If I wasn't so sure that Yankees fans are the most over-confident fan base in America, I'd start to think there was a sense of panic in the Bronx.
First, Hank Steinbrenner and the brain trust gut one of the team's strengths by moving wonderboy Joba Chamberlain out of the bullpen and into the starting rotation - leaving blunder-boy Kyle Farnsworth as 'the bridge' to Mariano in the 8th inning. And we saw how that worked Monday night.
Then, after watching over-hyped prospects Philip Hughes (0-4, 9.00) and Ian Kennedy (0-3, 7.41) routinely cough up about 7 runs per start, Yankees fans are suddenly so desperate that they're giving Chamberlain a standing ovation after giving up only 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings in his first start! (By the way, 23-year-old Red Sox rookie Justin Masterson improved to 2-0 Tuesday night with a 2.95 ERA.)
Finally, the boo birds hammer the Yankees bullpen when guys named Dan Giese and Jose Veras can't keep the Blue Jays off the scoreboard after being asked to hold the game --- for 6 2/3 innings!! Yikes.
Apparently, there has already been rumbling that a few of the Yankee veterans aren't pleased with the decision to switch Joba from the pen to the rotation. And after a week like this, you can't blame them.
Of course, there is some good news for the Yankees. The troubling injury to David Ortiz' wrist gives some hope to all American League pretenders. And this week the Yanks have the luxury of watching the iron of the AL East beat each other up at Fenway as the Red Sox battle the Rays.
Hey, anyone want to start a Red Sox-Rays blog?
-- Dennehy