masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSomes notes on the Yankees and Orioles as the teams begin a three-game series today at New York.

*The Yankees are 86-51 and own baseball’s best record. They are 30-19 in the second half and 29-21 vs. AL East clubs.

*Toronto’s 7-3 win Sunday ended New York’s eight-game win streak. The Yankiees are 14-5 over their last 19 games.

*They are 48-23 at home and are 16-4-3 in 23 home series this year. They are 105-47 (.691) since the start of last year at home and are 6-1 on their current…Somes notes on the Yankees and Orioles as the teams begin a three-game series today at New York.

*The Yankees are 86-51 and own baseball’s best record. They are 30-19 in the second half and 29-21 vs. AL East clubs.

*Toronto’s 7-3 win Sunday ended New York’s eight-game win streak. The Yankiees are 14-5 over their last 19 games.

*They are 48-23 at home and are 16-4-3 in 23 home series this year. They are 105-47 (.691) since the start of last year at home and are 6-1 on their current 10-game homestand.

*New York’s bullpen has allowed just 1 ER over 15 2/3 in the last five games and has an ERA of 1.60 since July 26.

*Today’s starter, A.J. Burnett, is struggling. He is 10-12, 5.15 in 27 starts on the season, but is just 1-4, 7.25 over his last six starts. Burnett is 2-1, 1.64 in three starts vs. the Orioles in 2010.

*Matt Wieters is 11 for 24 (458) with four doubles and 5 RBI during a seven-game batting streak. In 48 games since June 20, he is batting .300-5-30 with a .378 OBP and a .481 slugging percentage.

*Nick Markakis went 7 for 52 (.135) in his first 14 games this year without an RBI vs. Tampa, but was 4 for 10 with a homer and 4 RBI the last two games vs. the Rays.

*The Orioles went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, scoring just one run vs. Tampa on Friday, but went 9 for 17 with 16 runs the last two games.

*The Orioles are 2-10 this season vs. New York. The O’s 4-3 win on June 10 snapped a ten-game losing streak vs. the Yankees.

*The O’s are 0-6 this year at Yankee Stadium, getting out-scored 33 to 12. The Orioles are 2-17 in their last 19 games at New York and are 7-30 overall in the last 37 vs. the Yankees.

*Today’s O’s starter, Brian Matusz, is 0 and 3 in three starts vs. NY this year but with an ERA of 2.41.

*While O’s pitchers have held Mark Teixeira (.267 avg), Derek Jeter (.235) and A-Rod (.200) down this year, they have been hurt badly by Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher. Cano is batting .489-4-7 vs. the Birds, going 23 for 47 while Swisher is .367-2-13, going 18 for 49.

*The Orioles are 5-4-1 in ten series under Buck Showalter. They won just four of 34 series before he took over.

*Koji Uehara is 6 for 6 in save chances on the year and has posted a 1.50 ERA with 25 strikeouts in his last 21 appearances since July 9. Koji has retired his first batter faced in 27 of 30 games.