Cano, Mo, and 1 to Go

The Yankees and Baltimore Orioles have been waging baseball battles since last October's pitching dominant American League Division Series. With a chance to make the playoffs this season on the line, the current four games series between the two teams comes emotionally close to the last Fall's nail biters. Wednesday night the Yankees rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the O's 5-4 in a game that had fans of both teams on edge at the end of the game.

Coupled with Tampa Bay's 10 inning loss to Boston (On a Mike Carp pinch-hit grand slam), the Yankees sit one game in back of the Rays for the second wild card spot. Cleveland lost earlier in the day to Kansas City, so once again the Yankees only have the Rays in front of them. Thursday is the finale of the Orioles series with Phil Hughes pitted against Wei-Yin Chen.

Andy Pettitte gutted out six innings plus one batter in the 7th to keep the game tied 3-3 after Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez hit solo home runs in consecutive innings (5th, 6th) to even things up. The game remained tied until the 9th when Robinson Cano blasted a Tommy Hunter pitch on to Eutaw St. for a 4-3 Yankees lead.

The Yankees added a huge insurance run when Adam Jones couldn't run down a catchable ball driven deep to center by Granderson. The Chicago native raced to third with a stand up triple and scored on Lyle Overbay's infield single off of Troy Patton. Yes, you read that correctly; Overbay beat the throw from shortstop J.J. Hardy after he hit one in the hole on the left side of the infield.

The extra run proved vital after Mariano Rivera ran into trouble after he easily retired the first two batters in the 9th inning. Rivera, who had gotten a four out save on Wednesday, gave up a two-out double to Nate McLouth and Brian Roberts delivered him with an RBI single. The Yankees got a break in that Roberts is not the major base stealing threat he once was. Rivera then struck out Manny Machado to pick up his 43rd save of the season.

Notes

Chris Stewart made a big play in the 7th when he gunned down McLouth trying to steal second base after he drew a lead off walk from Pettitte.

Scott Feldman got a tough no decision after he allowed three runs on just three hits in 7.1 innings pitched.

1 Inning Martin-izing Lifts Yankees

Photo courtesy of USA Today

There was the usual moaning, groaning, and grousing last night by Yankees' fans on Facebook, Twitter, and the more traditional bars and living rooms.

Why can't the Yankees get a hit with men on? Why are they bunting? Why are they..whatever?

When it came right down to it, the difference in the Yankees 7-2 ALDS Game 1 win over the Baltimore Orioles was the 2012 standby, the home run. It came off the bat of catcher Russell Martin, who hit a career high 21 home runs in the regular season, and ignited a five-run 9th inning that game the Yankees a 1-0 advantage in the best of five series.

It also made a winner of CC Sabathia, who pitched a stellar 8.2 innings to pick up his first post-season victory since Game 5 of the 2010 ALCS against Texas. Ironically, that game finished with a 7-2 score as well.

Sabathia had given up a pair of runs in the 3rd inning, but scattered eight hits and pitched out of any additional trouble he had on the night. He came within one out of a complete game, but his 120th pitch was a two-out double by Lew Ford in the 9th. That prompted Joe Girardi to call on David Robertson to close things out and the right-hander did just that when he blew a fastball past Ryan Flaherty for a third strike.

Both teams had shots to take the lead throughout the game, but the Yankees added to their woes with a couple of base running gaffes. Ichiro Suzuki followed Derek Jeter's game starting single with a gapper to left-center that scoring the Yankees captain for a quick 1-0 lead. With Alex Rodriguez at the plate, Ichiro felt he could steal off O's starter Jason Hammel, but didn't get a good jump and was easily gunned out by catcher Matt Wieters.

With two aboard in the 4th, Mark Teixeira ripped a line drive off the scoreboard in right to tie the game (2-2), but he then tried to stretch a single into a double. Presumably said attempt took place because Chris Davis, normally a corner infielder, was playing right field for the injured Nick Markakis. Teixeira would likely not have run on Markakis' arm, but was still easily thrown out at second base by Davis.

Buck Showalter elected to intentionally walk Curtis Granderson and it paid off when Hammel got Martin to fly out to end the inning.  The Orioles had a great chance to take the lead when they put runners on the corners against Sabathia in the 5th, but the lefty struck out Nate McLouth and got J.J. Hardy to bounce out. Sabathia also picked up his shortstop an inning later, after Jeter's error put two on with two outs, when he got Davis to fly out to center for the third out.

The Yankees finally took control in the 9th against Orioles closer Jim Johnson. After Martin's home run, Raul Ibanez singled through the right side and went to third on Jeter's hit-and-run single. Ichiro Suzuki then cued a ball that died in the grass near the first base line to score pinch-runner Eduardo Nunez for 4-2 advantage.

Alex Rodriguez continued to struggle and struck out for the third time on the night, but red-hot Robinson Cano delivered both base runners with a double to left. The Yankees added one more run on a Nick Swisher sacrifice fly against Tommy Hunter.

Notes

Game 2 will see Andy Pettitte on the mound in October for the first time since he allowed two runs over seven innings in a Game 3 loss to Texas in the ALCS two years ago. Cliff Lee and Neftali Feliz combined on  a shutout and the Yankees pen put the game out of reach when they allowed six  runs in the top of the 9th for an 8-0 final.  Overall, Pettitte is 19-10, 3.83 in 42 career post-season appearances, all starts. He'll be opposed by Wei-Yin Chen this evening.

Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira both know that for the Yankees to succeed they need to break out of the dual slump that has plagued them in post-season baseball in Pinstripes. Last night was a good start as both reached base three times (Swisher, 2 walks, 1 hit, Teixeira, 2 hits, 1 walk) and drove in a run each.

Many Yankees fans were not pleased that Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. was part of the TBS broadcast booth (along with Ernie Johnson and John Smoltz) last night and for the series. But the man who broke Lou Gehrig's iron man streak showed no bias, and it's absolutely ridiculous if anyone thinks his being part of the broadcast has an affect on the game.

The Wild, The Innocent, and The Eutaw Street Shuffle

Camden Yards in Baltimore was a crazy scene tonight man. The Yankees behind a dominant performance by Bartolo Colon looked like they were going to knock off the Baltimore Orioles in neat, fast fashion. Colon threw just 87 pitches and hit 97-mph in the 8th inning.

The Yankees had scratched across just a single run off starter Zach Britton with the help of an error. So you have Mariano Rivera in your bullpen with a 1-0 lead entering the 9th inning. What do you do? Unless you have a Roy Halladay on the mound you probably go to Mo. Girardi did and it backfired. Rivera gave up a pair of singles and a sac fly to Vladimir Guerrero to tie the game at 1-1.

So off to extra innings we went and went and went...the Yankees wasted opportunity after opportunity as did the Orioles. Rookie Hector Noesi made his Major League debut and threw the final four innings to earn his first big league victory.

The Yankees finally broke through in the 15th on back to back singles by Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez off Jeremy Accardo, and a gapper to right-center by Robinson Cano off left-hander Mike Gonzalez. Teixeira scored easily and Rodriguez followed when centerfielder Adam Jones double dribbled the baseball. It also allowed Cano to advance to third base. Then things got scary.

Gonzalez then drilled outfielder Chris Dickerson in the bill of his helmet. The helmet or the ball all glanced off his cheek and left a huge welt. Dickerson was removed from the game and sent to the hospital for a CT scan. Gonzalez was (seemingly) erroneously ejected by home plate umpire Dan Bellino. It appeared Gonzalez wasn't throwing at Dickerson- why would he? (Oddly though, Gonzalez did not argue.)

With no relievers left in the Orioles bullpen, Buck Showalter, whose emotions ranged from rage to exhaustion throughout the game, had to go to Thursday's starter Jeremy Guthrie. Next strange step- with Jorge Posada as the only position (without a position) player left on the bench, Joe Girardi sent A.J. Burnett in to pinch-run. Brett Gardner's sac fly brought in a big insurance run before Guthrie recorded the final two outs in the inning. That was a good thing since it kept Burnett from having to run the bases. Burnett wore a big grin though as he received numerous high fives in the dugout for his "contribution".

The drama wasn't over though. Nick Markakis led off the 15th with a single and Noesi then walked Brandon Snyder. Luke Scott, mired in a big slump, lined out to left for the first out and then the nuttiness struck again. Matt Wieters grounder struck Snyder for the second out and Wieters was credited with a hit. Noesi then retired J.J. Hardy on a fly out to end the 4:56 of baseball.

So much happened in this game, but I am way too tired to recount the rest.

Topsy Turvy Two Weeks | Baseball Digest

Topsy Turvy Two Weeks | Baseball Digest

It’s been a little over two weeks since the start of the Major League baseball season; so far we’ve seen some things that everyone would expect, but there has been plenty to make us go, “huh?”

The Baltimore Orioles started out like gangbusters winning their first four games and six of seven. The media quickly jumped on the bandwagon, “The Orioles have turned things around”; “Buck Showalter is a genius”. Well hold on to your crab cakes, the O’s have lost eight straight. Teams live and die with their pitching- during the losing streak the Orioles’ staff has given up nearly seven runs a game. Let’s all hold off on considering the O’s AL East contenders. Mm, k?

Speaking of fast starts, the AL Central leaders squared off last night. Twins? Tigers? White Sox? Forget it; it was the Indians and Royals. Yes, Cleveland and Kansas City entered Monday night’s play as the only two AL Central teams above .500. The Tribe won in extra innings and are a remarkable 12-4. The Indians rotation has been bolstered by their #3 and #4 starters, Justin Masterson and Josh Tomlin, who have gone a combined 6-0, 2.03 in their six starts. The Indians have also gotten big time offensive production from an unexpected source- their middle infield. Second baseman Orlando Cabrera and shortstop Asdrubel Cabrera have combined for 25 RBI. And could it be that Travis Hafner’s shoulder is finally healthy? “Pronk” has a 1.061 OPS through 14 games. The Indians also turned the season’s first triple play- you can check it out here.

The Indians built most of their record without the services of center fielder Grady Sizemore who returned on Sunday with a home run. In two games, Sizemore is 5-9 with a pair of doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored.

Will Troy Tulowitzki break Barry Bonds’ home run record? No, but the star shortstop is healthy (and hopefully he stays that way), which should mean a huge offensive year. The Rockies have won 12 of their first 16 games in no small part because of Tulo’s 1.259 OPS, 7 HR, and 14 RBI. 2010 NL MVP contender Carlos Gonzalez has also picked up where he left off with 12 RBI. The Rockies are getting contributions from everywhere and at this rate I am going to have to eat my words for saying the Rockies wouldn’t make the playoffs. I get some redemption for talking about how overlooked Jhoulys Chacin was as a rookie last season. He’s off to a 3-0, 1.64 start and has picked up the slack for the injured Ubaldo Jimenez.

It looks like someone has finally gotten through to Matt Kemp, the Dodgers’ Mr. Inconsistency. Who better than new manager and hitter extraordinaire Don Mattingly? Kemp has always had the ability, but has been knocked for his inability to produce. Hello .459 batting average. Throw in 3 HR, 13 RBI, and 8 SB, and you have a monster season in the making. No expects Kemp to keep the average going, but a .325-30-100 line sure would be appreciated by the Dodger faithful.

The Twins are the consensus pick to repeat as AL Central champs, but they better wake up soon, especially their bullpen. Off to a 6-10 start and in last place, the Twins bullpen, a supposed strength is crumbling. Joe Nathan, a year removed from Tommy John surgery, returned to his closer role and last year’s closer Matt Capps became the 8th inning guy. Great 1-2 punch, right? Someone forgot to tell the two of them. Perhaps he’s not at 100%, but whatever the reason Nathan is out at closer after two blown saves, a loss, and five earned runs allowed in 5.1 IP. Capps struggled in the set up role, but has saved both games he entered as the new closer (he did blow one save prior to that in extra innings after Nathan had blown the lead in the ninth inning.)

Monday night the Tigers’ Ryan Raburn became the first player to hit a ball off the roof in Seattle’s Safeco Field. The ball was foul the entire time and fell between third baseman Chone Figgins and catcher Miguel Olivo in foul territory.

Ryan Franklin’s days as St. Louis’ closer are close to being over (they should have been already). The guy with the creepy goatee has blown four saves already in just 16 games. With the competitive NL Central, you just can’t be giving games away. At least someone hold him down and shave that thing off.

Some Q & A between me and me.

Should Yankees fans be worried about Derek Jeter and Phil Hughes?

Worry is probably too strong of a word, but if you follow the Pinstripes you should be concerned. Some fans and media (e.g. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan) have already pushed the panic button and feel Jeter should be batting eighth or ninth. While Jeter struggled for most of last season and hasn’t hit too many balls out of the infield this season, this season has only consisted of 14 games. Jeter’s reputation, at the very least, has earned him a full month or more before a move should even be considered.

Hughes is the bigger concern for manager Joe Girardi at the moment and rightly so. In his three starts, last year’s 18-game winner’s velocity has been missing in action. Normally throwing 92-93 mph, Hughes isn’t hitting 90 on the radar gun this season and has been battered around the ballpark. He’s now on the DL with a “dead arm”, which he at first didn’t want to own up to (perhaps he’s not really injured), and will work on long tossing to strengthen his prized right arm.

Are Josh Beckett and John Lackey for real?

Good question. Beckett has had back to back dominate performances, one of them against an impressive Yankees lineup. While I don’t believe he’ll continue throwing 2-hit ball for seven innings, it does give Red Sox Nation some hope. Lackey on the other hand could be a real problem. The 215 innings Lackey threw last year concerned me since he his numbers have steadily declined since he topped 200 innings in 2006-2007. He’s won one of his two starts this season, but has an ERA of 15.88 and has had his turn skipped once. Manager Terry Francona: “A lot of his pitches, it didn’t seem like he finished them, [he] left them in the middle. He had two walks, a hit batsman, and all three scored. Against that (Yankees) lineup, you got to make them earn everything they get, because they’re that good.”

Is Zach Britton the real deal?

Though he got knocked around in his last start, you bet he is. While Britton, the Orioles number one pitching prospect wasn’t expected to contribute until later in the season, he won his first two games and posted a 0.69 ERA. ESPN’s Buster Olney feels that Britton could generate as much buzz this year as the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg did last season.

Will Jose Bautista pop 50 home runs again?

Not a chance, but Bautista should hit 30-35. He’s hit three already and is slugging at a .510 rate, but a lot will depend on how much protection he gets in the order. At the moment that responsibility falls to Adam Lind; after a quick start, Lind is hitting just .230 as he tries to recapture his 2009 season (.305-35-114).

Biggest surprise and disappointment

Teams – If Tampa Bay hadn’t just won 7 of 10 it would have been them, but the Red Sox 2-10 start (now 5-10) is the winner for losing/disappointment. 2-10? Incomprehensible. I have to go back to the Tribe for the surprise. 12-4? Get out of here.

Players – Alex Gordon, KC. The uber-prospect may finally be reaching the heights expected of him. He’s batting .353 so far and is playing like someone with confidence. Finally. (Matt Kemp gets honorable mention) The biggest disappointment, hands down, is Boston’s Carl Crawford. The big free agent signee is already being vilified in Boston for his .133/.175/.167 splits. And when you don’t get on base, you don’t steal. Crawford has just two thefts in three attempts. (Phil Hughes gets honorable mention)

Pie Gets Rid Of The Hughes Blues

Tonight's game between the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees started out well enough, but Phil Hughes put the Yankees in a 5-0 hole midway through the game. Hughes is thankful to get a no decision tonight after the Yankees bullpen held the Orioles in check and Nick Swisher capped a dramatic comeback with a 10th sacrifice fly for a 6-5 Yankees victory.

The Yankees chipped away against starter Jake Arrieta and cut the Orioles lead to 5-4 entering the bottom of the 9th. DH Jorge Posada greeted closer Kevin Gregg by drilling his first pitch over the outstretched glove of Adam Jones in right-center field for a game tying home run. Posada has seven hits this season, five of which are home runs.

Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless 10th and would earn the victory when the Yankees got to left-hander Mike Gonzalez in the bottom of the inning. Mark Teixeira drew a lead off walk and red hot Alex Rodriguez followed with a rope double to left to put two runners in scoring position with no one out. Buck Showalter went against the percentages and decided against intentionally walking Robinson Cano to set up a force at any base. The former Yankees skipper got a break when Cano lined out to short, but Swisher's fly to right scored Teixeira easily when Nick Markakis' throw traveled well up the 3rd base line.

Though his fastball was only clocking at 90, Hughes retired six of the first seven batters he faced and threw two scoreless innings. But in the 3rd, with one on and one out, Markakis drilled a home run into the seats right for a 2-0 O's lead. The Orioles manufactured another run an inning later when Luke Scott reached on a lead off double and came around on a ground out by Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds' sac fly.

Hughes would exit early for his third straight start when Markakis' 2-out double plated Cesar Izturis with the Orioles 4th run. Vlad Guerrero added an RBI single off Bartolo Colon to close out Hughes' night with five earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched. But Colon (3 IP), Joba Chamberlain (1.2 IP) and Rivera would blank the O's the rest of the way with a little help from the Yankee Stadium backstop

Chamberlain entered the game with runners on the corners and one out in the 8th and immediately uncorked a pitch in the dirt that went to the backstop, but the ball took a fortuitous bounce back to Russell Martin. The Yankees catcher threw to Chamberlain at home plate to nail the speedy Felix Pie (pee-ay) to keep it a one run game. Then it was time for some pie (p).

Notes

Alex Rodriguez has eight hits in his last 13 at-bats to boost his average to .412.

FullCountPitch - The Full Count: Jen Royle

Jen Royle talks with Orioles starter Brian Matusz

After seven years covering the New York Yankees for the YES Network, MLBAM and SIRIUS/XM’s Baseball Channel, Jen Royle moved to Baltimore to cover the Orioles and Ravens on MASN and 105.7 The Fan.

You can catch Jen from 6-7:15 on “Baltimore Baseball Tonight’s” O’s pregame show with Jim Duquette and Joe Orsulak for Baltimore’s 105.7 The Fan, and you can also follow her on Twitter.

Today, Jen becomes the latest victim guest for “The Full Count”.

FCP: You were a Red Sox fan growing up, how did you put that aside when you starting working for other teams?

Jen Royle: YES! I was a huge Red Sox fan growing up. I literally grew up at Fenway Park. My parents were both born and raised in the city of Boston and my grandparents lived 10 minutes from Fenway Park when I was a child. So needless to say, I spent a lot of time at the ballpark. I vividly remember my father putting me on his shoulders so I could see Wade Boggs, Jim Rice, Mike Greenwell, Dwight Evans, etc. And I grew up watching Roger Clemens. Fast forward 20 years later, who would have thought I would end up covering Clemens with the New York Yankees.

In terms of the fan in me disappearing, it just sort of happened naturally. Once I started working for the YES Network in New York, I didn’t care at all about the Red Sox. I sort of just naturally turned into an unbiased, objective reporter. And let me make this clear, I didn’t care about the Yankees either in terms of winning or losing. I did, however, start to pull for certain people.

I think what most fans don’t understand is once you start covering ONE team on a daily basis, you start to build really nice relationships so it becomes difficult to hope they fail. So that also played a part in me not caring about the Red Sox anymore.

FCP: You came to Baltimore after working in the New York market for the YES Network. What’s the biggest difference you see in the way the Orioles and Yankees are covered?

Jen Royle: I mean, you can’t even compare. From a fan standpoint, a media standpoint and an organization standpoint, it’s just COMPLETELY different. In fact, to be completely honest, I think it was a culture shock for me my first month on the job. I started to question my decision to move to Baltimore because the team started off 2-16 and there were maybe 10,000 fans in the ballpark. Not to mention, I was the new girl in town and was under an abundance of scrutiny because of where I came from — Boston and New York. I had no friends in town and I was driving for the first time in 10 years. So I was a “Negative Nelly” at the beginning.

There are maybe six Orioles reporters in the clubhouse after a game, compared to 30-50 in New York. The Orioles organization doesn’t have the “win now” mentality that the Yankees have, mostly because they don’t have the financial resources and they know competing in the American League East is a much tougher task. Andy MacPhail is doing the best job he can, but he is certainly at an unfair advantage when competing with Brian Cashman.

When I covered the Yankees, we didn’t leave the clubhouse until the last player was one, we stayed on the field with them during batting practice and we went back into the clubhouse after batting practice. In Baltimore, with all due respect, the team isn’t as news-worthy. Things that may be a big deal in New York simply aren’t an issue in Baltimore. I can’t stress enough how different of an atmosphere it is.

Click here to read the rest of this free Q & A w/ Jen Royle at FullCountPitch.com

FullCountPitch - Will We Ever Get Out Of This Place?

FullCountPitch - Will We Ever Get Out Of This Place?

The Baltimore Orioles were once the beasts of the AL East, the monsters of MLB. They were a dominant team and a contender from the mid-1960s through the early 1980′s and again in the mid to late 1990′s. But it’s been hard times in “Balmor” since then, with the team usually in last or next to last place in the division. Is there any hope for the O’s to once again join the American League elite?

Some of my most vivid childhood memories include watching players like Frank and Brooks Robinson, and Boog Powell thrash Yankees’ pitching. I remember watching in awe as Dave McNally, Mike Cueller, and Jim Palmer pitched lights out baseball. Of course, I also recall watching manager Earl Weaver manipulate his players, the field, the umpires, etc., to ensure an Orioles win.

Those teams were the O’s teams of the the 3-run home run. There was no small ball; the Orioles just methodically out-pitched, out-hit, and out-defended everyone in their wake. And man could those teams field! Brooks with 16 straight Gold Gloves at 3rd base, Mark Belanger providing no pop, but fielding with the grace of a ballerina, and center fielder Paul Blair running down any ball hit to the gaps.

The Orioles, not the Yankees or Red Sox, were the team that everyone wanted to be. While Boston and New York had their heated moments and a few players exchanged punches to the face in the 1970′s, they were always looking up at Baltimore in the standings. Today Yankees and Red Sox fans hate one another and each other’s team, but back then any animosity I felt towards the Orioles was out of jealousy. The Orioles simply did everything right. And yet despite all of that, the Orioles won the World Series only twice (1966, 1970) during the era of their AL dominance from the mid 1960′s through the 1970′s. They lost to the Amazing Mets in 1969, blew 3 -1 leads in games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in both the 1971 and 1979 World Series, and ran into the Oakland A’s juggernaut in the 1973-1974 ALCS’.

Read the rest of the free article at FullCountPitch.

Brian Roberts Nick Markakis Buck Showalter Matt Wieters Brian Matusz

Willie Randolph Lands On His Seat

Congrats to Willie Randolph, always an all-time favorite. Willie has been added to Buck Showalter's staff in Baltimore as his bench coach.

I Hate Bad Sports Days

I hate days like Sunday. I was already still fuming from the Yankees loss yesterday when I sat down to watch the Giants football game. I am not going to even get into that one...I shut it off at halftime before I was tempted to throw the TV out the window.

As for the Yankees game, a very disappointing loss considering they could have gone into tonight's series with the Rays 1.5 up instead of .5. Mariano is going to blow games, it happens. Andy Pettitte pitched very well and was a big silver lining. And relievers, like David Robertson, are going to give up a run to lose a game. It all happens.

The really aggravating thing is the complete lack of clutch hitting that has spread through the team at an epidemic proportion. I now cringe when the bases are loaded. They were in the top of the 11th when Lance Berkman stepped up and promptly bounced into an inning ending double play.

I was also not too happy about Alex Rodriguez sitting down with Mark Teixeira already out of the lineup. Michael Kay and Ken Singleton speculated that Joe Girardi wanted to be sure to have A-Rod for all three games against the Rays.

It doesn't make sense. Play A-Rod and sit him against Boston on Friday. Yes, you heard that correctly. The Red Sox are a non-factor now except for playing the role of spoiler. You can't have a lineup that is missing two of your three biggest guns.

Pitching Probables for Rays Series.

Tonight it's Matt Garza against rookie Ivan Nova in a rematch of a game in Tampa last week. The Yankees knocked Garza around and Nova couldn't hold a 6-0 lead. The Yankees eventually won the roller coaster ride.

Tuesday night has another rematch- James Shields vs. Phil Hughes. Shields has been average pitcher that looks like a Hall of Fame caliber hurler when he faces the Yankees. Hughes pitched a sound game, but threw two gopher balls to Dan Johnson that cost the Yankees the game.

Wednesday has Wade Davis going against A.J. Burnett, who will be trying to build off his strong start in Baltimore.

And the Thursday finale could be a rematch of the thrilling David Price-CC Sabathia duel that took place last week in Tampa. The Yankees have not officially named Sabathia the starter according to the MLB probables.

Giants

Okay, I can't resist. What a pathetic, no-show performance by this supposed football team. Did the defensive players forget to get off the team bus? Always a mistake to watch the Giants in prime time.

The Buck Stops in Baltimore

The Baltimore Orioles finally have a new manager. Former Yankees (1992-19195) skipper Buck Showalter is said to be taking over the Orioles next week. The O's have been looking for a new permanent manager since canning Dave Trembley on June 4.

After some long negotiations with Bobby Valentine, the O's turned their focus on Showalter, who hasn't worn the managers uniform since running the Texas Rangers from 2003-2006.

Showalter, who also managed the Diamondbacks (1998-2000), has a career record of 313-268.

Yankees Still Looking to Sign Heathcott

The Yankees and their first round draft Slade Heathcott are working this weekend to iron out a deal. I asked Slade how things stood:

"Were trying to work things out right Now we will know for sure on monday(sic)".

Monday is, of course, the deadline for signing 2009 draftees. Buck Showalter, for one, thinks the "slotting of money" is causing teams and their picks not to find common ground. On Baseball Tonight earlier this evening, Buck feels that this year's draft and lack of signings will change the way the amateur draft is conducted.