Around the Yankee Universe, 06.01.09

The only good thing about Sunday's loss to Cleveland is that Carl 'Friggin' Pavano did not get the win. Let's look around the Inter-Google at stories about our New York Yankees that are making headlines.

• Phil Coke tried to blame the home plate umpire for his lead off walk of No. 9 hitter Travis Crowe that eventually cost the Yankees Sunday's game. This just in, Phil. You're a rookie. Shut up and throw strikes, which your 3-2 pitch clearly was not. Oh, and take a lesson from Brett Gardner. When you screw up, which Gardner did a couple of times on Sunday, accept the responsibility. Don't whine and act spoiled.
  
• I know most of you probably don't have ESPN Insider, so I will share with you some of what Peter Gammons blogged recently about Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees.

this seems to be a different Alex, not the guy that the great Frank Deford once described as trying to play the role of Alex Rodriguez in a movie about Alex Rodriguez. It seems he better understands what he is, namely a great baseball player, not Brad Pitt. He hasn't made Mark Teixeira, who was hurt the first two weeks and has traditionally been a mediocre April hitter, but he has complemented him; now Rodriguez and Teixeira are what David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were to Boston from 2003 to 2007.

I know many of you think of Gammons as a Red Sox homer, and sometimes I do, too. This is not a bad read, though. He also has some thoughts on the Yankees' personality, and their pitching staff.

• Interesting note from Peter Abraham about Joe Torre and the fact he still roots for the Yankees.

“I have to pull for them. People think because you leave the Yankees and supposedly you’re unhappy with each other that you’re supposed to pull against them. But I can’t pull against the individuals over there, least of all Girardi who played for me, coached for me. I recommended him when he had his first managing job.

“This kid is going to be one of the top managers. This I know is a dream job for him and I’m glad things are getting better for him.”

• In his game thread Sunday, Pete Abe also called for the Yankees to promote the red-hot Shelley Duncan from Scranton-Wilkes Barre and release Angel Berroa. I can't disagree with that at all. Keeping Berroa around is, at this point, simply wasting a roster spot. Besides, Nick Swisher is struggling, Johnny Damon is hurting and Hideki Matsui can't play the field. The Yanks could use another corner outfield option right now.
• The Yankees can set a major league record if they do not make an error tonight. Currently, they are tied with the 2006 Boston Red Sox with a 17-game errorless streak. Of course, if they make an error tonight you guys will say I jinxed them.
  
• Chien-Ming Wang's three scoreless innings Sunday provided another encouraging sign. I still think Wang should have been allowed to stay in to start the ninth inning Sunday.

NOTE: There is now a moratorium on Joba Chamberlain 'Fan Posts.' No more until/unless something officially changes with his status. It's a tired topic, everyone has dug in their heels on their position, and continuing to rehash it serves no purpose. Going forward, I am going to delete any new ones.