New York Yankees

Once upon a time, Mark Teixeira was hitting below the Mendoza Line with little power and a lot of criticism. However, much has changed since May.

Teixeira is slowly turning his season around, producing the power numbers the Yankees expect, and need, in the middle of their order.

Although his average is still a bit too low (.256 entering Thursday), Texieira is on pace to finish with 30-plus home runs and 100-plus runs batted in.

Some of the Yankees executives were upset with the Mariners for backing out of the Cliff Lee trade that would have sent Jesus Montero to Seattle, but it’s starting to look like maybe they should be thanking them instead. Montero is on fire!

Here are his numbers for July:

15 G, 50 AB, 14 R, 21 H, 4 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 13 BB, 7 SO, .420 BA, .531 OBP, .740 SLG, 1.271 OPS.

The New York Yankees were elated to get the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim out of the Bronx as fast as possible, after beating them 10-6 Wednesday afternoon.

The Angels got a taste of their own medicine after dominating the Yankees the night before.

The Yankees won an exciting one today. The final score was 10-6, but the Yankees had a 6-0 lead at one point. The Angels came back to make it 6-5, then the Yanks jumped ahead to 10-5, and by that point, there wasn’t enough time for another comeback.

Here are some notes:

Before Rick Pitino was best known for doing dirty, awful things to mid-western restaurant patrons, he was a well-respected college basketball coach. And before that, he was the coach of the Boston Celtics.

Pitino's stay was brief (three-and-a-half seasons) and wholly ineffective (102-146 record, zero postseason berths), but he did leave behind one very famous tirade to Boston sportswriters on March 1, 2000.

It was a comment that received little attention during spring training, but it might have been a turning point for Mickey Mantle.

Some New York Yankees' rookies were showing off their skills at St. Petersburg in 1956. Mickey watched the hopefuls a few minutes and then the Yankees' 24-year-old veteran turned to a reporter.

"A lot of these young kids of ours are going to be good ballplayers."

This was a new Mickey Mantle.

Andy Pettitte thinks he can be back on the mound in three weeks.

After watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim slaughter the New York Yankees, any encouragement that the team could manage without the Southpaw went right out the window.

Phil Hughes went into the game with a 3-0 career record against the Halos. That was short and sweet after Hughes gave up nine hits, six runs and two home runs over five innings.

It was the icing on the cake on this streak of bad luck the Yankees have had since the start of the second half of the season.

The Yankees have had scouts watching the Marlins lately as the two teams have discussed a couple of players, but OF Cody Ross is one name that keeps coming up in the papers.

Phil Hughes got rocked, Jonathan Albaladejo got called up and gave up an earned run, and the Yankees lost 10-2 in the first game of a two game series against the Angels last night.

Here are some notes:

Hughes has now allowed at least five ER in three of his last four starts. Every home run he’s allowed this year has been at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees have been able to count on two things all year: having Mariano Rivera for the ninth inning, and quality starting pitching.

Well, it would appear that they are without the quality starting pitching now, so the bridge to Mariano just got a whole lot longer.

Phil Hughes picked up right where he left off at the All Star Game, in his first start of the second half Hughes allowed six earned runs on nine hits and three walks, over five innings.