David Cone will be fielding your questions this Wednesday night at 8pm. So be sure to have your laptop on while watching the Yankees vs. Red Sox on YES.

YANKEES (34-23)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Nick Swisher LF
Melky Cabrera RF
Brett Gardner CF

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA)

BOSTON RED SOX (33-24)
Dustin Pedroia 2B
J.D. Drew RF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Jason Bay LF
Mike Lowell 3B
David Ortiz DH
Jason Varitek C
Mark Kotsay CF
Nick Green SS

Pitching: Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA)

Every Tuesday, YES Blog takes the pulse of New York on the hottest topics being talked about right now in the world of sports. What's your take on the below issues?

By Jon Lane
Not since 1974 have the Red Sox won six straight games against the Yankees in one season, when they ran off seven consecutive victories over their rivals. At that time the rivalry was simmering before exploding later that decade. Dating back to 2003, this has been at another level, and another chapter will be written starting tonight. You can catch the game on My9, and tune into YES for complete pre and postgame coverage starting with Yankees Batting Practice Today at 6 p.m.

Here's where the teams stand:

• The Yankees are in the AL East penthouse, one game ahead of the Red Sox, and are a much different team than the one that dropped five straight to them in the early going. Alex Rodriguez has since returned to the lineup and New York has been on a 21-8 run. A-Rod may be batting .248, but has eight home runs in 29 at-bats. More important is that his mere presence alone has had a major impact Mark Teixeira, who is is batting .364 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs hitting ahead of A-Rod in the lineup. Teixeira, incidentally, now leads AL first baseman in All-Star voting.

• Yankees starters are 12-2 in their last 24 games while limiting opponents to three earned runs or fewer in 18 of 25 starts. Leading the way is CC Sabathia, who has pitched at least eight innings in six of his last eight starts (4-1, two no-decisions). The burly lefty starts Thursday night against Brad Penny.

• Big start tonight for A.J. Burnett, 4-2 with a 4.69 ERA and seeking his third straight win after going winless since April 14. Burnett leads the Yankees with 65 strikeouts and is seeking redemption both team-oriented and personal. His last time pitching at Fenway Park, Burnett blew a 6-0 lead on April 25, allowing eight runs on eight hits in five innings of a 16-11 loss.

"We owe them a couple," Burnett said.

• Bigger start for Chien-Ming Wang Wednesday night. Everyone is well aware of Wang's early-season troubles and terrible track record at Fenway (3-3, 5.11 ERA in seven starts). Wang returned to the rotation last week and while he was far from great, it was something to build on considering what he's had to endure. However, you'd think his leash will be short. Many are speculating (including me) that Phil Hughes will be summoned almost immediately if Wang digs himself a hole.

• As you also know, David Ortiz is in the throes of an awful season. Big Papi, who's made his living killing the Yankees and rivaling Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri as Boston's greatest clutch performer, is batting .197 with two homers and 22 RBIs in 51 games. He visited an eye doctor on Monday and his vision checked out well, which has left the Back Bay mystified as to what has happened to him. Leave to Red Sox Nation to panic. A few callers phoned into WEEI-AM saying he "stinks" and needs to be relegated to part-time duty. Good line from Dale & Holley though in response to Joe Girardi's complaint about the Yankees playing nine straight games in National League cities: The Red Sox played 50 games without a DH, the Yankees can play nine." Ouch.

YANKEES (33-23)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33)

RAYS (29-29)
B.J. Upton CF
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Carlos Pena 1B
Ben Zobrist 2B
Joe Dillon DH
Michel Hernandez C
Gabe Kapler RF
Reid Brignac SS

Pitching: Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07)

By Jon Lane
This was passed along to me recently. It's a great cause next Monday night at the Grand Central Oyster Bar (Grand Central Station) in New York City.

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi will again host a fundraiser for a cause near and dear to his heart - Alzheimer's research. The second annual "Remember When, Remember Now" Gala, a benefit for Girardi's Catch 25 Foundation to assist Alzheimer's research, will be held at the Grand Central Oyster Bar on Monday night, June 15, in New York City. The Yankees skipper will be joined by David Cone, the former Yankees and Mets pitcher now an analyst on YES Network, who will receive the Jerry Girardi Award. Joe's dad, Jerry Girardi, suffers from Alzheimer's.

Event chair Michael Kay, YES Network's "Voice of the Yankees" and 1050 ESPN Radio host, and former Mets and Yankee hurler Al Leiter, now an analyst on YES Network, will be among the celebrity guests. Sara Moulton, the former Food Network star and now host of "Sara's Weeknight Meals" on public television, and ESPN News anchor Mike Yam, will also be honored.

Moulton, the former Food Network host who is one of the hardest working women in the culinary industry, will receive the second annual Ruth Friedman Tribute Award, which honors the memory of the Oyster Bar executive chef Sandy Ingber's mother in law, who was afflicted with Alzheimer's. Sandy, his wife Susan, and Girardi will make the presentation. Moulton will be feted for her culinary excellence and good will. Moulton and Ingber were classmates at the Culinary Institute of America. Yam will receive the Joan Pasheluk Tribute Award for his efforts in raising awareness of Alzheimer's disease.
 
The public is welcome to attend, and tickets are priced at $250 per person, while tables of 10 are priced at $5,000 (exclusive "Box Seat Table" which include celebrity table host), and $2,500. Cocktail hour begins at 6:30 PM, with the dinner and program starting at 7:30 PM. For information and to purchase tickets contact 212.972.5337 or email johnnycigarpr@aol.com.
 
CBS Sports' signature voice Jim Nantz joins Girardi, Kay, Ingber, Cirillo World president John Cirillo, and James J. Houlihan, partner Houlihan-Parnes Realtors LLC, as honorary chairman for the benefit. Yankees' skipper's father Jerry Girardi is afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease. The New York City Chapter of The Alzheimer's Association, the Central Illinois Chapter, based in Peoria, and Alzheimer's Research at the Texas Medical Center's Neurological Institute will be the beneficiaries of the event. 

Rays:

Upton CF
Crawford LF
Aybar 3B
Pena 1B
Zobrist 2B
Joyce RF
Gross DH,
Navarro C
Brignac SS

Garza P

Yankees:

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF

Chamberlain P

Rays

Upton CF
Crawford LF
Aybar 3B
Pena 1B
Zobrist 2B
Dillion DH
Navarro C
Kapler RF
Brignac SS

Price P

Yankees

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF
Cervelli C

Sabathia P

By Jon Lane
The fact that the Yankees are 32-22 and tied for first place is nice enough. How they continue to find ways to win along with an unshakable confidence that there's always a chance to win is one of the remarkable storylines of the season. Even during an eventual loss Wednesday night, cameras caught A.J. Burnett gesturing to his teammates, "That's one," after Jorge Posada's seventh-inning home run trimmed the Yankees' deficit from three to two.

There's an amazing vibe around the team that has carried over to every game. Melky Cabrera's eighth-inning heroics on Thursday led the Yankees to their league-leading 19th come-from-behind victory and it was the second time they rallied from down at least four runs.

"I think our club feels that we could come back at any time," said Joe Girardi. "Sometimes when we don't get it done we feel like, 'Wow, we didn't get it done.' There is confidence in that clubhouse. Keep us close and give us a chance."

Jerome Preisler was with me at the game outlines a series of subplots that defined the win, including Cabrera ducking Burnett's attempt at another pie to the face.

_______________________

Don't look now, but the beleaguered bullpen has allowed only one run over their last 11 innings (Ian Kinsler's solo homer off Alfredo Aceves on Thursday). During the Yankees' current 17-5 run, relievers are averaging more than three innings a game and are 6-3 with a 3.15 ERA.

David Robertson, who needed to throw only one pitch to earn the win, is 5-0 in his career with two one-pitch victories, owns a 2.08 ERA in 11 appearances this season and may finally stick around awhile.

"Guys are starting to settle into their roles now," said pitching coach Dave Eiland. "Early on, guys were pitching out of their roles and the starters weren't going as deep in their games, and guys not used to going multiple innings were going multiple innings and came back on shorter rest. It starts and stops with starting pitching. If they can take us to the middle or late innings, the bullpen has a way of working itself out."

YANKEES (31-22)
Johnny Damon LF
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Hideki Matsui DH
Melky Cabrera CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Ramiro Pena SS

Pitching: Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 16.07)

RANGERS (31-21)
Ian Kinsler 2B
Michael Young 3B
Hank Blalock DH
Nelson Cruz RF
David Murphy LF
Marlon Byrd CF
Chris Davis 1B
Taylor Teagarden C
Elvis Andrus SS

Pitching: Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 4.35)