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Baseball Today: Tuesday, May 22

MORE THAN JUST A GAME . . . TO ONE OF THEM: The Boston Herald's Tony Massarotti puts it best: In this three-game series in the Bronx, the Red Sox want to win, but the Yankees (above, AP Photo) have to win. Thus, the Sox dismiss their 6-2 loss as a night when Tim Wakefield (right, AP Photo) just didn't have it (projo.com), and the Yanks see bigger themes in their victory. Sports Illustrated, though, wasn't all that impressed. The Yanks dropped to 19th in their weekly power rankings, while the Red Sox remained No. 1. We'll see what happens if the last two games of the series unfold the same as the first. FAMILIAR FACE: Manny Delcarmen is back with the Sox, at least for a little while. (projo.com) TWO FAMILIAR FACES, AND A FAMILIAR VEHICLE: Roger Clemens will ride John Madden's bus to his minor-league start in Trenton tomorrow. (New York Post)

'HE'S DEFINITELY LOST SOMETHING': So says an unnamed scout regarding Johnny Damon (New York Daily News), but whatever he lost, he may have begun to get back last night (3-for-4, two stolen bases). It came after he was held out of a game last week in Chicago, which may have been Joe Torre's way of sending Damon a message to pick up his game. In any case, Torre was pleased with the results last night. (New York Post)

IS HE THE ONLY ONE? Speaking of scouts, another one says Bobby Abreu ''looks old [and is] playing old.'' (Foxsports.com)

HIM, TOO?? And the one who signed Manny Ramirez says the scuffling Ramirez is looking like a bit of a different hitter these days. (Boston Globe)

IF YOU CAN KEEP YOUR HEAD WHILE ALL AROUND YOU ARE LOSING THEIRS . . . then you're probably Joe Torre. (New York Post)

GOOD START, IF THAT'S THE CASE: The New York Sun's Steven Goldman said before last night's game that the Yankees need to sweep the Red Sox ''or face a very long road to October, when they'll likely go home.''

WOMAN BITES DOG: The second item of Bob Raismann's media column gives the details of the much-talked-about Suzyn Waldman-Chris Russo confrontation at Shea Stadium last weekend. If Suzyn's going to go after everyone who ridiculed her for this, she'll be confronting people from now until about 2017. (My turn probably comes up in 2011 or so.)

BRONX ZOO REDUX: Jay Mariotti thinks that's what we're seeing in Chicago with the White Sox. (Chicago Sun-Times)

AH, RELIEF: Jon Rauch to the Red Sox is one of seven trades that SI.com's Jon Heyman needs to happen.

DAILY CUP OF JOE: Even Joe Posnanski is wondering why he puts so much effort -- and quality -- into a free blog. But I'm certainly glad he does, and this newest entry is fascinating: In the midst of a long Hall of Fame discussion, he looks at the best five-year pitching spans in baseball history. Two contemporary Red Sox make the top 10: Pedro Martinez, 1997-2001 (he's No. 1), and Roger Clemens 1988-92 (No. 8).

STRANGER THAN FICTION: Sometimes the stories are so bizarre all you can do is link to them with no comment. (Palm Beach Post)

In a nutshell: Marlins reliever Justin Miller has tattoos on virtually every inch of his body from the neck down. One of them, on his butt, reads "I (heart) Billy Koch." (Koch, you may recall, is the off-center closer who lit up the American League skies for a bit in the late 1990s and early 2000s, mostly with Toronto, before flaming out at age 29 in 2004.) Koch, it turns out, paid Miller $1,000 -- plus the $80 bill to the tattooist -- to a) get the tattoo and b) place it on his derrierre. Then, because he felt bad that Miller's wife had to see it, he paid her $500.

Like I said: You can't make this stuff up.

MAKING A GOOD THING BETTER: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City is one of my favorite ballparks, so I'm happy to hear the Royals are planning, in conjunction with Jackson County, Mo., a $250 million upgrade. You can see a gallery of drawings here. (Both stories, Kansas City Star)

TRADE TALK: The Angels apparently are interested in Jason Giambi (New York Post).

NOT CANCELLATION TALK: Peter Abraham says the chances of the Yankees' voiding Giambi's contract are nil. (yankees.lohudblogs.com)

LOCAL BOYS: The Rocky Mountain News' Dave Krieger thinks that continuing to play Chris Iannetta is inconsistent with the notion of the Rockies putting players on the field that give them the best chance to win.

OLD FRIENDS: Bronson Arroyo had a particularly bad night in Cincinnati, but it all worked out in the end for the Reds . . . The good news in Houston: Mark Loretta is playing shortstop. The bad news in Houston: He replaced Adam Everett -- at least temporarily -- to do so (Houston Chronicle) . . . Anibal Sanchez is playing catch as he attempts to come back from arm problems (South Florida Sun-Sentinel).

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:39 AM | Permalink