NOW THAT IS WHAT YANKEE FANS HAVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE

Finally! The Yankee fans got the start from Kuroda we have been waiting for. The final line on Kuroda was 7 innings, 1 run on 4 hits. He got the win as the Yankees beat Baltimore 2-1 tonight. Great job!

The 8th and 9th belonged to David Robinson and Mariano Rivera respectively. Robertson struck out the side, keeping his ERA to 0.00. Forget Houdini - he is becomming the invisable man. As for Mariano - it was Mo being Mo, including 1 broke bat and a game ending endused double play.

The two runs came from a two run homer by Eric Chavez, who also played third, giving A-Rod a 1/2 day off. Chavez is one of the most overlooked players on this team. He is clutch, plays a great 3rd base and never complains about the amount of playing time he sees. He is just glad to get in there and be productive. He is the definition of team player.

Speaking of team players - Andy Pettitte made another minor league start. He said afterward he felt great after throwing appx 90 pitches and although gave up five runs - the start was more about getting his pitch count up. Andy also said that he just wants to get back to NY so he can start helping the team. But followed that up by saying he knows he has one more Trenton start to make. He is not going to fight Cash on that - he is just getting a little antsy. So are we Andy - Yankee fans are as anxious to get you back pitching in the Bronx as you are. Andy's first start in Yankee Stadium is no doubt going to have the electicity of a playoff game. Andy is loved in the Bronx and he will have no doubts about that when he comes home.

Tonights games was what the Yankees needed. Fabulous win by the Bombers!

Once again, GO YANKEES!

YANKEES AND PIE-GATE?

The New England Patriots had spygate. Do the Yankees have pie-gate? Now don’t get me wrong, spygate was about the possibility the Pats were cheating via videotape. Pie-gate is not even close to being something that serious. Actually, it’s kind of funny.

On Friday night, the Yankees went into the bottom of the 9th, score tied. Jeter got on and made his way to 3rd. With nobody out, Jeter was 90 feet from scoring the winning run, A-Rod came up to bat. A long pop fly or base hit The game is over. However what did happen was a wild pitch, Jeter took off from third and slid into home safely. Game over and theeeee Yankees win! So, walk off win – someone is getting pie right? With AJ gone, reporters wondered aloud who would replace AJ as the pie guy? Giradi was quoted as saying “Probably Swish” when asked during Spring Training. It made sense. Nick Swisher said he was all for it, that he loved the tradition and thought it should continue sans AJ. He even contemplated who would sub for him if HE got the walk off. So, pie for Jeter delivered by Swisher, right? Wrong!

Many theories abounded about why no one got Jeter with the walk off pie. They ranged from the tradition left with AJ going to Pittsburgh to it wasn’t really a walk off. I, myself, have my own theory. Everyone knows Jeter likes to be in control in situations, especially those not on the field. For Swisher, he probably thought that Alex would get the fly ball to score Jeter and he hits Alex with the pie (as we know conversely to Jeter, Alex lives for that type of attention). But that damn wild pitch and slide into home changed everything. I’m sure Swisher, in those first monments, didn’t know what to do. For Jeter’s part, he played better than anyone could have. Instead of looking over his shoulder like a nervous cat, he kept his eye on the screen in centerfield during the post game interview, which the interview was being shown on. Using it like a rearview mirror, in the event anyone was going to try to give him a puss full of pie. Smart man. Of course, nothing happened.

Then began the questions by reporters. As Woodward and Bernstein did years prior, they tried to get to the bottom of this potential “cover up”. Swish was quoted as saying “I’m not the guy, it can’t be a position player” TRANSLATION “There was no way I was hitting the captain with a towel full of whipped or shaving cream – I’m no dummy”. But saying that makes Derek look like he is not a team player – and that is even worse than the pie. So, he went with “who me?”. Maybe what he could have said was “We won on a wild pitch, who get’s the pie? Detroit’s pitcher?” and walk away laughing. So, the truth behing pie-gate remains a mystery..

Obviously, this is all tongue and cheek and in my opinion, it really doesn’t matter either way if they continue the walk off pie tradition. So long as the Yankees win, I don’t care how they celebrate.

As I said that night – two rules in life are no one puts baby in a corner and no one hits Derek Jeter with a pie!

HERE COME THE ORIOLES...

It had been a long time since any Orioles game was significant BECAUSE it's the Orioles, yet this is what is happening.

The Orioles and Buck Showalter come into Yankee Stadium for a three game series starting tonight. The Orioles are currently in first place, with a one and half game lead over the Yankees. Obviously, sweeping the series would put a the Yankees in a much better position in the standings, but it goes beyond that.

The Yankees are not just going against the team but also their manager, Buck Showalter. Buck was the manager before the Joe Torre reign. Buck always acts like the girl never asked to the prom. Now that his team is in first, he looks like "How do you like me now" We cannot let him leave having that same look. In addiion, if the Orioles sweep or win this series is puts the Yankees in an even deeper hole in the standings.

Tonights game can clearly set the tone for the series. Kuroda can turn the page on his first few starts. He appeared to have figured some things out his last outing. Hopefully, he can give us that same type of start.

This is not just on Kuroda. Yankee hitters need to get those timely hits that allow the base runners, they are currently stranding, to score.

Let's take this first one from Baltimore abd hopefully getting some momentum towards getting the sweep.

As usual - GO YANKEES!