Yankees baseball blog

Yanks manage one hit in loss to A's

Kei Igawa gave up three home runs -- including an upper-deck shot to right field by Dan Johnson -- and the Yankees didn't get a hit until the sixth inning in a 7-0 loss to the A's on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

Jason Kendall and Shannon Stewart hit back-to-back homers off Igawa in the third inning, and Oakland starter Chad Gaudin's bid for a no-hitter was lost with one out in the sixth, when Johnny Damon hit a single up the middle -- the Yankees' only hit of the afternoon. Igawa, who retired the first eight batters he faced, struck out four and walked three, allowing five hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings. He picked up his second loss of the season to fall even at 2-2. Continue

Cashman: No trade will save us

Brian Cashman is monitoring the trade market on a daily basis, but the Yankees' general manager believes that unless his team starts playing up to snuff, there isn't a trade possibility that will be enough to reverse the Bombers' fortunes. "We just need to play to our abilities," Cashman said. "We've only done it for 16 days; that's it the whole season. If we don't do that, it doesn't matter what I end up doing at first base or in the bullpen. It won't matter. We need to focus on fixing the guys we have here and moving in the right direction."

Bobby Abreu (four hits in his last 35 at-bats), Robinson Cano (3-for-21), Johnny Damon (4-for-22) and Hideki Matsui (4-for-30) are the primary culprits, as half of the Yankees' star-studded lineup has struggled to find its stride this season. Cashman wouldn't comment on the possibility of the Yankees becoming sellers instead of buyers before the trade deadline, choosing instead to focus on what his team needs to do to get back in the playoff race. Continue

Kyle livid at Joe's hook

Kyle Farnsworth huffed off the mound, mumbling and grumbling as he walked off, then hurling his glove into the dugout. It marked the second tantrum in a week when the shaky setup man was removed from a game mid-inning by Joe Torre. Fortunately for the Yankees, Mariano Rivera "came in and bailed out Farnsy," as Torre put it, striking out three in recording the final four outs to preserve a 2-1 victory over the A's last night at the Stadium.

"(Farnsworth) was upset, but he has to understand it shouldn't be an embarrassment to bring Mariano Rivera out of the bullpen," Torre said. "I know you get passionate about what you do, but you certainly hope you keep in mind - whether it's Farnsworth or anybody else on our team - that everybody is working their (butt) off to do the same thing. You certainly don't want to call attention to yourself for that reason." Continue

Yanks' bullpen secures Mussina's win

Sure, Mike Mussina hasn't had a consistent season. In some games, he's thrown pitches like a monkey throws darts: erratic and with no sense of the bull's-eye. But Mussina's past five starts, all in June, show that the veteran right-hander is hitting his spots. Consider the numbers on the dartboard: 5.63, 5.17, 5.10, 4.98 and 4.63.

Mussina's ERA is dipping downward, and his confidence is shooting skyward, especially after his seven strong innings against the Athletics on Friday night in a 2-1 win at Yankee Stadium that handed manager Joe Torre his 2,010th career victory and lifted him past Leo Durocher for possession of ninth place on the all-time managerial wins list. Continue

Cash: No job is safe

GM Brian Cashman made it clear during an ESPN-1050 interview yesterday that he and Torre could be on the firing line. "I think we are all, obviously, on watch," Cashman told Michael Kay. "I don't think anybody would deny that. I think right now with what is taking place with this club right now, I think everybody currently shouldn't feel very comfortable and I don't think anybody does. That's the bottom line."

Told of Cashman's comments, Joe Torre said he didn't feel any additional pressure. "I don't sense that anybody is worried about coaches getting fired or players getting traded," Torre said. Continue

Just swingin’ in the rain

Just the Yankees’ luck: They finally had a big offensive outburst last night, but left town not knowing whether it will translate into a victory.

The Yankees lead the Orioles 8-6 in the eighth inning. Stay tuned. That was essentially the message delivered at 11:25 p.m., when it was announced last night’s game had been suspended and won’t be resumed until the Yankees’ next visit to Camden Yards on July 27.“We haven’t won a game, but it’s a good feeling what’s going on,” Jorge Posada said. Joe Torre cancelled batting practice yesterday hoping his Yankees would save their good swings for the game. Actually they saved most of them for the eighth inning. Continue

Torre rehashes old plan: No BP

When the Yankees were scuffling through a five-game losing streak on May 29, Joe Torre decided to cancel batting practice the next day, giving his players the option to come to the ballpark as late as an hour before game time. The Yankees scored five runs in the first inning that night, beating the Blue Jays to kick off a 14-3 run that boosted the Bombers back into the playoff race.

After last night's 4-0 loss to the Orioles, Torre and his coaches decided to try the same trick, putting the kibosh on BP before tonight's series finale in Baltimore. "We're going to try to get that formula back that we had north of the border," Torre said. "I don't know what it's going to do, but it's something different." Continue

Move doesn't revive Abreu

Bobby Abreu continues to play musical chairs in the Yankees' batting order, but says it doesn't bother him. A night after Joe Torre dropped him to eighth in the lineup, Abreu took a jump closer to his familiar No. 3 spot, batting sixth against Orioles lefty Erik Bedard last night. Abreu finished 0-for-4, making the final out in the Yankees' 4-0 loss.

"To me, it doesn't matter, really," Abreu said yesterday when asked about losing his hold on No. 3. "[Torre] has to do what he has to . . . to win games. He's finding someone who can produce right now in that third spot so we can change the game." Continue

Slumping Yanks blanked by O's

Two staff aces went head-to-head at Camden Yards on Wednesday, and for more than half the game, it looked like it could be a nail-biting pitchers' duel through the night.

But while Baltimore's 28-year-old lefty Erik Bedard looked sharp through seven innings, right-hander Roger Clemens' 44 years of age surfaced by the sixth inning, when he melted down and allowed four runs en route to the Yankees' fourth straight loss, a 4-0 shutout. The Yankees have now dropped seven of their last eight contests. Continue

Abreu drops to No. 8

With Bobby Abreu mired in an extended slump, Joe Torre dropped the right fielder in the lineup, batting him eighth last night in the series opener at Camden Yards. The move didn't cause the controversy that ensued after Torre dropped Alex Rodriguez to the No. 8 spot during the American League division series last fall, as the Yankee manager discussed the decision with Abreu before posting the lineup.

"I haven't hit in the last five games," Abreu said. "The team is losing games it shouldn't be losing, so whatever it takes to win and help the team, it's no problem with me." Abreu entered the game in a 2-for-21 (.095) skid, part of an overall 7-for-42 (.167) slump. He went 1-for-4 and came up empty in the ninth with runners on first and second, one out and the game tied at 2. "It's going to find me," Abreu said. "It's a tough thing, but you have to deal with it and come out of it." Continue

Damon returns to lineup

Johnny Damon returned from a trip home to Florida as a new man. Forget the disabled list, he's eager to play some center field. Damon was in last night's starting lineup as the designated hitter after a chiropractor adjusted four of Damon's displaced ribs. Damon, who also had dental work done during his visit home, said his strained oblique muscle is doing better.

"I know the team needs me to go out there," Damon said before hitting a two-run homer in the Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards. Last night marked Damon's return to the lineup after missing three starts in San Francisco, where he appeared as a pinch hitter in the last two games. Continue

Yanks drop heartbreaker to O's

Their offense is struggling, they aren't taking advantage of decent starting pitching and they're imploding when there's only miniscule room for mistakes. On a road trip quickly spiraling out of control, the Yankees are starting to show signs that the stress is wearing them down.

After wasting a workmanlike effort from starter Andy Pettitte, the Yankees collapsed in the ninth inning on Tuesday night, when Scott Proctor walked Ramon Hernandez with the bases loaded, giving the Orioles a 3-2 victory and extending New York's losing streak to three games. Continue

In market, trades to Dye for may be tough to live with

If the Yankees keep sagging in the standings the way they have over the first two-thirds of their current road trip, the organization's new policy of not dealing prospects for quick fixes will be tested as attractive rental players such as Jermaine Dye hit the trade market.

As the Bombers sit in third place, 11 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East, team officials have identified several needs, including bullpen help, another righthanded hitter, an outfielder or first baseman, and perhaps an upgrade from Wil Nieves at backup catcher. Dye, a free agent after the season, is probably available after a frustrated White Sox GM Kenny Williams said in Chicago on Sunday that changes were imminent for his struggling team.

"The Yankees have to do something and they are looking, but I don't know if they're going to do anything stupid like trade their young pitchers for rental players," said a baseball executive who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Right now, prices are really high. At this time of year, way before the (July 31) deadline, you can get players if you're willing to seriously overpay." Continue

What is there for Cashman to do?

Right now it seems the best thing that the Yankees have going for them is their schedule, which easily ranks as the easiest among the handful of teams that will be fighting for the American League Wild Card.

But it's hard, really hard, to point to their easy schedule as a reason to hold out hope when the Yankees have just lost five of six to the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies. What does it really matter that 56 of their remaining 89 games are against teams with a .500 record or worse if they're not beating those teams with any consistency? Continue

Teixeira, relievers on Yankees' radar

The Texas Rangers are one of the few teams already in sell mode who have multiple players who both could be available and are attractive to contenders. The Yankees have expressed an interest in several of those players, a major-league source said Friday, including first baseman Mark Teixeira and relievers Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka.

Teixeira may well cost more in terms of players/ prospects than the Yankees are willing to give up, however. And the Yankees are unsure if they need to make any moves to bolster their bullpen."First base, clearly, is a spot that we can play with," general manager Brian Cashman said. "I'm not looking for anything major." Continue

DL decision is due on Damon

Decision day for whether Johnny Damon goes on the disabled list could come today or tomorrow, but he showed enough as a pinch-hitter yesterday for Joe Torre to sound optimistic about him afterward. Damon singled, stole second and went to third on a throwing error in the seventh inning, when he batted for Kevin Thompson. He tried to go out to the outfield after the inning, but was stopped by Torre. Before the game, Damon had volunteered to start, but also admitted to Torre that his strained abdominal muscle wasn't feeling any better.

"Johnny seemed fine," Torre said "It surprised me when he took off. It was good to see the base hit, too. It looked like he had a lot of life in his body. It gives you a little more hope that the DH spot, he can give us a little shot." Continue

Rocket's relief can't prevent Yanks' loss

Alex Rodriguez may be enamored with AT&T Park and its Bay Area locale, but the rest of his Yankees teammates might not agree. The Bombers headed back to the East Coast unfulfilled after falling to the Giants on Sunday, 7-1, in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Starter Mike Mussina (3-5) suffered his second consecutive loss and didn't improve upon his Major League-leading 20 victories in Interleague Play, as the Yankees bats couldn't provide much support. The right-hander walked three and struck out five, allowing five hits. Continue

In this town, he's Bay-Rod

The television cameras adore Alex Rodriguez, their lenses capturing his every twitch, his smooth swing, those playful shrugs and, especially, his mouth of pearls. There was a moment yesterday when A-Rod's mug dominated the ballpark like a 50-foot underwear ad hanging over Times Square, the AT&T scoreboard and scattered TVs flashing his image so often, someone had to be sending a subliminal message.

But when the A-Rodathon was followed with a shot of Barry Bonds hiding his face behind his glove, Darth Vader to Rodriguez's Han Solo, the comparisons turned the corner on subtle. Giants fans could barely stand the tease. Continue

Jeter leaves game with left hip strain

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter left Saturday's game against the Giants with a slight left hip strain, the team announced.

Jeter suffered the injury in the first inning of New York's extra-innings game at AT&T Park and was visibly hindered as he continued play. Jeter was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the contest, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. Jeter did not take the field after striking out in the top of the eighth inning, when Miguel Cairo took over at shortstop for the Yankees. Continue

A-Rod's clutch shot can't save Yanks

Barry Bonds took the quiet route, working a bases-loaded walk. Alex Rodriguez tried some thunder. Nate Schierholtz got the final say with a bloop single, lifting the Giants over the Yankees, 6-5, in 13 innings on Saturday.

With reliever Scott Proctor pitching in his third inning, Ryan Klesko opened with a single to right, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. An out later, Omar Vizquel -- after narrowly missing two extra-base hits down the left-field line -- legged out an infield hit, setting up Schierholtz to drop a hit in front of a diving Melky Cabrera and setting off a celebration in the middle of the infield at AT&T Park. Continue

'One of the Greatest'

It started out as a tribute to Barry Bonds and ended with Alex Rodriguez professing his love for this city. In between, Rodriguez said he is looking forward to playing in the All-Star Game next month at AT&T Park but won't participate in the Home Run Derby festivities.

"He isn't popular with a lot of people, but Barry Bonds is one of the greatest players ever to put on a uniform," Rodriguez said of the Giants slugger, who hit his 749th homer last night in the Yankees' 7-3 victory over the Giants. Bonds in now six homers away from tying Hank Aaron's all-time record of 755. Many are predicting Rodriguez will eclipse Bonds' record. "I am not thinking about that," said Rodriguez, who has 491 homers. "This is Barry's time." Continue

Yankees enjoy visit to San Francisco

Over the course of five innings, Kei Igawa showed the Yankees he was ready to be back, then glimpses of why he'd been sent down in the first place. But the Yankees' bats, paced by Alex Rodriguez's four hits and two RBIs, produced enough to gloss over any mistakes -- even Barry Bonds' 749th career home run -- in reeling off a 7-3 victory over the Giants on Friday at AT&T Park.

"Alex, with his ability, as comfortable as he appears to be, the sky is the limit," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He's scary. He really is scary. He scares people like Barry does."Less than two hours after relaying his excitement to play in this stadium for the All-Star Game on July 10, Rodriguez proved it with a double down the left-field line before coming around on a Hideki Matsui sacrifice fly. Continue

Yankees taking a giant risk with Igawa

The reports have painted a positive picture. The eyes who have seen him pitch say Kei Igawa’s mechanics are smoother and that his change-up is improved. Now, the Yankees will see close up if a six-week stint away from the varsity has transformed Igawa from a punching bag to serviceable major-league pitcher.

Tonight at San Francisco’s AT&T Park against Barry Bonds and the Giants, the Yankees send Igawa - their $46 million investment (bust?) - to the mound with their fingers firmly crossed Igawa is ready to offer back-of-the-rotation support. If he isn’t any better than his first six games in which he was 2-1 with a 7.63 ERA and put 49 baserunners on in 302/3 innings, the Yankees will add starting pitching to their list of needed acquisitions that already has the boxes for first baseman, backup catcher and bullpen help checked. Continue

Giambi agrees to come clean

With the commissioner of baseball threatening him and the muscle of Congress looming over the entire sport, Jason Giambi gave in yesterday and said he will confess his steroid sins to former Sen. George Mitchell. In a prepared statement, Giambi admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs, apologized, and said that he will discuss his history of drug use with Mitchell's investigators and speak generally about doping in baseball.

"I alone am responsible for my actions and I apologize to the commissioner, the owners and the players for any suggestion that they were responsible for my behavior," Giambi said. "I will continue to do what I think is right and be candid about my past history regarding steroids." Continue

Bats cool in Rocky Mountain loss

The altitude of the Rocky Mountains was no place for Roger Clemens to reach the rarefied air of the 350 win club. Clemens ran out of gas after just 4 1/3 innings while the Yankees' offense sputtered once more in a 4-3 loss to the Rockies, who completed a series sweep at Colorado.

"I expect to win, so it's disappointing," said Clemens, who turned in his shortest effort since rejoining New York. "On the same page, I know it's not going to come easy. Nothing's going to come easy to this ballclub. "Everybody's going to come after us for the rest of the year. We're going to go on to another city and they're going to come after us just as hard." Continue

Damon dreading DL

Johnny Damon knows what must be done to get his strained abdominal muscle back to full strength, but the outfielder/DH has no plans to ask Joe Torre to place him on the disabled list.

Damon was not in the lineup last night, as Melky Cabrera started in center field at the DH-less Coors Field. Damon did pinch-hit in the eighth, grounding out to third. Torre plans to start Damon in center today, as he has a .313 average (20-for-64) with four homers against Rockies starter Rodrigo Lopez. Continue

Yanks can't solve Francis in Colorado

Andy Pettitte didn't need to watch Matt Holliday's two-run homer clear the wall. Kicking his leg in frustration, the left-hander stalked around the mound and anchored his hands to his hips.

Holliday's tape-measure shot off a cutting changeup was a no-doubter, and at that moment in the sixth inning, it evaporated the Yankees' best chance to win what had once been a masterful pitchers' duel. Led by Holliday's three RBIs, Kaz Matsui's two-run triple and a sharp pitching performance from Jeff Francis, the Rockies blew past the Yankees at Coors Field on Wednesday, 6-1. Continue

Boss quiet about Torre

On April 30 the Yankees were 9-14 and Joe Torre's job was in jeopardy. Would Don Mattingly take over? Or Joe Girardi? Some had Larry Bowa as the longshot candidate. When play started on May 30 the Yankees were 141/2 games behind the Red Sox.

So with the Yankees having won 11 of 13 after last night's 3-1 loss to the Rockies, George Steinbrenner was provided a chance by The Post to reflect on the turnaround. Asked to comment through public relations guru Howard Rubenstein, The Boss didn't. Interpreting Steinbrenner's silence is always dangerous. He might not think being 35-33 and nine games out is something to feel good about. Or he might not want to address Torre's future. Continue

Rocket says he's set to taste Coors

Roger Clemens has made just three of his 692 career starts at Coors Field, and despite the ballpark's proclivity for high-scoring games, the Rocket has no plans to let the thin air alter his approach tomorrow against the Rockies.

"I just want to get out there, feel strong and healthy and give the guys a chance to win no matter what it looks like," Clemens said. "I think it's changed a little bit with the way the ball is, but I just have to get out there and make adjustments on the run like any other time." Clemens is 1-0 with a 3.88 ERA in his three outings at Coors Field, but each game has been a different experience. Continue

Yanks sent down quietly in Colorado

Somewhere between the home run pitch that Mike Mussina served and his next delivery, the right-hander had one of those moments -- the kind that reminds even salty veterans that they don't yet have this game licked. Pitching under National League rules at Coors Field, Mussina said he never even considered that the weak-hitting pitcher's spot was on deck, instead grooving a fastball to Colorado catcher Yorvit Torrealba.

Mussina said he didn't have a whole lot to kick himself about in the Yankees' 3-1 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday, but his lack of foresight certainly would be an item to tuck away. Continue

Chasing Roger

Roger Maris' magical 1961 season moved him past Babe Ruth in the record books, as his 61 home runs established a new benchmark. Forty-six years later, Maris still remains atop that perch, with very few even challenging the total. No, we're not talking about baseball's single-season home run record; we all know that Barry Bonds holds that distinction with 73 in 2001. But Maris' 61 homers remain the standard in the American League — at least for a few more months.

That's because Alex Rodriguez is making a serious push to make that mark his own, crushing 27 home runs in the Yankees' first 67 games. A-Rod enters tonight's game in Colorado on pace to hit 65 homers, which would put him in the exclusive company of Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, the only players to ever reach that mark. Continue

Climax of Giambi's steroids flap near

Lawyers from Major League Baseball and the Players Association continue to hammer out the details of a possible meeting between Yankees slugger Jason Giambi and steroid investigator George Mitchell.

The two sides resumed discussions yesterday after taking a break over the weekend. It is believed the two sides are attempting to agree on parameters for the questions Mitchell would be able to ask Giambi in an interview. Giambi has until Thursday morning to give Commissioner Bud Selig an answer on the ultimatum Selig delivered two weeks ago. If Giambi does not agree to the meeting, he will face disciplinary action from Selig, which may mean a suspension. Continue

Superman A-Rod in line for $30 million a year

IT is easy to forget now in the fusillade of more homers, more RBIs, more greatness that Alex Rodriguez actually slumped for nearly a month this season.

Yet embedded in that slump were signs that Rodriguez would not only come out in a powerful way, but that this season is so much different than last; that this version of Alex Rodriguez can have a bad streak and it is nothing more than that. Sometimes a slump is just a slump, even for A-Rod. “He was just a major league player going through a tough period,” hitting coach Kevin Long said. Continue

With A-Rod's help, Wang denies Mets

Chien-Ming Wang's day started with a rude awakening, the discovery of a stiff neck from sleeping wrong. He ended it right, pitching as though he was in a dream. Wang struck out a career-high 10 batters and came within one out of a complete game, while Alex Rodriguez clubbed his Major League-leading 27th home run, leading the Yankees past the Mets in Sunday's Subway Series finale, 8-2. The win clinched a series victory and kept momentum on the side of the Yankees, who have won 11 of their last 12 games and 14 of 17.

Complaining of a tight feeling in the right side of his neck, Wang reported to Yankee Stadium well ahead of the players' 5 p.m. ET report time on Sunday, administering heat therapy to help loosen him up for the start. Continue

Jeter still winning great shortstop debate

There is nothing better than a challenge, and Derek Jeter is making the most of the battle of New York shortstops. Jeter scorched four hits yesterday, including a two-run home run to left in the fourth, the key blow in the Yankees’ 11-8 Subway Series victory over the Mets at Yankee Stadium. Jeter doubled to right in the first to stretch his latest hitting streak to 11 games. In the sixth, he singled to center, moved to second on a ground out, stole third and scored. Then he singled to right in the seventh, his first four-hit game in more than a year.

In many ways the Jose Reyes vs. Jeter battle is this era’s version of Willie, Mickey and the Duke. Jeter loves to watch Reyes play. Reyes feels the same about Jeter. “Derek is ready for any challenge,” Johnny Damon said. “That’s why he’s proven over the last 13 years why he is one of the best in the league.” Continue

Rivera makes great escape

He has been the rock of the Yankees bullpen for over a decade. But even a future Hall of Famer like Mariano Rivera can be reduced to mere mortal status every once in awhile. Yesterday, Rivera walked a tightrope in the ninth inning, turning a five-run lead into a Maalox moment for Joe Torre and much of the 55,065 on hand at the Stadium. Rivera surrendered two runs on five hits before finally getting Carlos Beltran to foul out to Jorge Posada with the bases loaded to close out the Yankees' 11-8 victory.

It was not your typical game for Rivera, for sure. The closer had a rocky start to the season, but it appeared that he had fixed whatever problems he was having. "I was throwing strikes," Rivera said. "And they were putting the ball in play, finding holes." Continue

A-Rod's power helps Yanks coast

Youth may have left before experience, but neither was particularly effective as the Yankees defeated the Mets, 11-8, on Saturday. Tom Glavine's 295 Major League wins and Tyler Clippard's three victories wound up garnering the same general result: an early exit and inflated ERAs, as the Yankees and Mets turned the waterlogged second game of the Subway Series into an offensive firestorm.

The exit was earlier for the 22-year-old Clippard, who was rapped for five runs in 3 1/3 innings, including a solo home run to Ruben Gotay in the third inning and a two-run shot to Ramon Castro in the fourth. Clippard walked three and struck out two in the five-hit effort and has been hit for 11 earned runs in his last two starts. Continue

Rocket gains speed

Roger Clemens was not the Rocket, but he was not out there just for charity. He pitched very well against the Mets in the Subway Series opener, better even than against the Pirates in his 2007 debut. The Yankees are hopeful this is a trend, that Clemens is building toward something greater. Joe Torre called Clemens "sharp," and Derek Jeter characterized the outing as "great." Clemens was not as positive. The team lost, he lost, and he felt he could, should and will get better. Continue

Giambi nearing deal to talk

As the deadline nears for Jason Giambi to decide if he will meet with George Mitchell, lawyers representing the Yankees designated hitter, the Players Association and Major League Baseball are closing in on a deal that would allow him to speak to investigators. Discussions are expected to continue throughout the weekend with an announcement coming possibly as early as Monday.

Giambi faces a Wednesday deadline to give Commissioner Bud Selig an answer on his June 6 ultimatum to either talk to Mitchell's investigators or face a disciplinary action, which could be a lengthy suspension. If Giambi does not cooperate, Congress could jump into the fray. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) sent a letter to Mitchell, the former Senate Majority Leader, yesterday saying he is watching closely. "In particular, I am following your progress with New York Yankees first baseman/designated hitter, Jason Giambi, and his apparent reluctance (or refusal) to meet with you," Rush, chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, wrote in the letter. Continue

Abs injury has Damon sidetracked

Perhaps Johnny Damon should stick to the role of designated hitter. Two days after playing center field for the first time since May 30, Damon was scratched from the lineup last night with an injury the Yankees called a mild abdominal strain, though Damon said it was his oblique muscle.

Damon first felt the pain during batting practice on Tuesday, the night before he went out and played center field. He was in last night's original lineup, but Joe Torre decided to scratch him before the game. Torre did not want to play him in a day game after a night game but wanted him in the lineup today against Tom Glavine. Josh Phelps (0-for-3) stood in as the DH, while Melky Cabrera (0-for-4) moved up from the No. 8 spot to bat leadoff in Damon's place. Continue

Yanks can't back Rocket as run ends

The Rocket showed signs of sharpening, but he just couldn't keep pace with the Mets' spark plug youth. Jose Reyes homered and tied a career high with three stolen bases, while rookie Carlos Gomez turned in a key defensive play that spoiled Roger Clemens' second start of the year, leading the Mets to a 2-0 victory over the Yankees on Friday night.

The 44-year-old Clemens ventured two batters further than he did in his season debut against the Pirates last Sunday, allowing two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, but the Yankees were completely stifled by Mets left-hander Oliver Perez. Continue

Bombers now in interleague of own

Ah, to be the Yankees these June days and nights, sub-.500 days growing distant in the rear-view mirror and nothing but sky now the limit. After all those weeks of being buried in the unaccustomed company of the dregs of the American League, it is as if the air is suddenly fresh and clean and breathing comes easily. The patient who appeared terminal only a couple of short weeks ago has made a miraculous recovery, thanks in no small part to the wonder drug of interleague play.

Indeed, it's almost like every team that shows up on the schedule takes the role of the Washington Generals, willing patsies to the Yankees' Harlem Globetrotters. It started with the Chicago White Sox, who are in a free-fall to oblivion only two years removed from the top of the heap, and continued on through the Pittsburgh Pirates and, these last three days, the Arizona Diamondbacks. And now, as only the baseball gods would seemingly have it right now for Joe Torre's rejuvenated troops, here are the Mets, staggering home on the heels of a disastrous 1-5 road trip and in the midst of of a 1-9 stretch, the worst since Willie Randolph took over in 2005. Continue

Giambi nears Mitchell meeting

Jason Giambi may have a date soon with George Mitchell. Lawyers representing Major League Baseball and the Players Association are hashing out the ground rules for a meeting between the Yankee slugger and the steroid investigator. The negotiations are expected to continue through the weekend. Commissioner Bud Selig informed Giambi on June 6 that his punishment for admitting steroid use would depend on how cooperative he is with the former Senate Majority Leader's investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

Giambi must comply by Tuesday or face a stiffer penalty from the commissioner's office. As the Daily News has reported, Selig would suspend Giambi if the player fails to cooperate satisfactorily with Mitchell. Continue

Yanks capture ninth straight

Andy Pettitte has filled different roles all year for the Yankees, serving as a veteran presence, leader, clubhouse confidant, even an emergency relief pitcher on two occasions. On Thursday, all the Yankees asked was to make sure the line kept moving. Pettitte obliged, hurling eight strong innings as the Yankees wrapped up a 7-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"When you're playing like this, you just want to keep it going," Pettitte said. "That's all there is to it. It's fun right now to come to the ballpark and do this." The Yankees' nine-game winning streak is the longest by any Major League team this season; the Yankees have not lost since June 4 at Chicago, and Pettitte said he felt a little extra pressure to keep the good vibes rolling. Continue

Clemens set for smoother Subway ride

It's been five days since The Great Re-launch and life has been a little on the hectic side for the Yankees' newest righthander. "The family's been around, friends are calling and obviously it gets a little crazy this weekend," Roger Clemens said before last night's win over the Diamondbacks. With the Mets hopping the subway to the Bronx this weekend, Clemens' second start will be anything but routine. But that doesn't faze the Rocket. This, he said, is one of the reasons he came back.

"It's enjoyable," Clemens said of the hoopla that will surround his start tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium in the opener of the three-game set with the Mets. "(But) there's nothing more disappointing to me than not holding up your end of the deal. I still love what I do and I wouldn't have chosen to come back here, and everything that goes along with it, if we didn't expect to win. There's a lot of expectations here to do that and either you like it or you don't. Some guys don't like it, but I really enjoyed working here and that's why I'm back." Continue

Yankees win eighth in a row

Look out Boston and Detroit, the Yankees are hot on your tail. Backed by a brilliant Mike Mussina, the Yankees steamrolled over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night to win their eighth straight game, putting them 8 1/2 games behind the Red Sox, who got pounded by the Rockies, 12-2, in the American League East, and 4 1/2 games behind the Tigers for the AL Wild Card lead.

After the D-backs took a brief lead in the second on Chris Young's sacrifice fly, the Yankees returned the favor after Jorge Posada, who was the designated hitter on Wednesday, led off the bottom half with his eight blast of the year. But Posada was outdone by Alex Rodriguez, who hit his Major League-leading 25th homer off D-backs starter Livan Hernandez (5-4) into the left-field stands in the third inning. A-Rod also increased his league-leading RBI total to 66. Continue

June boom for Abreu

For most of the season's first two months, Bobby Abreu was in the baseball equivalent of the Federal Witness Protection Program. Gone was his ability to work pitchers deep into the count. Bases on balls, an Abreu trademark, had vanished. After leading all major leaguers with 124 walks last season and with eight straight seasons of at least 100 walks, he had just eight free passes in the month of May.

And the average? After hitting .253 in April, he had the lowest average in any calendar month of his 10-year career with a .208 May. But Abreu has been a different player since June began. He's been vintage Abreu, and last night his torrid streak continued. Continue

Abreu, Bombers extend streaks

A mass of colors spotted the field during a rain delay at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Members of the grounds crew wore white tops. Security guards sported yellow polo shirts. Arizona players warmed up in their Sedona red jerseys. The colors had no significance other than resembling a banana split. At least, that's how it first appeared. Then the Yankees took the field.

If ever there was attire that took on meaning, it would be fashioned with pinstripes. Sure, they're just uniforms. But are they really? The mystique surrounding those wearing black piping from collar to cleat seems to be back, especially after the Yankees beat the Diamondbacks, 4-1, for their seventh straight win. Continue

Right on since Joe's 'day off'

On May 29, the Yankees were in the midst of a lengthy losing streak, one which threatened to sink their season before it ever really got underway. Joe Torre saw his players fighting themselves, desperately trying to do anything they could to turn things around. Before the game that night in Toronto, he called a meeting, only to watch his team stumble to another gut-wrenching loss just hours later.

Torre and his coaches weighed their options, then told the players not to show up until an hour before Wednesday's game. There would be no batting practice, no sitting around wallowing in the pressure cooker in preparation for another game. Instead, Torre wanted his players to show up, get dressed and hit the field. Continue

It's time for Bombers to extend hand to Alex

His elegant swing in the fourth inning turned around another game for the Yankees yesterday, produced a handsome three-run shot to left. Then Alex Rodriguez didn't even meet the ball quite right in the sixth, went to the opposite field and dumped a two-run homer over the wall to help pound the Pirates, 13-6. "He makes it look so easy," Joe Torre said. And he does. It was the fourth time already this season that A-Rod had smacked two homers in a game. His statistics continue to amass and amaze: He has 24 homers, 63 RBI, with 101 games left in the year. At this pace, he will top Roger Maris' famously asterisk-ed but untainted club record of 61 homers.

So there were two more big scenes and dugout bows at the Stadium from this star player, who has carried the Yankees for so much of the troubled season. They suddenly have won six straight and Bobby Abreu is finally seeing the ball again. Rodriguez kept pointing that out, saying that he will always get better stuff to hit when Abreu is waiting out pitchers like this, getting on base. "He must have seen 40 pitches today," A-Rod said of Abreu batting in front of him. "I've never seen that in my career." Continue

Bronx Bobby finally getting it

Suddenly, the Yankees have 16 long and languorous weeks to make up the six games in the loss column by which they trail in the wild card race. They have hurried to six straight wins and nine-in-11 games basically by refusing to rush.

Patience has again become their virtue. Yesterday, they made Shawn Chacon throw 39 pitches in a three-run first, 29 pitches in a two-run third, 96 pitches by the time he left the tying and lead runs on base for Alex Rodriguez, who homered off reliever Josh Sharpless to put the Yankees ahead for good in the fourth. Continue

A-Rod's homers drive Yanks to sweep

May 29 marked the lowest low the Yankees have seen in more than a decade, the franchise flopped from the envy of the league to the butt of its jokes. And the two weeks since have brought another reverse, the Yankees suddenly riding the smooth kind of high that makes last month's free fall seem almost fake.

Of course they were very much possible, those struggles, laced with an almost helpless sort of pain. But the Yankees have since awoken to a blissful realization -- not that the season's first two months were just a bad dream, but that in the four months to come, they're good enough to recover. Continue

Rocket back in familiar orbit

Approximately three and a half hours before yesterday's game, the dark SUV pulled into the players' parking lot at Yankee Stadium, prompting a sudden, frantic scurrying of attendants and the Yankee security men. "Oh my God, that's him!" one of the attendants shouted, and sure enough, there he was, Roger Clemens himself, getting out from behind the wheel, his sons Kacy and Kody in tow. Considering all the hype and hoopla (not to mention moolah) the Yankees had invested in this day, you figured the least they could have done was to supply Clemens with a stretch limo or a horse-driven chariot to get him to the ballpark. Or as somebody asked when he strode to the mound for the start of the game: "What, no parachute?" But then, for all the perks and privileges written into his contract, Clemens still considers himself a blue-collar guy at heart who drives himself - in everything he does.

And that, essentially, is what the Yankees got yesterday in the second coming (at least for them) from the 44-year-old, Hall of Fame-bound pitching icon who is supposed to save their season: a self-driven, blue-collar "quality" start of six innings, five hits, three runs, two walks and seven strikeouts. It was enough to earn him the 349th win of his illustrious career. And if you want to say that any given starter on any given day could do that, you're missing the point. Continue

Melky leading the way

It probably won't replace the catch he made last year against Manny Ramirez atop his personal highlight reel, but Melky Cabrera added another amazing grab to his resume yesterday by reaching over the center-field fence to snatch a likely homer from Pittsburgh's Ronny Paulino. Cabrera also went 1-for-3 and scored twice and is hitting .378 over a span of 10 consecutive starts. The Yankees are 8-2 in those games. "Melky gives us life," Joe Torre said. Alex Rodriguez added that Cabrera was a "difference maker" in the team's recent success. Continue

Clemens earns win in return to Yanks

Roger Clemens' Bronx relaunch was a success. The Rocket notched a win in his first start of the season, pitching six innings in the Yankees' 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. Clemens threw 108 pitches in his first big-league start of the season, limiting the Pirates to three runs and five hits. The 44-year-old right-hander, who made three starts at three Minor League levels on his way to New York, walked two and struck out seven in helping the Yankees extend their winning streak to a season-high five games.

Clemens retired the final seven batters he faced; on his final pitch, a swinging strikeout of Pittsburgh's Ryan Doumit, Clemens was received with a standing ovation from the crowd of 54,296, while Elton John's "Rocket Man" walked him into the Yankees dugout to exchange fist pounds with his new -- and old -- teammates. Continue

Ready to get started? Roger

The countdown ends at 1:05 Saturday afternoon when The Rocket launches his second and presumed final tour with the Yankees with nearly as much fanfare as those old Apollo launches at Cape Canaveral. Of course, when one clock stops, another begins, and Saturday is when the Yankees begin paying Roger Clemens approximately $150,000 a day. He arrived in New York on Friday but did not report to Yankee Stadium because that would have meant paying him for an extra day as well as making a roster move.

The Yankees are hoping the prorated $28-million price tag is worth it. "Roger will be fine. He'll compete like he always does," Joe Torre said before Friday night's game. "Five, six innings, whatever it is, depending on pitch count and depending on how hard he has to work. We'll start paying attention at the 90 [pitch] mark. Continue

Yanks extend streak to four

With Roger Clemens on his way to the Bronx, the Yankees picked as good a time as any to roll the clocks back and check if the old nostalgia still worked. Andy Pettitte pitched eight solid innings, Mariano Rivera handled the late innings flawlessly and Derek Jeter came up with the game-winning hit as the Yankees defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in 10 innings Friday, 5-4.

"It was another good win," Pettitte said. "Let's keep it going. We're starting to play a lot better, and you can tell guys are starting to get a lot more confident. You can see it. It shows." New York pushed across the winning run against Bucs reliever Matt Capps, winning its fourth consecutive game to set a new season-high streak. Continue

An extraordinary Joe

Joe Torre accomplished something great last night, when a 10-3 win over the White Sox made him the 10th major-league manager in history to reach the 2,000-victory mark. Getting to that milestone demonstrates success and longevity. Torre managed part or all of every season from 1977 through 1984, and again from 1990 to now. He has managed the Mets, Braves, Cardinals and, for the past 12 seasons, the Yankees. Even Torre could not have fathomed getting to 2,000 when the Yankees hired him.

"It's a great number," Torre said, "when you consider what other guys have gotten. When I was hired here, I was a lot closer to losing 2,000 at that time than I was to winning 2,000. Hopefully, this year'll be special." Continue

Yankees pull out finale late

Derek Jeter gave Joe Torre a hug, creating an emotional symbol for Torre's 2,000th career win as a Major League Baseball manager. "He deserves it," Jeter said. "To get that number of victories, it takes a long time. He's been pretty consistent -- especially since he's been in New York. All he's done is win. He deserves a lot of credit."

Torre passed around the credit on a blustery Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field after the Yankees beat the White Sox, 10-3, to give their manager another milestone and end their road trip on a high note. "I thought the game was very special," said Torre, who is 10th all-time, nine wins behind Leo Durocher. He's also the first to record 2,000 wins as a manager and 2,000 hits as a player. Continue

Bud tells Giambi: Step up to plate!

Bud Selig threw a hard inside pitch at Jason Giambi and the Major League Baseball Players Association yesterday, telling the Yankee slugger to start talking about steroids - or else. Selig informed Giambi that his punishment for admitting steroid use will depend on how cooperative he is with former Sen. George Mitchell's investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

"Any admission regarding the use of illegal performance-enhancing substances, no matter how casual, must be taken seriously," Selig said in a statement released yesterday. "It is in the best interests of baseball for everyone, including players, to cooperate with Sen. Mitchell in his investigation so that Sen. Mitchell can provide me with a complete, thorough report." Continue

Andy passes bullpen test

Joe Torre stopped Andy Pettitte on the dugout steps yesterday and asked the Yankees ace how a bullpen session went. "Good, real good," Pettitte told his manager. With those words resting comfortably in his ears, Torre turned and walked to his office. "I am going to pitch Friday," Pettitte said.

While it was believed the back spasms that forced Pettitte out of a game Sunday night in Boston weren't serious enough to keep him out of tomorrow night's start against the Pirates at Yankee Stadium, it wasn't confirmed until Pettitte came through yesterday's bullpen workout. Continue

Wang goes the distance for win

Chien-Ming Wang's best game of the season was probably last month in Seattle, when he lost a perfect game in the eighth after retiring the first 22 hitters. "That game was pretty good," Yankees manager Joe Torre said, shaking his head. "Why do you have to remind me about those things?"

Maybe Wang's stuff was a touch off his Seattle best on Wednesday in Chicago, but his performance was more meaningful and just as dominating. Wang threw the Yankees' first complete-game victory since, well, his last one on July 28, 2006, against Tampa Bay (a 6-0 win), as the Yankees backed him up with a four-run third inning en route to a 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox for their second straight win.  Continue

Torre wants breather for Jeter, A-Rod

Joe Torre approached Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez yesterday with the thought of not putting one of them in thestarting lineup against the White Sox last night. Jeter, who Torre says is "physically beat up," was Torre's first target. "I approached him and said, 'How about a day off?' " Torre said before last night's 7-3 win over the White Sox. "He gave me that really ugly look. I just walked away."

Torre's next stop was the locker next to Jeter's that houses A-Rod."He went like this [putting his hands in the air], and I didn't bother asking," Torre said. After Jeter (2-for-5) and A-Rod (3-for-5, 3 RBIs, HR) helped the Yankees establish a season-high in hits (17), Torre still talked about giving Jeter's body a day off. Continue

Clemens, Pettitte feeling OK

The Yankees moved one day closer to a rescheduled Roger Clemens season debut, and it appears that Andy Pettitte's back will feel strong enough to allow him to pitch Friday. Clemens, who was scratched from his scheduled Monday start here because of disrupted scar tissue in his right groin, worked out yesterday in Tampa and reported no discomfort.

"We anticipate he'll be [starting] Saturday," manager Joe Torre said. Barring a problem in his bullpen session today, Clemens would face the Pirates in a 1:05 p.m. game at Yankee Stadium. Pettitte, who left Sunday night's game in Boston after suffering back spasms, said he is feeling much better and remains penciled in for Friday. He will also throw a bullpen session today. Continue

Yankees surge past White Sox

After suffering through an abysmal May, Bobby Abreu's nam