Sky Rockets in Flight

Afternoon Delight

Darrell Rasner gave the Yankees a boost Sunday with when he shut the Mariners down for 5 plus innings. But the crowd was a huge lift by Roger Clemens in the 7th inning. No he isn't the new set up man out of the pen, but the Rocket is back in pinstripes. Yankee's PA announcer Bob Sheppard asked fans to direct their attention to the owner's box during the 7th innings stretch. It was there that Clemens, speaking over the PA system, announced he was returning to the Bronx for another season in pinstripes.


Needless to say the capacity crowd was sent into a complete frenzy. Suddenly the inept Yankees starting rotation looks a bit more formidable. Now if we can get Boomer Wells back we'll have the 2002-2003 rotation (and yes I am definitely kidding). Clemens will get a pro-rated deal of $28 million depending on when he joins the big club. He inked a minor league deal in the meantime as he prepares for a late May/early June return. Clemens wasting no time in getting used to the feel of the uniform as he threw in the outfield after the game, wearing a pair of uni pants and a Yankees cap.

Brian Cashman looked like the cat who ate the canary as he stood near Clemens. He realizes that the Rocket could be the player to help turn the Yankee's season around, and quite possibly, save his job.
The announcement was the perfect capper to a wild afternoon in the Bronx. One day after Chien-Ming Wang nearly threw a perfect game, Rasner,Scott Proctor, Sean Henn, Kyle Farnsworth, and Brian Bruney combined to put another 9 goose eggs. The Yankees may not have gone with, what seems like the prerequisite, 5 pitchers, but Proctor threw behind the Mariner's Yuniesky Betancourt in the top of the 7th. While a scoring a run earlier in the game, Josh Phelps had gone out of his way to knock over M's catcher Kenji Johjima. Mariner's starter Jarrod Washburn sent a message the next Phelps batted, by plunking him in the side. Proctor than retaliated, sending both benches and bulpens on to the field before order was restored. Since both sides had been warned after Phelps had been hit, both Proctor and Torre were tossed from the game.

Bobby Abreu had his 2nd multiple hit game in the last 3 games and drove in a pair of runs. Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, and Miguel Cairo, give Robinson Cano a day off, each had two hits as well. Matsui passed 2,000 hits in his Japanese and American careers, giving him a place in Japan's Golden Player's Club. A player must have 2,000, 200 wins or 250 saves for entry.

It was originally thought that Rasner would be sent down after the game to make room for Monday's starter, Matt DeSalvo, but Torre said the team would wait until Monday before making that decision.

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