I want to Jump off a Lilli-bridge

The Yankees lost for the second straight game to the White Sox in another low scoring tight battle. For two straight nights the Yankees could hardly manage a hit against the Sox starter. Yesterday they were no hit until the 7th by Humber, finishing the game with 2 hits and 0 runs. Tonight they had 4 hits off Gavin Floyd and 2 runs, failing to up his pitch count and get him out before the final inning. Last night the team never scored, never led, never smelled a chance at a win, and just got outplayed. Tonight they let the game slip through their fingers.

Rafael Soriano is slowly starting to emerge as a huge bust of a signing. For a 10 million dollar set up man, you can't be blowing leads like this. He came into the 8th with a narrow 2-1 lead after the Yankees got just enough from two solo shots from Cano and Gardner and Nova pitched a great game. Soriano proceeded to hit Quentin and then served up a two run shot to konerko. He also walked Dunn and let AJ get a single in the inning. This disaster of an inning was hardly the first implosion for Soriano and upped his already disturbingly high era up to 7.8! Let's hope he can right the ship soon or it will pave the way for Dave Robertson in some 8th inning duty.

The Yankees had a chance for the comeback pie in the 9th but were thwarted by some spectacular defense by Brent Lillibridge. With first and second and 1 out A-rod scalded a ball to the right field wall and Lillibridge made a fantastic leap up against the wall to rob Arod of an extra base hit and saving the game. One batter later Cano drills a line drive to right and again that man Lillibridge made an all out diving grab to rob Cano of a game tying single. The Yankees did show some fight with the late game rally but this is two games in a row the offense has been non existent.

Overall there are a few concerns here. The offense will not struggle for very long but I am worried that the Yankees rely too much on the long ball and will fail to tack on runs to insure Ws against teams like the Chi Sox. Also the bull pen was supposed to be a huge strength has now become shaky. Soriano looks miserable, Job has been inconsistent, Mariano is Mariano but he did blow 2 straight saves, Logan is awful and he's the only lefty, and Robertson is the only reliable RP thus far.

I don't look at these two losses as the end of the world but I do look at them as a microcosm of the issues the Yankees are facing. An offense that needs to learn how to play small ball, a bullpen far under performing, and starters that MUST maintain their excellence. On a final note, it was good to see Posada FINALLY pulled out of the lineup in favor of Chavez. Arod can DH sometimes this way and if Posada is hitting .148, it's time to rest up dude. He's never been a full time DH and he's never been 40 before. I hope it's April struggles but you never know....