Yankees 5 Texas 2: The news before the game wasn’t good; Joba has tendinitis of the rotator cuff. The plan is to shut him down for a week and then see if he can throw. Who knows if Joba returns, and Ian Kennedy will now start for the Yankees this weekend, but at least the news on the field was good. Sidney Ponson did enough to keep the team in the game and Wilson Betemit......

Photo of Joba Chamberlain wiping his face prior to being removed from last night's game by AP/Tony Gutierrez Don’t pay attention to the score of 9-5, the headline says it all, Joba Chamberlain is hurt. How badly he is injured and what the ramifications are, aren’t known at this point, but the Yankees will have to hold their breath. Maybe it was the play in the fifth where Joba had to dive to get......

When Yankees’ season ends, their most important free agent re-signing will have never hit a home run, won a game or driven in a run for them. He will never have even worn the uniform because their most important piece of offseason work will be bringing Brian Cashman back to the Bronx. Critics of Cashman will point to signings like Carl Pavano and trades for Jeff Weaver as evidence of his mediocrity, but judging Cashman......

Left photograph of Jason Giambi after his RBI single by Elise Amendola/AP and right photograph of Carlos Delgado rounding the bases after his two-run home run by Julie Jacobson/AP Yankees 1 Red Sox 0: The Yankees had a great night on and off the field Friday. Joba Chamberlain showed why the Yankees were smart to move him to the rotation with seven shutout innings at Fenway. Joba was brilliant, striking out nine and allowing......

Photograph of Jose Molina, center, congratulated (for being willing to be drilled by a pitch) by Johnny Damon, second left, Robinson Cano, left and Melky Cabrera, right, by Ed Betz/AP Yankees 4, Athletics 3 (12 innings): This see-saw battle ended on a strange play: Jose Molina got hit by a pitch to force in the game-winning run. The Yankees had a 2-0 lead in this one but Jose Veras let it -- and a......

If you're looking to retire early, or seize upon that soft Brooklyn real estate market, and you can hit a baseball with tremendous accuracy, then you should head down to Pier 61 in Chelsea tomorrow. From 10am to 1pm, vitaminwater is giving the first 200 people who show up a chance to hit a home run in their Homers in the Hudson promotion. Those participating should wear their luckiest accessories because to win the $1......

Mets 2, Rockies 1: Wins against National League West teams still count in the standings. Remember, the Mets couldn't compete with the Seattle Mariners a few weeks ago. Now they are owners of their first seven-game win streak since 2006. Oliver Perez wasn't as sharp as he has been in recent starts, but he did produce six innings of one-run ball. He was fortunate to allow so few, as he walked six. Damion Easley hit......

Photograph of Tony Armas giving a fist pound to Damion Easley who scored on a double by Ramon Casto by Tom Gannam/AP Mets 7 St. Louis 4: The Mets called up Tony Armas to make this start and while he struggled early, he delivered in the end. The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead and took a 3-1 lead after two. But, the Mets’ offense struck back while Armas kept them in the......

Photograph of David Wright being congratulated by third base coach Luis Aguayo after his solo home run by Julie Jacobson/AP Mets 8 Seattle 2: New York came out angry and scored early as they romped to a sweep-avoiding victory. Maybe it was Jerry Manuel’s decision to change the team's warmup routine, maybe it was the thought of being swept by the worst team in the American League. Whatever the reason, the Mets showed some......

Yankees 2, Padres 1: If Joba Chamberlain weren't in the rotation right now, Dan Giese, owner of 0 big-league starts, would be the team's fourth starter. Instead, Chamberlain is striking out nine Padres -- yes, they still count -- and helping the team win its seventh straight. Alex Rodriguez -- still not clutch -- got the go-ahead single in the sixth inning. Jose Veras picked up the win in relief, but Chamberlain was the pitching......

The Yankees are going to have to figure out a way to survive without their ace for possibly the remainder of the season. Tests Monday found that Chien-Ming Wang had a sprain of his Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon in his right foot. In the best case scenario, Wang takes off his protective boot around July 28th, starts to rehab and gets back on the mound for the Yankees......

Mets 7, Rangers 1: With the rumors swirling about Willie Randolph's job, the Mets manager got help from an unlikely source. Oliver Perez threw seven innings of one-run ball -- against the best offense in the American League -- and the Mets got to talk about a win rather than why they appear to stink. An early lead was blown open when they scored four in the six. Perez's own RBI single capped the rally.......

Yankees 6 Kansas City 3: Start number two for Joba was longer and somewhat better. Chamberlain lasted 78 pitches, which translated to 4-1/3 innings, striking out five and allowing three runs. He really made only one bad mistake, a hanging slider that Jose Guillen crunched for his 10th home run of the season. Johnny Damon continued his hot hitting with two more hits and scored two runs. Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi both hit home......

Blue Jays 9, Yankees 3: Joba Chamberlain's first start in the Major Leagues didn't last much longer than some of his relief appearances. He threw 62 pitches -- 32 strikes -- to get seven outs. Walking four, including three in the first inning, curtailed an outing that was already sure to be short thanks to a strict pitch count. Dan Giese, who was called up with the express purpose to back up Chamberlain, gave up......

Minnesota 6 Yankees 5: Before you scream that the Yankees would have won this game with Joba in the bullpen, consider some facts. The Yankees had leads of 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 that Andy Pettitte could not protect. The Yankees had 15 hits and hit an abysmal 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position, failing to get a runner home from third with less than two outs three times. So, blame the offense, blame the pitching,......

At 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday night, Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain will take a big league mound for the first time as a starter. Whether he succeeds or fails at his new job may very well determine the fate of the Yankees’ season and Brian Cashman’s future with the club. Taking a dominant setup guy out of the back of the bullpen and putting him into the rotation is not a popular decision in some circles,......

Dodgers 9, Mets 5: A missed call at first base started the Dodgers' eighth-inning rally, but the Mets hardly helped themselves. Pedro Feliciano induced what should have been a groundout by Juan Pierre to start the frame. But he was called safe even though Jose Reyes appeared to throw him out. Aaron Heilman, coming off his best outing of the year, proceeded to give up a double and three straight singles before being relieved and......

Mets 7, Marlins 6 (12 innings): One Johan Santana start plus not one but two last-chance comebacks equal a two-game winning streak and some signs of life from the Mets. Fernando Tatis, one of three reserves to knock in runs in Tuesday's win, hit a game-winning two-run double in the 12th. The game only went to extra innings because Endy Chavez hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth. Don't count on......

Yankees 12 Seattle 6: Day 2 of the “Joba change” was a success as Chamberlain pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Mike Mussina and the Yankees busted open a close game against the Mariners. Mussina wasn’t good, giving back the four runs the Yankees scored in the bottom of the second, immediately in the top of the third. Bobby Abreu had a huge day, going 2-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBI’s. Jason......

Yankees 8 Orioles 0: Alex Rodriguez hit two home runs, only one that counted, and the Yankees cruised to an easy victory for the first time in ages. Rodriguez hit a home run in the third and then clearly hit a ball off the yellow staircase in right in the sixth, but the umpires ruled the ball was in play and he had to settle for a double Considering what happened Sunday night with Carlos......

Yankees 5 Detroit 2: It’s only two starts, but Darrell Rasner has given the Yankees exactly what they needed, quality pitching. Rasner was impressive on Saturday, holding one of the more dangerous lineups in the league to only two runs and four hits over six innings. Most importantly, he didn’t beat himself, issuing only one walk. Derek Jeter got things going with a solo shot in the first and was one of five different Yankees......

Photograph of Joba Chamberlain after giving up a three-run homer run in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium by Julie Jacobson/AP Cleveland 5 Yankees 3: Could the definition of irony be that Joba Chamberlain gives up three runs in the majors on the same night that Ian Kennedy dominates AAA? Perhaps, but maybe we should just focus on how tough it is to protect a one-run lead. Joba couldn’t do it in the 8th,......

Yankees 9 White Sox 5: Bobby Abreu had a huge grand slam in the seventh to put the Yankees up 6-3 and Johnny Damon added a 3-run shot in the 8th to put the game safely out of reach. Chien-Ming Wang was shaky, but fought through six innings and got the win. It is the 50th win of his career and Wang becomes the fastest pitcher to win 50 games since Dwight Gooden did it......

Photo of Yankee Stadium during the Canadian national anthem by AP/Kathy Willens It may have come a day later than many people wanted, but the Yankees opened the final season of the Stadium on a high note, winning a close and well-pitched game 3-2. Chien-Ming Wang went seven innings allowing only two runs and Joba and Mo closed the game out with a scoreless inning each. Melky Cabrera was the offensive and defensive hero with......

Photo of Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman before an exhibition game against the Florida Marlins by AP/Luis M. Alvarez Joe Girardi made the goal clear from his introductory press conference donning the number 27 to represent the quest for a 27th title. But, despite their tremendous resources and talent, this Yankees’ team is further away from winning a title than any in recent memory because of the question surrounding the starting pitching. It is......

Entering Spring Training the Yankees had three big questions to answer. The biggest and most obvious was the role that Joba Chamberlain would play. Hank proclaimed that he wanted Joba to start and Joe Girardi’s insisted that Joba’s future is as a starter, but in the end the Yankees put him in the bullpen for at least the start of 2008. And it makes sense because while they won’t admit it publicly, the Yankees are......

If Barry Melrose ever goes to Newark, he probably won't be getting a warm reception. Melrose, a hockey analyst for ESPN and a former player and manager, said some disparaging words about the city of Newark when talking about the new Devils arena on his webcast last week. Melrose said, "It looks great on the inside but don't go outside, especially if you got a wallet or anything else because the area around the building......

The reports of George Steinbrenner’s demise may have been exaggerated. In an interview with Ian O'Connor, Steinbrenner showed the fire that longtime fans of the Yankees are used to. While it wasn’t punching out someone in an elevator, this was a classic motivational ploy from the Steinbrenner textbook - win or the manager is gone. Of course all of this ignores the fact that the Yankees are lucky to have even made the playoffs. Teams......

Cleveland 2 Yankees 1 (11 innings): Baseball has had many weird games and plays in its history, but it is hard to think of a more bizarre scene than Jacobs Field in the eighth inning last night. Swarms of mayflies descended on the stadium, disrupting play and perhaps affecting Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain, called in to protect a 1-0 lead in the seventh was swamped by the insects and suffered an uncharacteristic bout of wildness. Two......

At first glance it is easy to draw the parallel between the 2007 Yankees and the 2006 team. Once again the Yankees’ bats are the strength of their team and once again they are facing an underrated team from the AL Central with very good pitching. But, as much as the parallel works, there are three key differences with this Yankees team that makes a repeat of last year’s first round flameout unlikely. First......