1 Week

1 week from tomorrow the fun starts for real. You can tell it is late in spring training; the games are getting very boring. Most of the roster spots are sewn up, but a few remain.

The Yankees traveled to Bradenton today for an 8-0 thumping at the hands of the Pirates. The Yankees had only 2 hits from a lineup which featured only 3 regulars - Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, and Hideki Matsui.

Jeff Karstens, still hoping to nail down the long man role in the pen, did nothing to help himself as today's starter. The right-hander allowed 4 runs on 7 hits in just 3 innings. In fact, 3 of the 5 relievers used by the Yankees also gave up runs. One of the competitors for the long man is Darrell Rasner. Rasner helped himself out on Friday night, tossing 4 shutout innings in the Yankees 2-1 win over the Rays.

Today's loss was the first in a week. Meanwhile, Mike Mussina and Kei Igawa pitched against the Yankees farmhands earlier today. Mussina, facing Triple-A batters, threw 83 pitches, allowing 1 run over 7 innings.

Igawa struck out 8 Double-A batters in 4 innings of work. He threw 55 pitches, 35 of which were strikes. It's unfathomable to us that they're still considering Igawa for the big league roster.

Andy Pettitte, hit with back spasms yesterday, continued to feel soreness today and didn't throw. He's hoping more rest and treatment will get him out there tomorrow.

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Cabrera, CF	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	.333
Nunez, E, SS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cano, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.417
Gardner, B, CF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.379
Matsui, LF	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	.393
Castro, B, 2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.278
Ensberg, 1B	3	0	0	0	0	1	2	.250
Porter, LF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.292
Betemit, SS-1B	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	.175
Lane, RF	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	.250
Ransom, 3B	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	.257
Green, 3B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.182
Woodward, DH	3	0	1	0	0	1	2	.400
Moeller, C	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	.160
Brown, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250
Totals	28	0	2	0	3	3	9
BATTING TB: Matsui; Woodward. GIDP: Moeller. Team LOB: 4. BASERUNNING PO: Matsui (1st base by Maholm). FIELDING Outfield assists: Lane (Bautista at home), Cabrera (Paulino at 3rd base).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Karstens (L, 1-3)	3.0	7	4	4	0	2	0	9.64
Strickland	0.2	2	0	0	0	0	0	3.38
Phillips	1.1	1	0	0	0	1	0	7.11
Veras	1.0	2	2	2	0	1	0	9.00
Ramirez	1.0	2	1	1	1	3	0	4.91
Ohlendorf	1.0	2	1	1	0	2	0	2.35

Karstens pitched to 3 batters in the 4th.

WP: Phillips, Veras, Ohlendorf.
HBP: Bautista (by Veras).
Ground outs-fly outs: Karstens 4-2, Strickland 1-0, Phillips 2-1, Veras 1-1, Ramirez 0-0, Ohlendorf 2-0
Batters faced: Karstens 15, Strickland 3, Phillips 5, Veras 6, Ramirez 6, Ohlendorf 6
Inherited runners-scored: Strickland 1-1, Phillips 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Chad Fairchild. 1B: Charlie Reliford. 2B: Phil Cuzzi. 3B: Kevin Causey.
Weather: 74 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 7 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:27.
Att: 5,791.

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The Bat is Mightier than the Sword

Tyler Clippard only worked 5 innings apiece in his last 2 starts, but came away with victories both times. This time he didn't make it out of the 4th, but the Yankee's offense bailed him out as they romped 13-6, sweeping the 3 game series. The victory was their 6th straight and 9th in the last 11 games.

The Yankees had given Clippard a 3-0 and 5-2 leads against former Yankee Shawn Chacon (2-1), but the rookie got hammered in the 4th, allowing a 2-run double to Chris Duffy and a 2-run single to Jose Bautista. The Pirates lead was short lived though.

With 2 aboard in the bottom of the 4th, Alex Rodriguez blasted his 23rd HR of the season off of , putting the Yankees back on top for good. The Pirates offense was done, but A-Rod wasn't. Two innings later and with a man on, he went the opposite way against Japanese rookie Masumi Kuwata for his 24th HR of the year. The 5 RBI gave up him 61 on the season.

A-Rod wasn't alone though. Bobby Abreu continued his hitting resurgence, going 4-4 with 3 RBI and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Over the 10 game span, Abreu is 19-48, raising his average from .228 to .272.

Sean Henn (2-0) picked up the win with 2 innings of work, with Luis Vizcaino, Scott Proctor, and Mike Myers combining to throw 5 1-3 innings of scoreless relief.

~~~

The kids in today's crowd got Jason Giambi replica bats. Very appropriate since Giambi is a replica of his former self.

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All Systems Go

...and that will be the last NASA reference I use. I might have tossed my lunch if I heard the phrase "Rocket Relaunch" used one more time on YES. For one day at least, Roger Clemens' return to the Bronx was a successful one. Clemens allowed 3 runs over 6 innings, striking out 7, despite not having his best fastball. YES analyst Al Leiter speculated that the Rocket's groin injury was preventing him from pushing off the rubber with as much force as he normally would.

The Yankees won 9-3 for their 5th straight win, and 8th in the last 10 games. It also assured them of their 3rd straight series victory.

The Pirates struck immediately against Clemens, who superstitiously and traditionally rubbed his sweat on Babe Ruth's plaque after warm-ups, scoring a run in the 1st on an Adam LaRoche single. But the Yankee's offense (Michael Kay had to constantly remind us that this is NOT the Houston Astro's offense) came right back in their half of the inning.

Johnny Damon lead off with a sliced single to left. Derek Jeter ripped a double into the left field corner and the Yankees were set up for a big inning. Bobby Abreu bounced back to the mound, but A-Rod got the tying run in on an RBI ground out to third. A Jorge Posada single put the Yankees ahead and another run would come home on a Robinson Cano infield single that was originally called an error.

Clemens gave the lead back though in the 4th when he issued a 2-out walk to Ronny Paulino to put 2 men aboard. Jack Wilson then sailed a ball over Abreu's (replays showed he cut across instead of back in a diagonal pattern) head in right for a 2-run double. But the Pirates were done for the day.

Meanwhile the Yankees took the lead on a Posada sac fly in the 5th, and added to it with 2 runs in the 6th and 7th innings, and another in the 8th.

But this day was all about Clemens. He threw 108 pitches, one more than his 24-yr old counterpart Paul Maholm. He allowed 5 hits, walked 2 and struck out 7. In his post-game remarks he was content with his outing and felt he'll get stronger as the season progresses. Most of all he just glad to get the Yankees a 'W'.

~~~

Nice moment of the day - utility man Chris Basak, who has spent 7 years in the minors, came in as a pinch-runner for A-Rod and stayed in as a defensive replacement. After the game, Joe Torre gave him the lineup card.

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Walk-off Dribbler Beats Bucs

Two years ago Jason Giambi hit a dramatic walk-off 2-run, upper deck HR in the 10th to the beat the Pirates 7-5. Tonight, Derek Jeter only hit the ball about 75 feet, but the results were the same - a Yankees win, the 7th in their last 9 games.

Robinson Cano lead off the bottom of the 10th against Matt Capps (1-1) with a drive off the left-center field wall for a double. Melky Cabrera sacrificed him to 3rd and then the Yankees got a big break on Miguel Cairo's grounder to third. Jose Bautista looked Cano back for too long, allowing Cairo to reach base safely. It's plays like that has Pirates skipper Jim Tracy looking a lot older than his 51 years.

After Cairo took 2nd on defensive indifference, the Pirates elected to intentionally walk Johnny Damon to set up a force at any base. Jeter then hit a tapper to the right of the mound that 2nd Baseman Freddie Sanchez couldn't barehand. It's unlikely there would have been a play on Cano at the plate even if Sanchez were able to field it cleanly.

Andy Pettitte appeared to be the victim of lack of run support after he allowed a fluke 2-run inside the park HR to Chris Duffy. Duffy's 7th inning line drive eluded Cabrera, reminiscent of struggles Cabrera had 2 years ago. But the Yankees came right back in their half of the inning.

Miguel Cairo doubled off of starter Tom Gorzelanny, moved to third on Damon's ground out, and scored on Jeter's RBI single. Lefty John Grabow allowed a single to Bobby Abreu and Salomon Torres hit A-Rod to load the bases. Jorge Posada's line single to right tied the game, before Damaso Marte came in to get Hideki Matsui and Cano to end the threat.

The Yankees rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the 6th when Matsui belted his 6th HR of the year with a man aboard. For the 2nd straight night Mariano Rivera appeared in a pair of innings. He worked the 9th and 10th innings to earn his 2nd win in 5 decisions.

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Yankees vs. Pirates Preview

The Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates meet this weekend for the first time since a 3 game Yankees sweep in June, 2005. Not much has changed for Pittsburgh since then other manager Jim Tracy. They are still a low payroll, low victory ball club.

Here are the pitching probables for the weekend.

Friday - Tom Gorzelanny vs. Andy Pettitte
Saturday - Paul Maholm vs. Roger Clemens
Sunday - Shawn Chacon vs. Tyler Clippard

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Rasner Makes a Pitch

Darrell Rasner increased his chances of making the big club today, allowing 1 unearned run over 4 2-3 innings in the Yankees 3-2 loss to the Pirates. The right hander, foolishly let go by the Nats last year, scattered 7 hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out 5. It's possible that Ron Villone's struggles of late could be a big benefit to Rasner, who now has 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. In addition, the 26 yr-old has not allowed a walk while striking out 9.

Sean Henn is making things tough for Joe Torre as well. The soon to be 26-yr old lefty, struggled with control in 2 stints in the majors, but has excelled this spring. He's only allowed 2 walks, while striking out 5 in 7 shutout innings (incl. 1 today).

Former Yankee Shawn Chacon blanked the Bombers for 3 innings today before Hideki Matsui's single off of Shane Youman brought home Bobby Abreu for a l-0 lead in the 4th. The Pirates scored a pair of runs in the 7th off of Colter Bean for a 3-1 lead. The Yankees got one back in the 8th when spring hitting machine, Josh Phelps, singled and eventually came home on Bronson Sardhina's sac fly.

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Posada HRs as Yankees Rally

Jorge Posada hit his 1st home run of the spring and the Yankees rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th for a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. Jeff Kennard picked up the victory, while Jose Veras pitched a scoreless 9th for the save.

Mike Mussina gave up a solo home run to Brad Eldred in his 2 innings of work. Matt DeSalvo, Kyle Farnsworth, and Sean Henn also threw for the Yankees. Ramiro Pena, Marcos Vechionacci, and Kevin Reese paced the offense with an RBI each.

R H E

Pirates 3 9 0
Yankees 4 6 0





Jorge goes deep

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