I was all set to write the words: "Complete Game Shutout.  Boo Yah."
And that would have been my entire post.  But alas, an error and a base hit with 2 outs in the 9th spoiled that.   I didn’t even type it for fear of jinxing it.

Mike Mussina gave the Yankees exactly what the needed.  The bullpen got the night off and the lineup which was missing Sheffield, Jeter, Matsui, and Damon, didn’t have to worry about scoring a lot of runs to win the ball game.  I was a little worried when I saw the lineup and had said to some guys on my softball team that Mussina needed to hold the Tigers to little to no runs if the Yanks were going to win.  And that he did.  And for those that are curious, my coed softball team improved to 3-0 behind my stellar pitching.  Lifetime in 5 starts, I’m 4-0 w/ 1 no decision.  Not bad if I say so myself.

What a performance by Moose!  The best was when Torre came out to get Mussina with 2 out in the 9th and Mussina shouts at him: "No!  Stay there!"  Awesome.  Totally freakin’ awesome.

Say it with me: "Mooooooooooooooosssssssse!"  Aw yeah.

J

There’s a story on MLB.com that says the deal is official, with a forthcoming press conference announcing the deal in about 10 minutes.  It looks like Newsday was right all along.  I wonder why the hush-hush from the Astros and from the Clemens camp.  Someone obviously with some inside info leaked the signing to Newsday.  I’ve seen this happen before.  Like I said in my last post, when these stories break they usually end up being true.  I could understand if the story broke on a blog, but it was Newsday, which seems to me to be pretty reputable.  I can’t see them breaking a story without pretty concrete evidence that it’s true.  I am interested if there will be any talk about the denials or if they’ll just let it go.  I’m guessing the latter.

J

Kyle Foulke, err, I mean Farnsworth, again failed to hold the lead and get the ball to Rivera.  Joe Torre needs to recalculate his "formula."  The Yankees do not have relievers that can consistently shut down teams in the 7th and 8th innings.  What good is having one of the games most dominant closers if you can’t get him the ball with a lead?

J

There are conflicting reports regarding Roger Clemens and his signing with the Astros.  Some sites report it’s a go, some say it’s not done yet.  If it is in fact not true, I wonder where Newsday got its info from.  It’s been my experience that when a story like this gets reported, it ends up being true.  Honestly, I’m expecting an official announcement later this week.

I predicted at the onset of the season that Clemens would come back and sign with the Astros and lead them to the NL Central title.  To me, it makes the most sense that he’d return to Houston.  It’s closest to home.  He won’t have to travel.  And his buddy Andy is there.  It doesn’t make sense to me that he’d "retire" and then come out of retirement to pitch for the Astros, just to go back and pitch for someone else when his contract expired.  He wants to bring a World Series championship to the city of Houston. 

I guess time will tell.  The June 5th "deadline" isn’t far away.

Go Sabres!!

J

Breaking news!!  According to Newsday, Roger Clemens has finally signed a contract.  He signed with the Astros for a reported $3.5 million a month.  Not too shabby.  As much as I would have loved to seen him back in Pinstripes, the Rocket belongs in Houston.  Maybe with him back, the Astros can make another run at the Series.  For sake of my 2006 NL Central predictions, I hope so.  Clemens should dominate in the NL as he’s done in the past few years. 

J

After a great start, the Yankee bats cooled off and the Bombers held on for the 6-5 victory.  I missed the beginning of the game.  Instead of watching it on TV, I thought I would try to listen to it on my MyFi as I partook in the greatest Memorial Day Weekend tradition known to man, mowing the lawn.  Can you sense the sarcasm?  Yard work is not my most favorite activity.  It probably ranks up there as one of my least favorite activities.  I hate it.  The reception on my XM was spotty, too many trees blocking the signal I guess.  I could hear half of John Sterling’s call.  It took about 2 innings or so to finish the yard work.  I joined the YES broadcast when it was 6-0 Yankees.  inning by inning the Royals chipped away at the lead.  I have to give the Royals RPs credit for keeping the Yankees off the basepaths.  All I could say to myself was "here we go again."  The Yankee bullpen has been having trouble lately getting the ball to Rivera.  Today’s game was following a similar script.  Thankfully, they got the ball to Mo, and he shut down the Royals 1-2-3 in the 9th to pick up save 11.  Rivera has been looking good lately.  A weak pop up and 2 grounders.  Mo has allowed only 3 hits in his last 4 outings.  In those 4 games he’s thrown 5.2 IPs. and has lowered his ERA a little more than 3/4 of a point.  It’s good to see Mo is coming to form.

A-Rod is heating up and that’s good.  The Yankees are going to need his bat for the Detroit series.  They’re going to need everyone’s bat.  The Tigers have the best ERA in baseball.  We need to see more innings like we did today with the Yankee 1st inning.  Hits win ballgames.  The Yanks don’t need to try and knock every ball out of the park, which it often looks like they’re trying to do.  Keep the line moving with the base hits and every thing else will fall into place.  It’s going to be a tough series this week in Detroit Rock City.  I will be happy with a  series split but taking 3 out of 4 would be nice.  I haven’t heard anything on whether or not Posada will be available for the series.  Let’s hope he is because the Yankees will need to have their best lineup on the field if they are to contend with the Tigers, the team with the best record in MLB.  It can be done.

Happy Memorial Day everybody!

J

In last night’s loss to the Royals, which I said would happen in my last post, Yankee captain Derek Jeter collected his 2000th career hit, becoming the 8th Yankee to reach the mark.  Unfortunately, the milestone was achieved in a game the Yankees lost, a game which they should have won.  Freaking bullpen.

After a shaky start, Mike Mussina settled down and pitched extremely well.  It was his 11th straight quality start and he’s yet to give up more than 3 earned runs in a game this season. He was in line to pick up his 7th win but the Yankee bullpen couldn’t hold the lead.  Scott Proctor still seems to be reeling from his performance in Boston and he’s looking more like the guy we saw in the first game of the season.  But Kyle Farnsworth is the game’s biggest goat.  He gave up the see ya later 3-run tater to Angel Berroa to break the 4-4 tie.  Farnsworth has been the picture of inconsistency and the Yankees really need him to come through if Rivera is going to get the ball. 

I was a little PO’d last night when they brought the tarp on the field in the 9th.  While I think they should have brought the tarp out, I was wondering why they allowed the Royals to bat in the 9th in the same conditions.  Perhaps it was the weather didn’t come across the same on TV as it did in person, but I thought they should have let them try to get it in.  I was most upset that the local affiliate we had carrying the game never went back to it after the delay.  Here I am watching old reruns of Magnum PI waiting for a game that was never coming back on TV.  Sorry Thomas Magnum, I like you and all, but you don’t compare to Yankee baseball.  So I missed the ending on TV.  I was online during the delay and had randomly pulled up the gamecast on Yahoo and noticed the game had resumed.  I was a little irked to say the least.  In following the gamecast, I thought the Yankees were going to pull it out.  Runners on the corners, 1 out and down 1 run.  All we needed was a fly ball and we were tied.  Instead, ground ball, Giambi slips in the batter’s box, double play, game over.  I’m sure Giambi wouldn’t have beat it out but who knows, it could have happened.  So the Yankees lost to the hapless Royals.  You knew they would.  I didn’t expect it in the game Mussina pitched, but I knew it would happen this weekend.  That’s just how my life seems to work sometimes.  When something shouldn’t happen, it usually does, and the results are seldom in my favor.  What can you do?

The bottom of our lineup was exposed for all its weaknesses last night.  If there was ever a game the Yankees needed Posada and Matsui, that was it.  The bottom 3, not counting Long, went 0-11.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still problems at the top of the lineup, but production is needed from everybody if the Yankees are going to win. 

The Yanks have Wang going tonight.  I honestly don’t know what to expect.  He’s like Bucholz in Houston.  One night he’s lights out, the next he’s getting hit for 8 or so earned runs, though he’s been more consistent than Bucholz has.  As long as the sinker is working, Chien will be okay.  The Royals are sending a lefty to the mound and the Yankees are 11-3 this season against lefties.  All signs point to a Yankee win, but then again, it did yesterday as well.  That’s why the games aren’t played on paper.

Go Yankees.

J

It’s an off day and there isn’t much going on.  The Red Sox/D-Rays game just ended.  Pretty weird game.  The Red Sox gave the D-Rays ample opportunity to win the game with all the runners LOB but the Rays ran themselves right out of it.  The game had blowout written all over it but the Sox only managed 4 runs.  Not counting the run scored on the passed ball, it was only 3 runs.  I would have pictured the Red Sox plating a few more runs.

I was curious to see opinions on Wily Mo Pena’s freeze at 3rd base yesterday on Farnsworth’s passed ball, but I haven’t seen any.  He didn’t even move.  Kind of puzzling.  Bonehead play if you ask me.  The 3rd base coach is telling him to run and he’s just standing there.  It could have changed the game. 

Good news on Posada.  He should only miss a few days with a torn hamstring tendon.  It’d be nice if the Yankees could have a healthy lineup wouldn’t it?  Thankfully the Royals are coming to town so not having Posada in the lineup isn’t a huge loss.

I finally saw Rivera’s brushback of Manny.  Good stuff.  I still think Manny deserves one in the ribs but it gets the same message across.  There was an interesting discussion on XM Radio this morning about it.  A caller asked if Posada should have given Manny a little talking to on his way home a la Crash Davis.  Buck Martinez thought it was a good idea but didn’t think it was in Posada’s nature.  Buck said if was Jason Varitek behind the plate, you can bet the farm that the batter would have gotten more than an earful.  Manny’s pimp stroll showed a huge lack of respect to the game.  As I wrote a few posts back, ask Josh Beckett, he’ll agree.  Using Beckett’s logic, Manny=Jacka** 

The hapless Royals are coming to town.  Losers of their last 13 and have blown their last 6 saves.  They did sweep Cleveland though so the unexpected is certainly possible.  Unlikely, but you never know.  It’s just one of those things that is bound to happen.  I’ll call it right now.  The Yankees won’t sweep the Royals.  I’m pulling for the sweep, but it’s just one of those things that you just know won’t happen.

Did anyone catch Frank Robinson’s press conference about pulling Matthew LeCroy?  I have to give Frank some props for that.  It looks like that was a tough thing for Frank to go through.  Nobody wants to see a guy give it his all and get "worked" like that.  But, what can you do?  Frank made the right call.

Go Yanks.

J

Got home just in time to see Jeter’s jump throw from the hole to end it!!  What a play!  That’s why he’s the Captain!  Half game back and we’re on a roll.  Bring on KC.

J

The Yanks picked up a big victory yesterday and gained a game on the Red Sox.  Tonight, they’ll pick up another.  The Big Unit will have a good outing.  Count on it.  If he falters again, I wouldn’t be surprised if a move is made for the D-Train sooner than later.  The Yanks will need a lefty they can rely on and all signs are pointing to Dontrelle.  I just fear what kind of price the Yankees will have to pay.  I won’t see the game though.  There’s a lot going on tonight.  Most importantly, it’s softball night.  Game time is 7:10pm so I’m going to miss most of the game.  I’ll have my XM so I can listen while we’re batting, but I’d much rather watch it on TV, but what can you do.  There’s also the Buffalo Sabres hockey game and the season finale of "Lost."  Big night for TV.

As for last night’s game, how can you be disappointed?  As soon as Damon hit a leadoff HR I knew it’d be a good night.  Wright again looked good.  The rest of the bullpen, minus Mo, had me scratching my head.  How can we walk Alex Cora on 4 straight pitches?  Myers walked the one guy he was supposed to get out.  Kyle Farnsworth needs to stick to throwing gas and stay away from the slider.  And why Proctor gives Ortiz an 0-2 pitch over the middle of the plate I’ll never know?  All in all, a good game though.  Rivera again looked sharp.  Maybe he’s finally heated up?  Let’s hope.

What’s up with A-Rod thinking he popped it up but the ball sailed over the Monster?  Part of me thinks he was "acting,"  the rest of me thinks he just thought he popped out.  It’s understandable as he does it a lot.  It’s about time A-Rod did something big when it counted.  Maybe now he’ll get some fans off his back.  Granted he is underperforming, but he’s A-Rod, it’ll all balance out.

If you read my last entry about Manny then you know I think he needs to get plunked.  You hit an HR, big deal.  Your team was losing by 6.  If you’re going to look at it, watch it while you run.  The Yankees however, won’t hit him.  I don’t think that Torre or Guidry will call for it and I don’t think any of the Yankee pitchers have the testicular fortitude to do it on their own.  If it’s going to happen, it definitely won’t happen in a close game.  The Boston lineup is too good to issue free passes.  But it should happen, everybody knows it should.  If you’re a Sox fan, take off the "Red" colored glasses and tell me he shouldn’t get plunked.  He stood there for a good 3 seconds before he started his jog.  Ridiculous.  And to compare it to a curtain call in April or a fist pump, that’s even more absurd.  The two are nothing alike.  One is asked for by the fans, usually done on a clutch HR that puts the team ahead or puts the game out of reach, or perhaps when a player reaches a milestone a la Bernie Williams.  The last time I checked a win is a win, regardless of when it happens.  Every game matters.  The Yankees and Red Sox tied last year.  A different outcome in April would have made a big difference.  And again, most curtain calls are done to appease the fans.  It’s not done out of player arrogance.  Why the fans asking for the curtain call sometimes is beyond me?  Sometimes it’s silly.  But to say it’s because the Yankee players are arrogant, that’s nucking futs.  A curtain call is an acknowledgment to the fans, a thank you.  A 3-second staredown of an HR is an acknowledgment to yourself, not to anyone else.  If someone pimped after an HR and Pedro or Roger Clemens was on the mound, the next pitch would be high and inside, you can bet on it.  It’s baseball, if a guy pimp-strolls around the bases somebody usually gets hit.  You never see brushbacks because a guy took a curtain call.  There is obviously a difference.  Ask Josh Beckett, I’m sure he’ll agree.  To quote Mr. Beckett: "You look like a jacka** whenever you hit a ball like that and you’re pimping it and you’re out. I’m kind of about respecting the game. Even if it is a home run, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. I’m not the type of guy to not say anything ."  I wonder if he said anything to Manny?  It’s all about respect.  Manny apparently lacks it.  I guess that’s just Manny being Manny.  In this case, Manny being a jacka**.

J