GAME 69: Yankees at Marlins

YANKEES (38-30, Second Place in AL East)
Jeter SS
Swisher RF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Cabrera LF
Gardner CF
Sabathia LHP
Pitching: LHP CC Sabathia (6-4, 3.67).

MARLINS (34-36, Third Place NL East)
Coghlan LF
Helms 3B
Ramirez 1B
Uggla 2B
Paulino C
Ross CF
Carroll CF
Volstad RHP
Pitching: RHP Chris Volstad (4-7, 4.75).

TIME/TV: 5:05 p.m., YES.

Losers: The Yankees have lost 6 of their last 10 games and are 5-6 in interleague play. 5 those games came against the Nationals and Marlins. Today will be the rubber game against the Marlins.
Ace of the Staff: The Yankees send CC Sabathia out to the mound tonight. Sabathia is 5-1 with a 2.92 ERA in his last eight starts. Sabthia is also 23-88 (.261) with 3 home runs and 3 doubles as a hitter. Not to shabby for a pitcher.
NYDP: The Yankees grounded into 3 double plays yesterday. Six in the last two games and eight in the last four.
At Least the Pitching has Been Good: Going into last night, the Yankees starters were 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA in their last six starts. The Yankees relievers have given up 1 earned run in their last 18 innings while striking out 20.
Suspension Reduced: A.J. Burnett's six game suspension has been reduced to five games. His suspension starts today.

UPDATE 6:13: Jim and I have been out most of the day, but I am back right now to find out some good and bad news. The good news, the Yankees are winning 3-1. The bad news, Alfredo Aceves is pitching the bottom of the third inning. It appears as if CC Sabathia was taken out of the game due to an injury. I have still yet to find out what the injury is but it cannot be good.

UPDATE 6:17: Michael Kay just announced on YES that Sabathia was taken out due to tightness in the left bicep. He is day-to-day. Hopefully this is not an issue that will put him on the DL. If he should go on the DL or miss a start, the Yankees ahve Phil Hughes to step right in.

UPDATE 6:47: Hanley Ramirez just hit a bomb off of Brett Tomko. I know Phil Hughes pitched one inning yesterday, but he is a starter and should be able to give them innings. Why isn't he out there pitching? In fact, why is Tomko still on this team? This guy should only be used in mop up situations.

UPDATE 6:58: I missed the first two games on TV, but they just showed the crowd at the stadium and that has got to be the first time I have seen people in the upper deck for a regular season Florida Marlins game. They must be happy the Yankees are in town.

UPDATE 7:01: Brett Tomko ALMOST pitched a scoreless inning. But instead Cody Ross falls just short of the upper deck. This is why I want Hughes in.

UPDATE 7:31: I can't watch this team. 6-3 Marlins on an RBI single by Cantu and error from Melky as the throw got away from Posada and Robertson backing up.

UPDATE 7:52: Well there was a 10-minute delay because the Marlins had a player who was ineligable because he was pinch hit for out on the field and something with the double switch. I don't know how it will effect the game, but the way the Yankees are playing, it looks like it won't make a difference.

UPDATE 8:14: The Yankees have the tying game on third after I wrote out out this whole thing about the Yankees season to date. So I wait before publsihing it, only for Jeter to ground out to end the game. Anyway, here is what I had written down before Gardner hit that triple:

The Yankees are 2-4 against the Marlins and Nationals. They have lost 6 of their last 10. They are four games behind the Boston Red Sox. By the end of the week they could be in fourth place. Our ace might be injured, our highest paid player is in the worst season of his career, and it could be worse if Willy Aybar and Luis Castillo didn't make errors to give the Yankees wins. Ladies and gentleman...your 2009 New York Yankees.