Yanks also reeling as Tribe arrives

As the Tribe comes to NYC for its last-ever visit to Yankee Stadium, the team is a stumbling mess.

The offense is in a coma and the bullpen remains inconsistent.

So score one for the Tribe.

The Yankees come into the series with similar problems - plus one other major issue.

Stints on the DL for Jorge Posada and A-Rod have an already inconsistent attack sputtering further.

The Yanks bullpen - like the Tribe's - is about three deep, though Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera are more of a sure thing than Raffy, Raffy and Kobayashi.

The Yanks may be without Kyle Farsnworth for the series, as the late-inning reliever is facing a hearing on his appeal of a three-game suspension.

But, the starting rotation is where there is much upheaval for the Yanks as the three-game series begins.

The Yankees began the season with a plan to slide three young guns into their rotation - Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and eventually Chamberlain.

Injury an ineffectiveness have laid waste to those plans, as Kennedy was sent out yesterday and Hughes was DL'ed last week.

Despite the false start with Kennedy and Hughes, the Yankees insist they have no intentions of rushing Chamberlain into the rotation and that their plan to have him spend the first part of the season in the pen is still in place.

So that means Darrell Rasner and Kei Igawa taking the hill on a regular basis for the Yanks.

(I encourage you to read the linked stories. Most are from the NY Post and very entertaining.)

Unfortunately for the light-hitting Tribe, they'll be seeing the other three-fifths of the Yanks rotation - Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang and the 69-mph Man, Mike Mussina.

Let's hope the Tribe can muster up at least a few runs and make their last trip to Yankee Stadium a happy one.