The LoHud Yankees Blog

Being tied for first place on May 27 is nothing to get excited about. There once was a time when the Yankees would have laughed at the idea of that being any sort of accomplishment.

But given all this team has been through, it’s a fine way to go into the off day.

“It’s where you want to be,” Joe Girardi said. “You want to be at the top all the time. We went through some times. It was two and a half weeks ago that we were really scuffling and we’ve bounced back very well. It has been a team effort.”

Most of the Yankees had fled for their private jets by the time reporters were allowed in the clubhouse. Only A.J. Burnett, Hideki Matsui and a few of the rookies were around. Burnett, to his credit, wasn’t in a particularly jubilant mood. Through he threw six shutout innings, he needed 118 pitches to get there.

“It’s a start,” he said. “Mechanically, I felt better than I have in a long time.”

Matsui said the adjustments he has made to his stance have paid off. He has more balance and a stronger base. Mark Teixeira (12 home runs and 27 RBI this month) wistfully said he hopes he feels this good all season. “Its unusual when you feel comfortable from both sides of the plate,” he said.

But the most significant story of this game may have been the two perfect innings thrown by Chien-Ming Wang. That’s what Girardi said and most of the players agreed.

“That was a huge building block,” Girardi said.

After a quick warm-up, Wang retired all six hitters he faced. He struck out two, threw 18 of 26 pitches for strikes and showed movement and velocity (91-92) with his sinker. Wang said the outing was good for his confidence and that he feels he can add another tick or two of velocity.

Asked whether he could adjust to the bullpen, Wang grinned. That is the last thing he wants to do. He reiterated that he wants to start and he feels he is ready to do so. But for now, he will he held in reserve.

But the chance will come. These things have a way of working out. It’s up to Girardi and Dave Eiland to find a way to keep Wang sharp so he is ready when that time comes.

Here’s Girardi’s postgame:

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YANKEES (26-20)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Gardner CF
Cash C

Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (2-2, 5.28).

RANGERS (27-18)
Kinsler 2B
Young 3B
Hamilton CF
Jones DH
Cruz RF
Murphy LF
Davis 1B
Saltalamacchia C
Andrus SS

Pitching: LHP Derek Holland (1-1, 4.82).

TIME/TV: 8:05 p.m., YES.

RUBBER GAME: The teams split the first two games of the series. The Yankees have won 11 of their last 14 but have lost three of their last five.

BURNED, BABY BURNED: A.J Burnett, as feared, has been inconsistent. After winning his first two starts as a Yankee and pitching well, Burnett is 0-2 with a 6.04 ERA in the seven starts since. He has allowed 46 hits (nine home runs) and walked 25 over 44.2 innings.

THE STREAK LIVES: The Yankees have gone 13 straight games without an error. That is a franchise record.

GRITTY, GUTTY: Brett Gardner is 11 of his last 26 (.422) with five extra-base hits, four RBI and only one strikeout.

COKE USED TO BE IT. NOT SO MUCH ANY MORE: Phil Coke (or as Joe Girardi pronounces it, “Scott Proctor”) has had a rough last eight outings. He has allowed six earned runs on eight hits anf four walks over 9.2 innings. Four of the eight hits have been home runs and he has struck out only four.

STREAKS: Derek Jeter has a 10-game hit streak. Since missing two games with that oblique strain in Toronto, he has raised his batting average from .273 to .287. … Mark Teixeira has hit in nine straight, going from .231 to .271.

ROAD WARRIORS: The Yankees are a solid-enough 12-11 away from the Boogie Down.

Back later with much more.

UPDATE, 4:09 p.m.: Here’s a report from Tampa via the AP:

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada played five innings of defense in an extended spring training intrasquad game Wednesday and is hopeful of rejoining the team during a series that starts Friday night in Cleveland.

Posada strained his right hamstring in a game May 4 against Boston and is on the 15-day disabled list.

He ran from first to third on a single and threw out a runner attempting to steal second base. The five-time AL All-Star played three innings in the field during a simulated game Tuesday.

“It feels good when I’m running,” Posada said. “The hamstring is good. Now it’s seeing some pitches, getting some at-bats and catching more.”

Posada, hitless in four at-bats, flied out twice, struck out, reached on an error and walked.

Outfielder Xavier Nady and infielder Cody Ransom also took part in the extended spring game as designated hitters. Nady went 1 for 3 with a walk. Ransom hit a long homer off Humberto Sanchez and walked twice.

Backup catcher Jose Molina went through extensive defensive drills, but did not participate in the extended spring game.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE, 6:56 p.m.: Here’s the latest on the medical front:

Melky Cabrera: He had an MRI and will be sent back to New York tomorrow to be examined by team doctor Chris Ahmad. The initial diagnosis is that he will be out 5-7 days. If it’s more than that, they will probably DL him and call up an infielder.

Meanwhile — get this — Ramiro Pena was taking balls in the outfield today. Once again we ask: Why is Angel Berroa still on the roster?

Brian Bruney: Dr. James Andrews checked him out and he came up clean. No ligament issue. He has a flexor muscle strain and whatever pain he still has is a residual of that. He will rest and start a throwing program. Because Bruney fibbed about how he felt last time, you can bet he’ll out at least another 2-3 weeks at least.

Jorge Posada: He will be activated on Friday in Cleveland unless he gets hit by a bus in Tampa. He’s probably only going to work out tomorrow. Joe Girardi it was a “strong possibility” that Posada would be activated which is way of saying, “Posada will be activated.”

Girardi said they need to discuss who will be dropped off the roster. Kevin Cash one would think. But who knows?

UPDATE, 7:08 p.m.: We’re underway in Arlington. 80 degrees not a cloud in the sky. I think this is a pivotal game for A.J. Burnett. The Pie Man needs to be an $82.5 million pitcher at some point.

Meanwhile, Jeter now has an 11-game hitting streak and Teixeira just hit a bomb to left. 2-0 Yankees.

UPDATE, 8:19 p.m.: I have some newspaper work to get to, so updates could be scarce for a bit. Enjoy the game.

UPDATE, 9:50 p.m.: Methinks A.J. Burnett is going to get himself a pie in the face the way this thing is going. His line through 5: 3 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts.

UPDATE, 9:59 p.m.: 6-0 as Cash drills a two-run single. Burnett has no excuses now.

UPDATE, 10:11 p.m.: It’s 6-0 and the Yankees have three healthy outfielders. Johnny Damon doesn’t need to be taking on any fences. That said, nice grab.

UPDATE, 10:19 p.m.: Burnett is at 117 pitches. That’ll be it for him. That’s not particularly economical for six innings. But six shutout innings, you can’t complain about that. Now they need to find six outs in the bullpen before giving Mo a little work. He hasn’t pitched since Sunday and there’s a day off tomorrow. Or maybe use Wang for three? No, of course not.

UPDATE, 10:25 p.m.: Jose Veras warming up. Burnett’s pitch count was rising. Wang could have been warming up 20 minutes ago.

He’s certainly not pitching tomorrow. That’ll be six days of doing nothing.

UPDATE, 10:34 p.m.: Nice game for Daisuke Burnett. 6 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, 118 pitches.

UPDATE, 10:38 p.m.: The first batter has reached on Veras 10 times in 21 appearances. You could put the ball on a tee and get more outs.

UPDATE, 10:43 p.m.: If there some way the Yankees would not be a better team if they DFA’d Berroa and Veras and added John Rodriguez and Mark Melancon? Or any two passers-by on the street?

Veras has thrown 20 innings and allowed 17 hits and 13 walks.

UPDATE, 10:48 p.m.: Girardi must be pleased. He can use Phil Coke at some point.

UPDATE, 10:54 p.m.: David Robertson throws strikes with the lead. What a concept. Joe Torre may have wore relievers out. But at least he wore out the good ones and got everything out of them. Girardi wears out the bad ones.

UPDATE, 10:57 p.m.: Now Wang is warming up. But I don’t think he’s necessarily coming in. He may just be getting work in.

UPDATE, 11:02 p.m.: Nope he’s coming in. Why bring him in now as opposed to the seventh inning? If there is some plan for Wang, it’s not readily apparent.

UPDATE, 11:12 p.m.: 1-2-3 inning for Wang drops his ERA to 22.50!

Hey, he has to start somewhere. He had good action on the sinker.

UPDATE, 11:15 p.m.: In what should be his final appearance as a Yankee, Angel Berroa is pinch running for Matsui.

I heard he’s on the juice anyway. Prune juice.

(I didn’t come up with that, somebody else in the press box did. But I will not divulge who.)

UPDATE, 11:23 p.m.: Berroa out by 10 feet. That should be his final act as a Yankee. Fitting in a way. He had that wheelchair going as fast as he could.

Red Sox lose. Yankees are three outs away from being tied for first.

Chien-Ming Wang has pitched horrifically this season. Brutally, terribly, awfully. Let’s get that right out of the way.

But he was 46-15 with a 3.74 ERA before he hurt his foot last June and has never given the Yankees one ounce of trouble. He shows up, does his job and has been a model teammate.

So why do the Yankees sometimes treat him like an unwanted dinner guest?

It started in January 2008 when the Yankees took Wang to arbitration over a paltry $600,000. After throwing $46 million out the window on hapless Kei Igawa, the Yankees went to the mat over $600,000 for Wang then put out a press release boasting about it when they won.

Maybe they needed the $600,000 to design the new Stadium properly. No, that wasn’t it.

Never mind that Wang had gone 19-7 with a 3.70 ERA for $489,500.

Then Wang inured his foot last June, tearing a ligament and tendon so badly that he would be lost for the season. But the Yankees inexplicably refused to admit it, claiming into August that it was possible for Wang to return. Wang was left explaining his “slow recovery” to the ravenous Taiwanese media.

Now comes this season. Wang was 0-3 with a 34.50 ERA after three starts and was justifiably placed on the disabled list. After throwing 13 scoreless innings for Triple-A Scranton, Wang was summoned back to New York. After throwing a bullpen, he was sent back to Triple-A.

But as he drove to Rhode Island last Thursday to pitch a game against Pawtucket, Wang was called back. Joba Chamberlain was hit by a line drive and the Yankees were worried they would be short in the bullpen in the next day.

Wang pitched three innings on Friday and has sat around since.

That knee-jerk transaction has left Wang in limbo. He is not injured, so he can’t go on the disabled list. He has no options remaining, so he can’t go pitch in the minors. So he sits and wait.

Wang needs to pitch but he can’t work too long in the bullpen just in case he is needed in the game. So he waits and gets more rusty by the day. There was a perfect opportunity to pitch four or five innings last night when Chamberlain lasted only four innings. But Alfredo Aceves got the call.

Would this happen to Andy Pettitte? Or A.J. Burnett? Certainly not to CC Sabathia.

Please do not misunderstand, Wang has pitched poorly this season. He created this mess. But the Yankees haven’t been particularly helpful. They treated Carl Pavano better and he was a bandit.

Somebody needs to figure out a way to make this right. It’s a long season and they’re going to need Wang. He was the No. 2 starter when the season started and he could return to that status again. Given how poorly Burnett has pitched, Wang could be critical to the future of this team.

Meanwhile he sits, a 19-game winner with nothing to do.

Wang was at his locker yesterday afternoon, saying how strange he found it to be in the bullpen. Even pitching in the minors, he said, would be preferable.

“I asked the manager (on Monday) and he said to wait,” Wang said. “I just want to pitch. I know I can pitch like I did before.”

Then he paused.

“I didn’t forget how.”

You remember Nick Swisher. Funny guy, carried the team on his back in April. Xavier Nady? The Yankees are better off without him. Or so it seemed.

Yeah, not so much.

Swishalicious in May: 8 of 67 (.119) with three extra-base hits and eight RBI. He has walked 16 times and struck out 25 times. He has an OPB of .291 and a slugging percentage of .224.

Swisher was hit in the elbow by a pitch on May 1 and hasn’t been the same since. Whether that is a coincidence or not is something we plan to ask him today.

The Yankees were knock, knock, knocking on victory’s door in the seventh inning last night when he grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and one out. In the sixth inning, he took a called third strike with a runner on second.

Swisher is clearly a dude in dire need of a day off. Or maybe a few days off. But with Melky Cabrera likely on the shelf for a day or two with a shoulder injury, Swisher almost certainly will play today. This is where having a limited Hideki Matsui hurts what Joe Girardi can do.

Meanwhile, the wholly useless Angel Berroa remains on the roster. There still hasn’t been a reasonable explanation for that one.

This release from the Yankees:

The New York Yankees have announced the addition of strictly kosher food offerings and Shabbat accommodations at their November 2009 and January 2010 Fantasy Camps.

Glatt kosher food will be provided by Weberman Foods with OK supervision, and a Friday “Dream Game” will be played so Shomer Shabbat Jews can participate.

Campers who keep kosher will be able to fully participate in all regular camp activities and have three strictly kosher meals served daily. The camp will offer traditional Shabbat services Friday night and Saturday, as well as special Shabbat speakers and programming.

For six days and seven nights, Yankees Fantasy Campers live the life of a big league player, dressing in full Yankees uniform and using the same Spring Training clubhouse and fields as the New York Yankees. All campers get their very own locker and a staff of clubhouse attendants and professional trainers to create the authentic Yankees experience.

Former Yankees Chris Chambliss, Bucky Dent, Tommy John, Mickey Rivers, and Ron Blomberg, among others, are scheduled to attend.

Founded in 1997 and located in Tampa, Fla., the New York Yankees Fantasy Camp has hosted over 1,500 campers and 50 former New York Yankees players. For more information on the New York Yankees Fantasy Camp, and the addition of strictly kosher and Shabbat accommodations, please call (800) 368-2267.

Father’s Day is coming up. Or maybe you’re looking for a good birthday of graduation gift for a Yankees fan. Fear not, loyal readers, we have the perfect solution for you: The Yankees 2009 Media Guide.

The media relations department is selling the guide to fans. It’s 488 pages of history, biographies of every player in the organization and all the records you could want. There are photos galore and plenty of statistical nuggets. You’ll never get tired of looking at it. It is the definitive written history of the club. The beat writers carry it with us everywhere we go.

Here’s the best part: It’s only $20 at the Stadium, on line or over the phone.

If you’re a collector, you can get the same spiral-bound version given to the beat writers and broadcasters. That’s $85. They’re available only on-line or over the telephone. Only 750 are printed and quantities are limited.

You also can get the 2008 media guide ($35.00) and the 2008 year-in-review guide ($15.00).

Here’s how to order:

By telephone: 1-800-GO-YANKS (800-469-2657).

Via the web: Go to:

newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/fan_forum/publications.jsp

Or pick it up at the Stadium via vendors or at the team stores.

Thanks to the graciousness of the Yankees, we have three media guides to give away. The first three people to e-mail me with the correct answers to all three of these questions culled from the media guide will win.

Here you go:

Question 1: Mark Teixeira’s wife majored in what subject while at Georgia Tech?

Question 2: What Bronx high school did home clubhouse manager Rob Cucuzza attend?

Question 3: How many grandchildren does George Steinbrenner have?

First three correct answers win. The Yankees will mail you the guide. We’ll have more of these contests down the road.

UPDATE, 11:01 a.m.: We have our winners. Congrats to Melanie, Matt and Howie. Your guides will be on the way. Keep an eye out next month, we’ll do this again.

Please, no more entries. Thanks.

The answers:

Industrial design … Mount St. Michael HS … 13.

Thanks to those who entered. Meanwhile, do yourself a favor and get the guide. You’ll enjoy it.

Andrew Brackman had one of the best days in his career on May 21, going eight innings and allowing one run against Lexington. He walked one and struck out six.

His next start came last night against Bowling Green.

Yikes!

Brackman went three innings and allowed one hit. But he gave up three runs thanks to 10 walks and five wild pitches. Then he and Annie Savoy hung out with Crash Davis.

Check out the play by play for the second inning:

• Michael Sheridan walks.

• Michael McCormick lines out to left fielder Daniel Brewer.

• Isaias Velasquez singles. Michael Sheridan to 2nd.

• With Jason Tweedy batting, wild pitch, Sheridan to 3rd. Velasquez to 2nd.

• Tweedy walks. Wild pitch. Sheridan scores. Velasquez to 3rd.

• With Jeremy Beckham batting, wild pitch. Velasquez scores. Tweedy to 2nd.

• Beckham walks.

• With Anthony Scelfo batting, wild pitch. Tweedy to 3rd.

• Scelfo grounds into double play.

Charleston won the game 9-4 for what it’s worth. Brackman is 1-4 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 starts. Over 54 innings, he has allowed 48 hits, walked 28 and struck out 47.

The day will come when he can laugh about last night. Brackman is a talented young man with a world of potential. But 10 walks and five wild pitches are not something you can easily forget.

Joba Chamberlain didn’t have it from the beginning as the Yankees missed a chance to move into first place by losing to the Texas Rangers.

Chien-Ming Wang is in limbo as he waits in the bullpen for an opportunity.

Jorge Posada is making progress down in Florida. This notebook also has updates on Xavier Nady, Cody Ransom, Jose Molina, Hideki Matsui and A.J Burnett.

It would be nice if the conversion of Joba Chamberlain from wunderkind reliever to dominating starter was a smooth one. But he is a 23-year-old in his first full year as a starter. There are going to be bumps and that’s what you saw tonight.

Joe Girardi insisted Chamberlain was fine physically. His startling lack of velocity was a product of poor mechanics. Though the right-hander said otherwise, he didn’t look ready to pitch after the long rain delay.

That’s part of learning your craft. Sometimes it rains.

“Plain and simple, I was terrible. There’s no getting around it,” Chamberlain said. “I need to do a better job of keeping the team in the game.”

I asked Girardi if he considered using Chien-Ming Wang as his long reliever, which is supposedly Wang’s role now. But Girardi said Aceves was his choice. Aceves took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in two innings. Perhaps that meaningless inning he tossed yesterday wasn’t such a good idea.

Meanwhile, Melky Cabrera thinks he is OK. But he’ll miss the final game of the series for sure. The day off will help him.

We spoke to Brian Bruney, who is off to Alabama to visit Dr. James Andrews. He said he is mentally prepared for whatever the news is. He just wants to find out what is wrong.

“There is no getting around it, he said. “There’s pain and I need to figure out what it is. Hopefully it’s nothing serious.”

Here’s the audio from Girardi’s postgame media session:

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Thanks to everybody who hung in there tonight. Check out the blog tomorrow for a trivia contest with prizes.

YANKEES (26-19)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Cervelli C

Pitching: RHP Joba Chamberlain (2-1, 3.70).

RANGERS (26-18)
Kinsler 2B
Young 3B
Hamilton DH
Cruz RF
Murphy LF
Byrd CF
Davis 1B
Saltalamacchia C
Vizquel SS

Pitching: RHP Kevin Millwood (4-4, 3.12).

TIME/TV: 8:05 P.M. (ET), My9.

STATE OF THE PINSTRIPES: The Yankees have won 11 of 13 and are one game out of first place in the American League East.

RISP ON A ROLL: The Yankees are 46 of their last 136 (.338) with runners in scoring position. That incorporates the last 17 games since A-Rod came back.

CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Derek Jeter has seven homers and nine stolen bases. So what, you may say to yourself. Well, he had 11 homers and 11 SBs all of last season. Renewed power and speed would suggest that Derek has at least slowed his offensive decline.

TEX UPDATE: Where to start with Mark Teixeira? He’s 10 of his last 20, raising his batting average to .273. He is 20 of his last 43 (.465) with 17 RBI over 11 games. He is 25 of 65 (.385) since A-Rod returned with 17 runs scored and 21 RBI in 17 games.

COOL UNDER PRESSURE: The Yankees are 8-3 in one-run games.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME: The Yankees are 14-3 at Rangers Ballpark since 2005.

STEADY MELKY: Melky Cabrera has hit safely in 29 of his last 32 starts, going 41 of 126 (.333).

PITCHING POWER: The Yankees are 14-0 when opponents score three runs runs or less.

SOME BAD STUFF: Hideki Matsui is 6 of his last 42. … Ramiro Pena is 2 of his last 18.

CONSTANT CONTACT: Robinson Cano has gone 44 plate appearances since he last struck out.

Back with much more later on from the clubhouse.

UPDATE, 6:58 p.m.: This from the AP:

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada played three innings of defense during a simulated game Tuesday in Tampa.

Outfielder Xavier Nady (right elbow ligament) and infielder Cody Ransom (right quadriceps) also batted.

Joe Girardi told us that Posada will play again tomorrow and seems to be getting closer. There are no plans for him to play rehab games with any affiliates. The Yankees lately seem to want all their rehabs to be in Tampa. Wang was the only exception.

Jose Molina is behind Posada. I asked Girardi about the idea of keeping Cervelli around once Posada returns and he said that was something they would need to consider.

Posada and Nady could play in a minor league game this week.

UPDATE, 7:52 p.m.: The start of the game will be delayed by approaching rain. Meanwhile, there are blue skies and the tarp is not down.

Don’t ask me I just work here.

UPDATE, 8:09 p.m.: They’re saying the delay will be at least an hour. Meanwhile, not a drop has fallen and the tarp isn’t down. But it’s coming.

UPDATE, 8:43 p.m.: This is the dumbest rain delay ever since it hasn’t rained. They should have played a few innings. But that would have screwed up the starters, so this is better. The tarp is just going down now.

UPDATE, 8:58 p.m.: They’re asking fans to clear the upper deck as the storm approaches. The skies are getting crazy dark. But not a drop yet.

UPDATE, 9:01 p.m.: The rain is here. People be scattering.

UPDATE, 9:08 p.m.: Now it’s hailing and raining like somebody turned on a fire hose.

UPDATE, 9:35 p.m.: The rain is starting to abate and they’re getting ready to pull the tarp. Looks like there will be baseball, albeit very late into the night.

UPDATE, 9:49 p.m.: First pitch scheduled for 10:30 ET. I will blog into the night, so stick around.

UPDATE, 10:30 p.m.: First pitch at 10:29. The delay was two hours and 24 minutes. It’s actually a nice night now, 70 degrees and clear.

UPDATE, 10:41 p.m.: Melky is out, having jammed his right shoulder trying to make a catch. Brett Gardner in for him. Could be another rocky first inning for Joba.

UPDATE, 10:42 p.m.: Wow, tremendous play by Alex there. Getting his Joe Mauer on.

UPDATE, 10:52 p.m.: Joba had three chances to get out of trouble there and couldn’t do it. The first-inning woes continue for him.

UPDATE, 11:12 p.m.: Not a promising start with the lumber for the Yankees as they leave three runners stranded in the first two innings and go 0 for 4 with RISP.

Lots of people stayed through the delay. The lower deck is nearly full.

UPDATE, 11:48 p.m.: Melky has a strained right shoulder. X-rays were negative.

UPDATE, 12:09 a.m.: Aceves? There are four innings (at least) to fill. Why not pitch Wang? He needs the work and is available.

Meanwhile, trainer Gene Monahan sent word via Jason Zillo that Meky didn’t have an X-ray. He had something called a fluoro. That showed nothing. He’ll get an MRI tomorrow.

UPDATE, 12:27 a.m.: Back come the Yankees led by Gritty, Gutty Brett Gardner (who has three steals so far tonight). It’s now 3-3 and they have knocked Millwood out. Two on, two out for Teixeira.

UPDATE, 12:48 a.m.: Texas just announced that they’ll give anybody who stayed for the game will get a free ticket.

Meanwhile, thanks to my astute math skills, Joba has a 10.38 ERA in the first inning and 2.45 otherwise. Obviously that remains an issue. His velocity was down tonight as well. The long delay probably didn’t help him.

UPDATE, 12:51 a.m.: Deep in the heart of Texas, in the dead of night, GGBG makes his comeback. He is 3 for 4 with three steals and a run scored. And if Nick Swisher didn’t get in his way, he would have caught that ball.

UPDATE, 12:57 a.m.: So much for Nick Swisher. Yankees have left 11 on base and are 2 for 11 with RISP. Less jokes, more hits.

UPDATE, 1:03 a.m.: Aceves has worked as a starter much of the year. Why bring him in for one meaningless inning yesterday and then bring him back today? I don’t get it. That situation was tailor-made for Wang.

Now Texas leads 4-3 and is threatening for more. The Phil Coke Fascination is going to reach a limit soon, too.

UPDATE, 1:12 a.m.: The line for Aceves: 2 4 3 3 0 2.

Yankees are kicking away a chance to move into a tie for first place here.

UPDATE, 1:35 a.m.: You can’t leave 12 men on base and go 2 for 11 with RISP and expect to win too many games.

That’s three losses in the last five games. They need A.J. Burnett to show up tonight and beat Derek Holland and salvage the series. Meanwhile, Girardi needs to find some answers in that bullpen. Phil Coke’s trustworthiness is fading. I still think if given a decent shot, Robertson and Melancon have the potential.

Thanks to everybody for reading so late into the night. I’ll post some reaction from the clubhouse. It’ll be a quick visit.