The LoHud Yankees Blog

It’s time for Yankees vs. Red Sox again. The Yankees could step on the throats of their rivals this weekend or let the Red Sox back in the AL East race.

What do you think will happen? Vote in the poll over to the right.

Me? I think the Yankees will take two of three and emerge with a seven-game lead in the loss column with 38 games to go. They’d be close to untouchable at that point.

Sam Borden writes that the “new” Alex Rodriguez could have a big weekend ahead of him as the Yankees take on the Red Sox.

————

Congrats to Sam and Journal New columnist Rick Carpiniello. They were among the winners in the New York State Associated Press Association writing contest. Sam finished third in sports writing and Carp won the honors for columns. It’s great to work with two talented guys like that.

This blog took the top honors in its category for the second year in a row. If there’s any money involved, drinks are on me.

ESPN did a piece on switch pitcher Pat Venditte.

Nobody seems to think Venditte is a prospect. But the numbers don’t lie: 58 innings, 49 hits, 77 strikeouts. He started the season with Charleston and was promoted to Tampa to get challenged.

He has been pretty solid in the Florida State League, throwing 27.1 innings and allowing 25 hits while striking out 37.

Venditte is 24, which is old for that level of competition. But he’s put himself in a position to get a chance.

Derek Jeter was asked questions about one of his least favorite subjects on Wednesday:

Derek Jeter.

Jeter is often quite analytical and sometimes even chatty when discussing the merits of another player. But when asked about his own success, he is bland as a baloney sandwich.

According to Jeter, the reason he has been one of the best leadoff hitters in the American League this season is that he feels good physically.

There’s much more to it than that, of course. But he leaves it to others to say that for him.

But there was an interesting exchange near the end of the interview. Jeter was asked how long he intended to keep playing and he claimed it wasn’t something that he has thought about. But he did admit to joking with Joe Girardi that he could DH for five years once he’s finished playing shortstop.

So, I asked, could we see a 41-year-old Jeter as the DH of the Yankees?

Jeter smiled.

“You could see me at short still,” he said.

Friday: LHP Andy Pettitte (9-6, 4.09) vs. RHP Brad Penny (7-7, 5.22) 7:10 p.m., YES, NESN

Saturday: RHP A.J. Burnett (10-6, 3.69) vs. RHP Junichi Tazawa (1-2, 5.40) 4:10 p.m., FOX

Sunday: LHP CC Sabathia (14-7, 3.58) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (14-4, 3.38) 8:05 p.m., ESPN

The Yankees are off today and the players are free to do what they want as long as they’re in Boston by midnight tonight.

Johnny Damon, left fielder and rock and roller, decided to organize a little field trip. Creed is playing in Hartford at the Comcast Theater tonight as part of their reunion tour and Johnny is tight with the guys in the band.

Scott Stapp and Co. grew up in the Orlando area and have known Johnny for a while now.

So Johnny rented a bus and he, Brian Bruney, Eric Hinske, Dave Robertson, Phil Coke and Kevin Long will travel from Boston to the show. Johnny arranged for everything.

“It worked out well with us having that night off,” Johnny said. “Good way to relax.”

This sort of thing has gone on all season. CC Sabathia hooked up NBA games, A-Rod picked up several dinners for the players in Tampa when he was rehabbing, etc. The Yankees are a solid bunch of guys.

Will that translate into the World Series? I have no idea. It has been my experience as a sportswriter that superior talent and good heath trumps good chemistry almost every time. But this is my fourth season around the Yankees and this bunch seems to get along better than previous editions.

They each turn the 3-6-3 double play like nobody’s business, of course. And they’re both scheduled to be on the Late Show with David Letterman on Monday night.

Tex will do a segment with Dave and participate in an outdoor batting demonstration. Should be interesting to watch.

Good morning from the Jim Otto International Airport here in Oakland. I’m waiting on an 8:40 a.m. Jet Blue flight to JFK. I’m going to stay in New York tonight then drive up to Boston tomorrow morning for the Red Sox series.

There’s a 30-percent chance of rain in Boston this weekend. Because the Yankees are playing the Red Sox, that’s probably closer to 100 percent. When those two teams get together, it’s always a long day.

The flight is boarding, so I’ll catch you later on today. I have a few posts set up for the rest of the day for your entertainment.

Chad Gaudin did his part and Mark Teixeira drove in three runs as the Yankees beat the Athletics to take yet another series.

Joba Chamberlain has six more starts this season. This notebook also has updates on A-Rod and Ian Kennedy.

Batting Derek Jeter leadoff ended up being one of the best ideas of the season.

Chad Gaudin didn’t get a win tonight, falling two outs short. But he did prove himself worthy of another spot start for the Yankees and that’s important.

With only 41 games left to play and the Yankees holding a seven-game lead, the smart play is to give a day or two of extra rest to the starters when it makes sense.

Joe Girardi isn’t going to a six-man rotation, but he will use Gaudin, Sergio Mitre and the four days off the team has in September to make sure his primary starters are as fresh as they can be for the postseason. The goal is to win the World Series, not to win the division by as many games as possible.

Because they have a potent offense (although not tonight) and an effective bullpen, the Yankees can get away with using fringy pitchers like Gaudin and Mitre. The long-term benefit is worth any short-term pain.

“It’s huge,” Andy Pettitte said before the game today. “If you can give myself and CC and A.J. a few extra days between now and the end of the season, it’s going to pay off.”

Mark Teixeira made it work by driving in three runs then making a nice scoop to complete an important double play in the eighth inning. Tex now has 31 home runs and 89 RBI. He is tied with Carlos Pena for the league lead and is second in RBI behind Justin Morneau.

“All the credit goes to my teammates,” Teixeira said. “If guys aren’t getting on in front of me, I’m not getting the RBIs. If guys aren’t hitting behind me, I’m not getting pitches to hit home runs. I love being part of this lineup.

“You can try and swing at your pitch. Anyone that can have the protection that I have is going to get some pitches to hit and it’s a great feeling.”

A few other notes:

• Phil Hughes was alone on an island there in the eighth inning. “Go get ‘em young man,” Joe Girardi said later. “He did the job.” Hughes has a 1.31 ERA in relief. All these high-leverage situations will help make him a better starter in 2010. You can see him gaining confidence and learning what he needs to do every day.

• Derek Jeter is 13 of 20, 16 of 29 and 22 of 40. He gets two hits a day like he’s punching a clock at a factory. OK, so it’s a factory that pays him $20 million. Work with me on the analogy.

• A-Rod is scuffling. He is 5 of 25 with one RBI in his last eight games. Both he and Girardi say his swings have been better, but we’re not seeing the results lately. Along with lining up the pitching staff, the other priority before the postseason is to get him going again.

• Nick Swisher has reached safely in 28 straight games. Swish was packing a fuzzy pink bathrobe into his travel bag tonight and I had to ask. “Gift for a lady friend,” he said. “I’m a sensitive guy.”

• CC gave out 425 backpacks to kids at his old elementary school today. They were stuffed with school supplies. Every kids also got an autographed photo. CC spoke to two assemblies when at the school, too. Good man, that CC.

Flying back to NYC tomorrow morning but there will be some blog updates set up. Thanks to everybody who stayed up reading during all these 10 p.m. starts.

Thanks especially to all the Bay Area blog readers who said hello or invited me out. East Coast deadlines prohibited that but I appreciate the offers. Our little community of readers is active everywhere and that’s a cool thing.