Jorge Posada

HittingFrank Thomas, White Sox: 5 RBIs, grand slam.Fred McGriff, Devil Rays: 4-for-4, 2 RBIs.Dean Palmer, Royals: 2 HRs, 4 RBIs.Jorge Posada, Yankees: 2 HRs.PitchingJulio Santana, Devil Rays: 8 innings, 1 run, 5 hits.Pub Date: 8/01/98

Here's another subplot in the build-up to what should be a free-for-all in the AL East this summer: Almost every team in the division can play the nobody-believed-in-us card. With the exception of maybe the Blue Jays, who generated the most offseason hype this winter, the teams in baseball's deepest division might all enter the season with a chip on their shoulder. Case in point: Yankees first baseman (and Mount St. Joe alum) Mark Teixeira suggesting that his $200 million team is embracing an underdog role this season.

Who's hot The Royals have won eight in a row, their longest win ning streak since 1994. Who's not Jorge Posada of the Yankees is 4-for-37 with 25 strikeouts against Pedro Martinez. Line of the day Tim Salmon, Angels RF AB R H RBI HR 5 3 5 5 1

The wading was the hardest part. The Orioles and New York Yankees whiled away more than four hours waiting for the rain to relent Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium before finally taking the soggy field and playing well into the morning to avoid a day/night doubleheader Wednesday. Whether that effort was worthwhile depended on the outcome, which again favored the Yankees, who took advantage of the ugly conditions and a disputed home run to score a 5-3 victory before a tiny group of die-hard fans and about 40,000 very expensive, very paid-for empty seats.

New York Yankees@Orioles Day .......................... Time ........... TV .....................................Starters Tonight .................... 7:05 ......... CSN ................ Jaret Wright (3-3, 4.30) ............................................................................. vs. Kris Benson (6-4, 4.80) Tomorrow .............. 4:35 ............ 13 .............. Randy Johnson (7-4, 5.37) ......................................................................... vs. Adam Loewen (0-0, 9.64)

American League First base 1, Jason Giambi, Yankees, 748,011. 2, Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays, 362,990. 3, Kevin Millar, Red Sox, 316,240. 4, Frank Thomas, White Sox, 302,140. 5, Rafael Palmeiro, Orioles, 286,127. Second base 1, Alfonso Soriano, Rangers, 1,413,944. 2, Pokey Reese, Red Sox, 464,971. 3, Bret Boone, Mariners, 442,961. 4, Adam Kennedy, Angels, 177,590. 5, Ronnie Belliard, Indians, 177,516. Third base 1, Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, 1,141,827. 2, Hank Blalock, Rangers, 447,909.

With the man who will pick the American League All-Star pitching staff sitting in the opposing dugout, Orioles pitcher Rodrigo Lopez had a chance to make an impression last night. It turned out to be an impression Lopez would rather forget, even if he did pitch better than six-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. Lopez allowed six runs and Clemens allowed seven runs, as the Orioles and New York Yankees engaged in an old-fashioned slugfest before the two bullpens took over for a dramatic finish.

NEW YORK - Rather than continue to be manipulated by a supposed curse, the kind that can torment a franchise for 85 years and be used to explain away every failure, the Boston Red Sox appear determined to pound it into submission. They took a few more swings last night, raising some welts and the expectations of their loyal following. Unwilling to yield to an unfavorable pitching matchup, a weakened lineup and constant reminders of their postseason glitches, the Red Sox hit three home runs off Mike Mussina and seized early control of the American League Championship Series with a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium.

NEW YORK -- David Cone's start today in the New York Yankees' home opener against the Texas Rangers is critical, and not just for the 37-year-old who is hankering to make amends for getting clobbered last week in Anaheim. Cone's outing is crucial for the entire staff because, though the Yankees are 3-3 entering the game, the starters may be entering a crisis zone. Any idea that the Yanks' starting pitching -- which everyone around the team acknowledges is the backbone of their championships -- has pitched well so far is pure fantasy.

NEW YORK — Perhaps the urgency for the Yankees in what had essentially become a best-of-five American League Championships Series is that Cliff Lee could pitch in the last one. That essentially makes the next two games in Yankee Stadium must wins, because Lee looks unbeatable — nearly unhittable — against them. And, for that matter, against almost everyone else. With Lee yielding just two hits and striking out 13, the Rangers subdued the defending world champions 8-0 Monday and grabbed a 2-1 lead going into Tuesday's Game 4. "I don't think we're in trouble," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

American League Championship Series Starting pitching: Getting a possible three starts from CC Sabathia is a big advantage, but the Yankees are shakier across the board than their paychecks suggest. Andy Pettitte is the swing man. The Yankees will win if both he and Sabathia pitch well, but Pettitte hasn't had back-to-back strong outings since before the All-Star break. The Yankees will be taking a huge gamble by giving A.J. Burnett a start in Game 4. C.J. Wilson, who moves into the No. 1 role for the Rangers with Cliff Lee unavailable until Game 3, has made an amazing transition from the bullpen.

Buck Showalter has been back to New York a few times in the past 15 years, as manager of the Texas Rangers and on Old Timer's Day to the old Yankee Stadium as well as a guest for Opening Day at the inaugural season at the new stadium. "They almost did too good a job of copying the old place, if you didn't look at the suites and everything else, you'd think you're in the same ballpark," Showalter said. When the Orioles play the Yankees Monday in New York, Showalter will be in the visiting dugout again.

Perhaps it would have been a little easier to accept if the decisive swing Monday night were delivered by Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter or another New York Yankee who has enhanced his already impressive career by beating up on the Orioles. But Randy Winn? The veteran outfielder, who was starting only because Curtis Granderson is on the disabled list and who had just one hit in his first 14 at-bats, drove a fastball from Jeremy Guthrie over the right-field wall in the fourth inning.

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi was frustrated that Jeremy Guthrie hit another one of his batters. Guthrie was just flat-out embarrassed. A sullen Guthrie allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings and then shouldered the responsibility for the Orioles' 8-3 loss Wednesday night before an announced 17,248 at Camden Yards. The loss, pretty much a formality after the Yankees built a 6-0 lead off Guthrie by the top of the third inning, dropped the Orioles to 4-17 and ended their brief foray with winning at two games in a row. "I'm embarrassed by the way the game started, I was embarrassed by the way the game finished.

Yankees lost ground Mandy Housenick The Morning Call Of the 2009 playoff teams, the World Series champion Yankees have the most questions, especially considering how well the hated Red Sox did in the offseason (acquiring John Lackey, Adrian Beltre and Mike Cameron). The Yankees lost Johnny Damon and now field an outfield of Curtis Granderson, coming off his worst season; erratic Nick Swisher; and either untested Brett Gardner or aging Randy Winn. They have a soon-to-be 38-year-old Andy Pettitte, a soon-to-be 34-year-old Javier Vazquez (who flamed out in his previous Bronx stint)

New York Yankees@Orioles Day .......................... Time ........... TV .....................................Starters Tonight .................... 7:05 ......... CSN ................ Jaret Wright (3-3, 4.30) ............................................................................. vs. Kris Benson (6-4, 4.80) Tomorrow .............. 4:35 ............ 13 .............. Randy Johnson (7-4, 5.37) ......................................................................... vs. Adam Loewen (0-0, 9.64)