The Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-5 yesterday to win the series and take a nice three game lead over the Rays in the American League East. That was the good news for the Yanks. The bad news for the Yankees, Andy Pettitte went down in the third with a groin injury. These are the type of injuries that pop up once you hit 38. (Well actually before 38.) Pettitte will be out at least 4-5 weeks. This could be optimistic. Despite his age, Pettitte was having a great year, 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA.
Now the Yanks maybe kicking themselves a bit, just a bit for not reeling in Cliff Lee. So now with Pettitte out it’s time for others already in the system to step up. The Yanks are calling up Sergio Mitre to fill in, but it’s up to A.J. Burnett to become last year’s A.J. Burnett again. Hopefully he can get his head in the game to match his talent. He also needs to use the temper on the field by taking it out on the other team not on doors. Also, if the Yankees were planning to baby Phil Hughes that plan needs to be shelved. Hughes is also 11-2 this season and needs to keep up the pace. Oh and Javi Vazquez needs to keep his forward progress (four wins out of his last five games )going. The Yankees are a good enough team to be able to withstand the loss of Pettitte as long as the others step up.
As for the Mets, man they easily could have been swept in San Fran by the Giants. Luckily for them they got a gift out call in the bottom on the ninth on a play at the plate that would have lost them the game. The Mets managed to eek out a 4-3 win in the 10th to limp out of San Fran with one win.
