By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- With every walk to the mound, with every windup, with every grunt during every pitch, Tom Glavine pushed his 41-year-old arm for just one more.
One more pinpointed fastball. One more sneaky curveball. One more delivery not muscled, but smooth.

But those efforts dealt with his mechanics and repertoire; what he wanted was the result -- career win No. 297.

And on this rain-shortened Wednesday night against the Cardinals, a game preceded by lightning and thunder, Glavine marched a little closer toward milestone win No. 300. He did it with the help of David Wright's two-run homer in the first inning at Shea Stadium, as the Mets beat the Cardinals, 2-0.

After the game -- about one minute after manager Willie Randolph reached through a group of reporters to tap fists with his starting pitcher -- Glavine answered the same question that he's answered about 300 times: How does it feel to get closer to the record?

"It's one day closer," Glavine said. "We'll worry about Monday in Colorado."

The rain started pouring in the middle of the sixth, as the 40,948 in attendance scattered for shelter. And though some fans would periodically hoot and holler for the game to continue, Mother Nature stood firm, and the game was called after a nearly two-hour rain delay.

When it comes to should've, would've and could've, this game featured a dandy.

With one out in the second, Scott Rolen smacked a Glavine pitch down the third-base line. Wright went far to his right and snagged the ball, but his momentum carried him into foul territory. He shifted his weight and got off a strong throw, but it pulled Carlos Delgado off the bag at first.

If Wright's throw had gotten Rolen, Glavine would have recorded a six-inning no-hitter.

"I can't believe it," Glavine said after the game, evoking a laughing fit around his locker. "That goes to show you that you never know on any given play. You have to play each play hard, and obviously, he didn't try very hard."

Randolph said that a shortened no-no by Glavine would be better used for poking fun than anything else.

"Well, they would have an asterisk next to his name," Randolph said. "If David would have made that play on Rolen, it's obviously not a legit no-hitter. But it would have been nice just to talk about it, joke about it."

Wright added: "He wants it the real way. The asterisk bites. He'll live. He'll take the win, I'm sure."

That sounded just fine to Glavine, who improved to 7-5 on the season after striking out one and walking two. He also received some gritty defense from Carlos Gomez, who seemed to catch everything hit his way.

With no one on and one out in the fourth, Gomez chased down a Juan Encarnacion fly ball to deep left. He twisted his body toward the infield and leaped backward, falling into the blue-padded wall with the ball in his glove. That play, Glavine said, helped him get away with one.

Despite a recent streak in which he lost four of five decisions, Glavine on Wednesday made a genius out of Mason Cooley, a U.S. aphorist who once wrote, "Age must give way to youth, no doubt. But not yet, not yet."

Consider this: Given that the Cardinals' roster averages about 30 years of age, Glavine was celebrating his first double-digit birthday while most of the Cardinals' players were either in a crib or not yet born.

Still, Glavine said that even old-timers -- teammate Billy Wagner jokingly referred to him as a 110-year-old on Tuesday -- can get caught up in the special moments that come with a career. So far, however, he said he's kept himself in check about win No. 300.

"I think that so much of it has to do with what's going on in the moment," he said. "If I'm pitching well and I feel good about what I'm doing, then no, that's just kind of the focus of what I'm doing, and so far it hasn't been hard to keep focused on my next start."

"Maroth solid, but Cards fall in 11th...Lefty limits Mets to one run on two hits in 7 1/3 strong frames" -- June 26, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Russ Springer had a hunch when he came on in relief in the 11th inning. He said he didn't have "it."

Who knows what "it" was? It could have been his cutter, which Mets right fielder Shawn Green connected with but sent foul into home-run territory. Then again, it probably was Springer's fastball, which Green pelted over the right-center-field fence two pitches later.

Springer didn't have to look back. The game was over, and he knew it.

"As soon as he hit it -- yeah," he said.

Green's walk-off homer beat the Cardinals as the Mets won, 2-1, at Shea Stadium on Monday in extra innings. Springer hadn't given up a home run the entire season until Green's blast. It came on a 3-2 pitch.

"He doesn't want to walk him," manager Tony La Russa said. "Give the hitter credit."

Newly acquired Mike Maroth didn't disappoint in his first start as a Cardinal, holding the Mets to two hits and one run over 7 1/3 innings. The left-hander allowed two hits in his 99-pitch, no-decision effort, striking out four and walking two.

Switching logos from Tiger to Bird, Maroth said all of his pitches were in sync -- fastball, changeup, curveball and cutter.

"That's something I really haven't been able to do with the four pitches I've got," Maroth said. "There have been some games where I've stuck with two pitches or even three, but [tonight] I was able to use all four. That was the key."

Only Mets left fielder Carlos Gomez touched Maroth, hitting his second home run of the season to put the Mets up, 1-0, in the third.

Pitching coach Dave Duncan gave Maroth a nod after the game, and La Russa said the lefty pitched as the team expected.

"There was nothing but positive comments of him," La Russa said. "We have excellent expectations for him."

Maroth also showed the Cardinals how deceitful he can be on the mound, as the left-hander picked off Jose Valentin and David Wright.

La Russa took notice of the well-hidden pickoffs.

"That's the advantage of a left-hander who's very crafty and has a good move," he said. "That really nullifies what you can do."

The Cardinals squandered their best chance to pull ahead of the Mets in the seventh. With the game tied at 1, Gary Bennett led off with a walk and Maroth followed with a single. The two moved up to second and third on a double steal.

Then the Cardinals sputtered. So Taguchi -- who extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a double in the third -- grounded out to second. Aaron Miles struck out swinging and Albert Pujols was walked intentionally.

That set up Scott Spiezio with two outs and the bases loaded. He hit a sharp grounder back up the middle, but Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano snagged it and got the out at first.

"I put a good swing on it, hit it into the ground," Spiezio said. "It probably would have gotten through, but he made a good play on it."

La Russa said the Cards had the right hitters at the plate, but what has haunted the team before
came back again: The hits just didn't come.

"Aaron Miles and Spiezio, they're as hot as anybody on our club," La Russa said. "Couldn't break through -- that's a very tough miss, but that's baseball."

The loss dropped the Cardinals to 33-40 on the season and one more game behind the league-leading Brewers. The deficit between the clubs now sits at 9 1/2 games.

Spiezio said he, Troy Percival and other Cards were headed out to dinner, trying to regroup, refresh and figure out a way to end the Mets' four-game winning streak Tuesday.

Whatever they come up with, La Russa hopes it works.

"Sometimes we don't pitch well. The last couple [games], we haven't hit well," he said. "We had a great chance with that second and third, had some of our hottest hitters coming up and we missed it, so it's a tough loss."

Cards' Notes -- June 26

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Scott Spiezio reminisced as he walked into Shea Stadium on Monday, thinking back to the night the Cardinals were crowned National League champions.
It didn't take long, however, for those glory moments from a year ago to fade into reality: The Cardinals are in third place and several regulars are injured.

"No matter if we had the same guys or not, it's a new season and nothing is written in stone," Spiezio said. "Just because we won last year doesn't mean anything. You have to prove yourself, and we haven't been doing that right now."

"It does seem like a long time ago [that we beat the Mets]. We've been struggling, and when you're struggling, seasons seem long."

With a 33-39 record -- 8 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the National League Central -- the Cards look forward to players returning from injuries. Help is on the way, as Chris Carpenter, David Eckstein and Yadier Molina get closer to coming off the disabled list.

Spiezio did say, however, that the team's injuries are no excuse for the way the Cards have played so far this season.

"As players, we don't want to go and say that we can't win because so and so is not back," he said. "A good team has depth, and a good team picks up for the guys who are injured. It's really not an excuse, but as far as getting those guys back, that's a different story."

Manager Tony La Russa said getting his team back intact before or around the All-Star break would give the Cards a shove in the right direction.

"We're getting close," La Russa said. "We'll get some key guys back before the break, and some more after the break. We can have a good week. We haven't been celebrating, but we could have been buried and so far we haven't been."

Izzy not affected: Closer Jason Isringhausen hasn't had a save opportunity in over two weeks, but the right-handed stopper said he doesn't think it has affected the way he pitches.

"We'll find out when I get in a save situation," he said. "I've been getting in enough work, so I just have to keep working and pitching in every situation like it's a save situation."

Isringhausen's 1.50 ERA leads all Cardinals relievers. He has only been scored upon in four of his 29 outings.

With the Cardinals in a third-place funk, however, Isringhausen said there are more pressing needs for the team than for him to record saves.

"I've been in there long enough to know that I'm pitching for my team and trying to get wins, and just getting some work when there's work," he said. "Saves come in bunches, so you just have to relax and get them when they come."

Miles' multiples: Aaron Miles has been seeing multiples lately. He has collected two or more hits in five of his last seven starts, and he has hits in 13 of his last 15 games.

One hit just seems to lead to another for him -- at least recently, Miles said.

"When you're going good and you're hitting the ball good, you're definitely more confident," Miles said. "If you get a hit, you feel good about yourself and you're more likely to do good the next time up."

Baby Birds: Rick Ankiel hit his 20th home run of the season and added a pair of doubles for Memphis against New Orleans on Sunday, but it wasn't enough as the Redbirds lost, 6-3. Travis Hanson recorded two hits and Joe Mather hit his first Triple-A homer with a solo shot in the ninth.

At Double-A, Casey Rowlett had three hits, which included a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fifth, to power the Springfield Cardinals past Tulsa, 6-2.

Brandon Buckman hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to lead the Palm Beach Cardinals past Fort Myers, 4-3, on Sunday.

Coming up: The Cardinals take on the Mets in the second contest of their three-game series at Shea Stadium on Tuesday. Todd Wellemeyer gets the start for the Cardinals while the Mets counter with left-hander Oliver Perez. Game time is set for 6:10 p.m. ET.

"Yankees know where they stand...Pitchers share theories of where to set up on rubber" -- June 18, 2007

By Caleb Breakey


NEW YORK -- Perched high above Yankee Stadium, a camera spotted a seldom-mentioned pitching technique on Sunday.

The camera spied the lack of a cleat on the strip of white rubber on the mound in the ninth inning. Reliever Mike Myers uses this rectangular block to his advantage -- he barely stands on it.

Myers is one of several pitchers who don't pitch from the middle of the pitching rubber. When he faced Carlos Delgado in the Yankees' 8-2 win over the Mets on Sunday, Myers' left shoe tip barely touched the white as he came into the set position.

"It works. It gets people out," Myers said. "But it still comes down to execution of where you throw the ball. There's no science behind it."

Or is there?

Shuffling his feet on the Yankees' blue clubhouse carpet, pitching coach Ron Guidry worked through the many options pitchers have when setting up for a pitch.

"If you're way on this side, then you come into the batter, but if you step way to this side your angle is cut," Guidry said. "Moving over across to right-handers and left-handers might help you if you did one of those things -- maybe, maybe not."

Right-hander Darrell Rasner has worked with his fair share of pitching coaches in his career, and he said sometimes they'll suggest that a pitcher should move from one end of the rubber to the other.

But it would take a certain type of pitcher to excel with such a move, Rasner said.

"You start fluctuating five or six inches a pitch, it's kind of tough. You would be inconsistent," said Rasner, who pitches closer to the third-base side of the rubber. "If you get your strike from here or here, it's what your preference is. I don't feel there's an advantage either way. I guess it depends on what you're like."

In college, left-handed reliever Sean Henn worked from the extreme third-base side of the rubber. Yankees pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras moved him over to the right side, which, according to Henn, created a more difficult angle for left-handed hitters.

"You put me on the first-base side, and now I'm throwing from behind the left-handed hitter," Henn said. "It's not that big of a move. You wouldn't think that [24] inches would be that big of a deal. If it was that big of a deal, I think it would have been figured out a long time ago. Lefties would throw on the left side and righties would throw on the right side -- something like that."

Reliever Kyle Farnsworth has tried pitching from every spot on the rubber -- first-base side, third-base side and smack dab in the middle, which is where he finally settled into a groove. He said pitching from the center helps him hit both corners of the plate more efficiently.

The right-hander did acknowledge, however, that switching from side to side works for some.

"If they have trouble throwing outside to a righty, they'll probably move over a bit to get that angle more," Farnsworth said. "It's just one of those things that you have to find where you're comfortable."

On the receiving end, Yankees backup catcher Wil Nieves said he doesn't see much of a difference whether the pitcher is on the right, left or center part of the rubber.

"You probably can tell, but just barely," Nieves said. "It's not much."

No matter the margin of change in the pitch, batters are trained to see it. Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long said pitchers who set up to the extreme left or right usually try to "cross-fire," meaning the pitch skims a small part of the plate instead of traveling from the front to the back.

Yankees first baseman Josh Phelps said he's aware of pitchers moving around on the rubber, especially left-handers. That's the goal, Long said -- to make sure his hitters are prepared for what the pitcher is trying to do.

"You definitely know what side of the rubber a pitcher is on. We'll work in the cages on different angles," Long said. "We go through it in our scouting reports and we talk about it [and] give guys a heads up. You want to be aware if it's happening, and what -- if anything -- it's doing to the action of the baseball."

"Yankees know where they stand...Pitchers share theories of where to set up on rubber" -- June 18, 2007

By Caleb Breakey


NEW YORK -- Perched high above Yankee Stadium, a camera spotted a seldom-mentioned pitching technique on Sunday.

The camera spied the lack of a cleat on the strip of white rubber on the mound in the ninth inning. Reliever Mike Myers uses this rectangular block to his advantage -- he barely stands on it.

Myers is one of several pitchers who don't pitch from the middle of the pitching rubber. When he faced Carlos Delgado in the Yankees' 8-2 win over the Mets on Sunday, Myers' left shoe tip barely touched the white as he came into the set position.

"It works. It gets people out," Myers said. "But it still comes down to execution of where you throw the ball. There's no science behind it."

Or is there?

Shuffling his feet on the Yankees' blue clubhouse carpet, pitching coach Ron Guidry worked through the many options pitchers have when setting up for a pitch.

"If you're way on this side, then you come into the batter, but if you step way to this side your angle is cut," Guidry said. "Moving over across to right-handers and left-handers might help you if you did one of those things -- maybe, maybe not."

Right-hander Darrell Rasner has worked with his fair share of pitching coaches in his career, and he said sometimes they'll suggest that a pitcher should move from one end of the rubber to the other.

But it would take a certain type of pitcher to excel with such a move, Rasner said.

"You start fluctuating five or six inches a pitch, it's kind of tough. You would be inconsistent," said Rasner, who pitches closer to the third-base side of the rubber. "If you get your strike from here or here, it's what your preference is. I don't feel there's an advantage either way. I guess it depends on what you're like."

In college, left-handed reliever Sean Henn worked from the extreme third-base side of the rubber. Yankees pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras moved him over to the right side, which, according to Henn, created a more difficult angle for left-handed hitters.

"You put me on the first-base side, and now I'm throwing from behind the left-handed hitter," Henn said. "It's not that big of a move. You wouldn't think that [24] inches would be that big of a deal. If it was that big of a deal, I think it would have been figured out a long time ago. Lefties would throw on the left side and righties would throw on the right side -- something like that."

Reliever Kyle Farnsworth has tried pitching from every spot on the rubber -- first-base side, third-base side and smack dab in the middle, which is where he finally settled into a groove. He said pitching from the center helps him hit both corners of the plate more efficiently.

The right-hander did acknowledge, however, that switching from side to side works for some.

"If they have trouble throwing outside to a righty, they'll probably move over a bit to get that angle more," Farnsworth said. "It's just one of those things that you have to find where you're comfortable."

On the receiving end, Yankees backup catcher Wil Nieves said he doesn't see much of a difference whether the pitcher is on the right, left or center part of the rubber.

"You probably can tell, but just barely," Nieves said. "It's not much."

No matter the margin of change in the pitch, batters are trained to see it. Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long said pitchers who set up to the extreme left or right usually try to "cross-fire," meaning the pitch skims a small part of the plate instead of traveling from the front to the back.

Yankees first baseman Josh Phelps said he's aware of pitchers moving around on the rubber, especially left-handers. That's the goal, Long said -- to make sure his hitters are prepared for what the pitcher is trying to do.

"You definitely know what side of the rubber a pitcher is on. We'll work in the cages on different angles," Long said. "We go through it in our scouting reports and we talk about it [and] give guys a heads up. You want to be aware if it's happening, and what -- if anything -- it's doing to the action of the baseball."

Yankees June 17 Extended Preview

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


There's Chien-Ming Wang and his sinkerball, Andy Pettitte and his left-handed prowess, Mike Mussina and his ability to win, and Roger Clemens and his guaranteed invitation into the Hall of Fame.

Then there's Tyler Clippard.

After injuries, promotions and demotions, Clippard is slotted in as the Yankees' No. 5 starter, and he will take the mound at 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday against the Mets in the second game of the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium.

Just 22, the rookie grew up watching several of his fellow starters pitch. But now he takes his turn in pinstripes every fifth day, a tugboat among battleships.

You'd think that Clippard might feel serious pressure, but even as he exited the Yankees' clubhouse after Friday's 2-0 loss to the Mets, the righty looked cool and calm. He doesn't mind pitching among the giants.

"It's not hard at all," he said. "I can benefit a lot from it, and when guys are going good, they feed off each other, and that helps everybody else perform well."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said that Clippard has shown the team tenacity. The youngster allowed a run on three hits against the Mets in his Major League debut, and since then, he's had a couple of rough starts, including his latest, in which he allowed the Pirates six runs in 3 2/3 innings.

But Clippard has kept his demeanor in both his good and bad starts. His head stays up, his effort keeps strong.

"And now," Torre said, "he's been going out there regularly, where if he doesn't make a pitch, he gets angry -- it's not like [he is thinking], 'I shouldn't be here.' That's what impressed us about him."

As far as Clippard's spot among the four established starters in the Yankees' rotation, Torre said it only helps.

"He's just out there trying to do his job instead of, 'We need a lift; go out there, kid, and give us one,'" Torre said. "We feel we get a bonus when we win the games that he starts. Not that he's not capable [of winning], but we certainly didn't plan on him being here when the season started."

NYY: RHP Tyler Clippard (3-1, 5.32 ERA)

Clippard was the beneficiary of a Yankees offensive eruption against the Pirates in his last start. The right-hander gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings but came away with a no-decision, as the Yankees bailed him out by putting several crooked numbers onto the scoreboard.

NYM: LHP Tom Glavine (5-4, 4.15 ERA)

The Tigers roughed up Glavine last Sunday, touching him for nine runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander has lost three straight decisions, and his quest for milestone win No. 300 has been on hold as he sits on 295 victories for his career.

Player to watch

The Mets are the first team that Clippard has faced twice in his first season in the Major Leagues. Clippard pitched against the Mets in his debut, surrendering only three hits, but Mets third baseman David Wright homered off the right-hander.

"Yanks honor Rutgers women's team" -- June 16, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- The Yankees honored the Rutgers University women's basketball team on Friday, just minutes before Roger Clemens threw his first pitch against the Mets in a Subway Series matchup. The Rutgers women made it to the NCAA Finals for the first time this past season but dropped the championship game to Tennessee, 59-46.

Honors keep piling up for the Scarlet Knights, however, as head coach C. Vivian Stringer and members of the team took the field prior to the Mets-Yankees showdown.

Greg Schiano, Rutgers' head football coach, who led his team to its first victory in a bowl game this past season, threw out the game's ceremonial first pitch.

The Rutgers players, clad in white polo shirts and khaki pants, were all smiles as they stood behind home plate in a half-huddle with their arms stretched over each other's shoulders.

Flashbulbs popped, and then a few of the players who were carrying digital cameras gathered around and giggled. For a few moments, a group of fans about seven rows into the stands to the right of home plate -- led by a man wearing a Rutgers hat and Mets jersey -- chanted, "Let's go Rutgers."

Yankees public-address announcer Bob Sheppard drew the crowd's attention to the big screen at Yankee Stadium as the players turned to watch video highlights of Rutgers' successful season.
Afterward, the team looked a bit shocked as Yankees captain Derek Jeter trotted out to present them with a Yankees jersey signed by the team. The shortstop first hugged Stringer, then worked his way down the line, giving a squeeze to each player.

"It's a good thing that he put that shirt out, put his hand out, because I would have fallen over," Stringer said. "I admire him so much -- just a special guy and a team captain and one that we're all very proud of."

Only forward Heather Zurich raised her hand when the players were asked who had ever attended a Yankees game. So to have Jeter posing for a picture with them felt surreal, Stringer said -- much like the team's entire venture at the ballpark in the Bronx.

"That's certainly something that we didn't expect and something that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I know that these young ladies will as well," Stringer said. "To have been in George Steinbrenner's suite, to have walked on the floor and on the field, and just to have been associated with [these] special people [is special]."

Stringer made sure she put the trip to extra good use, snuggling up to a Babe Ruth photograph, having her picture taken. She said she's a sports history buff and was ecstatic to meet manager Joe Torre and bench coach Don Mattingly.

"I know what people like that mean to all of us, not just to those who are Yankees fans or Mets fans, but those who are just baseball fans," Stringer said. "Hey, I got to touch his picture and felt good about it."

When Schiano jogged to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, he said that Clemens told him to "get right up on the mound, big guy."

"I was excited," Schiano said. "I don't get nervous about stuff. It was great just to be in Yankee Stadium and on the field, and then to do that."

"Jeter treasures bond with father...Stronger with time, relationship began with competitive love" -- June16, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Charles Jeter, the father of Yankees captain Derek Jeter, raised his son in a gentle but stern way. Charles would outguess 5-year-old Derek when the two used to watch "The Price Is Right." He would overmatch Derek in Scrabble, too.

That was Charles' way of motivating Derek to win on his own; no freebies allowed. Derek would learn to savor victories when they came.

And now it's Derek who gets to grin, knowing that he has the upper hand on Charles in some things, such as tossing a baseball back and forth.

"Catch? He's too old for that," Derek said with a grin.
As Father's Day approaches, Derek and Charles stand out as a pair that has a fun, true and growing father-son relationship.

Charles has always poured himself into Derek's life. From teaching him character through the games they played to writing up contracts of expectations, Dad was there for Derek.
Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation, in particular, has bonded the two.

"He's always been there for support, advice, and he's always been there to bounce ideas off of," Derek said. "We're probably closer now than we were when I was growing up. We were close growing up, but especially through the foundation, we get an opportunity to work together as well. I talk to my parents every day, pretty much."

Charles, a social worker with a Master's of Social Work and doctorate degree from Western Michigan University, serves as vice president of his son's foundation. It's one of several pursuits that have brought the two closer. For the most part, though, Derek and his father enjoy what's free in life -- a good conversation. They don't have to go out or hire a catering service or dress in suits and ties.

"I don't know if it's necessarily doing anything, just spending time together," Derek said. "That's pretty much it. It's not like doing anything in particular. Talking is the thing we do the most."

Derek said that he and his father talk about anything and everything. Work, family, you name it. But with Father's Day just around the corner, there's one thing the two won't have to talk about: a Father's Day present. According to Derek, Dad isn't hard to shop for.

"He's pretty easy," Derek said, "because he tells you what he wants. He's not very difficult."

"Yankees win eighth in a row" June 14, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Look out Boston and Detroit, the Yankees are hot on your tail.

Backed by a brilliant Mike Mussina, the Yankees steamrolled over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night to win their eighth straight game, putting them 8 1/2 games behind the Red Sox, who got pounded by the Rockies, 12-2, in the American League East, and 4 1/2 games behind the Tigers for the AL Wild Card lead.

After the D-backs took a brief lead in the second on Chris Young's sacrifice fly, the Yankees returned the favor after Jorge Posada, who was the designated hitter on Wednesday, led off the bottom half with his eight blast of the year.

But Posada was outdone by Alex Rodriguez, who hit his Major League-leading 25th homer off D-backs starter Livan Hernandez (5-4) into the left-field stands in the third inning. A-Rod also increased his league-leading RBI total to 66.

Manager Joe Torre said A-Rod looks like his April self, when he earned the American League Player of the Month Award. As far as the moon shot that Rodriguez hit, Torre said: "He killed that ball."

The Yankees' offense paved the way for Mussina's third win of the season, as Hideki Matsui hit the third Yankees homer of the night, a three-run shot, off Hernandez.

With Posada taking a half day off by hitting DH, backup catcher Wil Nieves donned his catching gear and guided Mussina to his 7 2/3 strong innings.

"I try to make him feel comfortable, be where he wants me to be, give him a low target," Nieves said. "I just try to be in his mind, because he's got a mind of how he's going to pitch guys. He's going to do what he wants to do. Now, we're almost on the same page all the time. It's like a relationship, where we build that trust."

Nieves worked as Mussina's personal catcher for the fourth straight game. Torre said he's been combining the two on a "gut" feeling, but the 3.49 ERA that Mussina and Nieves have achieved as a batterymate couldn't hurt, either.

"It was awesome," Rodriguez said. "[Mussina] threw the ball well. For me, a great sign is when he gets up to 91 mph in the seventh inning; that's always a big key for him."

Mussina's breaking pitch accounted for a pair of shaky legs in the third, as D-backs Carlos Quentin and Conor Jackson watched strike three whiz by without a flinch of their bats.

"I threw breaking balls, just froze them," Mussina said. "Now, these guys haven't seen me pitch too much, and when I can throw a curveball for a strike, it helps me that much more."

Unlike the mixed feelings he showed when he was lifted after just 79 pitches in Chicago, Mussina waved to his family and then to the crowd as Torre replaced him in the eighth.

Fans clapped as he walked toward the dugout, and then they erupted when he acknowledged them.

"It's just a part of the excitement we've kind of created now," Mussina said. "It's a part of the atmosphere of coming to the ballpark at Yankee Stadium. It wasn't like this a month ago, and now everybody wants to come out and watch us play, and we want to get out there and keep playing games and keep the momentum going. As long as we keep playing games like this, we're going to be all right."

"Abreu, Bombers extend streaks...Right fielder turns it up to 11, Yanks win seventh straight"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- A mass of colors spotted the field during a rain delay at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Members of the grounds crew wore white tops. Security guards sported yellow polo shirts. Arizona players warmed up in their Sedona red jerseys.

The colors had no significance other than resembling a banana split. At least, that's how it first appeared.

Then the Yankees took the field.

If ever there was attire that took on meaning, it would be fashioned with pinstripes. Sure, they're just uniforms. But are they really?

The mystique surrounding those wearing black piping from collar to cleat seems to be back, especially after the Yankees beat the Diamondbacks, 4-1, for their seventh straight win.

"This isn't happening because it's just a coincidence," manager Joe Torre said. "This is happening because they're working hard, and they're not going to be denied."

Most of Tuesday's game hinged on the first inning.

Designated hitter Johnny Damon reached on an error to start the game and attempted to steal second with Derek Jeter at the plate. The captain hit a sharp grounder toward the left side -- what appeared to be a double-play ball -- but Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew had raced to his left to cover second.

Normally, second baseman Orlando Hudson would have covered the bag because Jeter is a right-handed hitter. But, as Torre noted, Jeter is at his best when he hits to the right side of the field -- and Hudson knew it.

The grounder went for a hit, and Damon scooted to third.

Bobby Abreu came up next, and with two on and nobody out, the Yankees knew that this could be their only opportunity against Arizona starter Brandon Webb, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2006.

Webb hadn't given up a run in his past two starts, a total of 15 innings in which the right-hander also struck out 15. But Abreu, who has faced Arizona pitching more than every other current Yankee, hit a Webb sinker into the right-field stands for a 3-0 lead.

"I hit it good up front, hit a homer, we won, that's what it's all about," Abreu said. "He's tough. He's got pretty good pitches and nice command, too. He knows what to do on the mound. He won the Cy Young because he knows how to pitch. ... He just threw me one pitch that hung in there, and it's good that I caught it out front and hit it."

What could have been a double-play ball ended up setting the stage for the game-winning hit.

"All of a sudden, it made the difference in the game," Torre said. "You don't think it does that early in the game, but it certainly looked that way."

Starting with the eruption after Abreu's three-run homer, continuing through starter Chien-Ming Wang's seven strong innings and ending with Mariano Rivera's fourth June save, the fans hooted, hollered and roared.

The Yankees are back to winning, and their fans are back to enjoying it.

"They're here to support us, but they let you know what they want to see," Torre said. "It's more electricity right now."

Wang pitched the way he's been pitching since May 16, against the White Sox, and has held opposing teams to three runs or fewer in his past six starts. He used his secondary pitch -- the slider -- for seven innings against the D-backs to overcome the six hits he allowed.

Jeter had a clear view of Wang on the mound -- every set, every windup, every delivery.

"He's getting better, but it's tough to say he's getting better because he's pretty much been good since he first got here," Jeter said.

The win pushed the Yankees to the .500 mark, as the team's record now sits at 31-31. Torre said that breaking even has a psychological effect, but added that the team can't focus on Boston and the 9 1/2-game gap between the two teams.

With the winning streak, Torre said, smiles, jokes and quirks are spreading. The Yankees are playing like, well, the Yankees.

"I think they feel good about themselves. They really do," he said. "They've gone out here with a lot of fight over the last couple of weeks, and it's really paying dividends for them. I think that's the most important thing. The hard work is paying off, and they sort of like the feeling of going home with a win under their belt."

June 11 Off Day Feature... "Abreu's work, patience paying off"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Hitting coach Kevin Long calls him a seven-day-a-week guy, a practice-oholic. Manager Joe Torre dubbed him as perhaps the most influential hitter in the lineup, a cornerstone that every other Yankees batter builds from.

On Sunday against the Pirates, Bobby Abreu showed why his manager entrusts him with so much faith.

Abreu batted 4-for-4 and scored four times in a 13-6 win. He tripled, walked and posted three RBIs during his miniature hitting clinic that seemed riddled with unspoken statements:

I'll hit the ball the other way for extra bases.

I'll work the count full and wear out pitchers.

Heck, I'll just be the toughest out you've faced.

"You see him taking pitches, you see him walking, you see him swinging at good pitches, and you see him using the whole field," Long said. "He's probably as big a key to our offense as anyone in our lineup. When he's right in our three-hole, we're a different offensive unit. To me, he's the key to our offense."

Even though this type of production is considered the norm for Abreu, achieving it has been a season-long trudge. He hit .306 through April 23 before his batting average sputtered and bottomed out at .228 on May 30 against the Blue Jays.

But Abreu didn't panic, didn't change his routines, didn't see psychiatrists. No, he just did what he always does. He worked in the batting cages every day, Long said.

"I do soft toss and try to get my mechanics right," Abreu said. "I swing with one hand, two hands; just try to get my rhythm there."

That's why Long said he's never worried about Abreu at the plate. The batting average, the RBIs and the runs scored will come so long as Abreu works like he has throughout his career.

The Yankees' No. 3 hitter -- at least as of Sunday -- said he knew his slumping wasn't "him." It wasn't characteristic, wasn't his type of numbers. The most important aspect of his roller-coaster season thus far has been staying mentally strong, Abreu said. Now he owns a 10-game hitting streak.

"I never have negatives in my mind," Abreu said. "Even when I was in a slump, I knew it wasn't right. ... To me, the key to success is to stay positive. It's a long season."

Repetition after repetition, Abreu seems to have found his stroke after more than five weeks of struggling. And those around him in the Yankees lineup are beneficiaries, especially Alex Rodriguez, who launched two home runs on Sunday while hitting fourth in the lineup.

"It's a dream," A-Rod said. "It's a treat to hit behind him -- or in front of him, really."

Since the team left Toronto, Abreu's hitting has spiked in nearly every category. His average climbed from .228 to .272. His on-base percentage rose from .313 to .364. His slugging percentage bumped up from .289 to .370.

And to think it all started with him doing drills in a cage.

"I was never worried about Bobby coming out of it, because he works at it," Long said. "He's in the cages every single day, diligent with his work, and really, the drills that he works on are perfect. And his cage work through that whole [slumping] period? Perfect. It was just that feel and confidence in the game."

One of the unsung qualities of any patient hitter is walks. Well, Abreu has jogged from home plate to first at least 100 times in each of the past four seasons.

The secret behind the free passes -- as Torre, a former catcher, noted from his days behind the plate -- lies in the fact that Abreu is more of a push hitter. When he laces singles and doubles to the opposite side of the field, it means he's seeing the ball through the strike zone longer.

Long said the team jokes about Abreu's walking ability from the dugout. Every once in a while, when the left-handed Abreu falls behind in the count, 0-2, a teammate shuts out, "Hang on fellas -- he's going to be 3-2 in a minute."

"Bobby doesn't really care if the pitcher gets ahead of him. He's just sitting there, waiting for his pitch to hit, and he hasn't missed it in the past couple of weeks," Torre said. "I think a big advantage for any hitter -- and Bobby does it so well -- is when you're not trying to pull the ball, because you get to see the ball that split second longer. And when that happens, you're not going to be fooled as much; you're tougher to pitch to."

June 10 Sider..."Yankees' bullpen picks up assist"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- The unsung heroes of the Yankees' 13-6 pounding of the Pirates on Sunday afternoon were the group of men who almost never see their offense up close.

It's that bunch sitting just beyond the left-center-field fence, an assembly that includes Sean Henn, Luis Vizcaino, Scott Proctor and Mike Myers -- all of the relievers who helped shut out Pittsburgh for 5 1/3 innings.

The foursome's effort could easily be overlooked, however, as Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Abreu and the rest of the Yankees' offense came alive with three runs in the fourth and five more before the game ended.

Proctor, who contributed two strikeouts to the bullpen's five-strikeout performance, said that after the offense gave the bullpen a lead, the relievers kept the Yankees afloat by holding the Pirates at bay.

"The bullpen, we've always had great arms down there," Proctor said. "We've struggled at times like everybody else has, but we all have confidence in one another, we pull for one another and we feed off one another. We just pick each other up when we have to."

The biggest test came with Henn pitching in the fifth inning.

Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez singled to lead off the inning, and the next batter walked before first baseman Adam LaRoche flied out to left field. Henn then issued another walk, loading the bases for catcher Ryan Doumit.

But the left-hander struck out Doumit on three pitches and retired shortstop Jose Castillo for the final out.

"That was a big inning for him," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "When we sent him back down a few weeks ago, it was based on the fact that he needed to get more aggressive, and I thought with the bases loaded that he showed his aggressiveness there, and it really paid off for us."

"That was a big inning. We got the lead, and it was a situation of, 'Lets see if he can get out of this inning,' and he certainly did. He did real well."

Meanwhile, starter Tyler Clippard didn't fare well in his fifth Major League start, giving up six hits and six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Even with Clippard's poor outing, however, Torre said that the young right-hander is still locked into the Yankees' rotation.

"There are going to be times where we go through little blips," Proctor said. "But if we learn from them, then it's an advantage."

Yankees June 10 Notebook..."Notes: First-base shuffle no problem"

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- With Doug Mientkiewicz injured, the Yankees have had to juggle their first basemen of late.

But manger Joe Torre is comfortable with using lesser-known names like Josh Phelps and Miguel Cairo at first, and so is general manger Brian Cashman -- at least for now.

"Unless I come up with something different, Joe will make the choice from what we have on the roster right now," Cashman said. "I'm always looking to improve the club, but right now, that's what you're going to see, and I don't anticipate that changing, so Joe will pick from what he's got."

Cairo, who had only 16 at-bats before June 5, has made the most of his recent playing time, recording six hits in his last six games entering Sunday. He's boosted his batting average from .125 to .222 during that period.

Torre, however, is quick to point out that the 33-year-old Cairo has been a utility man for a good portion of his career.

"We understand that Cairo is a backup player, and right now, we're getting good results with him," Torre said. "But is he the ultimate, the guy that figures the rest of the way? I don't know that."

"To me, the main reason he's in there is [defense]."

Phelps, on the other hand, entered Sunday with four hits in his last four games, but his slugging percentage has dropped significantly over the last month. Phelps hasn't recorded an extra-base hit since May 19 against the Mets, dropping his slugging percentage to .378.

Phelps is a step down defensively from Cairo, but Torre said that he likes Phelps' bat against certain pitchers.

"There will be situations where we'll figure there's a pitcher that would be good for him," Torre said. "We'll stick him in there, like [Saturday]. But he's a pro. He's used to playing off the bench, because he's been a DH in the places he's been."

Torre also mentioned that Jason Giambi could be an option at first base if -- when he returns from the disabled list -- his left foot feels comfortable enough to handle the extra work.

"When he comes back, we still have to go with what's best for us and what we're doing well," Torre said of Giambi. "When we get closer to that time, we'll have to figure it out, but right now, it seems to be all right."

Rivera finds cutter:

Mariano Rivera hasn't allowed a run in his last eight appearances, a stretch of 9 1/3 innings that has included 11 strikeouts, one walk and five hits.

Rivera said that he hasn't been doing anything different off the mound, but Torre said that he's noticed more bite on Rivera's cutter and a bit of variation in the right-hander's pitch selection.

"I just think he found his cutter -- he just seems to be back on track, where he's throwing more cutters and can still throw the other pitches," Torre said. "It looks like he's got that grip back, where the ball has a lot of life to it."

Rivera has seven saves, but he hasn't had many opportunities to close games out this season. Still, the king of the ninth inning said that the lack of save opportunities hasn't affected him. He said he approaches a save situation just like he would a non-save situation.

Torre agreed.

"Whatever the team requires is what he does," Torre said. "I've had closers that are pretty good closers that had trouble pitching with a four- or five-run lead. Whatever it was -- [such as a lack of] concentration -- Mo doesn't have it."

Cabrera contributing:

While Johnny Damon's legs are getting a rest, outfielder Melky Cabrera's are hitting full speed.

Cabrera has flourished as New York's regular center fielder, with five hits in his past 15 at-bats entering Sunday. He's also used those legs to perfection, stealing a base in Saturday's game and alertly scoring on a Damon fielder's choice -- not to mention robbing Ronny Paulino of extra bases with a leaping catch in the seventh inning.

"I just like the energy that this ballclub is showing right now," Torre said. "I think Melky's added a lot to that. He's playing like he was last year, and I think the fact that he's penciled in center field on a regular basis probably helped him relax."

Cabrera drove in a run by legging out an infield single with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the third inning on Sunday.

Unfamiliar offense:

Pardon Roger Clemens if he seemed a bit taken aback at the heaps of offense supporting his effort on Saturday afternoon. There he was, pitching as he seemingly always has, and there were the Yankees behind him, churning out nine runs in an offensive glut that to Clemens was quite foreign.

In three years and 84 starts with the Astros, Clemens had been the beneficiary of an outburst that large just six times.

In 2005, the Astros gave Clemens 3.41 runs of support per start. Last year, that number was up slightly, to 3.95 runs a turn.

The Yankees this season -- despite all of their woes -- have averaged 5.48 runs per game, third in the Major Leagues.

Coming up:

The Yankees have Monday off before the Arizona Diamondbacks head into the Bronx for a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. Chien-Ming Wang (5-4, 3.73 ERA) will get the call for the Yankees on Tuesday night against D-backs ace Brandon Webb (6-3, 3.13 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 ET.

June 9 Sider..."Clemens' swagger spreads to Yanks"

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens had plenty of offensive fire to ignite his relaunch on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, highlighted by a trio of two-hit games by Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Robinson Cano.

And with the hot bats came some good old-fashioned excitement in the Bronx.

The Yankees pounded out 10 hits and scored eight runs against the Pirates en route to their fifth straight win, 9-3, not to mention a display of plate discipline shown by walking seven times and striking out just three times.

Perhaps it's just the Clemens effect.

"I think the energy he brings, and the excitement, and the intensity that he brings, it's good to see," catcher Jorge Posada said. "It was a lot of fun to have him back."

Alex Rodriguez's two RBIs led the team and gave him a Major League-leading 58 on the season.
Both A-Rod and Derek Jeter said that the team's recent fire was lit in Toronto. Ever since then, the wins have steadily come as the Yankees have won their past three series.

Now that Clemens is here, the winning swagger swirling throughout the clubhouse has only grown stronger.

"It's a great boost, that's for sure," Rodriguez said. "It's just great to have him out. He brings a great presence, and he threw the ball pretty well for his first time out."

Rodriguez added: "I think he brings a personality and character that is second to none, and I think this team definitely feeds off of that, and this team needs that."

Damon said that he and the rest of the Yankees playing alongside Clemens for the first time are finding out there's more to the 44-year-old than his long list of accomplishments on the mound.

"We're finding out he's a great teammate, too," Damon said. "Just being around, talking to us."
The energy, the smiles, the wins -- it all seems to be coming together in the early goings of June.
"We feel like we can compete against any team," Damon said. "We felt that way at the beginning of the year, but, unfortunately, things weren't clicking."

While Clemens spoke to several media outlets and answered numerous questions, he summarized his first start back with the Yankees concisely:

"It's great to be back," Clemens said. "There's great energy here, as expected, and the guys played well. Just a good day all the way through."

After the game, Jeter stirred some laughter among reporters when he said that he introduced the Yankees infielders to Clemens. After all, Jeter is the only Yankees infielder still playing in pinstripes since Clemens' three-year hiatus.

The feeling out at shortstop was deja vu for Jeter, who said it felt like Clemens had never left.

"His demeanor is always the same," Jeter said. "He pitches well. He's been doing it in Houston; he did it when he was here.

"When he pitches, he's pretty animated. He's pretty into the game -- brings some excitement."

All of the excitement surrounding Clemens seemed to pump adrenaline into the Yankees, especially on the basepaths.

The Yankees tested the strong arm of Pirates catcher Ronny Paulino, swiping five bags without being thrown out. Damon (11), Abreu (9), Rodriguez (7), Jeter (6) and Melky Cabrera (4) each stole one base.

Abreu said that the team's aggressiveness on the basepaths was just another sign that the Yankees are playing like, well, the Yankees.

"We hit very good, we ran the bases good," Abreu said. "We put everything together."

Posada, though not one to steal many bases, noticed the team's electricity, saying that the baserunning was "unbelievable."

Along with the effective running game, manager Joe Torre said the Yankees' strong starting pitching of late makes the team feel better about itself.

"If you go out there and score one run at a time, you have the chance to do something, as opposed to falling behind and having to catch up all the time," Torre said. "The hitters have a better approach when we're trying to do little things, and right now, we're there. We're getting very aggressive on the basepaths; we're trying to do some things."

Yankees June 10 Preview

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


Tyler Clippard has his sights set on keeping two streaks alive when he pitches against the Pirates on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
The right-handed rookie will aim for his third win in as many starts and the Yankees' sixth victory in a row at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Clippard is coming off his finest start since his Major League debut, in which he three-hit the Mets across six innings of one-run ball in a win on May 20.
Last Tuesday against the White Sox, the 22-year-old gave up just one run and five hits in five innings, striking out four and walking three.
The Pirates will send Shawn Chacon to the mound to try to salvage the series. The former Yankees right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA in 19 games (three starts) this season.
Pitching matchupNYY: RHP Tyler Clippard (3-1, 3.60 ERA)Clippard was pulled after just five innings and 89 pitches in his last start, but he said that he'll work on lowering his pitch count early against the Pirates.
PIT: RHP Shawn Chacon (2-0, 3.26 ERA)Chacon said that he's learned to pace himself since stepping into the Pirates rotation. The right-hander threw 97 pitches in 5 1/3 innings in his last start and looks to improve on those numbers by stretching out his arm more in his second career appearance against the Yankees.
Player to watchTeams are unfamiliar with the wiry Clippard. Right-handed hitters, however, have knocked him around a bit in his first year in the Major Leagues, touching Clippard for 13 hits in 8 1/3 innings, a .351 batting average.

"Clemens' swagger spreads to Yanks...Previously muted offense enjoys active day on basepaths" -- June 9, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens had plenty of offensive fire to ignite his relaunch on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, highlighted by a trio of two-hit games by Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Robinson Cano.

And with the hot bats came some good old-fashioned excitement in the Bronx.

The Yankees pounded out 10 hits and scored eight runs against the Pirates en route to their fifth straight win, 9-3, not to mention a display of plate discipline shown by walking seven times and striking out just three times.

Perhaps it's just the Clemens effect.

"I think the energy he brings, and the excitement, and the intensity that he brings, it's good to see," catcher Jorge Posada said. "It was a lot of fun to have him back."
Alex Rodriguez's two RBIs led the team and gave him a Major League-leading 58 on the season.

Both A-Rod and Derek Jeter said that the team's recent fire was lit in Toronto. Ever since then, the wins have steadily come as the Yankees have won their past three series.

Now that Clemens is here, the winning swagger swirling throughout the clubhouse has only grown stronger.

"It's a great boost, that's for sure," Rodriguez said. "It's just great to have him out. He brings a great presence, and he threw the ball pretty well for his first time out."

Rodriguez added: "I think he brings a personality and character that is second to none, and I think this team definitely feeds off of that, and this team needs that."

Damon said that he and the rest of the Yankees playing alongside Clemens for the first time are finding out there's more to the 44-year-old than his long list of accomplishments on the mound.

"We're finding out he's a great teammate, too," Damon said. "Just being around, talking to us."
The energy, the smiles, the wins -- it all seems to be coming together in the early goings of June.
"We feel like we can compete against any team," Damon said. "We felt that way at the beginning of the year, but, unfortunately, things weren't clicking."

While Clemens spoke to several media outlets and answered numerous questions, he summarized his first start back with the Yankees concisely:

"It's great to be back," Clemens said. "There's great energy here, as expected, and the guys played well. Just a good day all the way through."

After the game, Jeter stirred some laughter among reporters when he said that he introduced the Yankees infielders to Clemens. After all, Jeter is the only Yankees infielder still playing in pinstripes since Clemens' three-year hiatus.

The feeling out at shortstop was deja vu for Jeter, who said it felt like Clemens had never left.

"His demeanor is always the same," Jeter said. "He pitches well. He's been doing it in Houston; he did it when he was here.

"When he pitches, he's pretty animated. He's pretty into the game -- brings some excitement."

All of the excitement surrounding Clemens seemed to pump adrenaline into the Yankees, especially on the basepaths.

The Yankees tested the strong arm of Pirates catcher Ronny Paulino, swiping five bags without being thrown out. Damon (11), Abreu (9), Rodriguez (7), Jeter (6) and Melky Cabrera (4) each stole one base.

Abreu said that the team's aggressiveness on the basepaths was just another sign that the Yankees are playing like, well, the Yankees.

"We hit very good, we ran the bases good," Abreu said. "We put everything together."
Posada, though not one to steal many bases, noticed the team's electricity, saying that the baserunning was "unbelievable."

Along with the effective running game, manager Joe Torre said the Yankees' strong starting pitching of late makes the team feel better about itself.

"If you go out there and score one run at a time, you have the chance to do something, as opposed to falling behind and having to catch up all the time," Torre said. "The hitters have a better approach when we're trying to do little things, and right now, we're there. We're getting very aggressive on the basepaths; we're trying to do some things."

"Yankees use Day 2 to address needs" -- June 8, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Fifty baseball players can now, and forever, tout that they were drafted by one of baseball's most storied frachises.

The Yankees selected 24 pitchers and 26 position players through Friday, finishing the two-day First-Year Player Draft heavily tilted toward experience. Of the 50 players they selected, 40 were college players.

Yankees' senior vice president and director of scouting Damon Oppenheimer said those numbers may be a bit deceiving. Four of the Yankees' first 10 selections were from the high school pool, and Oppenheimer noted how high school picks after the 16th round become difficult to sign.

Austin Romine was the Yankees' second overall pick and the first of three catchers taken by the team. With catcher Jorge Posada advancing in years, Romine could serve as a future option behind the plate. Oppenheimer pointed out, however, that the Yankees don't go into the Draft thinking about the team's current needs.

"We never go into a Draft talking about what the Major League needs are," he said. "It just doesn't work. It takes a while for players to get to the big leagues, so trying to adjust to Major League needs is not the way to go."

"Obviously, if you have a catcher and a shortstop that are sitting in the same spot on your Draft board and you have a 23-year-old shortstop in the big leagues, I think you might make the decision one way, but you're not going to draft for need."

To go along with three catchers, the Yankees selected three third basemen, three second basemen, two first basemen, four shortstops and 11 outfielders.

Oppenheimer said he was surprised that No. 10 pick Carmen Angelini fell so far in the Draft, noting that several teams most likely passed on him because they feared the shortstop wouldn't sign.

Angelini finished his senior year at Barbe (La.) High School with a .433 batting average and 52 RBIs. His primary role was as a leadoff hitter, and he swiped 38 bases in 42 attempts. He struck out just six times in 150 at-bats.

"We're really excited about quite a few of our picks, honestly," Oppenheimer said. "We didn't think that Andrew Brackman would get to 30. We didn't think we would be looking at Carmen

Angelini in the 10th round. That's a pretty good looking high school shortstop. And these other kids that we got in between there are pretty good. I really don't know if you can call any of them huge surprises, but those are exciting ones there."

Entering the Draft with the lowest pick in franchise history, the Yankees took Brackman with the 30th pick overall in the first round.

The 6-foot-10, 230-pound Brackman posted a 6-4 record with a 3.81 ERA in 13 games (all starts) as a junior at North Carolina State University in 2007 (78 innings, 78 hits, 41 runs, 33 earned runs, 37 walks, 74 strikeouts). He joins fellow Wolfpack alumni Joey Devine (2005), Corey Lee (1996), Greg Briley (1986), Dan Plesac (1983) and Ron Evans (1975) as the only first-round picks taken from N.C. State.

Brackman was excited that the Yankees chose him with their first overall pick.

"A couple of days before the Draft, I definitely heard they were interested," Brackman said. "After I heard they were interested, I said, 'I hope the teams that pick before them don't pick me because I'd like to go to the Yankees instead of all the other teams before.'

"Growing up, I always had Yankees hats, Yankees stuff. Some people aren't fans of the Yankees and ask why. Why not? Why not wear the hat? They're the best team in baseball. How can you root against them?"