Dawn Turns to Day, and Nothing Gold Can Stay

Poetry here by Robert Frost, and "Nothing Gold Can Stay" presented in an early, pre-publication form.

My uncle Van passed away this weekend. He was a fun guy, had a good sense of humor [and red hair - can ya see we're related?] Sylvan Earl Wallace. Van was born in Alva, Oklahoma, on June 6th of 1932; the family was from Wichita but during the Great Depression had gone down to OK to farm. He hated being referred to as "Sylvan"; much preferring "Van".

Van was a big Arkansas Razorback fan, having settled in Bentonville, Arkansas [yes, he worked for Wal-Mart and met Sam Walton, whom he always referred to as "Mr. Sam"]. Being an alumnus and huge fan of the Florida Gators, I always gave Unk a lot of guff [like sending him postcards from Florida Field :-)]; naturally, he felt the same about his team.

I'll miss Uncle Van, and my condolences go out to my dear Auntie Rene [Florene, but she prefers the shortened version just as her husband preferred with his own name] and the family.

Here's some words from Robert Frost which I find apropos:

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leafs a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

In autumn she achieves
A still more golden blaze
But nothing golden stays.

10 Nil

Joba looked good, 6 and 2/3 with seven K's [ERA is 2.03]. Bobby Abreu whacked a 3-run dinger and threw out a dude at the plate. Justin Christian continues to look good. Rubber game tonight with Moose taking the hill, looking for #11.

Tomorrow, twin-stadium bill with Dangerous Dan Giese and Sid Ponson [dangerous for an entirely different reason!] twirling for the Bombers.

In other news, our ol' pal, Shawn Chacon, grabbed his GM by the neck and threw him to the ground [in a restaurant] and proceeded to jump on him. Shawn says he was provoked, and I'm guessing that he probably was, but he's still in trouble. Wonder if we will see him back in the Bronx?

Mister Christian

Welcome to the big leagues, Justin Christian. Got a hit and knocked in two runners, yet Pittsburgh played Captain Bligh [get it? Pirates? Arrrrr!] in holding the Yanks down, 12-5.
This was before my time, but Justin played for O'Fallon, Missouri, in Independent ball. I still have MY Riverdogs ballcap....

Joba's going tonight, and hopefully this will get things going in the right direction. We could use taking the next two from Pitt, and with Willie Randolph conveniently axed, no mercy for the Metsies. [Then again, Sid Ponson.....]

Maz

Growing up, I remember legendary things, some of them painful. Yanks out-scoring the Pirates, 55-27, but losing the 1960 Series. I don't remember actually watching it, being not quite two years old at the time, but I remember the pain. Maz, with the walk-off Series winning homer. Won the Series, cost the ol' Perfesser his job. Bill Mazeroski was a wonderful player and turned a beautiful pivot at second. I respect him, and so I hope no one takes personally what I am about to say: Fuck you, Maz.

Blather

I know I'm not putting together anything remotely relevant.
Now, here's why: I write horribly when I cannot concentrate. Whenever I am awake, either one roommate is up and puttering around, making noise, or the other one is watching TV about eight feet away. Eventually, things will work out: Roomie #1 has sold his house up north and is buying a place here and having his family come down; rooms #2 should have a job shortly, and might actually be out of my hair as well. Good thing, before anyone doesn't make it. ;-)

601

Griff got 601 off Krazy Kyle.
Big deal: dude's still a hater.

Curses!

Curses! Out-duelled again :-(

Moose went eight, but Yanks dropped, 4-2. What, you were expecting to win out? Hey, it's a marathon. When ya win 100 games, ya also lose 62. It happens. Mike pitched his brains out; today, it wasn't quite enough. Next up: Dangerous Dan Giese, today at one.

Curt Schilling is undergoing surgery. His season is over, maybe his career. I don't see him going into coaching; rather, broadcasting, if anything.

I mentioned a while ago that Yankees signed Sidney Ponson. In a move which I believe corresponds, Steven White has been removed from the 40-man roster. Armed with velocity, White seemed an heir apparent to Messrs. Joba, Phil, and Ian, yet his ERA this season at Scranton has hovered around 6.6. He's cleared waivers, and remains in the Yankee organization. This clears a spot for the Mets doubleheader, when we'll need a sixth starter. You guessed it: El Gordo looks to be on the hill for that, and unless he impresses, it'll be one and done for the big goof with baggage and attitude.

Wheeee!

Rasner pitched well-enough to win and Alex Rodriguez belted another ball outta the yard. Yanks win, 8-5. Five and a half back of Boston, but right there in the WC race. Long way to go, many games to be played. Now, WHO doubted the Yankees?

Signs

Signs of the Impending Apocalypse:

The Yankees signed pitcher Sidney Ponson.
Twice, now.

Willie Makeit? Betty Wont.

So the Mets went and fired Willie Randolph. On the road. After a victory. At 3 AM, Eastern Time. Such lack of class by the organization! Ever wonder why we have 26, and they have only two? Class.... They USED to have it, when Gil Hodges managed the team.

Wonder if we can find a spot for Rick Peterson, helping develop young arms? [I am assuming Joe Torre will eventually have Willie help Dem Bums - Willie grew up in Brooklyn.]

Pitchers Hitting

When baseball was invented, pitchers got to bat. In every league except the National League, and the Nippon Central League, pitchers no longer have to hit: the Designated Hitter gets the chore [or, in Billy Crystal's case, the Designated Hebrew ;-) ]. In the National League, and the Nippon Central League, pitchers still hit. Personally, I enjoy the dichotomy - at the top level. In the minors, in college, and in high school, pitchers should have to hit. It's all about learning.
Now, about those individuals carping about Chien-Ming Wang getting injured by running the bases. I love the Yankees, and I hate to see him get hurt. Having said that, all of you whining about the NL joining the 21st century and other unmanly whinings: STFU. Even you, Hank Steinbrenner. Just shut it. Injuries happen. Suck it up. Let's win, regardless. Adversity tempers steel. Whining does not = winning. We are better than that. Shut up.

Big Win and Sweep

Swept the Astros, thanks to many heroic efforts. Johnny D, Gojiru, Alex, Jorgie all well over .300, and Messrs. Giambi and Rodriguez both tearing the cover off the ball. Moose got his tenth, Wanger his eighth, and Joba made good progress. We're [finally] on a roll.

Running the bases, Chien-Ming Wang hurt his foot. Initially, all feared that it perhaps was an Achilles Tendon, and happily, that seems not to be the case. Possibly a stress fracture, which would mean a stint on the DL. Possibly just what they are currently calling it now: a strain. Give it a couple of days for the swelling to go down and for the X-Ray and MRI to be taken/analyzed. Tuesday, we should know more.

Well-earned off-day for the troops today, and that should give me some time to write up Renaissance Festival stories along with Father's Day notes. Hope y'all had a Happy Father's Day [I know I did :-)]

Oh, Captain....

Derek Jeter led off the 8th last night with a bases-empty blast, propelling the Bombers to a 2-1 win over Houston. Johnny D had sat the night out [with no DH in the NL park, Gojiru was out in left], so our Captain led off. Robinson Cano batted second and had an ohfer, dropping his average down to .217. He'd best pick up the pace, or it'll be "Crusoe" instead of "Cano".

Pitching. More heartwarming tales to tell: Joba went six strong innings, only allowing one run. NOW, who still thinks this was a bad idea? QVeras went two and got the "W". Farnsy did a scoreless ninth for the save [Really! I am not making this up!]. Joba even fared better at the plate than Robby, going 0-2 instead of M. Cano's 0-3.

Now, our erstwhile ace, Mike Mussina goes tonight against the estimable Wandy Rodriguez. Juan D has a fine ERA which will no doubt balloon after tonight, and his 2-2 pales next to the 9-4 of Moose. Let's get this one, and then lets batter Oswalt on Sunday for the sweep!

A Granny for the Birthday Boy

Hideki Matsui, 34 years old. Runs like he's 80, hits like Smoky Burgess [falling out of bed deep in winter, could still scorch the hide off the ball]. Gojiru whacked one over the right-center wall with three men on, giving Andy all the run support he needed for a 4-1 victory over Oakland. Andy went eight and allowed one run. He's at 6-5 and maybe starting to roll...

Now, Jobamania hits Houston, and our ol' pal Shawn Chacon takes the hill for the Astros. Shawn did well for us when he was in the Bronx, and I still like him :-) Time to get a winning streak going.... and, Happy Birthday, Hikeki-san!

Milton Bradley's Not a Game

Great idea, Milty: ballplayers tracking down announcers with evil intent. Face it, pal - you do not belong in the game. Hell, Shoeless Joe is not in the Hall of Fame, and his transgression is far lighter than this. Milton Bradley deserves to be banned from baseball. Go get treatment for whatever your disorder is.

Seriously, Milton Bradley's behavior is an embarassment to the game, and the situation should not be allowed to continue.

Welcome Home

So, Ras gives up a slew of runs and the Yanks got beat, 8-4. What didja expect, the second coming of 1978 Gator Guidry? Nerves mighta had something to do with it, after all. Betcha he settles down and gets it going again after this.

Meanwhile, Wanger seems to have straightened-out a bit, and Andy goes tonight. Hopefully he'll straighten up and fly right ;-)

Wang is Right

7-Win Wang defeats Athletics, 3-1. Next up, Darrell Rasner. One in a row - we're on a roll! Mo is going to need a rest sometime soon - hope we clobber the A's tonight so he gets a breather. Go Yankees!

Running Man

It's no secret. Well, I'm not shouting it from the rooftops or any such crap, but I really dig Miss Ulrike. She runs. Marathons. Blond[e]. Great personality. Great legs. Wears Nike. Just about the Perfect Girl [and, younger than me, so that counts as "Trophy"! :-) ] She seems to dig me, too. Good things are worth waiting for. [Unless women begin to fall from the sky]

Toes. I push off on each of my little toes, and wouldn't ya know it, each is very bruised, and blistered, and painful, and a lot of skin has sloughed-off. I can get about two consecutive runs without being injured. Rib cage. Sacro-iliac. Toes. It's frustrating. I'm taking the day off from exercising, today, and tomorrow, off to my Tuesday ritual, dinner with that fabulous Russian girl, Marina. Sure, she'll be working at the time, but that's about the only way to pin her down ;-) Wednesday, I'll run. Thursday, too. Then, Friday with Riki at the Pub.

Moleskin. Works pretty well and seems to prevent new injuries, but it's just a holding pattern. I've broken down and ordered a pair of Nike Free, the shoes which simulate running barefoot. Pix has a pair and likes them, and her bro', Coach Jeff, likes them as well. Gotta begin building those toes, ya know?

Running. Maybe I'll have to catch Riki, ya know ;-) Hope so.

Hey!

32-32, lost 3-2 to KC for a four game split. Yeah, yeah, it's a burr under the saddle and all.

Now: here's why I am not worried.
Moose went eight, giving up two earned. He still has nine wins, and his ERA is 3.86.
Alejandro Rodriguez hit his tenth home run.
Mariano Rivera gave up a dinger in the ninth, for the loss. His ERA remains BELOW 1.00.

Look, sometimes ya play good, and ya still lose. Today was one of those days. The Yanks played good and KC won the game. Can't wait for tomorrow!! :-)

All Hail Dan Giese

All Hail Dan Giese. The rookie came on in support of Joba Chamberlain and held the Royals down. Meantime, Jason Giambi and Alex Rodriguez kept things going on offense, with the Yanks winning, 6-3. Giese was rewarded for his perfecto by getting his first win, and he HAS looked pretty good in long relief [so far].

Joba started, and was down, 3-2, when he left. Still, an improvement over his first start. Anyone who is disappointed with his progress is just downright impatient. Give the boy time. Chip Carey and Ron Darling pretty much said the Yanks, in starting Joba, are using a panic move. Morons. This was the plan all along - keeping Joba in the bullpen would have been the panic move, in that it would have been unplanned. Go Yankees!

Sexy Calves

Johnny Damon and his sexy calves came through last night, leading the Yanks to a wild, 12-11 victory over Kansas City. Johnny D went six for six, the first Yankee to have six hits in regulation since Myril Hoag in 1934, and not only tied things at ten in the bottom of the eighth, but knocked in the winner in the bottom of the ninth. That wild caveman is now up to .326 on the season, and seems to be keying a rejuvenated Bomber attack.

Dave Eiland has his work cut out for him, though. Successive clinkers by Cy Wang and Andy Pettitte were only saved by the boys with bats. Today, Joba Chamberlain strides the hill and takes the pill, and as I write this, Bobby Abreu just went deep, taking the Captain with him. 2-0 Yanks, and a good day beckons :-)

3-3, 2.58

It's Darrell Rasner, who continues to impress. 118 pitches last night, 75 for strikes. Gave up two through eight, but the Yanks only plated one. DR's 3-3 record belies the fact of his stellar pitching. One bad outing; with proper run support, he'd be at 5-1. Over the last three games [granted, his last game was not great], his mates have scored three runs. Losing 1-0 and 2-1 is no crime. Keep up the good work, Ras.

In other news, Tampa and Boston have clashed. Lots of me-too ism coming from that.... Tampa and the Yanks clashed earlier. Anyone else get the feeling that Tampa is just trying too hard? Remember, Yanks and Sox dates back to at least 1904, when the bad guys won the pennant on the last day, beating our 40-game winner. Instant rivalry, Tampa-Boston or Tampa-NY? Let's give it a few years and see.....

Now [imploring sweet Melanie for her opinion on this one] what is up with Manny and Youk tangling? Is it truly over, or will bad blood begin to destroy clubhouse chemistry?

Fools and Gold

Ever hear of the "Sophomore Jinx"? That's a baseball phenomenon wherein a young player who came up and set the world on fire as a rookie finds that the big leagues are tougher in the second season. This occurs because the league has made adjustments and they do not for whatever the reason adapt quickly enough to these adjustments. Typically, they adapt in the third season and go on to have stellar careers [although Mark Fidrych and Joe Charbonneau were unable to do so].

Robinson Cano, now in his third season, is undergoing just such a season. Off to a terrible start, he is finally up above .220, but it's been a struggle. Robbie has poor plate discipline but gets his hacks [kinda reminiscent of Manny Sanguillen, really] - really sweet swing. Doesn't like to walk, so his on-base average is lower than it should be.

I liken this season for him to a sophomore jinx in that the league finally understands that he will swing early and often, and that to begin with a strike can have fatal consequences. The league consensus is to begin out of the strike zone but not too much; entice Mr. Cano to swing at a bad pitch for a strike one count, or [even better] hit the ball fair but without good wood on it for an easy out.

How Robbie will succeed: Here's hoping Bobby Abreu is contagious. With good plate discipline, Cano would begin seeing better pitches to hit, and his on-base average would rise markedly [both because of the increased batting average, but also because of more bases on balls]. His power numbers would also go up; waiting on his pitch would result in better contact and harder hit balls. He can achieve this, if he wants to badly enough. Then and only then would I move him up in the batting order. Right now, he's not ready.

That's the gold portion.
Fools. Can you believe that people are already giving up on Cano? These are the same people that were willing to run Mike Mussina out of town, and relatives of the same mob who booed Roger Maris. Classy, assclowns. Have patience and it will be rewarded. Have impatience and it, too, will be rewarded. Fools.

You Heard it Here, First

Gerrit Cole. [Wonder if the "G" is soft or hard?] He's a high school arm out of California, stands 6' 3" and weighs in at 195. Velocity in the upper 90's at this point counted as a plus. Some bite on the slider which he throws in the 70's [making it almost sound like more of a slurve]; circle change comes in in the high 70's. Throws all three for strikes. Some adjustments coming project slider as a plus pitch in the future.

Some makeup issues: tends to be animated on the mound [he's only 18, for Pete's sake!]. This should clear up with added experience and maturity. Client of Scott Boras. Yankees first round pick in the amateur draft. Could have gone higher, NY probably got a good value as they are now willing to pay over slot money [given their resources, this is a huge advantage].

Tall, lanky, good velocity on fastball, developing slider projects well, effective change which he can hit the strike zone with. Physically and stylistically reminds some of Krazy Kyle Farnsworth [which I take as a good thing].

You heard it here, first [almost!]

Nine to Eight, and Rassie's Up Next

Bottom of the ninth, Giambino homers with one on and two men out. Yanks win, 9-8. Darrell Rasner [our latest hope] takes the hill and throws the pill, tomorrow. Life is good.

When yer going good, ye bail out yer ace [Chien-Ming Wang] who falters.

Krazy Kyle Farnsworth hates one run leads. Down 7-6 in the top of the ninth, he gave up one more, just to be sure. Jason G got him the win. I swear, Kyle hates one run leads so badly, we should put a bat in his hands.

Mick, Mike and Hockeytown

Nine wins for Mike Mussina. I know folks have speculated about what it would take for Mike to win twenty, and it's good to theorize. Meantime, something closer on the horizon: the All-Star Game. It's in The Stadium, and wouldn't it be cool if Moose was in it? I'd call it fitting.

Someone else who may be going: Derek Jeter, our Captain, passed Mickey Mantle on the Yankees' list of batters who have hit safely. Mick is now in fourth place behind Jeter; perhaps you have heard of #s 1 and 2, Messr.s Ruth and Gehrig? At the rate Cap is going, he'll be the first Yank to reach 3000 hits all in pinstripes; who knows - some even postulate 4000!

Detroit Red Wings. Stanley Cup Champions. Congratulations :-)

Joba Time is Here to Stay

62 pitches and a no-decision. Time to build. A time to sow, yet not the time to reap. Behold Joba the Starter, and it will be better as time passes. Now, 9-3 losers and on a three game skid, we turn to our new stopper, same as the old stopper, Mike Mussina. Gotta make three stand up against Totonto, but Halladay IS a tough nut to crack.....

On to other news. David Ortiz is hurting, might be on the DL for fifteen, maybe longer. That hurts both of my fantasy baseball teams! That hurts my pal, Miss Melanie, as well :-( No rejoicing - Yanks need to turn inward and fix their own problems. Focusing on another team is a great way for ten teams to give ya problems. So, heal up, Papi. Now, let's get #9 for Moose.

Ellas

Ellas McDaniel has passed away. Known for his distinctive, square guitar and the rambling beat of his music, Bo Diddley was 79 years old. Back when I lived in Gainesville, the McDaniel family farmed over in Hawthorne [Wikipedia says he lived in Archer, but that's not how I remember things], and if you knew where to look, was even in the local phone book. You don't know Diddley... No Bo, no mo. My condolences to Ellas' family.

Sometimes

Sometimes ya coulda won, but ya didn't. 6-5 to Minnesota. Bombers certainly had the hits, but left some guys stranded. Andy pitched well enough, seven plus innings, four earned runs. At least he was not responsible for the loss. Krazy Kyle, with gas can in hand.....

Tonight, back to the Stadium. It's Joba Time!

Ras(buries)

Darrell Rasner gave up two runs in the first and the Yanks went down to defeat, 5-1. Losing sux, blah blah blah but here's the bottom line: Ras kept us in the game. It's true, being down by two in the first puts pressure on the offense, but our offense should put pressure on opposing pitchers, and last night, they did not do so. [Excepting, of course, that singular pressure to the nose of Minnesota starter Nick Blackburn, provided by a ball batted by Bobby Abreu. Bloody nose, nothing broken. Thank goodness!]

In the Post, one of the resident hacks notes that this will not jeopardize Rasner being in the starting rotation. Why is this even a question? Does anyone question Wang or Pettitte having a bad outing? How about Moose a while back going less than one inning? No, Rasner has earned his spot, and four runs in six is not that bad of an outing, in the context of things.

Jeff Karstens, meanwhile, is hurting again. Maybe it's time to shut down for the season and build toward next. Reckon there will be starting spots to fight for then.

More Odds, Fewer Ends

Catching up a few things:

Molly Jo's just not an option. We have fun together, but we live thirty miles apart, and philosophically, I'm looking to settle down, and she's looking to be "one of the guys". Now, I expect to get a lot of guff from all of the guys I know, but it's not what I am all about. I actually DO think and feel and want to do what's right. Besides, I texted her a Happy Mother's Day and she hasn't gotten back to me.

Smiley. What a gal... don't think that I don't have feelings for this woman, but she's career-minded, and to properly follow her career, she'll have to leave the area. I am not the right man for her, and she's not the right gal for me, painful as that is to admit. I'm smart enough to admit it.

Margaret and/or Linda. Dear, dear friends and unattached. They also own houses! Alas, half a continent away. Long-distance makes no sense. Good to have dear friends [and, an honourable mention to dear Pix, who falls into this category for the most part, and the above-category, too, somewhat].

My Pirate Krew. They love South Dakota, but the snow has been pretty fierce [they just got 3 inches, and 'twas almost June!!]. We're geting back on speaking terms, though; indeed, I sent Lovely Laura some pirate trinkets for her birthday, and at yesterday's Pirate Fest, blew entirely too much $$$ on all four of the gals, which I'll send when the time is right. We've come to an agreement: if I am unattached after the winter, and if the winter is harsh to the point where they wish to leave SD, then I have permission to re-commence pestering them.

Who does that leave? Well, there IS one gal I fancy, and she comes over and sits with me for brief moments. I keep finding more and more good things about her, coincidental stuff, but I am beginning to really dig this chick :-) Great figure, and lo and behold, she told me that she runs [good - I need to find someone who is active, same as me]; she has run in marathons [me, too!]; she prefers Nike to New Balance [man, this is lining up perfectly!!] and she enjoys fusbol. I gave her a small pair of Triskele earrings from the Spotsylvania Fest, and she was clearly touched by the gesture. Naturally, trinkets will continue as I have gotten a nice pair of pirate skull n bone earrings for her, and at the soap salesman, found a nice doggie soap for her pooch. This might be the one.... ;-)

Crazy

No, not the Willie Nelson song, sung so marvelously by Patsy Cline [although that is now going through my mind]. The Yanks and their crazy season and crazy fans.

Last night, 7-6 in twelve over those pesky Twinkies. [Ho ho ho?] Here's the interesting part: Johnny Damon singled and so did the Cap, bringing up Bobby Abreu. Bobby singled, bringing around Johnny D. on those sexy calves to score the winner. Congratulations to all involved. Here's the rub: who have we been talking about mostly these past few weeks?

Well, Mike Mussina, and now Abreu, and let's throw in Pornstache Giambi into the mix. Who's been coming up big for the Yankees, time and again? [Mussina, on track for 24 wins. Abreu, wins it in the 12th and always steady offense. Giambino, leads the club with 11 dingers].

Youth eventually must be served [actually, age eventually kills] but one must make certain. For starters [yes, good pun!] we went with Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Hindsight being 20-20, they needed more seasoning. Now, Yankees fans are about as impatient a lot as can be imagined, and the tone over the winter was that we should allow Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi to play out their options and leave the Bronx, and that we should send Mike Mussina to Philly or shoot him or something, as though he were in some fashion tainted by Pavanoism.

Let's look at reality: what advantage do the Yankees have, far and above every other team? [Well, 26 rings, a storied history, a hallowed cathedral to play in and really cool uniforms, but besides all that.] Resources. We have the resources to prevail. We should use them instead of relying upon wings and prayers.

For example: Jason Giambi. We could re-sign him for a zillion bux, or we could buy out his 2009 season for five million. Face it: G-Man is not likely to get another long term deal. Like PeteAbe said, maybe we could buy out 2009 for those five mil, and then give him another five to play for us one more time. Fans zero in on the fact that the Yankees roster construction is flawed, and it is, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! What is the alternative at first? Betty? Morgan Fairchild? The Place Where Derek Jeter/Jorge Posada's Career Went to Die? Nope. We tried the defense thing, and if that was our most important concept at 1B, Man-Cabbage would still be manning the ground. It's all about the offense, man, and Jason Giambi provides it [when he's not injured]. Like it or not, it's our best option.

Bobby Abreu. Let's be real, now. People seriously talk about letting him escape. Okay, Melky to right, and Brett Gardner or Austin Jackson to CF. Why? What have they ever done for us in the bigs? I want those guys to come up and be world-beaters, and they might be someday, but [and this is the key point] - they are not, right now. If we practice slash and burn, we'll have yet another painful session of growing pains to endure, much as the one we are currently experiencing with Phil and Ian. Bring back Bobby, and even though it may take two or three years, do it.

Moose. We'd have been screwed without his production so far. Wanger and Andy have faltered a bit; thankfully Moose leads the league in wins. Now, if Heckle and Jeckyll can get their shit all in one sock [I am referring to CMW and Andy, not Messrs. Hughes and Kennedy], then we'll make a run for it. Andy's tired of it all. He might just up and retire at the end of the season. Think about it: let's assume Moose and Andy both part company. No way is Pavano coming back. That leaves us a rotation of Wang, Rasner, Hughes, Kennedy, and Chamberlain. Absolutely zero room for error, and if that is our rotation in 2009, we won't be going anywhere in October, except home. Once again, we are all-too-quick to jettison the aged as we hope to catch lightning in a bottle, the lightning of youth. I do not enjoy the growing pains when there is no alternative. Bring back Mike!

Rasner. Darrell Rasner. Give that man the ball, and give him a chance. Not the chance afforded to Tyler Clippard or Matt DeSalvo, or Chase Wright. Doesn't throw the ball through a brick wall, doesn't have the sexy rep. Doesn't matter: He's earned his spot. Let him keep it.

It's crazy. Some of the notions dreamed-up by Yankee fans to keep us on top could not be better-designed to have us fail than if they were straight out of Hollywood [incidentally, Major League was on last night, and didja notice that for the most part, actors throw like girls? Not young, athletic girls, either, but old, great-grandmotherly, arthritic, constipated girls.] [Not to segue, but I could not use grandmotherly as an adjective - my dear Kel has been one for ten years now, yet remains blond{e}, shapely, beautiful, and drives a Benz convertible. Not the kind of granny I remember!! Kudos to Crusty the Crustacean ;-)] Crazy.