Record Last Week: 3-4 (39 RS, 30 RA)
Season Record: 36-27 (360 RS, 324 RA), 2.0 GB
Opponents This Week: vs. Washington (3 games), @ Florida (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• The Yanks started the week off by wrapping up a series victory over the Rays, a mere formality before heading north to take on their chief rivals.
• In what was supposed to be a statement series, the pitching staff crapped the bed on Tuesday before Chien-Ming Wang did the same on Wednesday. CC Sabathia did his best to keep the Yanks in the game on Thursday, but the bullpen gave it up late and the Bombers headed home on the wrong end of a three game sweep.
• After the disappointing showing in Fenway, the Yanks returned home to take on crosstown rivals, the Mets. Friday’s game was all but tucked away in the loss column until Luis Castillo got butterfingers, but the team couldn’t carry the momentum in Saturday and came up empty. They finished the weekend off with a bang, pounding the Mets for the biggest shutout win in Subway Series history.
• The 2009 amateur draft was also held last week, and the Yanks took outfielder Slade Heathcott with their first pick, and catcher JR Murphy with their second. They also landed some solid talent in the later rounds.
• Brian Bruney is set to be activated on Tuesday after pitching in a rehab game on Saturday, but Xavier Nady is still two weeks away.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 4-2 (38 RS, 27 RA)
Season Record: 33-23 (321RS, 290 RA), 0.5 game lead in AL East
Opponents This Week: vs. Tampa Bay (1 game), @ Boston (3 games), vs. Mets (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• Joba Chamberlain started the week off with a bang, throwing eight dominant innings in Cleveland to give the team a series win. The Yanks set a Major League record that day by playing error free for their 18th consecutive game, a testament to their improved defense.
• Just a week after winning a three game series in Texas, the Yanks welcomed the Rangers came to the Bronx on Tuesday. The offense welcomed Texas with a 12-3 beatdown in the first game of the series, but Andy Pettitte couldn’t keep it going on Wednesday. Chien-Ming Wang finished up the series with his first start since April 18th, and the team had to bail him out with a late inning rally for the win.
• After a Friday night rain out, the Yankees suffered a disappointing loss on Saturday when Mariano Rivera faltered in the ninth. They rebounded with a late-inning comeback win on Sunday, and ended the week the same way they started it: in first place.
• On the injury front, the Yanks are close to getting some key players back. Brian Bruney was pain free after a Sunday bullpen session and could be back in as little as a week-and-a-half. Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte are rehabbing down in Tampa, while Cody Ransom and Jose Molina each took a step towards returning. We got a little scare when we learned that Joba may have a lingering shoulder issue, but thankfully that got shot down quickly.
• Things went well down on the farm as well. Austin Jackson hit his first homerun of the year on Thursday, and the Yanks’ new top prospect picked up a hit in his first game after a promotion to Double-A Trenton. Unfortunately, it looks like the Yanks will be operating on a budget during this week’s draft.
• Cablevision and the YES also agreed to the first in-market agreement to stream games live to subscribers.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 4-2 (40 RS, 21 RA)
Season Record: 29-21 (283 RS, 263 RA), 0.5 game lead in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Cleveland (1 game), vs. Texas (3 games) vs. Tampa Bay (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• Phil Hughes started the week off with a bang, firing eight shutout innings in Texas against the team that had the best record in the American League at the time. The next game didn’t go so well, as Joba Chamberlain got knocked around a bit after a lengthy rain delay. AJ Burnett rebounded well the next night, and the Yanks escaped Arlington with a series win.
• The Yanks then jumped into Cleveland following an off day and grabbed the lead in the AL East on Friday thanks to Andy Pettitte and Al Aceves. CC Sabathia was the man yet again on Saturday, and the weekend closed out with a disappointing walk-off loss when Brett Gardner got cold feet on the bases.
• With the season just about a third of the way over, it’s time for the team to start tweaking its inefficient roster. The Yanks have made it clear that they will not move Joba to the bullpen, but they might look for relief help. They’ve also inquired about Mark DeRosa for a bench spot.
• With Chien-Ming Wang doing well, (albeit uncomfortably), in his role as a reliever, it suddenly looks like the Yanks may have too much good pitching. I say enjoy the depth, it has a way of running thin before you know it.
• Kevin Cash was optioned to Triple-A Scranton when Jorge Posada made his return from a sore hamstring, but there was some uncertainty about what roster move would be made to accommodate Georgie. Xavier Nady is playing in games down in Extended Spring Training, so his return to the lineup isn’t too far off.
• Things are going so well for the Yanks right now that even the uber-boring Derek Jeter has gotten the most All-Star votes so far.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 5-2 (45 RS, 30 RA)
Season Record: 25-19 (243 RS, 242 RA), 1.0 GB
Opponents This Week: @ Texas (3 games), @ Cleveland (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• The week started off the same way the previous week ended, with the Yanks beating the Twins. Phil Coke earned his first career save as the team wrapped up it’s first series sweep* of 2009.
• With the team playing the best baseball it’s played all season, the Orioles were helpless when they came to the Bronx. CC Sabathia set the tone with a dominating performance on Tuesday, and the offense took charge on Wednesday. Ben and I were in the stands on Thursday as Joba Chamberlain took a liner off the leg (thankfully he’s okay) and the offense poured it on late. The second series sweep* of 2009 was in the books.
• All good things must come to an end, and it just so happened that the Yanks’ nine game winning streak came to an end when the defending World Champs came to town. AJ Burnett and Chien-Ming Wang continued their struggles in game one of the series, but the team rebounded with a walk-off win the next day against Brad Lidge. They mounted another comeback off Lidge yesterday, but alas, it just delayed the loss.
• Brian Bruney returned from a month long hiatus due to a cranky elbow, but he managed to make only one appearance before it sidelined him a second time. Chien-Ming Wang also came back from injury, but we think the Yanks may have rushed him. Thankfully Xavier Nady is close to starting rehab. Mo knows they could use the extra bat.
• It’s no secret the bullpen has struggled, but it looks like one guy has emerged as a potential stalwart. It might be tougher than expected to get some help since the Yanks are unable to add payroll right now.
• The New Stadium continues to be a hot topic, as one pitcher on the team expressed his frustration. It’s been just 23 games, so this bandbox stuff is a bit overblown.
• Lastly, the new Metro-North Station opened.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

* Two-game series don’t count

Record Last Week: 5-1 (26 RS, 19 RA)
Season Record: 20-17 (198 RS, 212 RA), 4.5 GB
Opponents This Week: vs. Minnesota (1 game), vs. Baltimore (3 games), vs. Philadelphia (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• The week started off on a down note, as the Yanks ran into the buzzsaw that is Roy Halladay. The Yanks rebounded to win the series, pounding Scott Richmond before following the lead of their ace in the final game.
• The Yanks followed up their series win north of the border in exciting fashion, taking the first three games of a weekend wrap-around series at home against the Twins. Their tandem of young center fielders carried the team to a walk-off win on Friday, then Mark Teixeira & Alex Rodriguez imposed their will on the Twinkies in another walk-off win on Saturday. Johnny Damon capped off the weekend of walk-offs with a 10th inning blast yesterday.
• Chien-Ming Wang fired seven shutout innings in his latest rehab start, and both Brian Bruney and Jorge Posada are progressing well and close to returning. Although he missed some games with a slight oblique injury, Derek Jeter returned to the lineup mid-week.
• Johnny Damon was named AL Player of the Week, but unfortunately Nick Swisher is in the middle of an ugly regression to the mean. Mariano Rivera’s old fastball returned this week as well.
• A few days after Lonn Trost showed everyone how to suck at PR, the Yanks announced fans will be allowed to access certain field level seating areas during batting practice.
• The Yanks also made a minor trade last week, picking up righty reliever Romulo Sanchez from the Pirates.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Before we get to this week’s recap, I want to point out some recent additions to our Commenting Guidelines:

10. Do not post the same comment in multiple threads. If you post something just before a game thread is closed, feel free to repeat it in the spillover thread, but do not abuse the privilege. Any repeat comments will be deleted, and if you continue to repost comments you’ll be banned.

11. Do not post false breaking news. This is a zero tolerance item. You will be banned immediately if you are caught making up information. Breaking news should be emailed to one or all of use so we can start a thread with a new post.

Thanks for continuing to make RAB the best blog community out there.

Record Last Week: 2-5 (30 RS, 40 RA)
Season Record: 15-16 (172 RS, 193 RA), 5.5 GB
Opponents This Week: @ Toronto (3 games), vs. Minnesota (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• Of course the biggest news of the week was the return of Alex Rodriguez. He hit a three run homer on the first pitch he saw this season, but still only played second fiddle to CC Sabathia’s masterful complete game shutout of the Orioles. The Yanks took two of three from O’s thanks to Johnny Damon’s late inning heroics and continued hot streak. Someone needs to get this dude a sign, seriously.
• Earlier in the week the team was swept in a two game set at home by the Red Sox. The Yanks’ two young pitchers were hit around a bit, but at least Joba Chamberlain rebounded to strikeout a career high 12. The biggest loss of the series was Jorge Posada, who injured his hamstring and had to be placed on the DL.
• After the Sox left town, the Rays came in and promptly handed the Yanks another two losses. The biggest casualities of that series were Jose Molina and Mariano Rivera, who had to hit the DL and have their greatness questioned, respectively. Joe Girardi officially hit the hot seat after the pair of two game sweeps.
• The Yanks made a flurry of roster moves throughout the week, calling up Al Aceves, Brett Tomko, and Kevin Cash, while Mark Melancon and David Robertson were shipped back to Triple-A Scranton. RHPs Eric Hacker & Steven Jackson were designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster. The Depth Chart reflects all of this activity.
• Chien-Ming Wang continued his rehab from weaks hips (I can’t help but laugh at that injury) and is set to make to make a minor league start on Tuesday. Xavier Nady is ready to begin swinging drills to test his partially torn UCL. Ian Kennedy’s injury news went from bad to worse, as he’ll miss the foreseeable future with an aneurysm under his armpit.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 4-2 (42 RS, 27 RA)
Season Record: 13-11 (142 RS, 153 RA), 3.5 GB
Opponents This Week: vs Boston (2 games), vs. Tampa Bay (2 games), @ Baltimore (3 games)

Top stories from last week:

• The Yankees took two of three in Detroit thanks to Phil Hughes’ return to the majors and Joba Chamberlain’s best start of the season.
• They also took two of three from the Angels, highlighted by a roller coaster ride that was the team’s best win of the year. The fourth game of the series was rained out and will be played at a later date. Thankfully the Halos will be the ones makig the cross country flight for the make up game, not the Bombers.
• The bullpen continues to be the team’s Achilles’ heel, and one reliever blamed it on a lack of defined roles.
• Alex Rodriguez returned to game action and could be back with the team ahead of schedule. Chien-Ming Wang is also working his way back.
• Xavier Nady is having an experimental procedure performed on his elbow in hopes of speeding up his return. Damaso Marte hit the DL with a weak shoulder, and Ian Kennedy will miss some time with a vasospasm that was causing him to feel numbness in his fingers.
• Some ticket prices at the New Stadium were cut in half. Now they’re just outrageous rather than absurd.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.