One In A Row

The Japanese call it saving face, here closer to home it may be about saving Joe Torre's job, but at least the New York Yankees staved off an embarrassing sweep at the hands of their crosstown rivals, taking the last game of the overhyped Subway Series 6-2 behind righthander Tyler Clippard making his big league debut. Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriquez all homered, but the story of the night was the 22-year-old rookie pitcher dominating the first place Mets with impressive poise and command of his pitches, including a biting breaking ball that helped him strike out six and keep the Mets off balance all game. "Best day of my life," said the new Yankee Clippard.

Just 42 games into the 2007 season and already the Yankees have had an unbelievable seven rookie starting pitchers making their MLB debuts, the first time that had happened this early in a season since 1884, which is before even Roger Clemens was born. Now the hated Boston Red Sox storm into town with the major league's best record at 30-13, making it almost imperative for the Yankees to win the series, if not sweep all three games. And unless it's 1978 all over again, with the Yankees already trailing the AL East division leaders by double digits, the Yankees at this point have to focus on the wild card spot in the AL. But with the starting rotation now rounding into shape, it's not unrealistic to expect a turnaround.

Offensively, the Yankees have been carried just about all year by a trio of players: the amazing Derek Jeter, hitting .365; Jorge Posada, hitting a blistering .382 with power, and A-Rod, who after a sizzling start of his own came back down to earth in May before showing signs this weekend (2 HRs) of getting hot again. But other hitters are starting to come around, including Hideki Matsui, now hitting .295 after his 3 hits last night. If Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Bobby Abreu have just average years from here on in, then the offense will be fine.

Assuming The Rocket has not fired all his boosters yet at age 45, the rotation of Clemens, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang, and then either Philip Hughes or Tyler Clippard to round it out seems pretty formidable. However, given the Yankee's continuing propensity to lose starting pitchers via freakish injury, as well as the advanced age of the pitching staff, I wouldn't exactly chisel this rotation in granite for the remainder of the year. Limestone, or maybe sandstone, but not granite...

And with a quarter of the season already spent, the Yankees can't afford to lose many series from here on out. Beginning tonight we find out if Boston, fresh off an Interleague series win over the Braves (thanks for nothing, Atlanta!) at Fenway, is as good as their nearly .700 winning percentage would indicate. If they are, so be it, but the Yankees still have an opportunity to put a much-needed dent in the Red Sox swagger. The first game pitching match-up would seem to be in favor of the Yankees, with Yankees ace Wang facing Tim Wakefield, but the ancient knuckleballer from Boston, who will turn 41 later this season, sports a solid 2.44 ERA and is never a walk in the park for the Yankees, pun intended.