Pineda Mows Down 16 O's in Yankees' 20th Win

photo courtesy of usatoday.com

Michael Pineda's Major League career has been and up and down journey threw injuries, pine tar suspensions, and high expectations. There was a lot of outrage among Yankees fans in January, 2012 when he was acquired for the Yankees top hitting prospect Jesus Montero. Fans had heard for so long that Montero would be an offensive superstar, the deal came as a shock, even to those of who liked the idea of obtaining Pineda from Seattle. (Keep in mind I was also thrilled when the Yankees acquired Jeff Weaver.)

The outrage got amped up when Pineda missed all of 2012 and 2013, due to shoulder surgery, without ever having thrown a baseball in a Yankees regular season game. Meanwhile in Seattle, Montero hit 15 home runs and drove in 62 runs for the 2012 Mariners in his first full season in the Majors.

Much has changed since then though and on a sunny, Mother's Day in the Bronx on Sunday, Pineda made it clear who the trade has worked out better for in the long run. The 26-year old struck out 16 Baltimore Orioles in a 7-inning stint as the Yankees won their 20th game of the season. (The team's best 32-game start since 2010.)

Due to injuries, Pineda was limited to 76.1 innings in 2014, but posted a 1.89 ERA and struck out seven batters per nine innings. With the 6-2 win over Baltimore, Pineda raised his record to 5-0, lowered his ERA to 2.72 and raised his K's per nine innings to 10.49. Montero, meanwhile, waits for his call at Triple-A Tacoma, a season after he had a dispute with a team scout who sent ice cream during a game to the out-of-shape Montero.

With injuries to Ivan Nova and Masahiro Tanaka, and CC Sabathia not pitching like the ace he once was, Pineda has become the de facto ace of the team. The Yankees are 6-1 in Pineda's seven starts, 14-11 when someone else has toed the rubber in the 1st inning. Pineda's most remarkable stat has to be the 18:1 strikeout to walk ratio he has posted in 46.1 innings. He has issued just three free passes this season and only one in his last four starts.

Pineda tied David Cone for the team record for strikeouts by a right-handed pitcher in a single start.

Now Batting-Number 2-Der-ek Je-ter

So much of what went on with the Yankees over the last few months and what will be happening in the upcoming season has been unsettling. It's not all about the wins and losses. It's about the injuries, a different look and approach, and what the future holds.

We've been able to look out on to the baseball field for 19 years and see numbers 2 and 42, and except for a handful of years, number 46. The last links to the mini-dynasty that formed from 1996-2001 (yes, you can lose during a dynasty).

As time has gone by over the last decade and my hair has grayed, we've seen O'Neill, Bernie, Coney, Tino, Boomer, Posada, and others fade away from the game. Players come and go, some successful, some not, but most do not have the longevity of the players those three numbers belong to.

It's difficult not to feel melancholy about the 2013 Yankees. With injuries and inexperience, it will be a difficult 162 days from April through September. More difficult will be the day that number 42 (the last 42), baseball's version of Gandhi, Mariano Rivera steps away from the game. The setup for a press conference that will take place shortly is underway. Mariano's family has flown in to announce that this will be the last season for the greatest reliever (Not just closer) in baseball history.

Likely to be sitting at that press conference as well will be number 46, Andy Pettitte, who stepped away from the game once already and may very well join Rivera in saying good-bye to the Bronx after this season. He and Rivera have been linked together forever since Mariano has saved more games for Pettitte than any other reliever-starter in baseball history. 

Since he's a spring training instructor, Jorge Posada, who donned number 20 until he hung it up after the 2011 season, will probably be in attendance this morning too. And then there's the Captain. What lies ahead for him?

Derek Jeter has gotten the clearance to step into the batter's box in real game action, his broken ankle sufficiently healed. That day may be today or possibly tomorrow (Sunday). And whenever the 2013 season ends for the Yankees, Jeter might just be the lone man standing from those 1996-2001 years. I don't even want to think about the off-season that leads into 2014.

Jeter is to make $8MM next year, with incentives that could pump it up to $17MM. That is if the Yankees greatest shortstop decides to exercise the option for the fourth and final season of his current contract. I don't believe for a second that at this moment in time Jeter has any ideas of not playing next year. But what if he doesn't pick up that option and wants a brand new contract? The contentious negotiation that took place in 2010 could be repeated and that would be horrible.

So for now let's just enjoy what lies ahead. Mariano being celebrated, not only in the tri-state area, but to each road ballpark he enters and listening to Bob Shepard's voice over the Yankees' PA system introduce Derek Jeter.

So many wonderful memories to look back on, so many still to be written.

David Cone and El Duque' Canine Link is Gone

It was 1998 and the Yankees fans were all waiting to see when Cuban defector Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez would make his Major League debut. Who knew he would get a helping hand or, more precisely, a finger in his call up. David Cone tweeted earlier today that his Mom's beloved dog Veronica passed away at age 16. It was a 2-year old Veronica that nipped Coney's finger back in '98 and hastened the call up of El Duque. The rest is history...

Rest in peace sweet Veronica and thank you for introducing El Duque to all of us.

Coney Joins Foley Fundraiser

Saw David Cone tweet on Twitter today and asked him what he's doing now that the season is over. He was nice enough to answer and his immediate plans are good ones.

Foley's in the Big Apple will be holding a fundraiser on November 15 for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Among those in attendance will be Coney himself.

If you can make it, please do so.

FullCountPitch - Total Domination

If you live in the metropolitan area you’ve seen the commercial hundreds of times. Two car rental agents sit around the break room talking about the prior night’s New York Yankees game. One refers to it as “Total domination”.

You can bet today there are plenty of workers sitting around their break room, standing by the vending machines or watercoolers, discussing last night’s Yankees game and using the phrase “Total dimination” with regularity.

That’s because last night CC Sabathia was about as good as you can be without throwing a perfect game. Granted, his opponent was the hapless Seattle Mariners, but that doesn’t make 27 up and 27 down any easier to do. From the 1st inning on though it appeared Sabathia might just have a date with “baseball immortality” as Yankees’ radio man John Sterling likes to put it.

Sabathia breezed through the first three innings and then the Mariners bats made a breeze as Sabathia struck out the side in the 4th and 5th innings. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans and you could tell by the 5th that a rain delay was imminent.

Lightning lit up the sky and it began to drizzle as the Mariners came to bat in the 6th inning. This was no Roy Hobbes story though. Sabathia struck out Mike Carp, for his seventh straight K, to start the frame. But then the skies opened up and rain came down in sheets. A 31 minute delay interrupted what appeared to be destiny calling.

There was no question Sabathia would come out after the relatively short delay. He kept loose throwing underneath the stands and re-took the mound to face rookie Greg Halman. Sabathia retired him…but on a pop up. Suddenly contact was made. The next batter, Chone Figgins, grounded out to Derek Jeter to end the inning.

18 up, 18 down, but Sabathia’s location was a little off and bat was meeting ball. Sabathia struck out Ichiro to start the 7th, but quickly fell behind 2-0 to Brendan Ryan and then let a 94 mph fastball get too much of the plate. Ryan slapped it in to left-center field for the Mariners first and only hit of the night. Sabathia bounced right back and blew away Dustin Ackley and Miguel Olivo for his 13th and 14th strikeouts (a new personal high) on the night.

Read more about Sabathia's game and the Mariners' July demise at FullCountPitch.com, where the content is always free.

BD Hot Stove: No No-No No No No | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: No No-No No No No | Baseball Digest

This morning’s local paper had its daily “What do these three things have common?” sports trivia. In this case it was the names Hideo Nomo, Ramon Martinez and Kevin Gross. I correctly guessed that they were last three Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers to throw a no-hitter. It then got me thinking about the New York Mets.

It is remarkable, especially given the great pitchers the team has employed over the years, that the franchise has never had a no-hitter in their 49 year history. Among the greats and “very goods” that have donned the Mets uniform are Hall of Fame member Tom Seaver, Cy Young winners Doc Gooden, David Cone, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, Tom Glavine, Frank Viola, and Bret Saberhagen (albeit all but Gooden won the Cy Young with other teams), and steady throwers like Ron Darling, Al Leiter, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman, and Sid Fernandez.

Especially frustrating to Mets fans has to be the fact that several of their hurlers threw no-hitters once they left the Mets (Seaver, Cone (Perfect), and Gooden come to mind immediately). But although the Mets have gone the longest without ever recording a no-hitter, they are not alone in the goose egg department. The San Diego Padres have yet to record a hit-less ball game as well. Meanwhile, the Brewers, Blue Jays, and Rockies (in 2010) have just one apiece in their history.

There’s no rhyme or reason to who will throw a no-hitter either. Some of the greatest pitchers in baseball history have never thrown one, yet sub-par throwers like Joe Cowley have tossed, with a lot of walks, a no-no. Bobo Holloman threw a no-hitter in his first major league start and only had two more wins in his entire one year career.

So we present you with a list of the last no-hitter thrown by each team in major league baseball. The longest stretch? The Cleveland Indians who haven’t blanked a team’s hit column since Len Barker threw a perfect game in 1981.

National League

Arizona – Edwin Jackson 6/25/10 vs. Tampa

Atlanta – Kent Mercker 4/8/94 vs. LAD

Chicago – Carlos Zambrano 9/14/08 vs. Houston

Cincinnati – Tom Browning 9/16/88 vs. LAD

Colorado – Ubaldo Jimenez 4/17/10 vs. Atlanta

Florida – Anibal Sanchez 9/6/06 vs. Arizona

Houston – Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, Billy Wagner 6/11/03 vs. NYY

Los Angeles – Hideo Nomo 9/17/96 vs. Colorado

Milwaukee (while in AL) – Juan Nieves 4/15/87 vs. Baltimore

Philadelphia – Roy Halladay (ALDS) 10/6/10 vs. Cincannati; reg season – Halladay 5/29/10 vs. Florida

Pittsburgh – Francisco Cordova, Ricardo Rincon (1o IP) 7/12/97 vs. Houston

St. Louis – Bud Smith 9/3/01 vs. San Diego

San Francisco – Jonathan Sanchez 7/10/09 vs. San Diego

Washington (as Montreal) – Dennis Martinez (perfect) 7/28/91 vs. LAD

American League

Baltimore – Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, Greg Olson 7/13/91 vs. Oakland

Boston – Jon Lester 5/19/08 vs. Kansas City

Chicago – Mark Buehrle (perfect) 7/23/09 vs. Tampa Bay

Cleveland – Len Barker (perfect) 5/15/81 vs. Toronto

Detroit – Justin Verlander 6/12/07 vs. Milwaukee

Kansas City – Bret Saberhagen 8/26/91 vs. CHW

Los Angeles – Mark Langston, Mike Witt 4/11/90 vs. Seattle

Minnesota – Eric Milton 9/11/99 vs LAA

New York – David Cone (perfect) 7/18/99 vs. Montreal (WAS)

Oakland – Dallas Braden (perfect) 5/9/10 vs. Tampa Bay

Seattle – Chris Bosio 4/22/93 vs. Boston

Tampa Bay – Matt Garza 7/26/10 vs. Detroit

Texas – Kenny Rogers 7/28/94 vs. LAA

Toronto – Dave Stieb 9/2/90 vs. Cleveland

Oh, and why the multiple “No” in today’s title? What better way to pay homage to no-hitters then with George Thorogood and the Destroyers version of “Nobody But Me”? Enjoy and be sure to check out the latest hot stove news below the video.

Rumors, News, Transactions

SI's Jon Heyman has just reported that the Yankees and Andruw Jones have agreed to a one year, $2M deal with $1.2M in incentives.

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that the Giants and Jeff Suppan are close to agreeing on a minor league deal.

The Hairston brothers are once again employed. The Mets made a nice signing by inking Scott Hairston and the Washington Nationals have added utility man Jerry Hairston Jr.

Eric Chavez isn’t calling it a career yet despite a series of back and shoulder issues. He reportedly worked out for the Dodgers.

The Royals have brought back Bruce Chen with a one year, $2M deal.

With Carl Pavano back in the fold, the final two spots in the Twins rotation will come down to a spring training battle between Brian Duensing, Kevin Slowey, and Nick Blackburn. My money is on the Duensing and Slowey.

The Diamondbacks have signed utility man Cody Ransom to a minor league deal.

CC Flirts With No-No

It was September, 1996. I was watching the Yankees-A's game and was marvelling at how David Cone had managed to throw 7 no-hit innings. After all, Coney, who still doesn't have a dance, was making his first start since having surgery for an aneurysm in his shoulder in early May.

The Yankees had a real shot at winning their first title in 18 years that season, having ended a 14 year playoff drought the previous October. That's what Joe Torre had in mind when he pulled Coney from the game despite the no-no in progress. Cone was on a 100 pitch limit that day, but Torre yanked him after 85 tosses. He wasn't going to risk his ace's arm for one day of regular season glory. That Mariano kid came on and lost the no-hitter, but he would more than make up for it in October. And Coney was around to throw a magnificent six innings in the tide turning game 3 win in the World Series. Oh, and the catcher that day in September...that would be Joe Girardi.

Flash forward to yesterday. Just the second start of the season for CC Sabathia, who saw his pitch count grow as he entered the 8th inning. Had the one of the Rays already reached safely on a base hit, CC would have been out of the game for sure. But spectacular plays by Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez had preserved the gem and Sabathia was just four outs away from "baseball immortality", to quote a certain baseball announcer.

Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland could be seen conferring as each Rays batter stepped to the plate. Clearly, the duo did not want to over extend their big man. Rays' catcher Kelly Shoppach ended all speculation with a hard single to left field to break up the no-hitter. It was Sabathia's 111th pitch, a fairly high count for April in these days of clickers and pitch counts. After the game, Girardi revealed that no matter what Shoppach had done, CC was done for the day.

And though it would have been an unpopular one, it would have been the right decision. There's no point in risking your ace's health and your season for one regular season moment of glory. All you have to do is look back at your own history to realize that.

Doing the El Duque

Seeing the new Subway commercial with CC Sabathia and Johan Santana makes me cringe and long for the days of real acting and comedy on commercials.

A-Rod Provides A-Win

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

WP - Sabathia (9-6) SV - Rivera (25) LP - Verlander (10-5)

The Yankees and the Detroit Tigers were locked into the expected pitcher’s duel between CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander Saturday afternoon. Then came the biggest at-bat of the day, a power vs. power showdown between Verlander and Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod and the Yankees won out when the 3rd baseman lined a 97-mph fastball into the right field seats for a 1-0 lead. The Yankees went on to win their second game in a row, 2-1, and moved to within 2 games of Boston in the AL East, the Red Sox having lost 6-2 to the Blue Jays.

CC Sabathia struggled with his control, but battled his way through 7 scoreless innings and 116 pitches to earn his 9th win of the season. The Tigers’ lone run came in the 8th when Marcus Thames belted a solo home run off of Al Aceves. But Mariano Rivera retired the side in order in the 9th for his 25th save in 26 tries.

Read the rest of my recap on Baseball Digest Online.

Coney Could Write a Book

We've heard various stories about David Cone's antics (typical clubhouse stuff) as a member of the Yankees and Mets, and he clearly could write a much more inflammatory book than Joe Torre ever could. But it's probably not in Coney's character to do so. He is quoted in Torre's book, "The Yankee Years", about steroids and drug usage in the Yankees clubhouse.

Coney says the players had a good idea of who was juicing, especially those who interacted with Brian McNamee. Coney had nothing personal against McNamee, but didn't like the free reign McNamee had in the clubhouse without having been properly checked out.

"They were on his program, guys like Roger, Andy and maybe (Mike) Stanton," the book quotes Cone as saying. He says he thought McNamee "had some GNC stuff he was putting in shakes, maybe creatine or Andro or whatever you can get over the counter."

"I didn't like McNamee," Cone said in the book. "Not that he was a bad guy. I never thought he was properly vetted."

McNamee had this to add..

"Some guys were open about it, some guys weren't," he was quoted as saying. "And you wouldn't believe the s--- they were taking. I mean, it was like horse--- and crap. Like they didn't know the toxicity levels. They were taking Ritalin, oral steroids. ... They were taking stuff that was bad for them. And then they're going out all night because they've got amphetamines in them, and they're drinking ..."

Clemens also used to tell guys to go see McNamee rather than the Yankees fitness guru, Jeff Mangold. The Rocket really is/was a douchebag.


Source: Michael O'Keefe and Andy Martino, NY Daily News

The Weekend Yankeeland - 12/28

Andy Martino of the Daily News has a lengthy piece on the new responsibilities Joba Chamberlain faces both as a budding star and as an adult.

Holly Sanders of the Post shakes down the money sitch in the Bronx.

The odds of Andy Pettitte returning to the Yankees is getting less and less according to several area writers. Looks like Andy doesn't want to take a pay cut. Yo, Andy, don't damage your rep even more than you did with your HGH admission.

The "lets hope the Yankees fail" nonsense has already started.

David Cone is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. Let the debate begin.

Brian Bruney talks about the holidays and the joy of being a Dad.

The Weekend Yankeeland - 12/28

Andy Martino of the Daily News has a lengthy piece on the new responsibilities Joba Chamberlain faces both as a budding star and as an adult.

Holly Sanders of the Post shakes down the money sitch in the Bronx.

The odds of Andy Pettitte returning to the Yankees is getting less and less according to several area writers. Looks like Andy doesn't want to take a pay cut. Yo, Andy, don't damage your rep even more than you did with your HGH admission.

The "lets hope the Yankees fail" nonsense has already started.

David Cone is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. Let the debate begin.

Brian Bruney talks about the holidays and the joy of being a Dad.

Our Top 10 Stadium Moments

We'll say from 1968 - forward since that's when we started to become cognizant of what was going on. This was not easy and some of these are interchangeable.

10. June 17, 1978 - Ron Guidry strikes out 18 California Angels. The beginning of fans clapping when an opponent had 2 strikes.

9. ALCS Game 3 - Yankees ruin another Red Sox post-season. Aaron Boone becomes aligned with Bucky Dent.

8. September 24, 2001 - Yankee Stadium is the site of an inter-faith memorial for the tragic occurrences of 9/11.

7. July 4, 1983 - Dave Righetti throws a 4th of July no-hitter against the Red Sox. It's also George Steinbrenner's birthday. Game ends when Rags strikes out Wade Boggs for the third time.

6. August 6, 1979 - Bobby Murcer drives in 5 runs for his fallen brother Thurman Munson on the day of the Captain's funeral.

5. May 25, 1998 and July 18, 1999 - Perfect games by David Wells and David Cone.

4. 2001 Games 4 and 5 of the World Series - Unbelievable 9th inning comebacks on home runs by Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius.

3. 1996 World Series Game 6 - We finally had attained a World Series championship after 18 years.

2. 1977 World Series Game 6 - Reggie Jackson takes 3 swings and hits 3 home runs. The Yankees win their first World Series in 15 years.

1. 1976 ALCS Game 5 - Chris Chambliss finally gets us to the promised land with a dramatic home run.

Our Top 10 Stadium Moments

We'll say from 1968 - forward since that's when we started to become cognizant of what was going on. This was not easy and some of these are interchangeable.

10. June 17, 1978 - Ron Guidry strikes out 18 California Angels. The beginning of fans clapping when an opponent had 2 strikes.

9. ALCS Game 3 - Yankees ruin another Red Sox post-season. Aaron Boone becomes aligned with Bucky Dent.

8. September 24, 2001 - Yankee Stadium is the site of an inter-faith memorial for the tragic occurrences of 9/11.

7. July 4, 1983 - Dave Righetti throws a 4th of July no-hitter against the Red Sox. It's also George Steinbrenner's birthday. Game ends when Rags strikes out Wade Boggs for the third time.

6. August 6, 1979 - Bobby Murcer drives in 5 runs for his fallen brother Thurman Munson on the day of the Captain's funeral.

5. May 25, 1998 and July 18, 1999 - Perfect games by David Wells and David Cone.

4. 2001 Games 4 and 5 of the World Series - Unbelievable 9th inning comebacks on home runs by Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius.

3. 1996 World Series Game 6 - We finally had attained a World Series championship after 18 years.

2. 1977 World Series Game 6 - Reggie Jackson takes 3 swings and hits 3 home runs. The Yankees win their first World Series in 15 years.

1. 1976 ALCS Game 5 - Chris Chambliss finally gets us to the promised land with a dramatic home run.

The Daily Yankeeland - 6/23

The New York Post's Steve Serby has a Q&A with Mike Mussina. His colleague Mike Vaccaro has a story on Jason Giambi's revival.

Peter Abraham reported this afternoon that Al Aceves has been promoted to Scranton. This will be the third level that the former Mexican League pitcher plays at this year.

Earlier this year Kyle Farnsworth blamed Joe Torre for his ineffectiveness. Now he's saying the Yankees fans are too fickle. Can this guy take some responsibility for his ineffectiveness? Apparently not.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s home run off of Farnsworth was his first Stadium home run since 1999. Oh, and Farnsworth didn't like that the Yankee fans showed their appreciation for Jr.'s career by giving hi an ovation. Grow up.

David Waldstein of the Star Ledger points out that Derek Jeter has reached base safely in 37 straight interleague games.

Great line from David Cone during this weekend's broadcast, as reported by Phil Mushnick. "David Cone on YES, Wednesday, was asked by Michael Kay if he ever had a teammate who didn't swear. "None I trusted," said Cone." Can you say, "Chad Curtis"?

The Daily Yankeeland - 6/23

The New York Post's Steve Serby has a Q&A with Mike Mussina. His colleague Mike Vaccaro has a story on Jason Giambi's revival.

Peter Abraham reported this afternoon that Al Aceves has been promoted to Scranton. This will be the third level that the former Mexican League pitcher plays at this year.

Earlier this year Kyle Farnsworth blamed Joe Torre for his ineffectiveness. Now he's saying the Yankees fans are too fickle. Can this guy take some responsibility for his ineffectiveness? Apparently not.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s home run off of Farnsworth was his first Stadium home run since 1999. Oh, and Farnsworth didn't like that the Yankee fans showed their appreciation for Jr.'s career by giving hi an ovation. Grow up.

David Waldstein of the Star Ledger points out that Derek Jeter has reached base safely in 37 straight interleague games.

Great line from David Cone during this weekend's broadcast, as reported by Phil Mushnick. "David Cone on YES, Wednesday, was asked by Michael Kay if he ever had a teammate who didn't swear. "None I trusted," said Cone." Can you say, "Chad Curtis"?

Flashback - Subway Series 1997

Major League baseball went to interleague play back in 1997 for the first non-exhibition meeting between the Yankees and Mets. There were only 3 games between the two teams in the interleague inaugural season (we'd love it to go back to that). Lets take a look back at that first series.

Dave Mlicki was the unlikely hero of the first game at Yankee Stadium, June 16, 1997. Mlicki had a journeyman career and was in his 3rd full season in the majors. He would win just 66 games, but none would be bigger than this one against the defending world series champions.

Mlicki scattered 9 hits en route to a complete game shutout as the Mets took the opener 6-0. The Mets jumped right on Yankees starter Andy Pettitte for 3 runs in the 1st inning. It included an unlikely steal of home by Randy Hundley, and RBI hits by John Olerud and Butch Huskey. Olerud drove in 3 runs all told. Joe Girardi had 3 hits for the Yankees.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Kelly               2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Huskey              dh        Martinez            1b
6. Everett             rf        Hayes               3b
7. Baerga              2b        Whiten              lf
8. M. Franco           3b        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Mlicki              p         Pettitte            p

Game 2 matched unbeated Armando Reynoso against David Wells. The Yankees knocked the 5-0 Reynoso out of the game in the 2nd inning with 4 runs. Joe Girardi's bases loaded single brought home the first run and Derek Jeter followed with a 2-run double. Luis Sojo's double off of Reynoso brought in the final run of the inning and caused the Mets starter to be removed.

The Mets got 3 back quickly against Boomer in the 4th, but he settled down and went 8 innings before giving way to Mariano Rivera, who picked up his 22nd save of the season in a 6-3 Yankees win.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Sojo                2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Huskey              dh        Martinez            1b
6. Everett             rf        Hayes               3b
7. Baerga              2b        Whiten              lf
8. M. Franco           3b        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Reynoso             p         Wells               p

Rick Reed and David Cone matched up in the Sunday finale. Coney was on his game, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 11 over 8 innings, but his teammates couldn't generate offense. The Yankees had taken a 2-0 lead on solo home runs by Cecil Fielder and Chad Curtis, but the Mets cut the lead in half on an RBI ground out by Olerud in the 7th and tied the game on Cone's balk in the 8th.

The game went to the 10th where Paul O'Neill walked and moved to 3rd on Cecil Fielder's single. Tino Martinez brought home the game winner with a single of his own as Mike Stanton improved to 3-0.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Sojo                2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Baerga              2b        Martinez            1b
6. Huskey              dh        Boggs               3b
7. M. Franco           3b        Whiten              lf
8. Everett             rf        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Reed                p         Cone                p

Flashback - Subway Series 1997

Major League baseball went to interleague play back in 1997 for the first non-exhibition meeting between the Yankees and Mets. There were only 3 games between the two teams in the interleague inaugural season (we'd love it to go back to that). Lets take a look back at that first series.

Dave Mlicki was the unlikely hero of the first game at Yankee Stadium, June 16, 1997. Mlicki had a journeyman career and was in his 3rd full season in the majors. He would win just 66 games, but none would be bigger than this one against the defending world series champions.

Mlicki scattered 9 hits en route to a complete game shutout as the Mets took the opener 6-0. The Mets jumped right on Yankees starter Andy Pettitte for 3 runs in the 1st inning. It included an unlikely steal of home by Randy Hundley, and RBI hits by John Olerud and Butch Huskey. Olerud drove in 3 runs all told. Joe Girardi had 3 hits for the Yankees.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Kelly               2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Huskey              dh        Martinez            1b
6. Everett             rf        Hayes               3b
7. Baerga              2b        Whiten              lf
8. M. Franco           3b        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Mlicki              p         Pettitte            p

Game 2 matched unbeated Armando Reynoso against David Wells. The Yankees knocked the 5-0 Reynoso out of the game in the 2nd inning with 4 runs. Joe Girardi's bases loaded single brought home the first run and Derek Jeter followed with a 2-run double. Luis Sojo's double off of Reynoso brought in the final run of the inning and caused the Mets starter to be removed.

The Mets got 3 back quickly against Boomer in the 4th, but he settled down and went 8 innings before giving way to Mariano Rivera, who picked up his 22nd save of the season in a 6-3 Yankees win.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Sojo                2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Huskey              dh        Martinez            1b
6. Everett             rf        Hayes               3b
7. Baerga              2b        Whiten              lf
8. M. Franco           3b        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Reynoso             p         Wells               p

Rick Reed and David Cone matched up in the Sunday finale. Coney was on his game, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 11 over 8 innings, but his teammates couldn't generate offense. The Yankees had taken a 2-0 lead on solo home runs by Cecil Fielder and Chad Curtis, but the Mets cut the lead in half on an RBI ground out by Olerud in the 7th and tied the game on Cone's balk in the 8th.

The game went to the 10th where Paul O'Neill walked and moved to 3rd on Cecil Fielder's single. Tino Martinez brought home the game winner with a single of his own as Mike Stanton improved to 3-0.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Sojo                2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Baerga              2b        Martinez            1b
6. Huskey              dh        Boggs               3b
7. M. Franco           3b        Whiten              lf
8. Everett             rf        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Reed                p         Cone                p

The Daily Yankeeland

Peter Abraham of the Journal News informed us that reporters will be getting a sneak peek of the new Stadium today. He will be posting some pics this afternoon and will also be trying to answer some of the questions that readers have sent him.

David Cone was introduced as a new YES Network announcer yesterday. In speaking with reporters, Cone took some of the blame for the rampant use of steroids in the game today. Cone was one of the players negotiating for the new collective bargaining agreement that was struck after the 1994 strike. The players' association rejected a proposal for P.E.D. testing.

"Certainly in retrospect, I think there's plenty of blame to go around. Certainly I share some of that blame as being involved with the players' association at that time," Cone said yesterday. "It's something I'm not proud of. It's humbling. It's embarrassing."

Yesterday was the 113th anniversary of Babe Ruth's birth. He is remembered fondly by his 90-year old daughter, Ruth Stevens. She's still amazed at how her Dad is admired with such great reverance.

“I think daddy’s just one of a kind,” said Ruth Stevens, (seen between her mother Claire and her famous Dad in the photo to the left), 90, from her Arizona home. “It’s just wonderful that 60 years after he died people are so interested in learning about and remembering him. My family does the best they can to keep daddy’s name out there.”

Ruth's buried in his native Baltimore and now a local attorney is spearheading a campaign to purchase a headstone for Ruth's mother. Catherine Ruth died of tuberculosis at age 38 and was buried in an unmarked grave.

The Daily Yankeeland

Peter Abraham of the Journal News informed us that reporters will be getting a sneak peek of the new Stadium today. He will be posting some pics this afternoon and will also be trying to answer some of the questions that readers have sent him.

David Cone was introduced as a new YES Network announcer yesterday. In speaking with reporters, Cone took some of the blame for the rampant use of steroids in the game today. Cone was one of the players negotiating for the new collective bargaining agreement that was struck after the 1994 strike. The players' association rejected a proposal for P.E.D. testing.

"Certainly in retrospect, I think there's plenty of blame to go around. Certainly I share some of that blame as being involved with the players' association at that time," Cone said yesterday. "It's something I'm not proud of. It's humbling. It's embarrassing."

Yesterday was the 113th anniversary of Babe Ruth's birth. He is remembered fondly by his 90-year old daughter, Ruth Stevens. She's still amazed at how her Dad is admired with such great reverance.

“I think daddy’s just one of a kind,” said Ruth Stevens, (seen between her mother Claire and her famous Dad in the photo to the left), 90, from her Arizona home. “It’s just wonderful that 60 years after he died people are so interested in learning about and remembering him. My family does the best they can to keep daddy’s name out there.”

Ruth's buried in his native Baltimore and now a local attorney is spearheading a campaign to purchase a headstone for Ruth's mother. Catherine Ruth died of tuberculosis at age 38 and was buried in an unmarked grave.