Yanks Beat Pavano; Take 2-0 Lead

For Yankee fans Thursday night couldn't have been much better. Sure they might have been able to score a few more runs and Pettitte was shaky early, but they won and they did it by slapping around Carl Pavano a little bit and that's all New York needed.

There were several questions about Pettitte coming into this game and his seven inning two-run performance was impressive, especially after the second inning when he really settled in and mowed down Twins. After Danny Valencia's second inning sac fly, the veteran lefty set down the next 11 batters before surrendering a solo homer to Orlando Hudson.

By that point the Yankees had started to figure out Pavano and although they only had two runs, they were scorching balls of the Twins starter.

But the story of the game will be the non-strike call on Lance Berkman in the seventh. The pitch was strike on the inside corner, but really home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt wasn't giving that pitch most of the night and was giving a generous amount on the outside part of the plate. It shouldn't be a big issue, but like the non-call against Michael Young in Tampa Bay earlier in the day, it will stand out as the next pitch in each at bat cost the home team.

The Yankees will focus on what they did though and not the calls the umpires made. Tonight two players stand out besides Pettitte and those two are Lance Berkman and Curtis Granderson.

Berkman finally showed some of that power that the Yankees were hoping to get when they traded for him at the Deadline in July. Since his days in Houston Berkman has always shown huge power to the opposite field from the left side of the plate, and that finally came out tonight. Both his home run and his double were absolutely scorched to left-center.

Joining Berkman in the on hot-hitters club, is Curtis Granderson who is in full-on beast mode right now. Granderson banged out three more hits tonight including one that drove in an insurance run in the night. Granderson is really playing to his potential since Kevin Long adjusted his stance and swing in Texas back in August and now the Yankees are reaping the benefits of the patience they've had with him.

Granderson has four hits in the first two games of the series and he has the biggest one of the series so far with his two-run triple off of Fransisco Liriano in Game 1. If there was an MVP for the LDS, Granderson would be the front runner so far.

Now it's a day off and then back to New York with two chances to close out the series for the Yanks.

Berkman Deal Official; Yanks In On Kerry Wood Too

So Lance Berkman is officially in the fold. The Bombers made the announcement early this afternoon once Berkman's 24-hour window to veto the trade expired. The Yankees will get four million to offset the seven million remaining on Berkman's deal this season.

That cash means the Yankees had to give Houston something of value and that piece is Mark Melancon. Melancon was a candidate to follow the path of Dave Robertson in the big leagues this season, but the control that had made him so dominant during the 2008 and 2009 seasons eluded him at the big league level and in the minors this year. The 25-year-old righty may benefit from a change in scenery plus the change in league and division.

The Yankees also sent Jimmy Paredes a 21-year-old infielder in Low-A ball. He has a good arm and can hit a little, but he wasn't anything the Yankees had to think twice about giving up.

It also appears that Yanks are bringing in Kerry Wood. Obviously Wood would be a bridge to Mo in the late innings. He has been a disappointment as Cleveland's closer, posting a 4.80 ERA in 80 innings for the Tribe. He has hit the DL twice this year, most recently with a blister problem.

It probably wont cost the Yankees much in terms of prospects so really its a no lose situation for the Yankees as Wood can still light up a radar gun and drop that hammer curve.

The Deadline Approaches

So as I watch Phil Hughes die-by-the-fastball yet again, I also have some thoughts as to the Yankees acquisition of Lance Berkman.

If the deal goes down as some have speculated, then this is a steal for the Yankees. The way it sounds, the Yankees will take on the whole of Berkman's contract, releasing the Astro's from about six million that is still owed to Berkman for the remainder of the year. New York will not have to give up any prospects of significance in the deal. The Yankees will be using the commodity the have the most of (cash) while protecting what they have few of (prospects). Sure Berkman is having a down year, but he is a better option as a DH than Juan Miranda and I would prefer him to Nick Johnson even if Johnson was healthy.

Berkman is only hitting .245 for the season, but his slugging percentage has been on the rise since his terrible May. In July he has slugged .521 and reached base at an exceptional rate of .404. Berkman would lengthen the lineup of the Yankees to 2006 standards when the Yankees were Murderers' Row and Cano.

As for Hughes I will just say this: I'm glad he lost tonight. Perhaps if he continues to lose games when he insists on throwing only fastballs, he will learn to read swings better and use his entire repertoire of off-speed pitches.

UPDATE: Well it looks like the Yankees will also be addressing the bench prior to the deadline. They have acquired Austin Kearns from the Indians for a player to be named later. Kearns will be a the fourth outfield option for Girardi. I suppose Kearns will be this season's Eric Hinske, providing decent power of the bench and can play an adequate corner outfield. There was some speculation that the Yankees might address the bench and the bullpen post deadline when the waiver wire heats up, but it appears that Brian Cashman has already addressed one of two Yankee needs plus he upgraded at DH.