Cutters and Choppers

The Yankee Express rocks on: four in a row, 7 out of 9. Another tough no decision for Pettitte, but at least the team won, despite Melky Cabrera doing an impression of himself and giving up an inside-the-park HR. Captain clutch won the game on a little infield chopper with the bases loaded in the 10th. More good work from Rivera: two scoreless innings pitched. Yes, two innings pitched. I mean which is the bigger joke: Kyle Dial 911 or Torre's "promise" in spring training to use Rivera for only one inning?

Speaking of Rivera, there is a common misperception that he has only one pitch. Granted, he uses his famed "cutter," which breaks inside to left handed batters (and away from righties) most of the time. But he also features the reverse cutter, which has similar movement to Al Leiter's cutter. That one breaks into the righties and away from lefties. Hence, I bet Rivera would make an excellent bowler, given that he can knock down the spare no matter which side the remaining pins are on. Finally, what are the odds he has been to Doha, Qatar?

For all you Nancy Drew fans out there: JD managed to hit a homerun tonight. One more and he ties Doug Mientkiewicz, who hasn't even been playing for the last week due to a broken wrist. Any chance JD paid Mike Lowell to knock Mientkiewicz out of the game last week? (JD also trails Julio Lugo, who hit one tonight as well. Apparently these clowns are signed through the 2010 season.)