His two hard singles started rallies, and Jorge collected his 1500th career hit today.
Bronx, N.Y., April 17, 2010 — There’s no better way to say it. Ignoring all the pregame reportage regarding the surging Texas Rangers and in particular hurler Scott Feldman, the Yankees couldn’t have treated the second-year hurler more rudely. After he was extended to 23 pitches in the first on a walk and a single, Jorge Posada drilled the young righthander’s first pitch of the second for a long single into right center. None of the following 37 pitches were hit particularly hard, but by the time it took Feldman that many to escape the second frame down 2-0, you knew his day was largely over. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., April 16, 2010 — The Yankees took the rubber game of their third straight three-game series Thursday night, beating Anaheim 6-2 in a game that turned listless once Yankee power had taken control. All of major league baseball honored Jackie Robinson this day, the 63rd anniversary of the day that he broke the color barrier in baseball. But the Yankees took it one step further, as their second baseman, who has carried the first name “Robinson” in honor of Jackie his whole life, hit two home runs and drove in three runs against Anaheim lefty Scott Kazmir. Rewarded with the number five spot in the order beginning this season, Robinson Cano has been on fire at the plate.
I have to imagine that, like most sports figures who experienced success early in life, Joba Chamberlain must have a nice collection of memorabilia. For his sake, I hope it’s not calendar-based, because if it is, March 5 has to be shaping up as one of his least favorite days. A year ago, for instance, he started a game against an undermanned Team Canada from the World Baseball Classic. Five batters, four walks and 28 pitches in, Joe Girardi removed him with no one out in a six-run inning in a game where Canada held on to win 6-0. 
It was fitting that Thursday’s Yankees/Phillies contest in Clearwater saw the teams come up with just five hits and no runs between them through six innings, as the nine hurlers who carried the action to that point were led by Philly’s Roy “Doc” Hallday and CC Sabathia from the the Yankees, two of the very best pitchers in major league baseball. Home-standing Halladay, in particular, was midseason nasty, retiring six of seven batters around a Placido Polanco error on 22 pitches, with three strike outs and no walks, while throwing first-pitch strikes to every guy.