Sorry,  all. I was watching the game without my computer, but now I have computer, HDTV, and a Yankee lead giving me the perfect recipe for a live-blog session.

Let’s start with this: All of those who said A-Rod was something to really worry about (like him not hitting) in the Series after his past 2 games. You were wrong. Great homer off the camera lens in the outfield. Thankfully, it was the one kind of play where replay can be used, and a quick review had the umpires convinced to call it a homer.

After Nick Swisher got a night off in Game 2, he came to play in game 3. Double and a Homer already. SuperSwish and Swishalicious!

Andy Pettitte had me worried in the first two innings, but he didn’t blow up, keeping the damage minimal and giving 6 quality innings so far. Oh right, he also had a HUGE RBI and scored a run. His pitch count is at 104, so it is possible that Andy could start the seventh. Our Lord the Savior Joba Chamberlain is warming in the ‘pen though.

The Yanks needed to get into the Phillies ‘pen early and they did, knocking Hamels out only one out into the fifth. What happened to the guy that was so dominant a year ago?

Is it just me, or should JA Happ have been tabbed the Game 4 starter for Philly instead of Joe Blanton. It’s sad that the Rookie of the Year candidate is in the ‘pen despite what was an all-star caliber season.

From here on out it’ll be live updates as Damon steals 2nd here in the top of the 7th.

UPDATE: The Phillies fans are all waving white towels in the air. The Colorado Rockies started that back in ’07, and I’m guessing Philly just took the idea. It looks really cool, both on camera and in person. It is a tad annoying though, as at least one person within a 6 seat radius of you is bound to get hit by a swinging elbow. And PS Philly fans, you’re supposed to wave them when you’re team is up, not the opposition. Amateurs…

UPDATE: Jorge Posada is just a really good hitter. Plain and simple. A bloop to left there with a full count and two outs scores Johnny Damon and sends A-Rod to third. 7-4 Yanks as Robby Cano comes to the plate. Question: Do Robby Cano and Alex Rodriguez work for Double Trouble Bubble Gum? Those two chew gum more noticeably than anyone I’ve ever seen. They blow huge bubbles that are clearly the product of years of practice. If the answer to my question is no, then some bubble gum company better hire them. Great advertising. Seriously.

UPDATE: Dandy Andy is done for the night. He was rocky early, but did a great job of recovering and keepin his team in the game. He even did a little work with his bat. In to pitch is our Lord the Savior, Six Pound Eight Ounce Baby Joba Chamberlain. Dear 6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba, in your pinstriped fleece diapers, learning about all your heaters and curveballs. Please deliver us victory on this fine Eve of Hallow’s as we do believe in you, our Savior, knowing that you will lead us into good and prevent us from meeting Evil. In the name of the Harlan, the Joba, and Pinstriped Pride, Amen.

UPDATE: Joba gets two quick outs on 6 pitches, and he’ll get to face the left-handed Chase Utley. Usually, you’d think Joe would play the match-ups, but hey its Joba Chamberlain.

UPDATE: It proves to be the right call as Utley flies out to Melky Cabrera in centerfield. After 7, the Yanks lead 7-4. Joba looked good, and only threw 9 pitches, so you have to wonder if Joe will send him back out in the eighth to face Howard, Werth, and Ibanez. That’s lefty, righty, lefty, so perhaps Marte will come in to pitch the eighth. We’ll see.

UPDATE: Sorry, the site had some technical difficulties, but I’m back. Yanks win 8-5. Hideki Matsui had a big pinch-hit homer. Damaso Marte pitched a scoreless inning. Phil Hughes got an out, and then let up a homer. Mo got the last two outs. Great game for the Yanks. Postgame will be in a separate post.

If you log on to a sports website, pick up a newspaper, or ask a guy on the subway about the Yanks, you’d think they were the most unstable team in baseball. The media has questioned anything and everything, for the sake of creating a story and nothing more.

The Yanks have too many bullpen issues? Yeah, we’ve had a couple of bad games. But David Robertson had the best K/9 rate of any reliever in the American League. Phil Hughes was arguably the best set-up man in the AL. And then we’ve got Mariano. Yeah, Yeah. Robertson had a bad outing the last time he took the mound and Hughes hasn’t been himself since the playoffs started, but does no one remember D-Rob’s Houdini act in the ALDS escaping from that bases loaded jam? How about Hughsie’s 1.40 ERA as a reliever this season?

Could Mariano’s age catch up to him in the Series? When has Mariano’s age ever been a problem? He was the ebst closer in baseball all year. He’s been the best closer this postseason and in postseasons past. Don’t fret about a problem that doesn’t exist. When it is possible to imagine a pitcher that exudes more confidence on the mound late in the game than Mariano, then try a flaw can be discussed.

Should Chad Gaudin start game 4? Why throw your ace, who thrives on short rest, in a must win World Series game? Just use a guy who hasn’t started in practically forever. Be real. Chad Gaudin shouldn’t be starting in this series. Plain and simple. The best pitchers should be taking the mound. It’s really a no-brainer.

Has Alex Rodriguez lost it? Because of two bad games, suddenly A-Rod can’t hit, according to the media. Forget that he had an MVP-type ALDS and ALCS. Forget his 30 HR, 100 RBI season. Forget the fact that he is one of the best players in the game today. Two games, with a bunch of strikeouts, and suddenly A-Rod is an issue in the Yankee lineup. 2 games is a tiny itty bitty sample size. Give the man a break. He’ll be fine. He’s Alex Rodriguez for crying out loud.

Journalists will do anything to spark up debate and find a story, even if it doesn’t really exist.  So calm down America. Mariano will be fine. A-Rod will hit. The bullpen will be fine. CC Sabathia will start, and the Yanks won’t regret it. Even Nick Swisher could have a big series. Don’t let a couple of games fool you. The Yanks don’t have these pressing issues that the press tries to create. They’re the best team in baseball, and they’ll be fine.

Via the LoHud Yankees blog we learn that Joe Girardi has named CC Sabathia the Game 4 starter. This shouldn’t be that big of a surprise to anyone, but it is nice to have some certainty. AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte haven’t officially been announced as the Game 5 and 6 starters, but it is certainly a strong possibility. Otherwise, Game 5 would be started by Chad Gaudin, Game 6 by Burnett, and Game 7 by CC. I like throwing CC, AJ, and Andy on short rest since at this time of the year every game is a must win. We’ll wait to hear about AJ and Andy, but look forward to seeing the Big Man on the mound tomorrow.

The Yanks tied the World Series at 1-1 last night, but before the game something even more telling about the team’s greatness happened: Derek Jeter won the Roberto Clemente award. Jeter, as you may know, runs the Turn 2 Foundation with help from his family. The Turn 2 Foundation promotes activities that encourage kids to turn away from drugs and alcohol and engage in healthy lifestyle choices. Derek has done great work with the foundation and helped change many lives over the years, but he’s not the only Yank doing great charity work this year. Back in February our Lord the Savior Joba Chamberlain sent an 11 year old girl from Nebraska and her family to Disneyworld for a week. Then Robinson Cano gave back to a town back in the Dominican Republic. Jorge Posada runs the Jorge Posada Foundation which raises money Craniosynostosis, a disease which causes the skull to mature to early and affects the growth of the brain. Jorge’s son is affected by the disease. Nick Swisher runs Swish’s Wishes, a foundation that strives to life the spirits of kids with serious medical conditions. Ace CC Sabathia runs the PitCCh In Foundation, which works with kids in inner-cities through educational and athletic events. Back in July, the Yanks hosted HOPE week, one of the most charitable weeks in baseball history. Moved by the kids from Camp Sundown with Xeroderma Pigmentosum ( a disease that makes UV sun rays near-deadly when they contact a kid’s skin) who participated in HOPE week, AJ Burnett had all of the Yanks sign their “player of the game” WWE belt and auctioned it off for $9,400 that he donated to Camp Sundown. Even Joe Girardi’s wife, Kim, has helped out the community this year. She hosted a “stomach cancer awareness” day at the Stadium in September.

One thing I’ve loved about this ’09 team is their emphasis on charity. Thanksgiving and Chrisma-Hanu-Kwanz-ika are the usual donating times, but for me the World Series is a time to give thanks, and the clinching game indicates the New Year, so I wanted to discuss the good nature of the Yanks and encourage everyone, if possible, to donate a dollar or two to a good cause.

This last one isn’t a cause, but just please don’t forget that Alex Rodriguez saves lives.

Pedro returns to the Bronx today and I expect all Yankee fans to chant mercilessly “Who’s Your Daddy?”  Pedro is the bad guy. Just a reminder, he once threw our 72 year old bench coach to the ground. He’s an overconfident doofus who told the media that he “might be at times be the most influential player” to ever step on the field at Yankee Stadium. Pedro, I’d say you’re influential-ness is low, don’t be so proud of yourself. Pedro was trying to comment on the media’s excessive amount of coverage on his appearances. It’s almost sad that we give so much attention to the bad guy in today’s news.

AJ Burnett will be  pitching for the Yanks, and yes, he will be throwing to Jose Molina. The only other roster change today is that Jerry Hairston Jr. will be playing right field in place of Nick Swisher. Swish has obviously been struggling, so this move is not that surprising. I would play Swish just out of respect for the guy, but you can’t blame Joe Girardi for trying to change it up. Girardi claimed that he liked the match-up of Hairston against Pedro. Don’t act like Swish might not play at all today though. There once was a game where Enrique Wilson started over the Yankees’ regular third baseman because of a match-up against Pedro. After Pedro’s exit, the regular third baseman eventually hit a game winning home run. That man was Aaron Boone for those of you who didn’t put that together from the moment I said “Enrique Wilson.” The Yanks will do all they can to yet again show Pedro who his daddy is.

UPDATE: Here in the bottom of the 1st Yankee fans have already started a “Who’s your daddy?” chant, clearly audible behind John Sterling’s voice on WCBS.

Sorry I’m a little late to the party. I’m a bit bogged down with work. I’ll try to keep you updated as much as possible!

Anyway, the Phillies lead 1-0 on a Chase Utley solo shot. Cliff Lee has been absolutely fantastic to this point (Bottom 4). He’s struck out A-Rod and Teixeira a combined 4 times. He’s making the Yankees look silly. And Posada just struck out as well. He now has 7 Ks through 4.

UPDATE: CC has looked really really good since giving up that HR. He’s retired 6 in a row, 4 by strike out.

UPDATE: And a quick 1-2-3 inning for CC Sabathia. Its time for the Yankees to get their bats going. Thats going to be tough to do against Cliff Lee, who is totally on fire right now.

UPDATE: And Hideki Matsui singles up the middle. That’s a good job getting the lead off man on.

UPDATE: The umpires are meeting about a possible double play. Rollins tried to let a Robinson Cano humpback liner hit the ground to turn the double play, but he caught it. Matsui was off the bag and the Phillies tagged him. It’s a double play, and the umpires get it right. Nice to see them all get together…

UPDATE: Swish pops up for the 3rd out of the inning. Lee is really pitching well.

UPDATE: Chase Utley just took CC deep for the second time tonight. 2-0 Phillies.

UPDATE: CC gets out of the inning with another strike out.

UPDATE: And the Captain gets a single up the middle. The Yankees have a man on with 1 out. Lets see if they can do something here.

UPDATE: Cliff Lee is at 84 pitches through 5.2 innings. You almost hope that the Yankees can just start working the count like crazy and get him out of there. Teixeira grounds into a fielders choice. 2-0 Phillies.

UPDATE: Time to stretch in the Bronx! I’m shocked by how fast this game has gone. It’s 10:12 and we’re already through 6.5 innings!

UPDATE: Cliff Lee made the Yankees look foolish in the bottom of the 7th. He is absolutely cruising.

UPDATE: Phil Hughes has come in to pitch in the 8th. He walked Rollins, who just stole second. He is dangerously close to walking Victorino as well. This could be trouble.

UPDATE: Back to back walks for Hughes. He’s getting pulled for Damaso Marte. This could be ugly.

UPDATE: Marte gets Utley looking on a nasty hook. 1 down, still two men on.

UPDATE: Ryan Howard just flew out to right. Jimmy Rollins tagged up and went to third. Girardi is going to bring in David Roberston to face Werth.

UPDATE: Robertson walked Werth to load the bases. Bases chucked for Ibanez. Robertson has got to get out of this one…

UPDATE: 4-0 Phillies as Ibanez singles. That is a serious bummer for the Yanks. With Lee pitching as dominantly as he has, it’s going to be tough to get back in it.

UPDATE: Jeez, Cliff Lee.

UPDATE: It’s now 5-0 in the 9th. You need to tip your cap to Cliff Lee and the Phillies tonight.

UPDATE: Philly just tacked on another one. 6-0 going into the bottom of the ninth.

UPDATE: No shut-out! 6-1 Phillies.

UPDATE: And the Yankees will lose Game 1 by a score of 6-1. Cliff Lee was dominant, the Yankee pen faltered, and the offense was stagnant. On to tomorrow…

Via Lohud, The Yankees have added Brian Bruney and Eric Hinske to their post season roster. Bye Bye Frank Cervelli and Freddy Guzman!

I’m really glad that Brian Bruney was added. Honestly, I think he should have been there from the beginning. Despite his struggles this year, he still ended up alright. For the year, his ERA was 3.92, his WHIP was 1.513 (bad…), his K/9 was an awesome 8.3, he pitched 39 innings, and appeared 44 times. Last year though, he was unbelievable. He appeared in 32 games, had a 1.83 ERA, a WHIP of .99, and an 8.7 K/9. He has the potential to make a serious impact. Also, it never hurts to have another arm in the pen…

As for Eric Hinske, I like this addition as well. Guzman didn’t do anything while he was on the roster, so I figure the addition of a power bat will help more than nothing. He’ll be a good bat to use for pinch hitting when the Yankees play in Philly.

The All-Time Champs take on the Reigning Champs. Cheesesteaks v. Cheescake. Cream Cheese v. Bagels. Liberty Bell v. Statue of Liberty. One Met foe v. Another. The Turnpike Series.  There are a lot of names that have been used to describe the upcoming series. They all mean the same thing: Yanks-Phils. Here’s my  position by position preview. I’ll have pitching out later. Enjoy.

C: Jorge Posada/Jose Molina v.  Carlos Ruiz. Yeah, I have Jose Molina in there. Chances are he’ll be catching AJ Burnett’s starts, so he needs to be accounted for. Posada is obviously tremendous offensively (although he is the king of the double play). Jose Molina, not as tremendous. His .292 OBP this year was abysmal. Still Jorge times 5 plus Jose times 2 is greater than Ruiz times 7.Carlos Ruiz had a .255/.355/.425 line this year. Not outstanding, but tolerable. Regardless, Jorge is a better hitter. Jorge also isn’t too shabby behind the plate. He worked tremendously well with Andy Pettitte in Game 6 of the ALCS, and he obviously has been to the postseason many-a-time. This one is a no brainer even if Molina starts two game. The Yanks have a clear advantage.

1B: Mark Teixeira v. Ryan Howard. Right now, Ryan Howard’s hotter than the sun, Meghan Fox, and hot chocolate. For the postseason (super small sample size), he’s at .355/.462/.742. That’s basically super-human, or in other words Pujols-esque. On the other hand, Mark Teixeira’s .205/.273/.308 postseason line is, well disappointing. He did have a walk-off homer in the ALDS though. Remember though, the playoffs are a small sample size. This season Tex was a .292/.383/.565 hitter with 39 homers. Howard was at .270/.360/.571 with 45 homers. They’re both great hitters. Tex is a little better at pure hitting while Howard packs a little more punch. The key difference between the two is their defense though. Sure, Howard has improved, but his D is nowhere near Tex’s. Teixeira has made heads up plays, diving catches, unbelievable snags, and Jesus-like saves at first. Also, splits. Ryan Howard’s season average v. lefties? .207. Yeah, .207. Teixeira’s? .305. The Yanks, between CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, will be starting lefties in at least 4 games, if not 5. The Phils will be throwing lefties in at least 4 games (5, should JA Happ start a game). Naturally, being able to hit lefties is going to be a key to this series, and the switch-hitting Tex does that remarkably better than Howard. You might call me bias, but between defense, plate discipline, and the .098 discrepancy in batting averages against lefties, I’m giving the edge to the Teixeira and the Yanks. Yep, Ryan Howard’s so hot right now that snow melts in his path, but Tex is just a better player, especially in a series that will be dominated by lefty pitching.

2B Robinson Cano v. Chase Utley. Utley hit 31 homers, stole 23 bases without getting caught, got on base at a .397 clip, and played solid defense all year long. Cano had 25 bombs, 5 steals (7 busted attempts), a .352 OBP, and played stellar D too. They’re both good players, but there is no doubt that Utley is the better player. The perennial MVP candidate wins is more well rounded, has stronger at-bats, and already has one ring to gloat about. Phillies with the edge here. Easy.

3B Alex Rodriguez v. Pedro Feliz. If you need me to explain this one…there’s something very wrong with you . Clutch-Rod is slugging .969 in the postseason. That’s just slugging percentage. Feliz’s OPS (On Base PLUS Slugging) is .567. Yeah. A-Rod and the Yanks with the edge.

SS Derek Jeter v. Jimmy Rollins. Rollins had his worst offensive season this year with a .250/.296/.423 line. His postseason hasn’t been much better. Rollins plays solid D, but Jeter’s defense has improved all around this year as well.  Jeter has 4 World Series rings, the third most postseason homers of all-time, and is coming off a .334/.406/.465 MVP-type season. Oh, he’s also at .297/.435/.595 for the ’09 postseason. Jeter’s got the edge here.

Outfield/DH. With the DH only applicable in New York, these categories have gotten smashed together. Raul Ibanez will likely DH in NY with Ben Francisco taking his place in left. That’s game 1. Matt Stairs might DH game 2, with Raul moving back to the field. Joe Girardi will use Hideki Matsui at DH, but in Philly he might move Matsui into the field for the first time all year in place of the struggling Nick Swisher. I personally don’t see Joe sacrificing his defense that drastically for the upgrade over Swisher’s bat, but crazier things have happened. Let this evaluation be Hideki Matsui, Melky Cabrera, Johnny Damon, and Nick Swisher v. Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, and Ben Francisco.  The Phils have more power, more speed, and better defense). Both are great outfields, but Victorino and Werth win this for the Phils fairly easily. I will say that in terms of just DH though, the Yanks have the edge. Raul hasn’t been anything like his pre-all star self, and Hideki has continued to hit all year long.

Yanks with the overall edge, but the Phils are as worthy of foes as the Yanks have seen all season.

The Yanks captured their 40th pennant tonight, 19 more than any other team in baseball. Andy Pettitte earned his 16th postseason win, the most of any pitcher in history. There are all kinds of stats to report, but I’m not going to bother with them, mostly because I’m too excited to right them all down. The World Series starts on the 28th (Wednesday) in New York when CC Sabathia will match up against former teammate Cliff Lee. It’ll be a fun series as the Yanks try to climb that last mountain and secure a World Series Championship. For now celebrate tonight’s victory, and we’ll keep you up to date with all the Yankee World Series news.

Middle 2nd. 0-0. And…here’s the live-blog.

Andy’s at 24 pitches through 2, a nice low pitch count. If he can go 7, or even 6 strong, the Yanks’ bullpen, despite the recent “struggles,” should be able to close it out. Is it just me or have people made to big of a deal out of Hughsie’s couple of poor outings. The guy was dominant all year, give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s a fine pitcher, and I trust him in the 8th every time. Joba hasn’t been his ’07bull pen self, but is anyone really that worried about handing him the ball late. Not to mention David Robertson is by definition, the man. He’s always good for a scoreless inning with a K or 2. Don’t fret Yankee fans,  our ‘pen is still mightier than the Angels’.

Joe Saunders is at seventeen pitches after a Hideki Matsui groundout, and now Robby Cano’s at the plate.

UPDATE: Always strange for me to see Robby Cano take a first pitch ball. Then a called strike, even more rare for the free-swinger. On a 1-2 count he lines one up the middle and the “go ahead run” is on first with Nick “Something to Prove” Swisher at the plate.

UPDATE: Swish flies out to left, for yet another out. Here’s the thing though: Swish has played a superb D in right, has long at-bats, great plate discipline, and the greatest mohawk in sports. Sure, he’s struggling, but he’s still doing his part to be an important part of the team..

UPDATE: Hot Melk anyone? Melky with another ALCS hit. The scrappy center fielder has been on fire this series, with that hit he’s at .409. For a guy who didn’t start on Opening Day, Melky’s proven a lot of doubters wrong time and time again.

UPDATE: Bad call by the homeplate ump on the alleged 3-0 strike. But, then another one, in the exact same place, and he calls it a ball. The Captain trots down to first to load the bases for Johnny Damon. Big at-bat right here.

UPDATE: Rally-killing groundout to first there for Damon. The Yanks need to work on their two-out hitting, there sure have been a lot of stranded men out there this October. There is a small victory though, as Joe Saunders is already up to 38 pitches. If the Yanks can keep taking long at-bats and pressuring him they could break into the ‘pen early, allowing them to attack the Angels’ most glaring weakness.

UPDATE: Jeff Mathis”s recent hitting would be best described by Mugatu (from Zoolander’s) saying “That Mathis, so hot right now.”  Mathis…Hansel…it’s all the same. After that double he’s now hitting .636 for the series and you can’t help but be impressed. (Sorry I wrote Napoli earlier, its been a long day, all fixed now).

UPDATE: That strike three pitch moved more than a rollercoaster. Great pitch, great save by Jorge.

UPDATE: A 2-out single to right for Bobby Abreu scores Mike Napoli, and the Angels get on the board first. Andy’ll try to stop a rally from forming now with Hunter at the plate. No Monkeys in this house.

UPDATE: Why is Andy so worried about Bobby Abreu at 1st? Sure, he can run, but focus on getting Hunter out.

UPDATE: Well, scratch that. The pick-offs sure didn’t distract Pettitte as he K’d Hunter to end the third. He looks good out there despite the run. The Yankee offense would love to get the lead while he’s on the mound to set him up for a win that would give him more in the postseason than any pitcher, ever. Pretty impressive that he’s the number 3 starter.

UPDATE: A check-swing dribbler to short by Tex, and he’s out at first. You could see he really didn’t want to swing there. He hustled it out though, which is one thing I love about Tex: he never gives up.

UPDATE: It’s almost funny how scared the Angels are of A-Rod. A five pitch walk there. Saunders was too scared to throw anything where A-Rod might make contact.

UPDATE: Abreu catches Posada’s long fly at the wall. Bangs into the wall. He was never that close to the right field wall at the old Stadium when he wore pinstripes. Never. I wonder if the Angels hired a sports psychologist to cure his fear of the wall. If they did, it worked.

UPDATE: Vlad strikes out looking on another great pitch by Andy Pettitte. Imagine that, Vlad looking at a called third strike, that’s almost surreal.

UPDATE: Another strikeout for Dandy Andy as Kendrick is retired looking. That’s 5 K’s over 4 innings. He’s looking dominant right now. He’s doing his part, now the offense needs to do its part.

UPDATE: Again, this uncharacteristic patience from Robby Cano as he takes a ball (although no one in his right mind would’ve swung at that pitch) and then a called strike. A foul ball, low curve, outside fastball sequence set up a full count for Robby…and who’d a thunk it, Robby Cano walks. Now SuperSwish is looking for a big hit. He looks stressed, not typical of the fun-loving righfielder.

UPDATE: Yeah, yeah! Swisher hits one between Figgins and Aybar for the hit he needed so badly. Then Melky lays down a perfect bunt to move Swish to second and Robby to third. The Angels are having a little rendesvous at the mound as they debate whether or not to walk the Captain. “We Will Rock You” is blaring at the Stadium, and the fans are praying for a rally.

UPDATE: The Der-Ek Je-Ter chant might be my favorite of all time. Who doesn’t love him? Seriously. A big hit here would be typical Derek. 2-2 count on the Captain as he looks to put the Yanks on the board.

UPDATE: Jeet draws a walk on Joe Saunders’ 70th pitch of the night. Damon’s up, and it sure would be nice to see him end his habit of stranding runners right here as the bases are loaded with one out.

UPDATE: A 2-run single for Johnny Damon.  As he lines one to left. Yanks up 2-1 as Machine-Xeira steps up to the plate. Jeter on second, Damon at first. One out.

UPDATE: Great glovework by Aybar, but a weak throw, coupled with Damon hustling from first to single, leads to a fielder’s choice that produces…no outs. Bases loaded as Clutch-Rod steps up to the plate.

UPDATE: Clutch-Rod draws a bases-loaded walk (Just like Mariano Rivera did earlier this year). 3-1 Yanks and Saunders is out after 83 pitches. Great work by the Yanks to get to the bullpen with only one out in the fourth. That’s exactly what they needed to do, and they did it. The bases are still loaded as Jorge awaits the new pitcher. The Yanks wore down Saunders quickly, and even though they left runners on base early, they’ve been having strong at-bats, making Saunders throw lots of pitches and executing on mistakes. The new pitcher is the left-handed  Darren Oliver.

UPDATE: The one thing the Yankees didn’t want was to ground into a double play. Well, Jorge hits one on the ground 4-6-3 double play. Runners stranded yet again for the Yanks. Jorge’s a great offensive and defensive catcher, but he grounds into a lot of double plays. Still, the Yanks have gotten into the Angels’ bullpen and taken a 3-1 lead as they head into the fifth.

UPDATE: Juan Rivera leads off the fifth with a single and Jeff “Hotter than the Sun” Mathis is up. Can Andy make Jeff hit like his regular season self? That would be nice…

UPDATE: Yes he can. Mathis fans for Pettitte’s 6th K of the night.

UPDATE: Robby Cano has to be top 3 for 2B Gold Glove contenders in the AL. A great pickup to his right, steps on the bag, and throws it to Tex for a 4-3 double play. Postseason Pettitte has been everything his reputation would imply. 65 pitches over 5 innings. One run, 4 hits, one walk, 6 K’s.So far, he’s been exactly what the Yanks needed and more.

UPDATE: Robby Cano looks at the first pitch again! Anyone else impressed by his patience? It was a strike, but regardless, its good to see Robby looking at pitches. I do wish he would’ve just watched that 1-1 pitch away that he couldn’t have hit with a 20 foot pole. Then what should have been a ball outside, called a strike, sends Cano back to the bench. SuperSwish to the plate with two outs.

UPDATE: Swish with a rough strikeout. You have to hand it to Darren Oliver. Forcing the Posada DP ball, then retiring the side in the next inning, he pitched well. Anyone think Scioscia will send him out to the mound again in the 6th?

UPDATE: Figgins tries to bunt himself on, but he runs into his own hit in fair territory and is called out. He certainly hasn’t had a fun offseason, batting .091 in the ALCS now. Yikes.

UPDATE: Hunter chopped that ball right into the ground, A-Rod had quick feet and made a good play, but the throw was just late. Dave Eiland on the mound chatting with Jorge and Andy as Vlad Guerrerro steps up to the plate.

UPDATE: Vlad golfed a low outside pitch to right which Swish couldn’t get to.  Men on second and third as Kendry Morales comes up to the plate.

UPDATE: Pettitte swatted Morales’  bouncer down with his glove, picked it up and threw to first to end the inning. 91 pitches through 6 for Andy. 6 hits, one walk, one run, and 6 K’s. Should Joe send him back out for the 7th or bring in our Lord the Savior 6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba who was warming in the ‘pen? The next three hitters are all righties if you think match-ups will play a role.

UPDATE: Jeet draws a walk on a ball just inside. Outside pitches have been generously called strikes all night long, but the inside pitches seem to have been called with much greater accuracy tonight.

UPDATE: Damon bloops one just past second. Howie Kendrick tried to Willie Mays basket catch it, but it was a good ten feet past him. Jeter moves up to second.

UPDATE: Good play by Figgins. He snags the grounder, steps on third for the force and fires to first to get Tex. 5-3 double play. Darren Oliver ended the inning on his 33rd pitch of the night. With the right-handed Clutch-Rod set to lead off in the 7th we’re likely to see a pitching change for LA. Ervin Santana has been up and down in the ‘pen, so my money’s on him being called in.

UPDATE: Pettitte back out to start the 7th, but Our Lord the Savior Joba Chamberlain is warming in the ‘pen just in case.

UPDATE: Jered Weaver now warming for Los Angeles. It’s amazing how much more willing managers are to use starters in relief roles in the playoffs than they are during the regular season.

UPDATE: What Swisher hasn’t done with the bat, he’s made up for with the glove. A sliding catch on a liner by Kendrick there to get the out. I can’t believe that anyone didn’t want him to start tonight.

UPDATE: Former Yank Juan Rivera lifts one just past Cano, and that’ll be it for Andy Pettitte. The crowd gives him a standing ovation, and rightfully so. He allowed one run, on 7 hits and a walk over 6 and a third while striking out six. If the Yanks keep the lead he’ll become the winningest postseason pitcher in history. Our Lord the Savior is being called in, so don’t fret. His presence in the ‘pen breaks the Commandments of Joba, but extreme times call for extreme decisions.

UPDATE: A rare mishandled grounder by the Captain. However, he kept it in front of him, Cano picked it up to get the out at second, but no go on a double play, so Erick Aybar will get to take his cuts.

UPDATE: No err there. Jeter fields Aybar’s grounder smoothly and with a solid throw to Tex, the inning is over. Clutch-Rod, Jorge, and Godzilla are due up in the bottom half of the 7th.

UPDATE: Ervin Santana in for the Angels.

UPDATE: Clutch-Rod strikes again with a single up the middle. Santana seems overly pre-occupied with A-Rod at first. It could affect his control here.

UPDATE: 3 pickoff throws and two balls. Now Jorge fouls one right to make it a 2-1 count. Mike Butcher, the Angels’ pitching coach, trots out to the mound for a little pep-talk with Ervin and Mathis.

UPDATE: Another double play ball for Jorge. A-Rod’s fool-the-pitcher-fake-steal move didn’t do ‘em any favors, but it would’ve been a DP either way.

UPDATE: Matsui makes his 4th out of the day with a long fly to left. End 7. Mariano warming in the ‘pen, and chances are good he’ll be brought in for a 6-out save.

UPDATE: Enter Sandman.

UPDATE: Just past Jeter’s glove in shallow left for Figgins’ first hit of the night. Abreu to the plate. A groundball DP would be nice here…

UPDATE: Reasons I love Mark Teixeira: His glovework. A great diving play to snag the broken bat grounder. Abreu out at first, Figgins to 2nd, and Torii Hunter to the plate.

UPDATE: Hard hit straight at second base, and Cano, covering second, picks it up. Upon seeing that Figgins had returned to the bag, he made the throw to first for the second out of the inning. Mo just needs to get Vlad to end the inning.

UPDATE: Dear Vlad, 1-2-3, not 1-2-4. Vlad tries to trot to first on the third ball, but he’s sent back, obviously. Full count here.

UPDATE: Chone scores from 2nd as Vlad slaps one between Tex and Cano. Good piece of hitting there, no way around it. Its a 1 run game now. Mo will face Kendry Morales as Reggie Willits comes in to pinch run for Vlad.

UPDATE: Morales with a 4-3 ground out and we head to the bottom of the 8th. The Yanks have the lead and are just 3 defensive outs away from a playoff birth, but an offensive cushion here would be nice. Robby Cano, SuperSwish, and the Melkman are due up here in the bottom of the 8th.

UPDATE: Again, patient Robby. 3-0 count on the lefty. Wait, 4-0. A four pitch walk sends Robby to first. Ervin Santana is done as Mike Scioscia heads out to the mound.

UPDATE: Scott Kazmir in to pitch. We pounded him the last time we faced him, but he does have good career stats versus the Yanks. Nick SuperSwish will be the first to face him.

UPDATE: Swish squares to bunt, but the pitch is inside and he dodges it like the Matrix. Very agile, that Swisher.

UPDATE: Swish lays down a good bunt, Canop to second, throw to first and…the covering Kendrick dropped it! The ball hit the palm of his glove, and just…fell out. Swisher safe at first.

UPDATE: Gardner in, running for Swisher.  Melky lays down a bunt and…Kazmir overthrows first! Wow, back-to-back errors for the Angels. Cano scores, Gardner to third, Melky to second. 4-2 Yanks.

UPDATE: Jeter grounds out to Kaz for the first out of the inning. Still two runners in scoring position as Damon steps up to the plate.

UPDATE: Damon draws a  walk to load the bases for Machine-Xeira. Tex could basically make the game un-winnable for the Angels with a single here.

UPDATE: Long fly ball to deep center for Tex. Gardy scores. Cabrera moves to third. Yanks up 5-2 with runners on the corners as Scioscia walks out to the mound and takes the ball from Kazmir.

UPDATE: Jered Weaver in to face  Clutch-Rod.

UPDATE: A-Rod walks and Jorge is up with the bases juiced.

UPDATE: Weaver strikes out Jorge looking. The Yanks lead 5-2 heading into the 9th. They’re just three Mariano Rivera outs from a World Series berth.

UPDATE: Kendrick grounds out to Tex, and the Yanks are two outs away from the World Series.

UPDATE: Juan Rivera flies out to Melky, who’s now manning right, and the Yanks are an out away from the World Series as Gary Matthews Jr. comes in to pinch hit.

UPDATE: A Strikeout and the YANKEES WIN! THE YANKS ARE WORLD SERIES BOUND! AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS! THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YANKEES WIN!