the media room.

Unlike Soriano,  Sabathia put on his best face and a positive spin on Soriano's eighth-inning meltdown and runaway after the game.

"The bullpen is the strength of our team and nine times out of ten they're going to come in and shut the door," said Sabathia, who allowed two hits and one walk and had a 4-0 lead through seven innings.  "That's baseball and it's just part of the game.  We have to move on and look forward to tomorrow."

Patient words from a pitcher with two outstanding starts, no wins to show for it and a reason to be angry.

The Yankees led by four runs when Joe Girardi brought in Soriano, his "eighth-inning guy."  In two-thirds of an inning, Soriano gave up four runs, three walks and a hit as the Twins tied the game.  Dave Robertson gave up the winning run in the tenth.

This isn't the first time a Yankee reliever has blown a game and it definitely isn't the first time Soriano shown his anti-social side.  But his behavior is leaving fans colder than the thousands of nightly empty seats at a freezing Yankee Stadium so far this season.

Soriano has left a trail of bad relations in previous stops in Atlanta and Tampa Bay.  His reputation as a grump and a recluse preceded him in New York, but the Yankees were willing--or desperate enough--to take a chance on Soraino accepting the role as the eighth-inning set-up man to go with the big contract.  It only took one blown chance for him to show his true colors.

The Yankees painted a nice picture of Rivera courting Soriano during the recruitment.  The story was that the level-headed Rivera would welcome the hard-headed Soriano as his set-up guy and the bullpen would sing "Kumbaya" through the playoffs.  Soriano would be tamed by Mariano.  One big happy family.

It was all fiction and it only took five days into the season for the love-in to get icky.

Former teammates felt Soriano can sometimes look at a pitching situation as being beneath himself.  Members of the Rays claimed he did not invest his full attention in the ninth-inning of last year's Division Series elimination game against the Texas Rangers when Soriano was asked to pitch, down 3-1.  They felt his attention and fastball were off because it wasn't a save situation.

Maybe Soriano thought last night's 4-0 lead wasn't worth his valued consideration.

In Soriano's absence, Yankee players took to the vanished pitcher's defense--somewhat.

"I think he was there mentally," said Russell Martin who caught the game, "He was throwing the ball with conviction, I think."

Even Nick Swisher took the flack for his overplayed ball which tied the game.  "It was an aggressive mistake and I paid for it," said the outfielder, " CC pitched a helluva a game; it definitely hurt."

It's probably too late for the Yankees to think Soriano will behave like Rivera when it comes to the occasional blown game by holding your chin high.  The Yankee veteran has never disappeared or blamed anyone but himself.  Rivera faces the media, takes his lumps and says, 'I'll get 'em next time.'

Soriano has been anointed the "eighth-inning guy" by Girardi.  There will be other eighth innings for last year's AL 45-save leader.  He isn't going anywhere.   Not if three-year, $35 million dollar contract means anything.

Let's see how long the manager puts up with Soriano's vanishing act.

Yankees Joe Girardi: The Joba Ruling Is Official

The New York Yankees knew their starting rotation was shaky at best when the season started and placed a lot of faith on their back end relievers, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera, to pick up the slack.  The real question was who would be the bridge between the starters and Soriano.  Last night manager Joe Girardi made it clear Joba Chamberlain is officially the team's seventh-inning specialist.

The much-maligned and oft-shuffled Chamberlain, who arrived to spring training camp 25 pounds overweight and seemed like a long shot to even still be on the team, has pitched well enough in two chances in the seventh inning in the Yankees first four games to be awarded the spot.

Girardi, who likes to assign his relievers set roles, is loaded with one of the deepest bullpens in the league.  Chamberlain's name has been dangled about as trade bait for a long time, but he has made the most of his three appearances early in the season.

For now it looks like Chamberlain, who has been a starter, eighth-inning closer and set-up man since coming up in 2007, has the security of a new official job title.

"Right now, that's what we're doing," said Girardi.  "We love the way he threw the ball in spring training."

Even if Chamberlain didn't hear about it from Girardi, he seemed thrilled that the bouncing around is over.

"It's an honor and a privilege to have that role and, to know that with the arms we've got down there, they have enough confidence in me to get guys out."

Chamberlain has retired all six batters he's faced in  the seventh inning this season and threw nine pitches in last night's 1-2-3 seventh to help the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins.

Confidence had become a problem for righthander over the past few seasons and Girardi's pat-on-the-back can only help Chamberlain overcome that obstacle.  No more insecurity or guessing what his role on the team would be.

"I never really got into a routine," said Chamberlain.  "This is the first time in spring training in 4 1/2 years where I've had the opportunity in spring training to do exactly what I was going to do in the season."

Girardi said, "[Pedro] Feliciano is not healthy for us.  There might be situations where you bring in both of them in for an inning.  Feliciano to face a couple of lefties and Joba to face a rightie.  But Joba has the ability to get lefties out, as well as righties."

The Joba Rules.  Once, it was about about limiting Chamberlain's pitches.  Finally, it's about getting an official role on the team.

Cliff Lee Needs Schoolin' When It Comes to the Yankees

Last week Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee finally drawled something about his decision to sign with Philadelphia and his facts were askew ed.  The free-agent who turned down the Yankees remarked that wearing Pinstripes was his third choice, after the Phillies and his other former team the Texas Rangers, because he felt the Bronx Bombers were "getting old."  Well, who isn't?  And isn't that ageism?

The 32 year-old pitcher better bone up on his math before he speaks.  Alright, the only numbers he needs to know are what does 5 years and $120 million equal.  A nice life.  But calling the Yankees old?  Look in your own backyard Cliff.

Sure,  Derek Jeter doesn't draw the same gaggles of squealing 'tweens like a couple of World Series ago and had to endure the references to his down 2010 season during his contract talks.  Even Justin Bieber will one day start counting the hairs at the bottom of his shower---and those money-makers will drain away young man.  Jeter still has those giddy fans, but now they're filled less with delight than chardonnay.

When was the last time an "old" guy or a Phillie was in  GQ?  Probably the same time.  The Yankee captain shows he's still got the stuff in an upcoming issue.

And when was the last time a Philly was spotted sunning with a Minka Kelly or at a Super Bowl getting popcorn served kernel-by-kernel by Cameron Diaz?

Even the Yankees oldest player, 41 year-old Mariano Rivera, made the All-Star game last year.  The freakish Rivera still has the arm of a 35 year-old, the same age as that toddler Brad Lidge.

The Core Four has been whittled down to the Key Three.  Time and the Steinbrenners can do that. Jeter and Rivera, just signed new contracts and that other old geezer Jorge Posada has been dragged,  flailing the proverbial cane, off to DH duties.  Don't whip out the Depends or test run a Rascal for these Lions in Winter yet, they all still have plenty to contribute. 

Let's put to test Lee's assertion that the Yankees are "old" and look at the pitching staffs.  The oldest starter on the Yankees is 34 year-old A.J. Burnett.  The oldest on the Phillies is 33 year-old Roy Halliday.  A push, really-- if you discount Burnett's pie-throwing routine as just juvenile.  When you average out the age of the active rosters of both teams, starters and bullpen, the Phillies come in at a Grandpa Simpson-like 29.6 and the Yankees look like Dora the Explorer at 26.3 years of age. How about that?

Hey Lee, fading mathematical skills is one of the first signs of senility, isn't it?

Even after piling on oldsters like Mark Prior and Freddy Garcia, the average Yankee hurler would still probably be carded by a drunken bartender in a New Orleans dive bar.

Let's see how the rest of the young'uns on Philly stack up against the Ensure-swilling duffers on the Yanks.

The Yankees have a younger, more-rounded outfield than the Phillies.  The average age of active-roster Yankee outfielders is 29.0, while the Phillies wheeze in at 30.1.  You could almost call Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner supple as opposed to their Philadelphia counterparts.

Further mathematical evidence confirms that even with elder statesmen like Jeter, Posada and Alex Rodriguez lumped in with the infielders, the Yankees are still more youthful than the Phillies averaging an age of 29.0 compared to 30.3.

The Yankees two brightest players, Robinson Cano and Mark Tiexiera, are still both under 30, while Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins roll in at 33, 31 and 35, respectively.  Sounds like the AARP will be sending those cards to Citizens Bank Park sooner than later.

The Yankees haven't let Lee's dig at their age bother them. They don't claim to be last year's Tampa Bay Rays.

Even their newly-vibrant, building-rappelling, bar tending GM Brian Cashman discounted Lee, his no-show prom date, by saying," All we care about is being called champions.  You can call say anything else you want about us.  When you call us old, that's fine."

So while Cliff Lee tries to figure out his ERA, let the facts speak for themselves--the Phillies are older than the Yankees. 

Next time you're in Clearwater,  just ask a Phillie player for the best Early Bird Special in town.  I'm sure they'll know.

Cashman: Joba Chamberlain is Expendable

New York Yankees Brian Cashman's message to pitcher Joba Chamberlain wasn't exactly a sweet, rose-colored valentine card the day before the team opens spring training tomorrow in Tampa.  It sounded more like a pink slip.

The Yankees GM said the right-hander could possibly be in the team's 2011 bullpen but wouldn't guarantee that Chamberlain would even play at Yankee Stadium.

According to the New York Post, Cashman replied," Anybody who has [minor-league] options is not a lock for anything.  Any player with options has to re-earn everything.  You earn more or you earn less--New York or Scranton [Triple-A].  I fully expect Joba to be in our bullpen.  If not, he would have worked his way out of it."

Chamberlain, who showed up last week at the minor-league complex weighing about 30 pounds heavier than last season, has his work cut out for himself.

After three years of being pushed and shoved in the starter/reliever debate, Chamberlain headed into this year's camp looking like a valuable commodity.   Now he looks like either an extra middle-reliever, Triple-A call-up or trade bait.  It can't be good for his confidence.

In 2007, Chamberlain was the wonder boy of the Yankees staff.  He had a murderous fastball and a slider which brought batters to their knees.  Three years of being babied by the 'Joba Rules', shuttled between starter and reliever and mind-game expectations have messed up the head.  Now he shows up with the additional poundage and as much job security as Hosni Mubarak.  Another "fat toad" in the making?

Most fans expected Chamberlain to be the heir apparent to closer Mariano Rivera, or at least the eigth-inning set-up man by now.  That hasn't been and won't be the case this year.  The Yankees signing of Rafael Soriano for three years and $35 million squashed that scenario.

Chamberlain could still prove everyone wrong.  Maybe the gym in his basement and the extra muscle on his body will rejuvenate the 25 year-old?  Maybe the shoulder he injured in 2008 as a starter has healed?

Since that injury, Chamberlain has had his ups and downs.  In 240 1/3 innings, he has allowed 249 hits with an ERA of 4.53.  He struck out 224 and walked 101.  There are a lot more worse pitchers in the majors.  Too bad for Chamberlain, they are not in the Yankees pen.

Now that Phil Hughes has secured the No. 2 spot in the Yankees starting rotation, Chamberlain won't have to play that tired game anymore.  For now he gets to battle David Robertson as the go-to rightie in the bullpen.  And Robertson has been good.

Chamberlain still has value as trade bait.  He is young and his one-year $1.4 million contract with the team is inviting to teams missing a piece to a winning team and don't want to break the bank.

As it stands, it looks like Chamberlain, who has three minor-league options remaining, will look for a spot in the bullpen if he has a good spring.

"We won't decide, he will decide his role," said Cashman.  "Players always dictate [from their performance]."

Chamberlain can only pitch well then wait and see how Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova fare in the battle for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the starting rotation.  If one of them isn't in the rotation, it probably means Chamberlain will be pushed out of the bullpen and could be headed out of Yankee Stadium.

Pettitte Officially Gone. Core Four Whittled Down to the 'Key Three'

And then there were three.  Andy Pettitte, one of the four cornerstones of the New York Yankees championship teams over the past 15 years has finally made his retirement official.  This morning, at Yankee Stadium the popular lefthanded pitcher said he was through as a player.  The Core Four is now the Key Three.

Pettitte's exit leaves Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada as the only remaining members of the Core Four and a gaping hole in the starting rotation.

The press conference was a sad moment for Yankees players and their fans but Pettitte didn't turn it into a funeral march.  Pettitte smiled--suspiciously more than usual--and looked happy to know he was leaving on his terms and would be spending more time with his family at his home in Texas.

The pull of a more stable home life nagged at Pettitte for years.  Today he made it clear this wasn't any kind of Brett Favre or Roger Clemens "retirement.  "It's not a one day decision," he stated.  He said he knew his playing days were over "weeks ago."

All the rumors of Pettitte working out in Texas, cancelling autograph shows to meet with Yankee management and possibly wanting to pad his stats for a better shot at Cooperstown were just that--greatly exaggerated hearsay.

The Yankees GM, Brian Cashman, started murmurings weeks ago that he thought there was little chance of the 240 career game winner returning for a final year.  Pettitte even said "Don't count on me' right after the 2010 season, but the "will he or won't he" drama continued throughout the winter. 

Cashman might have played a small part in Pettitte's decision.  The GM went all out for Cliff Lee and left Pettitte dangling but, after Lee went to the Phillies, Pettitte became an important factor again.  It was too late.  Pettitte had already made up his mind and was taking his famous game-face stare with him.  The soul searching was over.

Now the Yankees worst case scenario is reality and there are major holes to fill.  The team goes into spring training relying on the arms of CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and basket case A.J. Burnett.  Call it Two and a Half Starters.  Even a blitzed Charlie Sheen might fare better than the burnt-out Burnett.

Filling out the starting five rotation is a pile of bargain basement signees and a couple of young untested hurlers.  Even Hughes value is questionable.  In his first full season as a starter, Hughes was cradled by manager Joe Girardi, and was limited to a certain amount of innings.  Who knows if he can hold up to the rigors of a full season?

Recycled players like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia now loom large in the Yankees' plans along with Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre.  The scary part is that probably the success of the rotation lies in the inconsistent arm of No. 3 starter A.J. Burnett.

Burnett, who throws a cream pie better than a baseball, is being restored by pitching coach Larry Rothschild.  If Rothschild can figure a way to get into A.J.'s head, tighten a few screws and get his fastball up to par, there is hope.  Throw in either one of the kids having a breakout year or one of the former All-stars--Colon and Garcia--coming back from the dead, there is a playoff season.

Babying pitchers, counting pitches and holding back younger arms will not be apart of this year's Yankees philosophy.  It will be put up or shut up. 

Pettitte's retirement is only the beginning of the dismantling of the Core Four era.  One by one, it could be a steady parade of the four potential Hall of Famers out of the Bronx.

Posada's contract is up after this year and he has been demoted to regular DH action.  Rivera just signed for two more years, and it's conceivable that the still reliable closer might call it a career after that.  Jeter will begin his march to the Hall of Fame in three years. In four years, the Core Four will be no more.

Pettitte's legacy, besides the huge numbers (240 career wins, 19 postseason wins, 3.88 ERA, 5 rings) is his clutch play and work ethic.  No pitcher was more reliable and there never seemed to be a situation Pettitte couldn't handle.  He has more post-season wins than any other pitcher.  Think back to Game 5 of the 1996 World Series when he beat the Braves 1-0.  It was a typical  Pettitte outing-- businesslike and efficient.  It started the current Yankee mystique.  Big-game pitcher doesn't begin to describe him.

The only blotches on Pettitte's Yankee resume are his three years with the Houston Astros and being mentioned in the Mitchell Report, where he admitted he used human growth hormone.

Pettitte made his decision to retire and the Yankees, wisely, didn't try to convince him to stay.  The man leaves a big chapter in Yankee lore.  Arguably the second best pitcher in the Yankees' modern era behind Whitey Ford.

  The Yankees were desperate for Pettitte's services this season.  He could have asked for George Steinbrenner's Monument Park plaque and gotten it.  He could have added ring number six.  Andy Pettitte knew what his heart wanted and he appeased it.

Too bad the next time we see him will probably be at Roger Clemens' federal perjury trial in July.  Then, it's the road to Cooperstown.

If Yankees Don't Land Lee; What's Next?

While the New York Yankees' GM, Brian Cashman, was scaling down a 22-story building in Connecticut this weekend, the team finished signing up two free agents, closer Mariano Rivera and shortstop Derek Jeter.  It is only fitting that this year's Winter Meetings are in Orlando--the home of Disney World--especially the way the Yankees Mickey Moused with the team captain the past few weeks.

Things have been rather noisy around the Yankees off-season offices--not for all the right reasons--and now the Boston Red Sox have started making a racket.  The Sox finally showed some form of life and unapologetic gall this past weekend by announcing that they had offered Rivera, one of the Yank's signing  priorities, a three-year deal and then traded for first-baseman, Adrian Gonzalez.  It's good to see the Yankees/Red Sox rivals butting head once again especially since their wooing of Mo was a direct slap to the face of their own closer, Jonathan Papelbon.  The Sox finally landed a big-time hitter after losing both Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira to the Yankees in past off-seasons.

Things have been relatively quiet between the two AL East division teams after the Red Sox Nation basked  in the glow of the ALCS in 2004 and the days of "bloody" socks and Pedro Martinez roughing up Don Zimmer.  Regular season games against the Sox have become five hour tests of endurance  compared to the ones against the chippy Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays short-lived "dynasty" will soon go the way of their cowbells and mohawks as the team gets stripped by free-agency.  Rays fans may find solace in the knowledge that it is no secret that Jeter has expressed interest in becoming a major league team owner and has just completed a $36 million estate in Tampa.  Jeter's final playing days have just been signed and sealed and that $51 million should be enough for a down payment on the fan-starved franchise after his days in pinstripes are over.  

The Yankees deals with Rivera and Jeter do raise a few questions.  Rivera has mentioned that his two-year, $30 million contract might be his last.  He was offered three years by Boston and turned it down and there was never any reports of him fighting for more time.  2012 could be the year "Enter Sandman" blasts from the speakers in the house that Jeter built.

Jeter, on the other hand, haggled and got three years plus a fourth with incentives.  Now the only question is whether or not last season's slump was just a bump on the way to Coopperstown.  The 36 year-old  Jeter will be working hard to regain his reputation as a premier player.  The shortstop will turn 37 in June and wasn't too happy with the way he was described and flogged during the contentious contractual process.

Too many stories claimed only two shortstops--Honus Wagner and Luke Appling--were ever successful after the age of 37 and they played eons ago.  Since 1969, only 19 shortstops older than 37 played 100 games in a season and only one, Larry Bowa, made the playoffs.  So Jeter has a high wall to scale.  Maybe he should borrow some of Cashman's rappelling gear.

Now that Cashman has signed two pieces of his off-season trifecta, he can concentrate on getting every one's favorite Christmas present,  Cliff Lee.  Lee's name will be in the New York headlines a lot for the next few days with a few side bars about Andy Pettitte.  The left-handed starter Lee is Cashman's main concern.

"My priority is pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching," the GM said, "I've been focusing on the legacy guys, but I really need to take care of our pitching."  Lee is the class pitcher in a shallow group of free-agents.  The righthander and Pettitte would fill that void.

Lee is going to be looking for a deal of about $140 million for six or seven years.  The Texas Rangers, Lee's team last season, is hoping a longer contract will keep their ace in Arlington, but the Yankees believe their deeper pockets will prevail.

The Yankees and Rangers are the only serious bidders for Lee.   If the Yankees don't get Lee, they might have to fight for the services of Plan B; Carl Crawford.  The Rangers are also interested in the centerfielder and he could become a parting gift to the team that doesn't land Lee, but only if the Los Angeles don't grab him first.   Although the Yankees just lost DH Lance Berkman, it is unlikely that any team could afford both players--especially the recently bankrupt Rangers.

Crawford would be a replacement for one of three current Yankee outfielders--Curtis Granderson,  Brett Gardner or Nick Swisher.  Granderson came on strong at the end of last year and Swisher, a fan favorite, had a solid first half, then wilted after his All-Star appearance.  Gardner is the young stud and modelled similar  to Crawford, so any rumors of a trade means talks are on between the Yankees and Crawford.

One player the Yankees might want to test in the trade waters is reliever/starter Joba Chamberlain.  The yankees' front office has never expressed interest in trading the inconsistent and maligned Joba, but many think he could thrive on a different team. 

A.J. Burnett could find himself gone if the Yankees sign Lee and Pettitte.  Burnett throws more pies than strikes and the Yankees might be interested in unloading the tattooed pitcher by paying some of his money to a team that wants him.  A nice relief pitcher would be welcome in that trade.  Toronto reliever, Scott Downs could fit the bill.

The Yankees tried to acquire Downs from the Blue Jays last year and have something in common with the lefthander--his agent Casey Close is Jeter's front man.  Nothing breeds love like familiarity and Close has become a regular on Cashman's Skype.  Damasco Marte's shoulder injury leaves the lefty's future in jeopardy and the Yankees bullpen even thinner.

Cashman knows his off-season success hangs on signing Lee.  Jeter and Rivera were primarily slam-dunks and even Carl Crawford would be seen a booby prize.  Its Lee or nothing.

Red Sox Made Last Minute Pitch To Mariano Rivera

The Boston Red Sox made a last ditch effort to land New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera and were prepared to non-tender the contract of Jonathan Papelbon according to a source close to the negotiations.  The 2-year, $30 million offer was exactly the same deal Rivera is set to sign with the Yankees tonight, according to the New York Daily News.

The Yankees gave the green light to sign Mariano after it was reported that other teams were showing interest in the 41 year-old, future Hall-of-Famer.  Besides the Red Sox, it was believed another club was prepared to give the closer a 3-year package worth about $51 million.

Rivera has said he wanted to remain with the team and "Stay loyal to the Yankees," according to the source. The right-hander is a lifelong Yankee and as a tribute to that bond agreed to take less money and fewer years to stay in pinstripes.

Papelbon, who is coming off his worst season in Boston (3.90 ERA, 8 blown saves) and was the Red Sox closer for five years must be wondering where he fits in to the team's future plans.  He is eligible for free agency after next year.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have settled one third of their off-season Triple-Crown.  Getting Derek Jeter and Cliff Lee are the other two jewels in the trifecta.  Rivera's free agency was pretty quiet compared to those other negotiations. In fact, Rivera's contract talks were relatively mouse like.  Until yesterday, the only peep from Rivera's agent, Fernando Cuza, was when he remarked that the Yankees and Rivera were "a little far apart" on getting a deal together.   All that changed quickly after other teams started throwing offers on the table.  Cuza has verified receiving calls from other teams, but wouldn't elaborate.

The Yankees winter has been nothing short of dramatic.  While Rivera's contract talks were relatively civil,  New York's sports talk shows have been dominated by discussions about the Yankees love-him-or-leave-him treatment and re-signing of their poster-boy, Derek Jeter and the contractual numbers being thrown at this year's big arm, starting pitcher Cliff Lee.  Jeter's talks have dragged on for weeks and has fans taking sides about the shortstop's worth.

Not so with Rivera.  He has freakishly shown no signs of aging.  Mo posted a 1.80 ERA and 33 saves last season and only he knows how many more years he can pitch.  For now,  the Yankee Stadium sound man will keep "Enter Sandman" on it's play list for at least a couple of more years.