Johnny Damon deserves more votes than this. Batting .330 (just overtook Hideki) with a OPS of .911 and 11 SBs only gets you a few more votes than Melky? Come on Yankees fans! Vote For Johnny! (and Hideki...and show the Big Mustache some love too!).

Also, vote for Ian Kinsler - he's having a much better year Pedroia, who is somehow in the lead while having a pretty bad season (not Cano bad in total but getting there as a .213/.257/.293/.550 line over the last 42 games will do that for you).

Obviously the big story was start #2 for Joba. Suffice it to say that it went better than the first, regardless of what Mark Teahen and David DeJesus think.

The Yankees started the game off well, scoring two quick runs in the first when after a Jeter single, Bobby Abreu crushed a pitch into the upper-deck. Joba gave up a run in the second and then gave up the lead in the third when after a leadoff double to David DeJesus, he was able to get two quick outs before giving up a HR to Jose Guillen. 3-2 Royals.

The Yankees tied the game in the 5th when after a 10 pitch AB, Johnny Damon tripled and then came home on an Abreu RBI groundout. They took the lead the next inning when the Big Mustache drilled one over the right-centerfield wall. The Yanks scored their last two runs in the seventh when Jeter and Abreu singled to put men on first and third with one out. A-Rod strolled to the plate and drilled a double (he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple) to plate both runners. 6-3 Yankees and that's how the score would remain as Dan Geise, Jose Veras and Mo combined to pitch 4 and 2/3 innings of one-hit, no run ball.

Funny how Farnsworth didn't pitch in a close game...maybe Girardi has learned that lesson? Also, Joey Gathright made some fantastic plays in the field to rob the Yankees of extra bases and runs. Without him, this game is probably a laugher. If you get a chance, you can check out some of them here, under the video tab.

Chad Jennings reports on Alan Horne's first game back from the injury he sustained in April. He didn't have command, but he still struck out seven and allowed just one run on three hits.

Wow...where do I start? The Yankees beat the Royals 12-11 in a game that had more twists and turns than a murder mystery film. Johnny Damon went 6-6, including a walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th, and pretty much every Yankee was good with the exception of Andy Pettitte, who allowed 10 runs.

Pettitte struggled early on, as he gave up five runs in the first three innings, and the Royals entered the 4th inning with a 5-1 lead. The Yankees tied the game, however, with a 4-spot in the bottom of the 4th, and Jason Giambi put the Yankees ahead 6-5 in the 5th with a moonshot to right that is still probably waiting to land somewhere.

Andy Pettitte did settle down, and he rolled through the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings, pitching three straight scoreless innings and keeping his pitch count down. It was enough for him to go back out there again in the 7th, even after allowing five runs. The 7th inning, if not for anything else, should prove to fans what a game of inches baseball really is. The Royals had tied the game at 6 with a Joey Gathwright single, and Pettitte labored through the next few batters, loading the bases. He was one strike away from getting out of it with the game tied 6-6, but Jose Guillen drove Pettitte's 2-2 pitch just over the left field wall for a grand slam to put Kansas City up by a score of 10-6.

The Yankees would answer back. Alex Rodriguez brought the Yanks to within 10-8 with a two-run homer in the 7th. Johnny Damon tied it at 10 in the 8th with his 5th hit of the game, a two-run single that brought in Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera.

The Yankees seemed destined to win this game at that point, as they were bringing Mariano Rivera into a tied ballgame in the 9th, and the Royals had only one pitcher left available in the pen after their closer, Jeff Soria. Much to everyone's surprise, however, David DeJesus took Rivera's first pitch of the inning into the stands to put the Royals up by a score of 11-10. It was only the second run Rivera allowed all season, and his E.R.A. is now up to a whopping 0.67.

The Yanks would get one more crack at it in the bottom of the 9th. Jason Giambi, the hero of just two nights prior, led off the inning by flying out to right field. Jorge Posada then came up and took the first pitch into the stands in right field for a solo home run, tying the game at 11. After a Wilson Betemit walk and a single by Cabrera, Johnny Damon would get up with a chance for his 6th hit of the game and a walk-off win, and he delivered. Damon drove a ball down the right field line that landed fair and rolled over to the wall, and that was all she wrote. The Yankees had won the game 12-11, avoiding what could have been a devastating loss after losing the opener to the Royals on Friday.

Joba Chamberlain will get his second start today, as he will go up against Zack Greinke in a battle of young, promising arms. Let's hope the final score today is not 12-11. Game starts at 1:05 E.T.

Peter Botte has an interview with Hank Steinbrenner, talking about Joba's transition (including Damon's comments about it not being such a good idea) and the Yankees draft philosophy.


Via Moshe Mandel.

Ed Price profiles the Yankees visiting clubhouse attendants and everything that goes into their work.

Day 2 of the 2008 MLB Draft concluded yesterday. You can view a full list of the Yankees selections at the MLB.com Draft Tracker.

As Ed Price notes, the Yankees again selected pitcher Patrick Venditte. They selected him in the 20th round after picking him in the 45th last time around. Venditte is notable because he can pitch with both his left and right arms (watch the video below). It's the second coolest thing about him, following his first name.


Finally, check out this picture of Yankees' first round pick Gerrit Cole at the 2001 World Series. He's holding a sign that says, "Yankee Fan: Today, Tomorrow, Forever." Boras couldn't script that one any better, eh? Just kidding. I think it's great when the Yankees draft Yankees fans. It's something that many of us dreamed of as a kid and I bet Cole did the same. So, it's cool to see a dream likely realized.

Willie Bans reports that the Brian Bruney is aiming for a return to the team around the All-Star break. Bruney was 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 11.1 IP this season before injuring his right foot.

Samantha Newman reports that LaTroy Hawkins' appeal of his three game suspension was heard and that the suspension was upheld. He began serving it on Friday.

Darrell Rasner rebounded from his first bad start of the year, tossing 118 pitches (75 for strikes) over 8 innings, allowing just 2 earned runs on 9 hits, no walks and 4 strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Yankees scored a grand total of 1 run off of Kyle Davies, Ron Mahay and Joakim Soria.

The Yankees collected 10 hits and a walk, ending up with a Team LOB of 9. The one run was scored in the seventh when Melky singled Cano home. Melky and Cano each collected 2 hits; both of Cano's were doubles. A-Rod and Abreu added 2 hits of their own, each. Jeter and Matsui aso had singles.

Edwar Ramirez pitched a scoreless ninth. And that's pretty much it.

Rasner has been wonderful so far. Despite his 3-3 record, he has a 2.58 ERA. In the other two games he lost, he allowed 4 earned over 5 and a 1/3 and 1 earned over 6. In all 3 of his losses, the Yankees have scored - you guessed it - one run.

And we are, once again, below .500. Tomorrow at 1:00 PM ET, Andy Pettitte (5-5, 4.21) will start against Brian Bannister (5-6, 4.60).