These guys are going to give me a heart attack.  For the third straight game, the Yankees bullpen let the opposing team back into it, losing two of the three after surrendering leads of 3-1, 7-5, and 5-1.  The biggest concern is that it is not the middle relief, but the guys that everyone says the starters need to get the ball to:  Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera.  If the Yanks can’t trust those two, they are in a lot of trouble.  On Sunday, Joba took the loss, but Mo was the one who gave up the grand slam to seal it.  Monday the Bombers escaped with a win, but Chan Ho Park nearly blew it giving up back to back home runs.  Damaso Marte stopped the bleeding and Javier Vasquez got the unlikely win after the Bombers bats rescued them, taking advantage of Jonathon Paplebon’s own struggles.  Tuesday it was Joba and Mo back at it again, with Joba giving up three earned runs in the eighth, and Mo allowing two unearned runs after a Marcus Thames error in the ninth. Now, I know that Thames error, and an earlier error by A-Rod in the eight didn’t help matters, but pitchers as good as Joba and Mo  need to be able to pitch through it.  With all of the injuries piling up on the Yankees, the bullpen needs to be able to hold leads when the bats can get them, otherwise they are going to pitch themselves out of contention quickly.  I used to be able to relax when the Yankees had a lead going into the eighth inning.  Now I’m not so sure. 

Other notes from Tuesday nights game:

• The Yankees played the game under protest after Boston removed Josh Beckett due to injury, claiming there was no indication he was injured, and Boston reliever Manny Delcarmen should not have been allowed unlimited warm up pitches on the mound.
• A night after being the latest hero of the rivalry, Marcus Thames played the role of goat committing a costly error that helped the Red Sox take the lead in the ninth.
• DH Nick Johnson had surgery on his injured wrist Tuesday, and it is expected to be four to six weeks before he will be able to pick up a bat.  With it being this early in the season, a trade for another hitter is out of the question, so the Yankees will be rotating players into DH, with Juan Miranda getting a lot more playing time.  I wonder what Jermaine Dye is up to?