Almost 30...

...according to Lindsay, I am almost 30 years old.  Tomorrow I am actually 29, but she gets a rise out of saying I'm almost 30.  She's a funny one.  Heading to NYC this evening, for a surprise put on by Nathan, still have no idea what we're doing, but I'll just have to wait and see.

In MLB news, the Yankees are pounding the Indians, 7-1.  Even Chan Ho Park is getting in on the action.  Former Miami (FL) Hurricane great Chris Perez (aka: I Whine Over Bunts) got touched up.  He came in to face A-Rod, who homered to center field on a 3-1 pitch.  He then promptly let up another homer, this one to Robinson Cano (3-2 count), and a double to Nick Swisher (3-2 count).  It is so important to get ahead of hitters and get outs early in counts - the longer an AB goes, the advantage goes to the hitter.  Case.  Point.

Andy was dandy, as Michael Kay would put it, going seven strong innings, allowing only four hits, a run, and racked up five strikeouts.  Pettitte lowered his ERA from 2.62 to 2.48, and is in line for his seventh win of the year, half of his 2009 win total.

The middle of the Yankees order (Teixeira, Rodriguez, Cano, Swisher) are a combined 8-18 with six runs scored and nine RBI.  It's always nice when you get that kind of production from the meat of the order.  Every starter has a hit, Gardner has three (along with 2 SB).

Good game for the Yankees - too bad the same can't be said for the reigning NL-champion Phillies, who are about to lose their grasp on first place in the NL East, as the Braves lead 9-3 in the top of the ninth inning.  Tommy Hanson had a solid outing, going 6.1 IP with only one run allowed.  Joe Blanton was ineffective, as usual, laboring through 6 innings (8 H, 6 R (4ER), 2 K).  It's unreal how his career has been so mediocre since he's left the Bay Area.  Half the problem is that he was hurt early on this season (oblique injury in March 2010) but the other part of the problem is his lack of an out pitch.  He averages well under a K/IP (.67 K/IP in his career).  This season, he's only averaging .50 K/IP - with the exception of Mitch Talbot (CLE), most of the pitchers having success this year have higher K/IP ratios (Talbot has a .40 K/IP).  Blanton has always featured a pretty good change up, but his velocity is/has been nothing like the mythical Joe Blanton from University of Kentucky was like in the Cap Cod Baseball League - low to mid-90's.  He's generally 86-89 on the gun. 

Gotta get ready - it'll take me about three and a half minutes - but I have to take Nathan out.