Picture me blogging

Hooray for spending.

The best explanation of the Yankees’ spree came from Joel Sherman of the New York Post (I think).

It goes back to the Yankees (bad) decision to pursue Randy Johnson instead of Carlos Beltran. They spent on Johnson, who stunk, and still had a whole in centerfield ... and probably still do unless Melky blossoms big time ... or Gardner works out ... or Johnny Damon develops an amazing arm, perhaps via surgery to replace his elbow tendon with that of, well, really anyone else.

Sherman’s reasoning was thus: The Yankees were going to spend the Teixeira money on someone of lesser talent next year to address the same problem, so why not do it now and get the guy they wanted?

Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Xavier Nady all come off the books next season, and the Yanks cleared more payroll this year thatn they added. So, for a team the allegedly could spend whatever it wanted, it makes sense on the field and on the payroll.

Brian Cashman is smart and savvy ... but mostly a masochist.

Where's my poster?

Years ago, when the Yankees were embarrassing, they tried to market what ridiculous little talent they had.

Thus, fans were given T-shirts with caricatures of Don Mattingly (with giant stache) Jesse Barfield ... memory fuzzy at this point ... let’s say Mel Hall and Dan Pasqua.

We had Steve Sax poster nights.

Roberto Kelly keychains.

Pasqual Perez convict placards.

Brien Taylor armslings.

So, with all the money the Yankees are tossing about, one expects the BIG GUNS poster shortly, featuring Chien-Ming Wang, CC Sabathia, Joba Chamberlain, AJ Burnett ... and someone else.

It’s a fifth-starter sweepstakes!

I vote for me, but I’m VERY biased. And I’m not 6’4, 260 pounds.

Still, I could have used the Tim Leary, Andy Hawkins, David LaPoint, Ed Whitson, Melido Perez poster for my wall. What great things the Mount Rushmore of Yankees pitching could have inspired in a young boy from New Jersey.

I declare

If Manny Ramirez is wearing Yankees pinstripes next year, this blog, as much as I update it, will be about ballet or ping pong or something not related at all to the Yankees. The team, the very concept of the Yankees, will be dead to me until such time as he is gone.

Manny's antics are fun when they happen to other teams.

*Poof* goes the blogger

It's been a while, for those of you who bother to read this.

I last wrote about my jealousy of Hugh Jackman, a not unreasonable jealousy.

Today, I’m jealous of President Bush. No one’s ever thrown a shoe, let alone two, at me. But what makes this scenario better is how smoothly Bush handle the whole thing. He sidestepped each toss like Neo, not a shred of panic or fear. He even waved away the Secret Service guy who rushed the stage - a little too late. Suspend that guy.

Bush said he wasn’t bothered. Of course, it’s a big deal that shoes/feet are some kind of Middle Eastern insult. Message to everyone ... insult an American with an American insult. Flip him the bird. Call his mom a whore ... whatever. It’s every American’s right ... no, every American’s DUTY to be ignorant of other cultures. Bush is setting a brilliant example for the rest of us. Dodge the shoe, shrug it off, play it cool and have no idea ... and more importantly ... no care you’ve been insulted.

Not surprisingly, despite how easily Bush played it, he’s being made fun of and criticized. Dude threw shoes at our president, and he’s the hero. Bush is the idiot. I don’t get. If Anderson Cooper hurdled his Guccis at Hugo Chavez, Cooper’d get one between the eyes before the second shoes hit the floor.

I can only imagine how relieved Bush must be now he’s stepping away from the White House. It must feel like senior year of high school. You know you’re graduating, so you show up late, leave early, blow off homework. And now he’s got one last story to tell his grandchildren.

“See here kids. Ma last trip to EYE-rack, this raport’r gone and tossed his shoes at me. His shoes!! Don’t that juss beat all? B’came a nash’nal hero he did. Good arm, too. Rangers coulda used ‘im. Video got about billion hits on youtube ... youtube? Video sharing site ... ya’know what, n’ermind. But, boy, did he take a whoppin’. I think Hugo Chavez gave him a boat. Buncha nutjobs ... yer gramp’s sure happyhe ain’t doin’ tha no more.”

Oh yeah, the Yankees spent about a trillion dollars on pitching. Burnett is a mistake. Sabathia will be fine. That’s three starters, plus Chamberlain, who should stay in the bullpen, but whatever.

Now ... about that offense.

We get it

Hugh Jackman is sexy. Fine, stop rubbing it in our faces! And he's Australian. Great. We needed him to be in a movie about Australia, named "Australia" to tell us this? No, we didn't.

No, this has nothing to do with the Yankees. You can shut up, too.

G'day. I'm taller than you. I'm sexier than you. My stubble is better.
I look great in a goofy hat.
And I have more money than you. Put that on yah bahbee, yank.

Happy Trails

Mike Mussina is retiring after posting his first 20-win season. Good for him. I thought he was done two years ago. A lot of people did. He proved them wrong. Coming back for another season, a potentially disastrous one, could wash away that good feeling he left with and left Yankees fans with.

Mussina could end up in broadcasting, or could drop off the planet, either way, good luck Mike. See you in the Hall.

Hungry for pitching

It's well known the Yankees are gunning for just about every pitcher on the market. This is good and bad. They finally realize that's how you win baseball games: good. But they believe some pitchers, by virtue of mediocre track records, are worth copiuos amounts of cash. I don't care, it's not mine. But a .500 pitcher, A.J. Burnett, isn't worth the dough. His health, his attitude and his performance all come into question. If the Yankees want consistency, they should look elsewhere. Derek Lowe is a good start.

As for CC Sabathia, I got this nugget a little while ago. "Yankees fax offer to Sabathia, who promptly eats it." It's saying CC is fat. Get it? He's a big guy, and he eats whatever comes into his orbit (another fat joke! I likened him to a planet! Ha ha!) I'm down for whatever insults and blasts people can throw. But "big-guy-ate-paper" is weak. Maybe going with, he ate the fax machine, or the building that housed the office where the fax machine was. Now we're onto something, and not just awkward sentence structure.

Swing and a Swish(er)

I get the feeling the Yankees are looking for a certain type of personality with this trade for Nick Swisher, as opposed to a type of player. I don't feel horrible about this deal — they need someone who can PLAY first base, not just stand there — especially if the Yanks land Sabathia, which it seems they'll pay anything to do, starting at $140 million.

Firings of thirdbase coaches are like onions, they have layers

I’m rarely, if ever, offended by words or deeds. People say and do what they believe is right or necessary. That’s fine. Me too.

Recently, I sarcastically suggested the Yankees had solved their problems by offing Bobby Meacham and Rich Monteleone.

Obviously, these guys, a thirdbase coach and a special pitching instructor, whatever that is, had nothing to do with the Yankees’ awful play in 2008, but stranger firings, and hirings, have and will always happen in pro sports.

That said, I ran across this:

http://blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/BASN_BLACKBOX_54/Yankees_Eliminate_Major_Problem.shtml

This Web site says the same thing I said, only takes it a step further and says the Yankees saw Meacham as a problem because he is black. I’d tell you more but it crashed my browser - twice. Because I’m white? I wonder ... *thoughtfully taps chin*

Anywho ...

The Web site points out the Yankees had no black players on the roster. It states Derek Jeter doesn’t count ... doesn’t count? It also suggestes the Yankees cut black players from the roster in an effort to make the playoffs. Well, yeah ... we all saw how Latroy Hawkins pitched.

It should be noted few blacks play baseball these days. An April 15, 2008 report stated 8.2 percent of MLB players are black. Numerous stories have been written about this and MLB has made an effort to reach out to “inner city youths” with programs such as RBI.

Here’s a story from 2007 about economics and baseball. It blames the draft’s structure and cost, which pushes teams to look elsewhere, specifically Latin nations, because those players don’t need to be drafted, just found and signed, and take smaller bonuses.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/13/commentary/sportsbiz/index.htm

Former Yankee, Dodger, Marlin, Brave, Brewer and now Tiger, and longtime malcontent Gary Sheffield infamously suggested teams want Latin players because they work cheap. There wasn’t too much made of that at the time, probably because people were more interested in his alleged connection to steroids.

If this is sarcasm, and I assume it is, bravo. The best sort is delivered in a way that doesn’t look or feel like sarcasm. It’s said and if the audience gets it, good. If not, we move along.

So my question is: Was Monteleone fired because he’s Italian?

Tom Tresh died today

Don't know much about him. I remember my dad buying his baseball card for me during THAT time. You know, when everyone was collecting and suddenly there was 40 brands and dozens of special releases.

He looked like a Yankee of the era. Short hair, baggy uniform, on one knee leaning over a bat. He was Rookie of the Year in 1962, I've learned.

Not sure that card is worth anything. Anyway, one more piece of the past falls away.

Here's the card I have. His rookie card, it turns out. Nice job, dad.

Give us the Willie

Yankees are rumored to be courting Willie Randolph. It makes sense and it’s typical of the Yankees to reach out to ex-players. Randolph was certainly greated with warmth at the Stadium’s closing ceremony.

This stuff about Madonna and A-Rod, true or otherwise, is an absolute joke. Who cares?! WHO CARES?!?!

Blame shifting

So, the Yankees have identified the scapegoats for their failure to make the playoffs. More will undoubtedly follow.

Bobby Meacham, their now-former thirdbase coach, and Rich Monteleone,
their now-former bullpen coach, were fired. Clearly these men were
responsible for the Yankees not hitting in the clutch, or getting more
than 30 starts from only two of their starters.

Now,
finally,the dust has settled and the Yankees can move forward. These
great weights have been lifted, the cross taken from their aching
shoulders.

Please, Meacham stood around most of the season eating sunflowers seeds, looking supremely goofy in that flapless helmet and Monteleone answered a phone. He was more a receptionist than coach.

Special guest appearance by ...

If you look closely, you can see the Virgin Mary's outline in the text of my previous post.

Crazy, I know.

You haven’t heard the last of me!

Brian Cashman got his extension. Good. He deserves it. He makes reasonably good decisions and can’t force pitchers to not stink. He’s the right guy for the job ... plus, I’m pretty sure no one else wants it.

Except me.

Hear that Steinbrenners? I’ll take your ranting and raving and media antics.

I’m just saying.

Thespoof.com, which can be described as a poor, stupid, unfunny man’s onion.com, posted an article about how mad George Steinbrenner was about the Yankees not making the playoffs. If you’re a Yankees fan or are just in a good mood and want to be annoyed, here’s the link:

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s6i41459

Or, you could do yourself a favor and pretend I never mentioned it.

In other news: The special edition “Iron Man” DVD will rock your face off. Go buy it. In fact, if I were a Congressman, I’d demand a rider to the bailout bill be: Every American receives one copy of the double-disc “Iron Man” DVD. But not the Blu-Ray version. That would be fiscally irresponsible of me. It would be a misuse of taxpayer dollars, which we all know Congress vigorously protects and would never take an impossibly large amount of and heave straight into the gaping maw of Wall Street, whose participants deserve only a raging case of VD — any VD will do.

Fin.

This is the end ...

The Yankees had 89 wins this season. They should have picked up their 90th win against the Red Sox cast of minor leaguers on the final day the regular season. But who cares, what another blow to the pinstripes’ collective dignity?

The Yanks went 8-2 in their last 10. Those 89 wins were good enough for first place in two other divisions in baseball, the American League Central and the National League West, but let’s face it, that’s a glorified AAA conference.

I can’t say here what probably hasn’t been said already. So I won’t bother. I’ll just bid farewell to the 2008 season and hope the Yankees spend wisely this season. I’ll conclude with my partial wish list for next season:

1. Five healthy starters. I’m not wishing for one guy or another. I’d prefer Sabathia, but I’m leery of his work load and healthy. AJ Burnett is too big a risk, so too is Ben Sheets. The Yankees don’t need an ace, they have Chien-Ming Wang. They need guys to take the ball every fifth day and give them quality innings. You just don’t know what the AL East will do to a pitcher.

2. Patience at the plate. The Yankees strike out too much. They won so often because of clutch hits. Yes, some were home runs, but piling up doubles and singles does more to demoralize a team than one or two bombs. Those just look good on TV.

3. Giambi, out. There’s much talk about how important he is to the clubhouse. That can’t be as important as when he fields a sure-bet double-play grounder and heaves it into the the upper deck in left field.
Pavano, out. I thought for sure he would hurt himself congratulating Mike Mussina on win No. 20.
Matsui back as the everyday DH (for about half as much).
Posada should play first, but he won’t. It makes sense for his health, his longevity. But whatever, having him behind the plate isn’t awful. Molina will be back as the backup.
So then, someone who can field at first base - but looking at who’s available, I’m not inspired. I wonder if Juan Miranda gets a shot.

4. It’s an odd season for A-Rod, so he should hit 45 to 50 home runs. Not holding my breath on this one. Otherwise, I think he may get pelted with batteries.

Absent, not forgotten

I just got a Google alert about someone out there asking if Joe Torre and Roger Clemens were snubbed by the Yankees’ pre- and -postgame ceremonies commemorating the final game at Yankee Stadium.

The answer is: no.

Torre works for another team now. It would be improper to include him, despite his unmistakable contributions to the team. There’s no way to overlook what he meant to the Yankees. He was exactly what they needed ... calm, composed. He let the p layers play and he handled the rest, including Derek Jeter’s bat.

Torre undoubtedly will be honored, his number retired, a plaque hung - he deserves a monument - and so on. Yankees fans know what he did. We don’t need some scripted hyperbole from Michael Kay to remind us.

Clemens is another case. Yes, he meant a lot to those teams - he was a great pitcher, a lightning rod at times - but his connection to the steroids stuff is too strong to bring him to something that should otherwise have been a joyous stroll down memory lane.

Besides, the best clips of Clemens are him inciting the riot with Red Sox by throwing a pitch in the same time zone Manny Ramirez happened to be standing in; and again throwing, this time the sheared-off remnants of a bat, at a stunned (and some argue handcuffed) Mike Piazza. Not exactly family time stuff.

It’s unfortunate, but Clemens didn’t belong and Torre couldn’t.

Wanted: One timely blog post

So, as only the Yankees can, they sent the Stadium out in fine, classy fashion. And with a win, no less.

It was nice to see the old gang, and really old gang in pinstripes. Most awkward moment goes to Thurman Munson's son coming out in uniform. Not necessary. The other wives/daughters/sons had jerseys and jeans/slacks ... maybe Mickey's son didn't. Anyway, they're not players, they're just representing the families.

Still, you wonder how the guys feel, from Berra to Williams, about the fans chanting their names. You could feel it through the TV. Amazing. Out of body. There has to be words to describe that feeling, but I don't have them.

It's sad to see the old place go, but someone on the amazingly long pregame said it best: Sure, the Stadium's a grand old place, but spend some time inside, in the bowels, and you see why it needs to be replaced. It's 85 years old and it shows.

I don't know if I believe in ghosts. I believe in the better team winning. I believe in the pressure of 57,000 people screaming at or for you, I believe in history, in legacy, so if that stuff adds up to ghosts, then so be it.

I predict no fewer than five numbers will be retired next season, and I imagine Yogi will get his own monument. I can't figure out the reasoning behind who gets what. You'd think Mantle would warrant one. Even Joe D doesn't have one, unless I'm mistaken. Jeter, Rivera, they'll get 'em. Williams, O'Neill, Posada, Pettitte, maybe even Tino will gets plaques.

Amazing to think I saw all that, beginning to what appears to be the end.

PS: In the roll call, there's no way Johnny Damon should have been in that roll call of centerfielders.

Thaaaaaaa Yaaaaaaaaaankeeeeeees w- ... wait, really?

Thaaaaaaa Yaaaaaaaaaankeeeeeees w- ... wait, really?

The numbers are baffling.

Johnny Damon
.308, 15 HR, 66 RBIs
Derek Jeter
.306, 11 HR, 69 RBIs
Bobby Abreu
.299, 19 HR, 95 RBIs
Alex Rodriguez
.304, 35 HR, 105 RBIs
Jason Giambi
.248, 31 HR, 93 RBIs
Robinson Cano
.264, 13 HR, 61 RBIs

The middle three in the Yankees lineup will end the season with or around 100 RBIs (by the way, it is RBIs, singular acronyms are pluralized — who says you don’t learn anything from bloggers?)

The top four hitters in the Yankees lineup will finished at or around .300. I’m excluding Xavier Nady, most of his stats were compiled in the NL.

They say the backs of the baseball cards tell the tales of every player. And it’s usually true. Most players can be expected to put up the same numbers year in, year out. Alex Rodriguez, for example, has 35 HRs and 100 RBIs (plus and plus) in each of the last 10 seasons. Derek Jeter, barring injury, will collect at least 180 hits, usually 200+ in a season. You pile that up and expect to win.

The 2003 Red Sox clubbed their way to the playoffs and pitched their way to ignominuos defeat. The 2004 Sox swapped hitting for more, better pitching and look where it got them, twice.

Mike Mussina has 18 wins. Andy Pettitte has 13, but 14 losses. Sydney Ponson, another guy off the scrap heap, has 8 wins, 4 of which, I believe, he picked up with the Rangers. The next guy in line, Chien-Ming Wang, who also has 8 wins, and has been injured since forever. From there, it’s a smattering of 4s and 5s. Mussina, Pettitte, Ponson and Darrell Rasner have made a few more than 100 start between them, 9 Ponson starts were with Texas. The team has 82 wins with 9 to play.

Conversely, in 1998, Andy Pettitte (16 wins), David Cone (20 wins), David Wells (18 wins), Hideki Irabu (13 wins) and Orlando Hernandez (12 wins) made 142 starts. The Yankees won 125 (11 playoff games). Ramiro Mendoza (10 wins), the long-relief hero of the era made 14 starts. That leaves two starts by guys no one heard of or from since. That’s 89 wins, 79 percent of the wins that season.

I won’t bore or sicken you with this year’s stats, but I’m sure if you go back 2003, you’ll see a similar trend. An inconsistent pitching staff, especially among the starters, has led to the Yankees steady decline and ultimate failures in the playoffs.

It’s clear the Yankees will pursue pitching this offseason, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets come to mind. They may try to keep Mussina and obviously Wang and Joba Chamberlain, possibly Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy will be in the mix. But whoever forms the rotation has to start 25 to 30 games if the Yankees are going to do anything but tread water, maybe make the playoffs and then bow out quickly and shamefully.

I almost forgot

I haven’t watched much baseball in the last week. Obviously. What more is there to say about the Yankees’ season?

Derek Jeter broke another record. On what I would call a home-cooking call. A Major League third baseman shoud field that ball. Hard hit, yes. A hit, no.

A-Rod strikeout with 2 on and 1 out in the first.

Robbie Cano was finally disciplined for his lazy play. I saw him mostly run out a grounder to short last night. I would call it “busting it’” Al Leiter’s description, but it was close enough to qualify.

Which makes me wonder how many hits and runs are lost every season because don’t run out grounders? I mean run out like Ichiro or Chone Figgins or even Garden Gnome Pedroia. Many, I think, but guys aren’t paid to run out grounders, they’re paid to hit home runs and double and what not.

The Yankees had cobbled together a modest winning streak that came to an end last night ...

I hate casino commercials ... that’s right, I’m talking to you Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods ... right at you.

Correction and a little more

A colleague of mine point of Wanger is from Taiwan. I stand corrected. In any case, Wanger run! No, wait, don’t, you might hurt yourself. Have someone carry you to the safety of your homeland.

I’ve stayed away from Yankees baseball this last week. Partly because it’s been past my new, aforementioned bedtime, but also because I don’t want to spoil next season.

The best I can hope for is bad things for other teams. This weekend is the final homestand for the pinstripers, against the first-place Rays of all teams, then the Stadium becomes, well, first a pile of rubble, than a memory.

Missed it by that much

So, Alfredo Aceves is our savior now.

His first appearance as a reliever, in Toronto, if memory serves, swas uccessful, and talk of him getting a start had been circulating, especially with Darrell Rasner sticking up the dugout.

The Yankees have been plagued by guys such as Aceves and Rasner. Guys that come out fast and look great, then sputter, then recover, then sputter, then get shelled, then rebound then stink and stink and stink.

And these guys keep getting chances, because they might catch lightning in a bottle. Who knows? Besides, what else do the Yankees have when Mussina isn’t starting? I love Andy Pettitte, but by God that guy is his own worst enemy. Sidney Ponson isn’t what he was in Baltimore, despite his knighthood. Wanger’s better off going back to Taiwan - thanks Dan - and chilling in his parents’ basement, he should bring Joba to keep him away from pointless starts.

Thanks for the 3-run bomb A-Rod. Good timing. You’ll get your 100 RBIs.

Scraptastic

My new schedule prohibits me, mercifully, from watching much baseball. For a long, long time, televised baseball was my evening for the better part of each year.

Cubs and Pirates day games? Watched ‘em.

Braves and Cardinals on TBS in the early ’90s? Watched ‘em.

Every Yankees games from WPIX 11 to MSG to YES? Watched ‘em. Watched ‘em. Watched ‘em. Phil Rizzuto and Tom Seaver. Dwayne Staats. Tony Kubek. Al Trautwig. That other guy. Ah, good times.

Now, I almost resent all the time I spent doing it. What did I gain? Some memories, sure, some great ones and some horrible ones and some I don’t know what to do with - Jose Canseco pitching. Jose Canseco taking a fly ball off his head - fortunately they don’t all involve Jose Canseco, but they all consumed time, time I paid for the privilege of giving away.

For while, I lived in Maine, with no access to Yankees baseball. It was during these years they did most of their winning. By the time my wife and I moved, they were cycling down - great timing on our part. We enjoyed the entire 2004 season on YES and watched in disbelief as a stolen base turned a rather enjoyable walkover series into a nightmare. It hasn’t gotten better. (I say it was fixed, just like last year’s Super Bowl).

I caught one highlight from last night’s drubbing at the hands of the Angels. I thought, ‘Oh, that’s interesting, the Yankees are getting scrappy.’ Then I realzed the score was 12-1 (apparently Pavano wasn’t horrible though) and I thought ‘Why the hell are the Yankees fighting during a double-digit loss?’ But I suppose if they can’t hit the ball, they may as well hit the other team.

Double gah

It took me until nearly 6 p.m. today to even bother checking the Yankees score from last night.

I now wish I hadn't bothered.

Misery and futility are being heaped upon one another in a catostrophic mix, building toward the crap heap of a Yankees season we're witnessing. This is historic in one way, I suppose. Never has a team worth so much played as if it were worth so little.

Triple gah.

Swing and a miss

Leave it to A-Rod to hit the first replay home run. It was historic, but ultimately pointless, much like his increased production in the last few games.

Yanks are down 5-0 in the third to Scott Kazmir tonight, and they don't seem interested in staying in the batter's box very long. Can't blame them. No. 91 is pitching for the Yanks. This is where we are as a franchise. Gah. This guy's name is Alfredo, Alfonso, Alamo. Something like that.

Have you visited jetersfordchallenge.com? I haven't but I'm sorely tempted.

The G-men (I'm a Cowboys fan) are pounding the Redskins as I type this. Eli Manning is completing passes at will with his hot wife in the stands. Hear that Tony Romo? Eli. complete. pass. wife. in. stands. Hot women seem to be your Achilles heel, so let's keep them away this season, at least on game day. You need a shoulder to cry on/cuddle up to, TO is nearby. You're his quarterback, don't ever forget that.

While they're winning

Mike Mussina continues his resurrection tour, giving up 10 hits in six innings but double plays and strikeouts when he needed them. He's been the one bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for the Yankees. Well, him and Johnny Damon who's having a great season.

Derek Jeter has begun to salvage his his as he climbs ever higher on the Yankees' all-time lists - he's six hits away from second, nine from first. He's with Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams on that list. Amazing, and when he's done, those other guys won't be close.

You have to figure Jeter for about a decade more, half of which will be at his normal offensive output, with a decline beyond those years. So, at least another 1,000 hits, probably closer to 1,300, which will put him in the 4,000-hit range and chasing Pete Rose. Assuming health and desire are there, as well.

I tried burying my head in the sand these last few days, but it's tough when you keep hitting yourself with the shovel. The YES guys tried to assign some level of importance to this series with the Rays. It could have been pivotal, but at this point, it's more about honor and dignity than any realistic chance of making the post-season.

PA-thetic

They’ll make the playoffs, my dad said to me a few days ago.

Ha ha, I replied. If they sweep Boston, sure. If not. No way.

I watched the game last night for about one minute. I flipped over from “Burn Notice”(great show, watch it) reruns on the Web to check the score (it was 2-2 ) and just before I went to bed (4-2). I saw Robinson Cano strikeout, waving helplessly at a Manny DelCarmen offering.

This has been the most disastrous Yankees season in my memory. Not because the team stinks, it does, despite its payroll, but because the expectations the team has built for itself.

The difference, probably well-chronicled at this point, between those teams in the mid-90s and early-00s is guts, intestinal fortitude: the ability to do what's needed when it's needed. Bunt, go first to the third, hit a sac fly, a ground ball to the right side to move a runner. And pitching, that's important too. At least, consistent pitching from the same five starters and group of relievers, not the revolving cast the Yankees have gotten by with in recent seasons.

I blame Alfonso Soriano for starting the Yankees on this path. Sure, he could occasionally muscle one out, but more often he walked back to the dugout shaking head ... like our friend Alex Rodriguez.

Wave the white flag, get some pitching, get ready for next season.

No blogging no cry

I tried the ignore it thing again.

It worked this time. After last night, the Yankees are going away. I thought, if they swept the Sox on the heels of the Orioles sweep, they'd gather some momentum and that would be enough. But no, they laid a huge egg last night, thanks to ... A-Rod, awful pitching, whatever. The result is the same., a crippling, embarassing loss to a gimmick pitcher who has stuck it to the Yankees for a decade.


Last night gets four A-Rod grimaces: compliments of him accounting for 5 left on and three outs in his final two at-bats.

To sleep, perchance to dream ...

I was out by 9:30 last night (I'm usually up by 4 a.m. now). About an after the Yankees fell into a coma the likes of which they are unlikely to recover from. You'd think an 11-run loss would warrant an awful score, but it gets only two A-Rod grimaces. Giving Roy Halladay a 10- or 14-run lead is like giving a Hannibal (the Carthaginian, not “The A-Team” one) M1A1 tanks instead of elephants. The game was over at 3-0, but Marco Scutaro took out his journeyman hammer and drove home those final nails in the coffin.



Michael Kay’s enthusiasm has finally been sucked out of him. He’s clearly frustrated, disgusted and baffled. It’s about time. He even mailed Hideki Matsui’s A-Rodian blast in the eighth.

I wish Harry Doyle was around to do these games. It would make the losing so much more enjoyable.

Remember, fans, Tuesday is Die Hard Night. Free admission for anyone who was actually alive the last time the Indians won the pennant.

For, those of us who were alive the last time the Yankees won the series, remember, it was only eight years ago. Eight years. Not 86. Not 100. Feels that way though, doesn’t it?

1-0 since the birth of Frustrato-tron 5000

One A-Rod grimace for last night’s game. Can’t very well give it a worse rating, considering the Cap had three hits (tying Roger Maris of all people on the Yankees HR list), and it was a win.

You did notice, however, A-Rod tried to heave a ball into the seats. AND he went 0-4 with three left on.

This season has me typing in all caps and using punctuation other than commas and periods. Exclamation points, all caps, italics, these things are for people trying to sell you something, usually for erectile dysfunction and anyone younger than 13.

I’m wondering why Andy Pettitte came out after just seven innings and what, 84 pitches?
Just to get Brian Bruney two innings of work? There’s no talk of Pettitte being injured. He could have finished that game. I hate you Tony LaRussa.

Carl Pavano might start for the Yankees this season. That’s a five A-Rod grimace game if there ever was one, although that might be worth creating Frustrato-tron 5000v2.

Olympic note: We (the U.S.) are evidently good at water polo. Is it because we’re the only country that can fill a space that big with water safe enough for human use? The water at the Cube or Sphere or Cone or whatever they’re calling it is suspiciously blue. I wonder if that was CGI’d too.

A rating system is born

Hating Alex Rodriguez is a cliché I won't buy into. However, the disdain I have for him at the moment is shocking, even to me, in its intensity and the speed with which it overtook me.

I just can't figure out what the guy is thinking: at the plate, in the field, on the bases. Is he going Chuck Knoblauch? He's on the verge. You can see it, looming, creeping around the edges of his game, waiting, waiting, waiting to pounce.

You watch, the first grounder he fields tonight is headed for the second deck at the Rogers Centre (stupid Canadians, just spell it like the rest of us). He'll be in leftfield by early September, a DH by June of 2009 and on the California Penal League All-Star Team by August 2010. Maybe his cell mate can get him mentally focused and help with positive thinking.

Anyway, I've developed the following system to gauge my feelings about a given Yankees game. Let's call it Frustrato-tron 5000 (patent pending). Behold:
One A-Rod grimace: Probably a win, or a humorous loss. It's probably a game Mike Mussina pitched, which should default it to two grimaces, considering I buried him at the beginning of the season. Robbie Cano likely ran out every grounder he rolled over to second base.


Two A-Rod grimaces: Yanks lose, but the played tough. It's likely Derek Jeter grounded into two double play in this game and twisted his ankle trying to beat the second one because it kills a 1st and 3rd one out rally.


Three A-Rod grimaces: Same as above, but Jeter is lifted and sent for X-Rays. (Rating drops back to two if he's put on the DL with a Lisfranc injury. This is a positive outcome. Better that than Jeter's frustration boiling over and resulting in clubhouse attacks on A-Rod and Jason Giambi: "You ruined my team you a-holes!! There's no room here for the mentally deficient or the chemically dependent!!! AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGHHH!!!!" I bet Jeter pulls his hands in even during an assault and battery.

Four A-Rod grimaces: See Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays.

Five A-Rod grimaces: Special cases. Likely the last home game. The Yanks are 15 games out and A-Rod goes 4-5 with the three bombs, 11 RBIs, two stolen bases and performs the Heimlich maneuver on a child along the third base line while camping under a pop fly, which he basket-catches, signs and hands to the youngster. The fifth grimace is assigned right after the Stadium is bulldozed.

Tara Reid found work ... seriously, it would have been funnier

That's where this blog was heading before Johnny Damon inexplicably forgot how to go back on and catch a routine flyball, not once but twice. The second gaff allowed the go-ahead and eventual winning run to score.

This latest travesty was made all the better by A-Rod leading off the bottom of the ninth with a bloop single that SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DOUBLE BUT HE WASN'T F-ING RUNNING OUT THE F-ING BOX.

"I know, I'll dog it while the ball's in the air, THEN try to make it to second but get thrown out by 20 feet. But it'll be a hustle mistake. Pete Rose hustled. Paul O'Neill hustled. Can't fault hustle!! I'm a Yankee!!! Wheeeeeeeeeee ... Oh, I'm out (sad face)" Idiot.

"... trying to make something happen" Michael Kay said. The ball was a dying quail that rolled to the wall down the rightfield line. I don't care what kind a defensive play Lyle Overbay made ... how is that NOT a double? Oh yeah, A-Rod didn't run. And the excuses ... they rivalled the ones Orestes Destrade rolled out for the overmatched South Dakota Little League team as went up in flames against the team from Florida.

This capped a (truly) brilliant performance by Darrell Rasner, who's only mistake cost him his start and the Yankees' the lead. This capped Jason Giambi striking out four times. Sadly, the 'stache has run its course. A-Rod contributed with three Ks of his own.

Welcome back Hideki Matsui.

Oh yeah ... the Tara Reid thing. There's not one, but two seemingly hot blonde waitresses working the ritzy seats behiond home plate. They deliver drinks, popcorn, hot dogs ... you know, they do the heavy lifting. They might be twins. They might be clones. They might be Tara Reid clones. Who knows.

Mehcation

I thought by ignoring the Yankees, they'd go away. Turns out this approach didn't work, although not paying much attention to them for the last few days was refreshing. And they took 2 of 3 from the Royals. Although they should have swept that series.

I was on the road during the first game, which the Yankees lost, and John Sterling and Suzanne Waldman were belaboring the point about how the Royals had no power and this guy and the other guy were 0-forever. Funny what happens when you play the game. The Yankees left 22 runners on, Jason Giambi accounted for seven of them. In their 3-2 extra inning win, the Yanks left a whopping 31 runners on ... through the first 3 innings they went 0-7 with runners in scoring position. Damon, A-Rod, Giambi and Nady accounted for 19 of those runners, which means the right guys were, they just didn't do anything. Then the Yankees scored 15 and there was much rejoicing.

Can hit a 3-run homer (not just A-Rod) when it's 12-3 in 5th, but can't hit a sac fly when it's 3-2 in the 7th. meh.

In the AL, the Yankees are
5th in team batting average: .272.
3rd in on base percentage: .345.
7th in runs scored: 601.
7th in ERA: 4.24
8th in hits surrendered: 1122

The Yankees are superficially stellar and substancially piss poor.

Blechcation

A 3-7 road trip that was about as disatrous as possible. A sweep, a 4-game series split and dropping 2 of 3 to the Twinkies. No offense, mediocre pitching except for Mussina and Robbie Cano living up to every stereotype out there about Latin players: moody, selfish absent-minded. Melky Cabrera is no where to be seen and Derek Jeter is gimping.

And behold, Hank Steinbrenner looked up the devastated, ridiculously expensive Yankees and spake thusly: we're injured, we're likely out of it this season, but next season, we'll be ready. Logic? Sense? PATIENCE? From a Steinbrenner. Hard to believe, but true. The Yankees will always be competitive be virtue of the amount of money they spend on players. It's just a matter of how competitive: winning record, playoffs, playoff run; and how healthy. Not so much this season.

Which of the following excuses are legitmate for the Yankees?
Chien-Ming Wang
Hideki Matsui
Phil Hughes
Ian Kennedy, although his is mostly mental
Joba Chamberlain
Jorge Posasda
Carl Pavano (ha ha)
Andt Pettitte missed time
Alex Rodriguez missed time
Derek Jeter missed time

If you answered all and none, congratulations. You are correct. I think Dick Cheney said you go to war with the army have, not the army you wish you had. So wise is Dick.

Split screen visions

I had the Yanks on the 4-inch picture-in-picture screen right after Mo gave up the tying runs. So, in the 12th, when A-Rod hit the go-ahead home run, I thought I was seeing, I don't know, highlights from some other game, maybe a flashback to some other A-Rod home run at the Baggydome. Turns out, no. And then Nady goes and hits one.

That's about as unlikely a win as the Yankees will have this season. About as improbable as the Red Sox giving up, what 16? and winning.

Blogcation

My friend Matt and I decided we'd rather the Yankees just reverted to their late-80s badness, instead of this good team-horrible team they've been at for the last, oh, 5 years, maybe 7.

They just look lifeless. Robinson Cano looks lost, Derek Jeter is hobbling around and A-Rod is sinking deeper into his mental abyss. Hell, even the coaching staff is screwing up now, but a rare clutch hit tonight erased that, at least.

Even when they get good pitching, it's wasted, see last night. Of course, they're not out of the wild card, but to be honest, I never even consider the wild card, even after all these years, I need to be reminded it's out there. Even after wild card teams have time and again manhandled the Yankees.

What can I say, I'm a purest.

15 wins

Mike Mussina and his magic season continue.

He helped the Yanks salvage the Rangers' series, but the pinstripers are still doing little more than treading water.

This is Mussina's walk year, and players traditionally perform better than average, but what is Mussina worth as a free agent, considering three months ago it was questionable whether he would be in the league, let alone a legitmate Cy Young candidate. Baseball's a funny game that way.

And, with many games left to be played, what rears its majestic head? Football. It's just too soon. Way too soon to even be thinking about this. Especially in the context of Brett Favre mania. I hope the Madden jinx gets him.

Andy being Andy

So, I guess it wasn't Pudge's fault Andy Pettitte's pitches have been flying out of ballparks across this great land of ours.

Oddly, I gave up on the Yanks last night - mostly because Sid Meier's newest addition to his famous “Civilization” series came into my hands. But, while my Sherman tanks were flattening archers and legionaires and catapults - this is as much fun as it sounds - the Yankees were very quielty staging a late-inning comeback. Which eventually fell short. I thought my picture in picture was deceiving, but alas, it was setting me up or disappointment.

The Yanks must have set some kind record for inning-ending double plays last night. At least the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings ended that way.

Also, so much the A-Rod’s late-innning clutchisisicitude. Now, he’s regular old A-Rod, striking out when it matters most. But hey, at least he looks as if he’s REALLY upset when he does so. He’s almost perfected the art of “disgusted bat toss after called third strike.” Keep up the good work A-Rod!

You’re pal DJ ain’t much more to look at these days though. But he’s the captain and you’re not. So he gets a pass for his mediocrity in the clutch this season. He’s still hitting well above .300 with runners in scoring position, but he’s grounding in double plays seemingly every game. Research says 17 this season.

And finally, who the hell is at the PA microphone at Yankee Stadium? He sounds like the default voice on a Mac. If we can’t have Bob Shepard, there’s only a short list of acceptable replacements: Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Patrick Stewart, Ian McCellan. Look, and old black or British guy will do. Get on that.

Wasted chances piling up

Sox and Rays lose, so the Yanks go ahead and lose too. No one likes a copy cat.

But seriously, Marte couldn't just give up a solo home run to the first batter in the ninth? He had to walk three and get two outs before shotputting a BP fastball to Marlon Byrd. MARLON BYRD??!! Come on. We all deserved better than that garbage.

I'm glad I'm tired, otherwise I might waste energy being mad.

The upside to the whole thing was at least we didn't have to sit through match-ups of lefty vs lefty, this guy vs. that guy becaue that guy is 1 for15 in night games with 8,998,154,723 stars in the sky and 37,904 people in the stands. One pitcher to win or lose. At least there was that.

Breakfast blogging

Blogspot was down at some point this weekend, but have no fear loyal fan, I am back with my words of wisdom regarding the Yankees.

A split of a four-game set against the Angels, considering the start, is probably the best we (fans) could hope for. The Angels, as evidenced in the first two, typically manhandled the Yankees.

Which reminds me. Is Joe Girardi the ONLY person on the planet who doesn't know Mo Rivera will give up a run in that situation? I don't care what how good a season Rivera is having, I don't even care what they numbers say - although in this case they match the visual evidence. If it's not a save situation, Rivera isn't as effective. Hence, walk, blooper, roller up the middle, Yankees lose, Yankees lose.

Mike Mussina continued his unexpected brilliance, and the Yankees came up huge yesterday with their two comebacks. Considering what was facing them, I gave them up for dead. That said, for the first time in a long time, I didn't stop watching. There was something about yesterday game that gave me hope, a feeling one doesn't typically get from this Yankees team when it gets down.

For the Department of Wow, Really?: The Yankees have the second-fewest errors in the America League, 55, behind the Indians.

Yankee Stadium hosted its biggest and last Old Timers' Day. The Yankees trucked out 70+ former Yankees. Look, I get it. It's the Yankees. Anything the team does is historic, but more than half those guys wouldn't make the local beer league team.

Yes, some had significant roles to play in the history of the organization. You know the names, although the cache drops somewhat once you get beyond Yogi and Whitey. Sure, there's Reggie and Dave Winfield. Hell, in the Yankees pantheon, some of the guys I watched, Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez, were major pinstripers, but even the guys from the '70s just haven't aged enough to merit "Old Timer" status, even by Yankees standards.

But really ... David Cone and Al Leiter? Leiter was a disaster for the Yankees (he's not that great in the booth). He pitched that one good game in Boston ... and it wasn't as if he threw a no hitter. It was 5-plus and that was that. Even Bernie Williams, who I'm sure holds some ill-will toward to the team understands the phrase "too soon." He was on vacation with his family. Does a guy with $150 million-plus in the bank and nothing to do with his time but play guitar and watch "The Price is Right" get vacations? Doesn't life after baseball, especially when you're a star, default to "vacation" status until you're asked to say, make an appearance at a car dealership opening or sign autographs at a baseball card convention - do they even have those anymore?

Anyway, sure it's nice to see the old faces, but it's too soon for many and it never will be the right time for the most of rest.

Plus, one inning? What happened to the game? ONE INNING? The introductions took two hours. Lame.

Finally, did it look as if Yogi Berra's pants were trying to eat him?

Bad things come in 3s

The Angels are abusing the American League East.

Despite the ridiculous call that stymied a Yankees rally, the Angels did what they do. Got solid pitching, great defense and timely hitting. That will win a game every time.

The Yankees didn't look awful in this game, although giving up 12 runs is never good. The Angels just scored in bunches and stopped the Yankees from doing the same.

Here's hoping for better things tomorrow.

Worst call ever

Has an umpire ever been more wrong and been that close to a play? No. Never. I hope Ed Hickox sees that replay. I hope he's fined for his ineptitude. I hope, I don't know, every foul ball hit in every game he's behind the plate finds some unprotected fleshy bit.

Yeah, take THAT Ed Hickox.

They're no Angels

Well, that was nice. I tuned in just in time to see not one, but two 3-run bombs off Angels' bats. Andy Pettitte looks clueless. Even when the ball ISN'T flying out of the park, you can tell when Pettitte doesn't have it. He doesn't have it tonight. I hope the Yanks' bats do.

Angry team

13 runs eh?
I suppose it’s about time the Yankees woke up. No surprise getting a great start turns into offense.

Now ... Pudge? Maybe five years ago, but now? Post-steroids? For Kyle Farnsworth? Who has more or less straightened his act out? No no no no ...

Farnsworth’s stuff hasn’t changed, his mind has. He throws strikes more often, gets ahead and puts people away. Apparently now for El Tigres.

One person who’s not happy? My wife. Watch out Brian Cashman, she’s coming for your head.

Too little, too late

George Sherill looks like a high school math teacher. Yet, while giving up 3 runs in the ninth, he managed to strikeout Alex Rodriguez - no surprise, A-Rod looked as if he was trying to hit a 7-run homerun when a 2-run single would have done just as well - Robinson Cano who shouldn't have bothered and Wilson Bettemit, same thing. Those two didn't look interested in anything other than getting back to the dugout.

Let's set that all aside for a moment and wonder why Daniel Cabrera, who once again stuck it to our Yankees, would hit Alex Rodriguez while enjoying a 5-run lead, jeopardizing his start and his team's likely win. Answer: he wouldn't, yet some trigger-happy yayhoo of an umpire decided Cabrera's traditionally awful control was reason enough to run the young starter. What was said umpire thinking? Who knows, but at least that decision was overshadowed by his inability to pick up the no-so-subtle pitch framing of O's catcher Ramon Hernandez.

Note to umpires: when the catcher's glove moves more than 4 inches back toward the plate, it's highly likely the pitch WASN'T a strike.

This, while the Red Sox were getting smoked, again, by the Angels and John Lackey.

ANOTHER wasted opportunity to gain ground.

Argh.

Just a matter of time

Jason Giambi has stranded five runners against Daniel Cy-brera (I hate that guy. He always jams the Yankees and he's mediocre at best. He's the sort of guy the late '90s teams grounded to a pulp.). Still, this game has a different feel than last night. The Yankees are are poised, not comatose. I expect fireworks in the next two innings.

Oh me of little faith

For a second, I thought I missed one of the great comebacks in Yankees history ... but no, I simply missed the end of a very forgettable night of baseball.

At least Angels didn't treat Boston any better, and the Rays continue their slide.

Still, a wasted chance for New York. They've made up a lot of ground, but there's much more work to be done.

The Yankees' dry cleaning bill ...

... is going to be enormous, based on the startling amount of vomit they've spewed on themselves.

What I'm saying is, they've gone from being the hottest team in baseball to the most listless, lifeless husk of a team. Losing to the Red Sox is one thing, but the beating they're getting at the hands of the absolutely pathetic Orioles is unacceptable.

Adam Jones hit a grand slam. Adam Jones!

Mike Mussina looked clueless, but let's face it, the guy's been great for the better part of the season. It wouldn't have hurt for the the Yankees to say, work the count, take some pitches, let Mussina get his junk together and get back out there. Nope. Let's do the opposite tonight.

All right, they're still 8-2 after the break, barring an unlikely comeback. Deep breath. Long season.

Gillette is smart

Gillette has been using the best golfer in the world, the best tennis player in the world and the best ... soccer player in the world. Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Thoren Furry? er, Theo Fleury? Er, Franz Ferdinand? Well, whatever, point is, he's a soccer player ... Amercians won't buy stuff from soccer player ... they will however, buy something from ... Derek Jeter. Fox aired, what I assume was the first of many Gillette spot featuring Jeter, and he even takes a shot at Woods for not playing a real sport. Imagine how Furrball felt with those guys? Right, thanks for coming soccer guy, here's your last paycheck, there's the door. And don't forget your shin guards.

Oh, and the Yankees are very quietly looking like the best team in baseball. They're 8-0 coming off the break and showing no signs of slowing. I was worried Tim Wakefield's knuckleball would cause problems, much like the 12:10 showing of The Dark Night is causing problems for this entry ...

In Mo we trust

In fairness, on the heels of Joba's (short) career day and Mo looking like the hero by getting five outs and escaping a two-on one-out jam in the 8th, Kyle Farnsworth wasn't horrible. He gave up two cheapy hits and I think Joe Girardi panicked a little.

That said, this game and the next two are huge for the Yankees, they been coming on like a pinstripes comet, finally pairing enough runs with the solid pitching they've gotten most of the season. One was all they need today, all they got against Josh Beckett, who always gives the Yanks such a hard time.

The dust up in the 7th was typical of this rivalry. Kevin Youkilis dives into the plate, and takes one of the knob. The fact is Joba hasn't hit Youkilis yet, despite what appears to be his best efforts. More comical out of the whole thing was Youkilis waving feebly at the next two breaking balls and, just after the foul, Beckett popping out the dugout, ready to throw down.

First of all, Josh Beckett is a redneck who needs to calm down. I'm positive he didn't pitch the 8th because Terry Francona knew Beckett would drill A-Rod and get ejected and suspended. There's no other reason to pull him. Becket's stuff was fine, his pitch count wasn't awful heading into the eighth. No, that collar was for Beckett's own good.

Incidentally, kudos to the MY9 team for having the previous buzzballs Joba threw at/to Youkilis ready to roll. I'm pretty sure "That was right at my f***ing head" was out of Youkilis' mouth before those flashback was rolling.

And, as these things happen, Manny Delcarmen took one shot at A-Rod, missed, eventually struck A-Rod out, and injured himself on the third strike. Ha ha.

Of course, the highlight was Mike Lowell going nuclear on HP umpire Marty Foster and Foster's roomy strikezone. Lowell got punched out after 7 or 8 pitches - a bunch of fouls as Rivera worked the outside corner - and launched into a gesticulating tirade, eventually getting ejected. I can't blame him. Rivera gets that call. It's probably not a strike, but that's life. Just as JD Drew fell victim to Rivera to end the game. If you have two strikes and you're lefthanded, a two-seamer on the outside part is coming. If it's even close, swing, because it's going to be called a strike.

The Hammer of God gets those calls.

Every now and then I get a little bit lonely, and you're never comin' 'round

Turn around ...

These Yankees are so vastly different from the April, May and most of June Yankees. The pitching has been fine, but the hitting these last few days in the wake of the All-Star break has been fantastic.

Robbie Cano has awoken. Jeter's driving the ball. The crack of the Yankees' bats just sound different. And the Yankees batters aren't missing pitches when they get them. Even tonight, Captain Clutch botched a sac bunt situation ... and then ripped an 0-2 double down the line for two runs that eventually was built to an 8-2 lead.

The bad ... Melky Cabrera. Does he have to swing at the first pitch every time? He's a fine fielder, with a great arm. But boy, his head seems jammed up his own arse sometimes.

Also, while Tim McClellan has the most annoying strike call in baseball, he also is coming up fast on CB Buckner for the worst zone. At least he doesn't have that ridiculous mustache anymore. We all know those only help former steroid abusing weak-fielding, power-hitting first basemen.

Stupid stat of the night: Kyle Farnsworth's "no hitter." Nine straight innings - probably in nine, maybe 10 appearances - without surrendering a hit. Wow. Baseball is it's numbers, but it ain't that number.

And more stupidity

Kim Jones: Joe, Jose Molina is a back up catcher, a good one, but a guy not known for his hitting. And, the more he plays, the more he's exposed. He got three hits tonight. How much of a boast is that for this offense?

Joe Girardi (in my perfect world): Well Kim, clearly we don't WANT him to hit. I mean, really, what would be the point of putting a guy in the lineup and EXPECTING him to drive runs in, or even make contact with the baseball? No, we want our guys to know they don't need to do anything productive, especially when filling in for an all-star the likes of Jorge Posada, who he had to put on the 15-day DL. Obviously, Molina's three hits tonight were a product of this coaching staff not getting its message across. We'll have a meeting before tomorrow's agame and make it clear. Just showing up is good enough.

Seriously, can clubhouse/sideline reporting be any less informative? Possibly, but unlikely.

Hooray for four in a row.

Things I think about while the Yankees are winning

I don't like multi-color uniforms. The Twins have blue shirts with gray pinstripes pants. Who's designing this stuff. I get the marketing angle. More jersey variants mean it's more likely someone will buy Boof Bonser's gear. But really, it looks ridiculous. The Yankees have two uniforms. Same for the Sox. Home and away. No retro, no prostate awareness baby blue junk. The Mets and Padres have what, 30 jerseys? Even a camouflage one for the Dads. Ya need two versions. End of story.

Also, something needs to be done about check swings. When I'm agreeing with Michael Kay about "the intent to hit," there's a problem.

Yeah, like that

Two harmless grounders and a strikeout. That's the way you pitch when you've just been handed a 4-run cushion. You hear that Randy Johnson? You no-lead holding freak. I still curse your years in pinstripes. Curse them!!

Knock out

Nick Blackburn was done in by shoddy defense, uncharacteristic of the Twinkies. But the Yanks are coming through in the clutch, something they've had trouble with all season.

Ponson needs to get his junk together though. He survived the top of the 2nd, which could have gone for the Twins are the bottom of the 2nd went for the Yanks.

Broom job!

Get em' on, get em over, get em in.

Then hit a cheapy bomb into the lower porch in rightfield to win it.

Winning doesn't always have to be pretty. Today, it wasn't, especially coupled with "Adventures in Rightfield" with Bobby Abreu. Not sure if he was decoying the runner, but having a ball simply fall out of your glove is possibly the worst thing that can happen to a major leaguer. THEN Abreu airmails the throw. Fortunately A-Rod and Derek Jeter had the presence of mind to be in the right places and get the force at second, effectively ending the game.

The Yankees continue to get impressive pitching - and wallow in third place. But, their record is better than it's ever been this season. Just hoping reality hits the Rays sometime soon.

I watched a bit - OK, most - of the ESPYs Sunday night. I typically from on awards shows, and this one was no different. Stupid awards, awkward moments, but that Justin Timberlake, can he entertain a crowd. He was everywhere, killing audience members, prancing in a blonde wig, creepily flirting with himself. He's funny. He's talented. Let's face it. I think he spent too much time going on about Memphis' inability to shoot free throws - it did cost them the NCAA tourney - but I would have done the same about the Yankes inability to prevent a stolen base, or Tony Romo's inability to spot the ball on field goal try. In short, for all that Timberlake did, there was still not enough him, too much Giants and way too much everything else.

Coming through in the clutch

Joe Girardi hasn't caught on that Mo Rivera isn't as effective in non-save situations. Rivera's losses have all come in tie games. It's no excuse for getting smoked by the A's, but you'd think Lil' Joe would catch on.

Still, the Yankees had enough to come back, thanks to a lot of luck and good old Lenny DiNardo. You hit a guy to drive in the winning run? Comical.

A suspiciously good start

It's just the A's.

It's just one game.

There's a long way to go.

But, seven runs and more solid pitching is still what it is. Ritchie Sexson drove in a run. That's got to mean something.

Mike Mussina has more wins now than he did in all of '07. It's really quite remarkable, the turnaround he's having, but I've said this before. He just looks like he figured out what to do with the stuff he has. I never tire of seeing that 68 mph curveball. It's bizarre to think a pitch that slow causes so many problems, but it's speed and location must make Mussina's fastball look about 95 mph. Plus, he's throwing that two-seamer to lefties that always rides back across the inside part, or somewhere close enough to trigger the umpirean response.

This guy is pitching against the Yankees Saturday.


His name is Sean Gallagher, hailing from? Yes, Boston. He's 4-4 and looks as if he belongs in Room 100 with a helmet, and possible mittens. Yeah, yeah, he's probably a great guy, he just doesn't photograph well. Whatever. If the Yankees don't hang 10 on this guy, they should be replaced by the Sisters of Charity softball team.

Thanks to A-Rod for hitting that 6th inning solo shot. Most people would criticize him for doing most of his damage when there's no pressure. Standing in an MLB batter's box, no matter the score, is pressure. You fail most of the time. Some Hall of Famers produced a hit in fewer than 30 percent of their at-bats. Mickey Mantle's career batting average was .298. And he was arguably the best player of his generation, and possibly any other. (Damn you Joe Dimaggio.) So, to say A-Rod's homer is meaningless is somewhat short-sighted, and frankly, wrongheaded. If the A's scored five runs between the 7th and 9th innings, that homer looks pretty good.

Back from the break

The All-Star weekend oddity: Not Josh Hamilton going nuts in the home run derby, and losing in the last round. It’s a horrible format, even reworked to count the first two round as cumulative. Still,

Not the 15-innning game Tuesday night that lost my interest after 13. I didn’t go to bed until 3:30 that morning and I seriously expected the game to still be going, perhaps with lucky fans chosen from the crowd to throw an inning. No, it Andy Pettitte in Mystic. He’s got three or four days off, a bottomless bank account, and he goes to Mystic. I’m not saying anything, I’m just saying.

I hope the Yankees play .600 ball post-break, cause otherwise, football season’s coming early this year. I’m stoked for the Cowboys Super Bowl run, and inevitable and immediate self-destruction right after.

How about some offense guys? Just a little? OK?

Blame Canada

AJ Burnett, Mr. .500, came two outs from handing the Yankees their second defeat via complete game shutout in a three-game set.

Except for what turned out to be a historic offensive outburst in Game 2, A-Rod and Jeter hit milestone HRs, the Yankees offense was pathetic, awful, anemic, impotetent, putrid, flaccid, listless, woeful, nonexistent ... I could, and should go on. In any case, can the Yankees play worse baseball? Yes. Can they play with less brains. Probably not.

I'm glad I don't scream at the TV ... as much ... as I once did, because I'd be mute by now. The other team hangs a crooked number on the Yankees, so their batters swing at early and often in the count. The Yankees are swinging at awful 2-0 and 3-1 pitches, rolling over them and popping up because everyone wants to hit a 7-run homer. And the sad part is the Yankees' pitching has been pretty good. What a waste.

Their rotation, now, isn't awful, and when/if Wanger comes back, they've really got a nice group, although it looks as if Rasner is the odd man out in that set-up. Still, he wouldn't be awful out of the bullpen, and that's not something I thin the Yankees are overly concerned with. For now.

I heard the Yankees are looking at Ritchie Sexson. Sexon's hitting a robust .218 with 11 HRs and 30 RBIs in 74 games. I'm sure the Yankees could look elsewhere, perhaps a batboy or clubhouse attendant, for production from the right side.

It's too bad about Bobby Murcer. He was great in the booth, better than the chuckleheads we're left with. He had great stories, relevant comments and best of all, he knew when to keep quiet.

Choke choke choke

I blame A-Rod for this loss.

For a while there, I thought he didn't care much about his divorce. Maybe he knew a prearrangement had his millions protected. By the way he's batting, either that prenuptial didn't exist, or lawyers found a way around it.

Stupid rain. Stupid Pirates.

Watched "CSI" Thursday night. Guest star: Method Man, a rapper most known as a founder of Staten Island-based Wu Tang Clan. He's also been in a bunch of silly, but funny movies. I noticed he has a Yankees symbol tatooed on his neck. Nice job Meth, I always liked you and your work. Glad we have the same taste in baseball teams. Nice job on "CSI" too.

Identity crisis

Pick a direction!

So, now the Yankees are a team that gets a clutch hit and lights out pitching. They've won three in a row, and tonight (Tuesday) took the first game in a series - after an off day - a rarity for these Yankees.

Of course they beat Scott Kazmir. Of course Derek Jeter got a clutch two-out hit two drive in he winning run(s). Of course Jeter made the play in the 7th inning to keep the Rays off the board and preserve Andy Pettitte's four-hit, eight-inning gem.

Tomorrow, who knows.

Noticed Yankees eating some marble-sized green things in the dug. I'll say they were figs until proven otherwise - anyone? - no, I thought not. It was odd the see a clump of green fruit-like objects, still in the bunch on the ledge above the bench seating. And yet Robbie Cano and Joba Chamberlain were munching away on them.

A-Rod doesn't look much fazed by his impending split. That's good, because we wouldn't have simpathy for him, if, say, he went 0-4, as he did against Kazmir and Grant Balfour and maybe Gary Glover.

"Shamwow" is the new Procede, but only by virtue of Procede dropping off the face of the YES planent. If you haven't heard of "Shamwow," you have no idea what you're missing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NJEKqI1e714

Regular towels beware. Your time is nearly up. Those Germans, you know they make good stuff.

Like kicking your sister ...

Or something like that.

No one on the Yankees will say it, but they needed to sweep Boston. (As the need to sweep Tampa.) Or at least take the series. Getting pounded in the first two games and then rallying to salvage the final two does nothing but prove the Yankees are great at damage control.

Watching this series against the Sox makes me weep for baseball. Both teams showed how stupid and selfish players have become. Down by two, with a man on and a 3-1 count, instead of taking a pitch and maybe working a walk, bring the tying run to the plate, Melky Cabrera swings and pops up. Next batter grounds into a double play. The Sox load the bases with no outs down by one. Strikeout, pop up strikeout. After Mariano Rivera showed he clearly didn’t have his customary control. Similiar scenarios played themselves out time and again this weekend.

The Yankees took the fourth game because they got a runner on, got him over and got him in ... not with a homerun, but a with a grounder the cleared the infield only after bounding off of Julio Lugo’s glove in his diving attempt. A bunt and a rookie’s speed.

I wonder if Alex Rodriguez will hire Scott Boras to be his divorce lawyer, or will he just negotiate that deal himself, too?

So, it was Hank, not God?

Usually an offense credits God for big hits. You see a batter point to the sky, bless himself, whatever.

The Yankees score 18 runs - after sleep walking through the last handful of games - and Hank Steinbrenner gets the credit, because he said the offense needs to get going. I see.

The Yankees could have scored 30 runs last night. Won't matter tonight. Momentum, as John Sterling says, is your starting pitcher. It's Andy Pettitte and Jon Lester. Pettitte has regained his form, and Lester has been OK for the Sox, who lead the Wild Card and still trail the first-place Rays - gasp again.

I hesitantly say advantage Yankees tonight, who undoubtedly need to sweep this series.

Let the overhype begin!

Back on the horse

For what it's worth ... I'm back.

And the Yankees are back to season opener form, getting pretty good pitching and absolutely no offense. Scoring 3 runs against Corey Feldman, or whatever his name was, and Kevin Millwood is about as bad as it gets, especially when Yankees starters only gave up 5. Joba's four innings Tuesday was all about my favorite thing ... pitch count. Six-man rotations are coming and coming fast. I predict Boston will be the first team to use it.

With one more game against Texas and two huge series against the Red Sox and (gasp) first place Rays, the Yanks need to get the stuff together or risk dropping from the race even before the All-Star break.

Incidentally, New York would be in first place in at least two other divisions. Good old American League East. Where 100-win seasons go to die.

Ken Singleton is rhyming more, and punning ... Michael Young reached on an error and Singleton said he "got restless" and went to second. Michel Kay mercifully ignored the comment. Is this what passes for creativity in the booth these days? Drives me nuts.

Pittsblech

Time to play either/or.

More pathetic: Either the Yankees losing by 7 to the Pirates or Pirates fans standing for three batters with two outs in the ninth as if the final out meant a World Series title. In fairness, it wasn't THAT many people standing, because the place had emptied by the time Derek Jeter walked and Bobby Abreu hit a 2-run homer that sucked ALL the sound out of PNC Park. I would say the people who saw A-Rod ground harmlessly to third was about the normal amount that would see a typical Cutrates game.

More inexplicable: Either PNC Park being built BELOW the level of what I believe is the Allegheny River or Jon Sterling and Susan Waldman waxing poetic about the little blue lights in rightfield. I'm assuming the little blue lights are out there so when the river floods and turns the park into a giant toilet bowl, what, pontoon planes will know where to land. I dunno ... I can't come up with winners every time. In any case, United States engineers simply can't grasp the concept building below water lines leads to disaster. Brace yourselves Pittsburghians, the waters they are a comin'.

More frustrating: The downward spiraling quality of Yankees announcers, even Ken Singleton is getting on my nerves (I blame Cone and Flaherty) or the Yankees inability to beat bottom-dwelling teams. YES showed a telling stat during Tuesday's broadcast. The Yankees are 11-14 in series openers. That's a microcosm of the Yankees post 2003. They dig holes and waste so much effort getting out they're fried when it counts. Happened last year, it's going to have to happen this year if the Yankees hope to make the playoffs.

Mustache watch: I wonder if Jason Giambi is consulting with Don Mattingly about facial hair. Giambi's mustache is several shades darker in the last few days, going back at least to Sunday. It looks ... better?

Instinct

Kyle Farnsworth stuck his hand in front of a Brandon Phillips grounder Sunday and got cut in the process. He's lucky. Pitchers are told to never grab at a ball with their bare hands, but it's natural to do so.

The thing that struck me about Farnsworth's try is the ball appeared to ricochet off his fingertips. Sure, he looks like an extra from "300," but he reacted as if a Nerf ball hit him - no pain, just annoyance he didn't make the play. Then, he looked at his hand, threw his head back and waived for the trainer. He's got stitches and shouldn't miss any time.

The Yankees thankfully halted their skid against the Reds. Cincy stinks, but it just shows you what good pitching will do to good hitting. Yanks are off tonight and travel to lowly Pittsburgh. They may take Nate McClouth with them. I imagine that'd be like catching the last chopper out of Saigon.

Is Jason Giambi's mustache eligible for All-Star consideration?

Whoomp, there it is

This was on the big board as A-Rod was rounding the bases after hitting a solo shot off Jake Peavy last night.

Tag Team made this song a run away hit in 1993. If you wish to relive the tragedy, here’s the youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnrLloO7nFQ. The video features meaningless lyrics, plenty of booty shaking and ridiculous outfits ... everything that was great about the early 90s. Also, look for the very confused white people ...

Anyway, I’m prety sure the Yankees can afford the rights to something better when one of their guys hits a home run. I haven’t been to the Stadium in a while, but I’m hoping they stopped playing Cotton Eyed Joe.

Prohibitively speaking

A friend of mine says he won’t step foot in the new Yankee Stadium. This an ideological stand on his part, but let’s be honest, most of won’t step foot in the new stadium because we can’t afford it.

I’ve been trying to get tickets for this season. It’s not easy. Scheduling, travel, cost - it’s tough to coordinate, now inflate the prices and reduce the number seats - oh boy, more luxury suites! That’ll attract my dollar. Literally, my dollar.

I understand the thinking, “Best franchise, best stadium” with all it entails, but I’m disappointed, unless I’m given tickets in that roundabout way one acquires them - a friend of a friend got the tickets from a friend who works for the Pentagon kind-of-thing - I’ll be enjoying Yankees’ home games in 2009 and beyond in stunning HD only.

Superstitious and lazy

Thoughts about the last few days:

Wanger’s hurt. Argh. The Yankees lost the most consistent pitcher in baseball ... check the numbers. That said, getting him back in September will be like trading for a front-line starter without giving anything up - which the Yankees will do anyway, at least for a second-tier starter. I’m not sure they even need to do that. With Mussina and Pettitte straight and Chamberlain settling in, they have Rasner as a comfortable four. Maybe it’s time to try another kid - at least to showcase one or more as trade bait.

Hank Steinbrenner: Shut up idiot. I can’t say enough bad things about the Steinbrenners. Yes, they have money and yes, they are responsible, in a round-about way for breathing life into the Yankees ... but, and I’ve probably said this before, they’ve done as much or more harm to the Yankees, Major League Baseball and my ears.

Jason Giambi: Wow, his mustache is on fire. Has there ever been a more critical piece of facial hair on a professional sports roster, with respect the hockey playoff beard? He’s got 17 home runs this season and has been a main cog in the Yankees offense. He’s even been respectable on defense.

Luck: It’s often better than skill. The Yankees got healthy just when their schedule got weak. The A’s, the Astros, now the Padres and the Reds next. All awful teams the Yankees can feast on to prop up their record.

Found Phil Hughes’ blog. Here’s the link . http://philhughes.wordpress.com/. He doesn’t update often, but, there it is anyway.

In the right direction ...

Four games above .500 and looking good ... but ...

Let's face it, the A's aren't great and the Astros are just awful. However, you have to beat the teams you're supposed to beat ... which for the Yankees is everybody.

There's some intriguing matchups with San Diego and Cincinnati after tonight's break. The Yanks will get Jake Peavy in Game 2, with hard-luck Darrell Rasner on the hill for the Yanks. Rasner has been good enough to win in his last few starts, but hasn't gotten run support. Peavy is the NL Cy Young winner from last year. He was on the DL for while with a bad elbow, but he's still 5-3 with an ERA around 2.50.

The Yanks will face phenom Edinson Volquez Friday night. Volquez is 9-2 on a mediocre Reds team ... he's got 11 quality starts this season.

These games are very winnable. The Yanks got to Roy Oswalt because they were patient - two runs were walked in (15 hits and eventually 13 runs). They'll have to do the same against Peavy. The other guys, Randy Wolf and some dude named Josh Banks, are a combined 7-4 (ERAs 3.83 and 1.29) but neither are unhittable.

Don't get too excited about the Yanks yet, but they appear to by healthy, except for Wanger, and things are going in the right direction.

Uncharted territory

Two games over .500 for the first time this season, and it only took 68 games. 68 games already! These seasons go faster every year.

Anyway ... Joba looked good, with some stellar defense from Robbie Cano ... if only Cano kept his head on straight every game, all season, who knows what he could do.

I still say having Joba on a pitch count is bad for him, but at least, I think, they're done with that. 95 last night, which isn't too far off from what a pitcher would be expected to throw ... which is insane ... I'd like to know when this 100 pitch thing came about. It just sort appeared one day ... it's stupid, so I bet Bill James is involved.

Jose Veras has been a pleasant surprise out of the bully.

In grand fashion

Will the real Andy Pettitte please stand?

Which is the real one? The guy we saw last night, or the one we've seen giving up 10 runs and repeatedly blowing leads? Eight innings and five hits allowed is Pettitte circa 1998. Pettitte made Hideki Matsui grand slam in the 6th stand, throwing strikes and looking comfortable on the mound. A far cry from the guy who always seems to make one or two bad pitches that cost him dearly.

This win puts the Yankees in third place, huzzah, and one game better than .500 ... for about the 500th time this season. The Yanks are 18-15 at home but 16-18 on the road. That's got to change if they're going to have a shot at the playoffs. Taking this series in Oakland is a good start.

Joba gets the calls against Houston tonight and old friend Shawn Chacon.

West Coast trippin'

Usually the Yankees look like buffoons against young lefties they haven't seen much, but they scratched out two runs early and Chien-Ming Wang appears to have straightened himself out after a very shakey May.

Wanger gave them length for the first time in what seems like forever, 7 1/3, inducing (that's another one of the baseball words that is very much out of place) four doubles.

I used to welcome West Coast swings. It was something to watch late when I was working nights. Last night I made it to the 3rd inning.

Jason Giambi is still sporting that awful mustache, although he doesn't appear to shaving much of anything these days. It makes me wonder what happened to the Yankees notoriously stringent personal grooming policy. Most of the guys are clean, but I notice Mike Mussina goes to the mound scruffy, Giambi, of course, and Wanger's hair is usually beyond the collar. Brian Bruney was even working on a quasi-mullet for a while. Guys, you make millions of dollars, invest in a Fusion Power, they work very well.

Things that bother me

David Cone. He's awful on YES. No as bad as John Flaherty, but nearly so. Why? Here's a few reasons:
- He picks one word per sentence and over-emphasizes it. "You see, Damon just DROPPED the bat head on the ball there. He SLASHED that ball into the gap. That's the kind of hitter Damon is, a SLASHER. He SLASHES."
- He's repetitive. He mentioned the "cold water/ammonia" thing no fewer than four times during Sunday's broadcast. We get it. It's cold water mixed with ammonia that acts as a sort of smelling salt. He also told the David DeJesus/Mo Rivera "home run of a lifetime" story at least twice. Once during the open and again when Rivera came in the close out Sunday's game.
- He uses words such as "attractive" to describe a player. This is probably a personal pet peeve, but at no time should a player of any sport be referred to as "attractive" a "stud" or anything similar.

The "is this the spark the Yankees needed?" question. Baseball is a long season. One game doesn't make or break that season. One great come-from-behind win, or two for that matter, in the span of four days, doesn't mean much other than the team won a game. The Yankees are back above .500 by one game. They haven't shown any desire to be much better. If they go on a streak, great, if they don't, it's business as usual for 2008.

The phrases "not trying to do too much" and "grinding it out."

Sideline/clubhouse reporters: There is no group of people better equipped to ask less intelligent questions to elicit the least informative of responses. Except perhaps YouTube participants in presidential primary debates. "So, Bobby, did it feel good to hit that home run?" "Yes, yes it did. I wasn't trying to do too much, just make solid contact ..." Credit athletes, and coaches for the most part, for answering the questions, time and again, even if those answers, like the questions, are unintelligible.

Anything that has anything even remotely to do with horses. Even glue is on my shit list. Now that Big Brown flamed out just like every other horse that has chased the Triple Crown, can horse racing just go back to being for degenerates? Can we stop pretending, like boxing and soccer, it matters in the United States? I like to think the horses that failed in their Triple Crown bids did so on purpose. As if they knew what was at stake and thought, you know what, "Screw you and your trifecta." But they didn't think that BECAUSE THEY'RE HORSES. They just didn't run well, because, I'm sure, even horses have bad days.

Quotation marks and people who use them excessively in blogs.

This thing ...

is giving American League pitchers nightmares.

Jorge's back

It's been a while - the Yanks usually take forever with the injuries. but Posada is a welcome addition to a lineup that has struggled to produce runs consistently. He, like A-Rod, won't save the team, but it's good to have a familiar face back. Also, Jose Molina is probably the happiest guy on the planet.

Bobby Abreu's struggles continue after cracking a liner off Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn's nose. Abreu was clearly shaken when it happened, but I hope this just a slump and not some crazy Knoblauchian pyschological scar.

Moose has nine wins

I'm conflicted. Does the C.B. in C.B. Buckner stand for Certifiably Blind or Complete Bull? I suppose either could apply. I don't like blaming the umps for much, but he cost Mike Mussina a chance to go deeper into his start, a 5-1 six inning win against the Jays. Buckner's strikezone was worse than erratic, a nightmare for a pitcher with Mussina's stuff.

Congrats to Derek Jeter. He moved into third place all time on the Yankees hit list, passing Mickey Mantle. That is some heady company Jeter is now keeping. He's behind only Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. It's fascinating, but you see those names, Gehrig, Ruth, Mantle, and it's as if they're storybook characters, legends who exist only in the imagination, but I've seen nearly every game Jeter has played, he's real, his career is something I've lived, like my dad living through Mantle's. It's nice to be a part of that, nice to know I can look back and say that really happened, this career was lived by someone who was flesh and blood and I saw it all.

Mo Rivera has given up one run and two walks this season. His 0.36 ERA went down. Again.

A new season begins ...

... or not.

As for Joba, called it. Sure, it's easy to predict a negative outcome, and I'm not happy I was right, but it was obvious what would happen. I made sure not to watch this game. Allowing him to throw 60-plus pitches did nothing for him and I've seen him pitch before. There was only the potential for it to go badly, for him go out there and throw half his alloted pitches for balls, to be disappointed. Which he did, which he was.

Yanks get another crack at Toronto tonight, but the ship is sinking, and fast. Still and again, the Red Sox are the team to beat. I don't think anyone believes the Rays arew legit, but stranger things have happened.

Two up and two down in Twinkie town

Now the Joba era begins, with the Yankees' upstart starter allowed to pitch only four innings. Great, keep him in line with the rest of the goofballs that get run out there everyday. The Yankees pitching wasn't awful this weekened, but it was just bad enough to lose when the hitting went south. The Yankees had runners on most of this weekend and they mostly just stood around their respective bases, chatting with Twins infielders, probably wondering what home plate looks like, or calculating how much they're spending on those balsa wood projectile they're calling bats. Seriously, they're claiming those things are maple, but they're reacting like spun sugar. What happened to those big chunky handled bats they used in the '50s? If they were good enough for Mickey Mantle, they should be good enough for these guys.

The good thing is Joba gets to pitch against Roy Halladay (6-5) in his debut as a starter. So, when and if he sucks, the media can just insinuate it was the matchup that overwhelmed him. Still, even if he's great, what do four innings matter? This is setting him up failure, regardless of the outcome. He won't even qualify for a quality start.

The Yanks will face Jesse Litsch (an unlikely 7-1), whoever that is, and Dustin McGowan (4-4) in the other two games. I predict two wins, which keep the Yankees just below .500, right where they seem most comfortable.

Chance for redemption

Yanks have a 7 p.m,. tilt with B-More tonight to salvage some dignity, although it won't salvage the series.

All-Star voting has started. This process always drove me nuts. It's primarily a popularity contest, without regard to stats thanks to ignorant fans capable only of name recognition, and it resorts to conciliatory Little League rules by forcing a player from every team onto the rosters of each league. This is horrible, but very American, at least very modern-American. You participate, so you deserve to be rewarded. Sometimes, it's better to just let the losers stay home.

Be aware, you can vote up to 25 times for your favorite player. 25 times? Whatever happened to "one man, one vote"?