23-year old righty swinging catcher Francisco Cervelli has really played pretty well for the Yanks this season. He has played in 38 games this season and he is 27 for 91 (.297 avg, .683 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 1 homer and 11 RBIs. Cervelli was the Yankees’ #21 rated prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees elect to let Cervelli battle Jose Molina in spring training for the right to back up Jorge Posada in 2010. The 34-year old righty swinging Molina has played in 50 games this season for the Yankees and he is 28 for 130 (.215 avg, .557 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 1 homer and 11 RBIs.

This will be a very interesting decision for the Yankees but they won’t likely have to make it until the 2nd round of the playoffs. 26-year old righty Chad Gaudin or 23-year old righty Joba Chamberlain will be the #4 guy. The Yankees would probably be smart to use Gaudin and use Chamberlain out of the bullpen where he was very effective last season. Gaudin has started six games for the Yankees this season and he is 1-0 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. But overall this season Gaudin has pitched in 30 games (25 starts) for the Yankees and Padres and he is 6-10 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Chamberlain has started 30 games for the Yankees this season and he is 9-6 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. He has allowed 160 hits in 152 2/3 innings for the Yankees this season while also walking 72 hitters and hitting 12 of them. He has better stuff and control as a relief pitcher.

The New York Yankees clinched home-field advantage throughout the 2009 playoffs with a win last night at home.  The Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox last night with a 4-2 win.  The Yankees, who did not celebrate at all after clinching the division, went wild after clinching home field.  Mariano Rivera got his 44th save of the season and the Yankees look like the favorites to win the World Series heading into this year’s playoffs.  They have got all of the tools in place to win it all, and I see them meeting the St. Louis Cardinals this October in the World Series.

The Yankees have refused to part with 22-year old outfielder Austin Jackson in trades for a couple of years now. He was the Yankees’ #1 rated prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America. He showed why this season in AAA-ball playing in 132 games in which he was 151 for 504 (.300 avg, .759 OPS) with 67 runs scored, 4 homers, 65 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees bring back Johnny Damon as that could effect how much of a chance Jackson gets next year.

39-year old righty closer Mariano Rivera just seems to be getting better with age. He has pitched in 60 games for the Yanks this season and he is 3-3 with 40 saves, a 1.94 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. The Sandman has whiffed 66 batters in 60 1/3 innings while only allowing 44 hits. He is #2 on the All-Time Saves list in major league history with 522 of them. He is 66 saves behind Trevor Hoffman and it will be interesting to see if Rivera will want to pitch long enough to best him or not.

35-year old LF Johnny Damon has moved down to the #2 spot in the batting order this season and he is putting up huge numbers. Damon has played in 136 games for the Yankees this season and he is 150 for 525 (.286 avg, .868 OPS) with 105 runs scored, 24 homers, 77 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. It will be interesting to see what kind of offers Damon gets when he becomes a free agent at the end of the year. The Yankees should bring him back as his swing is sweet in the new Yankee Stadium.

35-year old lefty swinging DH Hideki Matsui is back to his old self for the Yankees. He has played in 133 games for the Yankees this season and he is 119 for 426 (.279 avg, .894 OPS) with 58 runs scored, 27 homers and 87 RBIs. The Yankees will have a tough decision on Matsui who will become a free agent after this season.

26-year old righty reliever Alfredo Aceves has done a great job for the Yankees this season. He has pitched in 38 games (1 start) for the Yankees this season and he is 10-1 with 1 save, a 3.72 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He pitches to contact which makes the fact that he has only allowed 62 hits in 75 innings is truly amazing. Aceves often works multiple innings early in games giving the Yankees a chance to come back and that explains his sprakling record.

The New York Yankees lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 10-4 in New York Tuesday night, but a bench clearing brawl was the bigger news of the night.  It all started when Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Carlson threw behind Yankees catcher Jorge Posada.  The Yankees had hit Edwin Encarnacion and Aaron Hill before Carlson threw at Posada, who seemed to take major offense to it as he stared down Carlson but did not charge him.  It seemed as if everything had died down and there would be no fight.

Then Posada threw a forearm at Carlson as he crossed home plate as he scored on a Brett Gardner double.  Carlson was backing home on the play and crossed paths with Posada when Posada instigated a fight.  Carlson and Posada scuffled and wrestled each other to the ground with a few other scuffles breaking out near home plate as well as the benches cleared.  This was not a smart move at all by Posada, as the veteran catcher will probably get at least a five game suspension.

The Yankees hit two players before Carlson threw at Posada (which didn’t even hit him) so I don’t understand why Posada was so offended by a pitch that didn’t even hit him.  If Posada wanted to do something about it, he should have done it right then and there and charged Carlson.  Yet, he waited and made himself look like a dirty and cheap player by throwing that dumb forearm (which didn’t even hit Carlson).  Posada did seem to come out on top of the fight, as he was unscathed and Carlson had a huge welt on his forehead, but it was a dumb move by Posada as the Yankees will be missing their veteran catcher as they come down the stretch of the 2009 regular season.

The Yankees have designated 25-year old righty pitcher Anthony Claggett for assignment. Claggett pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Yankees this season and he is 0-0 with a 33.75 ERA and a 5.62 WHIP. Claggett has allowed a stunning 11 hits, 2 homers and he has walked 4 batters in only 2 2/3 innings. This guy is simply not a major league pitcher and the Yankees should release him if he clears waivers.

UPDATE: The Pirates have claimed Claggett off waivers.