Welcome to LIVE BLOGSVILLE!

Pitcher: I-Ken
Lineup:
Damon CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui LF
Betemit DH
Kennedy RHP

Jorgie back but Melky out - his suspension starts today (just two games).

6:38pm EDT: The weather is not looking good in the Bronx, kiddos: showers already and more forecast through tonight. Let's all cross our toes that the rain is light enough for play through. I cannot suffer another rained-out game.

6:40pm EDT: Girardi called in sick tonight due to "an illness." AVIAN FLU!!!

6:49pm EDT: I'm listening to WCBS and Suzyn is interviewing Jobamania - I love this kid's modesty. How could anyone think he was a cocky beast?

7pm EDT: It drives me so batty that the Extra Innings package doesn't show the pre- and post-game coverage when the feed is coming from YES.

The stands are pretty empty because of the rain...

HOLY HELL JON OLDERUD IS AN ELF HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE THAT?!

No Paully and his perm tonight -- the aforementioned elf will and Ken Singleton are workin' with Mr Kay tonight. Ken Singleton is one of my faves up in the booth.

4:04pm EDT: "This is a new Tampa Bay. New uniforms, and they no longer use 'Devil' in the name." Their team will still fail, but it'll be in cooler jerseys.

AAAAAAAAAAND we're off to the races!

Top First:
I-Ken will face Iwamura, Crawford, and Pena to start the game. It doesn't appear to be raining at the moment, so that's a good sign.

Iwamura works himself a walk and is off to first base.

Crawford grounds into a fielders choice - Giambi grabbed it and threw to Jeet to get Iwamura, but they can't turn a DP so there's one out and one on for Pena.

I like the hockey goalie masks a lot of the catchers are wearing these days. Snazzy looking and certainly much safer.

Pitch out, Crawford steals safely as Molina's throw was not quite quick enough.

Ian Kennedy looks approximately 12 years old.

Pena grounds out up the middle, Jeet holds Crawford to one base and there's two away for Upton.

They walk Upton in four straight, and there's runners on the corners.

Uncle Cliff Floyd is DH-ing today. He's old.

Pitch count up to 21 already. Settle down, Kenny.

What the hell, Jeet? Reyes woulda had that... Cliffy singles right past Jeet and puts the Rays on the board first.

Still two outs, runners on the corners, by the way.

28 pitches.

Whew! Catcher Navarro grounds out easily to Giambi (who is STILL playing first) to end the inning.

Answer back, Yanks!

Bottom First:
Damon starts us off with a grounder to first. Onward to Jeet.

Jeter flies out to right.

Wow, Michael Kay just mentioned Baseball Prospectus - just yesterday I was discussing the fact that Girardi has the BP book on his desk in his office.

The Totally Not Devil-ish Rays have NEVER had a 80-win season.

There we go! Abreu, who is HOT, hits a ground-rule double to right.

I was a bit mixed up earlier -- its Flaherty in the booth, not Olerud. Why the hell was I thinking Olerud?

I'm drunk.

A-Rod pops up for out #3 and strands Bobby.

Back to I-Ken! Let's hope his jitters have calmed themselves a tad.

Top Second:
I-Ken gets Hinske to pop out to Bobby and gets a quick out. He needs to conserve pitches, STAT!

There's strikeout #1! Haynes goes down swinging. Kenny has a chance for a 1-2-3 inning here, which would be ideal with that rising pitch count.

Is it just me or is this strike-zone all over the place?

I-Ken throws three balls in a row but comes back to strike out Bartlett! 3 up, 3 down, and Ken looks much better.

Bottom Second:
Giambi is leading off this inning, and he's still looking for his first hit. His bat was so hot in Spring Training - what happened?

Dandy Andy is all set to pitch tomorrow - whew!

Upton robs Giambi of a base hit in centerfield with a sweet catch.

Cano pops out for the second out of the inning. He needs to get his bat going, too.

Posada is in and the crowd gave him a nice "glad your shoulder isn't really busted, old man!" reception.

Down looking. Tres outs (afueras?)

Top Third:
Iwamura goes after the first pitch and sends a single into left field.

GREAT play by Cano! Crawford hits a grounder sending in between Giambi and Cano, but Cano makes the grab, twirls gracefully in the air like a lovely ballerina, and gets Crawford at first.

IPK throws a wild one past Molina and Iwamura is now at third for Pena.

Walk.

53 pitches now...

His command is just not with him tonight. Giambi's trying to give him some positive vibes.

I HATE seeing an infield single... from an opposing team, that is. Upton hits a super slow one and they are unable to get anyone out. Runners on first and second, one out, and the score is now 2-0.

Uncle Cliff works a full count and then walks to load the bases.

CALM YO'SELF I-KEN

Shawn Riggans is pinch-hitting for Navarro. Is he injured?

PS I like the name "Riggans." Say it with a Cockney accent!

Come on, DP.

This ump is being brutal!

I-KEN! I told you to SIMMER DOWN.

Bases clearing double for Mr Riggans. WTF?

Score is 5-0 and Kenny-boy is fading fast.

Jonathan Albaladejo has come in to pitch for I-Ken.

Who? Yeah, me too.

Hinske is up first and he gets the best of JA. An RBI dub... score 6-0 now.

Poor IPK. He looks so sad on the bench :( Le sigh

Finally an out. Haynes grounds out and Hinske moves to third, but there's two outs now.

Bartlett sends a few fowl but finally strikes out.

FIVE runs score on just THREE hits.

Come on, Yanks. Get things rollin' for me.

Bottom Third:
Plenty of time. Don't fret, my pets.

Matsui knocks one outta the park and the Yanks are on the scoreboard!

What the hell, Michael Kay didn't do the SEEEEEEEYA!

Failure.

ALRIGHT, rally time! Molina sends one sailing to the warning track and cruises to second. He's got a 3-game hitting streak!

One on and nobody out for Damon.

Goddamn you Damon. Strike out.

ALRIGHT JEET! Standup RBI triple and the Yanks are chipping away!

6-2 Rays with one out now for the red-hot Bobster.

This strike-zone really is absurd. It's about two square inches and all over the place.

Bobby executes a nice sac grounder and Jeter scores uncontested to put the score at 6-3.

Nobody on, two outs, for MVP-Rod.

Single right up the middle! A-Rod keeps the inning alive!

This would be a good time for Giambi to finally get his first hit...

AAAAAAAND he has my blog being read by someone to him via a special earpiece! RBI double!

The Yanks have cut the Ray's lead down to just two runs - 6-4, Cano is the tying run at the plate.

Rays 'pen is seeing some action.

Cano pops out in foul territory to end the inning, but not before some damage was done - 4 runs and a very tired Sonnanstine.

We're heading into the fourth!

Top Fourth:
OH COME ON JEET?! What the hell. The ball bounced practically into his glove but he couldn't figure it out somehow. E5 and Iwamura's on.

Aldobleajadioews gets Crawford on three straight strikes. Let's make quick work of this inning and get back to that rally.

Strike 'im out throw 'im out double play - one of the sweetest defensive plays to watch! Pena down swinging and Iwamura gunned down by Molina.

Albosdalkjwekl did his job!

Bottom Fourth:
Jorgie hasn't had a hit yet (though he's only played in one before this). Let's make it happen now.

Or... ground out to first.

Matso Ball foul tips it right into Riggan's glove and theres another out.

Molina grounds out to second, and just like that our rally is dunzo!

Come on, boyzos!

Plenty of time, though.

Top Fifth:
Alblosdlkweouisfd is back to attack for a third inning.

What are the Bleacher Creatures changing out there? I can't make it out.

He gets Upton on strikes and he's got four strikeouts already!

Uncle Cliffy goes after the first pitch and grounds out. Alba has really taken control of this game.

1-2-3 for Alba as Riggan's flies out to center.

Kay has said that Alba is likely going to be the one to get sent down when they bring Dandy Andy off the DL and back onto the roster, but the man is making a good case for himself to be thought of the next time there's a spot to fill.

Bottom Fifth:
Damon flies out to start the inning.

That is NOT how we start a rally, Johnny. Fail.

Jeter sends a ground ball up the middle to Iwamura for the second out of the inning.

Sonnanstine really is getting a lot of calls, and that ump was vicious when I-Ken was pitching. Am I wrong?

Abreu chases an outside pitch and Sonny gets another 1-2-3 inning.

Is Albasioudfqwio coming back?

Top Sixth:
It's going to be Ross Ohlendorf, who contributed well as a late-season call-up, to pitch the top of this inning.

Hinske sends one SAILING into left field - I thought it was gone - and Matsui catches it on the run for out number one.

NICE work, A-Rah! Haynes rockets one down towards left and A-Rod makes the grab and sends it to Giambi for the out.

Swing-and-a-miss! Oley needs just 9 pitches to get the Rays in order.

Now I DEMAND some runs. The relief pitching has been too solid to waste on a loss.

Bottom Sixth:
A-Rod grounds out to Bartlett. Sonny is still under 80 pitches!

OUCH! Giambi smacks out right into Sonny's foot and it ricochets right over to first base.

Cano really needs to get his bat workin. He needs some encouraging hugs from Melky ASAP.

Another ground out. Son has gotten the last 10 guys in a row out.

Who's up in the pen? Methinks its Traber time...

Top Seventh:
Just saw a commercial for "The Joe Girardi Show." Someone that lives in NY and gets YES... let us know how it is. And what it is.

It is Billy-Boy indeed.

Iwamura gets himself another single, right between A-Rah and Jeterjeterpumpkineater.

There's some defense! 4-6-3 double play on a Crawford grounder and there's two outs for Pena.

Strike three! Traber has a solid inning.

He sure came out of nowhere, didn't he?

Bottom Seventh:
Sonny is finally gone - Wheeler has come in to take over.

Jorgie leads off with a ground-out to second.

Matso Ball... out. Come on dudes.

Next up is Molina...

AAAAAAAAAAND pop.

Inning over.

Grumble.

Top Eighth:
LaTroy Hawkins joins the Reliever Parade.

Upton grounds one to Jeter, who makes a very poor throw to Giambi for what should have been his second error of the game. Giambi makes a ghost tag, but the umps think he tagged him and the Yanks get their first lucky break of the night.

SEEYA! Goddamn. Uncle Cliff sends one sailing over the right field wall to make the score 7-4. The Yanks have some work to do in the bottom of this inning.

Riggans grounds out and gives LaTroy his second out.

MATSO! Fail. Hinske flies over to left field but Matsui can't quite make the catch. If he was just .00001mph faster he woulda had it.

Melky woulda had it.

Bernie woulda had it...

Haynes sends one down past Jeet and he is able to nab it, but he can't get the throw to Giambi in time so everyone is safe. Hinske to third, Haynes to first, and there's two on and two out for Barlett.

Stolen base Haynes.

UG!

Bartlett loops one into center and earns himself two ribbies. He's on to second base and the score has jumped to 9-4.

NOOOOOOOOOOO FARNSWORTHLESS IS UP IN THE 'PEN GO AWAY

LaTroy is out of control. Iwamura hits another single to put runners on the corners for Crawford.

Oh COME ON! What is this, BP?!

Another base hit, another run, score 10-4.

LTH gets the hook and it's time for F'worth.

AAAAAAAAND seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeya. Thanks Farny. 3-run homer for Pena and the score is now an embarrassing 13-4 Rays.

Upton goes after F'worth's first pitch and gets on base with a single.

Make it stop.

PS: Did F'th think that he wouldn't suck as much if he grew out his hair? He was wrong.

Farny somehow manages to strike out Uncle Cliff, but it's too little too late.

Heading into the Yanks' half of the inning with a 9-run deficit.

Hit me a 9-run homer, Damon!

Bottom Eighth:
Trever Miller is in to pitch for the Rays. I'm feeling a 9-consecutive-homers rally.

Damon draws a walk after getting the count up to 3-2. Not my consecutive homers idea, but this'll do.

Jeet misses a homer by about five feet. One away.

SPIRIT COORDINATOR IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

Someone is trying to smack a homer... Shelley hits one long but foul.

Ground-out. He was going for a home run or bust. Bust.

Wilson Betermint is in to take over for A-Rod. I guess the Yanks have pretty much given up for tonight.

The Mint pops one up to end the inning and the Yanks will have just one more chance to score 9+.

Top Ninth:
F'worth is back in again, but the b-team has come to play defense. Ensberg has taken over at first, Betermint at third, and the Spirit Coordinator is out in right field.

Riggans gets another hit, this one past Jeter, who officially looks uninterested.

I think Farnsworthless actually irritates me even more than Pavano. How could that be?

The hair put him over the edge.

Its a Christmas miracle! Farn strikes out Hinske.

It's an Arbor Day mircale! Farn gets Haynes on strikes, too!

It's a Columbus Day miracle! Bartlett flies out to SC and Farn gets himself a 1-2-3 inning for the first and last time of the season.

Last chance, Kids. B-team: Hop to it.

Bottom Ninth:
Scott Dohmann has come in to try to finish the game.

Ensberg steps up to the plate for his first Yankee at-bat.

M.E. looks like he should be in the stands selling hot dogs, not hitting in this lineup. Ground out. One away.

Cano out on a grounder to third.

Last chance lies in Jorgie's bat. 9-run single!

Jorgie is trying to save the Yanks some money by not ever getting a new, clean helmet.

Strike three.

Game ovah.

What a pathetic display by the Yanks offense. Sonny pitched well, but not as well as the score would have you think.

I-Ken gets the loss, Sonny gets the win, and anyone still reading this gets a gold star.

See you tomorrow - if the game isn't blacked out on Extra Innings.