Watch below for video from Pat Venditte's appearance last night. He faced a pinch hitter who didn't quite like Venditte switching from one hand to the other on him. The hitter tried to switch sides of the plate multiple times, but Venditte didn't back down and won out. Oh, and he struck the hitter out, as well.


Via Joseph via steve via Bugs & Cranks.

The Yankees go for the sweep of the Friars in a matinee game...and on paper, it looks good for the Yankees. They throw Joba up against the Padres while SD counters with Josh Banks. Now Banks has a 1.29 ERA coming into this game...but looking at his stat history doesn't exactly inspire confidence if I'm a Padres fan.

- Well, after the Yanks wasted an opportunity in the bottom of the first (first and second, none out and then second and third, one out and no runs in), the Padres look to create their own opportunity. A single, ground rule double and a walk have loaded the bases with none out. Time to bear down, Joba.

- Holy cow. He came out of the inning unscathed. He struck out Scott Hairston and got the second out when Adrian Gonzalez tried to come home on a passed ball and Jose Molina got the ball in time to Joba who was covering the plate. Joba then pumped a slider past a swinging Khalil Greene, did a little 1/2 twirl mini-fist-pump on the mound and that was the inning. Nice job.

- While Banks seems to be handling the Yankees offense, Joba is working himself into trouble here in the 4th with a single and a walk to start off the inning. He ends up getting Chase Headley with a K for the first out before giving up a ground rule double to Tony Clark (! - Man, he loves hitting against NY teams, huh?) that plates a run. He gets Scott Hairston to ground out for the second out (getting the lead runner at home) and Khalil Greene to line out to right field. 71 pitches through 4.

- Look at Melky trying to manufacture a run here in the bottom of the fifth. After working out a walk, he has stolen second and third with Jose Molina up. A productive out here from Jose, who is just having a horrendous year with the bat so far, would be huge...and he comes through on the 8th pitch of the AB. Tie game...and a tip of the hat to Melky for that run.

- Joba comes out for the 6th, having thrown 88 pitches so far. His target today was probably around 105 so one more inning sounds about right. Well, I guess they didn't want a full inning out of him as Joba leaves in high style, striking out the first two batters of the inning. 5 and two-thirds, 4 hits, 1 ER, 3 BBs and 9Ks on exactly 100 pitches. He worked his way out of a few jams...and better teams might make him pay...but still, he did very well today and now he turns over a tie game to the Yankee bullpen, starting with Jose Veras.

- Looks like the Yankees are at it again. DJ gets on with a single and promptly steals second with no one out. Man in scoring position with no outs in a tie game - come on Yankees, you know how this works. Awesome, it works. Abreu with the groundout to the right side to move the runner over and A-Rod went one better with a single that score Jeter. 2-1 Yankees. I love it when a plan comes together.

- Jose Molina doubles with one out in the 7th but the Yankees leave him stranded. Nuts. An insurance run would have been nice...because here's comes Kyle Farnsworth pitching on consecutive days, something he hasn't done well this year...and naturally, Kyle breezes through the inning with 2 Ks.

- The Yanks go meekly in the 8th so here comes Mo, who hasn't blown a save all year and actually hasn't given up a run in a save situation this year (man, I hope I haven't jinxed him). Nah...jinxes don't work on the Sandman and he strikes out the side (that's 15 total for the Yankees staff today). 20 for 20, 0.00 ERA in save situations and the Yankees win again. They go to 40-33 and gain a half game on the idle Red Sox (5 GB, 4 on the loss side).

Peter Abraham reports that the following Yankee draft picks have inked deals with the club:

5. Chris Smith, OF
8. Dan Brewer, OF
14. David Phelps, RHP
19. Mitch Abieta, C
21. Mitch Delaney, 1B
33. Tommy Baldridge, OF

24 of the Yankees 51 picks have now been signed.

The Yankees haven't lost a game since the last time Darrell Rasner pitched, and Wednesday night was determined not to be responsible for two straight Yankee losses. It wasn't the best we've seen of Rasner, but it was good enough to leave the rest to the Yankees scorching hot offense as the Yankees picked up their sixth straight "W" with an 8-5 victory over San Diego.

Rasner was solid through the first two innings, but really labored in the 3rd as he threw 41 pitches, walked two batters and allowed two runs before getting Chase Headley to fly out with the bases loaded. He was lucky to get through that mess and to get through five innings and pick up the win, but considering how many times he's recorded a loss after only allowing a run or two, I think we can let this one slide.

The offense came up huge again, as the Yankees scored 8 runs or more for the fourth straight game. Alex Rodriguez homered in his fourth straight and went 3-4. Wilson Betemit went 3-4 and Johnny Damon picked up three hits, as well. The lineup was resilient this one, as they would answer back every time the Padres pulled closer. Edwar Ramirez gives up back to back homers in the top of the 7th, an the Yankees answer back with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. Kyle Farnsworth gives up a home run to Chase Headley in the 8th, and Johnny Damon singles in a run in the bottom of the 8th.

All of that was more than enough for Mariano Rivera, who pitched a scoreless 9th for his 19th save in as many chances.

The Yankees will go for their second straight sweep, which would be the first time they did that since June 8-14 of 2007. It will be a matinee affair as the game starts at 1:05 E.T. Joba Chamberlain will take the mound and will face rookie Josh Banks.

Senor Action only went 2 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to 9 games. However, his games with a HR streak came to an end at 4.

However, the Trenton OF didn't go homerless for the night. Jose Tabata, the younger (by a year and a half, mind you) and seemingly more bratty outfielder connected for his second HR of the season...and pulled his average up over .240 and his OPS over .600. He's now hitting .241/.319/.298/.617 for the season. Not pretty...but slowly getting better from the horrendous .200/.308/.233/.542 line he put up in April.

Also, speaking of recovering after a bad start, how about Chris Malec? Man, all this guy does is hit. He started out the season .226/.294/.355/.649 in April and has proceeded to lift his stats up to .307/.391/.449/.840 for the season. I hope he can keep it up and get to AAA before the end of the season. Malec, if you don't recall, was diagnosed with testicular cancer during his senior season at UC Santa Barbara and underwent surgery. You check out his profile over at IGWT aka Mike A. classic as well as an article over at ESPN from when he was drafted. Seems like a good guy with a good head on his shoulders...can't help but root for a kid like that.

In addition to Mr. Ponson, the Yankees added another pitcher today, claiming Oneli Perez off waivers from the Indians today, as reported by Peter Abraham. Abraham passed along the Yankees press release:


Chad Jennings has a little more.

Say it ain't so! It appears that the Yankees have brought back the one and only Sidney Ponson, according to the team's official website. Ponson is probably the one guy in baseball who I'd pay NOT to play for my team. I understand his numbers are somewhat of an improvement over previous years (4-1, 3.88 which isn't bad, but he's allowed 71 hits in 55 innings), but he has a reputation for being a headcase and he's been here before, and it didn't work. According to the website:

Ponson was reportedly put on notice after creating a serious disturbance at the hotel bar in St. Petersburg, Fla. during the team's recent road trip and told that further problems would not be tolerated.

He also reacted furiously after being taken out of a June 4 game against the Indians and with being pushed back from the start that was to follow that outing, prompting Rangers general manager Jon Daniels to say, "We don't feel Sidney deserves to be here or wants to be here."

So he's been booted out of Texas because of "off-the-field" issues, and was previously booted out of New York because of on-the-field issues (aka he was terrible). Makes me wonder...if he doesn't deserve or want to be in Texas then why does he deserve to be or want to be in New York?

Ah...it must be the the ice cream.

Tyler Kepner reports that ice cream has returned to the Yankees clubhouse, thanks to Mussina's 10th win.

The Yankees opened a three game set with the Padres in San Diego New York on Tuesday night with an 8-0 victory. It was the fifth shutout for the Yankees staff this season and the second in as many games.

Andy Pettitte threw 103 pitches over seven innings, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out nine. The Yankees gave him two runs in the second, thanks to solo home runs from A-Rod and Jason Giambi.

But, they broke it wide open with a five spot in the fourth. The team was four batters in before making an out. Matsui walked to start it off and he was prompty brought home on a Jason Giambi two run homer. Following that, Posada singled and Cano doubled, sending him to third.

Melky made the first out, thanks to a fly to right. But, Damon walked and Jeter reached on a fielder's choice that scored Posada. Damon made it to second thanks to an error. Bobby Abreu grounded into a fielder's choice, as well, that forced Jeter, but scored Cano. A wild pitch allow Damon to score and A-Rod flied out to send the inning with the Yankees leading, 7-0.

Pettitte kept crusing, finishing out the seventh. He was relieved by Jose Veras, who struck out two batters, but also allowed two singles. With those two runners on and the Padres clean up hitter, the left handed Adrian Gonzalez due up, Girardi brought in Billy Traber, making his first appearance since April. Traber got Gonzalez to ground out to end the threat.

Derek Jeter added an RBI single in the 8th, scoring Cano to make it, 8-0.

Though not needed, Mariano hadn't pitched since Thursday, so he came him and threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning. All three outs were strike outs.

Damon was 1 for 4 with 1 run and 1 walk, Jeter was 1 for 5 with 2 RBIs, Abreu was 1 for 4 wit h1 double and 1 RBI, A-Rod was 2 for 5 with 1 double and 1 home run, Matsui was 0 for 3 with 1 run and 1 walk, Giambi was 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs, Posada was 2 for 4 with 1 run, Cano was 2 for 3 with 2 runs and Melky was 0 for 4.

Tomorrow, the Yankees will see one of the best pitchers in the game in Jake Peavy (5-3, 2.64 ERA). Darrell Rasner (3-4, 3.64) will face him.

That's 4 games in a row with a HR for Senor Action who went 4 for 5 with the aforementioned HR and 4 RBI. He's currently in the midst of a 8 game hitting streak and his line is now .283/.360/.449/.809 for the year at AA Trenton.

Also, after a horrendous start to the season, Seth Fortenberry is hitting like he did last year and has brought his line to .244/.348/.421/.769 for the year. Yes, he's soon to be 25 in Hi-A and he strikes out a ton...but for some reason, I like the kid and am really rooting for him. Okay, I lied. I know the reason. He can solve a Rubix Cube in less than three minutes...and that's what I look for in prospects.

And finally, here's to a healthy rest of the season for Francisco Cervelli who made his way off the DL last night for Hi-A Tampa.