Jets Sign Trevor Pryce

The New York Jets have intercepted the Ravens' plans to re-sign defensive end Trevor Pryce, who was waived by Baltimore on Wednesday.

New York signed Pryce on Thursday and Jets coach Rex Ryan said that Pryce would play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in passing situations.

"We saw it as an opportunity, a window maybe," Ryan told reporters. "As soon as we saw that they released him, we of course got a little excited about it."

"The guy's a finisher," Ryan said.

The Jets released Howard Green to clear a roster spot for Pryce but Ryan hinted that the team would like to eventually re-sign the defensive tackle.

Baltimore is on the hook to pay Pryce his $2 million in guaranteed salary, plus whatever the Jets have paid him on his new one-year deal, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Pryce was given a tour of the Jets' facility by Ryan, owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum during the media's locker room availability.

"I'm just here for a visit," a smiling Pryce said before Ryan officially announced the signing.

Pryce ranks third in sacks among active players but has only one tackle this season. The 35-year-old has not started any of Baltimore's three games.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that there was a "high possibility" that Pryce would return.

Pryce was waived to make room for safety Ken Hamlin, who was released by Baltimore last week. Hamlin will probably contribute on special teams in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"You've got roster issues that you deal with. It's not something we wanted to do," Harbaugh said of the move. "Trevor is a big part of what we're doing here, and we anticipate getting him back. It's just what we had to do for now."

Harbaugh insisted that Hamlin was simply a better fit on the roster for this week.

"We're going to put the 45 best guys out there," he said. "I would rather have Trevor here this week playing, but we're not able to do that. We just have a numbers situation."

Pryce's locker had not been cleared out at the Ravens' facility Wednesday and remained untouched Thursday, according to the Baltimore Sun. Safety Ed Reed wore Pryce's jersey Thursday before practice, according to the newspaper.

"I found out last night," Ravens nose tackle Kelly Gregg told the Sun. "He called right after we got out of practice. It's just sad to see a guy like that go. He was instrumental in our defense and in our room, and it's just a crazy situation."

The Jets were in need of some depth on the line after losing Ropati Pitoitua and Kris Jenkins to season-ending injuries. The move to bring in Pryce might also allow the Jets to leave Vernon Gholston primarily at outside linebacker until Calvin Pace returns from a broken right foot suffered in the preseason.

New York also has the NFL's top active sacks leaders in Jason Taylor, who has a sack in each of the last two games but has played a lot more than originally expected because of Pace's injury.

"He's an amazing player," defensive end Mike DeVito said. "To add this great a player to the team will only help us."

The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Pryce was a first-round pick of the Broncos out of Clemson in 1997 and was a part of two straight Super Bowl championship teams in 1998 and '99. He was also selected to the Broncos' 50th anniversary team last year.

Pryce signed with Baltimore in 2006, and had a career-high 13 sacks in his first season under Ryan, then the Ravens' defensive coordinator.

Jets Don't Feel Great About Revis for Sunday, Pace Making Progress

It could be time for Plan C at cornerback.

With Darrelle Revis expected to miss his second straight game because of a strained hamstring, and with rookie Kyle Wilson struggling in Revis' spot, the New York Jets might promote Drew Coleman to a starting role for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills.

Coleman and Wilson rotated with the first-team defense Wednesday in practice, and coach Rex Ryan later volunteered that he was mulling a change. That would be a setback for Wilson, their first-round pick.

"He closed out the game pretty well," said Ryan, alluding to Coleman's victory-clinching, end-zone interception last Sunday night in Miami. "He deserves a look in there. We'll see how it develops as the week goes on."

In an ideal world, the Jets wouldn't have to make that decision, but Revis missed his fourth straight practice. He hasn't practiced since injuring his hamstring late in the first half of their Week 2 win over the New England Patriots. Officially, the Jets haven't ruled out Revis for the Bills, but they aren't counting on him.

"I don't feel great about Darrelle right now," said Ryan, adding, "I don't want to rule him out yet because I don't want to get fined by the league if he plays."

The chances of that happening are slim. The doctors believe it could take another two weeks for Revis to be 100 percent.

Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, who hasn't practiced since breaking a foot in the third preseason game, is hoping to return Thursday. He did light work Wednesday, but didn't participate in any positional or team drills. Pace estimated his chances of playing Sunday are about 50-50. If he does, he'll likely be limited to third-down pass rushing.

Clearly, the Jets' pass defense has issues, as it surrendered 363 yards to the Dolphins' Chad Henne. Wilson, in his second NFL start, was roughed up. Unofficially, he allowed seven completions for 95 yards, plus a 27-yard penalty for pass interference.

"He's playing green right now," said Ryan, claiming the potential change isn't designed as a motivational play to push Wilson.

Wilson, the former Boise State standout, was expected to be the third corner, but he was thrust into a bigger role during the preseason because of Revis' long holdout. Man-to-man coverage is his forte, but he's having trouble adjusting while the ball is in the air.

"I have to be a smarter player and envision myself making those plays out there in the future," said Wilson, who believes he needs to be more physical at the line of scrimmage.

Fortunately for the Jets, the Bills (0-3) don't scare anybody with their passing attack, although new starter Ryan Fitzpatrick provided a spark last week by passing for 247 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss to the New England Patriots.

Fitzpatrick's top receiver is Lee Evans, who probably will be covered by Antonio Cromartie. The Bills' other wideouts are Steve Johnson and slot receiver Roscoe Parrish, who likely will be marked by Wilson.

Coleman, who hasn't started a game since his rookie year in 2006, has been used mostly as a fourth or fifth corner. This would be a big promotion for him, but Ryan doesn't want to shatter Wilson's confidence by making him an every-down target for the opposition.

"He's struggling a little bit, without question," Ryan said.

A-Rod Hits 30 Home Runs for 13th Straight Season

Leading off the sixth inning against lefty Brett Cecil in last night's 8-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Alex Rodriguez connected for his 30th home run of the season, his 14th season with at least 30 dingers and 13th straight.

Rodriguez has 122 RBIs. He has a total of 14 seasons overall with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, the most in major league history.

Hank Aaron holds the record with 15 seasons with at least 30 home runs. Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are tied for second with 14.

When Rodriguez went on the DL August 21 with a left calf strain, it seemed like his streak of 30 home runs and 100 RBI seasons would end at 12 straight. Upon his return September 5th, the New York Yankees slugger needed just three RBI to reach 100 RBI, but he had to hit nine HR to reach 30.

That seemed like a daunting task when you consider Rodriguez's track record. The last time he hit at least nine home runs from September 5th through the end of the regular season was in 2002. While with the Texas Rangers, he hit nine HR from that point on to finish the year with a career-high 57 HR.

But Rodriguez would go on a tear down the stretch this season, culminating with Wednesday's home run, which gave him nine since his return from the DL and 30 for the season. He became the first player since RBI became an official statistic in 1920 to have 13 straight seasons with at least 30 HR and 100 RBI, breaking Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx's record. 

This is just a testament to how great of a baseball player Alex Rodriguez really is. I can only think of one other player that has the ability to do what Rodriguez has done: Albert Pujols. You might have heard of that guy from the St. Louis Cardinals. Rodriguez is one of the best hitters in baseball history and this proves just that.

Three Days After Losing Streit for Season, Isles Lose Okposo Until December

The New York Islanders just can't catch a break. The preseason games haven't even started yet and they are already missing arguably their two most important players. Three days after top defenseman Mark Streit suffered a left shoulder injury that will likely sideline him for six months, the Islanders announced Tuesday that forward Kyle Okposo is out indefinitely with an injured right shoulder that requires surgery.

According to a source, Okposo suffered a torn labrum and is expected to miss two to three months.

Okposo, who recently visited a shoulder specialist, has not practiced since suffering the injury Thursday. It is believed the injury occurred when Okposo extended his arm to reach back for a puck during the team's intrasquad special-teams scrimmage.

Like Streit, Okposo will seek a second opinion with shoulder specialist Dr. Anthony Miniaci of the Cleveland Clinic before deciding on surgery.

"Kyle has a big role on our team and whenever you're in a situation where you lose a player like Kyle, it's going to have an effect on the team," general manager Garth Snow said. "That being said, this is an opportunity for younger players to step in and play a bigger role, much like with Mark."

With both Okposo and Streit slated to miss significant time, the Islanders have seen two of their best players fall to injury even before they play their first preseason game.

"Make no mistake about it, they are big losses," Snow said. "On the flip side, if we can get out to a good start and play as a team and accumulate points through the first half of the season, it's going to be a big bonus for our club when Kyle and Mark do come back at some point."

Okposo, who had 19 goals and 33 assists in 80 games last season, finished second on the team in scoring behind rookie John Tavares and led the Islanders' forwards in ice time. Along with Streit, Okposo was also one of the team's four alternate captains last season.

Despite the monumental blows the Islanders have suffered this week, Snow said the team's goal remains the same.

"For us, it doesn't change our mind-set," Snow said. "We need to go out and win hockey games. This is a great opportunity for other players to win ice time."

Now in response to the lack of depth as a result of these two big injuries, the Islanders signed 32-year-old defenseman Mike Mottau to a two-year, one-way deal worth $1.6 million. Mottau, who played the past three seasons with the Devils, had two goals and 16 assists for New Jersey last season. "Mike was a player we had interest in back in July," Snow said. "We think very highly of Mike. He's a good puck mover, he has a physical element to his game and is a solid all-around defenseman."

The Islanders are in big trouble. In my opinion, they didn't have enough fire power with Okposo and Streit in the every day line-up, and now that they are out for extended periods of time, this team might very well struggle to stay alive. Sure they have great young prospects, but that's exactly what they are right now, great young prospects.

You can't replace the leadership and point production that came from Streit and Okposo, two alternate captains, and now the Islanders might have to look to the waiver wire, free agent market, or trade market to fill those two gaps.

Or maybe they fill Okposo's spot from within. Maybe this mean that first round pick Nino Niederreiter will be guaranteed a spot in the every day line-up. Maybe this opens up an opportunity for David Ullstrom, Matt Martin or Jesse Joensuu to earn their spots in the line-up permanently.

I guess that's what training camp is for though, fellas. We'll find out who's going to step up for the Islanders, or will it be another long season only to be rewarded with another top five pick? We'll see.

Pace Close to Return for Jets

The New York Jets' defense, shredded Sunday night by Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, may welcome back a familiar face this week. But don't expect it to be cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, who missed the first three games after having foot surgery, continues to make progress and could return to face the Buffalo Bills, according to Rex Ryan. If Pace isn't ready for a full-time role, he might be able to contribute as a situational player.

Ryan sounded less optimistic about Revis, who pulled a hamstring last week and missed the first game of his career Sunday night. The Jets' coach said he's "hopeful" that Revis can play this week, but the feeling inside the organization is that he will need at least another week of rest, according to sources.

"You almost have to be 100 percent, or right at 100 percent, to play corner or you're going to be having to face this the whole season," Ryan said. "Hopefully, we can have him this week. If not, we have to find a way to get it done."

Revis hasn't practiced since pulling the hamstring, which happened when he was covering the New England Patriots' Randy Moss on a long touchdown reception. Revis was nowhere close to being able to play against the Dolphins; in fact, he was ruled out last Wednesday.

Ryan seemed taken aback by the defensive performance, and with good reason. Only once in the previous 75 games, dating to 2005 with the Baltimore Ravens, did one of his defenses allow more than 436 total yards in a game. That came in last season's AFC Championship Game, when the Indianapolis Colts racked up 461.

Revis was replaced by rookie Kyle Wilson, who struggled against the Dolphins.

Rivera Human After All

The sight was striking and a little surreal: Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of our generation and arguably the best of all-time, long-tossing in the outfield under the watchful eye of a pitching coach.

It happened about four hours before Monday night's game between the Yankees and Blue Jays, and it probably happens about as often as Rivera blows three saves in a month, which is practically never.

But it happened this month, the third of which came Sunday night in as close to a must-win game as the Yankees have played all season, and as a result there were Rivera and Dave Eiland working on something that is usually the problem of mere mortals. Namely, mechanics.

"Just location,'' Rivera said. "Nothing big. It's a process and we're working on it.''

"Hand position on the ball,'' is how Eiland described the subject of Monday's lesson. "When he lets his hand fall to the side of the ball instead of staying on top, sometimes his cutter gets too big, and sometimes it just spins and stays flat. Nothing major. He's a human being and sometimes he needs a little tune-up.''

Asked jokingly if he was working on a new pitch, perhaps a changeup to go with his lethal cutter, Rivera laughed. "No changeups,'' he said.

Knuckleball? "Not yet.''

Eiland was quick to assure Yankee Nation that Rivera's problems were mechanical, not physical. "He's fine, he's fine,'' said Eiland, who insisted he would have no hesitation using Rivera Monday despite his having thrown 29 pitches in a 1 1/3 inning outing in which he not only blew the save but would have taken the loss had his Red Sox counterpart, Jonathan Papelbon, not returned the favor in the bottom of the ninth.

Rivera was less reassuring about his overall physical condition. "Problems are in abundance, bumps and bruises and things,'' he said, "but nothing that will affect me.''

Rivera has suffered from a muscle strain in the left side of his back this year and some knee soreness, injuries that he acknowledged were still there. "Nobody can play 162 games and say they're 100 percent,'' he said. "Everybody has them and I'm no exception. But everything;s fine. Don't go trying to find things. Everything is great.''

Rivera and Eiland moved their tutorial to the visitor's bullpen, where the 40-year-old closer threw an undisclosed number of pitches in an effort to make what the pitching coach said would be minor adjustments.

"I liken it to when Tiger Woods was at his peak, he still spent several hours a day with his swing coach just to make sure everything was working right,'' Eiland said. He said such tune-up sessions took place "two or three times a year.''

"Every now and then he needs to be touched up a little,'' Eiland said.

Of even less importance to Eiland was the four stolen bases off Rivera and Jorge Posada by Ryan Kalish and Bill Hall that set up the two Boston runs that gave them a short-lived 3-2 lead. "He might have been getting a little predictable,'' Eiland said. "But our main concern was making a good pitch and getting the hitter out.''

Rivera had an even simpler solution to his problem of holding runners on. "Don't let anyone get on base,'' he said.

Burnett's Current Struggles May Leave Him on Outside Looking In

More and more, A.J. Burnett is looking like the No. 4 starter in a three-man rotation.

Despite public proclamations of faith, his manager refuses to commit to him beyond his next regular-season start, which will also be his last.

And despite rave reviews on the quality of his stuff, it has gotten to the point where the Yankees will no longer even hazard a theory as to why a pitcher as talented as Burnett has so much trouble staying in ballgames, let alone winning them.

Without saying so, it is becoming obvious that the only one who still has any faith in A.J. Burnett is, well, A.J. Burnett. And that may no longer be enough.

"Yeah, I expect to pitch in the postseason,'' Burnett snorted, almost defiantly, in answer to the question on everyone's mind and on more than a few lips in the Yankees clubhouse after their 7-5 loss to the Blue Jays Monday night. "I'm not gonna let this one bother me. Everyone says the regular season doesn't matter around here, the postseason does, so there you go.''

But the only thing that's going is Burnett's chance to start in said postseason, especially in the opening best-of-5 series that can so easily trip up a team like the Yankees. Asked point blank if Burnett would be part of the postseason starting rotation, Joe Girardi said, "A.J.'s gonna start for us.''

Pressed to elaborate, Girardi said, "He's got one more start coming, and we've got things to work out.''

Then, the manager began to hide behind the cliches of evasion, ranging from "We've got to get there first'' to "I'm not going to speculate because we're not in yet.''

However, when asked if CC Sabathia was guaranteed a starting spot in the postseason, Girardi said, "I think that's a pretty fair assumption.''

But when it came to Burnett, another fair assumption was dismissed as mere speculation.

Realistically, despite their recent struggles -- the loss was the Yankees fifth in their last six games, and over their last 50 games are barely over .500 at 26-24 -- the Yankees are headed for the postseason.

The only question left is how far they are going, and when you see pitching of the caliber that Burnett showed Monday night, it makes you think they won't go very far at all.

Anyone with two eyes, a clear head and no vested interest in keeping a $16.5 million pitcher happy for the rest of this season plus three more years can see right now, there is no earthly reason to trust Burnett with something so precious as a start in a series in which three losses means death. And there is plenty of evidence to prove it is less of a gamble to go with three starters in the Division Series -- meaning one pitcher (Sabathia) would pitch on short rest -- than to go with a four-man rotation that includes Burnett.

"I'm not gonna talk about playoffs until we're in,'' Girardi said. "But you got to remember A.J. has pitched a lot of big games for us. He was big in the playoffs for us last year.''

But not Monday night. On a night in which Girardi would have loved to rest his bullpen, he got just a tick more than two innings out of Burnett, whose horrendous line -- 2-1/3 IP, 7 hits, 7 earned runs -- was not even his worst of the year. But when you factor in all that was at stake -- coming at a time when his team is trying to finally put this playoff run to bed and when he himself is trying to re-establish his credentials to be an important part of the post-season pitching staff -- Burnett could hardly have failed any worse.

Burnett attributed his failure to the usual culprits -- poor fastball command, a curve without any bite, pitches leaking out over the plate -- but particularly disturbing was the third inning, when he simply could not seem to get anyone out. Already trailing 2-0 and victimized for a long solo homer by John Buck in the second, Burnett started poorly -- walking Travis Snider to open the frame and plunking Yunel Escobar in the buttocks even before his pitches were being used for batting practice by the Major League's leading home run hitting team.

After barely keeping Jose Bautista, the league's leading slugger with 52 homers, in the ballpark, Burnett surrendered a long three-run homer to Vernon Wells, and then allowed a double to Lyle Overbay, an RBI single to Buck and a single to Adam Lind before Girardi came to get him to a standing ovation from the Yankee fan-heavy crowd at the Rogers Centre.

By then, it was 7-0, and the discouragement that lately has set in on the Yankee offense, as outlined by Alex Rodriguez after the Yankees 10-8 loss to the Red Sox Friday night, began festering again. It didn't help that Marc Rzepczynski, a pitcher the Yankees had previously manhandled, was striking batters out at a record rate, at one point obtaining eight straight outs by strikeout.

"His ball was moving everywhere tonight,'' Mark Teixeira said. "It was like swinging at a ghost.''

The Yankees battled back, getting a two-run homer (No. 24) from Curtis Granderson in the fifth and a three-run bomb to dead center by Teixeira, his 33rd, in the seventh, to make a game of it. But the seven-run deficit proved to be too much to overcome, as had the 10-1 hole the Yankees found themselves in Friday night.

But the starter responsible for that mess, Andy Pettitte, is coming off two months on the disabled list and has an October track record the Yankees know they can can rely upon. Burnett has two seasons of maddening inconsistency leavened only slightly by his excellent performance in Game 2 of last year's World Series (it should also be remembered that Burnett did not make it out of the third inning in Game 5, the game that temporarily gave the Phillies some life).

The Yankees got by with a three-man rotation last October and one of those men was Burnett. But it would seem to be asking too much of the baseball gods to expect them to get that lucky again. Now, Girardi is forced to use Sabathia Tuesday night in yet another attempt to nail down a playoff spot for a team that not long ago seemed destined to win at least 100 games and run away with the division.

Now, they can win no more than 98 and their playoff spot, incredibly, is still in doubt. Nothing has been nailed down yet, and nothing has been lost. Except, possibly, A.J. Burnett's chance to be a part of it.

Mark Streit Basically Out for Season with Serious Shoulder Injury

According to multiple sources, Islanders defenseman Mark Streit is out six months with an injured left shoulder and will likely require surgery. Initial test results indicate a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff, but the 32-year-old defenseman may have also suffered a dislocation.

Streit, who suffered the injury during the third period of Saturday's Orange vs. Blue scrimmage, will seek out a second opinion this week. He is expected to visit shoulder specialist Anthony Miniaci at the Cleveland Clinic, the same doctor that repaired Doug Weight's shoulder back in March.

"He's a top guy for us," Islanders head coach Scott Gordon said after the scrimmage. "Any team that loses one of their top defensemen is going to have a hole in their lineup."

Streit hurt his shoulder during the third period of the team's intra-squad scrimmage at Nassau Coliseum Saturday. Streit was hit by Matt Moulson and fell into the boards awkwardly in what both Moulson and coach Scott Gordon called a "fluke play." Streit left the arena with his left arm in a sling.

"There's a lot more contact in practice than what happened on that play. That was more of a fluke," Gordon said after the scrimmage. "I think [Streit] couldn't get out of his own way more than anything else. He just got himself jammed up against the boards."

After the play, Streit was doubled over in pain and skated off the ice clutching his left shoulder.

According to one source, Streit's shoulder was out of socket for 20 minutes and he was in severe pain; he had to be given tranquilizers so medical staff could pop it back into place.

Moulson, who received a cross-checking penalty on the play, felt terrible about what happened.

"I know it was a fluke, but I still felt bad," Moulson told Newsday for Sunday's print edition. "Never like to see someone go down."

The Islanders, who have declared Streit as "out indefinitely" until he sees a specialist, are bringing in one defenseman on a training camp tryout--former Ranger Anders Eriksson. In addition to Eriksson, the Islanders will also bring in  forwards Dean McAmmond and  Krys Kolanos and goaltenders Many Legace and Joel Martin.

The native of Switzerland, who played all 82 games for the Islanders last season and averaged over 25 minutes of icetime per game.

With Streit out for most, if not all of the season, the Islanders still have seven defensemen on their roster on one-way contracts. They could also provide an opportunity to 2009 12th overall draft pick Calvin de Haan, a left-shot defenseman with poise who could fill the void on the first-unit power play with James Wisniewski.

The Islanders can play de Haan for nine games in the NHL before returning him to his junior club, the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, without losing a season off his three-year entry level contract.

The team has reliable depth defensemen, such as Dylan Reese and Dustin Kohn, who were likely ticketed to start the season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. The Islanders may also look at any available defensemen on the waiver wire or free-agent and trade market.

The way I see it, the Islanders will, without a doubt, have a difficult time replacing the point production that Streit gave them the last two seasons, but they have three options: 1) let 20 year-old Travis Hamonic play on the defensive corps and see what he has. Option two would be to bring back their 1995 first round pick, second overall, defenseman Wade Redden, who was just placed on waivers by the Rangers. The third option would be to try and trade for a defenseman with the hardest shot in the NHL, Sheldon Souray.

Souray, who has been on the trade block for some time now, would fill the need on the powerplay the Islanders now have with Streit out for so long. Let's see what Garth Snow has up his sleeve.

Girardi Pushes Panic Button, Decides to Start Hughes to Avoid Sweep Against Red Sox

With the New York Yankees tumbling to the finish line, manager Joe Girardi has decided to finally show some urgency by starting Phil Hughes on Sunday night against the Boston Red Sox. He replaces Dustin Moseley.

Hughes is 17-8 with a 4.31 ERA.

The Yankees are making the move because the Red Sox suddenly have a shot to make the final week of the season very interesting if they can win on Sunday. The Yankees, losers of 13 of their last 19, have a magic number of three to clinch the wild card. If they were to win on Sunday night, the Yankees would basically end the Red Sox chances.

However, if Boston were to win, the magic number would remain at three and the Red Sox would still have life, though they still would almost have to win out, while the Yankees would have to lose nearly all of their remaining games. Boston plays four games in Chicago against the White Sox, while the Yankees are in Toronto for three with the Blue Jays. The Yankees go to Boston for the final three games of the season.

Sunday was Hughes' turn to start, but the Yankees were skipping him because he has an innings limit of around 175 innings. He entered Sunday at 169 1/3.

When Girardi made the move earlier in the week, he didn't think the Yankees would need to win Sunday night as badly as they suddenly do. The Yankees began Sunday 1½ games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East and 5½ games ahead of the Red Sox in the wild-card race.

This move comes on the heels of the media ripping Girardi apart after it has appeared in recent games that he has hit the cruise control button and doesn't care whether his team wins the AL Wild Card or the AL East.

Many in the media believe that Girardi is hogging the spotlight, doing and saying things that, if true, makes him seem delusional at best and incompetent at worst. They have a very famous third baseman who squarely pointed the finger at the team's starting pitching as the problem of late. And they are tumbling toward the finish line, losing 13 of their last 19 and suffering their first four-game home losing streak of the season.

On Saturday, the Boston Red Sox again shellacked the Yankees in a 7-3 beating as rookie Ivan Nova could only pitch 4 2/3 innings, which left Alex Rodriguez to draw a line between the hitters and the pitchers.

"It's hard to play with an edge when you are down five or six runs," said Rodriguez, refreshingly honest, if impolitic.

Even as the Yankees slowly fade -- they are now 36-31 since the All-Star Break -- their manager, Joe Girardi, says that if the Yankees were in a tighter playoff race he would be handling his pitchers the same way.

That means, even if the Yankees weren't at the postseason one-yard line, Girardi claims he would have turned to Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre in a first place showdown with the Rays on Sept. 13.

"I would manage the same way," Girardi said before the Yankees' latest no-show.

Girardi said that he values the players' health first and that they are more productive rested. Of course, if the Red Sox were a game back and the Rays were up a game -- which is the exact scenario a reporter put forth to Girardi -- it is unfathomable he would turn to Moseley to avoid a sweep. But those were the manager's words. That is the message he sent out.

Girardi is very careful not to say that he is managing like the Yankees are already in, but his actions belie his nonsensical words. The Yankees' magic number to clinch the wild card is still just three, meaning they would guarantee at least a tie if they win Sunday night.

"We're still in a good spot," Girardi said.

With that in the back of his mind, Girardi continues to use his pitchers as if it were spring training. Girardi is valuing health over home-field, which is not an unreasonable way to go. However, the jogging to finish line approach may play better in theory than in reality. As programmed as many of the Yankees act, they are still people.

But similar to when the tumble began gaining steam with Girardi in the middle of it all on Sept. 13 -- the Gaudin-Mitre game -- this season is becoming all about Girardi, not his players. From every decision he makes from here until November, which includes the "Will he stay or will he go to the Cubs?" drama that awaits the day after the Yankees are either eliminated or win the World Series.

Being the manager of the Yankees is praise-less position, and Girardi is setting himself up to take all the blame if the Yankees fail to play through October and into November when the World Series ends. They increasingly look as if they will cede the division to the Tampa Bay Rays and take their chances as the wild card.

Quite honestly, at this point, I couldn't care less if Girardi were to take the job with the Cubs. I don't like the way he manages this team and I don't like the way he speaks. He tends to over-manage more than he let's his best players play the game, which has cost the Yankees numerous times over the past two seasons. It will certainly be interesting to see who replaces Girardi if he were to leave for the North Side of the Windy City.

The Yankees were tremendous in the first half, sprinting out to a 56-32 record at the All-Star break. They were up two games in the American League East.

Since the break, they entered Saturday with 30 losses. There were 11 teams who entered Saturday with 30 losses or fewer. So, basically, the Yankees have barely been a playoff team in the second half of the season.

Currently, they have lost four in a row -- and to A-Rod's point -- by allowing six or more runs in each of the games. It is the first time they have done that in three years, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

They have lost 13 of their last 19 games and their manager is elbowing out Rex Ryan at the top of the list for listeners who burn up talk radio lines.

"Bottom line, we need to win games," Girardi said.

They do, but he is not managing like it. He said his team is not tight and he is comfortable. It may get a lot more uncomfortable if they don't win soon.

Hughes Skipped Again, Won't Start Against Red Sox

Phil Hughes' turn in the New York Yankees rotation will be skipped one more time this season, meaning the 24-year-old right-hander could go as many as 10 days before starting a game in the postseason.

Joe Girardi announced before Friday night's game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium that Hughes, scheduled to start on Sunday, would be moved instead to Wednesday night against the Blue Jays in Toronto. In his place, Dustin Moseley will start Sunday against the Red Sox.

"It has to do with innings," said Girardi, referring to a team-imposed innings limit on Hughes, a closely-guarded secret but believed to be 175. Hughes (17-8, 4.31 ERA) has pitched 169-2/3 innings so far this season, his first as a full-time starting pitcher.

With the Yankees clinging to a narrow half-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays and the AL East still very much in play, it seems risky to start Moseley in a game that could help determine the division winner and with it, home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the postseason.

"Obviously, it's not the best situation when a guy gets skipped, because sometimes they're on a roll and feeling good about themselves and throwing the ball good," pitching coach Dave Eiland said. "But you have to protect their health and that's what this thing's all about."

The Yankees have used innings and pitch-count limitations with other young pitchers, with mixed results. Joba Chamberlain, restricted under the so-called Joba Rules as a rookie, still suffered shoulder soreness and has not been the same dominant pitcher that he was in 2007.

And Hughes, whose turn in the rotation has been skipped three times already this season, has not always responded well to the extra time off. Given nine days between starts in June, Hughes allowed six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Seattle on June 29. Skipped just before the All-Star Break, Hughes returned after 10 days of idleness to allow six earned runs in five innings in an 11-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

"The hardest part is mentally figuring out how to handle it," Eiland said of Hughes. "Pitchers, especially starters, they're creatures of habit. If they get knocked off their routine a little bit it kinda messes with them mentally. I think that's what we've all learned from this. Especially with him."

Hughes was skipped again earlier this month, going nine days between starts from Sept. 5 to Sept. 15 and fared slightly better, allowing four earned runs in six innings of a 4-3 loss to the Rays in Tampa. In between, Hughes was used for an inning out of the bullpen. It is that effort that Eiland is offering as evidence that Hughes will not be adversely affected by the layoff.

"We gave him some side work and did some simulated innings down there and kept him sharp," Eiland said of the last time Hughes was skipped. "But who's to say that's what did it. Maybe he got used to it and figured out how to approach it a little different mentally. I don't look at the negative part of it.''

Hughes has accepted the innings limitations without being fully in agreement with their effectiveness. "I don't feel like I need any time off," he said before the last time he was skipped. Friday, he did not appear in the pregame clubhouse to speak with reporters.

The Yankees have yet to reveal their postseason rotation, but Eiland said, "I don't think it's all that hard to figure out. We're not gonna make any late-season trades or anything. The four or five we have is the four or five we have."

Assuming the Yankees will go with their regular rotation, that means CC Sabathia would pitch Game 1 of the ALDS on Oct. 6, followed by A.J. Burnett in Game 2 on Oct. 7. After an off-day for travel, Andy Pettitte would pitch Game 3 on Oct. 9, followed by Hughes in Game 4 on Oct. 10.

The Yankees have already begun reshuffling their rotation for the final nine games of the season to line up their playoff pitching. Sabathia, who pitched Thursday night and would normally go again on Tuesday, told the New York Daily News he will not pitch again until next Friday in Boston in order to have him on regular rest for Game 1.

The possibility remains that Hughes could be used out of the bullpen in one of the three games in Boston next weekend, but Girardi said, "Right now, the way we're looking at it, Wednesday will probably be it. But I'm allowed to change my mind."

A-Rod's Two Homers Puts Him Past Sosa for Sixth All-Time

Alex Rodriguez has homered twice to give him 610 in his career, passing Sammy Sosa for sixth place in major league history.

Rodriguez hit a solo shot in the sixth inning Friday night off Boston Red Sox starter Josh Beckett and a two-run drive in the seventh against reliever Scott Atchison. The first homer followed Mark Teixeira's solo shot, and the second one trimmed New York's deficit to 10-7.

It was A-Rod's 58th career multihomer game and fourth this season. His previous one was last Friday at Baltimore.

Next up on the home run list for Rodriguez is former teammate Ken Griffey Jr., who retired this season with 630.

Ripken's Advice to Yanks: Stick With Jeter at Shortstop

No one in baseball can relate to Derek Jeter and the Yankees current situation better than Cal Ripken Jr. During his career with the Orioles, Ripken went through what Jeter is facing. Ripken was the iconic shortstop, the face of an organization, who started young and grew old all in the same uniform.

Ripken even changed positions, moving from short to third. So with Jeter's contract up at the end of the season, his average headed toward a career low finish and his 36 years of age, what would Ripken do with Jeter?

"I would ride him at shortstop as long as I could," Ripken told ESPNNewYork.com.

Ripken is optimistic about Jeter's future. He said he wouldn't move Jeter unless there was an obvious replacement for him.

"Right now unless you had somebody else, if you had the next Derek Jeter to replace this Derek Jeter, maybe if you are really strong about that and you are 100 percent sure, then maybe that is a different situation," said Ripken, who will work the playoffs as a studio analyst for TBS. "I see him as the shortstop of the Yankees in the short-term and then I would deal with it that way."

Just as it was difficult to imagine Ripken without a bird on his hat, Ripken can't fathom Jeter in anything other than pinstripes.

"I can't think of Derek not being a Yankee," Ripken said. "The fact that he has been Mr. Clutch in the playoffs, the fact that he has cut down on his errors the last couple of years and the fact that he has played really, really well at shortstop. He has gone in a little slump this year and his average is down, but in my estimation, all the other things he brings. His presence on the field and off the field. And the ability to be the table-setter and to score 100 runs. He has been the face for that franchise for some time and he represents himself very well." Jeter entered Tuesday, hitting .264 with 10 homers and 64 RBIs. He has scored 103 runs. He is in the final year of a 10-year, $189 million contract.

If the Yankees do have any plans to move Jeter from shortstop, they should talk to him about it first, according to Ripken.

"I wouldn't overcomplicate it," Ripken said. "Derek is athletic enough to play all positions. Derek could play second. Derek could play center. I think Derek could play any position."

But right now, Ripken thinks shortstop is Jeter's best spot.

"As you get older, you are fighting against time," Ripken said. "Some of the things you were able to do when you were younger may not be able to do, but you make up for that in experience. Derek is in extraordinary shape. He is still running. He is still stealing bases. He is still doing a lot of things that you start to lose when you get older."

Yanks Closing in on Divison Title

The Yankees are closing in on crossing off everything on manager Joe Girardi’s and GM Brian Cashman’s checklist. No. 1, they are moving into position so they can rest their stars heading into October. This has always been the Yankees’ top goal. No. 2, they are closer to home-field advantage, though the Twins and Rays are keeping it interesting..

Home-field has importance, even if it is not the end-all, be-all. The Yankees are now 51-25 at home compared to 41-34 on the road. The Rays are 17 games over .500 at home, but just 11 on the road. The Twins entered Tuesday 50-35 at home, but just 40-35 on the road. Texas is actually five games under.500 on the road.

The games the last two nights have lacked the buzz that the ones in Tampa possessed last week. It is probably because the Yankees were struggling, trying to figure out how to win on the road as they watched their AL East vanish.

Revis Out Against Dolphins Sunday Night

Darrelle Revis was not on the practice field for the New York Jets, and later coach Rex Ryan said he will not play Sunday against the Dolphins.

The All-Pro cornerback strained his left hamstring in the Jets' 28-14 victory Sunday against the New England Patriots.

On Monday, Revis would not rule himself out for the Dolphins game, but acknowledged it could take him a week or two to heal. He will remain in New York for treatment and will not accompany the team to Miami.

All-Pro center Nick Mangold also was not practicing in the portion open to the media, but he rode a stationary bike -- along with backup offensive lineman Wayne Hunter -- on the sideline. Mangold injured his right shoulder against the Patriots.

Linebacker Jason Taylor was practicing with a brace on his left elbow after injuring it against New England.

Braylon Edwards to Dress, Not Start Sunday Night

Braylon Edwards will dress when the New York Jets play at Miami Sunday night, but he will not start after being charged with driving while intoxicated on Tuesday.

"In light of the facts as we have them, [coach] Rex [Ryan], [owner] Woody [Johnson] and I have decided he will not start," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "He will dress, he will play at some point. When, we don't know. This is an area we pour a lot of organizational resources into. We're very disappointed in what happened."

Earlier Tuesday, the Jets revealed that two of Edwards' teammates were with him when he was pulled over and -- to his surprise -- arrested for driving while intoxicated in the early-morning hours Tuesday. Tannenbaum said there will be no sanctions against those players -- left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and defensive end Vernon Gholston.

The wide receiver appeared in court late Tuesday afternoon in ripped jeans, wearing a black T-shirt with the words "One Love" on the front and silver angel wings on the back, to answer the DWI charges.

Police documents, parts of which were read aloud during the hearing at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building, revealed that he didn't understand why he was pulled over.

"Why was I stopped for tints when my driving didn't lead you to believe I was drunk driving?"

Edwards said, according to the report of the arresting officer, Armando Urbina.

Officers on the lookout for vehicle violations like excessively tinted windows or missing registration stickers pulled over Edwards' white Land Rover on Manhattan's West Side at 4:47 a.m. ET and noticed a strong smell of alcohol and that he had bloodshot, watery eyes, the police report states.

"I had a couple of drinks," Edwards said to the officer, according to the police report.

There were four other people in the car with Edwards at the time, two of them his teammates.

According to the arrest report, the officer asked Edwards when he had his last drink.

"About an hour ago," Edwards responded.

Urbina asked Edwards if he was familiar with a breathalyzer. He responded that he was but asked why he would not undergo a field sobriety test like in Michigan, where he went to college. The officer said that was not procedure in New York.

Edwards said to Urbina: "How about I just leave the car and take a cab and go home?"

But the wide receiver did undergo the breathalyzer exam, blew a .16 and was arrested.

Edwards has had his license suspended and will have to appear in court Nov. 9 to answer the charges.

After the court appearance, he left in a black Cadillac Escalade SUV to go to the Jets training facility and speak with team officials.

When asked if he had any comment on the situation, Edwards said: "There will be plenty of time to talk. I'll address everybody."

But his attorney, Peter Frankel, said: "He wants to speak to his teammates and he wants to speak to his coach."

Frankel added that Edwards "hadn't slept in two days."

The attorney said he would challenge how the breathalyzer was administered, but he did not offer more details.

Frankel also was apparently annoyed by prosecuting attorney Alyssa Gunther's relaying with such detail the conversation between Urbina and Edwards. During the court appearance, Frankel said sarcastically that he "appreciated the candor," which caused his fellow attorneys to laugh quietly. But he did say to the judge that he hoped it would be "dealt with along the line."

This isn't Edwards' first off-the-field issue. The Jets acquired Edwards, a former first-round pick out of Michigan in 2005, from the Cleveland Browns only days after he was accused of punching a man outside a Cleveland nightclub in October 2009.

The victim was an acquaintance of LeBron James'. Edwards pleaded not guilty at the time, but he ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. He received probation and a $1,000 fine.

Pending the outcome of the New York City case, Edwards may have to return to Cleveland to face a possible probation violation, which could carry jail time. The Cleveland Municipal Court judge handling his case has been notified of his New York arrest, court spokesman Ed Ferenc said.

Gunther said in court that the district attorney's office is "still investigating the circumstances of the Cleveland incident."

Edwards currently can only be disciplined under the league's substance abuse policy, in which he faces a maximum fine of $50,000 under terms of the collective bargaining agreement. According to a league spokesman, teams can't suspend or deactivate a player for an alcohol-related offense.

"Braylon's actions clearly come under the purview of the league's substance abuse policy," Tannenbaum said. "This is going to have to run its course through the legal system, and any discipline that occurs will be by the league under that program."

If Edwards is convicted or pleads no contest he likely will be subject to the league's personal conduct policy and face a possible suspension, a league source clarified to ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen late Tuesday.

Edwards' misdemeanor disorderly conduct conviction in Ohio resulted in a previously undisclosed fine of his first game check of an estimated $200,000, even though he was not suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell, the source said.

A conviction or no contest plea likely would be viewed as a second violation of the personal conduct policy, a league official said.

The Jets had few options in terms of discipline due to the rules of the collective bargaining agreement. Any punishment they would dole out now -- other than what the NFL eventually decides -- would violate the CBA. That means the Jets could not deactivate him or keep him active and not play him without risking a violation.

In August 2008, Edwards was stopped for driving 120 mph in a 65 mph zone on an interstate near Cleveland. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Edwards already had his left hand out of the window, holding his driver's license and registration, as the officer approached the vehicle. Edwards hadn't been drinking and wasn't intoxicated, police told the newspaper, but Edwards' passenger vomited on the dashboard.

In March 2009, Edwards was drinking with teammate Donte' Stallworth in Miami Beach, Fla., the night Stallworth killed a pedestrian while driving. Edwards wasn't at the scene of the accident and wasn't charged. Stallworth was suspended for a year.

While with the Browns in 2009, Edwards was fined $1,701 by coach Eric Mangini for failing to pay for a $3 bottle of water on his hotel incidentals. The fine was so high, sources said, because Edwards already had accumulated several team violations.

Calvin Pace Healing Quickly

Calvin Pace, who had surgery on a broken bone in his right foot 21 days ago, ran outside today for the first time on Monday afternoon. It is an incredibly short amount of time to be this far along in the healing process, and one that Jets coach Rex Ryan said had team doctors using the word extraordinary.

"Calvin's doing great," Ryan said. "He's way ahead of where most people are at this time."

Monday the Jets linebacker ran through some football drills on the field for the first time since his injury. He is doing so well that he wouldn't rule out playing against Miami.

"Everything's going good right now," Pace said. "If I had to give you a percentage chance of me playing, 30, 40 percent -- today. It might get batter later in the week."

Pace, who was at the facility Monday with his right foot in a sleeve, said he feels good about the possibility of returning to action in two weeks against Buffalo.

"The way he's progressing, there's no reason to think he can't do that," Ryan said.

The Jets have been using some innovative techniques with Pace to assist in the healing process. He has a screw in the bone, so he won't be able to rebreak it as he accelerates the return. Pace said he has to get used to the idea mentally that he can put weight on it.

"Getting that in my head," Pace said.

Pace has been working out in the water, which reduces pressure on the foot, and today walked on a treadmill that puts the user's lower body in a bubble. Pace said the treadmill can make it feel like his body weight is reduced from 265 to 130 pounds. Gradually, weight is added as a the foot gets better.

"Takes some of the strain off your foot and build it up in your mind, I can do this," Pace said. "Luckily I'm in a team with state of the art stuff. Ten days after my surgery I was doing some stuff."

But it isn't all about big movements. Some of the other therapies involve more discrete muscle involvement.

"Simple stuff like picking up marbles with my feet," Pace said. "Just try to work those muscles back. It's crazy, you don't do something with your leg and its sitting up in the cast for a week, and you feel like it's a new leg. You feel like you've got to teach it all over again."

Pace has transitioned from crutches to the boot on his foot and now a shoe. When he was out on the field today, he said things felt fine until the very end.

"It felt good," Pace said. "The thing that I saw today, doing some football motion stuff that felt fine, but when they told me to pick up my leg, that felt crazy."

So perhaps some more time is in order. But after breaking the bone in late August, even shooting to be back against Buffalo is a remarkable feat.

"Ultimately I would love to play but I don't want to be that guy force a comeback and get injured worse," Pace said.

Braylon Edwards Charged with DUI

New York Jets receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested on a drunken driving charge in New York early Tuesday morning.

The Jets expressed their disappointment in the receiver in a statement from general manager Mike Tannenbaum on Tuesday.

"We are very disappointed in Braylon's actions this morning. The Player Protect program is in place for our organization to prevent this situation. Braylon is aware of this program and showed poor judgment," Tannenbaum said.

"We are reviewing the information with the league and will impose the appropriate disciplinary measures."

The 27-year-old Edwards was pulled over for having overly tinted windows in his Range Rover. He was arrested at 5:15 a.m. after police smelled alcohol and administered a breathalyzer. According to the New York Post, Edwards blew .16 on the breathalyzer -- a blood-alcohol content that is twice the legal limit.

Edwards, who caught a touchdown pass and two-point conversion on Sunday in the Jets' victory over the New England Patriots, is currently in police custody and will be arraigned later Tuesday, the newspaper reported.

The Jets acquired Edwards, a former first-round pick out of Michigan in 2005, from the Cleveland Browns only days after he was accused of punching a man outside a Cleveland nightclub in October 2009. The victim was an acquaintance of LeBron James. Edwards pleaded not guilty at the time, but he ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. He received probation and a $1,000 fine.

Edwards was required to make that plea in person, and it took him away from the Jets for a day as they prepared for a playoff game last Jan. 12. At the time, the Jets feared he would be slapped with a one-game suspension from the NFL, but they learned in late June that there would be no sanction from the league.

According to a league spokesman, DUIs are reviewed under the NFL's substance-abuse policy. There is no automatic suspension under any circumstances. The league isn't commenting on a possible outcome or specifics.

The first substance-abuse offense is not subject to suspension for a player, only a fine, which is half of a game check with a maximum of $50,000. It is not known if Edwards ever had a violation under the substance-abuse policy (the program is confidential) and if he would be subject to a suspension for a second offense.

The assault charge that Edwards previously had while in Cleveland is covered under the NFL's personal conduct policy and the two can't be used together against a player.

Edwards' big game Sunday was overshadowed by a taunting penalty he received after his touchdown.
On Monday, Edwards was chastised by coach Rex Ryan -- publicly and privately. In a team meeting, Ryan announced that he was prepared to give Edwards a game ball for his performance, but he decided against it because of the penalty.

"I love the way he played -- he was really into it -- but you're killing us," Ryan told reporters. "You can't put the team in that kind of jeopardy. I appreciate how passionate he is, but you don't want to be selfish. That's basically what that is."

This could be Edwards' final season with the Jets. In the offseason, he signed a one-year tender for $6.05 million, and he's due to become an unrestricted free agent in 2011.

The Jets were heavily criticized in the offseason for acquiring players with off-the-field issues. They traded for wide receiver Santonio Holmes even though he was facing a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He has served two games.

Also, they traded for cornerback Antonio Cromartie, whose tenure with the San Diego Chargers was tainted by paternity issues. At the time of the trade, in March, Cromartie had fathered seven children from six different women and was late on $25,000 in child-support payments. To help Cromartie, the Jets fronted him $500,000 of his $1.1 million salary.

Let's be realistic here, folks. How stupid can he get? He knows that he's on thin ice after the Jets acquired him, amid the allegations of punching James' friend last year. If he didn't drop the ball so much this might not be an issue, but now that he's got other things on his mind than football, this could be disastrous for the Jets because they need everything part of Edwards' brain focused on catching the football. Hopefully for Jets he doesn't get suspended for this Sunday night's game in Miami. What will Goodell do?

Revis Has Strained Hamstring

The New York Jets proved they can play 30 minutes of great defense without Darrelle Revis. What about an entire game? Two games? A month?

They're about to find out.

Although he refused to rule himself out of Sunday night's game in Miami, Revis acknowledged Monday he could miss one to two weeks after an MRI exam revealed a strained left hamstring. The star cornerback, hoping to prevent it from becoming a nagging, season-long injury, said he doesn't want to return until he's 100 percent.

In that case, Revis Island could be shut down until October. The feeling in the organization is that it may take up to four weeks to completely heal.

"We don't want to push it to where it's a problem, where I have to keeping coming out of a game and can't practice," Revis said. "Right now, we're going to take our time with it. Until I feel it's 100 percent, and the trainers feel I can go at 100 percent, I doubt I'll be out there."

Jets coach Rex Ryan said he didn't have a prognosis, although he didn't sound optimistic about Revis' chances of facing the first-place Dolphins (2-0). Ryan said he's encouraged that center Nick Mangold (shoulder) and outside linebacker Jason Taylor (elbow) will play, adding that he's uncertain about Revis.

"With hamstrings, you really can't tell," Ryan said. "Could he play in nickel situations? Is it best to rest him the whole time? We've got to be smart with this one."

Translation: You're more likely to see Ryan high-fiving Dolphins fans than Revis playing in the prime-time showdown.

The good news for the Jets (1-1), coming off an impressive 28-14 win over the New England Patriots, is the schedule. The Dolphins are a run-oriented team with only one threat at receiver, Brandon Marshall, who probably will be covered by Antonio Cromartie. Marshall, the former Denver Bronco, has 12 receptions for only 124 yards and no touchdowns.

The following week, the Jets face the Buffalo Bills (0-2), who aren't doing much of anything on offense.

Revis admitted that his injury could be attributed to his 36-day holdout, which caused him to miss the entire preseason. He landed a four-year, $46 million contract, including $32 million in guarantees, but it cost him training camp.

"It's tough coming back from holding out, trying to get back into football shape," said Revis, who hasn't missed a game in three-plus seasons. "I'm in shape, but there's another shape, and it's called football shape."

After playing the entire game in the Monday night season opener (75 plays), Revis came back on a short week and reported stiffness on Thursday. He was limited in practice Thursday and Friday, but started Sunday against the Patriots.

Revis played 34 snaps against the Patriots, chasing Randy Moss all over the field in man-to-man coverage. On the Patriots' 34th snap, their final play of the first half, he pulled the hamstring, trailing Moss on a 34-yard touchdown pass. Revis went to the locker room and was finished for the day.

Revis said he has no regrets about the holdout or the decision to play Sunday, claiming he felt fine before the game. He believes his contract "could've been done a while ago, but negotiations, they're tough. ... But this is the stage I'm at and that's how it is," he said. "I'm trying to deal with it the best way I can and play football."

Without Revis, the Jets put Cromartie on Moss, and he held the star receiver without a catch in the second half. Rookie Kyle Wilson went from nickelback to starter, with Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman stepping into key backup roles. Remarkably, they befuddled Tom Brady, who went 7-for-16 for 69 yards in the second half. It was the first time in his career that he threw two interceptions against the Jets.

In theory, the Jets shouldn't be worried about Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, who has only 296 yards and one touchdown. But Ryan, recalling Henne's 241-yard passing day last season against the Jets, said, "I thought we were playing Dan Marino."

And that was with Revis.

Torre, Cashman Meet Behind Closed Doors, Resolve Differences

Over the 10 years that Brian Cashman was the New York Yankees GM and Joe Torre his field manager, the two spoke on the phone sometimes as many as a dozen times a day.

But that ended when Torre co-authored a book that Cashman and the Yankees believed was inaccurate and, worse, disloyal.

On Monday night, about an hour before the Yankees staged a lavish memorial for the late George Steinbrenner, fate brought the two them together for the first time in nearly two years, a happenstance that Cashman could only attribute to the power of The Boss.

"He was a great individual at bringing people together," Cashman said. "That's the only explanation I can come up with. There was a little bit of divine intervention in how this all played out."

On Friday night in Baltimore, Cashman had said he and the Yankees had "no issues" with Torre and would gladly welcome him back to Yankee Stadium as soon as their estranged ex-manager could find the occasion to return.

Little did Cashman know that three days later, he would find himself in the middle of a very public manhug with Torre outside the interview room, and soon afterward would be having a very private discussion with him in a remote area of the Yankees clubhouse.

"Hey, we gotta talk," an emotional Torre had said to Cashman in the midst of the embrace, and the two began the long process of hashing out their differences over all that has been written and said since the publication of "The Yankee Years" in January 2009.

"I don't want to go through all that was said, but I think we've agreed to put it behind us," Cashman said. "We had a good constructive meeting. We've taken steps to repair whatever got broke."

What got broke was the trust between two men who collaborated on three world championship teams and five American League champions. It had begun to fray at the meeting in Tampa following the 2007 season in which Torre rejected the one-year contract offered by the Yankees, and tore asunder with the publication of the book, co-authored with Tom Verducci, in which the Yankees felt Torre betrayed some players and front-office employees and misrepresented some events.

"We had a long, terrific run," Cashman said. "I would put our relationship while we were working together up against any manager/GM combination in the game. We had a magic carpet ride and almost all of it was positive. My frustration is that you wouldn't necessarily know that from the book."

Torre, who announced Friday that he was stepping down as Dodgers manager after the season, was approached by Yankees chief operating officer Lonn Trost about returning to the Bronx for the memorial ceremony. Both Torre and his bench coach, Don Mattingly, who will replace him as Dodgers manager next season, took advantage of an off day in the Dodgers' schedule to accept the offer. It was their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium since it opened before the 2009 season.

"I'm glad we had a chance to talk and get things moving in the right direction," Cashman said. "We hadn't had a chance to have an honest dialogue. And I hope we can get to the point where we can pick up the phone and have conversations with each other. We've both agreed it's time to turn the page and just move on."

Steinbrenner Monument Unveiled

Dwarfing all the honorees in the historic park that now sits behind the center field wall at the new Yankee Stadium, George Steinbrenner's monument is at least twice the size of the ones for Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.

In a ceremony Monday, the Yankees unveiled the mammoth monument to Steinbrenner, who passed away two months ago at the age of 80.

Shortly after 7 p.m., the Steinbrenner family took the field between the white interlocking "NY" and the dirt behind home plate. Next, Joan Steinbrenner, George's widow, was escorted by commissioner Bud Selig and his wife to join them.

Following a video tribute, all the current Yankees and the Steinbrenner family walked out to Monument Park, where Joan Steinbrenner revealed the contents of the first new monument at the new Yankee Stadium. The monument itself is 7 feet wide by 5 feet tall, not including the base. The team said it weighs 760 pounds.

"Do I think George should be in the Hall of Fame? Of course I do," Selig said. "He changed the sport in a lot of ways."

"A true visionary who changed the game of baseball forever," the monument reads. "He was considered the most influential owner in all of sports. In 37 years as principal owner, the Yankees posted a major league-best .566 winning percentage, while winning 11 American League pennants and seven World Series titles, becoming the most recognizable sports brand in the world.

"A devoted sportsman, he was vice president of the United States Olympic Committee, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame's board of directors and a member of the NCAA Foundation board of trustees. A great philanthropist whose charitable efforts were mostly performed without fanfare, he followed a personal motto of the greatest form of charity is anonymity."

While the return of Joe Torre and Don Mattingly received the most attention, former Yankees from Reggie Jackson to Yogi Berra were also in attendance. Frank Sinatra Jr. sang the national anthem.
"We are grateful to have been able to share this night with so many special people who brought fulfillment to our father's life," the Steinbrenner family said in a statement. "To see all of the distinguished Yankees alumni, friends and family gathered with us was a meaningful tribute to him.

"Our father always believed that this organization was an extension of his family, and he felt our fans were the heartbeat and soul of this baseball team. His unrelenting vision and passion for success was unmatched, and we are humbled that his likeness will forever greet the people he cared so deeply for in Monument Park.

"We would like to thank everyone who came out to support our father and the Yankees tonight. He was a proud owner, but he was also a great husband, father and grandfather to us."

With a crowd looking on that included Donald Trump, Torre received the loudest cheers as he was shown three times on the giant video board, and Mattingly -- who will succeed Torre next season as Los Angeles Dodgers manager -- got the second-loudest applause.

"George is responsible for really the best years of my life professionally," said Torre, who managed the Yankees to four of their seven World Series titles under Steinbrenner. "Did we get along all the time? No. But it never lasted very long that we, you know, disagreed."

Mattingly recalled how Steinbrenner dispatched a plane to Indiana for him when the first baseman's back ailed. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman remembered how Steinbrenner's mere presence upped the tension at old Yankee Stadium.

"Before text messages, Internet, cell phones and things of that nature, you didn't know what his travel schedule was. He liked to surprise people all the time," Cashman said. "You'd walk into that facility, and you could feel within two steps into the lobby that The Boss was here. Some people say in the parking lot you could feel it."

Without Steinbrenner, the Yankees' culture has changed.

"He was the ticket director, the marketing manager, the general manager, the manager in the dugout, the stadium operations guy," Cashman said. "He ran everything, and he told everybody what to do. He was the department head of it all. And now you need I can't tell you how many people to replace him."

Torre, Mattingly to Be at Steinbrenner's Monument Unveiling at Stadium Monday Night

With no game on the Los Angeles Dodgers' schedule for Monday, manager Joe Torre and hitting coach/manager-in-waiting Don Mattingly will travel to New York to take part in a pregame ceremony at Yankee Stadium on Monday night to unveil a monument honoring George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' late owner.

It will be the first trip to the new stadium for Torre, who managed the Yankees from 1996 to 2007. Mattingly spent his entire 14-year playing career with the Yankees and later coached them under Torre from 2004 to 2007.

"I got a call from their COO Lonn Trost on Friday before I made my announcement. He invited me and Donnie," Torre said. "He asked if we wanted to come for a memorial for George. I had been hoping they were going to have something, and I was hoping it would be at a time when I could make it.

Said Mattingly: "I'm excited, and I obviously want to do this for Steinbrenner because he did so much for me and my family over the years. ... It's a tough decision because of the travel. I'm excited that they invited Joe, because Joe hasn't been back. I'm sure he wouldn't say it, but I'm sure that hurt a little bit. So I'm excited they're bringing Joe back too.

Several Yankees who played under Torre and were coached by Mattingly are happy the two will get a chance to return to New York.

"Well, I think it's good that they get the opportunity to come back to the stadium," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "I'm sure they'll be well received by everyone. I'm glad they get an opportunity to come back because I know Mr. Steinbrenner has meant a great deal to both of their careers."

Said pitcher Andy Pettitte: "It'll be a great thing for this organization and for Joe, sure, because he ought to be part of this. He was part of this organization for a long time. That's great to see."

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera has fond memories of Torre especially.

"Well, I think that's going to be nice, the first time Mr. Torre is gonna be back since he left the team," Rivera said. "For us and the fans it will be excellent. Hopefully, they feel the same way about him that we feel about him, or the way I feel about him."

Steinbrenner owned the Yankees from 1973 until his death earlier this year at age 80.

Torre turned down an offer to return for a 13th season as manager of the Yankees after the 2007 season and was named manager of the Dodgers soon after. He announced Friday that he will step down at the end of this season, and the Dodgers announced that Mattingly, who has been the Dodgers' hitting coach since the 2008 All-Star break, will succeed him.

Sabathia Wins His 20th Game

After reaching an elusive milestone, CC Sabathia sounded as if he wanted to postpone celebrating it.

Sabathia became a 20-game winner for the first time in his stellar career, pitching the New York Yankees past the Baltimore Orioles 11-3 Saturday night.

"Maybe after the season," Sabathia said. "But right now we're right in the middle of this thing -- trying to win a championship, trying to win a division first. ... Maybe after the season I can sit back and enjoy it a little more. Right now, I'm just looking five days ahead and who I'm pitching against next."

Sabathia (20-6) leads the majors in victories. He twice finished seasons with 19 wins, and succeeded this year in his third try at No. 20.

The historical significance is high for a Yankees pitcher to be the first to 20 wins. History says he will win the Cy Young award. Since the award was first given out in 1956, Yankees pitchers have been the first in MLB to 20 wins in a season now four times (Sabathia being the fourth). The previous three times, those Yankees pitchers went on to win the Cy Young that same year and the Yankees went on to win the World Series. 

"He has been our ace all year, really since he's got here, and to get to 20 wins is quite an accomplishment," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Sabathia.

Sabathia already had a Cy Young Award, a World Series championship and several All-Star selections to his credit over 10 seasons. Winning 20 games was about the only thing missing on his pitching resume.

"I think it's meaningful to any pitcher," Girardi said. "I think as he gets older, he'll appreciate it more. I think CC realizes how difficult it is. As good as he's been, it's the first time he's done it."

But the ultimate tribute of how good Sabathia really is came out of the mouth of teammate Derek Jeter just minutes after the Yankees win at Camden Yards to nail down Sabathia's 20th victory of the season.

"I didn't even know it was his first time until after the game," Jeter said. "I just assumed he had done it before."

The big lefty allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings for the AL East leaders. Sabathia, denied the big win in a home loss to the Orioles on Sept. 7, walked one and struck out four, improving to 14-2 all-time against Baltimore.

"We spoiled it once, but against a pitcher of his caliber, it's tough to do it twice," said Baltimore's Nolan Reimold.

Sabathia found one perk: "People will stop asking me about it now."

Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson homered for the Yankees, who spotted Sabathia a 2-0 lead before he took the mound and never trailed."

These guys swung the bat, put some runs up on the board and took a lot of the pressure off," Sabathia said.

Cano's two-run shot in the fifth put the second baseman at 101 RBIs. That gave the Yankees three infielders with 100 or more RBIs in a single season for the first time in franchise history -- first baseman Mark Teixeira and third baseman Alex Rodriguez previously reached the mark.

"It's big for [Cano]," Girardi said. "Everyone was concerned who was going to hit fifth for us [after] losing [Hidek] Matsui. Robbie has stepped in and been tremendous for us all year long."

Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter each had two RBIs for New York and Brett Gardner had three hits.

Jeter was hit in the ribs by Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie (10-14) on the game's first pitch and came around to score on Posada's two-run single later in the first. It marked the 13th time in Jeter's 16-year career that he has scored 100 or more runs in a season.

Jeter's sacrifice fly scored Gardner, who led off with a triple, for a 3-0 lead in the second.

The Orioles loaded the bases in the second on singles by Adam Jones and Reimold and a walk to Craig Tatum before Cesar Izturis hit a sacrifice fly.

A sacrifice fly by Ty Wigginton made it 3-2 in the third.An RBI groundout by Jeter restored the Yankees' two-run cushion in the fourth.

In the fifth, Rodriguez singled and Cano followed with a homer onto the right-field flag court, his 28th.

Robert Andino homered for the second straight game in the fifth.

Nick Swisher added an RBI double in the sixth off Orioles reliever Mark Hendrickson. Jeter reached on an infield single and Swisher then doubled into the left-field corner.

Gardner singled and later scored on Alfredo Simon's wild pitch in the eighth. Granderson added a three-run shot, his 19th, in the ninth.

Cashman Says Torre Would be Welcome Back with Yankees

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said there are "no issues" between Joe Torre and the team he led to four world championships but ultimately spurned in a tell-all book. In fact, Cashman said that if Torre truly is retired -- Torre announced earlier Friday that he would not return to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011 -- he would be welcome at Yankee Stadium functions such as Old-Timer's Day.

"Joe Torre is welcome at any time," said Cashman, who traveled to Baltimore to keep an eye on his struggling team this weekend. "Joe Torre the manager is already enshrined in history with us. The marriage with him and the Yankees will go on forever. There's been no divorce in that. Just because of the way it ended doesn't change the fact of how successful and great a manager he was for us. He'll be a Hall of Famer and he'll go in as a Yankee."

Torre, of course, walked away from a conditional offer to return as Yankees manager following the 2007 season, and later wrote a book -- "The Yankee Years" with Tom Verducci -- that was perceived by some in the organization as a betrayal of team confidences. But Cashman said any lingering resentments over the book would not stand in the way of Torre being welcomed back into the Yankees family.

"You can have subjective opinions about that stuff and what was accurate and what wasn't, and should he have done it or shouldn't he have done it," Cashman said. "But in terms of what Joe did and what we all did together, nothing's gonna change that and no one wants to change that. We're really proud of what we all did together. We had success beyond all of our wildest dreams. We all got rings on our fingers to show for it."

The players who played for Torre were unanimous in their well-wishes for their former manager, and optimistic about the chances of former Yankees legend Don Mattingly -- Torre's bench coach in both New York and Los Angeles and a finalist for the job to succeed Torre that ultimately went to Joe Girardi -- to follow in the footsteps of his mentor.

"I'm happy that he gets an opportunity to do it when he wants to do it," Derek Jeter said of Torre's retirement. "It goes without saying how much he's meant to the game of baseball not only as a player but as a manager, you know, here and other places as well. I'm happy that he's decided to do it and I wish him the best."

Jorge Posada said he had texted Torre but had yet to hear back from him. "He means a lot to me," Posada said. "He means a lot to the Yankee fans and to the Yankee organization."

Posada was also full of praise for Mattingly. "Donnie's great," he said. "I was a big fan of Donnie growing up and I couldn't believe it when he was my hitting coach. I was blown away. He's great at communicating, I think that's why he's gonna be a good manager."

Girardi, however, wondered if the pull of managing would lure Torre back to the field next season, even though he turned 70 in July. "It'll be interesting to see how he feels in December, if he stays retired," Girardi said. "Joe's been doing it a long time and I'm sure there are other things he wants to do in his life. I know how much he loves to manage and I know how much he loves his family, so I won't be surprised either way."

Asked if he could see himself managing at age 70, Girardi replied with a single word: "No."

Howard Green Re-Signs with Jets

The New York Jets moved to help fill the massive void left by the loss of nose tackle Kris Jenkins by agreeing to a contract with defensive tackle Howard Green on Wednesday.

A league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Green's deal is for two years.

Jenkins will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his surgically repaired left knee in the team's opener against Baltimore on Monday night.

The extent of the injury was determined Tuesday following an MRI exam.

Green, listed as 6-foot-2 and 365 pounds, appeared in 12 games for the Jets last season, registering 16 tackles. He signed with the Washington Redskins this offseason but was cut before the season began.

After Jenkins' injury, the Jets were down to four veteran defensive linemen: Shaun Ellis, Mike Devito, Sione Pouha and Vernon Gholston, a converted linebacker. They have Matt Kroul and Marcus Dixon on the bench. In the preseason, they lost Ropati Pitoitua (Achilles tendon) to a season-ending injury.

Jenkins tore the same ACL midway through last season and used a graft from a hamstring to repair it. Monday night's game was his first in the regular season since that injury.

Jenkins said in training camp that he used the time while he was rehabilitating to do some soul searching, and rededicated himself to football after contemplating retirement. He has often spoken about how he now considers himself a family man first and a football player second, and the latest injury may test his desire to play again.

On Tuesday, Jets coach Rex Ryan said Jenkins hadn't spoken to him about his long-term plans.

"I think he's going to get away from it, and then he'll make a decision," Ryan said.

Vazquez Officially Dropped From Rotation

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has officially bounced Javier Vazquez from the rotation.

Before Wednesday's Yankees-Rays game, Girardi announced Vazquez would pitch out of the bullpen for the foreseeable future. After CC Sabathia, the returning Andy Pettitte, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and rookie Ivan Nova will fill out the Yankees rotation.

A year ago, Vazquez was finishing up a season in which he finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting. On Wednesday, he was told he was out of the rotation, something he expected.

ESPNNewYork.com first reported Vazquez would be removed from the rotation on Sunday. It is the third time he has been taken out of Girardi's rotation.

With Thursday's off day, the Yankees will start Burnett Friday, Sabathia on Saturday and, after two months on the disabled list, Pettitte on Sunday in Baltimore.

Girardi held a series of meetings on Wednesday in his office at Tropicana Field. His talk with Burnett went for around a half-hour. Girardi would not detail the contents of the meeting other than to say they spoke about pitching and life. His meeting with Vazquez lasted one minute, at most.

"He wants to pitch," Girardi said of Vazquez' reaction.

Vazquez and Burnett were both unavailable for comment because Girardi made the announcement when the Yankees were taking batting practice.

While Vazquez has been disappointed about the shuttling back-and-forth from the rotation, he admits if he were pitching better there would not be any problems. Vazquez is 10-9 with 5.09 ERA. Last season with the Braves, he finished 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA.

Dropping Vazquez effectively puts Sabathia on schedule for a rematch with fellow Cy Young candidate David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays next Thursday in the Bronx.

Sabathia and Price matched up on Monday in which both pitched eight innings of shutout ball. The Rays eventually won 1-0 in the 11th inning.

Pettitte Set to Rejoin Rotation on Sunday

New York Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte is set to rejoin the rotation on Sunday.

Manager Joe Girardi announced the plan for Pettitte before Wednesday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Pettitte has been sidelined since July 19 by a strained left groin.

With his return, Javier Vazquez will shift to a long relief role.

A.J. Burnett will start the opener of a three-game series at Baltimore on Friday. CC Sabathia will pitch on Saturday, which also lines up the 19-game winner to face Tampa Bay's 17-game winner David Price five days later in the final game of a four-game series with the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Also, injured outfielders Nick Swisher (left knee) and Brett Gardner (right wrist) could return to the starting lineup this weekend.

The Yankees signed left-hander Royce Ring to a major league contract. The left-hander joined the team on Wednesday.