E-Boland and the Bombers

Wait a second...I'm confused.

Joe has been NOTHING but loyal to this cat. Hasn't put him on the DL to preserve his streak, even though he wasted a roster spot for half the summer.

He hasn't moved him from the top of the order despite his hitting below the Mendoza line

and he's "ticked" for getting a day off?

Talk about ego. Plus how is he going to get "traded" anyway. There's no way he passes through waivers.

You're kidding, right?

This sounds like a ham sandwich to me.

Maybe they can package him with Farnsworth and Giambi and get a bag of chips and a drink to go with that sandwich

Because of his salary, Damon could very well pass through waivers.

Let's not forget that Manny Ramirez passed through waivers in recent years.

There is no I in team. If sitting against certain lefties is not for him then ask to be traded. Cashman's office is on the Mezzazine level.Maybe his .245 BA has something to do with it. Duncan providing a little competition at the DH. I love it.

Joe is doing a good job, making guys earn their playing time. You go Joe!

holy hell, what happened to the newsday.com layout?

So is he the heart of Boston ripped from our chests, a solid player on a comeback or someone to put on waivers?

I can't keep his status straight

Kat, I hope either you or Damon are kidding. We gave up on Bernie because of him.

Sully: Johnny's a confused boy. He has been improving with Joe's handling of him and his legs getting stronger. I would think. He'd would want to play against anyone but be understanding to the situation and the coach's decision.

Ed: Please!!!!

Hey Damon!

How about we do what's best for the team, huh?

Your .245 BA ain't cuttin' the mustard!
Fahgetaboutit!

Go grab your surfbaord and hit the waves!

i dont get it - whats he upset about?

"Johnny Damon not in lineup against lefty Jon Danks. Shelley Duncan the DH. Johnny Damon not happy. May want to be traded."

-I'm sorry. This does not sound real. What is the source of this? It sounds like someone trying to create controversy. He has been nothing but a team player since he's been here except for the DL thing. It seems out of character.

Just a little cool thing I spotted on Newsday... apparently Reggie Jackson sent Joba's dad an autographed baseball saying "Welcome to the family". That is awesome.

That IS cool...
But anyone following baseball knows that Jackson was NOT part of the family.

The FAMILY was Pittsburgh and the Pops was named Stargell

(The first world series I ever saw was the We Are Fam-A-Lee Pittsburgh/Orioles series... twas awesome)

I just heard Cashman on Kay's show.
There was no possibility that he was trading any of the young talent that teams were asking for in essence, for a guy (Gagne) who was going to pitch maybe 20 or so innings for them and then leave at the end of the season.
Teams asked for Farnsworth which he didn't name, but are competing with the Yanks for the playoffs. He said that those teams wanted the Yanks to pay his salary and that they all viewed Farns as an asset. Cashman figured that the Yanks will "fix" what's broken with that asset.
He said that stocking the bullpen will be done from within. three guys that the Yanks are looking to promote are Ramirez (given) and/or Chamberlain and Jim Brower (4-1, 1.73 ERA, 33 games, 19 saves BA against: .243.)
The Yanks are NOT making decisions based on fiscal responsibility (he mentions signing Clemens as proof of that), but he said that we're going to spend wisely and not throw money away.

I was real happy with that interview! For all you Cashman bashers, I hope that he stays!!!!!!!!!

He also said that Ohlendorf was throwing 94-97 with a real biting sinker and he's a possibility as a bullpen fix. Also, he's been real happy with Britton and once he comes off of the DL in 3 days, he may get called up.

There's possibilities here gang.

Look, this has been "painful" to say the least, but you all know the old saying: "no pain; no gain".

Stick to the plan!

John G.

I've excercized my option to switch lobbies...I didn't think it would happen this soon either but-

After listening to Cashman with Michael Kay today I have a newfound respect for the man whose head I was so viamently calling for just a few hours ago.

You have to respect a guy who knows his job is on the line and rather than do what may be best for himself fell on his sword for the Yankees.

Bravo Cashman.

What can I say I guess I'm a "Flip Flopper" LOL

Johnny 240 should shut his mouth.

Damon is on a roll.Hitting
372 over the last ten games,playing outstanding defense and running the bases real well.
Show me a player who is content not be playing and I'll show you Drew and Manny.

I think this stuff with Damon is much ado about nothing.

He may have been disappointed not to be in the lineup, but I have a hard time believing h's now going to ask to be traded.

Damon doesn't seem to be like that and I'd be surprised if this thing lingers.

Andy

Fine but he should shut his mouth and handle in-house.

This kinda $hit can hurt morale.

Besides 1 week doesn't make this guy worthy of the ridiculous money and mental anguish he has cost.

Damon not only broke the hearts of all Saux fans he knocked your wally-wally in your watch pocket.
Not to worry Saux will get even when they sign A-ROD.
Right Sully hahaha

Yo know? Andy has somewhat of a point.

I think Damon is a clown for complaining but I can see how he's confused about the benching when he's so hot at the plate.

If we was killing the team like the past...oh...3 months of the season, he has no reason to bitch and moan.

Phucker,

I know that you switched. I responded to you on the "Homer happy" thread.

We have to be patient with Cashman; plain and simple.

And THAT'S not easy for us,
as New Yorkers and
as Yankee fans.

I like our options for the pen that Cash was talking about.
Chamberlain, Ohlendorf, Britton, Ramirez.

Remeber: the 2002 "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" (I really have to shorten that as I'm getting tired of typing it), promoted Lackey in June of that year and then promoted K-Rod in Sept of that year and won it all.

Why can't we do that?
Especially since we have the bullets to load the gun.

Ridiculous money-you must mean Drew.
Mental anguish-that's easy Manny being Manny

I'd take Damon back for Drew... even up move

We'll even throw in Willy Mo for good measure

Damon seems a good guy ... he wants to play.

But trade him with Farnsworth to Atlanta so they can turn around.

What is the problem?

I hate the new on line layout. Who's idea was that?

They talked about this in the pregame - Damon said he was ticked about not being in the lineup (thought he was being platooned) Torre explained to him that he wanted to give him the night off with the day game tomorrow since he's probably going to play in the field instead of DHing tomorrow - after that was explained, Damon was fine, he just was upset at the thought that he was being put in a straight platoon.

Bottom line, no story here.

"He hasn't moved him from the top of the order despite his hitting below the Mendoza line"

Mendoza line: .200

Damon's season batting average: .251

"Hasn't put him on the DL to preserve his streak, even though he wasted a roster spot for half the summer."

He hasn't been put on the DL because he doesn't have an injury. His legs are just "tired"

The player's union would not be very happy about a team putting a guy on the DL because he was slumping.

Besides, as Michael PTRS has said, Damon is hitting fine these last couple of days, and he still leads the team in stolen bases.

Notice Rieber said Johnny may want to be traded.Is this Rieber thinking that since Damon is not in the line up he may want to be traded or did Rieber hear him tell someone he wanted to be traded or did he tell Rieber he wanted to be traded.
Irresponsible reporting on Rieber's part.

A Rod ain't coming to Boston

He's either staying in NYC or going to the Dodgers or Angels

Everyone here in the Bay Area think he will come to replace Bonds.

Let's be honest... he'll go to the highest bidder... even if it is the Devil Rays

(please don't twist that into me saying he's going to the Devil Rays)

you take Farnsworth for Drew.

I'd take the remains of Warren G. Harding for JD Drew

Rieber sucks.

A few months ago he asked us HERE-"On the Yankees beat" how we felt about the remaining American Idol contestants.

Sully, A-Rod on Tampa Bay? I think that will happen when you marry Liv Tyler.

Oh ... remember Maddie the Liv Tyler esque waitress I just met? Well I found out that she was actually at our house for a party ... It was the strangest thing ...

Small world!

More great moves by Cashman

Igawa
Giambi
Pavano
Brown
RJ
Wright
Lilly (for Weaver)
Lilly (for Igawa)

And now no Gagne.

We still have Igawa and Farns. Major downers. We have old, fat contracts (Abreu, Giambi, Clemens, Damon) and Mo and A Rod and Posada are not signed.

Be-a-mitt of Andy Kaufman Taxi fame is nonchalant, lazy in the field, weirder than even I am and well, what kind of a trade was that?

Again, we have 20 young pitchers I could name. Why not trade a few for Dotel or someone, anyone? Gregg on the Marlins. My cat Mittens. Anyone?

Sheesh! I mean what's going on here? Someone called Ed a ham sandwhich ... Gagne is with gag me, Boston, the Mets are decimated by Atlanta on the trade route and no one has seen Nudge or Lucy.

Sheesh!

I enjoyed reading all the posts by John G. and the rest of the Bloggers.

Go Yankees!

The Damon sounds like bull. Even bloggers have standards; name source, please. (Your imagination doesn't count).

(Voice of a Ghost)

Sully ...

Sully ...

I resent that trade ...

(oops if this posted twice)
The Damon stuff sounds like bull. Even bloggers have standards; name your source, please. (Your imagination doesn't count).

Hey Warren!
Nice job with Tea Pot Dome, A-Hole!

I just changed my twin sons diapers

I think an even up trade of the contents of one diaper for Farnsworth and the other diaper for JD Drew is fair to both teams

Gorilla's in the Mist LMAO!!

We both know that but if you read the Boston papers that's all you hear.
Saux fans want to get even with the Yanks for signing Damon.
Hey, they think with the signing of Kevin Garnett along with the pantload signing that this is the greatest day in Boston sports history.
Their down for the WS-Super Bowl and NBA finals.

The Patriots are going to win the Superbowl.

Brady was amazing without Giselle Moss, and Stallworth...

They should just hand the kid the ring and the mvp right now.

Sully,

That was Ant Man breaking your chops.

You didn't have to get pissed at him.

He's a regular here and he always puts differnet names down.

John,

The Mendoza line thing was exaggerated for effect. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

But as far as the DL thing goes? Come one, everyone knows he was hurt earlier in the year. Probably because he reported to camp overweight.

What the f*ck is "tired legs"? I don't care what it is, if you are PHYSICALLY UNABLE to play, you're going on the DL. Unless you're a selfish player like...well....I rest my case.

Maybe he was suffering from mild RLS

WHO IS THIS DUNCAN PERSON!!!

Maybe I was wrong when I said I thought Shelley Duncan was just another Andy Phillips. I don't remember Andy doing this in his first few major league games...

Kevin Maas?
Sam Horn?

I'm gonna go with Balboni.

I hope Duncan doesn't have to take a ride on the Balboni Express when Giambi comes back.

Sully

What giant killer do the ORioles have throwing against you guys tonight?

Random thought:

Wasn't it just a couple of years ago that the White Sox were good? Yikes! Talk about your steep falls from grace.

Man, it's gonna be a tough call when Giambi comes up. Shelley or Andy? Who do you send down?

Andy has the experience, he's had his fair share of clutch, game-winning hits, plays good if not great D.

But Shelley is looking like this year's Shane Spencer.

Who am I kidding, this is Joe we're talking about.

He'll side with Andy.

Damon has got to be kidding me. He says he is "out there performing and doing my job". Um, Johnny, maybe you didn't get the memo, but the Yanks weren't looking for you to be hitting .245 and D-Friggin'H- ing on August 1st you IDIOT!

Man, I wish Shelly was RH, that would balance the lineup nicely.

Isn't Duncan a Switch hitter?

Jim,

Shelley is a righty.

Chuckie,
Sorry, I was confused, I thought he was a SW hitter who favored the left side. All the better that he's a righty!

Gitmo... the White Sox were more than good

The won the f-ing series

Sully,

I was being understated for effect.

Got it

Sometimes I don't hear the inflections on the blog

I thought the ChiSox would win back to back World Series

Gotta believe they are going to get rid of Cairo instead of sending down Duncan when Giambi comes back.

They really don't need Cairo anyways with Betemit on the club.

The bench is finally up to MLB standards.

Hey... Tigers and Indians...
As a full fledge member of RSN and a classic Yankee hater (but one endorsed by Lucy, Michael Z and PTRS) I would like to give you two franchises a hearty F--- YOU!

Seriously!
The Red Sox are doing THEIR part! Yeah the Yankees have gone on a great winning streak, but save for a day or two, have kept them more than a week out of first place.

All you guys had to do was keep pace and the Yankees would be in the cesspool.

But NOOOOOOOOOO!
The Tigers and Indians took the gas pipe and now the Yankees are only 2 back of a playoff spot!

(Note with the Mariners extra inning win, they are tied in the loss collumn for the Wild Card... but I digress)

So now it would be a stunner if the Yankees DON'T make the playoffs.

Oh well... can't avoid our destiny.

Safe money is on Sox/Yanks in the ALCS now!

JOHNNY BE GOOD!

Hold your horses everybody. Everything's cool with Johnny. He spoke with Joe and completely understands and is happy with the decision to sit him for the evening.It seems reporters got to him before Torre could have a word and Damon was merely upset about not being told first why he was sitting (if I correctly understood the report. )On the other hand, the situation could get hairy if and when Giambi gets back. A nice problem to have, I suppose.

According to Mike and Mike in the morning and Fortune mag...the yes network is for sale and due to Steinbrenner's health the yankees may be for sale...if not sold this year the pay role will go down in the next couple of years....craziness

Here's the Article from Fortune Magazine

The dismantling of the Yankee empire

[quote]http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/01/news/companies/yes_sale.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2007080206

YES Network is the MVP of Steinbrenner's business empire, and it's for sale, report Fortune's Jon Birger and Tim Arango. Will the team end up on the block too? His son Hal says no.
FORTUNE Magazine
By Jon Birger and Tim Arango, Fortune
August 2 2007: 6:28 AM EDT

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- The New York Yankees' cable network, the YES Network, is for sale, Fortune has learned. And some baseball insiders and Yankees limited partners are wondering whether the team itself might be next.

The highest-rated regional sports network in the country and the cable home of the Yankees and the NBA New Jersey Nets, YES is jointly owned by the Yankees, investment bank Goldman Sachs & Co. (Charts, Fortune 500) , and former Nets owner Ray Chambers. Goldman and Chambers would like to cash out, YES and Yankees insiders say, and one source says to expect a deal by summer's end. Some possible bidders: Cablevision, Comcast (Charts), News Corp. (Charts, Fortune 500) and Verizon (Charts, Fortune 500).

Publicly, Yankees and YES officials are noncommittal. "Absolutely not," Yankees president Randy Levine replies when asked whether YES is for sale - though not before acknowledging some "testing of the market." Gerry Cardinale, a Goldman managing director and YES board member, is more forthcoming, conceding that YES is in fact being shopped. "We're testing the waters with a limited universe of quality buyers," says Cardinale. "We would consider selling only if we receive a full and fair price."

And what might a "full and fair" price be? Try a cool $3 billion to $3.5 billion. At that price, one could argue that the true gem of the Yankees business empire isn't the team itself but YES.

The team hasn't distributed profits to owners in about 10 years, two Yankees insiders say. (Responds Yanks chief operating officer Lonn Trost: "There have been distributions in the past and the expectation is there will be more in the future.) Meanwhile, YES brought in $340.5 million in revenue in 2006, up about 6 percent from the prior year, according to Kagan Media Research estimates. (YES doesn't release official financial data.) Kagan believes that 40 percent of that revenue - about $136 million - translated into cash flow.

The cash flow, of course, is the key to YES's valuation. John Mansell, a prominent sports-industry analyst, notes that stakes in other regional sports networks have traded hands recently at 19 times cash flow. So if YES, which is the cable home of the Yankees and Nets, can grow its cash this year by 8 percent or more - as Mansell thinks it will - a $3 billion valuation seems well within reach.
Drama in the owner's box

News of a possible YES sale comes at a crucial time for the Yankees. On the field, a team loaded with All-Stars and future Hall-of-Famers is struggling to keep pace with the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox.

Off the field, an even weightier drama is playing out. George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' demanding, combustible, and usually larger-than-life principal owner, has been strangely silent. This silence is feeding rumors of the Boss's failing health. He also lost his well-regarded number two - son-in-law and Yankees Global Enterprises chairman Steve Swindal - in March when Jennifer Steinbrenner, Swindal's wife and George's daughter, filed for divorce. And the team is building a new $1.2 billion ballpark across the street from existing Yankee Stadium in the Bronx - a somewhat risky venture given skyrocketing construction costs, but one that comes with a potentially huge payoff.

Details about the new stadium and its value to the Yankees will be examined further in the next issue of Fortune. Some highlights: The new stadium will add a minimum of $100 million annually in extra ticket-and-luxury box revenue. The rent the Yanks are paying New York City for the new stadium will drop to $10 a year (from $10 million a year for the old stadium). And the cherry-on-top: City officials get their own luxury box.

With Swindal gone, George's youngest son appears to have stepped in as his father's chief lieutenant. An executive with another club tells Fortune that Harold "Hal" Steinbrenner, 38, was the Yankees' surprise representative at Major League Baseball's owners meeting in May - something which the Yankees confirm.

Hal runs the family's hotel business, and associates describe him as bright, capable and driven - much like his father. "Hal is probably more like George than any of his other children," says one Yankees limited partner. "He's a very strong businessperson," adds John Swart, a Florida real estate developer who worked with Hal on a hotel project. "If Hal says he'll get something done, you know he will."

In an interview with Fortune, the usually press-shy Hal is forthcoming to a point. He declines to put a label on his stepped-up role: "That's a decision for George." Nevertheless, he acknowledges that his Yankees responsibilities did expand significantly following Swindal's exit. "When he left, of course there was a void," he says. "Let there be no doubt that I will fill that void enthusiastically."

Hal won't discuss his father's health, which is the subject of much speculation and little certainty. George Steinbrenner himself declined an interview through his spokesman. Yankees president Randy Levine says he talks to Steinbrenner "ten times a day" and insists the Boss is still making the important decisions. Daniel McCarthy, a Yankees limited partner and a long-time Steinbrenner friend, says Steinbrenner seemed "100 percent sharp" when he saw him in the spring.

However, such assurances conflict with what other well-placed sources say - reluctantly - about the Boss's health. A baseball executive - someone who has seen Steinbrenner this year and talks with Yankees officials - describes him as "inconsistently lucid." A New York businessman who knows Steinbrenner reports "George is very sick."
Are the Yankees next?

On the subject of a possible sale, Hal is emphatic. "There's no thought of selling the team," he says. "It's been in the family for 35 years, and it's going to stay that way."

Indeed, selling YES could well be part of a long-term plan to keep the Yankees in the Steinbrenner family. The windfall from YES, of which the Yanks own 36 percent, would provide a cushion to pay off any future estate taxes as well as provide the money needed to sign expensive free agents, pay draft picks and otherwise run a business heavy on fixed costs. "The reason they're cashing out is in very large part so they'll have enough cash to continue to own the team," says one source.

Even so, there remains speculation among the Yankees limited partners and other baseball insiders that Hal is simply echoing the wishes of an ailing father - that the Steinbrenners do not intend on keeping the team long term. The topic of a sale "comes up all the time" in conversations with the other partners, says Yanks minority owner Edward Rosenthal, a retired steel executive. Adds another Yankees limited partner: "If I were handicapping it, I think we're looking at a sale of the team within three or four years."

Were the Yankees to be auctioned off, the price tag for the team alone (in other words, not including the Yanks' stake in YES) could easily soar past $1 billion, given the global reach of the Yankees brand, the benchmark that will be set by the upcoming sale of the Chicago Cubs (for a sum that could approach $1 billion), the untapped revenue sources (a Yankees hotel or restaurant chain?), and the fact that many if not most of Wall Street's heavy hitters are Yankees fans (or have children who are). "My golden retriever could sell the Yankees," jokes one sports banker. "It would be the greatest bidding war in the history of bidding wars."

A banker with the firm helping to sell the Cubs - J.P. Morgan managing director Richard Walden - believes the Yankees would fetch "at least" $1.5 billion. "I actually think three years from now," says Walden, "that will look conservative." [/quote]

Gagne says Red Sox are going to the World Series

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article....t=.jsp&c_id=bos

QUOTE
"In Texas, it was going to be possible, mathematically, but it would have been hard," Gagne said. "It's a good feeling to be here in first place. [I'm] looking forward to going to the World Series."

I'm looking forward to seeing the Yankees beat Boston in the ALCS...well if Boston gets there

I don't beleive this stuff with Damon. Did you see him kidding around with Duncan in the dug out. Maybe he was jsut a little upset when he found out he wasn't playing and said some stupid things. I think overall Damon is a nice person.

go for the kill today yanks. need to put up some runs for rocket-man and dont look back.

if we can steamroll into weekend, with wang, hughes and moose against KC - look out.

BOS head to SEA and LAA, two teams that give AL east teams trouble. CLE heads to MIN...yet that series might be posponed due to the tragedy going on.

but....could be an important weekend to continue to chip away!

Cancel the APB...NUDGE and CASUAL OBSERVER have been found in SULLY'S closet.

From today's NY Post
DAMON NOT SURE WHAT LIES AHEAD
August 2, 2007 -- Johnny Damon doesn't want to be traded, but he doesn't sound convinced the Yankees want him in their lineup - or even on their team.

He sat out last night's 8-1 victory over the White Sox, and he's still thinking and talking about last week's report that the Yankees were shopping him.

"It's not my decision [not to play]," he said after the game. "Whatever the team thinks is best.

"That's what the Yankees always do, and that's what they should do. If that means moving me to make room for Jason [Giambi], I can't control that."

In a conversation with The Post before batting practice, Damon said he wanted his good friend Giambi back soon. But he's curious about what that means for his future.

"Yeah, I do wonder," he said. "We'll just have to see how everything plays out.

"I don't know what my role is going to be after that, but there still could be [trade] activity."

Damon seems stung that the Yankees reportedly shopped him. Asked flat out after the game if he wanted a trade, he told reporters, "No."

"I really like the way this team is improving," he added. "We're playing really well.

"I just know there were some teams that were possibly interested in me before, but obviously it's a lot tougher to trade someone this time of year."

Gimmie a break...

Damon does not want to be traded. He understands what is going on.

We have to play these young guys that are hitting well to see what their potential is.

He will get his playing time and plenty of it down the stretch, we will not win a world series with out some big hits. Last I checked Damon already has a few under his belt.

I thought this was interesting....Joba will most likely be brought up for Monday's game.

Yankees Tell Chamberlain To Get A Passport

1st August, 2007 - 5:25 pm
Citizens Voice

According to Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees told him Tuesday afternoon to pack his things and travel to New York to get a passport. Chamberlain said he would then make his second career relief appearance Thursday in Double-A, not Wednesday in Triple-A, as previously scheduled.

Pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras, who was in Rochester and left with Chamberlain, said Double-A was a possibility for the 21-year-old right-hander, but not a definite plan. Ultimately, Contreras said, the trip was all about a new form of identification.

“Just to get a passport,” Contreras said. “That’s all that is.”

Of course, it’s the passport that makes the abrupt trip so interesting.

According to the U.S. State Department Web site and the Canadian Embassy Web site, Americans traveling into Canada by land — which is the way the Triple-A Yankees traveled to Ottawa early this morning — need to present only a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, and a proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Chamberlain said he already had both.

American’s traveling into Canada by air — which is the way the big league Yankees will travel to Toronto next week — need a passport or proof of application for a passport.

Chamberlain getting a passport suggests he could be in the big leagues within a week.

Santana to Boston?

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070801&content_id=2123157&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos

Santana to Boston? The notion will surely get hearts pumping in New England. But will Johan Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who hits free agency after the 2008 season, ever pitch for the Red Sox?

David Ortiz, a former teammate of Santana's in Minnesota, sure hopes so.

"Hopefully, we get a chance to make some offers," Ortiz said before Wednesday's game. "That'd be interesting, [to] have him come here, because he would love to be here. I guarantee you that."

"Back to his old boy," Ortiz added with a laugh. "Coming back to his old homeboy."

After the Twins, who sit just 5 1/2 games out of first place in the American League Central, marked the non-waiver trade deadline by trading starting second baseman Luis Castillo for prospects, Santana expressed his frustration to the Minnesota Star-Tribune, saying he's "not surprised."

"That's exactly how they are," Santana said, according to the Star-Tribune. "That's why we're never going to go beyond where we've gone."

"They protect their young players," Santana reportedly added. "They protect their organization, their roots, everything. But I guess I won't be a part of it."

Ortiz, who became a superstar in Boston only after the Twins released him, agreed.

"That's how it is over there," Ortiz said. "This guy is a gamer. And I guarantee you he's mad about it, because he plays to win. Every team at this point needs something. So when he sees that they're not getting anything, that kind of gets him mad. Maybe that's why he said what he said."

Will Santana walk?

"Oh, he will," Ortiz said. "I guess he will. First of all, they're not going to pay him what he [deserves]. You know that, everybody knows that, that's not news. Second of all, what he says."

So Santana to Boston because David Ortiz said he'd like him there?
Everyone would like to have Santana. I'm sure Boston will persue him, by 2009 Wakefield and Schilling will be done their pitching depth won't be quite what it is right now. Although they'll still have Beckett, Matsusaka, Papelbon(if he shakes out as a starter) and a few good looking prospects like Lester, Buscholz etc. But a guy like Santana, everyone who can afford him will be in the bidding.

I know this stat doesn't mean too much as far as winning, but I think it's pretty impressive. The Yankees lead in all MLB in Runs Scored. Detroit had an astronomical lead a few weeks ago and now the Yankees have surpassed them:

Yankees: 620
Tigers: 615
Red Sox: 550 (not 3rd but worthy of mention for comparison purposes).

In the X-WL Column (expected win/loss), we should be 65-42, one game behind the Red Sox who should be 66-41.

Well Lucy, The Yankees have best run differential in baseball if not for Yankees Bullpen blowing leads.. Do you think It's badluck ?

The Yanks' X-WL numbers are a bit skewed because of their onslaught against the D-Rays a couple of weeks ago.

Cut that ridiculous run production in half and they are below 600 runs scored for the season.

That's not to say that the Yanks don't have a great offense on any given night and are perfectly capable of blowing their opponent out of the water.

But, they are pretty inconsistent at times and have often been very streaky throughout most of the season.

The Yankees have scored 13 runs in the last two games, none of which belong to A-Rod. In fact, he's approximately 0 for 21. I think this is actually a good sign for the team as a whole, since it shows we can survive very well without him if need be. Once he hits that 500, I have a feeling he's going to be unstoppable.

Let's Go A-Rod.

But more importantly...

Let's Go Yankees.

The Yankees are doing exactly what they need to be doing during this part of their schedule. They are playing sub .500 teams and they need to win as many as possible so they can try to hang with the contenders in September. I never got too low this season when things looked bad and I'm not getting too high right now while the Yanks are playing the likes of KC and Tampa Bay, but they sure seem to have found their momentum and that is very important this time of year.

We also have to be on the lookout for some hand and wrist injuries as Shelley Duncan's high fives are pretty darn enthusiastic (another nice thing to see). If I'm Joe Torre I tell the following players they are not allowed to give Duncan a high five:
A-Rod
Jeter
Posada
Matsui
Cano
All pitchers except Farns, who shall be the DHF ("Designated High Fiver").

Tough game today as the Yanks don't seem to score for Clemens and Garland is a pretty good one. Keep it rolling boys!

If the Yankees are expected to score over 60 runs against the Devil Rays (even when Kazmir and Shields are pitching), shouldn't the Red Sox, Detroit, Cleveland, etc., also be expected to score as many, if not more? I take nothing away from the Yankees for scoring that outrageously high number of runs. It's not the team that they're playing that makes the difference, it's the pitchers, and the Devil Rays do have some very good pitchers (especially in their bullpen).

A few things:

1. The Damon stuff is much ado about nothing. Damon saw the lineup and was upset thinking that he was being benched to set up a straight platoon - that's what was reported by Anthony and others - what was not reported until later was that he spoke to Torre who explained that the reason he was not in last night's lineup had nothing to do with the pitcher, but instead was a move to rest him because he will likely be in the field for today's day game. Upon hearing the logic behind his benching, Damon was fine with it.

Jim A.,

Torre joked after the game last night that he's told Gator to keep the pitchers away from Duncan after he goes yard.

Laughing my *ss off at the No High Fives jokes. Agreed that KYLE can be the designated High Fiver!

GO Yanks!

So the great news is that we are 2 out from the WC, but Seattle is .5 out. How on earth are they doing as well as they are. Their rotation seems poor at best and we know that the lineup is good, but nothing special. Are they just over-achieving?

I love Big Papi (and I love that he is finding his power stroke again) but one thing he is NOT is Nostradamus.

After the 2004 season he said "I can tell you that Pedro isn't going to the Mets."

Off he went to the Mets.

After the 2005 season he said "I can tell you Manny isn't coming back."

Manny came back.

Now he is forecasting the arrival of Santana.

Which I will personally pull his stuff from Minneapolis to Boston in a rickshaw to make that happen.

But because Papi is predicting it, it won't happen.

The Yankees should be focusing all of their energy to have a nice chunk of change available when Santana does

He's the biggest free agent pitcher since Randy Johnson

Prediction: Santana will end up in Anaheim (I also refuse to call them LA).

Duncan and his bat have forced their way into the lineup, creating the Damon "friction", and with Giambi "on the horizon" more trouble is looming. Torre needs to play Damon and his "hot" bat. Damon, (and that salary), will easily clear waivers, giving Cashman the only "good" opportunity he is ever gonna get to move this rapidly ageing, expensive player. With the "youth movement" now under way, even if the Yanks have to pay half of Damon's salary, it's worth it.

Sully,

I have said it a couple of times, the Yankees should focus this winter on Zambrano and next winter on Santana. Think about that rotation with the two of them joining Wang, Hughes, and Chamberlain.

Also - I think it's important to point out that the financial landscape of baseball is going to change dramatically in 2009. When the Yankees and Mets open their new stadiums that year they stop paying into Revenue Sharing. I don't know how much the Mets contribute but the Yankees paid out $70 mil this year. That means small market teams that count on that money to stay in the free agent game will not have nearly same amount of money to throw around. That's huge when you consider who will be on the market that winter.

There is an interesting yet slightly strange article about the Yankees in the USA Today (yes, today!) by Mel Antonen which must have been written in haste.

In the article he uses a double negative. He quotes Mo as saying "I am pitching better because the starters are pitching better." [Really? I am writing better because Kat, Anthony R. and the other Bloggers are all writing better.] And apparently Mel A. didn't know about Hughes' ankle injury, writing that he has been out for three months with a hamstring injury. True, Hughes had originally gone on the DL after the near no hitter vs. Texas because of a hamstring problem. Mel probably didn't hear about that.

Quote from Page 2C on the double negative which is actually funny ... "But Cashman didn't just get no relief help ..." We all make mistakes and you have to learn to laugh at them. Take what you do seriously but don't take yourself too seriously.

The article makes one wonder though, as Lucy remarked, about how others around the country view the Yankees and their fans, the money we spend, Standing O for Ted Lilly beaning Spezio, tank top and all the rest. How accurate is the information?

Frankly I think the N.Y. beat writers are some of the best in the country. Writers like Tom Verducci and Jon Heyman went from Newsday to Sports Illustrated!

Greg Sarra was also a good writer for Newsday, and in a previous life, someone I used to play baseball with! Greg was a very good power hitter, had a great arm and most importantly, drove "a totally awesome car!" [direct quote.] On a single to RF he'd charge the ball then pretend that it had gotten past him. The runner would head for second, Greg would stop on a dime, spin and throw a seed to 2B to get an easy out. I saw him do this many times.

In the USA Today article I mentioned, there are great photos of Clemens, Duncan and a smaller one of Andy Pettitte is also featured. Oddly there is also a photo of a bald Chinese lady with no pants on. I think she may be a groupie or something for the Yankees new China team. She's standing in Tiananmen Square holding a sign reading "Tanks A Lot!"

So get a copy of The USA Today and read the story if you'd like. It's on the cover of the Sports Section.

Go Yankees!

Sully, I love you bro, I was just teasing you ...

You didn't have to get all pissy ... I thought you would laugh!

Your friend,

Anthony

CHIP-
Just where does "Kennedy The Great" fit into this future Yankee rotation you are putting together? No point in passing "cheap rental" pitchers like Gagne, and then spending tons of money on players like Santana and Z. You guys that supported Cashman and his "be cheap, get young" philosophy, need to be consistent. Either sign these proven, big money "chuckers", or hang onto the kids and give em a chance.

Roy -

I have no idea if the Yankees will get Santana AND Z - I was throwing it up there as a hypothetical - more likely they won't get both of them (or even either of them) and thus Kennedy will have a spot in the rotation. But if you can get both of those guys then sure you still try. As it is, between now and the time the new stadium opens the Yankees will have to have given new contracts or replaced the following:

Rivera
Posada
Alex
Giambi
Matsui
Abreu
Andy
Mussina
Villone
Myers
Farnsworth

So the odds of them being able to account for that AND fit Zambrano AND Santana into the budget is more fantasy than reality.

There goes Roy again

I really do not care for your tude. I hope Kennedy comes up and pitches really well for the next 5 years so you can finally just shut up on the whole trade.

The fact is, we have no idea which of our young guys will come up and be stars, we do not know if they will also become injury prone. But simple logic and common sense tells me that the more high end prospects we hang on to, the better chances we have finding a stud.

Yes, the Yankees are in transition. There is no doubt about it. I for one look forward to the youth being sprayed about the lineup on any given night to assist quality veterans such as Jeter, Arod, Matsui and Posada.

If you factor in Bruney, Henn, Karstens, Rasner Wang, Cano and Cabrera all making under 500K and Mussina, Pettitte, Clements,Damon and Giambi all gone by 2009 then the Yankeees will have plenty of funds available to pick and choose FA's and for Arod, Mo and Posada. In addition with the new stadium costs coming off the top of revenue sharing. I'd say adios to the small market teams feasting off of the Yankees. In these two transition years if we can develope the team into a winner. I'm more then happy to play competitive baseball as we are doing now attempting to nail down a playoff spot.

My belief/hope is this plan is followed for success and the Steinbrenner family keeps the team but its alot to ask when the you can enjoy the worth of the team without the issues of the team. It must be a labor of love sitting in their position. I hope George hangs on for a long time.

Roy we can be flexible. With 20 young pitchers we will use a bunch of them, in the rotation, pen and in trades.

And if we can sign J. Santana, then why not?

I always enjoy your posts and don't understand why you get so attacked so often. Nor why (at times) people are so rude to one another in general.

It's just a Blog and it's just baseball! I understand the passion though.

We discussed a million trades for more than three months and what did we get in the end?

Sigh ...

Be-A-Mitt.

All of my work went for naught. All those hours reading the boxscores, dreaming up trades ... gone like hot dust, on a dry, prairie wind ...

Another sigh ...

No Jeremy Sowers
No Joe Kennedy
No Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.)
No Frank Catalanatto
No Colby Rasmus
No Gregg on the Marlins
No Mitre
No Franklin on the Cards
No Nobody (double negative)

And I did not know Sully had little twins! That is so, so great!

I have an identical twin sister! I'll be you didn't know that. (Men go insane over her!)

And where is Ruse, Ca.? I always enjoyed his posts. He was very smart and I always learned so much from him. As I learn from all of you.

Por ejemplo, Ruse, Ca. once stated that back in 1975, (Ford Administration) the late Catfish Hunter started 39 games and completed 30 of them. He was 25 - 14. That means he had a decision in every game? Can that be possible? Every start was a quality start.

Perhaps we should keep track of "Quality Posts" on this Blog. That would be fun. We can let Diane and Viper judge. No, let's let Phil judge instead.

And Lucy, I am re-doing my St. Louis and Field of Dreams stories as you suggested ...

Lots of work ...

Go Yankees!

Did I get all pissy, Warren G?
If I did I apologize.

I don't take things personally. Not even charges of dog molestation

McCarthy -

Won't do any good - if it isn't Ian Kennedy or Johnny Damon or Alex, Roy will find someone else to complain about.

I do indeed have little twins.
They start out little... then they get bigger

Chip: My thoughts are Mo,Posada and Arod on your list of signings will be here after their contracts expire or their traded.

not to butt in here Roy but Kennedy will be a nice option next year...in starting rotation or not.

but he wont leave and be on another team...like your boy Gagne. and Kennedy wont be just starting off as a draft pick, like your easy solution "if" Gagne leaves.

and to pay "top" money to Zambrano and Santana is worth it. last i checked, neither one of those guys missed 18 months with shoulder / elbow surgry.

gotta give you credit in one area Roy, you havent said (and im probably jinxing us all now), but you havent said "a-opt, a-opt) in a looooong time. good to see you move on from that really annoying and overused phrase. now....move on with other topics...like would of, should traded BS

Roy just does not understand that Kennedy is worth more than Gagne. Even now in our trek for the playoffs.

He actually has the potential to be worth a hell of a lot more if he develops into a solid starter.

I love dogs, and never imagined you would hurt a dog under any situation.

I must have missed something.

Let's stick to baseball and more important things like Liv Tyler.

There are some free agents that are absolute no brainers... and Johan Santana, the best pitcher in baseball for the past 4 or 5 years and who is only 28 years old, seems like one of them.

Bringing in an aging slugger or injury prone pitcher for more than top dollar isn't always the brightest idea (and yes Cashman, the Red Sox do it as do the Yankees).

And frankly I am not sure if Zambrano is the best fit for the Yankees...

Santana seems tailor made for the Yankees. He's like Mariano if Mariano were a left handed stud starter

I don't know if there would be any takers on Damon without the Yanks paying half to 2/3 of the remaining salary, same with Fansworth. And I think that if Cashman has the oportunity to deal them both, he will.
I Hate to admit it, but I agree with Roy.

When are we going to have another "RAD" day? those were fun!

Except on the whole Gagne thing, I'm glad BC didn't make the deal.

Ok, moving beyond the pettiness of the right now, this information is vastly more important to Yankee fans than whether or not the team traded for Eric Gagne.

According to Fortune - YES is up for sale and the Yankees may be next:

http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/01/news/companies/yes_sale.fortune/index.htm

I love day games... especially living in California.

They start at 10AM here... weekends are great as you watch the day games from the East Coast while eating breakfast.

Jim A,

Jim, it's "THE LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM". :-)

Sully,

I'm glad that you and Ant man made up!

Bosstrots,

Sorry about not getting the names of the books to you sooner Bro. Here they are:
(1) "Unhittable: Reliving the Magic and Drama of Baseball's best Pitched Games" by James Buckley Jr and Phil Pepe: Triumph Books.
(2) "Baseball Extra: A Newspaper History of the Glorious Game from it's beginnings to the Present" from the Eric C Caren Collection: Castle Books

John G.,

I always enjoy your kind posts!

Now back to baseball, if the team is up for sale, sell it before the housing bubble goes kaput! The House that Ruth built, that is ...

Chip, in terms of macroeconomics our nation is in financial trouble. I won't go into it here cause Viper and Diane will get mad at me. (China debt, trade, wars, Fed policies, lack of productivity, immigrant social security, Big Pharma, credit cards, interest on national debt, subprime mortgages taking down the titanic hedge funds and other factors like the destruction of our manufacturing base, outsourcing of IT jobs, immigrant labor not paying tax, 45 million missing workers because babies were not brought to term and other things I can't think of. Remember as Viper once said I am "not too bright!")

If I am GS I sell the team before Bushie-Bushie Jr. leaves office. Take the money, buy some gold and Euros and move to Paraguay.

I would have liked to have seen more trades. Why not? Trades are fun!

Melky is doing better. Cano as well. Godzilla, all of them. This is great.

But they Yanks do not beat good pitching.

Lackey
Santana
Halladay
(other Toronto kid)
Kazmir
Bedard
The bald Chinese lady with no pants on

They do seem to hit the Red Sox top guys though.

What will happen? Matsui was quoted in the USA Today article saying what I often write here ... "no one knows what will happen." (Page 2C)

Ant

Bless you all today!

Go Yankees!

Trenton’s Daniel McCutchen threw five scoreless innings in his first start since being promoted from high Class A Tampa. More importantly Joba Chamberlain struck out two of the three batters he faced in his second relief appearance. The Newark Star-Ledger reported that Chamberlain got a strikeout on a 97 mph fastball and an 87 mph slider and then broke a bat for a groundout on a 98 mph fastball. If you’re wondering why Chamberlain was pitching in Double-A it apparently was brought about because Scranton was in Ottawa while Trenton was playing at nearby Binghamton, with Chamberlain’s promotion expected to come in the next few days apparently the Yankees decided they wanted to make sure he was nearby.

Paraguay??
it's too far away!
Better move to Guatemala, I could use more friends that understand baseball and not only soccer. HAHA!

Soccer is mu bueno!

Ariba Ariba!!!

Anyone else really excited about what the Yanks are doing right now? I know thy are playing bottom feeders and we've seen the ups and downs all season, but with Cleveland and Detroit losing last night, I like where we sit at the moment. We are 3 out of the wild card and essentially control our own destiny now. Hughes, Chamberlain, and Giambi will be with the team in the next week. I don't know exactly how much these guys will contribute, but the team should improve some. Melky, Cano, and Matsui are playing very well and Damon appears to be close to 100%. We now have quality major leaguers on the bench. Dare I say it, things are looking up in Yankeeland.

(Someone remind me of this post in two weeks if we start slumping again).

Don't worry MichaelZ
If the Yankees sh-- the bed again, I''ll point it out.

play ball!

Again gentlemen, you can't have it both ways. If the Yankees sign all these "big time" free agent pitchers you want, guys like Chamberlain will not get an opportunity to show what they can do at the big league level. In the meantime, you have allowed the "cheap rental"\Gagne, to slip thru your fingers and go to the team you must go thru to advance to the World Series. When you guys figure out which direction you wanna go, let me know.

Yet again Roy displays his huge hard on for Gagne.

So your saying you would rather get rid of Chamberlain or Kennedy for Gagne then for Santana or Zambrano????

Anthony, My Love, as I said before, do NOT change your Field of Dreams article on my account. I loved the article when it pertained to the Field of Dreams and I loved your writing style, but I did not think unfounded judgmental criticism of the Dark Yankees, the sins of their fans and players, and the negativity of New York in general fit in with your initially pleasant and uplifting literary style. As you said, you combined two articles into one, which amounted to two different themes. I don't think anyone else wants to read about this, so please email me with any further comments on the subject of your articles. Thanks, Ant.

Lucy I am so excited to re-do the stories, and this Blog is a work book in a way ... to weed out the bad and re-couch or reslant or re whatever it so to say ...

St. Louis (crime)

Field of Dreams (good and bad of baseball)

I may even write a book on baseball one day.

Here is something I did publish about baseball ...

Lessons in the Art of Pitching
worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=21752

It was well received in general. Jon Heyman liked it. The Bald Chinese lady with no pants on totally hated it. Of course she does not read English. But all viewpoints and feedback are vital!

Did you know St. Louis is so baseball crazy and we don't have an inner city program for baseball. I would coach. (I am working even now with such kids in another sport, which is muy fun! I am enjoying it a lot more than I ever thought. I used to HATE soccer. Now I love it. But not as much as baseball. But kids from all over the world, they love soccer. The girls are really good too!)

I am in total writing mode.

I am not going to Afghanistan but I may HAVE to go to Scandinavia.

Poor Anthony ...

Sigh ...

Go Yankees!

Anthony, I get the impression from you that the Yankees epitomize evil in your eyes. For millions of other people, they epitomize healthy competition, professionalism, and inherent joy from an entertainment standpoint. For millions of people, the Yankees provide a much needed diversion from their everyday problems. It's easy for our naysayers to forget that baseball is a game, a sport, just a means of entertainment and an outlet for families to enjoy quality time together. The Yankees and their fans are not perfect, of course, but most sensible people don't expect us to be (since we're not robots).