ANOTHER DAY CLOSER TO PITCHERS AND CATCHERS

I can smell the grass growing now. This off season baseball didn't see to take a hiatus thanks to XM Radio. It is really a must for the baseball and music fan. There is just so much to it, try it out. You can listen to some station AOL or DirectTV.

Check out one of Behind the Bombers best as Mr. STOP shares his visions with us.

Is it a coincidence or not that Barry Bonds dropped out of the World Baseball Classic right after the announced that there will be Olympic style drug testing? One has to think.

Want Hot Stove action second to none? Check out the BTB Forum now welcoming Refugees "The Second Generation" from the now closed for business Newsday Forum.

NEW YEAR --- NO NEWS

The year is young and the Yankee News has been slim as of late. The YES Network finished it hot stove series so I guess they are ready for the new season.
Centerfield will boast a clean shaven Johnny Damon hopefully he isn't like Samson. Other than that the look of our starting nine (ten) should be very similar to the 2005 class. One other exception should be Bernie Williams who returns as a DH/4th outfielder.
Go check out the Behind the Bombers forum where you can air you views on the upcoming season.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS BOMBER BUDDIES

I would like to wish all you baseball fans out there a very Happy Holidays. We did get an early present in the form of newly shaven Johnny Damon. Like Larry Bowa, I would have liked to get him a little sooner. Imagine if we signed him when we signed Giambi and held on to Tino and groomed Nick Johnson as our regular first sacker. Bowa I would have loved to have at SS in his career. Feel sorry for Bubba Crosby tho.
WELCOME BACK BERNIE
Bernie Williams begins his finalee in pinstripes as a 4th OF/DH. Who knows what will happen if he does well in that role.
Hope you all get what you want this Holiday season. here's hoping all your hits go for extra bases.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

By Special Guest Blogger Kyle Reagan

Some thigs have been bothering me lately...some things have made me laugh...I want to share both,

1. Hideki Matsui, great guy, great player, glad we got him and glad we extended him. I love you Hideki, I really do...but when I checked my Japanese-to-English dictionary I found that "Hideki" in english means "face that will knock a buzzard off a shat wagon." Before he gets nominated that guy from "Lost" ...

2. Gonna be magical next year...sometime in early April Jason Varitek will catch a strike three and standup to throw the ball around the horn. He will throw a one-hopper to Mike Lowell that will bounce off his glove and roll into left field where it will be fielded by Gabe Kapler who will throw it into Lowell who will turn and sail one over Mark Loretta's head into right field where Trot Nixon will be totally unaware of what is going on while he tries to count to 13 with his shoes and socks on (he ignores Dave Roberts- the centerfielder's yells)...Loretta will jog out, pick up the ball and throw it over to Alex Gonzalez who will have it fall out of his glove on the transfer but will pick it up and throw it over Youkilis' head into the 5th row of seats behind first base...gonna be magical. Varitek (with the "C" on his shirt) will yell out "look alive guys, c'mon!" Somewhere Theo Epstein will smile...

3. Peter Gammons was on ESPN and commenting on the Sox dumping Rent--a-Wreck for a prospect. In his always-pro-Sox stance he said (with a straight face I might add) "The Sox were worried Renteria would never get comfortable and people have said that Marte, if he was a Junior in college would be a first round pick" Did someone slip a "mickey" into Peter's Fruit Loops? The guy has stopped even trying to make sense at this point. I fully expect him to yell out "Gridlock!" during a Sportscenter, ala General Stockdale.

4. Dick Vitale is back on my TV...this is the year I pull an "Elvis" on my TV- I swear. Shut the F up about "diaper dandies" and "windex teams"...oh, and St Louis beating up on Vanderbilt isn't "Awesome with a capital A" OK...Dick (a more appropriate name there could not be)

5. I laughed when the Blue Jays signed Burnett and Ryan to 5 year deals and then announced JP Ricciardi was given a 3-year extension...in other words, if these deals are exploding our face we will can your boner-nosed ass. It reminds me of politicians who always seem to come up with 5 year plans when their terms are 4 years...

6. I saw Keith Foulke on a milk carton the other day...$100 reward for any information leading to his whereabouts.

7. Expecting Bernie Williams to tutor Bubba Crosby is like asking Beethoven to teach Ozzy Ozborne the cello. I do think it is cool that the only guy named "Bubba" within 1000 miles of New York City is our CFer...

8. Why do place kickers wear shoulder pads? Jay Feely should be forced to wear a cheerleaders outfit. I don't hate too may people on my favorite teams...but I hate Jay Feely...the Chuck Knoblauch/ Mackey Sasser/ Steve Sax of place kicking.

9. Johnny Damon says he'll cut his hair and shave his beard to play with the Yankees...how bout you drop the "ny" from your name and cut your hair cuz you're 32. That is reason enough.

10. Javier Vasquez says he doesn't want to come back to the Yankees because of the way he was treated. How bout this Javy...we don't want you back with the Yankees because of the way you were treated (like a fricking BP pitcher!!!)

11. Jason Giambi will be dominant this year- an offensive force. But somebody has to explain to me why a guy who is in the top .05% of the human population as a hitter, runs like he has bleeding corns on the heels of his feet and throws like he's a finalist in an egg toss challenge. Hang a freaking tire off a branch in your backyard this Winter and throw baseballs through it, will ya. Call Goodad for advice.

12. The Reds say they will use Tony Womack in a "super utility" role...its unfair for me to judge... but the words "Womack" and "super" should never, ever be in the same sentence...unless that sentence is "Womack was a super disappointment with the Yankees." Just kidding, Tony was a class guy who never got the chance to do what he thought he could- but the torture we laid on him this year doesn't make up for the BS bloop double in the 01 World Series. Plus, why was his helmet so big? He looked like Rick Moranis in "Space Balls" as Lord Dark Helmet.

13. I want John Damon...OK, there I said it. 4 years, 5 years- whatever...get it done Cash...and defer 06 money until Sheff/ Mussina comes off the books...

14. I want Nomar (Garciapara)...that's been no secret...play him in RF and DH Sheff...

15. WE make those last two moves and our lineup just became...ready for this...Damon (will hit 20 in Yankee Stadium)Jeter (mechanically perfect)AROD (MVP)Giambi (see note #11)Sheff (unless he shanks Cashman in the shower will be great- again)Matsui (ugly...but great)Nomar (batting 7th? doesn't seem fair)Posada (try to hit into less than 2500 double plays this year)Bernie (did Mickey mantle ever bat 9th?)I will go to bed with that in my head...

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FLASH IN THE PAST

If there is going to be any flash in the 2006 Yankees roster it won't be in the guise of John "Flash" Flaherty or Tom "Flash" Gordon. So after leading the majors in Flashes the Yankees suddenly find themselves flashless. John has retired and Gordon has gone the way of WC Fields and wound up robbing the Phillies of a 3 year contract for his burned out arm.

Joining the Bombers this coming season is RHP Kyle Farnsworth who agreed to a three-year contract through 2008. In 2005, Farnsworth went 1-1 with 16 saves and a 2.19 ERA. He struck out 87 batters in 70 innings, holding opponents to a .180 average in 72 appearances. Now if he can bounce back from his NLDS blow up he can be the perfect set up for Mariano Rivera.

Let's hope Farnsworth doesn't go the route of another Braves releiver Mark Wohlers. Like Kyle Wohlers gave up a rather monumental post season homer to Jim Leyritz which even Leo Mazzone couldn't snap him out of. Farnsworth gave up a pretty big grand slam in last year's post season. Wohlers never was the same again.

BACKSTOPPERS
The Yankees filled one of the holes on their roster on Wednesday, signing free agent Kelly Stinnett to replace Flaherty as the team's backup catcher. Stinnett signed a one-year deal for $650,000 to become second banana to Jorge Posada. The move is only the second free agent signing of the offseason for the Yankees, who re-signed Hideki Matsui to a four-year deal in mid-November to a reported 50 million.

BUBBA-LICIOUS
Bubba Crosby may very well roam the confines of the spacious centerfield at Yankee Stadium. With a little help from hitting coach Don Mattingly Bubba could make the fans stand up and cheer after his 400 batting average in September. Don't count Bernie Williams out just yet as he could catch on as a fourth outfielder and part time DH.

Huston Street edges Robby Cano

A's reliever Huston Street (isn't that a stop on the #1 train?) has won Rookie of the Year honors for his fine relief work in the 2005 season. Street, who took over as Oakland's closer in May, got 15 of 28 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and finished with 97 points. Bomber second baseman fenom Robinson Cano came in second with 57 points, followed by Tampa Bay designated hitter Jonny Gomes with 39. Ironic that Cano was named after Jackie Robinson, whom the award now bears his name.

In other Bomber news it looks like it will be Ron Guidry taking over for the "retired" Mel Stottlemyre as pitching coach in 2006. Joe Kerrigan who has been working as a scout for the Yankees will be the bullpen coach, taking over for the reassigned Neil Allen. While I like the potential of Kerrigan I feel Allen's work with the kids will be missed. That brings the total of 4 ex-mangers to the Yankees coaching staff.

COACHING STAFF NEWS

The Yankees have told Roy White, Louie Sojo and Neil Allen that they will be reassigned for the 2006 season. I am sorry to see Neil Allen go from the staff. He was good with the kids and helped Chien Ming Wang a lot.

Lee Mazzilli is returning to pinstripes as Joe Torre's bench coach. And my dream has come true, Larry Bowa is in pinstripes as well. Of course I wanted him as our shortstop but the Phillies thought he was Honus Wagner and wouldn't let him go.

Joe Kerrigan and Ron Guidry have inside shots at bullpen and pitching coaches respectively.

. . . To Be Continued

Another Long Off Season

The Yankees went home early again this year. What exactly went wrong? You can't pick any one thing to point your fingers at. Alex Rodriguez had a poor series. Hideki Matsui was a non factor. Gary Sheffield turned into a singles hitter. The Big Unit was washed up in his only start on a rainy Friday night.
I won't complain abount the scheduling and rescheduling due to rain although that does seem to play a factor on the older teams. I won't complain about the six record breaking ALDS errors made by the Yankees. I won't complain about the bad umpiring especially to Robbie Cano. To sum it all up we just played some ugly baseball. Between the bonehead plays and errors we practically gave the series to the Halos.
A-Rod is such an intense player but he strives for perfection and lets it get into his head. The results of his overthinking at-bats is zero. Godzilla who is one of the bet clutch players in the game couldn't buy a base hit. It wouldn't surprize me to find out if he played hurt during this series. If he was 100% we might have seen him in center-field more often. The young second baseman Cano made a few rookie mistakes one or two of them were costly.
The results were a Angel win. The White Sox were probably disappointed to see that. It seems that any team that beats the Yankees goes on to win it all. So who do I root for now? The White So, who swept the Red Sox? The Angel who beat us? The Cards, the Astros? Not me I will fire up the DVD player and watch my The New York Yankees Fall Classic Collector's Edition 1996-2001 (2005) seven DVD set. I guess #27 is on hold once again.

BERNIE IN DA BRONX

4090696 fans passed through the turnstiles this season at Yankee Stadium. That is a record for the American League. The NL record is held by the 93 Colorado Rockies who sold a lot of $1 tickets that year in a stadium sized for football. The Bronx faithful knew that this was potentionally Bernies Pinstripe swan song and chanted everything from Bernie Baseball to Thank-you Bern-ie!!!! He will be missed. He does have enough to be a DH and 4th outfielder. One thing for sure you will see him along with the other Yankee Legends in Tampa during future Spring Trainings.

We have a tough week ahead as every game is a must win. It starts out in Baltimore where we meet the O's who are 0-9 in their last nine games coming off a sweep by the Bosox.

Send in your Bernie Memories for our post season tribute.

SHOWDOWN IN DA BRONX

What is it about the Devil Rays that give the Bombers so much trouble? How can a team with a line up like the Yankees make a former New Jersey Net basketball player with a 6 plus ERA look like Roger Clemens? The Yankees concluded the three game set with the D-Rays with another loss, 7-4. Chien Ming Wang returned to the rotation and gave up three runs in five innings while getting the rust out. What is worse is that we have another set against these Yankee killers next week. The loss caused the Yanks to lose a hold of their AL wild card lead, as they now trail Cleveland by a half-game.

Before we head south to Tampa we have to take care of the business at hand with the Red Sox coming into the Bronx. Like Yogi says "it gets late early up here" and Derek Jeter pointed out in today's NY Newsday that we are running out of time. Three games in which we have to take two out of three minimum. Friday David Wells takes on Aaron Small to open the series. Al Leiter will be in the pen for the series.

Once again losing is not an option, if we don't want to be golfing next month we have to put together a winning streak right now. We can control our own destiny.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Those of you who know me probably could have guess the topic of today's blog. After a weekend where we took two of three in Oakland to put us one game ahead in the Wild Card Race the last thing we want is an off day. True we are changing coasts and you do need a day to travel, although for some reason they never do it in the ALDS. Under normal circumstances that would be fine but today is Labor Day and we have no Yankee Baseball.

Labor Day, July 4th, Memorial Day were all at one time automatic double headers. For those of you too young to remember a Double Header was when you saw to baseball games back to back for one admission price. Not only that the Soxes ( White and Red) have a make up game today and they are both bitching! Come on you greedy millionaires we pay your overpriced salaries play the game and clam up. So if you lose an off day here and there who cares??? What goes better with a barbecue than baseball?

Let's give something back to the fan bring back the holiday double headers.

After the "off day" it is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays that come into town to take on the Bombers. The Yanks are 4-9 verse the Rays this year we have to even that record up if we want to win. The only team with a winning record that we face the rest of the season is Boston.

It's A Small World After All

With Mike Mussina possibly out for the season, Carl Pavano out for the season and Kevin Brown out for his career the Yankees had a breath of fresh air on Saturday as Aaron Small pitched his first complete game shutout of his career.

The Bronx Bombers used a Small-ball approach to take a 4-0 lead before watching Jason Giambi put away his former team with a three-run homer. All of the run support backed up Aaron Small, who came up big for the Yankees improving his perfect record to 6-0. This time with a complete-game shutout, a 7-0 win over the Oakland A's. Small, starting for the injured Mike Mussina, allowing just five hits and two walks while striking out three.

The good news for the rotation is the Chien Ming Wang pitches on Monday for Columbus. Shawn Chacon goes Sunday against Barry Zito and Jaret Wright may not miss a turn.

ALL IS QUIET ON THE YANKEE FRONT

The trade deadline passed this afternoon without too much fanfare as the Mets never got Manny Ramirez and the Yankees just traded their designated for assignment pitcher Buddy Groom and His Band of Renown for a player to be named later or just cash. That shouldn't be much more than 8 bucks.

Speaking of Buddy Groom he blasted the Yankees and Skipper Joe Torre in the press today. All the tabloids had similar reports but ESPN sums it up nicely. Groom became expendable when the Yankees signed Bosox castoff Alan Embree. The Yankees also designated former Staten Island Yankee Alex Graman for assignment and recalled Wayne Franklin. All the afore mentioned are lefthanders. The Yankees are hoping that Embree and Felix Rodiguez will sure up the middle relief.

They Yankees had another wild ride on Sunday as the fans were passing out the Zantac as the Yankees came through victorious on a see-saw game 8-7. Jason Giambi hit two home runs in the victory giving him 14 dingers for July the most since Mickey Mantle did that feat in 1961. His second homer was his 300th of his career.

The 13 year old boy that was became missing on Friday Night at Yankee Stadium was found Sunday in Queens. What the report doesn't say is that the young man was a foster child . Either way always keep the ticket stub in your kids pocket. Heck a 13 year old that never been to Yankee Stadium before should NOT be sent to the mens room alone on a sold out game. I am sure more will come out in days to come.

WHERE HAVE ALL OUR PITCHERS GONE?

Greetings Bomber Buddies, If you didn't believe in Murphy's Law you probably do by now. Or perhaps it is just the Bambino's Curse being reversed. You did see that when David Wells stopped wearing #3 he and the Sox started winning. Let's add Chien Ming Wang to our list of Yankee casualties. He has been DLed with what is believed to be a torn rotary cuff and should be out for the remainder of the season. He will be examine by Dr. Andrews on Monday to determine the severity of the tear. That is added to Carl Pavano's tendinitis, Kevin Brown's back spasms and Jarad Wright's flavor of the year injuries. Never thought I would be looking forward to getting Kevin Brown back. Kevin Brown had a solid bullpen session yesterday and could be Monday's starter if he still feels good today. The Yankees would prefer him do do rehab but the situation may not permit it.

HELP IS ON THE WAY
Help (???) is on the way in the form of Al Leiter as the Yankees struck a deal with the Marlins to bring the veteran lefty back to Pinstripes for the proverbial player to be named later. Leiter, who is 39, was designated for assignment by the Marlins on Thursday. The team had 10 days to release or trade the left-hander, who was 3-7, 6.64 ERA this year as a starter and reliever. Gee a contender getting rid of a lefty pitcher, to an AL team no less??? Doesn't look like a cure to me. Mel Stottlemyre can't work miracles. Well if he doesn't work out maybe we can trade him for Jesse Barfield again. Leiter was a Yankee prospect before being shipped to Toronto for Barfield. One note on Al Leiter's Topps rookie card the mistakenly printed the wrong photo on it.

MORE HELP
In other news Felix Rodriguez, who pitched two scoreless innings with Trenton Friday and is scheduled to make one more rehab appearance with the Thunder (possibly on Saturday) before being activated. Further down the road, Ramiro Mendoza has began throwing batting practice as he attempts to come back from the rotater cuff surgery he had back in January.

In what is being biled as the battle of aces the Yankees seek revenge as Randy Johnson takes on Matt Clement on the FOX Game of the Week today at 1:20 PM.

HALFTIME

It's the All Star Break and off to Detroit are Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera and Gary Sheffield. At the break we are really lucky to be only 2.5 games back after the way that we played. Aboard the Yankee Express now are three key rookies. Chein Ming Wang, who has been are most consistant starter in the first half. Robbie Cano who has opened a lot of eyes at 2B and Melky Cabrera who just two season ago was named the 2003 Staten Island Yankee MVP. The jury is still out on Melky who is adjusting to the large Yankee Stadium centerfield not to mention the tricky sun you have out there on day contests. His biggest advantage is that he is one of the few rookies who can hit a breaking ball, which is something that hampered such names as Dan Pasqua, Andy Phillips and even big names like Jack Clark.

BACK TO BUSINESS
After the break it is back to work when the Bombers face off against the Bosox in Beantown. Let's hope it isn't Deja Vu all over again as the Red Sox have already broke the momentum of this club of All Stars. We are on a roll right now and I for one didn't want this break to break our streaks especially with the Red Sox on the menu.

Last time around Joe Torre skipped young Chein Ming Wang against the Red Sox. You can be sure that won't be the case this time around. Let's hope that Brian Cashman doesn't have even remote plans to trade any of these three players.

REHAB-ROD
Here is a scoop that my new Bomber Buddies at POTY don't even know. I had the luck to see Felix "F-Rod" Rodriguez starting his rehab last night for the Staten Island Yankees. He was welcomed back to live pitching with a home run to left field by the Williamsport Crosscutter's (Pirate Short Season A affiliate) John Santiago (his first). Keep in mind this kid is 20 years old at most. He was erratic for the most part in the SI Yank 6-5 comeback but he did pick up 4 strikeouts without a walk in the two innings of work. He is scheduled to throw Wednesday for the Baby Bombers as well as they go for their ninth straight victory. Melky Cabrera was on hand to receive a plaque and his old SI Jersey.

MAY OR MAY NOT

Jason Giambi homered for the third straight game leaving him 5 short of tying the major league record. Former Staten Island Yankee 20-year-old Melky Cabrera singled in his major league debut and Mike "Mooooose" Mussina and the Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 Thursday night. Alex Rodriguez homered for the second straight game leaving him 6 short of tying the major league record, tying Boston's Manny Ramirez and Texas' Mark Teixeira for the AL lead with 22, and Derek Jeter went long for New York.

The big news is tha Carl Pavano has wound up on the 15 day disable list. Rumor has it that Saturday's starter will be the newly aquired Darrell May, or it may just be the committee headed by Tanyon Sturtze. We'll see following Old Timers Day tomorrow. Former Yankee OF and current YES broadcaster David Justice will participate in the OT game. What's up with Paul O'Neill? Your fans want to see you Paully!!

Saturday marks the Behind the Bombers reunion. If you are at the game stop by and see us in the Outdoor Cafe after 12 noon or so.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSS

What better day to be born on than the 4th of July? Who better to have a birthday then than George Steinbrenner? Many people are pround to wish the Boss a big 75th Birthday but Harvey Frommer sums it up best. The New York Post printed quite a tribute themselves. Happy Birthday George and thanks for all the great teams you put on the field.

BERNIE BASEBALL/NEW HITMAN
Bernie Williams passes up the Hitman. Williams went 4-for-5 with five RBIs as DH on Saturday night. This launched him past Don Mattingly for fifth-place on the all-time Yankee hit list. The only Yankees still in front of Bernie are Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Someday we may see #51 hanging out there in Monument Park. I guess Bernie isn't so "tired" anymore.

I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN"T GET UP!!!!

With less than a week to go before the 2005 BTB reunion the Yankees are falling deeper into the AL East. Growing up your mom always told you to act your age, well now the Yankees are acting their age and it isn't pretty at all. That alien pod that resembles Randy Johnson is pitching like Bob Shirley while Carl Pavano is doing a great imatation of Ed Whitson.

I SHALL BE RELEASED
The Yankees released the unproductive Mike Stanton and the over used and worn out Paul Quantrill. Back into the Bronx is Jason Anderson who returned to pinstripes by pitching two scoreless innings agaist the timers in Friday night's 10-2 loss. If you remember Jason was sent to teh Mets for Armando Benitez. He made a stop in Cleveland until he was released and claimed by the Yanks. Two days after designating Quantrill for assignment, the Yankees surprizingly found a taker for the right-handed reliever, shipping him to the San Diego Padres for right-hander Tim Redding, left-hander Darrell May and cash.

FOR STARTERS
As if we didn't have enough problems Carl Pavano has come up with a sore shoulder, but as ESPN reports he isn't too concerned about it. That puts the Grand Tanyon, Tanyon Sturtze into the starting rotation. He'll start Monday against the Orioles at home.

BTB salutes John Franco who was released by the Astros today in a career that included the Reds and Mets. Class act John, good luck.

PASS THE GERITOL

The team looks older by the day. After sweeping the Pirates and Cubs at home the Yankees showed signs of breaking out of their funk but with the Devil Rays in town the Yankees managed only one win in that series before losing two of three to the Mets. To sum it all up the Yanks have been playing some UGLY baseball.

In a game that would turn around the worse teams the Yankees scored 13 runs in the eighth inning to come back from a 10-2 deficit. The very next day the Bombers bombed out and went back to their losing ways. The only bright spots in our line up has been the rookie Robinson Cano and Chein Ming Wang. Sean Henn, who lost to the Mets on Saturday has proved for the third straight time that he is not ready for prime time.

In the midst of thing the deteriorating Bernie Williams has become a scapegoat of sorts. Well even if he isn't a scapegoat over the weekend he was a goat anyway. Sunday night the Yankees had a big come from behind victory against the cross town rival Mets. Again time will tell if that win can turn this team around as the Yankees go into to Baltimore to take on the second place Orioles. As Jason Giambi goes so does the Yankees. When the Giambino hits the Yanks seem to win.
The outfield situation is in shambles. Kevin Reese, the Columbus centerfielder, was brought up to play LF while the Yankee LF (who started the year at 2B) was shifted to CF. The reason Reese was brought up was because Bernie Williams was declared "tired". Monday at Camdan Reese is on the bench while Rueben Sierra spells Gary Sheffield while he rejuvenate himself as the DH. Hideki Matsui returns to LF with Tony Womack in CF. Reese, who wasn't even on the 40 man roster is not the answer. They need a CF, while I still believe Bernie has life as a DH he is a liability in the outfield. One rumor is what Peter Gammons reported that if the A's cannot sign Mark Kotsay to a contract extension the the A's will trade him to either the Cubs or Yankees.

Now, they'll look to make up some ground in the American League East as they open a three-game series with the slumping Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. The Yankees will send the Roadster Carl Pavano to the mound in the series opener. Pavano lost his fourth straight decision Wednesday, allowing five runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-3 defeat to Tampa Bay. The O's counter with Daniel Cabrera (5-7, 5.54 ERA). Cabrera lost his third straight start Wednesday, allowing three earned runs and five hits in five innings of a 3-2 loss to Toronto on Wednesday. The 24-year-old right-hander has allowed just five earned runs in 12 1-3 innings in his last two starts after giving up seven in two innings in a loss to Cincinnati on June 11. He is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees, including an 8-4 win on April 17.

There is no relief in sight for our starters either as Jaret Wright was moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. (that may not be all bad)

Do we need to shake something up? Yes we do! We need something to bring this team together. Maybe it is time to change the pitching coach? Maybe a lateral move. Reassign Mel Stottlemyre and make Neil Allen the pitching coach. Rich Monteleone can resume the pen duties. I know it isn't Mel's fault but he is the weakest link on the coaching staff. What do you think? Comment below.

JETER SLAMS CUBBIES ON SWING GAME

Two years ago the Yankees visited Wrigley Field and the Cubs took two out of there while putting Roger Clemens bid for #300 on hold. Well this weekend fresh off a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates the Yankees paid the Cubbies back and did them one better by sweeping them in the three game series. This brings the Cubs lifetime record at Yankee Stadium to 0-7.

On Saturday the Yanks beat the Cubs with the help of Derek Jeter's first Grand Slam in 135 chances. While it was nice to see DJ get his Grand Salami it should be no surprise that a disciplined player like Derek would be homerless with the bases loaded. The Captain is a team player and his primary objective is to win and score runs. Jeter tries to put the ball in play rather than risk a strike out or a long fly ball and ending a rally. So kudos to DJ on getting that monkey off his back and sparing us of listening to Tim McCarver give that grand slamless stat over and over again.

Kevin "Break Down" Brown is on the DL for his the 13th time in his career according to the NY post. It was long overdue but Kevin Brown hit the DL yesterday. Former Staten Island Yankee Lefty Sean Henn was called up to make his second career start against the same team he pitched against in his first start, Lou Piniella's Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Staten Island Yankees open up Tuesday across the gang plank to Brooklyn against the Cyclones at Keyspan Park. Then they continue their home in home openers on Staten Island on Wednesday. Former Yankee utilityman Andy Staniewicz is returning to the helm of the Baby Bombers after a year as a scout while Mookie Wilson will skipper the Clones.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
I would like to take time to wish all my Bomber Buddies a very Happy Fathers Day. This marks the first year that I have a Father's Day without my dad after losing him to the dreaded cancer last August. To all you fans who are lucky enough to still have your dads, never be ashamed to tell your dad you love him. Go home and give him a hug and thank him for everything he has given and taught you. Hug him once for me. Those of you who's dads are with mine in Heaven think of the good times.