Ivan Nova was dominant last night, and the Yankees rolled through the White Sox. The White Sox are not a great team, but they are a good one that some analysts thought would win their division (though I picked the Twins).

Chat Jennings typed up the media notes:

This was the Yankees first four-game sweep on the road since winning five games in Boston in 2006.

I remember that. That was a good week.

Brett Gardner stands beside his headfirst slides:

"If somebody wants to argue with me about it," Gardner said, "I'll sit them down in front of a computer for two minutes and show them that I do get there faster."... Gardner has pored over the tape, has timed himself down the line, and has noticed he gains extra time by diving in. It may only be by a split second, but it's enough to make an appreciable difference for a speedster who makes a living with his legs.

I find it hard to believe that Gardner really does get to first faster, as friction with the ground is greater than friction with the air, but I have to concede that it's possible that something about the way Gardner runs- the length of his stride or compared to the extention of a slide- buys him a split second. Especially since the first-base ump generally watches the back while listening for the ball, the appearance of arrival is worth something.

Lazy sportswriting alert!

Can you count all the stupid in this sentence:

[Lester] is just 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA in starts at Fenway this season, but Lester is a superb 8-1 with a 3.56 ERA in his career against the Yankees. He's struck out 92 New York hitters in 86 innings of work.

I count 5 degrees of stupid, but there's probably more.