Our New York Yankees are in Toronto tonight to face the surprisingly un-terrible (yes, I know I'm taking liberties with the English language) Toronto Blue Jays.
The Jays are 31-24, just 3.5 games back of the Yanks in the AL East and 5.5 out of first place. So, how has this happened?
Well, SB Nation's Bluebird Banter has just come out with a report card on the team's season to date, and it gives you a pretty good idea which players have been carrying the team.
What I want to know is what has gotten into Vernon Wells? The Toronto center fielder was mediocre last season (.260, 15 home runs, 66 RBI). This year, though, he is hitting .306 and already has 13 homers and 37 RBI.
I guess we get to begin finding out what this Toronto team is all about tonight. How is it, by the way, that the Yanks have played Boston and Baltimore a gazillion times already this season and tonight will be the first time they see the Blue Jays? The schedule is a mess.
- Yankee players say Commissioner Bud Selig was right not to overturn the blown call that coast Detroit's Armando Galarraga a perfect game. I would agree. It happened, and it can't be undone. By the way, Derek Jeter had some praise for umpire Jim Joyce.
- Minors To Majors wants to see Scranton Wilkes-Barre's Mark Melancon in the Yankee bullpen. Me, too. I know Melancon (4.87 ERA, 1.45 WHIP in 15 career big-league games) has not been lights out in the few chances he has gotten in the Bronx. But, the Yanks have not truly given the 25-year-old right-hander an extended opportunity to settle in and prove himself and I don't really get it. I mean, he is a highly-regarded prospect and he has to be a better option than Chad Gaudin, Boone Logan and maybe even Sergio Mitre or Chan Ho Park. Doesn't he?
- Curtis Granderson is 10-for-24 (.417) since returning from the disabled list. The Yankee offense needed the shot in the arm it is getting from the returns of Granderson and DH (catcher held hostage?) Jorge Posada.