Record Last Week: 5-1 (28 RS, 16 RA)
Season Record: 26-21 (217 RS, 198 RA, 26-21 pythag. record), 2.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Angels (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF, @ Tigers (three games, Thurs. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• The Royals came to town to the start the week, and they handed the Yankees their third straight loss in the series opener. Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman held a team meeting after the loss. Derek Jeter and Phil Hughes helped the Yankees to a much needed win on Tuesday, then Alex Rodriguez homered twice in the series-ending win.
• Following Thursday’s day off, the Yankees opened a West Coast swing with a win over the Athletics. Mark Teixeira homered twice in Saturday’s win and Hiroki Kuroda dominated to complete the sweep yesterday.
• Injury News: A surgery date is still not set for Mariano Rivera‘s torn ACL. David Robertson (oblique) will start a throwing program this week. Brett Gardner (elbow) will try to hit today. Austin Romine (back) is out until July. Eduardo Nunez (thumb) is on the minor league DL. Ivan Nova is fine after a minor hamstring issue. Top prospects Manny Banuelos and Jose Campos do not have any structural damage in their elbows but will miss time.
• Reports surfaced that the Steinbrenners were exploring the idea of selling the Yankees but the organization has vehemently denied everything. Of course, the team is not for sale until it actually is.
• The Yankees signed John Maine to a minor league contract. Tim Norton has officially retired as a player and now works as a coach in the minor league system.
• Mason Williams ranked 24th on Keith Law’s midseason top 25 prospects list.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 2-5 (23 RS, 33 RA)
Season Record: 21-20 (189 RS, 182 RA, 21-20 pythag. record), 5.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: vs. Royals (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF, @ Athletics (three games, Thurs. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• The week opened with a quick two games against the Orioles. Mark Teixeira‘s late homer allowed the Yankees to squeeze out a win on Monday, but the bats had no answer for Wei-Yin Chen the next day.
• After two in Baltimore it was time to head up to Toronto for two games against the Blue Jays. Hiroki Kuroda got bombed in the series opening loss and the Yankees couldn’t hit yet again in the next day’s loss.
• The first interleague series of the series brought the Reds to the Bronx, and Andy Pettitte was absolutely dominant in Friday’s win. A ninth inning rally fell short the next day, and CC Sabathia couldn’t hold a two-run lead in yesterday’s loss.
• Injury News: David Robertson was placed on the DL with a left oblique strain. Brett Gardner‘s elbow strain will be checked again this week and could resume baseball activities soon thereafter. Eduardo Nunez is going to miss a few days with a sore thumb. David Aardsma threw breaking balls for the first time since Tommy John surgery. Ivan Nova left Tuesday’s game with a right foot contusion and a sprained right ankle but did not miss a start.
• Two teams have interest in Frankie Cervelli but the club isn’t looking to move him. The Yankees are not in the mix for Roy Oswalt, but they did claim infielder Matt Antonelli off waivers from the Orioles.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 5-2 (25 RS, 20 RA)
Season Record: 19-15 (166 RS, 149 RA, 19-15 pythag. record), 2.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Orioles (two games, Mon. to Tues.), @ Blue Jays (two games, Weds. to Thurs.), vs. Reds (three games, Fri. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• The Yankees had Monday off, then welcomed the Rays to the Bronx for a relatively important three-game set. Ivan Nova and Raul Ibanez guided the team to a series-opening win but David Robertson blew the save and took the loss the next night. CC Sabathia was dominant in Thursday’s win.
• The Mariners were next up, and Ibanez’s late blast led to a win over Felix Hernandez in the opener. He teamed with Phil Hughes for another win on Saturday, but the Yankees were unable to finish off the sweep in Andy Pettitte‘s return to the rotation yesterday.
• Injury News: Brett Gardner re-aggravated his elbow strain and will miss anywhere from two weeks to a month. Mariano Rivera has a blot clot in his right calf but it will not impact his return from the torn ACL. Joba Chamberlain (ankle, elbow) is walking around with a brace but no boot. Mark Teixeira has inflamed airways but won’t miss any games. Slade Heathcott (shoulder) will play in his first game of the season on June 5th.
• Eric Chavez (whiplash, possible concussion) was activated off the DL while Eduardo Nunez was sent to Triple-A to play everyday and work on his defense. Cody Eppley went down to Triple-A to clear a roster spot for Pettitte.
• The Yankees claimed lefty Justin Thomas off waivers from the Red Sox to add depth. Brian Cashman says he isn’t talking to any players about contract extensions or actively pursuing trades for bullpen help.
• You’re now welcome to bring tablets and eReaders into Yankee Stadium.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 3-4 (23 RS, 28 RA)
Season Record: 15-13 (141 RS, 129 RA, 15-13 pythag. record), 4.0 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, vs. Rays (three games, Tues. to Thurs.), vs. Mariners (three games, Fri. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• Thanks to a freak accident on Thursday, Mariano Rivera will miss the rest of the season with a torn right ACL. He will return to pitch next season and the Yankees will not look to add a reliever via trade. At least not right now. David Robertson is expected to assume closer duties.
• The week on the field started with three games against the Orioles. The Yankees took the opener behind Hiroki Kuroda but couldn’t muster anything off Brian Matusz the next day. Jake Arrieta shut them right down in Wednesday’s finale.
• The Yankees headed to Kansas City for a four-game weekend set, but David Phelps didn’t get any support in his first career start. CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter led the team to a win on Friday, but the Yankees couldn’t put anything together the next day. The offense came back to life in yesterday’s win.
• Non-Mo Injury News: Eric Chavez was placed on the 7-day DL with whiplash and a possible concussion. Brett Gardner is starting a rehab assignment today. Nick Swisher returned to the lineup yesterday after missing time with a low-grade hamstring strain. Michael Pineda‘s labrum surgery went well. Minor leaguer Jose Campos will miss time with elbow inflammation.
• Following Rivera’s injury, the Yankees recalled right-hander Cody Eppley and outfielder Dewayne Wise. Infielder Jayson Nix took Chavez’s spot on the roster. Long man D.J. Mitchell was optioned to Triple-A in the process.
• Andy Pettitte threw a pair of minor league tune-up starts: 5.2 innings on Monday and and five innings on Sunday. He threw 95+ pitches in each start and could return to the big league team next weekend, though nothing has been officially announced yet.
• The Yankees signed 26-year-old Cuban outfielder Adonis Garcia to a minor league contract.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 3-3 (28 RS, 28 RA)
Season Record: 12-9 (118 RS, 101 RA, 12-9 pythag. record), 1.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: vs. Orioles (three games, Mon. to Weds.), @ Royals (four games, Thurs. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• The Yankees opened the week in Texas for a three-game set with the Rangers. CC Sabathia and some the offense contributed to a win in the opener, but Yu Darvish shut them right down in Tuesday’s loss. The Yankees were unable to climb out of the hole dug by Phil Hughes in the finale.
• Following Thursday’s off day, the Yankees came home and took the opener from the Tigers thanks to a walk-off passed ball. Freddy Garcia got rocked again on Saturday, but Sabathia dominated in yesterday’s rubber game win.
• Injury News: Michael Pineda has an anterior labral tear and will be out for a full year. He will have surgery tomorrow. Brett Gardner swung a bat for the first time on Saturday since going on the DL and could take batting practice as soon as today. Nick Swisher will miss some time with a low-grade hamstring strain but is not expected to go on the DL. Joba Chamberlain will shed his walking boot this week and has continued to play catch.
• Andy Pettitte went 5+ innings in his latest minor league tune-up start and is scheduled to approach 100 pitches in today’s outing. Freddy was pulled from the rotation following Saturday’s game and will be replaced by David Phelps. D.J. Mitchell was called up while Cody Eppley was optioned down.
• The sale of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees franchise has finally been approved. Extensive renovations to PNC Field have begun and the park is expected to be ready in time for Opening Day 2013.
• The future of Yankees’ radio broadcasts could be shifting very soon.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 4-2 (44 RS, 33 RA)
Season Record: 9-6 (90 RS, 73 RA, 9-6 pythag. record), tied for AL East lead
Opponents This Week: @ Rangers (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF, vs. Tigers (three games, Fri. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• A four-game series with the Twins opened the week, but they pounded Freddy Garcia and the offense couldn’t mount a comeback on Monday. CC Sabathia and Chris Stewart carried the Yankees to a win the next day, but Hiroki Kuroda got hit around in Wednesday’s loss. Curtis Granderson clubbed three homers in the series-ending win.
• The Yankees headed up to Fenway Park on Friday, and they spoiled the park’s 100th anniversary party with a 6-2 win while wearing 1912 throwback uniforms. Saturday’s game featured a huge nine-run comeback and 15 unanswered runs in a 15-9 win. Yesterday’s series finale was rained out.
• Injury News: Brett Gardner was placed on the DL with a bone bruise and a strain in his right elbow. Michael Pineda suffered a setback during his rehab and will have a dye-contrast MRI on his right shoulder today. Joba Chamberlain has resumed light workouts.
• Alex Rodriguez‘s homerun milestones apparently do not count towards the luxury tax. The Yankees do not plan to discuss a contract extension with Russell Martin during the season.
• Andy Pettitte went five innings in his latest minor league game and will start a Double-A game on Wednesday.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 5-1 (34 RS, 22 RA)
Season Record: 5-4 (46 RS, 40 RA, 5-4 pythag. record), tied for AL East lead
Opponents This Week: vs. Twins (four games, Mon. to Thurs.), @ Red Sox (three games, Fri. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• The week started with three games in Baltimore, and the Yankees took the opener behind Ivan Nova. Raul Ibanez came up with a big hit in extra innings on Tuesday, then Nick Swisher did the same to complete the sweep on Wednesday.
• After Thursday’s off day, the Yankees came to the Bronx for their first home series of the season. Hiroki Kuroda dominated the Angels on Friday, but the Halos roughed up Phil Hughes in Saturday’s loss. Derek Jeter led the charge in Sunday’s rubber game win.
• Injury News: Rafael Soriano tore a finger nail warming up on Tuesday but has since returned to action. Michael Pineda will throw a bullpen session tomorrow. Manny Banuelos was placed on the minor league DL with a lat problem.
• Andy Pettitte made a pair of minor league appearances: three innings on Monday and four innings on Sunday. He’s still three or four (or more) outings away from returning to the big league team.
• Jim Leyritz is back with the Yankees on a personal services contract.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 0-3 (12 RS, 18 RA)
Season Record: 0-3 (12 RS, 18 RA, 1-2 pythag. record), 3.0 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Orioles (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF, vs. Angels (three games, Fri. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• The Yankees opened the season with three games at Tampa Bay, their home away from home. The Rays won the first game in walk-off fashion and the Yankees’ comeback fell short in game two. Tampa completed the sweep with a shutout win yesterday.
• Injury News: Michael Pineda has been playing catch and will throw long-toss this week. Boone Logan is fine after a bout with back spasms. David Aardsma threw his first bullpen session since having Tommy John surgery last July. Andy Pettitte will appear in a minor league game tomorrow.
• The Yankees traded George Kontos for Chris Stewart and optioned Frankie Cervelli to Triple-A. Justin Maxwell was designated for assignment and claimed by the Astros. Bill Hall was released at his request, and Jorge Vazquez was cut as well. The Yankees also claimed Cody Eppley off waivers and signed Ramon Ortiz for minor league depth.
• Eduardo Nunez will get a lot of playing time against left-handed starters. David Phelps and Clay Rapada made the Opening Day roster as the final two relievers.
• The Yankees topped FanGraphs’ organizational rankings for the third straight year. They opened the season with their lowest payroll since 2007.
• The Joey Votto and Matt Cain contracts could impact the Yankees down the road.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 3-2-1 (45 RS, 39 RA)
Spring Training Record: 16-11-1 (147 RS, 130 RA)
Spring Training Schedule This Week: @ Marlins (Mon. on MLBN), @ Mets (Tues. on YES/SNY/MLBN), vs. Mets (Weds. on YES/MLBN), Thurs. OFF
Regular Season Schedule This Week: @ Rays (three games, Fri. to Sun.)

Top stories from last week:

• Michael Pineda will start the season on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis. He had some soreness prior to Friday’s start but did not tell the coaching staff or trainers. The Yankees will play it conservatively, unsurprisingly. With Pineda on the shelf, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, and Freddy Garcia will follow CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda in the Opening Day rotation.
• Other Injury News: Cesar Cabral has a stress fracture in his elbow and figures to miss significant time. Nick Swisher (groin) and Curtis Granderson (elbow) have returned to the lineup following minor injuries. Minor leaguer Ravel Santana (ankle) is starting to get back on the field as well. Austin Romine (back) suffered a setback. George Kontos has a blister.
• The Yankees claimed Craig Tatum off waivers then outrighted him off the 40-man roster. Russell Branyan was released and re-signed to a minor league deal in a cost-saving maneuver. Jack Cust, Steve Pearce, and Jason Bulger were brought aboard on minor league deals as well. The Astros and Orioles have some interest in Justin Maxwell.
• The Dodgers sold for $2 billion and it could impact the Yankees down the road.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Record Last Week: 5-0-2 (35 RS, 19 RA)
Spring Training Record: 13-9-2 (102 RS, 91 RA)
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, vs. Blue Jays (Tues. on YES/MLBN), @ Braves (Weds. on ESPN), vs. Orioles (Thurs. on YES), vs. Phillies (Fri. on YES/MLBN), @ Astros (Sat.), @ Marlins (Sun. on YES/MLBN)

Top stories from last week:

• Joba Chamberlain suffered an open dislocation of his right ankle playing with his son on Thursday. He had surgery that night and further tests showed no microfractures. Joba was released from the hospital yesterday and will be in a cast for six weeks before switching over to a weight-bearing walking boot. There is still no definitive timetable for his return, but the best case scenario apparently has him back on a mound by July.
• Other Injury News: Derek Jeter (calf), Russell Martin (groin), and David Robertson (foot) have all returned to game action. Nick Swisher left Tuesday’s game with groin tightness and is still a few days away from returning to the field. Frankie Cervelli (knee) and Alex Rodriguez (ribs) are fine after getting hit by pitches last week. Minor leaguers Slade Heathcott (shoulder) and Ravel Santana (ankle) are expected to return in June.
• Dellin Betances, David Phelps, D.J. Mitchell, Brandon Laird, George Kontos, and Ramiro Pena were all optioned to Triple-A. Several others were reassigned to minor league camp. The Phillies have interest in Pena and the Yankees reportedly offered Freddy Garcia to the Marlins. They declined, however.
• The Yankees placed 13th in Baseball America’s organizational rankings. Right-hander Rafael DePaula finally got a visa and will soon officially join the organization.
• The Triple-A stadium situation could linger into 2013, and Jorge Vazquez is getting sick of playing there.
• Meredith Marakovits will take over as the YES Network’s new clubhouse reporter.
• Forbes says the Yankees are worth $1.85 billion.

Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.