What are the odds?

The Yankees blasted eight homers in Tuesday night's game and Alex Rodriguez's name wasn't on the home run list.  I'm tellin ya, baseball's a wacky game.  

Well, the Yanks didn't need A-Rod as they banged out 16 hits and obliterated the Pale Hose 16-3 at The Stadium.  Both the Red Sox and the Indians lost so the Bombers now stand 7 games back in the AL East and 3 games back in the wild card chase.

I missed the Yankees first nine runs (damn you NJ Transit!), but I think I caught the pulse of the game.  Here's the rundown.

The Good:

Bobby Abreu.  Abreu got the Yankees off and running with a three-run blast in the bottom of the first inning.  I don't know the exact numbers (and I'm sure you've heard this), but the Yanks are something like 57-0 when Abreu hits.  All right, that's an exaggeration, but when Abreu hits the Yankees win.  I have no explanation for this weird synergy, but it happened again on Tuesday.  Bobby finished 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.

Hideki Matsui.  Godzilla roared twice on Tuesday and finished with 13 homers for the month of July.  Matsui has always been a streaky hitter, but he looks totally locked in at the plate.  Hopefully, his hot July doesn't mean a cold August.  Matsui finished 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs.

Melky Cabrera.  The Yankees made the move of the trading deadline by NOT trading away the Melk-Man for Eric Gagne.  Don't get me wrong, Gagne would have been a tremendous pickup, but not for Melky.  Gagne wound up going to the BoSox so I know the Yanks were tempted to get rid of Melky and perhaps some of their young pitching arms.  They did the right thing.  Cabrera also put together a pretty nice ballgame on Tuesday night.  He made a snazzy catch in the first inning and ripped his sixth homer of the season.  Melky finished 1 for 4 with a run scored and 2 runs batted in.

Jorge Posada.  Posada continues to put together a career year.  And in his walk year, no less.  I expected Jorgie to hit the wall six weeks ago, but the veteran catcher is showing no signs of slowing down.  He finished a triple short of the cycle on Tuesday night.  Posada finished 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 2 ribbies.  He's now batting .339 for the season.

The Bad:

Alex Rodriguez.  The baseball gods are a strange lot.  How else to explain A-Rod's night?  The ball was jumping out of Yankee Stadium and the one guy everyone wanted to see go yard failed to do so.  A-Rod remains stuck on 499 career homers and I'm sure he's getting annoyed at seeing flashbulbs during every at bat.  He hit the ball hard and was robbed of a few hits, but he was the only Yankee starter to wear the collar on Tuesday night.  A-Rod finished 0 for 5 and is 0 for 15 since his last dinger.

The Ugly:

Trades.  I loved that the Yanks didn't trade Melky for Gagne, but absolutely hated the Scott Proctor for Wilson Betemit trade.  I don't understand the logic in unloading a bullpen guy (and an important one.  We're not talking about a mop-up guy) for a utility player.  And don't tell me that Betemit could be an insurance policy at third if A-Rod walks next year.  That's garbage.  True, Proctor has been struggling lately, but the Yanks shouldn't have given up on him.  Speaking of giving up, why is Kyle Farnsworth still in pinstripes?  He's the guy that should have been given his walking papers.  Kyle came into the game on Tuesday night (to a chorus of boos) and surprised everyone by actually pitching well: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  I guess the Yankees finally found a situation where he can excel -- the seventh inning, up by 11.  

The Yanks will go for their third straight win on Wednesday night and will face White Sox lefty John Danks.  The ChiSox are hurting and their 4.76 team ERA places them 12th in the American League.  Danks is doing his part; he's 6-7 on the season with a 4.83 ERA.  Andy Pettitte gets the start for the Yanks and will try and improve on his 6-7 record.  Pettitte's had a rough month, but he's been better in his last three starts.

What are the odds the Yanks keep this momentum going?

[Full Story] [Comments (3)]

Also on the Network: √ Brandon Jennings Update [Stop Mike Lupica] √ Deja Vu It Is [Depressed Fan] √ Moose Calls It Quits...Or Does He? [Depressed Fan] √ Mussina Reportedly Calls it a Career [Green Pinstripes] √ You, Me and D. Lee [El Lefty Malo] √ General Stuff [C70 At The Bat] √ Catching up with the Pacers... [Arin It Out] √ Bulls, Bulls, Bulls [Tremendous Upside Potential]

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