Every time you think it just can't get any worse...it gets worse. This time the Yankees were bad both offensively and defensively, as the Red Sox went to town on the Yankee bullpen and left the stadium with an 11-3 victory. The loss puts the Yanks 7 games behind Boston in the wild card race and 10.5 behind Tampa Bay in the division.

The Yanks appeared to be in it early, as they cut a 2-0 deficit to 2-1 in the 1st with an RBI double by A-Rod, and tied the game at 2 apiece in the 4th with an RBI single by Robinson Cano.

The Red Sox went back ahead with two runs in the top of the 5th off of Sidney Ponson, who wasn't great, but kept the Yankees in the game for 4 and 2/3 innings. Ponson left the game with a line of 4 runs on 7 hits with 3 strikeouts.

Boston started to pull away in the top of the 8th. Jose Veras struggled, allowing three runs before being taken out of the game. David Robertson entered the game with one out, and like I said, just when you think things can't get any worse...Robertson gave up a base hit to Jacoby Ellsbury to load the bases, and the next batter, Dustin Pedroia put the Yankees away for good in this one with a grand slam over the left-centerfield wall to make it 11-2. Two more runs were charged to Veras, who probably had the worst outing of his Yankee career.

So now even if you are one of those believers and you are still holding onto that last bit of hope, surely even you'd agree the Yankees are toast if they don't come away with a victory this afternoon. Mike Mussina will be on the mound, hoping to allow Yankee fans dream for at least another day. His Boston counterpart will be Jon Lester. Game starts at 1:05 ET.

C.J. Henry, the former Yankees prospect who was traded for Bobby Abreu, only to come back to the Yankees, will now give college basketball a try. Mike Decourcy of SportingNews.com reports that Henry will be a walk on at Memphis and the Yankees will pay for his education, as per the contract he signed with the team.

Via Travis G.

Andy Pettitte turned in a clunker Tuesday night against Boston, lasting just 4 and 2/3 innings pitched and throwing 101 pitches. He allowed 6 earned runs on 10 hits, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. The bullpen did a good job, finishing the final 4 and 1/3 innings with just 1 earned run, but the damage was done and the offense would not recover as the Yankees lost, 7-3.

This was despite Johnny Damon's best effort, as he went 2 for 4 with 2 home runs, giving himself 11 on the season. Jose Molina chipped in the other RBI by scoring Hideki Matsui on a single in the second. Once Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield left the game to start the sixth. That's not to say they didn't have any chances.

In the bottom of the 7th, Damon, Jeter and Abreu loaded the bases for A-Rod, who grounded into a double play. In the 8th, Giambi and Nady reached to make it 1st and 2nd with no outs. But, Matsui struck out, Cano popped out and I-Rod grounded out. Finally, in the ninth, Jeter was on first with one out for Abreu, who grounded into a fielder's choice. And then A-Rod struck out. Frustrating.

I don't want to say it's over because it's not. We're 6 games back of Boston with 5 games left against them. But, it needs to start tomorrow and with us winning the final two games of this series.

Who will we send to the hill? None other than Sidney Ponson (7-4, 4.67). He'll go against Paul Byrd (8-11, 4.61. Game time is 7:05 PM ET.

Will Carroll at Baseball Prospectus has some thoughts on Joba's return, which will probably lead him to the bullpen. Overall, good news, as Carroll ends with, "... in the end the Yankees have one starter who should be established enough for them to build around for 2009 and beyond."

Via Bronx Liaison.

From the AP:


After starting in Cleveland, Reynolds spent the final 8 seasons of his career with the Yankees, winning 6 titles and collecting a 7-2 record in 9 starts and 15 appearances. He finished his career with a 182-107 record.

As luck would have it, the Yankees acquired Reynolds by trading Joe "Flash" Gordon, who was a Yankee from 1938 through 1946. He won the 1942 MVP award and finished top 10 in voting a total of 5 times.

Carl Mays, acquired from the Red Sox in 1919, is the final Yankee on the ballot. In exchange, the Yankees sent Allen "Ruberarm" Russell, Bob McGraw and $40,000 to Boston. Mays played out the remainder of 1919, plus 1920 through 1923, before being purchased by the Cincinnati Reds. He led the league in wins in 1921, going 27-9 with a 3.05 ERA.

Peter Abraham reports had a good, 35 pitch session today at the Stadium. However, he says not to expect Joba to return as a starter this season.

Man, this could have been a lot of things...it's could have been an brutal loss (if the Yankees had lost after leading by 5) or GREAT win (if Red Sox had lost to the Jays which they allllmost did)...but thanks to Robbie Cano, it turned out to be a good win anyway.

Let's start at the top. Darrell Rasner started the game, coming off his best performance in a while, and promptly got into trouble by giving up back to back homers to Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff in the first. 2-0 Orioles. Rasner had problems all afternoon and ended up throwing 97 pitches in 3 1/3 innings.

The Yankees got right back in it by scoring 4 in the second, with 3 coming on a homer by Johnny Damon. They put up another 3 in the fourth from a Giambi sac-fly and a 2 run double off the bat of Xavier Nady. 7-2 Yankees and you would think that this would be a cruise to the end...

Well, the Yankees started giving in back in the fourth. With one out, a Derek Jeter error and a Nady miscue in left scored a runner and put another one in scoring position. Rasner walked the next batter (which would be his last) and David Robertson came in and allowed both inherited runners to score (by the by, I have major concerns with the Ohlendorfing of Robertson). 7-5 Yankees.

The Orioles tied up the game when Edwar Ramirez came in and ended up giving up a two-run shot to Brian Roberts on a change-up that got all of the plate.

The Yankees took the lead for good in the seventh when Robbie Cano (who went 4-5 on the day with two doubles) hammered a pitch to left-center. Robbie raised his OPS 19 points with this performance and has gotten his OPS+ to 89. Can he make it to 100+ by the end of the season?

After Edwar, Veras was shaky in relief but Damaso Marte came in and tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, with three big strikeouts. Mo came in for the ninth and ran into a little trouble (Brian Roberts worked a walk, stole second and took third on a throwing error by Pudge) before striking out Nick Markakis to end the game.

Now, after a day off to get rested, here come the Red Sox. A tidy sweep would be nice..improbable, but nice. Now, let's see the Yankees make it happen.

Carl Pavano did just enough in his 2008 debut and a couple of Yankee home runs helped the team defeat the Orioles by a score of 5-3. Pavano recorded his first win since April 9 of last year. Losses by both teams with "Sox" in their name helped bring the Yankees within 5 games of Boston and 4.5 games of Chicago in the wild card race.

Carl Pavano wasn't fantastic in his first Major League outing of the season, but he wasn't terrible, either. He got out of a major jam in the first inning, mostly thanks to a weird-looking, unassisted double play turned by Robinson Cano. He had a rough second inning, as he allowed three runs. His only 1-2-3 inning came in the 3rd. His location was off, which you might expect from a pitcher who hasn't pitched in a major league game in 16 months, and that drove up his pitch count, as well. When it was all said and done, Pavano threw 91 pitches, struck out five, allowed seven hits, and allowed three runs in five innings, just as I told a more pessimistic Patrick he would. (/gloat)

The Yanks bounced back after the Orioles' 3-run inning off of Pavano in the 2nd, as a two-run homer by Jason Giambi put the Yankees back up by a score of 4-3. Hideki Matsui put the cap on with a solo shot of his own in the 7th to make it 5-3.

The bullpen was great, as Brian Bruney, Jose Veras and Mariano Rivera pitched a combined four scoreless innings. Rivera recored his 30th save this season in his 31st opportunity.

The Yankees will go for the sweep this afternoon at 1:05 ET as Darrell Rasner will take the mound for the Bombers. Rasner might have to get shelled in this one, as the Yankees are 1-2 in games in which he allows one run or less. Rasner's Orioles' counterpart will be the enigmatic Daniel Cabrera. This will be a huge opportunity for the Yankees, and if they can cut the lead to four games heading into this week's series against Boston, they'll be in a real position to get back in this thing.

Peter Abraham spoke with Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer on the Gerrit Cole negotiations - or the lack thereof.

Billy Traber was demoted yesterday in order to make room for last night's starter, Carl Pavano.