Pump It Up

The Yankees and Red Sox are probably playing down this weekend's 3-game series in the Bronx. The Yankees already have a playoff spot sewn up and it's just a matter of time before the Sox sew up the wild card. There's no real reason for the Red Sox, other than to try to get home field advantage, to bust their behinds to win the AL East. It's an uphill battle as they enter the weekend 5 1/2 games behind the Yankees.

The Yankees, as I said, are in and most likely have the division title won. But all that being said, this is an important series for both teams. The Yankees turned the corner against the Red Sox when they swept a four game series at home from Aug. 6 - 9. They followed that up by taking 2 of 3 in Fenway from Aug. 21-23. After losing the first eight games of the series, the Yankees are now 6-9 against Boston. There's no question that the Yankees would like to continue their winning ways against the Red Sox. You always want to be in the head of your opponent and after taking 6 of 7, the Yankees have to be in the Red Sox' minds just a little bit right now. May the trend continue this weekend.

This is probably also the last chance for Joba Chamberlain to show something that could earn him a playoff start. Though he will get one more start against either the Royals or Rays, this start is against a playoff team and a very dangerous one at that.

* * *

The Yankees will probably be without Jerry Hairston Jr. this weekend. An MRI of his sore wrist showed tendinitis, so Hairston received his second cortisone shot in two weeks.

David Robertson has been ruled out of this weekend's series by Brian Cashman.

New Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor will throw out the first pitch before Saturday's game.