With one All-Star catcher facing season-ending shoulder surgery, the Yankees acquired another All-Star today when they made a huge upgrade at catcher by trading for Ivan Rodriguez from the Detroit Tigers. In return for the 36 year-old catcher, the Yankees sent relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth to the Tigers. Long-time Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who is in the first year of a 4 year, $52 million contract with the Yankees, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery today and......

Yankees 8 Houston 4: So far, a trip to Houston seems just like what the Yankees needed. Down 3-0 early, New York stormed back to win the game. Alex Rodriguez got the Yankees onto the board with a home run to right that got some assistance from an Astros’ fan who got his glove in the way. Jose Molina provided a huge double in the third that gave New York a 5-3 lead. ...

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.......

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,......

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......

Photograph of Mets catcher Brian Schneider tagging out the Yankees' Johnny Damon at the plate during the third inning by Julie Jacobson/AP (Damon tried to score from first base on a double by Bobby Abreu. ) Mets 7, Yankees 4: With ace Johan Santana on the mound, the Mets had to have this game. They got it. Santana shook off three Yankees home runs -- and got some help by the Yankees' questionable baserunning --......

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......

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......

After days of waiting for their bats to step up, the Yankees’ offense came around on Monday and that combined with great pitching propelled them to an easy 6-1 win. Bobby Abreu got things started in the first with a screaming liner over the wall in right for a home run that put New York up 2-0. It was part of a 3-for-3 night for Abreu that ended with him only a double short of......

Islanders 4 Rangers 3 (shootout): The Islanders clinched at least a share of the Metro Ice Challenge Championship! Unfortunately, the Islanders had to play the majority of their games against teams from outside the tri-state area and they didn’t do as well which is why their season is over. For the Rangers, they got a critical point and that combined with the Devils’ loss (see below) gives them a chance to take over fourth......

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......

Yankees 8 Baltimore 5: Nothing comes easy at the end of the year. The Yankees fell behind 2-0 before rallying for a 5-2 lead. But, Phil Hughes was shaky and had to be lifted in the sixth as the Orioles threatened. Edwar Ramirez managed to end that threat, but the Orioles rallied in the seventh and Luis Vizcaino had to come in and snuff out that rally. Kyle Farnsworth created problems in the ninth and......

Phillies 3, Mets 2: With Shawn Green's weak ground ball to shortstop, the Mets appeared ready to tie the game. With runners on first and third and one out in the ninth, Endy Chavez jogged home as the tying run. But Marlon Anderson, who was on first, blatantly -- and unnecessarily -- pushed Tadahito Iguchi with two hands. Umpire C.B. Bucknor called interference and the automatic double play, ending the game. Thanks in part to......

Red Bulls 5, Galaxy 4: Giants Stadium fills up for plenty of events, but Red Bulls games don't usually rank among those. Saturday's did, if only because David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy was in town. Those fans, who were there for Beckham and not the Galaxy, found another rare treat: goals in a Major League Soccer game. Soccer doesn't need frequent scores to be exciting, but the rare 5-4 game never hurt anyone. Not......

Mets 4 Braves 3: This was a big statement game from the Mets. Not only did they come back from a 3-1 deficit late in the game, they pulled a remarkable escape in the ninth to preserve the win. Luis Castillo tied things up in the seventh with a two-out single and Moises Alou put the Mets ahead with a home run on an 0-2 pitch in the eighth. So, the Mets turned to Billy......

Yankees 16 White Sox 3: Is it really possible that the Yankees could tie a club record by belting eight home runs, yet somehow Alex Rodriguez would be about the only person not to get one? Somehow, that’s exactly what happened Tuesday as every starter except for A-Rod, Jeter and Andy Phillips went deep and Hideki Matsui did twice. Shelly Duncan continued his Shane Spencer imitation by belting his 4th home run in 21 AB’s.......

The Yankees and Mets head into today’s trade deadline with similar objectives, upgrading their bullpens, but the Mets have already strengthened their team. Yesterday, the Mets acquired Luis Castillo from the Minnesota Twins for AA catcher Drew Butera and Class A outfielder Dustin Martin. Martin had a .779 OPS for St. Lucie while Butera, considered more of a defensive player, had struggled in AA hitting only .188. In Castillo, a three-time All Star and former......

Yankees 3 Blue Jays 2 (10 innings): This was a wild one. Andy Pettitte and Roy Halliday pitched brilliantly each allowing only one run before turning it over to the bullpens and that’s when things really got interesting. First up was Kyle Farnsworth, who grows more useless by the day. Farnsworth managed to put the go-ahead run into scoring position with a wild pickoff throw and the Blue Jays ended up taking a 2-1 lead......

Mets 6, Phillies 5; Mets 5, Phillies 2: Things couldn't have gone much better for the Mets. Brothers Carlos, who have been struggling of late, combined for three homers. Orlando Hernandez and John Maine combined to hold the Phillies in check. New York leads Philadelphia by five games in the National League East. Of all the developments, Beltran's and Delgado's homers have to be the most welcome. Billy Wagner also deserves plenty of recognition, even......

Yankees 10, White Sox 3: When Mike Mussina pitches well these days, he doesn't last too long. He cruised into the seventh inning in Chicago on Thursday before being derailed and helping give up a one-run lead. That didn't stop the Yankees, who used a Bobby Abreu double to take the lead for good in the eighth. Thinks got dicey with Kyle Farnsworth's appearance in the bottom of the inning, but an Alex Rodriguez......

Phillies 5, Mets 2: If his teammates are the pranking type, Oliver Perez might find a GPS device in his locker Thursday. The Mets left-hander walked seven -- he also hit a batter for good measure -- and couldn't get out of the third inning. Believe it or not, this is the sixth time Perez has walked this many batters. He only got charged with three runs, but the damage had been done. Perez's pitching......

-Yankees 9 Orioles 6: It took awhile, but the Yankees’ offense finally came alive in the seventh. After watching Randy Johnson struggle through six innings, New York erupted for six runs in the seventh; the key hit a three-run double by Robinson Cano to erase a four-run deficit. Despite his struggles, Johnson picked up his 17th win of the season with help from the bullpen. Brian Bruney continued his excellent relief work with a 1-2-3......

-Yankees 3 Orioles 2: On a day when New York played without a lot of regulars they managed to eek out a win, thanks to Chien-Ming Wang. Wang went 7 1/3 innings to win his 17th game, giving up only one run. Mike Myers and Scott Proctor combined to finish the eighth and Kyle Farnsworth earned the save despite allowing a home run to Kevin Millar. Jason Giambi was sent to the doctor to......

- Mets 11, Rockies 3: Would it be safe to say that David Wright is out of his slump? We'll see when he leaves the friendly atmosphere of Colorado, but last night it certainly looked like it. Wright had a grand slam in the 1st inning against Josh Fogg. Jose Valentin added to the offensive production with two solo home runs of his own and Carlos Delgado had his own solo shot. Dave Williams......

-Yankees 7, White Sox 6: Randy Johnson threw six no-hit innings, and the Yankees didn't blow a six-run lead to take the second game from Chicago. Bobby Abreu hit a homer, and, besides Kyle Farnsworth's allowing four runs, Johnny Damon's leaving the game with a groin injury was the Yankees' only bad news. Boston lost again to Kansas City, so the Yanks are up by three over the Red Sox. If they can carry that......

-Mets 1, Cubs 0: It took ten innings before Jose Valentin's RBI single plated the game's first, and deciding run. With the win, the Mets avoided a sweep at home to the Cubs, which would have been harmlessly embarassing. Instead, they saw John Maine pitch another dominant outing (even if the Derrek Lee-less Cubs don't send up a credible lineup) and make a case for a prolonged stay in the starting rotation. With Orlando Hernandez......

- Red Sox 9, Mets 4: The Mets had their chances against Jon Lester, loading the bases twice, but the rookie pitcher got out of the jams and the Red Sox won their 10th straight game. Alay Soler had his worst outing of the season, aided by a Lastings Milledge misplay of a fly ball into a two-run double in the fourth inning. The biggest scare for the Mets wasn't Big Papi or Manny......

-Mets 6 Toronto 1: Isn’t it weird that the Mets only trip to Canada is against a team from the American League? What isn’t weird is David Wright delivering another clutch hit; a three-run homer. While Albert Pujols will win it, Wright should be in consideration for NL MVP all the way to the end. Tom Glavine rebounded from three tough starts to go seven innings and allow only one run while picking up his......

-Mets 9 Phillies 7: Carlos Beltran is making everyone forget his poor 2005. Beltran homered again, his 18th of the year, while the Mets battered Philadelphia for nine runs and thirteen hits. Carlos Delgado and David Wright also homered in the win. All of the offense was needed because Tom Glavine and Aaron Heilman had off nights. Glavine struggled through four-plus innings, giving up seven hits and four runs while Heilman came in with a......

- Giants 6, Mets 4: The Giants and Mets waited out a rain delay before the first game of their single ticket doubleheader before San Francisco picked up the victory. Former Met Armando "Who Let the Dogs Out" Benitez picked up the save in a way that every Met fan can remember - walking two batters before getting the save. Of course, that's assuming he even got the save when he was with the......