Andy Pettitte’s final regular season start at Yankee Stadium comes on Marian Rivera Appreciation Day. Nobody does self-congratulatory schmaltz like the Yankees. But still, for one afternoon, I’ll play along since it’s for a good cause–giving thanks to a peerless career.

It’s gorgeous in the Bronx. Blue sky, no clouds, autumn chill in the air.

Ichiro Suzuki RF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson CF
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Mark Reynolds 1B
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the preamble, enjoy the festivities and:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Ivan Nova looks to recover from his last outing which was, well, it was shitty.

It’s a cool, overcast day in the Bronx.

Ichiro Suzuki RF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson CF
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Mark Reynolds 1B
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the scoreboard:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Bernice Abbott via Je Suis Perdu]

The Giants are in town, and while the Yanks aren’t completely out of it, they sure are almost dead, especially the way they’ve played this past week.

Andy announced his retirement again. He will be missed for sure.

Never mind those Giants fans in the stands:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Street Iphoneography]

It’s our man Hiroki.

Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Vernon Wells RF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Mark Reynolds 3B
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind nuthin’:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture Via: Renato Tamaoki]

How do you feel about Phil Hughes on the mound in a kinda, sorta, gotta win sitchie-ation?

Right. Less said about it the better.

Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Vernon Wells RF
Mark Reynolds 1B
Eduardo Nunez 3B
J.R. Murphy C
Brendan Ryan SS

Never mind the gloom:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Ian Beesley via MPD]

There’s no cutting corners here. The Yanks have 12 games left. I figure they need to win 9 and hope for the best. My gut tells me that it’s going to be a frustrating two weeks. I hope they sweep the Jays but I don’t think they will.

Must remain positive, but I’m strugglin’ folks.

Either way, I like that the Yanks haven’t given up. I like their fight.

Tonight gives Andy.

Never mind the odds:

Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Mark Reynolds 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Brendan Ryan SS
Austin Romine C

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Arnold Newman (1941)]

Yanks got a ray of luck this afternoon when the Twins came from behind to beat Tampa. In order to avoid a catastrophic weekend, they need to stop mincing around and beat the Red Sox.

Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Mark Reynolds 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the scoreboard:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Colorado Democrat]

Every game is critical now, we know that. Kuroda wasn’t great last night but he was tough and he kept his team in the game. Today, the Yanks once again look to their Big Guy to come up Big.

Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Vernon Wells RF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Brendan Ryan SS
J.R. Murphy C

Never mind the Fox announcers: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Yanks are hunting for a playoff spot; Sox are looking to fuck shit up for them.

It’s our man Hiroki.

Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind last weekend: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: The Minimalisto]

It’s supposed to rain for much of the night down in Baltimore so we’ll see if they get the game in or if there are delays or what. Phil Hughes gets the start. Given his luck he’ll begin the game, do ok, then it’ll be delayed for a few hours and that’ll be that for him. But if the weather holds up and if he’s given the chance to pitch uninterrupted the call here is that he’ll do just fine. I’m not predicting brilliance but I say he’ll be better than average.

Brett Gardner CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Alfonso Soriano LF
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells RF
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Mark Reynolds 1B
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the rain drops:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Painting by: Nikolai Nikanorovich Dubovskoy, Silence, 1890 ]

With all the carrying on about Mariano and a lost season for Derek Jeter*, it’s easy to overlook Andy Pettitte who likely has just a handful of starts left in his fine career.

So let’s take notice of Ol’ Reliable tonight with some extra appreciation.

Brett Gardner CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson RF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Brendan Ryan SS
Chris Stewart C

* Here’s a tweet from Mark Feinsand:  Cashman said Jeter is being put on the DL which will “effectively end his season.”

Never mind those Birds;

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Bill Keane]

It’s been getting late early for the Yanks for a long time now (g’head and check out the preliminary 2014 schedule if you’d like). They need to win almost every game in order to make the playoffs.

It’s Nova and you better you better you bet.

Brett Gardner CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson DH
Mark Reynolds 1B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind stealing signs:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Thomas Prior]

Okay, so we might not have much faith in the Yanks making the playoffs but they have a chance and that makes these games accordingly tense or watchable or something like that.

C.C. goes tonight. He’s the Ace and they need him to come through with a big performance.

Brett Gardner CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson DH
Eduardo Nunez SS
Lyle Overbay 1B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Austin Romine C

Never mind the scoreboard-watching: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Robert Herman via This Isn’t Happiness]

Hiroki and a Prayer (and no Jeter):

Ichiro Suzuki RF
Vernon Wells DH
Alfonso Soriano LF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Mark Reynolds 1B
Curtis Granderson CF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the beards:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Joe Martz]

No use steering now:

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson DH
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Austin Romine C

Never mind the hangover:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

It’s Old Man Andy vs. Boston’s Civil War Reenactment Squad.

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter DH
Alfonso Soriano LF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Vernon Wells RF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Mark Reynolds 1B
Chris Stewart C

Never mind last night:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Think Different]

Nova gets the ball in the first game against the Red Sox. Yanks’ll need him to give them a good performance. Got to figure Mariano ain’t pitching tonight.

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Curtis Granderson DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Stewart C

Never mind retaliation: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Gustavo Jononovich via MPD]

It’s C.C. against a rookie. 

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano DH
Curtis Granderson LF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Austin Romine C

Never mind the standings: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Our man Hiroki looks to stop his slump.

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Vernon Wells RF
Mark Reynolds 1B
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C

Never mind the two previous beatings, Hiroki, go git ’em and:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture via This Isn’t Happiness]

That’s a picture of Phil Hughes from 2007. That’s his second start, in Texas – the near-no-hitter and the leg injury. I think that was the last disappointment-free moment of his career for Yankee fans. Not all Phil’s fault of course.

He contributed to a World Series championship. He submitted a few decent seasons. But we expected an ace. Scouting reports prepared us for Tom Seaver and Roger Clemens and we got, well, not them. We got a guy whose best years are league average and whose worst season, which we are in the midst of right now, is replacement level.

But the Yankees don’t have any healthy pitchers, Phelps, Nuno and Pineda being 6-8 on the depth chart and unlikely to pitch again this season. So Phil Hughes gets the ball and the Yankees must win. They must sweep. And that means we root for Phil, for 2007’s sake.