Kuzul

The Yankees were happy to leave Toronto after their first visit with the Blue Jays over the weekend.

This series provided a lot to think about in regards to what the Yankees are dealing with regarding strengths and issues.

Losing the first two games was making the Yankees look like has-beens. Thanks to Javier Vazquez’s impressive performance the Yankees avoided getting swept on Sunday.

Watching Saturday’s 14 innings proved that the Yankee pitching is pretty sturdy and continued to add more worries about the Yankee bats.

Here is what was learned up in Canada.

Pitching

Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez both pitched gems. Pettitte just continues to dominate, while Vazquez is proving his arm worthy again.

On Saturday, the bullpen looked better than I expected in through 14 innings. Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson, Damaso Marte and Joba Chamberlain were outstanding in doing their jobs. It made it difficult to believe Pettitte not getting a win because the pitching could not have done more.

Chad Gaudin gave up the winning runs on Saturday in the 14th inning, but this is no surprise. What else would happen against the uncompromising Blue Jays?

Sunday’s hero was Javier Vazquez. Vazquez had a no hitter through six innings when he gave up a two-run homer to Vernon Wells. He came back in the seventh and struck out the side before the bullpen came in to finish off the Blue Jays.

His change-up was sick, and the Yankees could not have asked for a better day on the mound from Vazquez, once again. Now with four of five solid starts, Javy’s been the saving grace for the Yankees.

Hitting

Derek Jeter came through all weekend. Jeter was responsible for a two-run homer on Saturday which gave the Yankees five more innings to win.

Cano and Garner provided Sunday’s hits in the eighth inning. Garner is an on-base machine this season with the bat. Garner also stole his 20th base in Toronto.

Nick Swisher had some BS calls on Sunday, eventually leading to Girardi getting tossed. When does the home plate umpire make the check swing calls that are that close? The view from behind the plate does not provide the same angel as from first and third bases, which is a fact. Just add it to the list of idiotic judgment calls from umpires in 2010.

Problem

How embarrassing for Mark Teixeira, who struck out five times. Tex is becoming unreliable, and something has to be done now.

This is no slump, because Tex has majorly struggled since the 2009 post season.

I hate to say it, but it is time to move Tex down in the batting order. Then he can prove his worth by earning his way back up.

The Yankees power has been the biggest drop since 2009 season. Cano has been a saving grace, but Arod and Tex can not hit home runs. Tex can not his at all, but Arod is getting on base and providing a lot more than Tex.

Arod left on Sunday’s game in the eighth inning with the same groin injury, but has said to be fine to play on Tuesday against the Orioles. Girardi knows that if there is a time to relax Arod, Baltimore is the place.

The Yankees have the two worst teams up next, Orioles then Astros, which is the time to fix the hitting problems.

Oh wait, they should win these pretty easily as well because they are close to taking the Rays and first place.

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So far 2010 has been filled with drama.

Teams go from boiling hot to freezing cold in an instant. Stars have been struggling more than ever.

Who would have thought Memorial Day weekend would leave so many marks this season?

Here are three 2010 Memorial Day Weekend shockers:

• The Philadelphia Phillies are a mess. The Phillies were swept badly by the Mets, who did not allow the Phillies to score a run in all three games. Who knew that was going to happen? Jimmy Rollins or not.

Now the Atlanta Braves lead the NL East, a position the Phillies have owned for two seasons. Jason Werth and Ryan Howard have got to hit or else this could get worse for the Phillies.

• The Toronto Blue Jays, who usually start out hot, look here to stay in 2010.

Who would have guessed the season after ace Roy Halladay gets traded to the Phillies Toronto would be more of a threat. Add that to an ice cold Aaron Hill at the plate, but the team has the most home runs in all of baseball with 89. Wait until Hill starts going, which is inevitable.

Nothing short of crazy stuff! Halladay wants a World Series ring. He felt as a Blue Jay hurt his chances. Halladay is pitching better than ever, as he just achieved the 20^th perfect game in baseball history.

Thank god! Now Dallas Brandon can finally shut up, as he doesn’t hold a candle to Mr. Halladay. Stick it grandma, your grandson is annoying.

The Blue Jays won’t let my Yankees breathe, who are sandwiching the World Series champs with the Rays on top.

• The walk-off home-run is the most exciting way to win. It will boost any team’s morale, and the fans go nuts. It is everybody’s kind of win; the best kind no doubt.

It has always been nothing but fun and Kenny Morales did that for his Angeles on Saturday in grand-slam style. As the Morales leaped to embrace his teammates at home plate, he broke his leg.

Morales is leading the Angels in hitting for 2010, and now is out for the season. Such bad luck making the joy of the walk-off a tragic win for the Angels.

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A typical response to why someone is not a baseball fan is that the game is too slow and boring.

If they only knew that baseball loves the drama.

Right now, it could not be more of a soap opera. Teams are soaring when they should be collapsing, and vice versa.

Here is my list (in dramatic order) of the top five craziest things currently going on in MLB:

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Thursday’s matchup is definitely a good one featuring Andy Pettitte and James Shields .

Another hard winner to pick because Pettitte has been so good and Shields has greatly improved since the last time he faced this Yankees lineup.

JAMES SHIELDS (TBR) vs. ANDY PETTITTE (NYY )

JAMES SHIELDS

PROS

James Shields has some experience against the Yankees, so he knows what to expect. As 2010 moves along, so does Shields, who has pitched for eight innings in two of his last three starts. He throws a lot of strikes with a fastball that averages at 92 mph. He maintains great velocity on his change-up and good curveball . If he can stay in control, Shields can dominate a game.

CONS

Shields tends to use his change-up too much, and hitters start to read it, which leads to a lot of hits . Also, his control can get wild at times and drive up his pitch count. Robinson Cano has crushed Shields in the past. Cano in his career against Shields is batting .462, with four doubles, two triples, two homers, one walk, and six RBI in just 27 at-bats.

ANDY PETTITTE

PROS

Andy Pettitte has been dynamite this season so far and has lifted the Yankees with each start. Pettitte thrives in situations where he knows the team needs to win. The swollen elbow that had him skip a start to rest is not an issue anymore, as Pettitte said it gave him no problem in his win against the Twins. His ERA is 1.79 with 29 strikeouts—only nine earned runs in 49.1 innings. WOW!

CONS

This season, not really anything. Hopefully Pettitte’s elbow doesn’t come back to haunt him. Pettitte is too vital for a team that is riddled with injuries at the moment.

WINNER/LOSER

Pettitte because he hasn’t been this good since he was 24 years old.

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