Mini-Momentum

Beating Erik Bedard is a positive, no matter the fact that Seattle butchered the ball defensively. The lineup didn't suddenly look formidable, but scratching out a win against not only a lefty, but one that's smothered the Yankees in years past is something the lineup has mostly seemed incapable of doing.

Another test arrives today with King Felix taking the hill for the Mariners. He's got a much smaller sample size for pitching against the Yankees, but he also has just as electric of an arm as Bedard. Plus, he's been consistently better this season then his left handed counterpart, so it will be tough for the Yankees to rely on him being erratic, or especially his team playing as poorly behind him as the M's did last night.

I don't really understand the logic in playing Jason Giambi against Bedard but sitting Cano. If anything, Cano has shown more signs of breaking out of his slump lately (a home run, a single on Thursday night) than the continually invisible Giambino. Plus, Cano actually takes the right approach against lefty pitching, as he seems content to go the other way and shoot balls to left field. Whereas, Mr. Big G refuses to buckle from trying to get around on every pitch, extremely willing and clearly able to hit little rollers and humpback line drives into the overshift. The blind confidence that Girardi has put in Giambi early in the year is confounding, considering how the season began with so many prospective first base time-stealers.

Then again, Shelley Duncan is up and not hitting, Ensberg is forced into action at third, and Betemit is just getting over a crazy case of pink eye/cornial ulcers. So, the field has thinned somewhat. However, there hasn't even really been an open threat of sitting Giambi down. In fact, I've heard more talk about Kevin Long saying that he's right on balls and just missing, than I've heard people questioning if he's done or not.

One veteran who has staked a claim for not being done is Mr. Mike Mussina, who has performed admirably so far this year. It seemed unlikely that he'd be a consistent quality starter when the year began, but he seems capable of providing 5-6 decent innings and keeping his team in the game, something that doesn't sound wonderful but considering the poor performances turned in by the rotation so far this year, is a blessing. With the Moose though, it's been hard for him to maintain consistent performance, so he may very well be in for a clunker this afternoon.

Looking outside, it seems as though another cool, overcast day is in the forecast, so hopefully Mike's hand doesn't cramp up like Mr. Wang's did last night. Wang, though, got through that and continues to make his case for early-season AL Cy Young favorite. The competition is pretty limited in the AL as well, maybe Halladay or Dice-K right now would be in the conversation with Wang. No doubt, he's been one of the only reasons why the Yankees are even sniffing .500 right now, and his presence every 5th day has done more this year in terms of providing stability than it ever has in year's past.

He seems to have fully turned the corner and figured out how to deal with a sub-par sinker, completely willing to mix in his 4-seam fastball and newly-discovered off-speed repertoire (slider, splitter, change-up, etc). He seemed more stubborn in years past, trying to get his sinker to straighten out in the midst of a game instead of easing off it and giving lineups a different look. Now that it appears his pitching IQ has increased, he has risen to the level of unequivocal Ace/Stopper. The questions of last year's ALDS nightmare also have subsided, at least until October, if there is an October.

Even Hank Steinbrenner yesterday posed that question, but he also provided his usual dose of bluster and angst mixed with supposed confidence in the plan. It's amazing that someone who still openly pines for Johan Santana would even bother saying he still believes in Cashman's "plan" and has high hopes for Kennedy/Hughes/Chamberlain.

Regardless, at least one small bright spot for the Yankees on a Friday night. Let's see how they can turn their iota of momentum, either into more momentum, or into another head-scratching performance.