YES to a Four-Game Win Streak

The Yankees are three games out of the American League Wild Card spot. The Bombers romped the Twins Monday on the YES Network.

Michael Kay and Al Leiter had the call on the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network. Kay is a former radio voice of the team. He is now the lead play-by-play voice for the Yankees TV, and also hosts the Afternoon drive-time ESPN Radio show. What a job for a guy who went to Bronx Science High School just a few block away from The Stadium.

Leiter was a Big League pitcher for 19 seasons. The Toms River, NJ native was drafted by the Yankees, he then pitched for the Blue Jays, Marlins, Mets, back to the Marlins, and finally back in Pinstripes on July 17, 2005 for a game in Fenway Park. He is a two-time World Series Champion, two time All-Star, won 162 games after an injury-riddle introduction to The Show. He may remembered best for a 142-pitch performance in Game 5 of the 2000 World Series against the Yankees. The Mets lost that clinching game in extras.

The two are naturals for the job they now have on the YES Network. Kay could tell you seemingly any baseball fact, not just Yankee stories, almost at will. And Leiter loves to talk about the game, of course talk about pitching, and some might say he just loves to talk. Towards the end of his career, when his teams didn't make the playoffs he was a favorite guest analyst for FOX Sports' Post-Season coverage.

If announcing a baseball game on TV is supposed to feel like two pals sitting around talking baseball for (what is now) three hours, then Kay and Leiter have the formula down to a tee. That's what it felt like watching Monday's game against the Twins. They are friendly off the air, and the viewer could tell they don't stop discussing baseball once the red-light goes off.

Kay got his news items in as well. The big story for the Yankees was that All-Star catcher Jorge Posada was placed on the DL, and might require season-ending surgery. Leiter and Kay went back and forth pretty much all game on the attributes of back-up catcher Jose Molina, ultimately surmising that he's the kind of guy "like the guy across town in Endy Chavez" where the more at-bats he gets, the more you'd see why he is a back-up. They did make mention of his defensive ability, but all in all they were very fair on that subject.

Meanwhile the Yanks threw up 8 runs in the first 3 innings in a game started by Sidney Ponson. They chased the highly-touted Nick Blackburn out of the game after he got just 5 outs. As Minnesota tried to climb back into the game, the race was on at least from the TV booth, to see how Ponson would hold up, or if he would for that matter. He did.

There were some great All-Star stories along the way, including an "Ernie Banks is such a friendly guy" one, that seems to be going around and around. They highlighted Twin's All-Star catcher Joe Mauer. Kay said he his biggest thrill at the All-Star Game was finally getting to meet and talk with Yogi Berra. And because Mauer was drafted first overall by his hometown team, they got into a conversation about the pressure involved in that situation.

With a visit to Feway coming up on the Yankee schedule, the two got into a discussion about the rivalry. Kay asked Leiter if he really did feel different pitching against the Phillies, the Braves, or the Red Sox. Leiter politically stated that "a pitcher should", not really giving an answer. So Kay brings up Leiter's performance in 2005 in his first game back as a Yankee in Fenway Park "when everyone thought you were finished", Kay said. Leiter admitted he was pumped. That was a bit surprising to me, that he couldn't just come out and admit it right away. He always seemed like a real gutsy, emotional pitcher. Kay then asked if he was relaxed when Mariano was on the verge of blowing it in the ninth. Leiter said, "no, (aside from it being Mariano) it was out of my hands."

This apparently brought up a long-running argument between the two as to when a player should be more nervous: when he has control or when he doesn't have control. Kay took the former.

We were able to follow all of the riveting action of the 12-4 Yankee rout. Three Yankee hits left the yard, so we also got the obligatory Michael Kay "(outfielder's name) back, at the track, looking up, See Ya!!".

It looked like a fun night in the Bronx, but a fan didn't have to be there, because Kay and Leiter provided the fun for the folks at home.