This could not be a bettef setup for a drilling. Please blast him. PLEASE!

Let's get ready to rumble (copyright Michael Buffer, 1953?)

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's main event.

In this corner, weighing at$200 and some-odd million, the Pinstripers of Panache, the Disciples of Discipline, the Masters of Manners, the the Connosieurs of Conscience, your New York Yankeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.

In the other corner, a man who's never hit more than 16 home runs in any full season in the majors, a man who claims a mechanical adjustment, and not the Brady Anderson workout DVD, is responsible for his suddenly leading the major in home runs. Your Toronto Blue Jays rightfielder, Joooooooooooooooooseeeeeeeeeee Baaaaaaauuuuuuuuustiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiista.

I know it's just Dustin Moseley, but if the Yankees are fighting by the fourth inning, they should all turn in their jock straps.

Baustista better have an ice pack on some exposed and vital part of his body. Hell, Cito Gastin and Vernon Wells better be honing their tag team skills for the Joe Girardi and Tony Pena undercard.

The Jays have a winning record, but haven't done anything other than show they're better than the Orioles, not the worst franchise is sports because the Pirates and Raiders are still franchises.

Tonight better be a war.

Jose Bautista better enjoy that HR tonight. Tomorrow, he'll be icing sore ribs. Or someone else will be.

Super Nova. Good job by the rookie. Overcame a putrid call to turn in a good start. Technology is revealing umpires aren't as good as we thought.

Brett Gardner: baseball player

Hey Robbie, here's a stupid question, give me an answer that shows your selfish. If you don't, I'll ask again. Good onfield reporting at the Stadium.

Gotta love the hidden ball trick.

Idiot

You're down by six going into your team's last at bat.

You strike out a batter to end the eighth.

You celebrate and strut off the mound.

You are Jose Valverde.

You are an idiot.

Calling it a comeback

I look away, Kearns doubles and Yankees are running everywhere.

I look up and Ramiro Pena is hitting a grounder to the pitcher with no outs and second and third.

Complex deepens.

Edit/update: I look away, Brett Gardner drives in run No. 7. That's 22 runs in three boycott games.

Edit/update: I look away Gardner steals second, then Jeter unloads.

That's it, the boycott goes all season.

It is high, it is far

I looked up for a second and Miggy goes deep.

This is likely a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I don't care. I must look away. I'm starting to feel guilty.

The Boycott: Day 3

I'm still feeling pretty good about things, despite missing some excitement last night.

Yanks/Tigers are on in the office today, but I feel no compulsion to watch. In fact, considering the Yankees are scoring are again, I feel an obligation to keep my gaze firmly on my computer screen.

When I watched last night, Granderson struck out. I'm feeling like pinstripe kryptonite.

Boycott Day 2, Game 2

Yanks have scored 15 runs in two games. Maybe it's me. We'll see what happens Thursday night.

The Boycott: Day 1

After Monday night's 9th inning, after which I could manage only once hissed expletive (because my wife was sleeping) I made a decision. That decision, was to stop watching Yankees games.

I'm not taking a stand for civil rights or peace in the Middle East, this is a luxury I'm choosing to do without, so, I don't know how long it will last, probably as long as it takes my disgust to wear off. When that will happen, who knows?

I know enough about last night's game to say Sabathia pitched, the Yankees won. But, if A (Sabathia pitched, then usually B (the Yankees win), so yippee. What did I spend my time doing? Nothing more significant than watching a baseball game, but I didn't scream at the TV like a maniac, I didn't grind my teeth, but I was strangely compelled at times to maybe check the score, just to see what was happening.

Why? I don't know. There was nothing to gain from such an act. If the Yankees were losing, I'd just bitch about them. If they were winning, I'd probably bitch about how they should have won Monday night and how could they possibly choke up a lead and look so indifferent in doing so? How could Joe Girardi allow batters to go up swinging willy-nilly at a pitcher who clearly had no idea where the ball was going ... see ... this is why the boycott is in place.

Also, you should win any game during which the other team does this ...


Serious soul searching is needed if you don't.

Yes, that photo is from my TV.

The biggest choke jon in the history of last night

You know who I blame for last night's mess?

Jorge Posada.

The leadoff batter in the inning walks on four pitches that were no where near the the strike zone and Posada swings at the first two pitches he sees, grounding the second to first in what was nearly a double play.

I haven't check, but if Valverde isn't on the DL, he will be soon. The guy was clearly ailing, for one reason or another, and the Yankees simply let him of the hook.

I've never seen a closer perform that poorly — he threw something like 40 pitches — and be allowed to escape an inning — and celebrate. Seriously Jose, tone it down. You're not good enough to squat and gyrate and give ups to God or whatever else it is you do.

John Flaherty and Paul O'Neill were in the booth for the game. They were ... I'll say shocked ... by Posada's lack of plate discipline, then right on the money when they said Jeter was the wrong guy for that one-out bases loaded situation. "Tough spot," they said. This is Derek Jeter. Or is it? Anyway, he isn't going up there looking for a walk. Even the first few pitches he took, you could see it was an effort to hold up.

So, in that inning, Cano walks (he never does), Granderson singles (he went 3-3 after sucking most of the season) , Cervelli walks (he's slumping terribly), Gardner walks (young guy, could have been hacking, hot recently but awful second half), Valverde is teetering and Jorge and Jeter kill the inning. Even with Gardner trying to end Carlos Guillen's career at second.

This after being held scoreless for 17 innings by Brian Bullinger and Max Scherzer.

The "we've never seen this guy" thing is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy and it's getting tiring.

I thought there was nothing worse than a Jose Valverde save. I was wrong. So very very wrong.

Dude behind the plate in a Jeter jersey. It could fit two Jeters.

This umpire is a disaster.

C'mon rain. Come funder. Come wightning.

Off to a good start. Two looking Ks and now down 2-0. Looking good Javy, looking good.

Damon's helmet waving was a bit much, considering the modest ovation.

I see the Tigers have taken my advice, although that's probably incidental.

Road trippin' and fallin' flat

Thank God that mess is over.

If I were an opposing manager, I'd bench my entire pitching staff — demote them, option them, whatever — if I were facing the Yankees.

You can't waste those AJ Burnett starts — that's two in a row now, with the rain-shortening, eventual loss to the Rangers — because you don't know how many you're going to get.

Brian Bullinger is 29. He was drafted when he was 21. And the Yankees happily, pathetically, handed him his first major league win.

Yet, the manager to outlast Cliff Lee and overcome a 6-1 deficit on this same road trip.

Cliff Lee. Brian Bullinger.

Even with Andy Pettitte's groin area on the shelf for who knows how long, the Yankees rotation hasn't been awful and the bull pen has been outstanding.

But watching this offense, or lack thereof, is brutal. If Cano or Tiexiera — and to be fair, A-Rod, who's inexplicably leading the league now — don't hit with runners on, no one does.

Curtis Granderson asked Kevin Long to remake his swing. Looks like the same old thing to me — pop ups and strikeouts. Lance Berkman continues his nightmare as a Yankees player. He just starting hitting and now he's dinged. Francisco Cervelli's weakness as a batter has been exposed and Brett Gardner, when he gets on, is a statue.

Of course, I happily lay blame at the feet of Joe Girardi. The man is clueless and while he may be fiery, as a fan, I want to see it. I watched Joe Torre sit and hold a bat for a decade. Now, we get to watch Joe Girardi sit and read a stat book.

Dave Eiland mound visits should be a drinking game. What is it with Yankees pitching coaches? Walk. Mound visit. Two guys on. Mound visit. Pitcher adjusts cup. Mound visit. What is he going to say that would suddenly make a pitcher stop sucking? Hey, AJ, throw strikes, OK? Don't let them hit the ball. Get the batters out.

Right, Coach, got it.

The Yankees return home 1 game up on the Rays, and only because they, and the Red Sox, have played just as poorly.

The Tigers and Mariners come to town for 7 games. The Yanks should take at least 5. Unless rookies pitch. Then it's hello third place.

R&R

I'm watching the Red Sox spray Ricky Romero's guts all over the Rodgers Center turf.

This is the same Ricky Romero, who, in his last start, allowed two hits to the Yankees and tossed a complete game.

Needless to say, this is ... disappointing.

Also, I may be through apologizing for Curtis Granderson. I love the way he carries himself on the field and off, but he strikes out way too much — especially in spots where he could at least make a productive contact out — to be in this Yankees lineup.

When did Joba Chamberlain turn into Kyle Farnsworth?

Dear Yankees fans. Pop fly comes near the stands, you get out of the Yankees' player's way. Or someone should drag you out of the way.

Rivalry renewed

I have to admit, I giggled a little (all right, a lot) after hearing Youkilis was out for the season.

But, the baseball fan in me cannot believe what a nightmare season the Red Sox have had. Give them credit for holding it together this long.

As for the Yankees, they have to sweep this series. Anything else is unacceptable, and frankly, embarrassing, considering the way they've played in the last two weeks.

Now that A-Rod is over his hump, and Tiexiera seems to be coming out of his season-long slumber, the offense will hopefully start clicking. Be nice if Berkman and Granderson made contact beyond infield popups.

A guy can dream.

Tip of the helmet

Three seasons ago, you wonder what the Yankees would have done the commemorate this milestone. Stop the game. Present Alex with a spiral ham and a Bentley?

Now, Alex, the teammate, the baseball player, rounds the bases, tips helmet twice and goes back into the dugout.

Good for you Alex.

Missed it by that much

So, A-Rod finally got it.

That's nice.

You know what else would be nice? The Yankees winning a game.

I don't know if A-Rod's inability to hit that elusive home run had anything to do with the collective funk they've been in, but hopefully that breaks them out of it.

I'm sure Ricky Romero is a nice enough guy, but he shouldn't be hurling 2-hit complete games

That's $100 million per hit. Nice job Yanks. Second place feel nice?

You buy my next bag of weed

I hate that commercial.

First, I can't figure out what game system they're playing.

Second, if they're playing a racing game, looking away from the screen for even a second means you crash. There's no time for witty banter.

Third, ever see your dad play videos games? He never wins. That kid would be so high, he'd make Matthew McConaughey look like the president of the straight edge society.

Anyway, the Yanks made some nice pickups for the stretch run with Berkman and Kearns. Where those guys fit in ... that's our intrepid manager's problem.

More importantly was how Kerry Wood handled his first interview with Kim Jones. He fought stupid questions with smart answers.

Will you pick Rivera's brain? Answer: I just got here.

Do you see yourself pitching the eighth? Answer: I just got here.

Do I ask the worst questions possible? Answer: I just got here, but yes, you do.