Javier Vazquez

Javier Vazquez's return to New York brings with it a certain amount of intrigue. But it also underscores this point: The Yankees again will be the team to beat in 2010. Good teams start with good starting pitching. And after trading for Vazquez and re-signing Andy Pettitte , the Yankees have more of it than any American League team. The group of CC Sabathia , A.J. Burnett , Pettitte and Vazquez matches up with the Giants' top-heavy rotation led by Tim Lincecum , which last season held hitters to a .234 average and struck out 8.2 per nine innings.

Javier Vazquez's return to New York brings with it a certain amount of intrigue. But it also underscores this point: The Yankees again will be the team to beat in 2010. Good teams start with good starting pitching. And after trading for Vazquez and re-signing Andy Pettitte , the Yankees have more of it than any American League team. The group of CC Sabathia , A.J. Burnett , Pettitte and Vazquez matches up with the Giants' top-heavy rotation led by Tim Lincecum , which last season held hitters to a .234 average and struck out 8.2 per nine innings.

HittingJeff Bagwell, Astros: 5 RBIs.Brad Fullmer, Expos: 2 HRs.Jose Hernandez, Cubs: 4-for-4, 2 doubles.Quilvio Veras, Padres: 3-for-3, double.PitchingSteve Trachsel, Cubs: 8 1/3 innings, 1 run, 6 hits.Javier Vazquez, Expos: 7 innings, 1 run, 3 hits.Pub Date: 8/19/98

A recap of the Orioles' 6-1 loss to the White Sox yesterday: KONERKO GOUGES GUTHRIE Jeremy Guthrie maintained that he had pretty good command yesterday, but he would certainly like to have back two pitches to White Sox cleanup hitter Paul Konerko. Guthrie's 3-2 pitch to Konerko in the second inning was hammered into the left-field seats to give Chicago a 1-0 lead. Then, in a tie game in the sixth, Konerko unloaded on Guthrie's 0-2 belt-high fastball, again homering to left. Guthrie has faced the White Sox twice this season and given up two homers in each game.

Melvin Mora looked battered. He and his Orioles teammates had just spent nine innings getting 11 runs and 19 hits out of the world champion Chicago White Sox. But the White Sox had spent those same nine swinging back with heavier clubs. White Sox@Orioles Today, 1:35 p.m., Ch. 13, 1090 AM Starters: White Sox's Javier Vazquez (9-6, 5.31) vs. Orioles' Bruce Chen (0-6, 7.09)

Who's hot Eric Byrnes of the Athletics has hit in 20 straight games. Who's not Javier Vazquez of the Expos, who hadn't walked more than two in any of his previous 11 starts, walked six in 5 2/3 innings. Line of the day Joel Pineiro, Mariners P IP R H BB SO 9 0 4 2 12 He said it "I don't think it's any secret that our fifth starters have struggled. It's not like we're bumping [John] Smoltz." J.P. Ricciardi, Blue Jays GM, on the team's switch to a four-man rotation On deck Woody Williams of the Cardinals tries to go to 8-0 today, facing the Pirates.

CHICAGO -- As Jeff Conine's line drive off Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks traveled tantalizingly through the air toward the center-field wall, the Orioles were optimistic that they were about to witness a game-tying, three-run homer. But the ball bounced off the base of the wall just under the 400-foot mark, meaning only one runner - Melvin Mora, who beat the relay home only because Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski couldn't handle the throw - scored and the Orioles trailed by two runs.

At Yankee Stadium, New York Day...Time...TV...Starters Tonight...7:05...54, 20...Rodrigo Lopez (10-8, 3.83) vs. Kevin Brown (10-3, 3.96) Tomorrow...1:05...CSN...Sidney Ponson (9-13, 5.65) vs. Mike Mussina (9-8, 5.43) Sunday...1:05...54, 20...Bruce Chen (0-0, 2.19) vs. Javier Vazquez (13-8, 4.62) Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) Yankees update A 22-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, the worst defeat in Yankees history, provided another signal that this team is vulnerable as the playoffs approach.

Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo surveyed the scene in the ninth inning Friday night at Camden Yards - a two-run lead and his closer Chris Ray on the mound to protect what promised to be Erik Bedard's eighth straight win - and felt his team was in great shape. Even after Ray gave up two straight singles to Chicago White Sox pinch hitters to lead off the inning and Perlozzo ordered a one-out intentional walk to slugger Jim Thome to load the bases, the Orioles' manager was confident. However, what would have been a feel-good win turned into an excruciating loss when unheralded Ross Gload, in the game only because Chicago slugger Paul Konerko fouled a ball off his shin in the fifth inning, sent Ray's full-count pitch over the left-field wall to hand the White Sox a 6-4 victory before 35,382.

Chicago White Sox@Orioles Day ............ Time .............. TV ........................... Starters Tonight ..... 7:05 .............. CSN ......... Erik Bedard (12-6, 3.94) .............................................................vs. Freddy Garcia (10-6, 4.86) Tomorrow . 4:35 ............ CSN .........................Undecided ............................................................ vs. Jon Garland (10-3, 4.78) Sunday ..... 1:35 .............. 13 .......................

White Sox (39-47) @ Orioles (38-49) Day ..................... Time ............. TV ............................. Starters Tonight ............ 7:05 ............... MASN ........ Jon Garland (6-6, 3.92) ........................................ ....................................... vs. Jeremy Guthrie (4-2, 2.74) Tomorrow ........ 7:05 .............. MASN ......... Mark Buehrle (6-4, 3.03) .......................................................... Ch. 13 ....... vs. Erik Bedard (7-4, 3.40)

Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo surveyed the scene in the ninth inning Friday night at Camden Yards - a two-run lead and his closer Chris Ray on the mound to protect what promised to be Erik Bedard's eighth straight win - and felt his team was in great shape. Even after Ray gave up two straight singles to Chicago White Sox pinch hitters to lead off the inning and Perlozzo ordered a one-out intentional walk to slugger Jim Thome to load the bases, the Orioles' manager was confident. However, what would have been a feel-good win turned into an excruciating loss when unheralded Ross Gload, in the game only because Chicago slugger Paul Konerko fouled a ball off his shin in the fifth inning, sent Ray's full-count pitch over the left-field wall to hand the White Sox a 6-4 victory before 35,382.

Melvin Mora looked battered. He and his Orioles teammates had just spent nine innings getting 11 runs and 19 hits out of the world champion Chicago White Sox. But the White Sox had spent those same nine swinging back with heavier clubs. White Sox@Orioles Today, 1:35 p.m., Ch. 13, 1090 AM Starters: White Sox's Javier Vazquez (9-6, 5.31) vs. Orioles' Bruce Chen (0-6, 7.09)

CHICAGO -- As Jeff Conine's line drive off Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks traveled tantalizingly through the air toward the center-field wall, the Orioles were optimistic that they were about to witness a game-tying, three-run homer. But the ball bounced off the base of the wall just under the 400-foot mark, meaning only one runner - Melvin Mora, who beat the relay home only because Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski couldn't handle the throw - scored and the Orioles trailed by two runs.

Fact: My favorite question from the polygraph exam Rafael Palmeiro's agent set up last June to help Palmeiro prove his innocence: "Do you recall ever secretly doing anything that would have caused shame or dishonor to your family?" Opinion: Maybe it's just me, but I think this would have been a better question to ask: "Have you ever taken steroids?" Fact: My second-favorite question from the exam: "In the past year, did you ever seriously think about violating your personal beliefs by doing something unlawful?"

Like most professional athletes in the sunset of their careers, the Atlanta Braves' Brian Jordan thinks he might be able to squeeze one more season out of his battered body. Unlike most ballplayers, though, he knows he doesn't have to. He has plenty of post-baseball plans to fall back on. "[Baseball] is really my hobby right now," said Jordan, a Baltimore native and Milford Mill High graduate. He is developing a real estate project in Atlanta, which includes the construction of more than 1,100 homes.

WHO'S UP Johnny Damon of the Red Sox reached base in 10 of his 14 plate appearances during the weekend series with the Braves. WHO'S DOWN David Eckstein of the Cardinals, who had only six errors last year, had three yesterday, one Friday and has eight this season. BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Lew Ford, Twins DH AB R H RBI HR 4 3 3 1 0 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Javier Vazquez, D'backs IP H R BB SO 9 5 0 0 7 Baseball "You see outfielders drop routine balls and you hope it never happens to you. I wanted to crawl up under a rock when I dropped it."