The Unreliables

Starting pitching has troubled the Yankees more than any other issue this season. The bullpen is a close second. Both let the Yankees down last night in the Minnesota Twins 6-5 win at the Metrodome. After taking the first 2 games of the series, the Yankees dropped the final two and ended the road trip 3-4 to fall back under .500 (28-29).

Andy Pettitte blew three separate leads before Kyle Farnsworth lost the game in the 8th inning. Michael Cuddyer lead off the decisive inning with a double, his 9th hit in 18 at-bats in the series. Nick Punto delivered a perfect pinch-hit sacrifice bunt to move Cuddyer to 3rd and Delmon Young brought him home with a double to right. It was his 3rd RBI double of the game.

Alex Rodriguez lead off the 9th with a single up the middle off closer Joe Nathan, but Hideki Matsui bounced into 4-6-3 double play to erase any hopes. Jason Giambi then lined out to center as Nathan recorded his 15th save.

The Yankees got right to Twins starter Livan Hernandez in the 1st inning. With Derek Jeter aboard via a single, A-Rod belted a 2-outm 2-run home run for a 2-0 lead. It was his 8th home run of the season and #526 for his career.

Young's first double cut the lead in half and then the Twins speed tied it up in the 3rd. Carlos Gomez singled to right and advanced all the way to 3rd Base on Pettitte's errant pick-off attempt. Alexi Casilla then brought him with a safety squeeze which he also beat out for a single.

The Yankees took the lead back in the 6th, built on a single by Jason Giambi and a double by Chad Moeller. Melky Cabrera's broken bat single brought home one run and Johnny Damon singled through the right side to score Moeller for a 4-2 Yankees lead.

The Twins came right back though in their half of the 6th on an RBI single by Cuddyer and another RBI double by Young. A-Rod gave the Yankees their final lead when he doubled leading off the 7th, moved to 3rd on a wild pitch and scored ahead of a throw home on Giambi's grounder. But Pettitte would have none of it and served up Joe Mauer's first home run of the season to tie the game once again. Then the game fell into the giant hole that is the Yankees 8th inning relief.

Notes and News

Johnny Damon extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Derek Jeter is 5-13 in his last 3 games, but was thrown out last night by Cuddyer trying to stretch a single into a double.

A-Rod continues to love the Metrodome. He was 8-20 (.400) with a home run, 3 doubles, and 6 RBI.

Jorge Posada played in another extended spring training game and remains on track to be activated this week.

Jeff Karstens appeared to be close to returning to the team as a long man in the pen/spot starter, but he's back on the DL with a strained groin.

LaTroy Hawkins will have his suspension appeal hearing today.

June 2, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	2	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	0		5	15	1
Minnesota	0	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	X		6	13	0

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	5	0	2	1	0	0	2	.293
Jeter, SS	5	1	3	0	0	0	3	.279
Abreu, RF	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	.292
Rodriguez, 3B	4	2	3	2	1	0	1	.300
Matsui, DH	4	0	1	0	1	0	3	.328
Giambi, 1B	5	0	2	1	0	0	2	.250
Cano, 2B	4	1	1	0	0	0	5	.220
Moeller, C	4	1	1	0	0	2	3	.254
Cabrera, CF	4	0	2	1	0	0	2	.270
Totals	40	5	15	5	2	2	25
BATTING 2B: Jeter (8, Hernandez), Moeller (4, Hernandez), Rodriguez (12, Hernandez). HR: Rodriguez (8, 1st inning off Hernandez, 1 on, 2 out). TB: Damon 2; Jeter 4; Rodriguez 7; Matsui; Giambi 2; Cano; Moeller 2; Cabrera 2. RBI: Rodriguez 2 (23), Cabrera (25), Damon (26), Giambi (28). 2-out RBI: Rodriguez 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Jeter; Giambi; Matsui; Abreu; Cabrera. GIDP: Damon; Matsui. Team LOB: 10. FIELDING E: Pettitte (1, pickoff).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte	7.0	10	5	4	0	2	1	4.21
Farnsworth (L, 0-2)	1.0	3	1	1	1	1	0	4.44

Minnesota	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Gomez, CF	5	1	1	0	0	1	3	.280
Casilla, 2B	4	0	1	1	0	0	1	.328
Mauer, C	4	2	2	1	0	0	1	.319
Morneau, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	0	2	.303
Cuddyer, RF	4	3	3	0	0	0	0	.258
Monroe, DH	3	0	1	1	0	0	1	.238
a-Punto, PH-DH	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.264
Young, LF	4	0	3	3	0	0	0	.273
Harris, SS	4	0	1	0	0	2	3	.249
Macri, 3B	3	0	1	0	0	0	2	.500
b-Lamb, PH-3B	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.250
Totals	35	6	13	6	1	3	13
a-Hit a sacrifice bunt for Monroe in the 8th. b-Walked for Macri in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Young 3 (10, Pettitte, Pettitte, Farnsworth), Macri (1, Pettitte), Cuddyer (7, Farnsworth). HR: Mauer (1, 7th inning off Pettitte, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Gomez; Casilla; Mauer 5; Cuddyer 4; Monroe; Young 6; Harris; Macri 2. RBI: Young 3 (18), Casilla (14), Monroe (19), Mauer (22). 2-out RBI: Young; Mauer. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Harris; Morneau; Casilla; Macri 2; Gomez. S: Punto. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING CS: Young (3, 3rd base by Farnsworth/Moeller). FIELDING Outfield assists: Cuddyer (Jeter at 2nd base). DP: 2 (Harris-Morneau, Casilla-Harris-Morneau).

Minnesota	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Hernandez	6.0	13	5	5	1	1	1	4.81
Reyes	0.1	0	0	0	1	0	0	2.50
Guerrier (W, 3-1)	1.2	1	0	0	0	1	0	3.00
Nathan (S, 15)	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1.46

Hernandez pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

WP: Hernandez, Reyes.
Pitches-strikes: Pettitte 94-64, Farnsworth 21-13, Hernandez 107-65,
Reyes 12-6, Guerrier 20-13, Nathan 11-8.
Ground outs-fly outs: Pettitte 15-4, Farnsworth 1-0, Hernandez 9-8,
Reyes 1-0, Guerrier 3-0, Nathan 2-1.
Batters faced: Pettitte 31, Farnsworth 6, Hernandez 31, Reyes 3,
Guerrier 5, Nathan 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Reyes 1-1, Guerrier 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Gary Darling. 1B: Jerry Meals. 2B: Bill Miller.
3B: Chris Tiller.
Weather: 70 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 2:54.
Att: 20,168.

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Thursday Hot Stove

As reported here yesterday, the Rays and Twins completed a 6 player deal with Delmon Young and Matt Garza being the primary players swapping uni's. One revision was made to the original deal, however, when medical reports on Juan Rincon's elbow were not to the Rays' liking. So Rincon was yanked from the deal, and highly rated relief prospect Eduardo Morlan.

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The Tigers have reported made a multi-year offer to free agent reliever LaTroy Hawkins. The 34-yr old would make up for the loss of Joel Zumaya. Source

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The Rays are reportedly even closer to signing veteran closer Troy Percival to a mulit-year deal. Percival sat out the 2006 season before appearing in 34 games for the St. Louis Cardinals this past season. Source

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The Pirates are open to trading Matt Morris, who they foolishly signed to a 2-yr deal prior to this past season. Morris is set to make $9.5 million this year, which means the Pirates will either not get much in return or will have to eat the bulk of the salary. The Pirates have also gotten trade inquires from the Cardinals concerning shortstop Jack Wilson. Source

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The Rockies thought they had lost free agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba to the Mets, but it looks like the two sides have now agreed to terms. Torrealba completed the first part of a required physical. Source

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Tony LaRussa pleaded guilty to DUI charges stemming from an arrest in Florida during spring training. He'll receive 6 months probation that includes a suspended license and community service. Source

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Breaking News: Twins-Rays swing 6 Player Deal

The Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that the Rays and Twins have reached agreement on a 6 player deal that would send outfielder Delmon Young to Minny and pitcher Matt Garza to Tampa.

Also going to Tampa would be pitcher Juan Rincon and shortstop Jason Barrett. Shortstop Brendan Harris and outfielder Jason Pridie will be headed to Minnesota.

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