The Yankees go out to the west coast for their last trip there for the season (until a potential playoff matchup). It's great that they're getting this all wrapped up in July, but it it rough that they had to fly out to Oakland with no off-day in between. They'll get one after they play four games in Oakland and three games in Seattle to conclude their busy post-All-Star Break 13-game, two-coast stretch. The furthest the Yankees have to go for another series will be a three-game series against the Twins in Minneapolis from September 24-26. So huzzah for that!
- In not-so-huzzah news, the Yankees received some bad news as they learned that outfielder Brett Gardner will undergo surgery to remove inflamed tissue from his right elbow. Tanya has more on the injury in her story below.
- In the same LoHud article, it also says that David Phelps is back with the Yankees, replacing fellow unused AAA starter D.J. Mitchell. Additionally, oddly claimed outfielder Darnell McDonald has cleared waivers and will report to the traveling roadshow in AAA.
- LoHud has the Yankees' lineup for tonight. Eric Chavez playing third base in Oakland, perhaps for nostalgia, but more likely to give Alex Rodriguez a half-day off. The Centaur will be the DH and Chris Stewart will catch. Stewart still does not show up in the auto-tag. Sad.
- Hey, let's talk about A-Rod some more! The Yankee Analysts breaks down his best and worth months of the season thus far. He's been hitting for power much more lately, something that will hopefully pipe down the boobirds at home. We shall see...
- Sad news came out of Saratoga Springs today as baseball fans learned that Babe Ruth biographer and Sports Ilustrated inaugural writer Robert Creamer had passed away at the age of 90. I've linked to Alex Remington's write-up for the man at FanGraphs, but David Brown also has a good tribute up at Yahoo! Sports.
- David Wells is up to shenanigans. Hilarity ensues.
- "In the year two thousannnnnnnnnd!" (O'Brien, Conan)
- Your Mearns-approved Random Twitter Account to Follow of the Day: Dr. Keith Harris, who is about the most rad Civil War historian possible. Yes, that is possible, and yes, you will be entertained.