Apparently, the Yankees can't win when I watch them. 

In the first game vs TB, I started watching when the score was 7-1, only to see Traber and Bruney give up homers and tie the game.  That's 6 runs from the OPPOSING team.  (I did see Cano's homer though.)

I didn't watch the second game except for the bottom 9th with Rivera.  We all know that he can seal the deal.  Otherwise Pettitte had a decent outing and the offense scored some runs.

I watched the first 4 1/2 innings against the Red Sox, but then I had to leave after Wang and Ohlendorf disgusted me.  The Yankees were losing 9-7 but of course, they scored four runs in the bottom half of that inning and never looked back.

I watched the next game on a "Treo" (kind of like a blackberry) until it was 7-0.  I find out this morning that the Yankees had the tying run at the plate in the ninth.  Was it Cano? Giambi? Posada? No idea.

I didn't watch Hughes first started (ND) but have watched his last two (0-2).  Maybe I should TiVo today's game and watch it tomorrow. 

Yup, Alberto Gonzalez turns 25 today. 

For some reason, I always forget that the Yankees got him when they traded away Randy Johnson. 

According to Pete Abraham, Alberto Gonzalez will be making his MLB debut at second base tonight**.  I can't believe this is happening; a rookie SS filing in for Robinson Cano. 

Also, Betemit goes on the DL (pink eye).  Joba goes on the bereavement list (family reason).  Moeller and Albaladejo get called up.

I still haven't seen anything involving Molina getting placed on the DL (yet).

* Ha, to those of you thinking that Gonzo was going to be sent back to AAA once Jeter came back.

Catch-Up Time

1) Second game of series

2) Rubber game of series

Here we go:

1) In the 2+-hour rain delayed game, I just knew A-Rod was going to strikeout.  I just knew it.  The announcers were all concerned about Papelbon and how much he "warmed-up" during the delay, but really A-Rod should have been the main concern (Can he hit in the clutch? Will he be too anxious? Etc).  Imagine what was going through his mind during those couple of hours.  Do you really think that he could have done anything else?. . . Posada looks really bad at the plate; swinging pitches a mile under the strike zone . . . Giambi is doing nothing but striking out . . . Mike Mussina was OK, no thanks to Bruney . . . Gonzo remains a pest to the Red Sox by hitting, playing small ball, and scoring on a WP that literally went only a few feet from home plate . . . Cano went 2-4 with an RBI (he's getting there) . . . FOX just completely stopped showing the game to show NASCAR.  It was the 9th inning, 2 outs, and 3-2 count on Cano, who was battling Papelbon, when FOX changed it.  Obviously, Cano got out, but I think what FOX did was uncalled for. 

1a) Second game was not pretty either. Hughes was terrible again . . . Ohlendorf gave up inherited runs again (I think) . . . Giambi hit a solo homer (why can't he hit one with runners on base?) . . . Cano still struggling . . . Gonzo had the at-bat of the series (in my opinion).  He saw 10-11 pitches; fouled off many of them; didn't swing at ones outside of the strike zone; and hit a clutch RBI single.  If Molina wasn't on, then two runs could have scored . . . Molina left the game with a hamstring injury.  Uggh.  Posada looked somewhat uncomfortable behind the plate when he came in as a replacement . . . Rivera and Chamberlain didn't pitch at all in this series.  Bet the Red Sox were happy about that.

Tonight Kennedy takes on TB at 7:10pm ET.

I'll also be back with my opinion on a Masters champion who isn't named Tiger Woods.

I have officially forgiven Wang for his performances in the playoffs.  That outing yesterday was an amazing performance.  Here are random things about the game:

• Wang threw 93 pitches.  That's 10.33333333333333 pitches per inning.
• Alberto Gonzalez can play small ball and can smoke doubles and has an amazingly strong arm.
• Before Giambi's GW homer, he was batting .050; I'm guessing he didn't want it go lower.
• Yankees ended two innings twice when the bases were loaded.
• Molina is T1st in the AL with doubles.  Unbelievable.
• Cano will come through . . . eventually. 
• Memo to Michael Kay: I had a touch time watching the game.  All you talked about was the Red Sox players.  Yeah you mentioned things about Gonzalez, Wang, and the fact that Cano and Giambi (pre-homer) are slumping but otherwise it was Varitek this, Lugo that, Buchholz this, Ortiz that, Ramirez this, etc.  It got old fast . . . Is out-stolen-based correct English? . . . Alberto Gonzalez does not chug into 2B.  Molina, Giambi, and Posada do, but not a 5' 11", 160 lbs, 24-year-old shortstop. 

Yankees are playing the Red Sox now.  Beckett had a perfect 1st with 2 Ks and Mussina is already struggling in the bottom of the 1st.  What a shock!

I left yesterday's live-blogging post with the Yankees winning.  I really wasn't sure if they would hold on, but they did. 

Pettitte got the win, Chamberlain the hold.  Rivera pitched the 9th. 

Melky, A-Rod, and Jorgie each had homers.  The Melkman and the A-Rod each drove in 2 runs as well. 

Overall it was a good game.  On to the Red Sox tonight!

Probable pitchers this series:

Today: CM Wang (2-0, 1.38 ERA) vs Clay Buchholz (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

Saturday: Mike Mussina (1-1, 3.09 ERA) vs Josh Beckett (0-1, 9.64 ERA)

Sunday: Phil Hughes (0-1, 5.00 ERA) vs Matsuzaka (2-0, 1.47 ERA)

Interesting how Wang and D-Mat have the most wins and lowest ERA for their respected teams. 

It's that time again . . . the time NYY starting pitching gives up the first runs of the game. 

However, in the top 2nd, Molina has singled and Cano has walked. 

Ensberg strikes out.  This team probably has more strikeouts then the rest of MLB combined.

Wow, Ensberg ended that inning.  So much for Gonzalez getting another chance with RISP.

KC 1-0.

I'll be back with updates.

Update 8:55pm (ET): Pettitte pitches a perfect 2nd.  Gonzalez grounds out to start the top 3rd; Damon flies out; Melky HITS A HOMERUN TO LEFT CENTER; A-Rod grounds out.

Score tied at 1.

Update 9:12pm (ET): Pettitte gets into and out of trouble thanks to a 5-3 DP.  (Alex got one runner out at 3B.) Score tied 1-1.

Update 9:18pm (ET): Yankees score 1 in the top 4th.  Posada singles, Matsui singles (Jorgie to 3rd), Molina grounds into a DP, but Posada scores.  Cano pops out. NYY 2-1

Questions that will remain unanswered:

• Shutout against Zack Greinke? In the rain?
• Why didn't somebody tell the umpires that is was raining?  How could MLB let players play these type of conditions?  The infield was terrible.
• How did Greinke pitch into the 8th? In the rain?
• Why is Farnsworth pitching multiple innings in a game? 
• Why is Jeter or Posada or Ensberg or Giambi not on the DL? How is having an injured player on the bench going to help them win?
• Why can't this team hit with runners in scoring position?

I'm done. 

Atleast I though so in the first inning.

Girardi and Eiland plan back fired. 

I had forgotten the biggest story of this game - Ian Kennedy.  He was scheduled to start but then was scratched because of the weather.  Bruney started in place for him.  He and Billy Traber pitched 3 scoreless innings, while Farnsworth promptly gave up 2 runs in his 2 IP.  Kennedy's in now, and it's 4-0 with only 1 out in the 6th.  Not sure if it's raining, but with the rate the pitching's going and the offense is going, I'm not seeing the Yankees winning this game. 

4-0 thru 6.  Ugghh.

It's official.  The Yankees can't do anything with runners in scoring position.  Alberto Gonzalez (Jeter's replacement) and Jose Molina (Posada's replacement) each hit doubles (in different innings) only to be left stranded by a Damon strikeout.  The back-up and minor leaguer can hit, but a World Series champion can't?

So, as I thought, Yankees brought up Gonzalez and sent down Shelley Duncan.  Thank you!  I still haven't figured out why the Yankees have three injured players on the bench (including a Morgan Ensberg mistery knee and/or ankle injury) without DLing one of them?!

KC winning 2-0.  Thanks to Kyle Farnsworth.

Just wanted to take the time to wish Doug Davis, of the Arizona Diamondbacks, good luck with his upcoming surgery to remove his thyroid.

He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on March 28, 2008 and is scheduled to have the surgery tomorrow, April 10.

Doug pitched the D-Backs to an emotional 10-5 victory over the Dodgers, only giving up 2 runs and striking out 7.  He got a standing ovation when he left the game after the 6th inning and then he received a curtain call in which his teammates pushed him up the dugout steps. 

Bob Nevin might have work cut out for him by finding someone to replace Doug's spot in the rotation, but I'm guessing that's the least of his worries. 

Anyway, we'll be thinking of you, Doug!

Whatever you want to call him . . . he needs to get called up, no matter how long Jeter is out.  You can't have Wilson Betemit starting every single game at SS.  He is more of a bench, late-inning replacement, back-up kind of player.  If Betemit is replacing Jeter, then who is replacing Betemit on the bench?  And injured Jeter? 

Gonzalez can start and should start (if he does get called up).  Put Betemit on the bench.  Then when you need someone to pinch hit or to come in defensively, Betemit's there and you're not looking at an empty spot on the bench. 

Whatever happens, A-Rod should not be starting at SS.  I would be shocked if that actually happens.  It's like he or Jeter having to play the outfield (a rumor that never came true).

 Update: Apparently Gonzo was taken out in the middle of Scranton WB game vs Lousiville Bats (Andy Phillips team) . . . might he already be on his way up?

That was the worst game thus far this season . . . at least most of it was.

Hughes pitched poorly (3+ IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts) and threw 87 pitches (only 47 for strikes).  Ohlendorf relieved him and gave up 2 runs through 3 innings; Traber and Hawkins each pitched a scoreless inning. 

The offense is another story.  Leaving the bases loaded?  Leaving runners in scoring position?  Those are not ways to score runs.  Yes, the (starting) pitching has been somewhat inconsistent but it's not like the pitchers are giving up 10-20 runs (excluding that TB game).  The offense needs to pick it up. 

I'm not even going to post offensive stats, except A-Rod going 0-4 with (guess what?) 4 strikeouts.  We don't know if he'll win the Gold Glove and/or the Silver Slugger but we now can say that he wins the Golden Sombrero, given to those players who strikeout 4 times in one single game.  (That hat is something Red Sox fans can wear when the Yankees go up to BeanTown later this week.)

After this game the only thing that I can say to myself is:  At least the Yankees' record is better than the Tigers'.  How can they possibly be 0-7?

No idea who's pitching tomorrow.  Kennedy?

Yeah, I know this post is late, but it's better late than never.

Mike Mussina won his 251th game yesterday pitching a very dominate game.  He only had 3K which is somewhat surprising because it seemed like he was striking out every batter.  6 IP, 2 hits, run, walk, 3ks. Not bad.  His only mistake was a homer to no one other than Johnny Gomes himself.  (I had to laugh when Latroy Hawkins struck him out to end the game!!)

The offense came through, with Abreu, the hottest Yankee of all, going 3-3, with a single, triple, HR, BB, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs.  Yup, he was a double away from the cycle, but he was so patient in his final a-bat (walk) that in the end, helped the Yankees score in that inning. 

A-Rod, Matsui, and Cano had the other RBIs.  Bruney pitched a perfect 7th, Farnsworth pitched a perfect 8th, and Hawkins pitched a scary 9th, but managed to get away without giving up any runs.

That's worse than hearing "past a diving Jeter".  Especially if you just turned on the radio and that's the first thing you hear.  Scary.  50-60 pitches in 2 innings?  Scary.

Leah,

Hughes is not pitching today, Mussina is. 

Understand?

Update: According to the Pre-Game Show on YES, Hughes is already on his way to KC.

Yeah, I wanted to included Wang in there, but it just didn't work.

Quick story before I get to Yankee stuff:

I usually drive to school every day but sometimes I have to take the bus and today was one of those days.  I got out of school at 1:43 pm (we start at 7:15 am) and got on the bus, but we didn't leave the school until 2:05 pm because the bus driver's daughter got stung by a bee.  Because it was the first time that she was ever stung by a bee, someone had to call for an ambulance.  So moral to the story: You can call an ambulance for getting stung by a bee.  (Just kidding!!)

Seriously, she was okay . . . crying but okay.

Anyway (now that you're bored) on to yesterday's somewhat miracle win over 'em Evil Rays.  Wang has definitely improved since his awful postseason last year.  He went 6 innings only 4 hits (0 runs), 2 walks, and 6 Ks.  He's the only starter with 2 wins, let alone 1. 

Joba was Joba . . . Rivera was Rivera (3 games, 3 save opportunities, 3 saves, 3 NYY wins)

Oh yeah, the Yankees improved their record with Girardi managing to 3-1 so their overall record is 3-3. It could be worse.  Just look at those Tigers from Detroit . . . 0-6 under Leyland? 

Hughes is pitching tonight in the final game of the series vs the Rays.  Hoping for a series split.

There was a standing ovation for Wang when he was taken out in the 7th.  It was either that or people cheering because Joba is coming in.

Welcome, to my first ever blog!!

Leading off, my name is Leah and I am a HUGE Yankee fan.  I've been a Yankee fan since as far back as I can remember and would do anything for them to win #27 (within reason).  Hence the name of this blog, 26 and Counting.

I'm from Connecticut, smack in the middle of NY and Boston. Obviously, New York got the better of me.  I'm actually a high school-er, so my writing won't be as high caliber as some of those other blogs out there.  Any advice would be greating appreciated!!! 

Anyway, back to the good stuff, the stuff that you want to hear about . . . the Yankees!!  Right now they're leading the Devil Evil Rays, 2-0.  Hideki Matsui had a two-run homer and CM Wang had a no-hitter through 4 1/3.  He's obviously been the most impressive starter in this short regular season thus far.

I'll be back later with a post-game summary, my opinions on a 2-3 start to the season, and anything that you want me to talk about.  So comment away!!