The way this season has gone, it seems appropriate that the Yanks would be forced to take a break just when they've started playing consistently.

The Yankees blew out the Angels on Sunday, 12-0, on a hot, sticky, hazy day in the Bronx.  Chien-Ming Wang won his ninth game of the year despite his fingernail problem and the Bombers belted three three-run homers en route to the shutout.  The Yanks took two of three from the Angels and have won five of their last seven games.

If you're wondering why this post is tardy, I went to see Rush at the PNC on Sunday night.  Yes, the members of Rush are still alive and yes, they still perform.  The show was solid even though the set list left something to be desired and I got home at 1 o'clock in the a.m.  And I'm a lazy, lazy man.

The Good:

Chien-Ming Wang.  It didn't start out well for Wang on Sunday.  He walked Reggie Willits to start the game and then ran the count to 3-1 on Yankee Killer Chone Figgins.  But Willits was erased trying to swipe second and Wang came back to strike out Figgins.  That was probably the Angels best scoring opportunity of the afternoon.  Wang continued to battle through his cracked fingernail problem, but the Yankee offense allowed the Wanger to cruise toward victory.  Wang's W: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K.

Alex Rodriguez.  A-Rod's three-run bomb came when the game was already well in hand, but it was his 30th of the year and moved him pass Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff for 22nd on the all-time home run list with 494 taters.  I guess that hammy is just fine.  A-Rod finished 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 4 RBIs.

Hideki Matsui.  Matsui's three-run homer was the clout that got the Yanks off and running.  It was Godzilla's third dinger in five games and it gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead after one inning.  Matsui is a streaky hitter and it looks like he's getting ready for a hot streak.  He finished 1 for 3 with a run scored, 2 walks and 3 ribbies.

The Bad:

Johnny Damon.  Damon didn't have a terrible game, but he was the only Yankee starter without a hit on Sunday.  He did walk twice and scored a run, but his first-half numbers are abysmal:  .245, 5 HR, 27 RBI, .339 OBP.  Maybe the rest will do his body good.  

The Ugly:

First half stats.  Well, the Yanks are 42-43 at the All-Star break.  They are in third place (really tied for second with the Blue Jays, but I'm going to be anal and count the percentage points), 10 games behind the Boston Red Sox.  They are 8.5  games behind the Cleveland Indians for the wild card.  The Yankees have their work cut out for them in the second half.

The All-Star game is Tuesday night in San Francisco.  Jeter, A-Rod and Posada will be representing the pinstripes.  The Yankees will resume the regular season on Thursday in Tampa against the Devil Rays.

That's when the work begins.

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