The Indians got five men on base last night and only one of them scored. Place your bets as to when they’ll equal those totals tonight against Mike Mussina. Before you do, note that Moose has gone 3-0 in his last three starts with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Going back further, Moose has a 3.68 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over his last 11 games. Not so bad for a guy who might just be the Yankees’ fifth starter if Phil Hughes can put a few good starts together.

Paul Byrd is the same guy he’s always been: a shade better than league average, control/contact junkballer, and Kelsey Grammar look-alike with an odd crouching-dragon delivery straight out of the 1930s. Byrd faced the Yanks twice last year, his first with Cleveland. The first time he held them to one run over seven innings but lost 1-0 to Chien-Ming Wang. The second time he got rocked for nine runs (only four earned) in 3 2/3 innings as the Tribe lost 11-3. Byrd is 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA over his last nine starts and is coming off a shutout of the Twins in Minnesota. Key stat: Byrd has walked just 1.07 men per nine innings on the season. The Yanks will have to hit their way on tonight, not that they’ve had much trouble with that of late.

Jorge’s still out with that stiff neck. Jim Brower’s away to be with his wife and newborn baby. And Pete Abe reports that the “Joba Rules” stipulate one day off for each inning pitched, so no more Joba in this series.

Update: Joe Torre suggested that Posada is actually feeling better and will likely return to the lineup in tomorrow’s day game.