For every Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte with a history of success in the October, the Yankees seem to have a player who has to prove himself in this coming one.
You'll hear all about from now until those players redeem themselves -- or the Yankees are eliminated.
"It's going to be a huge deal," said CC Sabathia, who will take a 7.92 ERA from his five playoff starts into Game 1 of this year's Division Series.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
After Tim Lincecum missed a start, fantasy owners still in the championship race had to have been holding their collective breath. Now is not the time to lose your staff ace. His next start would be a test of his health. Last year's NL Cy Young winner took the hill Monday night against the wild card-leading Rockies, and he passed the test with flying colors. While the 4 free passes were a bit disappointing, Lincecum more than made up for that with a win, 11 strikeouts and just 1 earned run in 7 innings of work. He's back, and he'll be a force the rest of the way (now if only someone could convince him to get a freaking haircut).
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
The ugly pitching line from Monday night shouldn't have been a huge shock to Jarrod Washburn fantasy owners. He went 5 2/3 innings, giving up 9 hits, 8 earned runs, 3 walks and 2 home runs. He struck out just 2. While it was his worst outing for the Tigers, he's been flat-out awful in Motown since he was acquired at the trade deadline. Sure, there was an 8-inning gem where he didn't allow a run. He also mixed in a quality start last time out for his first win in Detroit. Other than that, it's been horrifying.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That Alfonso Soriano and Fernando Tatis each hit game-winning grand slams, but they've got nothing on Josh Willingham. The Nationals' outfielder hit two grand slams -- in consecutive innings, no less -- to almost single-handedly beat the Brewers.
Willingham became just the 13th player to hit two grand slams in one game, the first since Bill Mueller did it for Boston in 2003. With eight RBI, Willingham tied the franchise record set by Tim Wallach with the Expos in 1990.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
You hear that, fantasy baseball owners? Josh Hamilton's sole purpose on this Earth is to mess with you. Really, there's no way to over-dramatize the crap he's put fantasy owners through. Initially, he would have been the crown jewel in a dynasty league with minor-leaguers. When those types finally gave up on him, he made the show for the Reds. Then, he started to catch on for the Reds, but couldn't stay healthy. So he goes to the Rangers and puts himself on a record RBI pace, only to significantly slow down in the second half. In 2009, the bona fide elite-level fantasy outfielder has only played 35 games. He's only hitting .240. And he's out until mid-July.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
It's no secret we here at Fantasy FanHouse were not a fan of Matt Holliday for your fantasy baseball team this season. We told you to avoid him several times in the draft kit, and still more in chats. This wasn't because we thought he was a terrible player or a bad guy. Quite the contrary, he's a good player and seems like a swell enough guy. It's just that he was so overvalued and we knew his numbers would take a hit departing Colorado for the Bay area.
Well, now is the fun part of fantasy baseball. Now we're telling you to trade for him.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
At least we know Alex Rodriguez will have plenty of help from Yankee Stadium as he makes his way back from hip surgery.
Just ask Johnny Damon, who's suddenly turned into one of the hottest power hitters in baseball after hitting only 17 home runs all of last year. Damon has already knocked seven out this season, including three this month. The Rays joined in on the ball-smashing fun Thursday, launching six homers as a team. So is a trip to Yankee Stadium the same as visiting Arlington now?
MLB Power Rankings:Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.
What a zany week for a pair of pitchers with amazing stories: Zack Greinke is America's favorite story right now, somehow managing to be hotter than Twitter. (And if Oprah starts doing him too, I'm just quitting. And I mean everything.) Meanwhile, Rick Ankiel (you may hear word of this "podcast" we're doing about him, but that's because I'm shameless like that), a former star on the mound as well, nearly decapitates himself running into an outfield wall. And yet, life goes on. Just like our Power Rankings.
It didn't just rain on the Yankees in the Bronx on Monday night, it poured. They waited 2 1/2 hours to lose a fourth straight game to the Red Sox, saw their manager ejected in the proceedings and watched their starting catcher limp off the field with a hamstring injury. It will be a while before they see Jorge Posada on the field again.
Posada was placed on the disabled list on Tuesday with what's being called a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring. That means it is a partial tear, and it probably means that it will be June before he'll be back behind the plate or playing DH for the Yankees.
NEW YORK – When players join the Yankees, they have to cut their hair and shave any whiskers below the lip.
They also seem to lop off much of their personality.
The reputation of the Yankees around baseball is of a corporate culture, where winning is taken so seriously that there isn't room for fun.
Nick Swisher knew of that perception, so after being traded from the White Sox over the winter, he went to spring training wondering if he could be himself. (Himself being a gregarious country boy from West Virginia.)
NEW YORK -- Can a team win the World Series with an ace sporting a 7.92 ERA and a cleanup hitter with one RBI in his past 59 at-bats in the playoffs?
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Starting Five
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
It didn't just rain on the Yankees in the Bronx on Monday night, it poured. They waited 2 1/2 hours to lose a fourth straight game to the Red Sox, saw their manager ejected in the proceedings and watched their starting catcher limp off the field with a hamstring injury. It will be a while before they see 
NEW YORK – When players join the Yankees, they have to cut their hair and shave any whiskers below the lip.
