Boarding the 4 Train at 125th Street can be a challenge. Generally packed to the gills well before Spanish Harlem on game days, a few strategic elbow thrusts are necessary, and expected. In Red Sox regalia, things get a little more interesting. It’s all worth it for the cramped ride home, as drunken frustrated Long Island boys explain to each other “it wasn’t Mussina’s fault, man.” And then my favorite “they should cut that bum Abreu …what’s he ever done anyway?” There needs to be a shorter name for the drunken frustrated Long Island boy. How about “Syracuse Alum”? Or, “Billy Joel”? Nah, I’ll just stick with “asshole.” Can I get a linguist to weigh in on this?

I had a purpose in bringing up that I went to the game last night; if I happen to point something out that was obvious, or mentioned, in the broadcast I won’t get comments like “Remy said that already, are you stupid!!!??” Or something equally intelligent. Save your energy.

After the adventure that was my commute, the game was a bit of a rollercoaster as well. Mussina was mercifully let off the ropes following the first inning and Julian Tavarez tore through the Yankees order like any good reliever can do. Wait, but Julian isn’t a good reliever. A mystery wrapped in an enigma, that man is. He started to lose it in the middle innings, but was bailed out by Posada’s GIDP in the sixth. This was the play of the game. The Yankees had clawed back into it, down 4-2, had their leadoff man on and their hottest hitter at the plate. Obviously, the three runs in the top of the seventh made the pen’s job easier, but snuffing that rally before it got started was critical. Tavarez may have cemented his place in this rotation, but seeing Jon Lester face the five (!) consecutive lefties in this lineup will be welcome.

The battle of the overpaid mediocre right fielders has reached its apex. J.D. Drew (.237, .346, .333) and Bobby Abreu (.239, .317, .307) are making a combined $30.2 million for replacement level performance. I’m going to be incredibly patient with Drew, because the Red Sox can afford to be, but how long will the Yankees put up with Abreu’s lackluster effort? Neither player inspires confidence with their aggressiveness or likability. It will be an interesting story to follow as the Summer heats up.

Tonight: Curt Schilling (4-1, 3.57, 1.33) at Andy Pettitte (2-3, 2.83, 1.34)

If you’ve been living under a rock, Manny loves hitting against Pettitte and its no fluke. In 64 at bats he’s managed a Williamsian .406/.458/.656. Varitek, Drew, Ortiz, and Lugo all get on base better than 40% of the time against the lefty. Schilling owns Jeter (.582 OPS, 42 ABs) but the rest of the Yankees have fared pretty well against him.