The Trenton Thunder host tonight’s Eastern League All-Star game.  Thunder team members, and Yankees prospects, Jesus Montero, Zach McAllister, Mike Dunn, Josh Schmidt, Reegie Corona, Eduardo Nunez, and Jorge Vazquez will represent the Northern squad.   Trenton manager Tony Franklin will be at the helm of the North along with his coaching staff.

The Yankees begin a 10-game homestand beginning Thursday night with Detroit.  After 3 games with the Tigers, the Orioles come to town for 3 before the A’s finish the homestand with a 4-game set.  The Tigers series includes Old-Timer’s Day on Sunday, July 19.

When the Chien-Ming Wang’s spot in the rotation comes up, the Yankees will probably go with Sergio Mitre and move Al Aceves back to the pen.

The Yankees will also look elsewhere for a starting pitcher.  According to the NY Post, Pittsburgh’s Ian Snell is among those who have piqued the Yankees interest.  The Bombers are also looking into Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman.

The only reason I can come up with for questions 1 and 3 is that Girardi is under so much pressure to win he’s going pedal to the medal the rest of the season.  That, and personally, I don’t think he’s a very good manager.  It doesn’t matter if A-Rod said he felt great every day, Girardi has an obligation to A-Rod and to the team to make sure he’s performing at or near 100%.  And make Phil Hughes the 8th inning guy already, would ya.

It’s this type of situation that convinces me that anything short of a world’s championship will cost Girardi his job.

Xavier Nady will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow next Wednesday.  Nady was told by doctors that the ligament tore completely off the bone (hope you weren’t eating when you read that).

Jose Molina will begin a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton on Friday.  Once Molina is ready to return to the majors, the Yankees have to decide whether to carry three catchers or send Francisco Cervelli to the minors to play every day.  The latter probably makes the most sense.

Alex Rodriguez Jr. may star in the bigs one day.  Okay, he’s not really A-Rod’s son, just his nephew..the son of his half-brother Joe Dunand Sr.  Lil Joe, Joe Dunand Jr., is 5’9″, 140 lbs…and only 13 years old.  But as the Daily News reported he’s a chip off the old uncle’s block.

Uncle A-Rod and his nephew have a “comfortable” relationship, according to Dunand Sr., who adds that his son shares A-Rod’s “love of the game and work ethic.”

This from the Elias Sports Bureau -  When A-Rod and Ken Griffey Jr. homered in last night’s Yankees-Mariners game it marked just the 2nd time in major league history that two players with 550 or more home runs went yard in the same game.  Willie Mays and Hank Aaron were the first duo in 1971.

Newest Yankee Eric Hinske will wear #14.  The Baltimore Orioles are the only AL East team that Hinske has not been a member of.

Joba “the nibbler” Chamberlain set a new record, but it’s not one to be pleased about.   He has the most career no-decisions for a pitcher with 26 starts.

Once the Yankees go with two catchers they can recall another bat, perhaps Juan Miranda or John Rodriguez.  A lot will also depend on how quickly Melky Cabrera rebounds from his banged up shoulder.  Right now, the Melkman is available for pinch-hitting duties.

Former Yankee David Dellucci was DFA’ed by the Indians earlier today.

Probable Pitchers for the Series

Friday:  Andy Pettitte (4-1, 4.30) vs. Cliff Lee (2-5, 3.04)
Saturday: CC Sabathia (4-4, 3.42) vs. Fausto Carmona (2-4, 6.42)
Sunday: Phil Hughes (3-2, 5.16) vs. Carl Pavano (5-4, 5.50)
Monday: Joba Chamberlain (2-1, 3.97) vs. Jeremy Sowers (1-2, 7.71)

CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera were among those in attendance at last night’s Cleveland Cavaliers-Orlando Magic NBA playoff game.

Tino Martinez and Lee Mazzilli will represent the Yankees at this year’s amateur draft.  When did Mazzilli stop working for SNY?

Jesus Montero slugged a pair of home runs for Tampa yesterday and could be headed to Double-A ball in Trenton very soon.

Chien-Ming Wang will start for the Scranton Yankees tonight as he works his way back to the Yankees starting rotation.  He’s expected to be on a 100-pitch count.

The Hal Steinbrenner era is much different than when his father was running the show.  By now George would have had 2 or 3 fits, “leaked” info to the press, and fired someone.  That being said, Dave Eiland could be in trouble if the Yankees’ pitching staff doesn’t turn things around.  Eiland earned a lot of praise for the work he did with the Yankees young pitchers in the minor leagues, but it has not translated into major league success.

The Yankees will be holding a press conference at 11 a.m. this morning to give a sneak preview of the items on sale from the old Stadium.  $11.5 million from memorabilia sales will be given to New York City.

Veteran Josh Towers, recently signed to a minor league deal, made his organizational debut Monday night for Scranton.

Yankees-Blue Jays Preview

The Yankees and Blue Jays meet for the first time this season,  beginning a three game series in Toronto this evening.  It’s also the first AL series for the Blue Jays other than playing the Orioles.  Toronto has had a fantastic start, made even more remarkable considering the rash of injuries they have been hit with.  With a 22-12 mark, the Blue Jays lead second place Boston by one game entering Tuesday night’s play.

Toronto lost A.J. Burnett to free agency, and Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan to surgery prior to this season.  Once the season got underway, starters Ricky Romero (stained oblique) and Jesse Litsch (forearm strain) joined the DL group.

But the Blue Jays still have their ace, Roy Halladay (6-1, 3.29) and have patched together a solid makeshift rotation.  30-yr old rookie Scott Richmond has won four games and matched Halladay’s ERA.  Top pitching prospect Brett Cecil (1-0, 0.64) has struck out 12 batters in 14 innings.  32-yr old veteran Brian Tallet, once a top prospect in the Indians‘ organization, has made four quality starts in five tries.

Closer B.J. Ryan went down with a bad back, but Scott Downs has stepped right in to take his place.  And the Blue Jays lineup, which had been lacking in the past, has been firing on all cylinders.  Toronto leads the major leagues in runs scored (204), batting average (.294), and doubles (tied with Tampa Bay with 44)., and they’re third in the AL in home runs with 44 and a .467 slugging percentage.  The Blue Jays trail only Boston and St. Louis for hitting with runners in scoring position (.312), a stat that is severely lacking for the Yankees.

Aaron Hill missed all but 55 games last year with a concussion.  But he’s come back with a vengeance (.943 OPS), leading the team with a .353 average and 8 home runs.  Adam Lind (.966 OPS) has heard all the hype and now he’s living up to it.  His 6 home runs and 31 RBI are already close to his career highs.

The rest of the lineup is balanced and productive.  Mega star Vernon Wells is healthy again and hitting.  Marco Scutaro leads the AL in walks and tops the team in runs scored.  All this and Alex Rios isn’t even hitting yet.

And let’s not forget Toronto’s defense, which has been superb.  1st baseman Lyle Overbay, CF Wells, and SS Scutaro have yet to commit an error this season.  Toronto’s best defender, John McDonald, doesn’t even start.

And let us not gloss over the impact/influence of Cito Gaston’s return as manager in 2008.  Since taking over for John Gibbons after the 74th game last season, the Blue Jays are 24 games over .500.

Series Pitching Probables

Tuesday – A.J. Burnett (2-o) vs. Roy Halladay (6-1)
Wednesday – Andy Pettitte (2-1) vs. Scott Richmond (4-1)
Thursday – CC Sabathia (2-3) vs. Brian Tallet (2-1)