Game 56: Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees, Hernandez vs. Phelps

There was a rainout in the 2004 ALCS that allowed the Red Sox to reshuffle their rotation. I don't recall if that impacted the outcome of the series because I suffered a serious, self-inflicted concussion in the middle of October that year and have no memory of baseball until the following Spring Training.

You may remember people saying the Yankees had caught a break when their April 30th game against the Mariners was rained out. They wouldn't have to face King Felix; they wouldn't have to take a near certain loss at the hands of the best pitcher in the American League.

Well.

The offense averaged 4 runs per game in April and in May, but they were worse in May in batting average, slugging and on base percentage. Where they were a notch above average in April, they fell a notch below average in May.

Let's face it- David Phelps has given the Yankees more than they deserve; he's taken hard luck losses his last two times out, both quality starts. The Bronx Bombers have won only once in Phelps' five starts, but that has everything to do with the weakness of the offense.

Maybe today is the day that luck starts to change, for Phelps and for the Yanks.

Where there's life, there's hope.

Go Yankees. Go baseball.