-The Yanks made two more deals yesterday sending Kyle Farnsworth to the Tigers for catcher Ivan Rodriguez and then saying good riddance to LaTroy Hawkins by moving the failed reliever to the Astros for Single-A infielder Matt Cusick. Trading Farnsworth is a little startling considering he had done a solid job becoming Joe Girardi’s trusted eighth inning setup man for Mariano Rivera. However, Brian Cashman had to address a pressing need upgrading at catcher with Jorge Posada getting ready for season-ending surgery. So, acquiring the 36 year-old 14 year All-Star and 13-time Gold Glover was understandable cause while Jose Molina is an outstanding defensive backstop, he’s basically an automatic out at the plate. Clearly, Pudge isn’t the player he used to be when on the juice but he’s still a solid bat which should upgrade the Yanks’ bottom third. As for losing Hawkins, nobody ever got that signing to begin with. Simple put. Addition by subtraction. Brian Bruney is also rehabbing there as well and could be in the mix as a replacement in the late innings.

-It’s also worth noting that on the same day they moved Farnsworth, the Yankees finally elevated relief prospect Mark Melanchon to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre where he made a good debut tossing two perfect innings in a win which also saw Chase Wright fare well in his first start in AAA after being moved up from Trenton. However, it’s the 23 year-old Melanchon who bares following as he’s comeback strong from Tommy John surgery which forced him to miss 2007. Before this season, he was last seen on the winning mound out here in Staten Island saving the Baby Bombers’ fourth New York-Penn League championship. Baseball America still had him ranked the club’s ninth best prospect and the University of Arizona product’s done little to sway that going from High-A Tampa all the way to Triple-A this summer. Was he rushed? It’s hard to argue when he dominated in Trenton going a perfect 6-0 in 19 appearances with a 1.81 ERA plus a couple of saves. In 49 and two thirds, he allowed 32 hits while walking 12 and striking out 47. The Yanks appear to be readying both Melanchon and J.B. Cox for late August call ups. By the end of the season, the look of the Yanks’ pen could be totally revamped and much younger.
-On the field, the Bronx Bombers finally lived up to that name hammering the O’s for 13 runs in a 13-3 pasting avoiding a sweep and amazingly picking up a game on the slumping Red Sox, who again fell to the Angels 9-2 at Fenway. If you’re the Halos, you have to wonder why it’s so much easier to beat Boston in the regular season. Well, if they do trade Manny Ramirez in this proposed three-team deal which would send the big slugger to the Marlins while also involving the Pirates with Jason Bay being reported as returning to the defending champs, it might be a little easier to beat the Red Sox if they see October. No guarantee with how well the Rays are playing. They won again 3-2 over the Jays with Carlos Pena hitting a homer to go three up on the Sox and remain four ahead of the Yankees.

-Bobby Abreu was the big hitter for the Yanks slugging two home runs, scoring three and driving in three while A-Rod also went yard and Xavier Nady had a pair of hits, runs and RBI’s in support of Joba Chamberlain, who improved to 4-3 working six frames of two-run five hit ball fanning six and walking none. Even though they again struggled with Baltimore, the Yanks have to feel pretty good because they’re just a game behind the Sox for the wild card. The remaining question is whether Cashman will go out and get another starter with Seattle’s Jarrod Washburn being linked? We’ll wait and see as the deadline hits later this afternoon at 4 ET.

-As for the Mets who fell in Florida 7-5 losing two of three and falling a half game behind the Phillies, who got homers from Chase Utley and the underrated Shane Victorino in an 8-5 win over the Nats, thus far they’ve remained pat with the red hot Fernando Tatis becoming the starting left fielder. And really. What’s the point of changing something which is working with the veteran possibly in line for NL Player of the Month hitting over .400?!?!?!?!?!?! If Omar Minaya does pull off a deal, it should be for some relief help to shore up a pen which isn’t always reliable. Wouldn’t George Sherrill look good in a Met jersey setting up Billy Wagner?

-As for the game, Mike Pelfrey had a rough fourth permitting five runs to suffer his seventh defeat. Returning from Tommy John, Josh Johnson notched his first win in a couple of years working into the seventh permitting four earned on eight hits walking and K-ing a pair. He even supported himself with an RBI double in the big inning which saw the bottom of the Florida order come up with big two out RBI hits. Following a Damion Easley three-run dinger which pulled the Mets within one, All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla dialed long distance for a deciding two-run shot off Joe Smith in the eighth. The Mets didn’t go quietly against closer Kevin Gregg, who after getting the first couple allowed three straight hits including a Ramon Castro pinch hit run scoring base hit putting the potential go-ahead run at the plate in Jose Reyes. However, Reyes flied out to end it allowing Gregg to pickup his 23rd save pulling Florida closer in the NL East. Here’s a closer look:

1.Phillies 58-49 -

2.Mets  58-50 0.5

3.Marlins 57-51 1.5

Who wants it most?

-With the Manny rumors circulating in South Florida, a couple of rumored Marlins Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida both answered questions regarding the circus.

Willingham:

“I thought about it until about 7:05, and once the game started I was locked in on the game.”

Hermida:

“You put that aside when you step between the white lines. I’ve still got a Marlins jersey on. It didn’t affect me whatsoever.”

-As for Manny, the laid back future Hall of Famer had some fun with a sign saying he was getting traded straight up for Brett Favre. You got to love his sense of humor.

Is it a distraction for his teammates who have seen this act before? Probably not as they’ve won their first two World Series since 1918 with the guy. Remember last Fall when he said if they lose to Cleveland, it doesn’t matter or something to that effect? Of course, the media killed the former George Washington HS star for it but his team was down 3-1 and he was just trying to take the pressure off. The pressure was squarely on the Indians, who not surprisingly buckled under with Ramirez and those Sox reeling off seven straight sweeping the Rockies and bringing back images of 2004.

On whether this deal is going to happen, the Marlins denied it. Until I see it happen, I’m not buying it. Bay’s a fine player and might even be a good fit in Fenway but even if Ramirez wants out and wants a new contract, they can still win a third world title with him. He’s one of those rare star sluggers who doesn’t feel the pressure under the spotlight. If the Sox made October with him and somehow repeated, they would be called a modern day dynasty. I would go for it.

-If this Mike Jacobs for Bengie Molina rumor goes through, either it’s a ripoff like I believe or I’m just not seeing what the Marlins see here. Molina’s a solid catcher and has playoff experience. So, he’d be an upgrade behind the plate but Jacobs is six years younger and has 22 homers and 60 knocked in. It certainly would help the light hitting Giants.