At least Tampa Bay lost. That’s something.

Also, the Yankees are a game behind Toronto for the second Wild Card. They’re only four games in the loss column behind Tampa Bay. The AL is wide open. The Yankees are playing like shit, this is true (and that is the most important thing, not how far back they are). But come on, they are definitely still in the mix.

On today’s date in 2009, the Yankees were 13-14 (or 13-15 if you count their loss on May 6th).

In other words, you can’t freak out too much about a middling record in early May.

I think by “can’t freak out” you mean “DFA everyone.”

Its not their record so much as the personnel especially the starting pitching.  Cano should come around but Jeter will tail off.  Its hard to be optimistic about Tex and Arod.  Are they’re any starters besides CC you feel really good about when their turn comes?

You’ve got to keep in mind how many .800 .OPS guys are in this lineup. Even if a couple dudes are not reaching our expectations (Teix especially) all those .800 OPS’es are going to win some baseball games eventually.

Are they’re any starters besides CC you feel really good about when their turn comes?

When Pettitte returns, him and CC. However, in 2009, Pettitte and CC were the only starters I felt really good about then. Kuroda has to be able to give the Yankees what Burnett gave them in 2009 (roughly a 4 ERA). Nova presumably should be able to give them what Joba gave them (roughly a 4.75 ERA). That leaves Garcia/Phelps to not be goddawful (as I figure Hughes likely transitions into the bullpen and if he doesn’t, it is because he’s pitching well in the rotation) as the #5 starter, a position held in 2009 by Wang, bad Hughes, Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin.

But yes, the pitching is definitely the key. The team is still third in runs scored per game. They need to be higher than their current 11th in runs given up per game. How much of that poor pitching is being skewed by poor early starts and how much of it is just how their pitchers are right now? Does Nova just suck now? Maybe he does. If he does, then yeah, they’re screwed. But it is too early to say he does, I think.

The bullpen is really good.

[1,2,3,7] Quality drunk out of your mind drunk blogging.

“The offense better show up tomorrow”: don’t hold your breath.

“Paulino looked really sharp”: all opposing pitchers have been looking great lately. Or, as A-Rod put it: “You can only tip your cap so many times to the other guy”.

There is however one virtue to the current offensive slump: maybe the fans (and front office) now understand the value of Swisher in the outfield.