Tonight, In the MLB...

Yankees (30-21) take on the first place Rangers (30-20). Padilla vs. Burnett, both 3-2, with a 4.7 ERA.

Meanwhile, Red Sox (29-22) take on the first place Tigers (28-21). Matsuzaka vs. Porcella.

So this week 3 first place teams play with a projected first place winner. Interesting week.

Around the Division, Hold First With Some Help

Yankees hold onto first place thanks to a 10-5 win against the Cleveland Indians and a Boston loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees are now 1.5 ahead of both the Blue Jays and the Red Sox. Tampa Bay also won today against the Twins, 5-2, so they keep their spot 5.5 games behind. The Orioles, however, fall to the Tigers, 3-6 and fall back another game, 6.5. This league still is the tightest in baseball at this time. And with the Dodgers having trouble in Chicago, could very well be in the running for best division with best division leader.

Game 22, at Detroit, the Game

Joba pitches tonight.

The Tigers get a little lead in the third, but the Yankees get it back, with style. In the forth score 7 with a Swisher 3 run homerun, a Damon RBI double, and a Matsui 3 RBI double. Then in the fifth Swisher gets another homerun as an insurance run, again.

Fire confusion in Detroit tonight. The fire alarm has gone off in the Tigers ballpark in the eighth inning. Wow that was interesting, people started leaving the field and the players started to get off the field.

Well I was surprised with Girardi's decision to have Jonathan Albaladejo stay in after throwing 8 balls and 2 strikes, 1 as a hit for a double. Finally taken out after 3 hits, 2 earned runs and only 24 pitches, 11 for strikes. Wow, Rivera comes in with 1 out remaining. And a three run home run. All right, just one more out, come on.

Anyways, Joba pitched for 7 innings with only 3 hits and allowing 1 run with 3 walks and 6 strike outs. Damon went 2-4 with an RBI and as a run, Matsui went 1-2 but made it count with a 3 RBI double. Swisher went 2-5, both hits as home runs with 4 RBIs. Boy did they need them, Tigers almost caught back up. Interesting.

Next game tomorrow at home against the LA Angels. Burnett goes for another win at home at 7:05.

Game 22, at Detroit, Joba goes for first decided, NY trip soon?

Joba Chamberlain takes on Rick Porcello. An undecided to a 1-2. After the Yankees most powerful inning of the season, Joba takes over for game 3 of this 1-1 series. Lets go Joba get a decided game, and by decided game I mean Win. Game starts at 7:05 tonight, ESPN.

Wow, taking a look at the new ticket plans for New Yankee Stadium, I might head out to NY this year. Many prices cut, season ticket holder getting twice as many seats. No joke the economy is effecting everyone and everything. Many tickets were cut down 40%. The only reason why they are talking about this on ESPN is, come on, they're the Yankees. Anyone else and chances are it'd be lost in that teams news archives. Oh well, everyone's got to have their piece of the best I guess.

Hughes, so Hughes might take Joba's starter spot and move Joba back to the eighth inning reliever spot. Fine with me, I'm predicting Joba will be the closer after Rivera.

In other news, Red Sox snap streak with a Pitching error. Sweet, Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox Hero, 1-5 with a strike out. David Ortiz, 1-4, still homerunless.

Game 21, at Detroit, Hughes, Who's Hurt, and Rivera

Phil Hughes came from the minors to help out the Yankees starters tonight, and boy he made it interesting. Real pitchers battle tonight in Detroit with only 4 Yankee hits and 2 Tiger hits in the first six innings.

In the seventh the Yankees break it wide open, with a Posada double error, Swisher and Cabrera score. Then Johnny Damon singles to score Berroa, running for Posada. Then Matsui singles to score Jeter, Cano singles to score Damon, Swisher's second at bat in the inning walks to load the bases up. With a Cabrera walk, Matsui scores. With bases loaded Molina hits a grand slam! 10-0.

And as if it wasn't enough, Swisher homers in the ninth. Insurance run i guess.

Phil Hughes you came out of no where tonight, and boy did the Yankees need it. 6.0 innings, only 2 hits! 2 walks and 6 strike outs.

Swisher, great game! 2-3, 2 walks, home run, Cabrera, also 2-3 also 2 walks, and an RBI. Molina, 1 hit but you made it count, 4 RBIs!

Today I noticed in the Yankees news that pretty much every other headline was that someone was hurt. Damon with "aches", Posada with hamstring issues, Rodriguez and Wang with their hips, yikes, they are getting old. So Damon missed a couple, Posada misses tonight, Rodriguez is still out until mid May, and Wang placed on 15 day DL.

Anyways, Rivera has 486 saves. Wow I had no idea he was so close to 500. Well good for him, I'll be keeping track of that.

Game 20, at Detroit

All right, coming off a bad weekend the week doesn't look much better. With a loss today the Yankees fall back under .500, sweet. They are looking good. 9-10 after their pathetic display today. Not scoring until the ninth with 10 strike outs and many players going 1-4. Sweet, despite the teams drought, Cano went 2-4 with a double today and scored one of the 2 runs. Good for him, he was my favorite player even during his under preformance last year and it's paying off now.

Sabathia had 7 strike outs with only 4 earned runs off of 6 hits and 0 walks. Great pitching, this is one of the games where it wasn't pitching that lost the game. The line up didn't wake up until the top of the ninth and by that time it was too late. Lets hope to win both the next 2 in Detroit and get back over .500. I am getting sick of all these Red Sox fans here. They finally have something to be happy about this season.

Game 19, at Fenway, avoid the sweep

Losing 2 already at Fenway, the Yankees play tonight to avoid the sweep. Having been tied with the Red Sox at 9-6 2 games ago, I would hate to see them be back at .500. Overall the games have been really close, no blowouts. I went through and counted all the Yankee and Red Sox games. The Yankees play six in Fenway and two at home against the Red Sox before the All Star break, then three at Fenway and seven at home after the All Star break. Lets just hope they wake up against the Red Sox after the break.

Yankees score first in the third off a sacrifice fly by Gardner. But the Red Sox get it right back with a sacrifice fly by Ortiz. Red Sox get 3 more in the fifth. 1-4. With the bases loaded in the eight and no out I though Varitek was going to hit another. Whoa boy, Melancon, you got out of a tough situation. But a sweep never looks good. Just wait till your in NY and Rodriguez is back. Back to the best hitting infield.

Teixeira and Swisher went 0-4. Power hitters were shut down tonight, good with 3 strike outs between them. Berroa, Rodriguez's replacement, went 0-3, just as good as Ransom. Mastui, Cano, and Cabrera went 2-4 with 0 RBIs.

Yankees play Detroit Tigers the next 3 game series. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7:05. All right, lets win some.

In other news, the Rangers get to a 7th game, once leading the series 3-1. Typical.