Bronx, N.Y., September 26, 2006 — The Yankees took the field vs. the Baltimore Orioles on a pleasant Tuesday night in the Bronx with a slew of questions to answer before beginning the postseason in one week’s time. How would their veteran left fielder handle his first game action in four months with a glove slipped past his injured but recovered left wrist? Would the former right fielder progress in his crash course in playing first base, and how would the two returnees hit? Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., September 12, 2006 — All of the Bronx, much of New York, and selected groups of fans around the country held their collective breath during the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s Yankees/Devil Rays game. All eyes were on Rays rookie Delmon Young as he drifted back, back, back to the right field wall and finally hauled in Bobby Abreu’s grand-slam bid with no room to spare. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., September 3, 2006 — A cursory glance at the players assembled on the field during the Marine Corps band version of our National Anthem before Sunday’s Twins/Yankees tilt revealed a startling tableau. The Yankee defense and the umpires were near their positions, with rookie starter Darrell Rasner on the mound, Jorge Posada standing with plate ump Kerwin Danley at home, Jason Giambi manning first base, and the other three infielders bunched at shortstop. This left just the outfielders standing at attention in short right field, all four of them. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., September 1, 2006 — The news could have been bad, Alex Rodriguex planted firmly on the bench with the Yanks playing in New York. Was Nick Green out there for defense with three outs to go? Was Joe Torre shielding A-Rod from another night of Stadium booing? Yes, the Yankee manager removed Alex Friday night before the game was over, but there was nothing negative in this move. Rodriguez got to take a breather after a huge offensive night with the Yanks putting away the Minnesota Twins. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., August 31, 2006 — It would be easy to say of the Yankees’ 6-4 win over the Tigers in the Bronx Thursday afternoon that the game wasn’t as close as the final score. But although the visitors were outhit 14 -5, and generously handed the Yanks four free passes as well, they did trot three hitters out in the top of the ninth each representing the tying run. Detroit beat the Yanks in sudden and dramatic fashion Wednesday night on a ninth-inning long ball, and they not only hit a two-run blast in this game’s final frame, they scored all four of their runs on drives over the Yankee Stadium walls. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., August 30, 2006 — Even though the team returned to New York late Sunday, the longest Yankee road trip of the year didn’t “feel” over until the team finally played a game in Yankee Stadium, and they did that in spades on Wednesday. After an off day and a rainout the Yanks met the AL-leading Tigers in a pair of games chock full of playoff implications. And, as often is the case when the team with the best record meets the one looming largest in their rear view mirror, the results were a mixed bag for both squads. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., August 14, 2006 — There were strange undercurrents blowing through Yankee Stadium while a cool summer breeze wafted through the big crowd Monday night. On the surface the Yankees played and won an entertaining battle with Anaheim, squaring their four-game set at two wins apiece. Yankee lefty Randy Johnson outdueled righthander John Lackey, and the home team came away with a 7-2 victory that was much closer than that score would have you believe. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., August 13, 2006 — It seemed a perfect day for baseball on Sunday in the Bronx when Yankee starter Chien-Ming Wang unleashed his first pitch at 1:09. But when Angels centerfielder Chone Figgins lashed the second toss over the wall in right center, the day took a negative turn. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., August 3, 2006 — The Yankees drilled the Blue Jays 8-1 in the Stadium Thursday afternoon, making up for a series in Toronto in which they lost three of four by sweeping three straight in New York. Bobby Abreu had a great day, going three-for-four his first four times up while forcing three different Jays pitchers to throw 26 pitches. Meanwhile, the equally patient Jason Giambi pounded a surprise first-pitch three-run home run in the first to get the Yankee party started. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., August 1, 2006 — It is a tribute to how hot a ticket Yankee Stadium games have become that a huge house showed up to see Bobby Abreu’s first game in Pinstripes in sweltering heat and under stagnant skies that are strangling the eastern half of the country. And they got to see a great at bat from their newest player, though the guy with the most seniority on the team took the star of the game honors. Continue reading →