Game 6: Keeping Your Chien Up

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Chien-Ming Wang (1-0, 2.57) vs. James Shields (1-0, 2.57)

Ah, spring. What does spring mean to you? To me spring means three things: green grass, a new baseball season, and a Jason Giambi injury. After leaving yesterday's game with a groin injury, Wilson Betemit started at first base for Giambi today. The Yankees claim that Giambi is only day-to-day with his injury, but with guys like Giambi, that could mean a DL stint. If that does happen expect them to just call up another pitcher, they don't need another first baseman. Duncan, Betemit, and Ensberg will be fine, or even better.

Chien-Ming Wang started the game this Sunday afternoon for the Yankees, trying to end the two game losing streak. He's coming off of a very solid start against the Blue Jays on opening day. Man, was he impressive today. He held the Rays to a no-hitter through 4+ innings until Willy Aybar singled, and would end up giving up only 4 hits and 2 walks through 6+ innings. In addition to the 7 grounders he induced, he was able to strike out 6 Rays.

Joba Chamberlain came in in the 7th with 2 men on, and was able to get out of the jam on a nice double-play started by Robinson Cano. Girardi decided to go with Joba in the 8th against 3 lefties rather than Billy Traber, but it worked out anyway, as he had a clean 8th. Mariano Rivera then came in to strikeout 2 to claim his third save of the season.

With the exception of Hideki Matsui, who Joe Girardi move up to the 5th spot in the lineup today, the offense was once again non-existant and not at all clutch. They were only able to score 2 runs off of a Hideki Matsui homer despite the fact that they had 9 hits and a walk. They are just plain not being patient enough; they're swinging at too many balls and getting out too early in the count.

W: Chien-Ming Wang (2-0)
L: James Shields (1-1)
S: Mariano Rivera (3)

HR: Hideki Matsui (2)
MVP: Hideki Matsui

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John Nalbone reports that Trenton 2B Kevin Russo was taken off the AA Trenton roster and sent to the Gulf Coast League because of adnormalities in his blood.

Reserve infielder Kevin Russo, after a scorching spring at the plate, will return to Florida today and undergo further testing after abnormalities have
been found in bloodwork originally extracted during a routine pre-camp physical. "I am just going to go down there and do anything and everything the doctors need me to do," said Russo, who hit .281 with 19 stolen bases at Single-A Tampa last season. "I am having a bone marrow test, but right now that's all I really know. There is something in my blood, something to do with a low platelet count. All of that stuff is scary. The most important thing is to be healthy, so now I just have to trust in the doctors and get this thing taken care of ... whatever it is." Originally, infielder Carlos Mendoza was going to be shifted to the Gulf Coast League roster in a paper move. "I don't know what the problem is with Kevin ... I don't think anyone does at this point," manager Tony Franklin said. "But they feel it's significant enough for him to go back down there and see what's going on."