FROM AROUND THE WORLD OF BASEBALL

After being hit by a pitch on the forearm, Tampa Bay Rays player Will Rymes took first base and proceeded to faint. When you see the video, you realize he didn't just get dizzy, he went down like a pile of bricks, having to be caught by the Rays' first base coach. After the game, he explained what he felt and showed the welt on his arm. He actually didn't find it odd or embarrassing. That makes one of us.

Nationals Bryce Harper and Blue Jays Brett Lawrie brought little league behavior to the majors. After going 0 for 4, Bryce went into the dugout tunnel with bat in hand and slammed it against the concrete wall. The bat bounced right back and hit him just above the eye. The cut he got required 10 stiches. Brett Lawrie, after being called out on strikes (which most said was ball four) took his helmet and slammed in against the ground. The helmet bounced and hit the home plate umpire in the lip. Brett is facing a four game suspension. It appears managers are going to have start giving guys time outs in the naughty chair. Maybe teams could replace their bench coaches with Jo from Super Nanny.

A recent back page of the New York Daily News read "Curse of the Closer" regarding the injuries suffered by closer Maria Rivera and then the replacement closer, David Robertson. Now, I don't believe in any curse; not the Kennedy curse, curse of the Bambino or even the curse of Wrigley Field. However, if I'm Rafael Soriano, who has now been designated to close, I would prefer the title "9th inning guy" versus "closer". I mean better safe than sorry, right?

Lastly, it was so good to see Andy Pettitte pitch again on Mother's Day. After a slightly rough outing, including a home run by Casper Wells, Andy said he got a text from Josh, his oldest son. Josh stayed in Texas with his HS baseball team who were in the playoffs. The text read "You looked good out there, Pops. Wells got lucky". Although technically it was Mother's Day, to Andy it was Father's Day as well.

IS "TURNING THE PAGE" THE 2012 YANKEE MANTRA?

Last night the Yankees won, thanks to some home runs from Tex and Granderson as well as timely hits from A-Rod, Cano and Tex. Yankee fans have been waiting for those three guys bats to wake up - maybe they finally have. Lets hope so.

As for the pitching - Nova went 5.1 innings giving up 5 runs on 7 hits. The rest of the bull pen (too mnay to name) came in and kept the Orioles hitless in the remaining 3.2 inninngs. Phelps got his first ever win and Soriano got the save. That's the good news on the pitching front. Now the bad news.

Nova was hit on the foot by a comebacker and eventually was taken out of the game with ankle soreness on the same foot. X-rays were negative for a broken bone and Nova hopes not to miss his next start. Nova was replaced by Rapada, who went .1 inning and was shown being helped into the dugout after was done. Turns out he has a viral infection (someone get a big can of Lysol!). In the bottom of the ninth, in a save situation, everyone was expecting Robertson to close. But wait - no it was Soriano. Twitter blew up. Michael Kay guessed Girardi was "closing by committee" which I am completely against. Soriano got the 3 outs needed and the save. But what about Robertson?

In the post game interview with Girardi, we learn that Robertson has had rib cage soreness for the last couple days. Huh? AND is probably going for "tests" the following day. What? Seriously?

If I'm Soriano, after seeing what happened to the last two Yankee closers, you can keep the title. Call me "9th inning guy", "last pitcher of the game" ANYTHING but "closer".

So, in one game three pitchers went down faster than the wooden blocks in a game of jenga. If I'm Girardi - I'm checking Garcia's locker for Voodoo dolls.

All kidding aside, for the Yankees this has to be just a bump in the road. Every great team has dealt with injuries with the attitude of "next guy up". A perfect example of this is last years WS winner, the Cardinals. They had so many freak injuries last season they lost count. They even lost their manager Tony La Russa for a week or two to a case of Shingles. But they fought through and expected the next guy to step up and not use injuries as an excuse. That is what the Yankees need to do - so far they are.

Turning the page maybe the mantra of the 2012 Yankee season. However or whatever it takes - they need to get through. I have faith they will.

As always, GO YANKEES!

WELCOME HOME ANDY PETTITTE

Andy Pettitte finally came home. The fans, including myself, have been waiting for Andy's return to Yankee Stadium since he announced he was coming out retirement in March. We waited as he made his way through his minor league starts. With every minor league game, we knew he was getting closer and closer to coming back. Yesterday, on a beautiful Mother's Day Sunday afternoon, Yankee fans finally got what they were waiting for. Andy didn't disappoint.

Now some reading Andy's final line of 6.1 innings, 7 hits and 4 runs would say he struggled. I would agree, if this wasn't Andy's first start in 19 months. That can be an enternity for a any major league pitcher, especially one who is one month shy of his 40th birthday. Yesterday under the warm sunshine in the Bronx, It looked as if he had never left. He not only impressed me, he inspired me.

I knew Andy would do well. Pettitte said numerous times over these couple months, if he couldn't do this at the level he needed to, he would be back home in Texas. He is a competitor, a "warrior" (no disrespect to Paul O'Neill) and has the heart of a champion. Being 19 months away doesn't change that.

Unfortunately, Andy got the loss yesterday. Honestly, to me it didn't matter. Yesterday, I was rooting for Andy Pettitte, the man and the player. He did not disappoint. He was the antidote Yankee fans needed to losing Mariano Rivera for the season. I can't wait for his next start and those that follow.

WELCOME HOME ANDY PETTITTE!

WHAT SHOULD THE YANKEES DO WITH NUNEZ?

I feel bad for Eduardo Nunez. After getting a reputation for making errors at just about every position he was asked to play, the Yankees sent Nunez down to the minors when Eric Chavez was reactivated from the DL. The reason I feel bad is I don't think he stopped trying. He wore the disappointment in himself on his face. But his defensive difficulties seem to get worse with every game and every error he made. However he was becoming a defensive liability. Yankee fans started to hold their breath with every fielding play he was involved in. Maybe Nunez started to feel that, which may have made him even more nervous, which may have caused him to make more errors, and so on.

Now back in Scanton Triple A, the question becomes what do they with Eduardo? Unfortunately, all the years he spent proving himself as a major league ballplayer (as all young players have to do) has been erased and he needs to start all over again. Now, when you mention his name, he is considered the "error prone" Eduardo Nunez. That's truly unfortunate.

I think the best thing for this young player is to go to another team with a smaller stage. Not everyone is cut out to play in New York. Nunez may be one of those players.

I hope Eduardo Nunez can turn things around for himself, whether it's here in the Bronx or somewhere else.

ON THOSE DAYS - FOR MY MOTHER

You, my sweet, dear mother have known me for over 15,330 days. During those days...

When I felt ugly
YOU told me I was beautiful

When I felt like a failure
YOU told me I was amazing

When I lost my way
YOU told me to come home

When a guy broke my heart
YOU told me it was HIS loss

When I succeeded
YOU told me how proud you where

When I was a child, you taught me how to walk and talk. As a woman, you taught me how to love and laugh. You are my hero and my rock. You share my sense of humor and love of sports. You are my beautiful Mom.

A NOVA WIN, A ROBERTSON SAVE AND A YANKEE WIN.

Ivan Nova pitched great, Raul Ibanez and Curtis Granderson went deep (Ibanez twice) and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3. But the big story last night was David Robertson getting the save.

Nova went 7 inning and gave up 2 runs on 6 hits. He fought his way out of atleast one jam and overall seemed to have put his last bad outing behind him. He looked like the pitcher we have to enjoyed watching.

Raul Ibanez and Curtis Granderson went deep. We saw hits from Tex, A-Rod and Cano - which had been missing lately. Hopefully the middle of the order is starting to get timely hits. Russell Martin is still not having a hot bat, but he made a great throw to 2nd in the first inning to complete a strike em out throw em out play to end the inning. Plus I think he kept David Robertson's head from exploding in the 9th.

Speaking of Robertson, he got the first 2012 Post-Mo save. It wasn't as quick or as pretty as a Mariano save but considering the pressure and anxiety he must have been feeling, he did good. After the game, David was quoted as saying "I was thinking you better not blow your 1st one. Do not blow your first opportunity or Mo might come in here and smack me around”

Lastly, some good news for Andy Pettitte. He is officially scheduled to make his 2012 start this Sunday at Yankee Stadium (mother's day) against Seattle. The Yankee house will be a rockin! Welcome home Andy!

Hopefully we can grab another win from the Rays and keep this train on the rails and in the right direction.

As always, GO YANKEES!

DAVID ROBERTSON SHOWS HOUDINI MAGIC

Mariano Riveria made his major league debut on May 25, 1995. He was a skinny, 25 year old kid who at times struggled to find a place for himself as a pitcher for the Yankees. After that incredible world series win in 1996, the then closer, John Wetteland, didn't return and the job went Mo. "Enter Sandman" was born; but becoming the "great" Mariano Riveria took many seasons, at times suffering difficult losses. Mo's greatest talent wasn't just the cutter - it was the ability to turn the page after a blown save. No one becomes legendary overnight, including Mo.

I say all this because today was the first save for David Robertson. With only a 2 run lead, the game rested on this kid they call "Houdini", for his way getting out of big jams. DRob's heart looked like it was going to pound out of his chest. At one point I became concerned he was actually going to hyperventilate. True to his nickname he wound up loading the bases with one out and then struck out the next two and the game was over. I don't know if I have ever seen a more relieved closer. A huge exhale and, as someone said to me, "the color came back in his face". At the same time, somewhere, Mo smiled as the little prayer he said was answered and he too was able to exhale.

This is not the way anyone expected Robertson was going to be handed the keys to the castle, most of all Robertson. But as they say "You plan, God laughs". David got through that first save opportunity and though it may not have been pretty - he did it.

If I could say anything to David Robertson it would be to take a lesson from your predecessor and whether you get or blow the save, forget about it by the time you leave the clubhouse.

This kid young man from Tuscaloosa, Alabama has the stuff to be a good, if not a great, closer. I don't have a crystal ball and I don't know what the future holds for DRob. What I do know is fans have loved Mariano for what seems like a lifetime, and like Mo, Yankee fans have David Robertson's back. Today and always.