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?