April 30 Player of the Week

By Caleb Breakey / Special to MLB.com

The Tigers might have suffered some heart-breaking losses as of late, but the team sure is happy to see Magglio Ordonez find his stroke.

Ordonez was named winner of the Bank of America Presents the American League Player of the
Week for his performance during the week ending April 29. It marks the seventh weekly award he has won in his career, and it's his first with the Tigers.

In 21 at-bats, Ordonez racked up 12 hits -- including five doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs -- for a .571 average. He also scored seven runs and ended the week with 23 total bases, not to mention a 1.095 slugging percentage.

If that last number seems confusing, just know that several fantasy baseball team owners are smiling and playing Ordonez every day.

"I don't think I've had a start like this," Ordonez said. "I always started really slow and then started swinging the bat in the warm weather. We're still in April, but it's been a really good month."

The right fielder really broke loose against the Angels on April 23-24, when he went 6-for-7 with six runs scored, a homer and four RBIs. You would think that would be enough, right? Maybe take a quick break at the plate?

Hardly. Ordonez came back the next night and posted a 3-for-4 night against the White Sox, tacking on three more RBIs. Then the four-time All-Star concluded his torrid week with another homer against the Twins at Comerica Park.

"I feel good. I'm swinging at strikes, staying patient," Ordonez said. "Hopefully I keep doing what I'm doing so far. I'm trying to improve myself, get better and better. That's why I've been working hard."

Ordonez even roughed up Minnesota ace Johan Santana with a homer and a double when the Tigers took on the Twins. Manager Jim Leyland noticed how Ordonez gets the better of the reining American League Cy Young winner.

"He's swung the bat pretty well against [Santana]. For whatever reason, some guys just seem to match up better against guys," Leyland said. "We don't really have a lot of guys that have [had success against Santana], but nobody in the league has."

In recognition of Ordonez' performance, Tourneau, the world's largest watch store, gave Ordonez a luxury Swiss Tourneau watch.

Other candidates considered were Tampa Bay Devil Rays infielder B.J. Upton (.417, 10-for-24, .958 SLG, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI); Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter (.400, 10-for-25, .840 SLG, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI); Texas Rangers designated hitter Sammy Sosa (.348, 8-for-23, .826 SLG, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI); and Oakland Athletics pitcher Dan Haren (2-0, 1.88 ERA, 14.1 IP, 12 SO).

"Hughes: 'I need to prove myself'...Prized prospect humble amid accolades, attention" -- April 30, 2007

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- He walks around the clubhouse in a quiet, if not serious manner. His presence permeates throughout the white-walled lockers. He answers questions with ease and little emotion. Meekness seems sunken into every bit of his demeanor.

Just look at his eyes. It lives in Phil Hughes.

"Humility, that low, sweet root," penned Irish poet Thomas Moore, "from which all heavenly virtues shoot."

Hughes, of course, is no transient miracle hiding in a 6-foot-5 frame. No, he's just a pitcher. A darned good one, too, judging from the Minor League numbers he coaxed last year with that mid-90s fastball and sharp-breaking curve. But beneath the top draft pick label, beneath the electric pitches, and beneath that pinstriped uniform is a humble 20-year-old kid.

Mark Newman, the Yankees' senior vice president of baseball operations, has said Hughes is probably the best young pitcher the team has had since 1989, Newman's first year with the club.

Hughes' accolades would unfurl like a scroll, but two of his statistics stand out like red ink among black ink: He never faced a batter with the bases loaded in 2006, and his Minor League numbers coming into this season -- 21-7 with a 2.12 ERA -- are comparable to last year's American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana (19-6 with a 2.77 ERA).

Jason Giambi gave Hughes another eye-widening honor this spring, dubbing him a young "Rocket" in reference to future Hall of Fame pitcher Roger Clemens. But instead of pumping up his chest and throwing around all 220 pounds of him like he's Terrell Owens with a nasty fastball, Hughes looks toward the ground after comments like these -- perhaps with a slight chuckle -- and prefers to examine himself.

"You kind of just have to take a step back and look yourself in the mirror and say, 'You know, I haven't done anything to deserve all this praise yet,'" Hughes said. "I'm at a point now where I need to prove myself."

All of this garnered him masses of attention. Sean Henn, whose locker sits next to Hughes', explained the one downer to having Baseball America's top Yankees prospect as his clubhouse neighbor: the media crowds his space.

Yes, Hughes' gaudy statistics are a marvel, but no one -- not even scouts whose job descriptions are to first note a player's physical ability -- could help but notice something more about him. It's the way he speaks in calm, few words. It's the way his face looks even after he gives up a homer.

And to those who see it, including his teammates, manager and parents, it's a glimpse that sees the soul. Maybe that's what Jorge Posada saw when he caught Hughes in Spring Training.

"The attitude, you see it," Posada said. "It's not about being cocky. It's just the way he walks around; he belongs."

What ever happened to the spiked hairdos and mohawks, the know-it-alls and balkers, the boasters and back-talkers? They're definitely not extinct in the Major Leagues. It's just that Hughes is a fading breed.

Humility seems to be engraved on his heart. It flows through everything he does and every word he speaks -- pretty impressive considering he can't legally drink until late June. Hughes comes across with the wisdom of a man approaching his golden years in life.

"He seems to be a little more mature for someone his age," Joe Torre said. "He's sure more mature than I was at his age, just [from] the way he carries himself."

Hughes' father, Philip, used to be in the Navy. The straight-shooting advice Hughes' dad gave him, though not what he would consider "strict," helped shape Hughes as a person and his mindset on the mound.

His dad taught him to get things done in a humble way, or, as a Nike commercial might reiterate -- "Just do it." Block out distractions. Get focused. Work hard. Get it done.

That's what Hughes did in his first start in the Major Leagues against the Blue Jays last Thursday, even though he didn't succeed as he hoped.

When he gave up a run-scoring hit to Vernon Wells in the first inning of a 6-0 loss, he kept his head straight. When he struck out two batters to start the second inning, his face looked identical. Sure, some parts of that game worked out better than others for him, but what exactly did Hughes' father teach him to get him through it?

"'Don't get too high, [or] too low.' -- that kind of thing," Hughes said. "That's probably where I got most of my personality."

May 1 Red Sox Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

The third time was already a charm. Now it's time to see what the fourth has in store.

Curt Schilling looks to keep his winning ways going Tuesday against the Athletics, zeroing in on his fourth victory of the young season.

After a rough outing against New York on April 20, when Schilling gave up five runs to the Yankees, the right-hander came back to pitch seven innings of five-hit baseball against the Orioles on Wednesday.

A proven workhorse in the past, Schilling keeps piling up innings as he heads into Tuesday's start. He's pitched seven innings or more in his last four outings.

The Athletics counter Schilling and the Red Sox with Joe Blanton. The right-hander ran into some tough luck against the Mariners on Wednesday, when he pitched a six-hitter but came away with a loss.

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Curt Schilling (3-1, 3.27 ERA)Schilling aims for his fourth win in his start against the Athletics. In his last outing, Schilling gave up one run on five hits over seven innings against Baltimore. The right-hander has been tough on the Athletics in the past, owning a 3-3 record and 3.75 ERA against them in 11 career games.

OAK: RHP Joe Blanton (2-1, 3.55 ERA)Blanton is coming off of a tough six-hit game against the Mariners in which he came away the loser. Blanton struck out six and walked two in the game, giving up solo homers to Jose Guillen and Kenji Johjima.

Player to watch

Oakland catcher Jason Kendall has a lot of experience hitting against Schilling. In 65 career at-bats against the right-hander, Kendall has hit .292 with three homers and four doubles. Look for Kendall to be a pesky hitter against Schilling.

May 1 Yankees Extended Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com


Is he here to stay? That's the question surrounding phenom Phil Hughes. And what's known is that his Tuesday start in Texas could be pivotal.

Back for at least one more go-round in the Yankees rotation, Hughes takes the mound for the pinstripes with a shot at dumping his hot-prospect label and putting on a new title: true Major Leaguer. Not to mention the fact that he could earn the Yankees' first road victory since April 14 in Oakland.

The 20-year-old Hughes is asked once again to help turn things around for the Yankees, who have lost eight of their last nine games. And he might be the right person to do it.

Hughes showed little fright when he took on the Blue Jays last week in his Major League debut, and Yankees manager Joe Torre thinks that will carry over into his start against the Rangers.

"He certainly was aware of all the hitters," Torre said. "He wasn't clouded by the fact that he was excited."

Hughes equips himself with five pitches -- a two-seamer, four-seamer, slider, curveball and changeup -- all of which scouts have dubbed big-league pitches. This is evidenced by his overall Minor League numbers coming into the season: 21-7 with a 2.12 ERA.

Hughes' start against the Rangers, although important to his spot on the roster, was padded a bit when Jeff Karstens sustained a broken leg when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo on Saturday. Karstens' injury means that one fewer starter will compete for an every-fifth-day job. As Torre said, when one door closes, another one opens.

The Yankees' original plan was to keep Hughes in the Minor Leagues until the All-Star break, but injuries gave him an early shot at brining his 6-foot-5 frame to Yankee Stadium. News quickly spread when he got called up to the Yankees, and he's sure to get plenty of text messages and phone calls before his start in Texas. It probably won't amount to the 100 people -- including family, friends and beat reporters -- who called him after his promotion, but Hughes won't lack support.

And while Hughes' friends and family were happy for him when the flashbulbs snapped for his first pitch in the Major Leagues, one question lingered: Did Hughes feel that the Yankees brought him up too early?

"No, I mean, I feel like I've been ready to do this," Hughes said.

Well, ready or not, his second start is here. It comes against Rangers right-hander Kameron Loe, who is making his third start of the season after five relief appearances. He is 1-3 with a 7.62 ERA in four appearances against the Yankees.

Pitching matchup

NYY: RHP Phil Hughes (0-1, 8.31 ERA)Hughes tries to prove that he belongs in the Major Leagues after he lost his first start to the Blue Jays on Thursday. The right-handed phenom struck out five batters in 4 1/3 innings in his debut.

BOS: RHP Kameron Loe (1-1, 5.21 ERA)Loe has jumped around a bit this season. He relieved on Opening Day, but five appearances later, the Rangers put him into the starting rotation. Pitching in Texas could be important for Loe, who has pitched better at home than on the road this season, compiling a 2.79 ERA in four games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Player to watch

Rangers center fielder Kenny Lofton has had his way with right-handed pitching this year, batting .311 with four extra-base hits. He's also stolen nine bases, while being caught only once.

April 29 Red Sox Extended Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

Julian Tavarez may be pitching for more than just a win on Sunday against the Yankees. His spot in the rotation could be in limbo.

Coming into the game with an 8.36 ERA in three starts this season -- giving up 19 hits in 13 innings -- Taverez's start against the Yankees could be his last.

If he falters, left-hander Jon Lester could return to the big leagues. Fully recovered from lymphoma, Lester made his fourth Minor League start on Friday and is scheduled to throw his second start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday.

But Tavarez isn't worried about it. Instead, he's focused on the navy pinstripes he'll be staring down on Sunday. He's even considered the advantage that comes with pitching the day after Tim Wakefield, the right-handed knuckleballer who lost to the Yankees on Saturday.

Because the Yankees lineup concentrated on Wakefield's slow pitches on Saturday -- as Tavarez's thinking goes -- their timing may be a little off.

"It makes a lot of difference," Tavarez said. "Wakefield goes out there and challenges with a knuckleball, and I go out there and challenge with a lot of sinker fastballs."

Tavarez's approach to his start against the Yankees may be another reason manager Terry Francona has so much faith in him. Francona speaks highly of Tavarez's flexibility and willingness to pitch every fifth day or, on the flip side, every 10th day.

"He's great about that stuff," Francona said. "He'll take the ball everyday."

Despite the apparent insecurity of Tavarez's spot in the rotation, Francona said he tries to make his players feel comfortable regardless of the situation, "because there's always the potential of somebody moving [to a different role]."

Pitching coach John Farrell said Tavarez's pitching struggles are caused more by aggressiveness than mechanics.

"With Julian, it's not a matter of stuff or location," Farrell said. "What Julian is victim of is, when he gets deeper into the count on a given hitter, there are times when he tries to overthrow a bit.
And as he does, he sacrifices location, and that's when he has given up some extra base hits. That's when the damage is done."

With Yankee Stadium known as a hitter's park, Tavarez's ability to induce ground balls works in his favor. Rowdy fans, however, could poise a distraction to him.

"If he feels that situation starts to evolve," Farrell said, "then he's got to be able to step back and regroup mentally, and continue to stay one pitch with his mind in the moment."

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Julian Tavarez (0-2, 8.36 ERA)This appears to be a crucial start for Tavarez. After giving up six runs to the Blue Jays in 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday, Tavarez may lose his spot in the rotation to Lester, who is set to make a Minor League start on Wednesday.

NYY: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (0-1, 5.68 ERA)Wang is making his second start of the season because a hamstring injury kept him out for the better half of April. Against the Devil Rays -- in which he took the loss -- Wang gave up nine hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings on Tuesday.

Player to watch

Yankees right fielder Bobby Abreu is hitting .375 lifetime against Tavarez in 24 at-bats. Six of his nine hits against the right-hander have gone for extra bases -- three homers and three doubles.

April 29 Extended Yankees Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

Here's one for the tabloids: Joe Torre may be psychic.

Sitting inside the dugout before Saturday's game, Torre explained why he didn't use a particular reliever the previous night. He told reporters: "Even though you would like to expect somebody to go out there and pitch seven innings, there could be a line drive off somebody's bat that changes that."

Well, Saturday's starter Jeff Karstens got nailed by a Julio Lugo line drive on the first pitch of the game.

"I thought of myself saying that when I was running out to the mound," Torre said. "'You never know when a line drive is going to get one of your pitchers,' and there it was. My mom taught me to knock on wood. I didn't do that."

Does it mean Torre could forecast how the Yankees will fare against the Red Sox on Sunday?
Simply, no -- but the Yankees' win may have given the team a push toward its usual winning ways.

Statistics are on the Yankees' side going into the series finale against the Red Sox. Julian Tavarez takes the mound for Boston, a pitcher whom several Yankees batters have hit hard in the past: Johnny Damon (.375 in eight at-bats), Jason Giambi (.300 in 10 at-bats) and Alex Rodriguez (.333 in 15 at-bats).

Bobby Abreu is hitting .375 lifetime against Tavarez in 24 at-bats. Six of his nine hits against Boston's rubber-armed right-hander have gone for extra bases -- three homers and three doubles.

Sunday's game seems poised for Abreu to break out of the slump he carried into the series (two hits in his previous 26 at-bats). But Abreu's struggles are just a small sample of the entire team's struggles. Derek Jeter said he and the rest of the pinstripe-donning Yankees need to take the momentum of their Saturday win into Sunday, but still keep things in perspective.

"You can't win 95 games in April," he said. "You have to start slow. This is where you find out how good your team is. It's easy to play this game when things are going your way, but this is when you find out about a lot of guys and find out about a team."

Chien-Ming Wang tries to make it two straight wins for the Yankees. In his only start of this season -- because he's been held back by a hamstring injury -- Wang lost to the Devil Rays, giving up nine hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings.

"Hopefully Wang can pick up where our pitching staff left off," Jeter said.

Giambi said the Yankees record could have been different up to this point. Several of the team's losses have come in close games. But with the seven-game losing streak over, Jeter said the team just has to keep things going.

"You can't sit around and celebrate now because you won one game," Jeter said. "We have to come back and play one (Sunday)."

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Julian Tavarez (0-2, 8.36 ERA)This appears to be a crucial start for Tavarez. After giving up six runs to the Blue Jays in 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday, Tavarez may lose his spot in the rotation to Jon Lester, who is set to make a Minor League start on Wednesday.

NYY: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (0-1, 5.68 ERA)Wang is making his second start of the season because a hamstring injury kept him out for the better half of April. Against the Devil Rays -- in which he took the loss -- Wang gave up nine hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings on Tuesday.

Player to watch

Red Sox first baseman David Ortiz has beat up Wang in the past. In 17 career at-bats against the Yankees right-hander, Ortiz owns a .471 batting average with one homer, two doubles and five RBIs.

April 28 Red Sox Extended Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

Manny Ramirez walked through the Red Sox clubhouse on Friday, his strings of red hair dangling and his batting practice jacket flapping. He yelled across the room to Wily Mo Pena. The two were headed to the field to take some pregame hacks.

"Hey man, what's up?" he said to a security guard with a smile.

Ramirez is home again in New York, where he grew up and attended high school -- maybe just in time to break the invisible lock that has stunted his bat's productivity early this season.

Sure enough, in his first at-bat this season at Yankee Stadium -- where, coming into the series, Ramirez owned a .313 batting average with 24 homers and 67 RBIs -- he ripped a single into center field. It came at a good time for Ramirez, who after Friday's win said he's happy to be hitting in the Bronx. Now he's ready for Game 2 of the second stanza of baseball's greatest rivalry.

Ramirez had run into some bad fortune in Baltimore. Gusts of wind knocked down what would have been a homer but instead became an out. Still, manager Terry Francona said the numbers he's used to seeing from Ramirez will come.

"He's just too good a hitter," Francona said. "He's run into a little bit of bad luck."

Francona has said it at least five times -- Ramirez will figure out his problems at the plate. Meanwhile, regardless of entering this series with a .192 batting average, Ramirez is never counted as a sure out.

"Even when he's struggling, I bet if you ask other pitchers, they're not excited to see him up there," Francona said.

Tim Wakefield (2-2, 2.08 ERA) will take the mound Saturday. He is tied for second in the league with four quality starts. That is quite a contrast when compared with how the Yankees' starters have performed thus far.

But the Red Sox, sitting atop the American League East with a record of 15-7, won't hold anything back against the Yankees, despite New York's early-season pitching shortcomings.

Having been with the Red Sox when Boston erased a 3-0 deficit and beat the Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship Series, Francona knows his team needs to focus on the hour, the minute and the moment at hand.

"We've preached so much about staying in the moment and trying to win tonight," he said. "And that's what we do. So I can't honestly tell you that I looked up this morning at the paper and said, 'Oh boy, [the Yankees'] record is this -- what a surprise.'"

Dustin Pedroia, who entered the series struggling at the plate, batting just .184 with two RBIs, has excelled defensively as of late. Francona pointed out how, earlier this season, Pedroia walked over to shortstop Julio Lugo with runners on base to double-check their defensive assignments.

"This is a young kid who did this," Francona said. "That's impressive. He understands how to play the game."

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Tim Wakefield (2-2, 2.08 ERA)Wakefield simply has been pitching well. Tied for sixth in the American League with a 2.08 ERA, the knuckleballer has allowed just 20 hits in 26 innings. He's holding opponents to a .204 average. But Wakefield dropped his second game on Monday vs. Toronto, allowing three runs in a 7-3 loss. He struck out five and walked two in his effort against the Blue Jays.

NYY: RHP Jeff Karstens (0-1, 14.54 ERA)Karstens goes for the Yankees only a week removed from giving up seven runs in a loss to the Red Sox. The 24-year-old right-hander will be making just his second start of the season.

Player to watch: Derek Jeter must like the knuckleball. In 81 career at-bats against Wakefield, Jeter has three homers and eight RBIs to go along with a .321 batting average. The Yankees' captain had a strong start to this series, gathering three hits on Friday.

April 28 Yankees Extended Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

Joe Torre used a good-luck charm during the Yankees' 1996 World Series run. A friend of his gave him some hot peppers.

Torre took the peppers to wherever the team was playing during the playoffs because -- even though he doesn't consider himself superstitious -- Torre wasn't going to take a chance. By the time the Yankees had won it all, the peppers were "oozing."

Fast-forward to Saturday's game between the Yankees and Red Sox -- Game 2 of baseball's greatest rivalry that will be featured on FOX -- and the Bombers find their record at 8-13. But not even the team's slow start has prompted Torre to break out more peppers.

"Oh no, that's years ago. I eat those now," he said. "No, I'm not looking for any magic potion at this point. I think just plain old baseball and just getting into a good comfort [zone], which is certainly within our capabilities."

First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz doesn't have a personal rabbit's foot -- no gimmicks he performs or horseshoes in his locker. Simply put, Mientkiewicz said the Yankees have been struggling, and if it took a good-luck charm to cure that, he would buy every type known on earth.

"If I had them, I would have been using them by now," he said. "Not for me, but the whole team."

Jeff Karstens tries to turn things around for the Yankees, just one week after the Red Sox had their way with him for seven runs at Fenway Park. Karstens, who had a couple of quality, if not strong, starts in Spring Training, said his last start doesn't bother him.

"You throw great one time, and the next time out you get hit," he said. "The season is a lot of ups and downs."

The Yankees chose Karstens over Kei Igawa, who was available out of the bullpen on Friday but didn't pitch. Torre said he thought Karstens would perform better in his second start since coming off of the 15-day disabled list.

"Not only the Yankees, but every club I've been with, you're going to go through streaks where things aren't going well," Torre said. "And what gets you through at this point is you've done that before. You've done it before, and [you] know it's going to pass."

The Red Sox send Tim Wakefield to the mound. He is tied for second in the league with four quality starts. That is quite a contrast when compared with how the Yankees' starters have performed thus far.

Is the Yankees' rotation struggling because they don't have a pick-me-up charm? "No" would be the consensus. Karstens instead said it's about turning a 180 to shift momentum in their favor on Saturday. It could be any number of plays, defense, offense or whatever falls in between.

"A home run, a strikeout," Karstens said. "Anything."

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Tim Wakefield (2-2, 2.08 ERA)Wakefield simply has been pitching well. Tied for sixth in the American League with a 2.08 ERA, the knuckleballer has allowed just 20 hits in 26 innings. He's holding opponents to a .204 average. But Wakefield dropped his second game on Monday against Toronto, allowing three runs in a 7-3 loss. He struck out five and walked two against the Blue Jays in the losing effort.

NYY: RHP Jeff Karstens (0-1, 14.54 ERA)Karstens goes for the Yankees only one week removed from giving up seven runs in a loss to the Red Sox. The 24-year-old right-hander will be making just his second start of the season.

Player to watch: Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez crushes the ball at Yankee Stadium. He came into this three-game series with a lifetime .313 batting average with 24 homers and 67 RBIs. It makes sense that in his first at-bat in Game 1, Ramirez lined an Andy Pettitte pitch up the middle for a single.

"Yankees, Red Sox clash on FOX...Vet meets youngster as unmatched rivalry resumes in Bronx " -- April 27, 2007

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Not even Leonardo da Vinci could mix these shades of navy and red. It's unheard of. No, impossible.

Monument Park at Yankee Stadium would shake. So would the Pesky Pole at Fenway Park. It's a serious matter among baseball -- navy pinstripes will never blend with Red Sox.

History shows the hostility between the two. Years of dirt-kicking, chest-pounding and bench-clearing incidents -- a showing of fast-paced emotion in a slow-paced game, a contest with Green Monster magnitude, a battle in the Bronx. It's the Yankees and the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, the game FOX will bring to the nation's forefront at 3:55 p.m. ET on Saturday. And it shouldn't be missed.

"There's nothing like this rivalry," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "They're right on top of you. It's just something I've never felt before."

Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield counters Yankees youngster Jeff Karstens on the mound. The Yankees could have started Kei Igawa but instead chose Karstens despite the line he posted -- nine hits and seven runs in 4 1/3 innings -- against the Red Sox in his first start of the season, on April 21 in Boston.

After four quality starts to start the season, Wakefield brings his experience and knuckleball, not to mention a fine 2-2 record and 2.08 ERA, to the Bronx to bout with the Bombers.
Karstens doesn't expect the game to be overly daunting.

"I don't think it's so much that than saying, 'You know, I want to go out there and do better than I did last time and show these guys I'm capable of doing it,'" he said.

The Red Sox swept the Yankees in three games at Fenway Park one week ago. Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon switched to pinstripes after four years with the Red Sox, and Terry Francona, his former manager in Boston, said that games like those from last weekend never conclude without twists. But the sting of a sweep is still fresh for some Yankees, including
Damon.

"When you have a shot to win all three games and you lose them all, it does become frustrating," he said. "But we can't get those games back, as much as we'd like."

Francona added that Friday's starter, Daisuke Matsuzaka, is right where he wants to be -- caught up in one of baseball's greatest matchups.

"I think that's why he signed and wanted to play here, because of this type of a rivalry. ... I think this is why he's here," Francona said.

Yankees reliever Mike Myers played for the Red Sox in 2004 and came to the Yankees two seasons later. He's tasted both sides of the bad blood, and he knows that anything can happen when these teams take the field in either historic ballpark.

Playing the games at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium is what Yankees first baseman and former Red Sox World Series champion Doug Mientkiewicz dubbed the "cool" factor. But Myers knows that the cheers, the jeers and the gritty play are just the beginning.

"You never know what's going to happen," he said. "You can predict it's going to be an intense game and an emotional game. There will be a bunch of new things, too. You have no idea what's going to happen, other than that it's going to be two teams that -- more than likely -- are going to be battling it out at the end of the season."

The rivalry even exists in the Minor Leagues. Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner has been spotted attending games between the two teams' Minor League affiliates in past years.
Young players for the Red Sox and Yankees are bred to loathe and beat each other. It peaks on days like Saturday.

While some veterans such as Yankees starter Andy Pettitte don't feel the same intensity they once did during these series, both teams' newcomers and younger players have become acquainted with the flashbulb-popping atmosphere.

"It becomes exciting, it becomes fun," Torre said. "You're watching these kids succeed at this level, and having done it themselves, they know it's not easy to do. We have a number of young people here that are enjoying the fact that they're doing it. They don't seem like they're under a great deal of pressure."

April 27 preview:

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

After suffering a series sweep at Fenway Park, the Yankees welcome Round 2 of baseball's best rivalry to boost their spirits and perhaps snap a six-game losing skid.

Andy Pettitte gets the call to right the Yankees' ship on Friday against the rival Red Sox, after his Wednesday start was postponed due to rain.

The 34-year-old left-hander will be making his fifth start of the season. It comes against a Boston team that upended the Yanks with a three-game sweep one week ago, though all three games were within reach for the Yankees.

No stranger to the Yankees-Red Sox tilts of years past, Pettitte said he will approach this start like any other.

"I don't care. I don't," Pettitte said. "When I go out and pitch, I keep my head down and I don't care who's in the batter's box, and I try to execute pitches. I hope that's what this team does and what most of these guys do when they pitch. You can't worry about everything else."

First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz said the tough weekend in Boston didn't damage the team's confidence, even the Friday game where Mariano Rivera suffered a loss that those in the clubhouse called "shocking." Those games were up for grabs.

"A sweep is never easy to swallow, but it almost didn't really feel like we lost," Mientkiewicz said. "One pitch, one swing, one play. And you take [Rivera] with a four-run lead, we'll win 999 times out of 1,000."

Pettitte said the Yankees' offense has been steady, not to mention a better showing on the defensive side. It's the pitching that's been lacking, and he aims to shift that trend back to normalcy on Friday.

The Yankees bullpen has logged more innings than any team in the American League and is the only Major League club yet to record a save this season, both abnormal statistics for Yankees hurlers.

"As a team, we're fine," Pettitte said. "We just are not pitching good as a staff, and that's why we're struggling. That's it. That's the only reason we're struggling. We've had to use our 'pen more than we'd liked to. They might be forcing it a little bit, and when you get fatigued, you can't do that. You almost have to back off a little bit."

Center fielder Johnny Damon, who played four seasons with the Red Sox, said the rivalry is just that -- a rivalry.

"I don't think we ever worry about who we're playing," Damon said. "We know what we have here, know we have a good team that just hasn't been closing out games or winning games. We'll take on anybody. It doesn't matter."

The Red Sox counter with Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.00 ERA), who allowed eight hits and six runs against the Yankees, but picked up the win last week.

"Any starter for the Red Sox is going to have good stuff," Mientkiewicz said. "You understand when you put pinstripes on that you're going to get everybody's 'A' game. That's part of the pride to get asked to put this uniform on. You understand that. We saw him last week, and we'll see what adjustments he's going to make from the last start, and we'll go from there."

Pitching matchupBOS: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-2, 4.00 ERA)Matsuzaka beat the Yankees in his last start, but he said he felt fortunate to come away with a win after allowing eight hits and six runs over seven innings. It will be his first time pitching in Yankee Stadium and his third start on the road, where he's compiled 31 strikeouts and six walks over 27 innings of work.

NYY: LHP Andy Pettitte (1-0, 1.78 ERA)Pettitte will be making his fifth start of the season. The left-hander, who has made two relief appearances this season -- including one against the Red Sox -- says the extra innings he's worked out of the bullpen won't affect his pitching.

Player to watchRed Sox third baseman Mike Lowell wore out Yankees pitchers during Boston's three-game sweep of the pinstripes at Fenway Park last week. In 12 at-bats, Lowell had five hits -- two of them homers -- four runs scored and five RBIs.

"Hughes ready for coming-out party...Prospect ready to step onto game's grandest stage" -- April 25, 2007

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Phil Hughes is in an elite class. Not because of his mid-90s fastball or his sharp breaking pitches, or even his early showing of Major League poise.

When he takes the mound against the Blue Jays on Thursday, Hughes -- the Yankees' No. 1 selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft -- will become just the second first-rounder since 1995 to play in pinstripes.

The other? A best-selling author who dreamed of becoming a Yankee since childhood, a seven-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner, a true Yankee.

His name is Derek Jeter, and already he thinks highly of Hughes.

"He's worked extremely hard," Jeter said. "And what is he, 21?"

Not even. Hughes' birth certificate shows that he'll be restricted in some things until June 24, his birthday. But one of the limitations won't be pitching, as he is guaranteed at least one turn in a Yankees rotation looking for help -- no matter the age of the contributor.

"It's definitely an accomplishment, but it's not the goal right now," Hughes said. "Just to be compared to guys like [Jeter] is pretty unbelievable."

Born in Mission Viejo, Calif., Hughes comes across as a regular West Coast guy. He doesn't speak much, and he doesn't show much emotion. But manager Joe Torre and general manager Brian Cashman, along with Hughes' surrounding teammates, say plenty of him.

Calling up Hughes didn't come unexpected, just early, Cashman said. Injuries to Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano created a perfect storm to offer Hughes this early opportunity in the big leagues.

Given the rough recent outings posted by the Yankees starters, Torre seemed at ease with Hughes taking the mound. Even with a rainout on Wednesday, Torre moved Andy Pettitte's regularly scheduled start to Friday and left Hughes to make his debut as expected on Thursday against the Blue Jays.

"He seems to be a little more mature for someone his age," Torre said. "He's sure more mature than I was at his age, just [from] the way he carries himself. But again, you don't know what's going on inside. ... I understand why the organization wants to take care of this kid, because he certainly appears to be the real deal."

Reliever Brian Bruney remembered his first appearance in the Majors, back in 2004, an experience he hasn't yet shared with Hughes. Bruney said that he couldn't feel his hands. He couldn't remember how the batters made outs. He didn't sleep the night before.

"There's no setting up for it," Bruney said. "I don't know what he's going to feel like. He's pretty mature for his age, so he could be totally calm and not nervous at all. You can't really prepare."
Hughes said that he'll probably take some cold medication to help him sleep, because he knows it will be tough keeping his eyes closed on Wednesday night.

"I know I won't naturally fall asleep easily," he said.

Such names as Joe Thurston, Jason Jaramillo and Gary Burnham probably don't mean much to the general public. But they could be the happiest people in the Minor Leagues on Thursday. They are the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 hitters for the Ottawa Lynx, the team scheduled to play against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Hughes would have pitched against the Lynx if he hadn't been called up.

Hughes has elicited fear in Minor League hitters with his electric pitches. He throws a four-seam fastball that pops when it hits the catcher's glove, and his breaking pitches have bite, according to catcher Jorge Posada.

"He's capable of doing a lot of things," Posada said. "That's why he has that tag on his shoulder. He's a great prospect, great arm. Age doesn't really matter if you have a good head on your shoulders."

Sean Henn, who sat a couple of lockers away from Hughes in Spring Training and now is his neighbor in the Yankees' clubhouse, said that the only bad thing about Hughes reaching the big leagues is that the media will take up all of his elbow room.

"That guy threw a bullpen in Spring Training and they held a press conference for it," Henn said.

But there was good reason. Hughes entered this season with a career record of 21-7 and 2.13 ERA, striking out 269 batters in 237 1/3 innings.

After a few mediocre starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, Hughes broke out with a solid performance last week against the Syracuse Chiefs -- two hits and 10 strikeouts in six innings of work.

"You don't see that. That's abnormal, much less him being [6-foot-5], 230 pounds," Henn said. "I guess that's like how LeBron [James] was in high school. That's probably how he dominated. It's just unheard of. They didn't grow them like that when I was in high school, and I wasn't there long ago."

Syracuse is Toronto's Triple-A affiliate, and Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said that his team will get some information about Hughes from his Minor League staff. But even with a head's up, Gibbons knows what he's up against.

"He's thought very highly of -- [it's] arguable they say the best pitcher in the Minor Leagues," Gibbons said. "We know he'll be bringing it pretty good."
About 15 or 20 friends, family members and former coaches will be in attendance for Hughes' debut.

"I can definitely feel the anticipation," he said.

Hughes' cell phone rang nonstop shortly after news of his promotion broke, and one of the callers was an old high school friend from California. The friend said he'd just added Hughes to his fantasy baseball team, just mere hours after Hughes was informed he'd be living out his own Major League dreams.

"But you better be good," he told Hughes, "or I'll drop you."


Caleb Breakey is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

"Great expectations" -- April 15, 2007

Caleb Breakey

For The Olympian

A clear plastic container lies upstairs in Jake Locker's old bedroom closet. Envelopes, books and children's drawings fill up its rectangular frame. Many of the letters and gifts came from strangers during Ferndale High School's back-to-back runs at the state football championship in 2004 and 2005.

Jake's parents, Scott and Anita, were surprised the notes found their house. The two don't list their address in the phone book.

Some of the letters were sent directly to Ferndale High School, where Jake graduated in June 2005 after leading the Golden Eagles football team to victory in the Class 3A state finals.

One envelope is labeled: "To Jacob Locker." It came from an 83-year-old retired Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army. The man began the letter by introducing himself as a die-hard football fan of the University of Washington, where Jake had committed to play quarterback.

"I thought you might like to know what the old folks think about the commitment," the letter begins. "I haven't heard such good news since Japan surrendered."

The man followed Jake's high school career, and the letter, stamped with a "Support Our Troops" sticker, praised Jake for his dignity as a football player, noting his modest celebrations, leadership, and the way he stayed on the field after games to talk with fans and sign autographs.
"There were nights that (Ferndale coach Jamie Plenkovich) would come out and say, 'Jake, it's cold; you just got done playing a game; you need to come inside now," Scott Locker said. "He would stay out as long as (the fans) would stay out."

Anita Locker heard regular comments from parents of young Ferndale fans. Moms sent their appreciation to her for the way Jake talked with their son or daughter.

"It's strange as a parent to sit and watch these people be so captivated," Anita Locker said. "He can make anyone feel comfortable. It's amazing, watching him interact with people."

Jake coached Little League Basketball every year since he could drive, despite high school peers vying for his time. Now a freshman quarterback after redshirting last season at the University of Washington, he still comes home on weekends for his sisters' birthdays.

"I don't even know if you would think he's a football player just by looking at him," Scott Locker said. "Physically, you can tell he could play, but he's just a really nice kid."

Letters to Jake

Trophies, plaques and posters cover the walls in Jake's bedroom. In a picture of him at the Elite 11 camp - a gathering of top-rated West Coast quarterbacks - he sits next to Florida's star quarterback, Tim Tebow, who played part-time while helping the Gators win the national championship last season. Next to the picture is the closet where the letters - 98 of them - are stored.

The majority of letters the Lockers received came from Ferndale folks and Whatcom County residents, such as a young boy who attended Jake's old elementary school. Jake visited the school, gave the boy a signed football and hung out with him during his senior year at Ferndale High School.

"That's one of the most fulfilling things about playing the sport," Jake said. "You can touch peoples' lives."

Some of the letters came from out of state. A high school coach, a doctor and a student, all who live outside of Washington, sent notes and blank cards to Jake, asking him to autograph and return them.

Grady Sizemore, who committed to play quarterback for the University of Washington but then opted to play baseball in 2000, sent Jake an 8-inch-by-11-inch photograph, a picture of Sizemore up to bat for the Cleveland Indians. It's signed: "To Jake: Good luck at UW."

One person sent Jake a thank you card for donating an autographed football to a fundraiser for underprivileged children, which sold for $525. The person compared Jake's autographed football with the paraphernalia of another Whatcom County athletic standout Luke Ridnour, who plays point guard for the Seattle SuperSonics. It read: "For your knowledge, Luke Ridnour's autographed basketball sold for $300, and his jersey and playing card - both autographed - sold for $425."

A million reasons to change his mind

Inside the Lockers' house, and inside the clear plastic container in Jake's room, is another letter. This one praises him for following his heart instead of his wallet.

Jake played baseball in high school and drew attention from several major league teams.
Milwaukee Brewers scout Brandon Null, a good friend of the Lockers, told Scott Locker during Jake's freshman baseball season to be ready for a flurry of scouts.

"He warned me the day was coming," Scott Locker said.

About 14 scouts showed up to Jake's first game as a senior, clocking his pitches and taking notes on his pitching mechanics. Jake fired fastballs at 96 mph, and scouts also considered him a five-tool outfield prospect.

More scouts came to watch him during the high school playoffs. Then more came as the Major League Baseball draft neared. The Lockers received about two phone calls every night during that season from scouts checking to see if and when Jake would pitch.

Jake's sister Alyssa, 17, recalls how she answered the phone during that time: "Hello - would you like to speak to my parents now?"

Scouts told Jake what draft pick they had and pointed to the dollar sign associated with that pick in the past - deals worth multimillions. They specifically called Anita Locker and explained to her how well Jake would be taken care of if he signed a contract.

"Most 17-year-olds are thinking, 'I'm going to Jerry Chambers tomorrow and buying the nicest car I can get,' " Scott Locker said.

Major League Baseball teams and college recruiters peppered the Lockers' home with mail. Scott kept many of envelopes in a file cabinet in his garage. Anita put the rest into an 8-gallon bin in their living room closet. Letters and packets fill the purple bin to its limits, each one promising Jake a better future, either by money or full ride scholarship. Several of them remained sealed.

"I left them on the counter for two weeks, then threw them in the bin," Anita Locker said.

During the hectic weeks leading up to the MLB draft, Scott sat down and talked with Jake, trying to lay out all of Jake's options: "For me, as a drywaller … do you know how many years I
would have to work to earn that much?"

Jake shrugged his shoulders and pointed out how his dad has a home, car and food. Scott then told Jake that he probably wouldn't get another chance to cash in like this.

Jake responded: "Yeah, but don't I have to do what I love to do?"

Scott Locker wouldn't say anything more after that. He has told his kids to chase their dreams since they were little.

"I don't believe any amount of money can make anybody happy," Jake said. "Baseball wasn't where my heart was and wasn't what I wanted to do. I would have been able to support a family, I would have been able to take care of my wife and kids in the future, but I wasn't sure how happy I would have been."

'Montlake Jake'

So he kept chasing his dream.

Huskies fans didn't sit quietly as Jake considered which school he would play football for.
A handful of the letters packed away in his room came from Huskies supporters - mostly men in their 60s and 70s - who wanted to see Jake in Huskies purple.

Jake took a full scholarship from the University of Washington after seriously considering the University of Southern California and Oregon State. Huskies head coach Ty Willingham and Jake share a common faith in God and connected during the recruiting process, Jake said. That, coupled with staying close to home, persuaded Jake to commit to the University of Washington.

Fans then dubbed him the "savior" of Huskies football. T-shirts were stamped with "Montlake Jake," a phrase that originated from radio station KJR 950-AM.

"The 'savior' thing, I never bought into that," Jake said. "There are 11 people on the field, and I'm one of them. It's 11 of us working together and trusting each other to save this program."

With quarterbacks Isaiah Stanback having finished his football career, Carl Bonnell recovering from a shoulder injury, and Johnny DuRocher out after surgery to remove a brain tumor, Jake is labeled the Huskies' No. 1 quarterback this year. Willingham proclaimed that the day Huskies spring drills began April 9.

Scott Locker said age and experience have never slowed down Jake. Scott recalls Jake's spunk when he coached him in Little League baseball. Jake played in a league for 9- and 10-year-olds when he was 7, the same year he hit his first home run.

"It doesn't matter if they're older or bigger, he was always determined to say, 'I can fit with this group, and I'll find a way to do it,' " Scott Locker said. "I've never been able to bet against him. He's been able to handle every situation."

Anita Locker said Jake can visualize plays and picks things up fast, which may also account for his 3.8 high school grade-point average.

Film rat

Huskies offensive coordinator Tim Lappano calls Jake a "film rat." He studied game film three days a week during the offseason and went to the gym daily, bulking up 12 pounds since joining the Huskies. But his speed remains the same. He runs the 40 in 4.5 to 4.6 seconds.

Jake does his throwing and running work in the Dempsey Indoor at the University of Washington, where dozens of fluorescent lights glow from a dome-shaped roof, shining off the black football cleats below.

Jake swings his arms back and forth while sidestepping his way from one end of the field to the other, one of the drills that helps improve his speed and agility, he says. His cheeks are red as drops of sweat build around his eyebrows and brawny chin. Muscles bulge under his skin-tight tank top.

"It doesn't do you any good to carry a lot of weight if you can't carry it fast," Jake said. "I've been fortunate to gain weight and maintain, if not improve on, the speed that I have. As long as that continues to happen, I'll continue to put on weight."

Alyssa Locker noticed a change in Jake when he came home.

"Bigger butt," she said.

Several of the Lockers' friends already purchased season tickets for the Huskies' home games next season, and a handful will fly to Syracuse, N.Y., for Jake's first game of the season.

For most home games, the Lockers will pack loads of tailgate food and drinks into the
"FernDog," their motor home painted blue and purple, a mixture of Ferndale and the University of Washington colors. Jake's number lines its side.

"We're learning to wear purple," Scott Locker said.

After Jake decided on the University of Washington, KING-5 TV interviewed Jack Brown, who coached Jake in basketball from fifth through seventh grades.
Brown asked the news crew if, in the interview, they could not talk about football.

"Why?" a reporter responded.

"Because there's a whole lot more to Jake Locker than athletics."

Brown instead talked about how Jake stood out from the other 12-year-olds he coached. He said Jake never talked back to him or flaunted his talent. The two stayed close and now consider each other friends.

"There are two great kids in my life - my son and Jake," Brown said. "He's taught me more than I've taught him."

Friends of the Lockers who watched Jake play as a kid know that he cried every time his team lost. That's how it was until his sophomore year in high school. But those tears, his parents say, weren't of poor sportsmanship. They were drops of emotion and exhaustion. Jake left the field knowing he played as hard as he could. Sometimes, however, it wasn't enough to win.

"That's why guys on his team are drawn to him," Scott Locker said. "He doesn't accept losing. He doesn't accept it for the other guys, either. Older kids at the U-Dub say, 'I've never been around a kid like this.' "

'I can do all things'

Ever since his junior year in high school, Jake has broken the huddle and muttered something as he walks toward the line of scrimmage.

He recites Philippians 4:13 from the Bible, which reads, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Since then, he's worn those words on his chest, as a tattoo of the text and a cross.

"That saying is the way I live my life," Jake said. "Whenever I put my hand on my heart, it's right there between it."

In his dorm, above the Cheez-It box, below the lavender pillow spray, is a piece of paper hanging from a shelf near his bed. His sister gave him the paper before he left for the University of Washington, a poem that reads:

"Don't ever let anything get in the way of your dreams. …Take advantage of precious opportunities while they still sparkle before you. … Always believe that your ultimate goal is attainable as long as you commit yourself to it, though barriers may sometimes stand in the way of your dreams. … Remember that your destiny is hiding behind them."

Country music plays as Jake plops down on his bed. About 15 Microsoft Xbox games stand upright on one of the boards that jut out from the walls. A plate of cookies, wrapped in aluminum foil, is within his arm's reach.

"Grandma cooks and sends them down here every once in awhile," he said.

Jake attends a nondenominational gathering on Wednesdays because practices keep him from church on Sundays. Scott Locker says Jake became bold in his beliefs in the latter part of high school. He even spoke to a crowd of young people at the Sportsplex in Bellingham when he was 17, talking to younger athletes about Jesus Christ and how he believes that the lord is always with them.

"He's so comfortable in his faith," Scott Locker said, and "that you're comfortable hearing what he has to say."

One man who knew Jake all through high school wrote to him: "I've been alive for 50 years, and I've never known a person who touches so many lives like you do. Your smile is contagious, your caring attitude amazing, and your ability to make everyone feel like they are special is something I've never seen from a student-athlete."

While he doesn't receive masses of mail anymore, Jake is poised to become the Huskies' starting quarterback, poised to bring 72,500 fans in Husky Stadium to their feet and poised to make a limp Dawg growl once again.

"Cabrera named NL Player of the Week...Marlins slugger batted .500 in first week of 2007" -- April 10, 2007

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com


It didn't take Miguel Cabrera long to show his All-Star form.

The Marlins' slugger, an All-Star selection in each of his first three full seasons with the club, got off to a hot start in 2007's first week, earning the Bank of America National League Player of the Week Award for April 2-8.

Cabrera led the NL in hitting with a .500 batting average and a slugging percentage of .955. The 23-year old third baseman had a .607 on-base percentage, best in the NL, and tied for the league highs with four doubles, 11 hits, and 21 total bases. He was tied for second in the NL with two home runs.

His approach at the plate seems simple enough: Cabrera stresses hitting to all fields. He says it to his teammates, he says it to himself.

"That's what we talk about. We've got to take what the pitchers are throwing us," Cabrera said recently. "If they are pitching you outside, you have to look the other way. If they are throwing you inside, work on pulling the ball. That's what we're working on in BP, and we did all of Spring Training."

The secret to Cabrera's hitting could be his concentration. That's what Alfredo Amezaga, a close friend and teammate of Cabrera, says.

"We are close and we joke around a lot," Amezaga said. "But when game time comes, he is so focused. There is no joking around. That is what has surprised me about him. He gets really into the game when the game starts. People don't always see that."

For a young player, Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said, Cabrera is about as polished a hitter as he could be.

"He was outstanding. He really was that week," Gonzalez said Monday. "I know he made some outs, but I don't remember too many. Sometimes he didn't get pitched to. He's that type of player, and I think people around the baseball world know what kind of guy this guy is."
That includes Marlins hitting coach Jim Presley.

"I hate to put big numbers on him, but if he stays healthy, there is no telling what he's going to do," Presley said.

Amezaga also marvels at the 23-year-old's potential.

"He can be the best ... maybe ever," Amezaga said.

Another impact player in the NL East is Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, who heaps a lot of praise on Cabrera.

"He's the one guy in their lineup that your pitcher is going to have to give it his all, and everybody is going to have to be on alert, because he can hit it anywhere -- hard," Howard said last weekend when the Phillies were in Florida to face the Marlins. "He's one of the bright stars in the game."

Other nominees this past week included: Houston's Roy Oswalt (1-0, 1.08 ERA, 1 CG); Atlanta's Brian McCann (.364, 2 HR, 7 RBI), Edgar Renteria (.333, 2 HR, 3 multi-hit games) and Bob Wickman ( 0.00 ERA, 3 SV); Florida's Mike Jacobs (.435, 2 HR, 5 RBI), Josh Willingham (.333, 1 HR, 7 RBI), Dontrelle Willis (2-0, 3.00 ERA) and Scott Olsen (2-0, 4.35 ERA); Paul Lo Duca (.412, 1 HR, 2 RBI), Jose Reyes (.333, 3 3B, 7 RBI), and John Maine (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 H, 7.0 IP) of the Mets; Pat Burrell (.381, .619 SLG, 5 RBI), Jimmy Rollins (.304, .783 SLG, 3 HR), and Cole Hamels (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO) of the Phillies; Derrek Lee (.440, .560 SLG, 14 TB) and Aramis Ramirez (.440, .600 SLG, 11 H) of the Cubs.

Also considered: Adam Dunn (.381, .857 SLG, 3 HR) and Aaron Harang (2-0, 3.55 ERA, 11 SO) of the Reds; Milwaukee's Johnny Estrada (.368, 2 2B, 9 TB); Pittsburgh's Salomon Torres (0-0, 2.25 ERA, 3.0 IP, 1 H); the Cardinals' Chris Duncan (.389, .722 SLG, 3 2B); Eric Byrnes (.355, .645 SLG, 2 HR), Orlando Hudson (.379, .552 SLG, 5 RBI) and Chris Young (1 HR, 9 RBI) of the Diamondbacks; Matt Holliday (.333, 2 HR, 7 RBI) of the Rockies; and double-play partners Marcus Giles (.364, .591 SLG, 13 total bases) and Khalil Greene (.320, .760 SLG, 2 HR) of the Padres.

Caleb Breakey is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Reporter Joe Frisaro contributed to this article. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

April 8 Gamer

Note: This is called a "gamer." It tells what happened during the game without going into too much play-by-play. This gamer, which I submitted under deadline, was edited by my recruiter.


NEW YORK — Maybe it happened to make fans forget about Kei Igawa's first Major League start. Maybe it happened because he's tired of boos. Or maybe it happened because he's Alex Rodriguez.

It doesn't matter why it happened — A-Rod's walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning on Saturday was simply destiny.

"Somehow, I knew it was going to come down to me," Rodriguez said.

And when it did, the All-Star third baseman sent the Orioles back to a suddenly hollow hotel in New York with a 10-7 loss.

Rodriguez doesn't remember where Orioles closer Chris Ray threw the pitch. But he did know it was a fastball that caught too much of the plate. The next thing A-Rod recalled was stumbling over third base, nearly knocking over Larry Bowa as a backdrop of roaring fans pushed him toward home plate with cheers.

A-Rod knew the fans needed that homer. He had disappointed them in a similar situation less than 48 hours ago.

"They've been wanting to explode for three days, and it was rocking right then," Rodriguez said.

Igawa came away with a no-decision after giving up eight hits — two of them homers — and seven earned runs in five innings. He struck out two and walked three in his 97-pitch effort.

With masses of U.S. and Japanese media ready to tell of his debut to the world, Igawa settled into his locker next to interpreter Yumi Watanabe.

The left-hander said his slider wasn't at its best. Same goes for his changeup. And when the crowd of 50,510 started booing, he didn't know it was directed at him. But once he did find out, he didn't seem to mind.

"It's always been the same," Igawa said. "I've been booed in Japan."

He wasn't happy with his start, but like several players after a pride-kicker, he knew another day would come — one that would reflect him as the pitcher he knows he is.

But, as much of a milestone as his start was, Igawa's first outing in the bigs didn't matter anymore. Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and a whole cast of Yankees made sure of it. They were tools in the hands of destiny.

Giambi belted a three-run homer in the eighth to bring the Yankees within a run, and Mariano Rivera struck out Freddie Bynum in a scoreless ninth to set the stage for the Yanks in the bottom half.

With two outs and nobody on in the final inning, Cano lined a single up the middle. Jeter then worked the count and appeared to get hit by Ray's pitch. But the home plate umpire called him back, saying he swung at the pitch. Yankees manager Joe Torre walked out of the dugout and had a short conversation with the umpire. Nothing heated. Torre walked straight back to the dugout and Jeter dug his left cleat into the batters box.

He worked a walk, putting runners at first and second. Bobby Abreu came up and got nailed by Ray's 0-1 offering. Bases loaded.

A-Rod up to the plate.

Count goes to 1-2.

Ray throws a fastball.

Destiny grabs the ball and carries it into the black in center field.

After teammates mobbed Rodriguez and started filing back into the dugout, Jeter knew something had yet to be done.

The Yankees shortstop pushed A-Rod back onto the field, showing New York its third baseman, its $252 million dollar man, its savior for at least one day.

"The fans were calling for him," Jeter said. "That's a great way to end the game right there."

April 7 Preview: "Igawa gets his first taste of the Majors"

Daisuke Matsuzaka did it for the Red Sox on Thursday. Kei Igawa plans to do it for the Yankees on Saturday -- make an impact in his first Major League start since coming over from Japan.

Igawa will make his debut against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, planning to build off the numbers he posted this spring (2-0, 3.13 ERA).

The left-hander struggled with his control at the beginning of Spring Training but improved with every start, according to manager Joe Torre.

"I wasn't used to the game here, so that's why I had a lot of walks," Igawa said through interpreter Yumi Watanabe. "It was [my] first time pitching on the mound, that's the reason why [I walked batters]."

Igawa, who held batters to a .226 average this spring, said that he saw improvement in his changeup in his bullpen session on Thursday -- a pitch he often worked on during the Grapefruit League season.

"I plan to continue what I did in Spring Training and move forward from there," he said.
The Orioles send veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel to the mound for his first start of the season. Trachsel went 2-1 this spring with a 4.50 ERA in 26 innings of work, striking out eight and walking 10.

Pitching matchup

BAL: RHP Steve Trachsel (15-8, 4.97 ERA in 2006)Trachsel will be making his Orioles debut in his first start of 2007. The 36-year-old won 15 games for the Mets last season and has a career 9-9 record and 3.58 ERA against the Yankees, holding the pinstripes' offense to a .227 average.

NYY: LHP Kei Igawa (Major League debut)Igawa makes his first start in the Majors after a successful career in Japan that included three seasons as strikeout champion. Igawa posted a 2-0 record and 3.13 ERA in six spring starts, striking out 22 batters in 23 innings.

Player to watch: Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez has always worn out Yankee pitching. He owns a .396 batting average against New York, with seven homers in 53 career at-bats.

Yanks Notes: My contribution, April 6

Jeter's milestone surprise: Players don't always realize a milestone once they've reached it. Just ask Derek Jeter, who logged one on Thursday.

Jeter legged out an infield single in the seventh inning, giving him 2,153 hits for his career, tying him with Don Mattingly for sixth on the Yankees' all-time list. Devil Rays first baseman Ty Wigginton walked over to Jeter and offered words of praise.

"Honestly, I wasn't even aware of it until Wigginton said, 'Congratulations,' " Jeter said. "I didn't even see it on the scoreboard, so I was unaware of it."

The next Yankee in Jeter's sights is Joe DiMaggio, who leads Jeter by 61 hits. Following DiMaggio would be Bernie Williams. Jeter trails Williams by 183 hits and, considering he's had five 200-hit seasons, could pass him late this season in what would be a bittersweet moment.

Though the numbers don't mean much to the shortstop, being listed among the organization's great players is a source of pride.

"Any time you're on a list with guys like that, it makes you feel good," he said.

Yanks Notes: My contribution, April 5

Top of the order: With center fielder Johnny Damon sidelined by a strained right calf, Cano batted leadoff in Thursday's contest against Tampa Bay, the first time he has done so in his career. He said the new job description didn't faze him.

"Same thing," he said. "Same game, same approach. I just play my game."

Manager Joe Torre said that he made the switch acknowledging that Cano is not the Yankees' most patient batter -- he walked just 18 times in 482 at-bats last season -- but decided on the move after reflecting on Cano's solid spring, in which he batted .338.

Torre said that he briefly considered using either Derek Jeter or Bobby Abreu as a leadoff hitter, but did not want to disrupt either player, who remained as the Yankees' Nos. 2 and 3 hitters, respectively.

"I just didn't want to mess with the guys who are hitting in those spots," Torre said.

Torre said that reserve outfielder Melky Cabrera -- who started in center field, batting ninth -- would be a more logical leadoff hitter if it turns out that Damon requires additional rest or a turn on the disabled list.

But Cabrera struggled this spring, batting .206 in 68 at-bats with just one extra-base hit, and Torre doesn't believe that Cabrera's swing has been fine-tuned enough at this point.

"Once he starts swinging the bat the way he's capable of and [we] get him more comfortable, he seems like a logical guy up there," Torre said.

Yanks Notes: My contribution, April 4

A-Rod joins Winfield: Alex Rodriguez's two-run homer in the eighth inning on Monday tied him with former Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield for 28th place on baseball's all-time home runs list. Yankees bullpen catcher Mike Borzello caught the blast -- the 465th of Rodriguez's career -- in the bullpen after the ball sailed over the left-center-field fence.

Rodriguez said he doesn't give much thought to the milestone, but the third baseman added that he enjoyed watching the Hall of Famer play.

"I love Dave Winfield," he said.

The shot came off of Devil Rays right-hander Juan Salas and left Rodriguez 35 homers shy of the 500-homer plateau. Even so, A-Rod said that he isn't concerned with reaching the milestone this season, though it would certainly appear within reach.

"It's too far away right now," he said.

"Homer caps A-Rod's whirlwind day...Frustrations in field erased by crowd-pleasing homer in eighth" -- April 2, 2007

By Caleb Breakey / Special to MLB.com


NEW YORK -- It doesn't take long for a Yankee Stadium crowd to switch from booing to wanting a curtain call. Just ask Alex Rodriguez.

A-Rod heard the worst and best from the crowd on Monday afternoon against the Devil Rays, a continuing saga of the two-time American League MVP and his relationship with Yankees fans.

It started in the first inning. Rodriguez chased a Ty Wigginton foul pop halfway between home plate and third base, moving right, ducking left -- he never looked comfortable. At the last second, he reached backward and missed the ball. It never touched his glove. Then, in the bottom of the first, Rodriguez came to bat with Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu aboard, but he struck out swinging.

The fans booed.

"I kind of started like a moron there, felt really goofy about it," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez's fortunes changed in the eighth inning.

With Abreu on base, Rodriguez smacked a two-run homer to left-center field into the Yankees bullpen. The drive put the Yankees up, 9-5, capping the scoring for the afternoon as closer Mariano Rivera struck out the side in the ninth.

Rodriguez said that the crucial at-bat in the eighth was Abreu's single between third base and shortstop. After that hit, Rodriguez went to the plate thinking single.

"I was actually trying to do the same thing [Abreu] did and got fortunate with a home run," he said.

Rodriguez said that his single to left and stolen base in the seventh felt just as gratifying as his four-bagger. He stole second on his own, trying to get something started for the Yankees.
Having totaled 15 stolen bases last season, Rodriguez said that he wants to steal more in 2007.

And since opposing catchers threw him out only four times last year, Rodriguez would seem to have promising chances of swiping a few more bags.

"I enjoy that part of the game," he said. "I don't like to do it just to do it. I like to do it to help win a game."

"We're trying to establish little baseball. To beat good pitching, you have to do the little things. That's why I was so excited about Jeter's hit, and Bobby Abreu's hit, and then [Jason] Giambi's hit. The home run is icing on the cake, but small ball is what we're looking for."

After hitting his home run, Rodriguez circled the bases and the crowd erupted. The cheers continued as he went into the dugout, and Rodriguez then answered a brief curtain call, taking a few steps up from the dugout and waving his helmet.

Redemption came to Rodriguez on the outer half of the plate, a pitch from Devil Rays right-hander Juan Salas that caught too much of the strike zone.

"It changed so much in five at-bats, like the stock market," said Rodriguez, who finished the afternoon 2-for-5 with two RBIs. "But I'll tell you what, the curtain call made me feel really good. You just build from the positive."

Despite what he described as a "pretty embarrassing" play and a "very slow" start, Rodriguez came away from his Opening Day performance smiling.

"That's one of the great things about this game. You can go from zero to hero in a heartbeat," Giambi said.

And judging from the fans, Rodriguez will stay that way -- at least until Wednesday afternoon, when the Yankees take on the Rays in Game 2 of the three-game series.

"Lidle's memory honored by Yankees...Former right-hander's family throws out Opening Day first pitch" -- April 2, 2007

By Caleb Breakey / Special to MLB.com

NEW YORK -- For a few moments on Opening Day, the loud sounds of a bustling crowd stopped. Footsteps quieted, claps sputtered out, a hush fell over the loud speakers. Yankee players donned black bands around their arms -- a tribute to the late Cory Lidle, who died in a plane crash Oct. 11, 2006.

Eager fans at Yankee Stadium looked toward the mound, where Melanie and 6-year-old Christopher Lidle stood just outside the first-base dugout, ready to throw out the ceremonial first pitches of the 2007 season. Both wore Yankees hats and held baseballs.

Parents Doug and Lisa Lidle, along with Cory's twin brother, Kevin, also huddled close.

Jason Giambi stood with his arm around Melanie as the Lidles and a packed crowd watched a video of the right-hander's life and career. Melanie looked toward the ground, tapped her hands together and took deep, jerky breaths. She pulled Christopher to her side and -- with ball in hand -- raised a couple of fingers to her face, wiping away tears.

As part of the pregame ceremony, Sgt. First Class Mary Kay Messenger, a West Point soloist, performed the national anthem, while a giant American flag was unfurled in the outfield by 40 West Point cadets. A flyover by two U.S. Navy F-18s, piloted by the Strike Fighter Squadron 34, punctuated the experience with an exclamation point.

After the video ended, Melanie reached around Christopher and squeezed him into her embrace. Cheers followed as Giambi escorted them to the mound.

Set to throw out his pitch, Christopher ran a few steps toward the plate before releasing a perfect throw to Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera. Melanie followed with a strike to backup catcher Wil Nieves.

"It's special," Kevin Lidle said. "Getting down on the field and seeing that memorial that they had was kind of rough, kind of touching -- a little bit of everything. Made you happy. Made you sad. Got some tears out of me, but that's OK."

Lidle died in his private plane alongside flight instructor Tyler Stanger when the aircraft crashed into an apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Yankees right fielder Bobby Abreu knew Lidle better than most Yankees. They spent the whole 2006 season together, half with the Phillies and half in the Bronx after a midseason trade. The two were friends.

But four days after the Yankees' season ended, Abreu heard the news: He wouldn't be chumming around with Lidle anymore, wouldn't be bluffing him in a game of poker and wouldn't be hearing of his flying escapades.

"It hit me very hard," Abreu said. "[The] last time I saw him, I said, 'All right, buddy, we'll see you next year.'"

Lidle died an active member on the Yankees' 40-man roster, his last start being against the Tigers in the American League Division Series. Most of his family didn't see his last start because they expected the Yankees to go deep into the playoffs.

"They said, 'We'll see them in the [AL Championship Series],' and that never happened," general manager Brian Cashman said.

Cashman remembers spotting Lidle regularly in the corner of the clubhouse last season. He would be reclining alongside ex-Yankees Sal Fasano and Craig Wilson, duking it out in "a little chess club." That was Lidle -- he enjoyed life and lived on his own terms, as Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon recalled.

Though Lidle didn't produce stellar numbers while with the Yankees -- he went 4-3 with a 5.16 ERA -- Cashman remembers two of the right-hander's crucial victories: one vs. the Blue Jays, the other against the Red Sox.

Both games were in August, and Lidle recorded two victories over 12 1/3 innings while allowing just one earned run. He struck out a combined 10 batters during those contests.

Yankees first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz held a decent line against Lidle, batting .294 in 17 at-bats with a homer, but he struck out five times in those plate appearances. Mientkiewicz never liked entering the batters box against Lidle.

"I hated it," he said. "Nasty split. Good sinker. It wasn't a day at the park. He had really, really good stuff."

Shortstop Derek Jeter never hit well against Lidle, either, recording five hits in 23 at-bats for a .217 average. The Yankees' captain remembers Lidle as a savvy pitcher who outsmarted batters with less-than-overpowering stuff, not to mention a quiet guy with a personality -- one taken away from him too soon.

"You're around your teammates pretty much more than you're around your family," Jeter said. "[The plane crash] was a terrible tragedy, something that will never be forgotten."

News of Lidle's death had Yankees manager Joe Torre musing about life and its fragile state of being. He said that the heartbreaking event should make everyone appreciate living.

Catcher Jorge Posada and third baseman Alex Rodriguez shared that same sentiment. Lidle and Posada were locker neighbors, and Posada said he wished he could go back in time and talk with Lidle. Now, the catcher said, he spends more time with his kids.

"When you talk about life and death, it just reminds you that sometimes, things can be pretty trivial," Rodriguez said. "[I'm] certainly going to miss him."

Giambi attended high school with Lidle, and both suited up as members of the 2001 Athletics. Even when they played on separate teams at the big-league level, the two would go out to dinner after their teams had faced each other. They always seemed to talked about the same thing -- who got the better of whom.

"It was fun," Giambi said. "One of your high school buddies, you know? If he got me out that day, he would call and get on me. And I took him deep a few times."

Pitchers Darrell Rasner and Sean Henn remember Lidle for his genuine interest in them as rookies last season. The two said that Lidle mentored them in their pitching and always extended invitations if he was going out to eat. Rasner remembers eating and chatting with him at an ESPN Zone restaurant near the end of the season last year.

"He really took us young guys under his wing," Henn said. "He was the first one who came up and introduced himself when I was up in September. That was kind of my lasting impression of him. He was a class-act guy."

Just before the memorial video started, Bob Sheppard announced over the loud speakers: "Now pitching ... for the Yankees ... No. 30 ... Cory ... Lidle."

The words sent chills through veins -- the last echo of a pitcher, a person, a life.