Clemens Out, Villone In

When Roger Clemens left the mound Sunday night due to an aggravated hamstring injury, baseball fans probably witnessed Rocket's final moments on a big league mound. Because of an amendment to the playoff roster rules, the Yankees are able to replace an injured Clemens with another player. The replacement must be a pitcher, though, and Joe Torre decided on Ron Villone.

Because Clemens has been replaced on the roster for the final game or two of the series against Cleveland, he is ineligible to be included on the League Championship Series roster, if the Yankees advance that far. So, even if the Yankees make it as far as the World Series, it is possible that Clemens pitched the final game of his career on Sunday.

No speculation on whether Ian Kennedy was a possibility, or even available, but a vague injury concern and maxing out his innings-cap for the year surely made that decision simpler.

Clemens Ready For Game 3

After throwing 49 pitches on Monday, Roger Clemens again tested his tweaked hamstring in Tampa today. From the LoHud Blog:

Roger Clemens threw 69 pitches in a simulated game in Tampa today, facing minor leaguers.

Assuming his left hamstring feels fine today when he gets to Cleveland, Clemens will start Game 3 in New York on Sunday.

There will be no word on the roster today. The Yankees are carrying a few extra pitchers and the final decisions will be made tomorrow.

Joe Torre appeared on WFAN radio, confirming Clemens came through his bullpen well. Torre continued to play with the idea of Johnny Damon starting in leftfield and Hideki Matsui falling into the DH spot. Matsui has been bothered by a bum knee which needed to be drained of fluid over the weekend.

Ian Kennedy may well become available should the Yankees move on to the ALCS, but he is currently working out and making preparations for his October 6th wedding. Though Torre again insinuated Mike Mussina would start Game 4, the manager did not proclaim Phil Hughes a part of the postseason bullpen just yet.

Billy Wagner Buries Team

Still shocked by the New York Mets and the worst September collapse in MLB history. After all the flack Yankee fans, writers and players took from the Amazin's during the first half of 2007, it's going to be a pretty bitter pill to swallow when they turn on October baseball and don't see their team competing.

A seven game lead with seventeen games to play? Absolutely mindboggling.

Painful as it might be for Yankees fans to admit, it's pretty difficult not to feel bad for Mets fans.

So, in the spirit of camaraderie and brotherhood, the Mets closer decided to toss his coaching staff under the bus:

Billy Wagner stabs pitching coach, manager in the back:

“We’ve been throwing four innings a night - for months!” Wagner told the magazine. “Our pitching coach has no experience talking to a bullpen. He can help you mechanically, but he can’t tell you emotions. He has no idea what it feels like. And neither does Willie. They’re not a lot of help, put it that way.”

Maybe Wagner's tendency to choke up huge save opportunities had something to do with it as well... What a team player.

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On the contrary, the Rockies and Padres will duke it out tomorrow night with a one-game playoff contest. Winner is in, and loser goes home.

Playoff Roster Predictions

Controversies:

• Phil Hughes over Mike Mussina

• No Kyle Farnsworth

• Jose Veras and Chris Britton and Ross Ohlendorf ?

So, About That Game Four....

After Mike Mussina's performance Friday, I think it's about time Joe Torre seriously reconsiders his playoff rotation. From this morning:

Not to sound like a broken record, but if the Moose turns back the clock by shutting down a powerful Cleveland lineup, I will gladly eat my words. Until then, I truly believe the best strategy would involve kicking Mussina into the bullpen, and handing Phil Hughes the ball for Game 4.

Mussina better fits into the long reliever role, and is only an 85 mph fastball away from destroying a potential elimination game. This is not to say that the rookie is impenetrable, but I fear Hughes (whose stuff is probably at about 85%) much more than Moose at full strength. Seeing Phil mix in his changeup and slider with astonishing frequency Thursday illustrates the type of versatility he can show batters.

Or from Sunday:

I'm still on the fence in terms of having him start game four of a divisional playoff series. Is it possible to come back from the horrible three game stretch Moose had in mid-August? Absolutely. Has his last three impressive starts erased his inability to hold a lead against Detroit last October? Absolutely not.

Obviously Friday's game wasn't played within the playoff bubble. It wasn't a "must win" by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is indicative of the type of atrocious appearance Moose can hand to the opposition. I still vote for Phil's stuff, over Mussina's experience. We saw last year's Detroit pitching staff, chock full of unexperienced young arms, dismember an offense categorized as "Murderer's Row plus Cano."

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Notes:

* Red Sox top pitching prospect, Clay Buchholz, will not pitch again this year due to "fatigue."

* Bronson Sardinha's middle name is "Kiheimahanaomauiakeo"

Postseason Rotation

Ed Price reports Joe Torre revealed his playoff plans for the starting rotation. There aren't any surprises, except an official confirmation that Mike Mussina is slotted in as the Game 4 starter.

Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte will start the first two games of the AL Division Series for the Yankees, manager Joe Torre said.

Roger Clemens -- if he recovers from a sore left hamstring -- will pitch Game 3. If the Yankees are in the series that opens next Thursday, they will need four starters, and Mike Mussina would be fourth. Otherwise, he may be a long reliever.

Not to sound like a broken record, but if the Moose turns back the clock by shutting down a powerful Cleveland lineup, I will gladly eat my words. Until then, I truly believe the best strategy would involve kicking Mussina into the bullpen, and handing Phil Hughes the ball for Game 4.

Mussina better fits into the long reliever role, and is only an 85 mph fastball away from destroying a potential elimination game. This is not to say that the rookie is impenetrable, but I fear Hughes (whose stuff is probably at about 85%) much more than Moose at full strength. Seeing Phil mix in his changeup and slider with astonishing frequency Thursday illustrates the type of versatility he can show batters.

Exhibition Win & Mets Crucial Loss

Phil Hughes tossed a gem tonight, lasting seven strong innings and allowing only one run on four hits. The Franchise struck out five batters and then handed the ball to Joba Chamberlain. Although Mike Mussina most likely gets the postseason start, the superb finish to Phil's regular season ensures a capable replacement should Moose falter in October.

On the other hand, the J-Man took another step toward the playoff spotlight. After allowing a leadoff double, Joba induced a line-out before striking out two Devil Rays and stranding the runner at second base.

Chamberlain passed his final test by successfully pitching on back-to-back days. The fastball still hit 99 mph on the radar and the slidepiece still buckled batters. As long as his body recovers well tomorrow and Saturday, all systems are go.

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Meanwhile, Flushing is Burning, as the Mets lost another crucial game tonight. With the Phillies looming one game back, the Mets offense was befuddled by former Red Sox failure, Joel Pineiro. Looking like an ace, the unlikely torment from Pineiro spanned eight shutout innings and former Metropolitan farmhand, Jason Isringhausen shut the door in the ninth.

The Phillies, however, fought their way to a 6-4 victory, creating an improbable tie atop the NL East. Just a few months ago, the Mets fanbase danced the New York City streets, proclaiming their team the newly crowned King of New York.

As September winds down, they are again playing second fiddle to the Bombers and desperately clawing for a postseason berth. Talk about turning the tables. The Mets are on the verge of an unprecedented collapse, considering no division leader ever blew a seven game cushion during the final month of the season.

• The Cherry On Top: By striking out 10 Yankees, another former Mets minor leaguer, Scott Kazmir, became the Major League strikeout leader with a staggering 236. Ouch.