New York, NY (WFAN)  -- Random Thoughts on the way home:

• The Yankees are home after playing 18 of their last 20 on the road. During that 20 game stretch they went 10-10. They now play 9 games are at home, after which---though it seems impossible---they will have played 36 games with exactly 18 at home and 18 on the road. All caught up. The best part of the schedule is June 17-August 3, when 31 out of 40 games are in New York (counting three at Shea and the All-Star Game). There's no place like home. Click-click-click. There's no place like home. Click-click-click.


• Last season the Yanks won just 6 just games when scoring 3 runs or less. They have already won 4 such games this year. Three of them have come with Chien-Ming Wang on the mound. In two of those games the opposing pitchers were Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia. Still think Wang’s not an ace?


• Wang is now 5-0. Last year he didn’t win his 5th game until June 6th. He may not pitch this well all year, but winning 20 doesn’t seem like a problem at this point.


• Through Monday the Yankees are 7-0 in games in which both Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera pitch. The next time you start thinking about Joba as the perfect replacement for Rivera when his days are done, just remember that his days don’t appear anywhere near done. He’s pitched 11 innings this year, allowed just 4 hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out 11. Where is everybody who said Mariano was done last year? Still think that 3-year contract was a bad idea?


• Here’s this year’s guy you haven’t really heard of yet, but you will (in the future we may call this the Joba Chamberlain Award): Daniel McCutchen. He’s made 5 starts for AA Trenton so far (3-1, 1.42 ERA). His last one was a beauty---7 innings, 1 hit, 12 strikeouts. He’s a 6’2” right-hander, 25 years old. Right-handed batters are hitting .159 against him. His innings limit will probably be around 170-175 this year, so he may not be a guy who they shift to a bullpen role when Joba moves into the rotation. But never say never.


• Some other names that you’ve heard of before, but worth watching as guys who could have an impact in the Yankee bullpen this season: Jonathan Albaladejo, Jose Veras, David Robertson (another candidate for the Joba Chamberlain Award).


• I was told the Screwballs blog (http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/MLBonFOX) on Fox Sports was a good place to go to learn how to pick up women. Not quite what I had in mind. But a fun read, nonetheless. Good work Ryan.


• John Feinstein has a new book called “Living On The Black” which chronicles the 2007 season of two veteran pitchers, Mike Mussina and Tom Glavine. Despite minor spelling errors from time to time, Feinstein is a terrific writer. This should be an interesting read. Check it out.


• Speaking of Mussina…he’s now 3-and-3 with a 4.73 ERA. That’s probably about right. As I have said several times, he’s probably a .500 pitcher right now, plus or minus a few depending on the breaks and how well the team is hitting. He’s 3-1, 3.04 ERA against teams that don’t have Manny Ramirez in the lineup. I know that’s not what you’re looking for, but it should help you realize that he’s going to win some games for this team. Maybe not 15 to 20, and maybe he’s not the best guy out there in a Boston series anymore. But are 12 or 13 wins really out of the question when he ends April 3-3?

Thanks for reading. Send comments and questions to yankees@wfan.com.

Sweeny