Rivera conspicuously not surprised about Clemens

The Yankees have finalized a three-year, $45 million deal with Mariano Rivera, meaning that the team will be paying the already-slipping closer $15 million when he is 41 years old.
After signing the deal, Rivera told reporters that he was surprised Andy Pettitte took Human Growth Hormone and was included in George Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball.
Rivera conspicuously made no mention of being surprised that Roger Clemens used steroids and was featured prominently in said report.

Use up those pitchers now

Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game against Toronto (still tied at 4-4 in the top of the 13th inning), the Yankees come out losers.
While Red Sox Manager Terry Francona openly admitted prior to tonight's 8-1 blowout victory over Tampa Bay that he's resting his key pitchers and offensive stars such as Manny Ramirez for the playoffs even if that means losing the AL East lead and settling for the Wild Card.
If the Yankees, also virtually assured of the playoffs one way or the other, are taking a different approach, it will come back to bite them in the postseason as it has in past years.
They've already used seven pitchers in tonight's game, including stars Torre would typically reserve only for protecting a lead and sealing the victory, i.e., Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera.
And meanwhile, despite Boston's approach, they won easily tonight, even though they were up against just as dominating a pitcher in Kazmir as the Yankees faced in Toronto's Halladay.

Mo' sucking

Yankees fans don't want to admit it. But Mariano Rivera doesn't have it anymore.

Lucky for New York last night, when the sainted closer entered the game in the 9th inning, the team already had a seven-run lead. Not really a situation to bring your closer into, but New York had used up every other pitcher on its roster ahead of today's off-day as Angels batters rocked Mike Mussina and the bullpen for 25 runs in two days.
It was another crappy performance by Rivera, who gave up a run and three hits, and far from the dominance he was known for in yesteryear. In Rivera's last 10 games, he's given up 14 hits and 6 runs over 10 2/3rd innings.

He's a great symbol of how things have fallen apart all at once for the Yanks in 2007.

Hilarious

Most teams can bank on a win if they end up scoring 9 runs in a game.

Not the Yankees. In fact, New York's pitching staff gave up twice that last night. Starting with Mussina lasting less than two innings and leaving the Yankees with a 7-1 deficit. Then Villone gave up 4 runs, Ramirez 2 and Henn another 5 runs with three innings of mopup duty.

One Angel, Garrett Anderson, hit the Yankees' pitchers like they were serving up beach balls and ended the night with 10 RBIs.

How quickly all the gloating about Joba Chamberlain's success and the Red Sox having bad luck with the acquisition of Eric Gagne gives way to reality.

And the reality is that the Yankees are 14th in team ERA, 21st in allowing walks, fifth worst in the Majors in striking batters out, second to last in saves and 20th in team ERA in the seventh through ninth innings. (thanks, Mariano, and good luck on that contract extension).

With victories by Boston and by Seattle, the Yankees drop another two games back in both the A.L. East race and the Wild Card.

Good times.

Closing arguments

Stats through tonight's Red Sox-Devil Rays game:
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera: 3.33 ERA, 20 saves, 54 strikeouts, 6 walks
Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon: 1.77 ERA, 30 saves, 68 strikeouts, 14 walks