Yankees in a Royal Mess

Jeremy Guthrie making the Yankees look foolish

These are the days of the roller coaster Yankees. Win some, lose some, lather, rinse, repeat. The Yankees reeled off five straight victories after a six game slide. They were about to make it six wins a row on Sunday, until Mariano Rivera made for some very bad juju.

I'm not overly superstitious except when it comes to sports. If I played well in an ice hockey game, I'd have the same pre-game meal the next time out. Never stepped on the foul lines taking the field for a baseball or softball game. I've been known to have a lucky seat or two while watching a game at home.

That's why I shook my head when Mariano came on to close out Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles with his socks up high in tribute to David Robertson and his quest to be voted into the All-Star game. On top of that, Mo broke in a new pair of spikes. Bad juju all around...moments later the Yankees had lost 2-1 on an Adam Jones home run. A six game winning streak instead was a one game losing streak, which was about to become a two game losing streak.

Monday night Phil Hughes took the mound against Jeremy Guthrie in the start of a four game series with the KC Royals. Hughes gave up a quick home run to Billy Butler (What would a Hughes start be without a home run.) and RBI double to Danny Lough, both in the 2nd inning. Hughes settled down, but the rain clouds didn't and a 59 minute delay ensued.

Hughes didn't return, but Guthrie did and the Yankees couldn't do anything against him. Hell, he didn't even hit anyone, which he tends to do against the Yanks. Adam Warren pitched effectively in 3.2 innings of relief, but the Royals extended the lead to 3-0 before Lyle Overbay hit a pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the 7th. The game got out of hand again in the 9th when Preston Claiborne gave up two more for a 5-1 deficit. The bloom has come off the rose for Claiborne, who has been scored upon in four of his last nine outings.

The Yankees brought the tying run to the plate with no one out in the 9th after they loaded the bases on a walk to Overbay and consecutive singles by Luis Cruz and Chris Stewart. But closer Greg Holland, who gave up the hit to Stewart, struck out Eduardo Nunez, Brett Gardner, and Zoilo Almonte to end the game.

Looks like that the roller coaster is in a descent again.

Notes

Michael Kay brought up a good point during the game- why rest guys like Nunez already? He's only 26 years old, had played two games and was 3-6 with three RBI and a run scored. For a team having trouble scoring why sit someone swinging a hot bat?

Travis Ishikawa was picked up on waivers from Baltimore on Sunday and was inserted in the starting lineup at first base to give Overbay a partial night off. Ishikawa struck out his first two times and was booed. Welcome to the Bronx. He also avoided a ball hit between him and Robinson Cano that he should have attempted to field.

David Adams was sent down to Scranton to make room on the 25-man roster for Ishikawa. Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis were both moved to the 60-day DL over the last few days to make room on the 40-man roster.

Pettitte Gets Back on Track; Yankees Alone in 1st

Andy Pettitte was just plain horrible in back to back starts against the Houston Astros and Oakland A's that preceded Saturday night's contest with Kansas City. 10 earned runs, 14 hits, and five walks allowed in just 9.1 innings pitched. Needless to say the Yankees lost both games, though Pettitte only figured in the decision against the Astros.

It was a worrisome pair of outings, particularly after Pettitte had a start pushed back to balky back. But have no fear, good ol' Andy is here. Pettitte was back on track in Kansas City last night with seven efficient innings and his 4th win in a 3-2 victory over the Royals.

Pettitte needed a good start, especially after his son Josh recently pitched his second high school no-hitter of the year. 68 of Pettitte's 100 pitches were for strikes, which helped him to seven strikeouts and just one walk. He was staked to a 1-0 lead, but when Billy Butler blasted a solo home run in the 4th inning, Pettitte was in a 2-1 hole. Glove in front of his face, eyes glaring at catcher Chris Stewart's mitt, Pettitte wasn't about to allow any more runs. With his cutter in tact, Pettitte allowed just two more Royals to reach base.

Meanwhile the Yankees were up against James Shields, one of the better right-handers in baseball...except when it comes to the Yankees. With a man aboard in the 5th inning, Shields served up a pitch on a silver platter to Vernon Wells, who smacked it out for his 8th home run of the year.  That's all Pettitte and the pen needed.

David Robertson struck out the side in the 8th inning on 12 pitches and Mariano Rivera picked up his 14th save in as many tries after he allowed a two-out double to Salvador Perez in the 9th.

You can bet Joe Girardi breathed a sigh of relief after he saw his old battery mate Pettitte pitch like his old self.

Notes

Jayson Nix has always had home run pop in his bat, but never had much to show when it came to batting average and OPS. The Royals must think he's Ty Cobb though - in the two games, Nix has four hits, a pair of walks, and was hit by a pitch in nine plate appearances.

Pettitte has won his last 10 starts vs. the Royals.

Returning to the Scene of the Ouch and Other Injury Related News

Bullpen coach Mike Harkey's face said it all last May.

On May 3 of last year Yankees fans saw something that nearly made them all hurl. It was Mariano Rivera writhing around in agony on the warning track in Kansas City's Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. Baseball's all-time greatest closer was in the midst of his normal pre-game ritual of shagging fly balls during batting practice when he went down in a heap.

Several minutes later Rivera was carted off the field with a torn ACL in his right knee. Just 25 games into the 2012 season, Rivera's season was over after just nine appearances and five saves. One year and one week later, the Yankees and Rivera are back in Kansas City for a three game series with the Royals.

Rivera underwent surgery in July and successfully rehabbed in time for the start of the 2013 season. At the moment he leads the American League with 13 saves in 15 games pitched. He's struck out 12 and walked just two in 14.1 innings, and allowed three earned runs (1.88). In other words he's having a Mariano Rivera-type season in this, his final season.

Rivera has returned to his pre-game ritual this season, but Joe Girardi has noticed that Rivera doesn't go after baseballs as hard as he used to. He half-jokingly added, "I'm not going to challenge him on it."

Rivera wasn't the only one that had issues in Kansas City last season. Robinson Cano was booed mercilessly after he did not select the Royals' Billy Butler to participate in the 2012 All-Star home run derby. To make matters worse, the game was actually in Kansas City. The fans went too far in my opinion and were pretty damn obnoxious, especially since it was an All-Star event and not the regular season.

Whether or not it affected Cano, the defending champion, was unclear, but he made a very early exit from the contest. Cano can get even by continuing the success he has had against KC - an .839 OPS 7 HR 39 RBI in 60 games.

I'll get back to the injuries in a moment, but first and I mean first, let's talk about the AL East standings on this fine Friday. Right there in the paper, on your internet, on your iPhone app, was the New York Yankees sitting atop the American League East division. Technically, it's a three way tie (NY 20-13, Bal, Bos 21-14) between the Yankees, Orioles, and suddenly floundering Red Sox, but the Yankees have a .006 percentage lead. Boo hiss to one of my favorite sites - baseball-reference.com - which put the standings in alphabetical order. That's not the way it works boys.

Okay, back to the walking wounded- Curtis Granderson went 1-3 Thursday night as a member of the Yankees Triple 'A' Scranton RailRiders. (Months later the team name still stinks.) The plan is for Granderson, who played right field last night, to play all three outfield positions while he completes his rehab from the broken forearm he got in the first Spring Training game of the season.

Eduardo Nunez is feeling better, but still cannot swing a bat due to soreness in his rib cage/oblique area. If the Yankees have to DL Nunez it can be back dated to May 6, which would make him eligible for activation on the 20th of May.

As a precaution the Yankees have brought back the attorney general, Alberto Gonzalez. The utility infielder was a member of the Yankees organization for 2007 and part of 2008. He was acquired from Arizona when the Yankees sent Randy Johnson back to the desert in January, 2007, and then was dealt to the Nationals at the 2008 trade deadline for pitcher Jhonny Nunez. (Nunez was part of the package later sent to Chicago for Nick Swisher.) The Yankees will send a player to be named later or cash to the Chicago Cubs for Gonzalez, who will report to Scranton.

Ivan Nova remains on track to start in one of Monday's doubleheader make up games with the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees will then head to the Bronx for a six game homestand with the Mariners and Blue Jays.

Girardi is optimistic that Joba Chamberlain will be able to return on time when he's eligible to be activated this coming Tuesday. He backed away a little bit from the statement by adding that you never know with oblique injuries.