Hello one and all and thanks for letting me back into your baseball lives! I haven't been writing nearly as much this season for a plethora of reasons. My wife is expecting our first child together in about 4 1/2 weeks...my father is suffering from terminal lung cancer, and I am still attempting to find full time employement, so my attention to the blog has suffered for it, and for that I am sorry.

It would've been easy to go on the warpath and make light of the fact that the Yankees have breezed for the most part, to their impending AL East title, with little resisitance from the boys in Boston, or the less than stellar Devil Rays in Tampa. I could've talked trash at the sweep in the Bronx, or the beating in Boston, but I didn't. Instead, I have sat back this summer, and simply enjoyed the Yankees' return to dominance at the hands of both Boston and Tampa. The Rays are done for 2009. Here's an idea...hitting for an average higher than .220 usually does wonders for the team (See Carlos Pena). If that guy gets once single MVP vote, the writers need to be stripped of the honor to vote, and it should be the players who decide.

As far as the American League Most Valuable Player award goes, if anyone outside of Minneapolis truly doesn't believe that Derek Jeter IS the best player in the American League in 2009, then YOU should stop watching baseball NOW! Here I present as close as I can get, 100 reasons why Jeter is the AL MVP in 2009 and why Joe Mauer is not! Enjoy!

1. Jeter is the best player on the best team in the league.
2. Mauer's Twins are a joke...sitting 12 1/2 out of the AL Wild Card and 6 back of the Tigers, who are 17 back of the Yankees in the win column.
3. Jeter has Johnny Damon hitting behind him, and even though he is good, he is not Justin Morneau.
4. Jeter through this writing, has played in 135 games.
5. Mauer missed ALL of April...how can you win a season long award when you missed the ENTIRE FIRST MONTH?
6. Jeter is putting up magnificent numbers at age 35, not to mention he is still playing Gold Glove caliber Shortstop...again, all at age 35.
7. Simply put, the writers owe Jeter for robbing him of the MVP in 2006, when another Twin, (Morneau) was awarded the trophy.
8. Jeter's numbers compare to that of another middle infieder/MVP...the league's reigning MVP, Dustin Pedroia. Jeter is hitting at .331, 17 HRs, 63 RBI, 97 Runs scored, and 25 Stolen Bases. Pedroia for the entire season in 2008...hit .326, 17 bombs, 83 ribs, 118 runs scored, and had 20 steals. Jeter still has two weeks left to play to add on to those numbers, clearly making his 2009 better than Pedroia's 2008 MVP season.
9. Even though Pedroia won the MVP in '08, plenty of other players had bigger MVP-type numbers, including Youkilis, A-Rod and Morneau. Pedroia was the best ALL-AROUND player in 2008, just as Jeter is in 2009.
10. If the Yankees couldn't do without one player in their lineup over the long haul, who would it be?
11. Jeter simply plays the game the right way, not showing up his opponents, and cares about two things only...winning and being a New York Yankee.
12. The Twins are awful, do Mauer's gaudy numbers really affect the outcome for the Twins in 2009?
13. Would the Yankees be running away with baseball's best record without the Captain and tablesetter at the top of the order for the big boys to drive in?
14. How much of Johnny Damon's career resurrgence is directly related to the flip flop in the batting order of Jeter and Damon?
15. In October, will it be Jeter setting the pace, or will the Twins gain enough ground to make it to October?
16. This isn't a career achievement award, but at times has been awarded as such (See Bonds post-1997).
17. If you had to choose between Jeter and Mauer...game on the line, season on the line, one at bat...who are you choosing to step into that box to face that pressure?
18. Pinstripes always make a player look leaner...
19. We are talking Derek Jeter, who refuses to toot his own horn, yet the writers still aren't smart enough to toot it for him.
20. At the end of the day, Jeter plays in the highly intensified, pressure cooker that is New York, where every single at bat, game, and play is under the microscope, and has a fan base that is the best when you win, and the most unforgiving when you lose. Jeter has proven without a doubt in 2009, and throughout his career, that he thrives on the pressure to perform, and has arguably had the best overall season of his career in 2009. He is the American League MVP. Joe Mauer can't even get his teammates to play at the next level. How much pressure it is to put up MVP-type numbers when your games don't matter, and your home is barely half filled?

Okay, so maybe I jumped off the cliff when I said "100 Reason"! You as the readers get my point. He is an All-Star MVP, a World Series MVP, and now he is the best player in the AL in 2009, so cut the man some slack and give him his just due.

When the voting is done at the conclusion of the regular season, I'm sure Joe Mauer will be collecting his MVP trophy. Shame on the voters, and I don't ever want to see a Dustin Pedroia, or a Curtis Granderson, or an Ichiro Suzuki ever get another MVP vote if Jeter does not get his this season. Why are New York players ignored (twice in Jeter's case), when they don't have the gaudy A-Rod type numbers, but others are viewed as "excellent all around players"? The whole process is a frickin joke unless Jeter wins the AL MVP award. He recently passed Gehrig to move into the top spot overall in career hits for the Yankees...what a shame it would be if Jeter could not take his rightful place as a league MVP alongside other great Bombers such as DiMaggio, Berra, Mantle, Maris, Howard, and Mattingly. A travesty it would certainly be...

Stay tuned as the season winds down for a post season matchup preview, as I examine both the AL and NL first round series...

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

The Good...

Tex's bat finally woke up after a butt stinking April, though he is still only hitting in the mid-270s and is showing signs of Giambi-like pulling of the ball rather than spraying it all over the field. 21 bombs and 60 ribs is a nice upgrade over Gumbi, not to mention the almost Mattinglyish glove at First Base.

A-Rod had appeared to have woken up...after missing several games due to hip surgery, A-Rod has come on like gang busters over the last week to ten days, hitting almost one home run per game on average over that span...hopefully the first half was used as a spring training session, and the true run producer will be more consistent in the second half of the season.

Mo is Mo...several skeptics thought after a couple of hiccups in April, the Great Sandman had finally gone over the cliff...WRONG! Mo is Mo, and as we celebrate his All-Star record breaking 4th save, along with his 500th career save, when the game is on the line, there is NOBODY ELSE IN BASEBALL I'd rather have on the mound to slam that door than Mariano Rivera.

Jeter is the Captain...After much speculation that Jeter lost a step, and could no longer hit or run, all I have to say is...a .321 average and plenty of gold left in his mitt to do the job. People forget that Jeter played with a severe quad injury most of last year, thus limiting him in the field and on the basepaths, along with tainting his batting average the second half of last season...he never lost it, rather he bucked up like a man and played through it last year.

The Bad...

Don't let the record fool you...even though the Yankees have the third best record in all of baseball at the break, those of us in the know have plenty to fear as the second half looms. The every series ***-beating at the hands of the Red Sox, resulting in an 0 for 2009 doesn't make me think the Bombers are any closer to reaching the pinnacle of the sport, nor does their pathetic finish out in Anaheim to an injury-plagued Angels squad whom the Yankees should've squashed like bugs under their collective feet. To have leads in the first two games, only to piss them away, and then have the Angels on the ropes in the finale, just to leave town swept means Brian Cashman and the boys have some serious work to do prior to the July 31st trading deadline...And now for the bad portion...

The Ugly...

Joba Chamberlain. The guy stinks of freshly laid dog crap. He is getting worse by the outing, yet Cash and Girardi insist he will be a star. As I and the rest of the baseball world know, that is NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Put his fat f***ing *** in the bullpen as the 8th inning setup guy, give Phil Hughes the chance to shine in the rotation, and get the back end of the bullpen right before it's too late!

Brian Bruney. Another poop clog in the Yankees bullpen. Since hurting his elbow, the man has been simply putrid. His fastball is so flat one could roll it down a coffee table, and Major League hitters don't let flat fastballs go by...they deposit them into the stands. Make Bruney a middle innings guy, which is where he has the most success, and move Chamberlain into his role in the 8th inning. After all, it won't be long, and Rivera will finally retire...and then what? The Yankees have the tools in-house to build a dominant bridge to Mariano, yet they piss it away because Joba and his crippled old man want him to be a starter. When did this become The Dalles Little League, where Dads and kids dictate to coaches where they will play? Absolutely ******* pathetic.

The outfield...what a goddamn joke. The Yankees are stockpiled with a bunch of designated hitters, and none of them can play a lick of defense, led by Mr. Red Sox himself, Johnny "I'm a little bitch" Damon. It's great that he's hit 12 of his 16 homers this season at the new stadium, but how many runs has he handed back via his glove or lack thereof? DH Damon and shuffle the roster already...jesus. Yes, that means dealing the once beloved Hideki Matsui or flat out releasing him. Yes, he's been hot the last couple of weeks, but you know what? So has minor league phenom Austin Jackson and at least he plays the field. Matsui is worthless, and thank goodness that Damon and Matsui are both in the final year's of their respective contracts.

The Starting Rotation...the Dodgers have the best record in baseball with a bunch of journeymen and throwaways, yet we as Yankee fans are supposed to be proud of the 1st half performances of Burnett and Sabathia? Sabathia is coming ever so close to garnering Ed Whitson comparisons thus far, and Burnett is nothing like the Burnett of 2008. At least he's staying healthy...so far. I said it before in earlier blog entries and I'm saying it again...Andy Pettitte is a bum and washed up. Yeah, I know he has 8 wins, but an ERA over the moon, and he can't win at home. A guy like Pettitte in a short series will help get you ousted in the 1st round. He didn't deserve the $14 mil he was seeking, and I'm not sure he even deserves Major League minimum at the break.

Hughes could give you exactly the same thing as could lefty Phil Coke, for far less money PLUS they would be getting big league experience! Don't even get me started on Chamberlain again, we all know how I feel about that piss drunk waste of skin...the one I do feel bad for is Chien Ming Wang. I've always argued that Girardi doesn't know how to handle young pitchers, given his track record in Florida and now in the Bronx, and Wang's 2009 is a direct result of that. He forced the kid to pitch hurt, then made up excuses as to why he was and is getting banged around. Wang is a winner, and if he is given time to heal and rehab, he'll be a winner again.

Joe Girardi...Why is this man still employed? I could go game by game, and give handfuls of examples that are clearcut evidence as to why he has no business being in the Yankees' dugout. To make matters worse, does anyone actually believe that his former teammates (Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte) respect what he has to say? I mean come on, Posada TOOK Girardi's job on the field, now they are supposed to listen to what he has to say in the dugout as the field boss? Nope. He burned and misused the young arms in Florida, and will do the same in New York if given enough time. What his love affair with Joba is, I will never understand. But enough is enough. I know we as Yankee fans demand greatness, and with that said, anything short of a title and Giradi, along with Cashman must hit the bricks.

Brian Cashman...Again, why is this man still employed? He took the hard work of Buck Showalter and Gene Michael, and pissed it all away in less than a decade. He was handed a dynasty and he tore it apart. Instead of continuing to build a strong minor league system and sign team guys...he traded away prospects, for has beens, and signed me guys. As much of an anti-Joe Torre guy as I was, the least Cash could've done in that final meeting was stand up on Joe's behalf. What a spineless little **********. When will Cashman be held accountable for the failings on the field? He and he alone has final say over this roster, so when the Yankees fail to win it all again for the 9th consecutive year, he has to be the one along with Girardi who have to go at season's end.

What the 2nd Half of the Season Will Bring...

If Brian Cashman doesn't pull the trigger and add the necessary parts down the stretch, another disappointing season in Yankeeland! I do like the Hinske deal to stregthen up the bench and add much needed depth. However, the bullpen is still a problem, and as long as Bruney is the 8th inning guy, and the Yankees' bozo brass think that Mark Melancon is major league ready, it won't matter. Somebody like Tampa or Texas will overtake the Bombers for the Wild Card, and a second straight year without the post season will quickly become a reality. Do I think that the Yankees should talk to Toronto about Halladay? Yes, but not at the cost of Austin Jackson and/or Phil Hughes without a contract extension first. Toronto has already said no to an extension agreement negotiating period, so let's move on. Bullpen depth and a quality defensive outfielder along with a back of the rotation starter fills out the Yankees shopping list...now we must sit back and see if they get what they need...

Unless the Yankees can figure out a way to put the 2004 ALCS collapse against the Red Sox behind them, play aggressive, high level baseball against their rivals, it doesn't matter who the Yankees get down the stretch. At 8-0, along with a 3 game lead in the AL East, we can call it an 11 game lead. The Yankees should focus on the Wild Card, and hope that Boston gets knocked off prior to an ALCS rematch of 5 years ago.

Which means, the Yankees also need to figure out the long hated Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It appeared the Bombers might have been over the hump during their first meeting in the Bronx in 2009, making the Angels look old and tattered, but this past weekend in SoCal once again put tremendous doubt into the minds of the Bombers as they swept the Yankees in embarrassing and disappointing fashion to end the 1st half of the season. The starting rotation, the bullpen, the lack of timely hitting...these are all things that must be cleaned up in the Yankees are to have a legitimate shot at bringing home World Series crown #27. Do I think it will happen? Absolutely not! If it can be ****** up, Girardi, Cashman and the boys will find a way to do so, and at the end of the season, heads will roll, as well they should!

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

I do have something to say before I go into my rant about what is wrong in the Yankees' Universse...I think it is disgusting that my blog has never been nominated as the spotlight blog nor does it ever finish high enough to be mentioned in the "Latest Leaders" scoreboard. Wanna know why? Simply stated...I curse, I spit venom, and I lay out the literal truth about everything Yankees...people don't like my level of bluntness and their collective little ******* hurt. I don't care. I'm not changing my tone, so the spotlight and the leaders can kiss my pinstriped ***!

Okay, now for the real business...let us start with the Yankees' bullpen. Phil Hughes has been wonderful, allowing next to nothing since he and Chien Ming Wang did the old switcharoo in their respective roles. Unfortunately, Hughes still belongs in the rotation while Wang is hurt, hell, he belonged in the rotation when Wang was healthy. The fat piece of human trash Joba Chamerblain is the one who belongs in the bullpen...or worse, back to AAA-Scranton to figure out how to pitch more than 3.2 innings everytime out. How many goddamn times do I need to repeat myself...Joba is not and never will be a star major league starter. Not now, not ever. Put his fat *** back in the back end of the bullpen, let him set up Rivera until he retires, and make Joba the closer. End of discussion. Jesus already! Instead, Joba remains in the rotation, Hughes continues to dominate in mop up and long relief duty, and Alfredo Aceves, who I long have loved, gets his shot in the rotation Thursday in the Minnesota finale. He pitched well at the end of 2008, and I see him eventually being that Ramiro Mendoza-type swingman. Valuable, yet quiet and professional. Jonathan Albaladejo replaces Aceves in the bullpen for now...

As for the other issues...rumors are swirling that the Yankees are in discussions with the Pirates about trading for lefty John Grabow to support Phil Coke as the second lefty out of the 'pen. It appears that Damaso Marte is done for the year with elbow and shoulder issues. I like the move, but in addition to that, I would like to see the Yankees sign recently released B.J. Ryan and give him the adequate time to heal and build arm strength at AAA-Scranton. Once he is healty, the Yankees now have a 93-95 mph lefty to plug in-one who also has valuable closing experience and could end up being that bridge to Mo Rivera in August and September...think about it!

I just about threw up in my mouth the other day while watching the 4-game series finale between the Yankees and the Blue Jays at the Cathedral 2.0. Why? I swore for a split second that that Mark Teixiera morphed into the former Yankee, Jason Giambi. According to the scouting reports on Tex, he is supposed to have power to all fields and doesn't hesitate to use all fields. Instead, with the Yankees mounting a comeback in the 9th Innings, and Tex leading things off...the Blue Jays use the old Giambi Shift, pulling everyone (including the 3B and SS) all the way over to the middle and right sides of the infield...leaving only the pitcher and catcher as would be fielders had a ball been hit to the left side...What should "Mr. Team Player" have done? Stroke a groundball to the left and end up on 1st base easily! What did he do instead? On the third pitch, he yanked (no pun intended) a grounder into the teeth of the right side of the infield, and was retired without much effort. The rally started after he and A-Roid were both retired...had EITHER of them gotten on base, the Yankees tie the game, and take it to extra frames. That is the difference between Tino Martinez and his replacements...with Tino and the boys, it was about doing the little things to WIN BALLGAMES...not padding stats or caring less about a game that appeared over...

Now, for the biggest news as we approach yet another trading deadline...Toronto Blue Jays G.M. J.P. Riccardi has stated that he will listen to offers for his ace, Roy Halladay. I've said many times on this blog that Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball, bar none. The Yankees chose not to go after Santana, instead choosing to go the route of youth movement and eventually signing Sabathia and Burnett. If you are the Yankees, this is what you must do...let Riccardi know that you as the Bombers might be interested, and see what the Jays want in terms of a package...ask and find out if Boston or Tampa is involved as well. Once that is done, you offer up a package of say, Hughes, Joba, and perhaps Gardner or Melky. There is one hangup however, I would ask for the opportunity to sign Halladay to a long term deal before the trade was completed...a future rotation of Sabathia, Halladay, Burnett, Wang and (fill in the blank) would dominate baseball...AND weaken the Red Sox and the rest of the division. If there were ever a must do deal for an established star, this is the one. Pitching is a premium, and elite starting pitching doesn't get offered up everyday. Given, the Jays may be hesitant to deal with teams within their own division. However, who outside of the AL East can #1. afford the remaining $14+ million for the final year of Halladay's contract in 2010, and #2. if the big boys are out of the running, do the Jays honestly believe that the mid-market teams will offer up nearly the quality of prospects when they know Boston and the New York teams aren't in the running?

Lots of things going on in the great world of Major League Baseball...the Yankees finish up with Minnesota on Thursday, and head out west to take on their long time rivals, the Angels. I perhaps might catch a game on the left coast this weekend...we shall see!

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

From Pinstripe Alley:
1.Get your best roster in uniform. That means waving goodbye to Brett Tomko and Angel Berroa. It means getting Mark Melancon into the Yankee bullpen and giving him a real chance to show whether or not he can help. We know Tomko can't. Getting rid of Berroa would make space for Xavier Nady if/when he is ready to return, or for Shelley Duncan. Either of those guys would upgrade the bench and the offense. Ramiro Pena is better than Berroa, and right now should be the guy playing when A-Rod isn't.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
First let me open by stating that not all of Mr. Valentine's ideas are off-base, as you will read that I agree with a few of them...but pay attention, because this is where it gets real. Every team needs a mop up man. Brett Tomko is and should be that pitcher. Why burn up the arms of Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves or anybody else when the game is on the line when a veteran like Tomko can handle it-plus he brings a good attitude and will do what is asked of him for the benefit of the TEAM. I will agree that the Angel Berroa experiment has failed miserably. Hitting well under .150 should spell the end of Berroa in pinstripes. I do like the youngster Pena, who is hitting .247 with 11 runs scored and 3 steals. He is built more in the mold of a middle infielder however, and should spell A-Rod once a week until the All-Star break. Add Mark Melancon to the bullpen? Give him a real chance? Are you kidding me? Melancon will be a nice bullpen fixture, just not right now. He walks more than he strikes out, blowing a lead against a light hitting Angels squad, and failed to record a single out in the Yankees' 7-3 loss against the Red Sox. Melancon needs much more seasoning and a good secondary pitch before he gets another shot in the Bronx...a 5.40 ERA doesn't lie. I on the otherhand, would give young Josh Schmidt a shot to fill out the bullpen. Who? A young man sitting in Double-A Trenton. Schmidt is sitting at 4-1, a 1.19 ERA, and has 40 Ks compared to only 15 walks issued ANDhe has only allowed one bomb in 2009. A young man who doesn't yield bombs out of the bullpen is a perfect fit in the new Cathedral. And enough with the crazy Shelley Duncan talk already. The guy has proven over and over that he cannot make the adjustment to the next level, that being with the big club. I don't care that he is hitting near .300 has 64 RBI and has only struck out 42 times in 223 at bats in 2009. Don't care. The Yankees know what he is, which is a nice minor league player. You want to give a young player a shot, go with another all-around talent in Austin Jackson. In 2009, Jackson is hitting .336 and has 12 swipes. That is something that can be used off the Yankees' bench, not another 3 swings and return to the bench that comes with Duncan. As for X Nady...there is no guarantee that he will even be able to play the outfield with his elbow issues. He may end up being yet another outfielder that is stuck DHing because of an injury.

From Pinstripe Alley:
2.Get serious about making a deal for Mark DeRosa. DeRosa (.277, 13 home runs, 50 RBI) is a huge upgrade over anything the Yankees have on the bench. Not to mention he might be a better every day right fielder than Swisher. He can play third, second, first and both corner outfield spots. Guaranteed that the Yankees could find a lot of at-bats for him, no matter where he played.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
Mark DeRosa has struggled for the most part during the 2009 season. Even though his bat has come alive in recent weeks, he is still struggling to adjust to American League pitching. Cleveland will not give away DeRosa, and he is not worth more than a C-level prospect at best...Yes, I said PROSPECT as in 1! Cleveland will want to talk about Austin Jackson or any of the younger prospects such as Eric Fryer. If Brian Cashman is moronic enough to deal more than a bag of bp baseballs for DeRosa, he should be shot. Nick Swisher is the answer off the bench. He can play all three outfield spots, as well as first base. He provides a patient eye as well as a switch hitter at the plate. Nick brings a loosey goosey attitude to the clubhouse that has been missing for quite a few years. Swisher nor DeRosa are everyday players, so get that out of your collective minds right now.

From Pinstripe Alley:
3.Play Brett Gardner every day, at least for now. Center field is going to back-and-forth between Gardner and Melky Cabrera all season, and right now Gardner is clearly the better option. Melky was hot for a while, but he has hit .190 in June. Gardner hit .327 in May and is hitting .348 this month with a .464 OBP. The Yankees need some energy on offense, and the speedy Gardner needs to be given another every day chance to provide it.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
The Yankees need to continue to use the Melky/Gardner platoon. It is obvious that you go with the hot hand, yet find a way to keep the other player involved. Yes, right now it's Brett Gardner, next week it could be Melky again. Perhaps giving Austin Jackson a shot to work within the platoon may prove to be the better option in the end, and then you can use Gardner as the speedster off the bench, and deal Melky for another bench or bullpen piece.

From Pinstripe Alley:
4.Settle the bullpen. Get Melancon to New York. Give Phil Hughes and David Robertson important, late innings, not just mop-up ones. Let Alfredo Aceves handle the long stuff, which is what he is best at. Maybe, if you give these young guys the opportunity, you'll find you don't need Huston Street or another veteran reliever, after all.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
I do agree that the bullpen needs to be settled, but as I provided the real numbers on Melancon above, he has no business in the Bombers' bullpen in 2009. I also agree that Phil Hughes is being wasted in mop up roles, as Tomko should have that role exclusively, simply because he throws strikes, and he is a veteran, one in which getting lit up won't crush him mentally under the bright lights of the big city. I love Aceves in the long role, and I like David Robertson in certain situations...but here is the ONLY REAL SOLUTION to the Yankees' bullpen woes...put Phil Hughes in the #5 spot in the rotation and leave him there...put the fat toad part II as the 8th inning bridge to Mariano Rivera. It's obvious. Well, obvious to those of us that remember the last dynasty and how well having Mo setup Wetteland and then having the Nelson/Stanton/Mendoza bridge for Mo worked as well. You need a dominant arm that runs on adrenaline and isn't afraid of tight situations at the end of games to get the ball to Rivera. Why in the hell would Cashman make a trade to upgrade the backend of the bullpen when the answer is free, and is already in house? Probably the same reason that Cashman has gotten away from the recipe that worked to rebuild the farm system and the dynasty of the 1990s...after all, it's only been about 10 years since HIS Yankees' teams have won a World Series!

From Pinstripe Alley:
What I don't want to see
1.Joe Girardi or Brian Cashman getting fired. As of today, the Yankees are a playoff team. Firing the GM in the middle of the season isn't going to help anything. As for Girardi ... well, I have my issues with him, but now isn't the time to fire him. Clearly, Girardi knows he is managing for his job. He knows he has to win to be back in 2010, and I think it is affecting his managing. How else can you explain his reckless handling of A-Rod, his erratic handling of the bullpen and some odd in-game decisions in the late innings? He is feeling the heat. No doubt Girardi goes after the season if the Yanks don't make the playoffs. Right now, stay the course unless the wheels come completely off. If this current tailspin continues for a couple more weeks maybe we need to re-consider Girardi, but not right now. As for Cashman, I feel pretty much the same way. The thing he has done best in all his years as Yankee GM is do enough to keep his job. But, the Yankees of the past two years, on the field and on the bench, are clearly Cashman's team. If they fail to make the playoffs again it is time for him to face the music. But, not just yet.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
Some of the above statements are exactly was has been wrong with the Yankees since the end of the 2001 season. "As of today, the Yankees are a playoff team." Really? Is that what we have come to accept as success as Yankees' fans? The playoffs? Absolutely not. As Derek Jeter has said numerous times, if the Yankees do not win the World Series, it is a failed season. Last season was a failure, and as of today, 2009 is a failure. Whose fault is that? You guessed it, Brian Cashman's and Joe Girardi's. Cashman should've been fired after the 2003 debacle in the World Series (See the Jeff Weaver trade), and Girardi should never have been hired to replace Joe Torre in the first place. He is inexperienced, absent minded, and has absolutely no idea how to run in game strategy or a pitching staff. He hasn't just been managing to keep his job the last few weeks or this season and been awkward or inconsistent now. He's been giving away games since the day he filled out his first lineup card. At the end of the 2008 season, I could've given you readers AT LEAST 20 specific instances where Joe Girardi's boneheaded moves eventually cost the Yankees the ball game. How many games out of first did the Yankees finish in 2008? That's right 8! 20 games given away, and they still only managed to finish out of the money by 8 games. He never should've been hired, and he needs to go like yesterday already! I've said it on this blog numerous times, and I will say it again here right now...Buck Showalter, the taskmaster needs to be brought back to the Bronx to rattle the cages of these overpaid prima donna crybabies. Gene "Stick" Michael needs to replace Cashman, rebuild the farm system just as he did in the 1980s, just as he did in the 1990s, and make over the big club's roster to mesh together just as the dynasty teams did. As a former drill sergeant of mine used to say..."Common sense prevails Private!"

From Pinstripe Alley:
2.Joba in the bullpen. He hasn't been great, but you can make a case he is the Yanks' second-best starting pitcher. Hard to remove that from a rotation that has been shaky at times. After all, you have to have starters who pitch well before you worry about the late innings.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
Wrong, wrong and wrong. As with most of Mr. Valentine's arguments and suggestions thus far, poorly constructed, poorly thought out. Joba as the second best Yankees' starter? Get the f*^k outta here! In 2007, as the bridge to Mariano Rivera, Joba went 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA, 34 Ks and only 6 walks allowed. In 2008, the second coming appearance-wise of Hideki Irabu went 4-3, with a 2.60 ERA and 19 holds to go along with 118 Ks and 39 walks. There were only 2 instances where Joba stuggled in 2008 in the bullpen...2! As a starter last season, he did nothing but struggle, pitching less than impressive in at least 4 of his 11 starts in 2008. To say that he is the Bombers' second best starter made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. He has already struggled to make it past the 4th inning in 3 of his 13 starts in 2009. His velocity is down to 91 or 92 mph in most of his 1st innings, thus putting the Yankees in an early hole. Second best? Wrong. He has less than a 2:1 K to BB ratio, his ERA is hovering around 4, and he has yet to show the dominant stuff that Girardi and Cashman believe he has as a potential starter. You heard it here first...if a new manager takes the reigns before 2009 is over, Joba is done as a starter, just as he should be!

From Pinstripe Alley:
3.Crazy changes. Like Pena for Cano. Like releasing Hideki Matsui. Like getting rid of Wang.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
Desperate times always call for desperate measures. Drastic measures. If you as the most successful franchise haven't won a World Series in almost a decade, changes need to be made. The Steinbrenners and Cashman blamed Joe Torre for the failures since the dynasty crumbled. Now we see that it is actually upper management, the ownership, and a lame duck field boss that continue to plague the Yankees. Who suggested Pena takes over at 2nd base for Cano? Keep the infield intact, and yes, that includes the highly criticized Jorge Posada. The man has won titles behind the plate, I think he knows what he's doing. As for players like Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, they are dead weight. Unload both of them if you can. Matsui is a DH, nothing more, nothing less, and he's not producing big offensive numbers. Johnny Damon is a defensive liability who has cost the Yankees several games with his lackadaisical attitude and play in the field. Everything he gives you on offense, he lacks with the glove. I don't care if you deal him for a bucket of popcorn and a soda, just get some fresh legs in the outfield, again, Austin Jackson might be the answer...perhaps X Nady, Melky, whomever. Chien Ming Wang is still pitching hurt. I don't care what the Yankees say, I don't care what Wang says. Ever since the running accident in Houston, Wang hasn't looked anywhere near the same. I say shelf him for the season. Let his legs heal and let him work out the kinks, just like the Red Sox are with Matsuzaka in extended spring training or in the minors. Over the last 3 seasons, Wang has gone 19-6, 19-7, and 8-2 before ending the season hurt. Another reason the DH should be in both leagues. Wang hasn't just forgotten how to win. Winners don't do that. His mechanics and his body aren't right. Let him get things right before throwing him away.

From Pinstripe Alley:
Some Final Thoughts
Yes, things have been ugly for the past two weeks. I am not happy about it, and I am not going to excuse it. The Yankees left several winnable games on the table, and that needs to stop. Soon.

We all have to realize that no players are perfect. Mariano Rivera has blown saves every season of his career. Derek Jeter has hit into double plays every season. Players make errors. They occasionally do bone-headed things. Hitters will fail more often than they succeed, and pitchers will never throw every pitch exactly where they want to. It's baseball. It's a wild, unpredictable rollercoaster ride filled with lots of good times, and lots of bad ones, too.

In the end, what it comes down to for the Yankees is that the highly-paid key players on this team simply have to do a better job than they have done recently. If they can't the Yankees don't win. No matter who the manager or general manager is, and no matter what trades they make.

CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett need to win games, Chamberlain needs to get deeper into his starts and Wang needs to get better. Rivera needs to close games. A-Rod needs to hit, especially when it counts. Jeter, too.

It's still early, but it's not that early. In the end, this season will come down to whether or not the guys on this team making the big money because of what they have done in the past, can still get the job done.

What's Wrong with the Above Suggestions:
I hate to remind Mr. Valentine, but the issues with this franchise aren't simply 2 weeks old. Hell, they aren't 2 years old. We are going on a full decade with problems at the very foundation of this franchise. It does matter who the field manager and the GM are, because if you hire the wrong people, decisions can and will be made that can literally take decades to undo. How do I know? I am a Yankees fan. I lived through the 1980s when the Boss forced Stick Michael to trade every good prospect away and watched as my favorite player-Don Mattingly rotted on the vine, thus never getting his shot at legitimate October glory.

With Cashman's dealing over the last several years, the Yankees have left hundreds of games and possibly at least 3 World Series titles on the table, so don't tell me the Yankees are simply in a rut right now. The franchise as a whole are in a rut-a decade long rut, and the season is half over. Players such as Jeter and Rivera are getting older, and their future replacements need to be groomed and prepared for the day that these two cornerstones of a dynasty gone by are no longer around. When you put on the pinstripes, you are expected to have a career year every year. You are expected to win a World Series every single year. When you make more money than anybody else at your position in your profession, these are not unexpected expectations. You sign the contract, you best be prepared to take the heat of failure and the criticism that goes along with it from men like me.

I love the Yankees, and it pains me to watch this franchise year in and year out hand out money like Monopoly money to the wrong people. Damon was wrong. Clemens was wrong. Sheffield was wrong. Matsui was wrong. I could go on and on about the bad decisions of this franchise, but they appear nightly at a ball park near you. Moves must be made before the deadline. Bench and bullpen depth. The players that are here need to start earning their money. Girardi and Cashman need to be replaced. To say that it's the wrong time, hey, Bob Lemon replaced the beloved Billy Martin and the Bombers recovered from a 14 1/2 game deficit to win another title. Showalter is a Martin prodigy, and Girardi is a lemon...literally.

As much as I enjoy reading Mr. Valentine's blog multiple times per day, he is living in a dream world. A world where all is fair and that the right thing will happen if you believe. I live in a realistic world where expectations come with respect and money. I have been a Yankees' dan long enough to know that anything less than a title is failure. I know enough about the Yankees to know that Joba Chamberlain will never, ever be a dominant starter in the Major Leagues, but could be the best closer in baseball within the next few years. I know that men like Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman talk a really good game, and yes they both have championship pedigrees...but neither was ever responsible for winning those titles on their own. For Girardi, there was O'Neill, Bernie Williams, Tino, Brosius, David Cone, Pettitte, Wetteland and Rivera. For Cashman, it was Gene Michael, Bob Watson and the Steinbrenner check book. At some point everyone must take accountability for their decisions and their actions in life. It's time for the Yankees as a franchise to stand up, and act like adult men and take their whippings for being bad. Below is the link to the full article that Mr. Valentine posted on his wonderful blog, Pinstripe Alley!

http://www.pinstripealley.com/2009/6/23/921456/my-thoughts-for-fixing-the-yankees?ref=yahoo

On to some happier thoughts and feelings regarding the Bombers...the All-Star Game in St. Louis is right around the corner, and there is a major cage match battle going on between the Yankees and Red Sox as to whom is going to start for the American League at 1st Base. We of course want Mr. Mark Teixeira to start in his first season in pinstripes, while Red Sox nation wants to see the crybaby, Kevin Youkilis start yet again. I will be the first to give Youk all the credit in the world. He is one of my favorite players to watch, simply because of his Paul O'Neill-like intensity. He is a Gold Glove caliber fielder and a great bat for both average and power. However, Tex is having a better 2009! My wife the Red Sox fan, argues that Tex is having his nice season simply because of New Yankee Stadium, and how easily the ball flys out of the yard. I argue that any right hand hitter is at an advantage in Fenway because of the Green Monster, so don't blow that smoke up my butt! We as Yankee fans need to make sure that Tex gets out vote, over and over and over again as we can vote up to 25 times per email! Below is the link to do so, and if you feel like voting for any other Yankees, please do so!

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2009/ballot_reg.html

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

I ask this question every single week, and I am waiting for anyone to give me a legitimate answer...why does Joe Girardi still have a job? Here's an example of his mornic managing of a game: Second game of the Yankees/Red Sox series, Swisher gets on base with less than two out in the eighth inning, and Girardi pinch runs Gardner. Now Yankeeland...what should've happened next? Gardner made it to second base by Teixiera drawing a walk...a right handed batter is in the box and Okajima is on the mound...why is the tying run not on third base within two pitches? Instead, Gardner is trapped at second and the inning ends with nothing to show for it. This isn't the first of Girardi's absent minded innings, and I'm sure it won't be the last...

How much worse does Joba Chamberlain have to be to get his fat *** tossed back into the bullpen? He has looked awful in his last three starts, while Mr. Hughes has looked dominant out of the bullpen. Wang is a mess, and knowing his job is hanging by a string isn't helping his psyche I'm sure. Let the kid pitch. He's been successful in the past, and besides that, he's not much worse than the other starters of late...Instead, Cashman will give up somebody like Austin Jackson and go get somebody like Jose Valverde to setup Mo Rivera. What a joke when you have the solution in-house...

The Yankees went into the Red Sox series up a game, and left Boston down two games. They lost another game on Saturday as the Red Sox were handling Philly and Nieve shut the Bombers down. Fortunately, the Bombers gained a game back in the standings with Josh Beckett's implosion during the series finale with the Phillies. Boston gets the Marlins, the Yankees take on the Nationals. The Bombers should not overlook the Nats as most experts might have you believe. Martis is 5-1 and has shown promise...plus the Nats are playing for their manager's survival, and unless they completely shut down, they will play desperate, and they will play hungry. Look for the Yanks to take two of three, even though talent-wise, a sweep should be inevitable.

As always, take care, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

2 2/3 innings...$82 million dollars...0-4....$180 million dollars...this is exactly the reason the Yankees haven't won a World Series in almost a decade. The underachieving vomit performances of players-big ticket free agents like A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixiera have made me want to take those Gatorade barrels and bounce them off both of these bum's heads...and that is not to mention Mr. $275 million and his ********* error last night that opened the flood gates in Fenway...ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!

I've stated it before on this blog and I'm going to state it again...the Boston Red Sox ARE THE CLASS OF BASEBALL!!!! Yes, I am a Yankees fan, but I am also a true realist. From top to bottom, Major Leagues to amateur scouting, the Red Sox are the cream of the crop when it comes to Major League Baseball. Their owners are better, their management is better, their players are better, and hell, even their fan base is better! Wanna know why? Simply stated, they do things the way they are supposed to be done. We watch our ownership hand out millions to one year wonders like Burnett (who appears to be more in tune with Ed Whitson than Roger Clemens) and guys who melt under the bright lights of Yankees/Red Sox (Mark Teixiera). Here's an idea for Yankees' management...when looking at free agents, look at those players who ACTUALLY PERFORM AGAINST BOSTON! Jesus f*@^ing christ already! I am sick and frickin' tired of watching these overpaid, underachieving jerkoffs make me think for a few short days that they are ready to take the next step as contenders...they fight their way to the top of the division after a wonderful month and this is how you reward me as a Yankees' fan? 2 2/3 innings and an 0-4 en route to a 7-0 assbeating? F*$* off A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixiera! Go back to Toronto and Anaheim or whatever piece of crap rock you both came crawling out from under, and take 'roid boy A-Hole with you too!

Congrats to the Boston Red Sox, who once again have shown that they are the class of baseball, now sitting at 6-0 on the season against my Bombers...this is why they are in the middle of a dynasty and this is why the Yankees are the early 80's version of themselves...close but no cigar! The Red Sox may lose 2 of 3 to Texas...they may lose the occasional series to Toronto or Detroit...but when it comes to hammering home the idea that THEY OWN THE YANKEES....nobody does it better than the boys in Boston!

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

With one swing of the bat, Melky Cabrera once again proved his worth to the Yankees as his two-run blast lifted the Bombers over the Texas Rangers 8-6 in the Thursday matinee finale. Chien Ming Wang looked good for about 15 minutes during Thursday's start, then once again looked mortal as his sinkers were either too high or too low to fool batters into swining...and when they did, the new Boogie Down once again had trouble holding baseballs in the yard.

Girardi has stated that Phil Hughes' move to the bullpen doesn't necessarily mean that he won't start again in 2009, as Girardi has labeled Hughes his "6th Starter". I would give Wang a couple of more starts to get his feet under him, and if he continues to stink, then back to long man mop up duty for Mr. Wang in 2009. Mo Rivera came on and recorded yet another save as he approaches 500 for his brilliant Hall of Fame career.

MLB handed down a six game suspension to Yankees hurler A.J. Burnett for whizzing a high and hard one past the melon of Nelson Cruz during Tuesday night's series opener. Typical Bob Watson...Padilla (who by the way has since been released by the Rangers) gets fined, Burnett (protecting his teammate after getting belted twice in the same game) gets fined AND suspended. Bob Gibson must be puking in his mouth a little seeing how MLB handles things today. Burnett has just as much right to pitch in, and warn hitters as retaliation as Padilla does to flat out bean hitters that own him statistically (Teixeira).

Of course leave it to the former Yankees' GM to punish the Yankee big money contract rather than punish the player and/or team that started the whole mess. Burnett has already appealed the suspension, meaning he probably will make his next scheduled start on Sunday against Tampa in the Bronx.

The Yankees finish the day tied for 1st place in the AL East with the Red Sox, who are beginning to show signs of life again after a tough month of May. The Yankees can put the proverbial bullet in the heads of the Tampa Rays this weekend with a sweep at home, as Sabathia faces off against Price, Joba gets Garza, and Burnett gets Sonnanstine. It should be a well pitched series, but we now are all fully aware of what can happen when good hitters get their pitches in the new Cathedral.

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

One thing you can say about Vincente Padilla is that at least he is consistent. Last night in the Bronx, he beaned Mark Teixiera not once, but twice over the span of three innings. Did he get tossed? Nope. Double standard for say a guy like Burnett? Perhaps. Instead of hurting his team and charging the mound to put an ***-beating on Padilla, Tex instead took out rookie Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus with a clean, hard slide that sparked the Bomber bats and helped them pulverize Padilla and the Rangers 12-3 last night in the New Boogie Down.

I was as angry as anybody when I saw Tex get belted again, and nothing had been done. No warning, no ejections, no nothing. Don't be surprised however if one of the Rangers' big bats gets his just due before this series is over...with last night's big win, the Yankees have taken over the best record in the American League. Anybody wanna guess as to who has the best record overall? That's right. Mr. Torre and his Dodgers...what kind of drama would October have if the Yankees and Dodgers-led by Torre and Donnie Baseball met in the Fall Classic?

Now before I go much further, the one piece of interesting baseball outside of the Bronx tonight might be down the Atlantic coast in Washington, D.C. where former Yankee hurler Randy Johnson goes for win number 300. Okay, so he wasn't to the Yankees what Curt Schilling was to the Red Sox. Johnson did win 34 games and struck out 383 hitters in his two seasons in the Bronx. He was consistent, he was cranky. He was a media nightmare, he was a winner. However much Randy Johnson hated playing in New York, or however much Yankee fans hated seeing the mullet/mustache combo every fifth day for the Bombers, he gave it his all, and at the end of the day, he will be remembered as one of the, if not the greatest lefty handed hurler in the history of baseball. Good luck tonight Mr. Johnson, and thanks for two solid years in the Big Apple!

As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

One last item, if you are looking for me on Facebook, I'm listed under Guillermo Brost in Las Vegas! Click and add me as your buddy! Take care~

Jeremy Guthrie dug himself an early hole. What would normally be considered almost an insurmountable lead to overcome, visitors are learning that with mediocre pitching and a hitter friendly ballpark, no lead during the late spring and summertime of 2009 is safe. The Yankees jumped all over Guthrie Wednesday night at Cathedral 2.0, taking an early 5-0 lead, and all Phil Hughes had to do what pitch HIS game. Yes, he struck out a boatload of hitters...but was he dominant? I would say anything but.

Hughes barely lasted 5 innings, giving up 3 earned, and 2 home runs. Hughes should've cruised to an easy victory, going 6 or 7 solid, and making a case for his staying in the starting rotation. Instead it appeared to be another in a long line of immature outings for the former top pick of the Bombers, and he's more than likely punched his own ticket back to AAA-Scranton. Chien Ming Wang has looked great in his handful of rehab starts, and is ready to come back to New York for his next scheduled start this weekend.

What saved Hughes and the pitching staff, was that the Yankees' offense came alive. They became the Bronx Bombers of old, crushing everything that appeared to be near the strike zone. Swisher, Cano, and Melky all went yard with Jimmy Jacks, and the contest became one-sided very quickly. It was as close as 5-3 in the 8th inning, before the Yankees broke it open to finish off the Orioles once again, winning 11-4.

The standings are taking on a bit of a change in the AL East. The getting healthy Red Sox have handled the Toronto Blue Jays in the first two matchups, cutting their lead in the East to 1 1/2 games, while the Yankees having won 8 in a row with Wednesday night's victory, are within 2 1/2. Many people still question whether or not Toronto can hang throughout the season, but as I've told fellow competitors in my fantasy league..."It's a long season, and just about anything can happen."

So what happend tomorrow night during the Orioles/Yankees finale in the New Boogey Down? Joba Chamberlain gets another shot at revenge at Aubrey Huff, who took Joba deep during their last matchup, and made sure he knew that he was being mocked, as he did the Joba fist pump while circling the bases. Had it been me, I would've done one of two things...either taken my medicine, and shut my mouth, or I would've earholed Huff the next time he came to the plate. It was right around that time that the Yankees began this streak...perhaps it motivated all of them to shut their mouths and simply win games. We shall see what happens tomorrow night the first time Huff comes to the plate against Joba in the Bronx.

As always, take care, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

Now, on with baseball business. I know this entry is coming as the Yankees and Orioles are on the field warming up, but I just wanted to make a quick entry so as to not let my loyal readers down. The last place Baltimore Orioles come into the Bronx attempting to snap the momentum of the highest payroll in baseball, a team that has actually been playing above average. Teixiera is appearing to be snapping out of his season starting slump, the starting pitching is keeping the team in the game, and the bullpen has been serviceable.

Young Oriole rookie Brad Bergensen who has shown flashes of dominance takes on the giant man and contract of C.C. Sabathia in the series opener. The Yankees need to keep the winning up to surpass the injured Red Sox, and to gain precious ground on the upstart Toronto Blue Jays. The Bombers shoot for win number 8 in a row tonight, and 9 of their last 11. Baltimore is the type of team that contenders need to get fat on, because the top third of the division will be a blood and guts battle everytime teams matchup.

I do really like the young Oriole lineup...Roberts, Markakis, Scott, Huff, etc. Perhaps Baltimore will quit playing the small market card and bring up their top prospect, Matt Wieters to get his feet wet at the big league level so by the time the young pitching comes together, the everyday lineup will be gelled and hitting stride. The Yankees continue to try and get healthy, as Chien Ming Wang looked dominant in his last rehab outing, and he along with Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, and most importantly, Jorge Posada find their way back to the big club. I personally think that young 23-year old Francisco Cervelli has done enough to keep the backup job to Posada once Jose Molina comes off the disabled list. He is hitting almost .400, shown a rifle for a right arm, and the pitching staff loves working with him. Use Posada 4 days a week, DHing him the other 3 to get Matsui and Nady rest, and continue to let the young Cervelli develop. Send Molina packing.

Check back in tomorrow as I preview Game #2 of the series between the O's and the Bombers, highlighted by the Guthrie/Hughes matchup.

As always, take care, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

Well...then.... I can truly say, because it is backed up on your response via this blog, that I called this one. This was the best thing Celtic fan... I mean...did I want to see your team go to Cleveland and lose by 40+ like you did in April? I, at the very least, want Cleveland to be tested and worn out a little before the real contender extends their cities curse another year. That contender would be the L.A. Lakers a.k.a. we're bored until we get to the Finals.

Boston was a pretender both in the regular season, and in the playoffs this year and I will tell you why. Yeah, they were favored to win it again this year when the 2008-2009 season commenced. Yeah, they actually started 27-2 or something like that. HOWEVER, as the season script wrote itself, so did Boston as they lost something each month (whether a player, their mantra, team identity, or defensive intensity). They were clearly not the same team as they were a year ago even when KG was playing. As I stated on your blog last week, the fire was gone, they missed Posey and PJ Brown, and (you said it) they aged like fine wine - except, wine ages over time - Boston aged a decade in 11 months. Point here - Even with KG, it was NOT happening. Sure, they beat Orlando. Maybe, and I stress maybe, they beat Cleveland (a team that has lost 4 games since the All-star break)... then what? You really think you can stand toe to toe with us? We dispelled your crazy dreams twice already this year, trust me, we would have had no problem doing it again.

Actually, the sick part of me wanted Boston to go all the way to the Finals so we could beat them up some more. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until next year for that.

The question for the Boston fan is not what to say to me right now.... Oh no... The real question is what are you going to do with your team next year. Now, let's get this straight, I don't like you Celtic fan, never have and never will...but did anyone over there consider chopping the contracts of the Big 3 to bring in a Boozer or Milsap type player? Now... let's see which member of the Big 3 is a team playa????

I'm doing fine these days, despite the recent shake up in LALA land. Look...I don't mind being wrong, but I believe LA has this in 5 games. I just don't see it, and have never been a bandwagon junkie (plus the Lakers are my team), but to those who think Denver legitimately has a chance - I'm sorry... don't go putting your house on it (none of you will and something tells me you all know why too) - it ain't happening. It may be sexy for you to say Denver, but let me tell you what I know is fact:

1. Kobe owns the Nuggets and the State of Colorado itself for that matter (hence him going off on the Nuggets averaging 33 ppg this year... not to mention getting off in Colorado District Court, thank god for lawyers);

2. Gasol + Bynum + Odom does not = NeNe + BirdSh*t + Martin (sorry folks);

3. Kobe or Melo? Thank you.

4. L.A. Bench v. Nugget Bench? Thank you.

5. Billups v. Fisher? You got me there.... But guess what? That ain't enough to beat us; and

6. Shane Battier is not on Denver, he's on Houston, and is the best defender Kobe has ever faced (and will face) going forward.

Note: I won't even mention home court.

Oh yeah, I am supposed to be talking about the Celtic's right now. But as I think about it, there is nothing else to say but I hope Paul Pierce can get down to the retirement community in Florida and compare the rims on his wheel chair to his old man's. Listen, I also saw Rondo getting carried off against the Bulls only to laugh it about in a press conference after the game when asked - shenanigans folks.

In closing, it will be nice to hoist another banner in tinsel town, without Shaq and without the site of green anywhere for miles....

(as written by Joe Riccio)

Please feel free to contribute your comments, good or bad to this blog or through my e-mail at westcoastyankees@yahoo.com

As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

So, with all of that said, the next little Yankee fan is en route and due October 17th! Until then, I must contiune writing about the current incarnation of the Bombers, and what has occurred in the Bronx over the last few days. Three walkoff wins after being down late in all three contests shows that these Yankees sometimes can have some fight in them...and it also continues to frustrate me as to how and why they wait until they are on the ropes before they decide to start making things happen. Hughes, Chamberlain and Burnett all pitched well enough to win, yet the offense continues to sputter. Tonight, it's Andy Pettitte, as the Yankees go for the 4-game sweep and the knockout. It's important that the Yankees gain some momentum, having won 2 of 3, in each of the last two series, because the Blue Jays are still on a roll, and the BoSox are injured.

Brett Gardner pulled a Bambino and promised an ill little girl he'd do his best, and he did! The Baby Bombers continue to make progress as Wang, Bruney, Molina, Marte, Nady, and Posada work their way back towards a return. For once, I would love to see what this team could do healthy. The odds that we as Yankee fans see that in 2009 is marginal at best...keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned!

As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

These Baby Bombers went a combined 4-11 with several extra base hits, helping the Yankees and Andy Pettitte get back on the right track, winning last night 8-2. Brett Gardner in his return to the lineup, lashed his first big league bomb along with a triple, and Ramiro Pena and Francisco Cervelli filled in the rest-all from the lower third of the batting order.

Yes, Mark Teixiera finally showed some signs of life last night, getting two hits, but it was the young players, along with veteran (even though he too is still very young) Melky Cabrera who provided the spark in the victory last night. Pena has done better than average since filling in for both an injured A-Rod and Jeter. Is he the future at shortstop? Highly unlikely, but it is nice to see a young player come up from the farm and contribute against a division foe.

I still believe in Brett Gardner. I love his speed, I love the spark and enthusiasm he brings to what is normally an old, slow and business as usual group of players. He's hitting .250 as of last night, and even though he needs to get on base more consistently, once he does, he could end up manning centerfield in the Bronx for a dozen years. As for Francisco Cervelli, what else can you say except great job young man! The Yankees promote him to the big club from AA Trenton, and he not only throws out runners with a very strong arm, but he too is hitting right around .270. He could be the next Yankee backstop longterm. We don't know what his power stroke will be (if he even has one), but he drove in his first major league RBI last night. With the legend Jorge nearing the end of the road, the Yankees really have to start looking to the future for the next catcher and shortstop. Cervelli or young prospect picked up over the offseason from Milwaukee, Eric Fryer could end up being the answer.

Regardless, the Yankees got a much needed win last night against a first place team. Now it's time for Sabathia to let Toronto know that until they win the division, this is still a Red Sox/Yankees race. With a win tonight, that will be 4 of 6 heading home to face the Twins over the weekend. The Twins, who were involved in a marathon against Detroit last night, should be reeling and a little worn out by the time they reach the Bronx. Tune in tonight, and check back tomorrow as I review the Yankees/Blue Jays finale from Rogers Centre!

As always, take care, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!

Could it have been over before it ever started last night? The Blue Jays fans in Toronto booing like they've never booed before. The feeling of betrayal, the feeling of disgust and anger, and the desire for sweet revenge...all contributing factors in the minds of Blue Jays fans everywhere last night as the Yankees invaded Rogers Centre for the first of three games. I previewed this series yesterday, and predicted that the Jays handle business quite easily, 5-1. And...yes, I know, the final score was 5-1, and the Jays led by early Cy Young favorite Roy Halladay were never challenged.

Halladay was dominant, going the distance, allowing only a handful of hits and one run, all the while picking up his seventh victory of the season. The Jays showed once again why they are in first place in the AL East, and the Yankees are fading quickly. Veteran leadership, timely hitting, and the desire to WIN-all factors in last night's win. The Yankees on the other hand, were without Derek Jeter who has an oblique pull, and the remainder of the team outside of Johnny Damon yet again, looked old and disinterested.

At some point, GM Brian Cashman and Manager Joe Girardi are going to be held accountable for what is going on out on the playing field. Cashman put this geriatric roster together, so he has to go. Girardi continues to make mistakes that Little League and Babe Ruth coaches make when it comes to strategy and basic baseball 101...he too has to go, unless the Steinbrenner's are happy watching another $200 million plus go down the toilet along with another wasted season for players whose sand is already running through the hourglass at breakneck speed.

A.J. Burnett didn't look scared. He just looked absent. He looked uncomfortable, and he like the rest of his Yankee teammates, looked less than interested. For some reason, these 2009 Yankees think they are the 2006 or 2007 Yankees. The ones that fell back in the standings early, only to go on a crazy second half run and secure their postseason birth at the last minute. I hate to be Captain Obvious here, but these aren't those Yankees, and these Yankees only care about the 1st and 15th of every month. Nothing more, nothing less. Yankee pride is dead and gone, and that includes the Captain, Derek Jeter. He is old, can't hit, and is pathetic at best playing shortstop. He needs to move to left, and be done with it. He wants his 3000 hits in pinstripes, then move positions, because Mr. Jeter, you are NOT A SHORTSTOP any longer.

For about 5 minutes coming into this season, I thought perhaps the lack of a postseason last year would remotivate this group to be hungry, to come into 2009 with something to prove, similar to what the '97 Yanks did after getting bounced by the Indians in the Divisional Series. The '98 Yankees, ahh the good old days. For a split second, I thought the 2009 Yankees might care just a little bit. Perhaps wanting to reestablish themselves in Cathedral 2.0, but I was wrong. As I've said in past entries, until this organization is gutted from top to bottom, Yankee fans can rejoice their Hot Stove victories each winter, because in October, they haven't a clue.

As always, take care, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!