i don't think you can define that as gripping, but, if you have the right sort of appreciation for the absurd, at least it keeps things interesting ...

"Unfortunately, it's only going to get worse. The Yankees are largely a team of well-paid, under-contract players. Once it becomes obvious to even the true believers that they're not going to the postseason - and that could be by the end of the week - it could get ugly.

Keep in mind that 21 of the remaining 37 games are on the road and 19 are against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today."

I kinda figured this year might be the year the Yanks didn't make it to the post-season. To tell you the truth, I thought that during spring training, just because Boston's pitching looked so much better than ours.

But it's still kind of a shock.

give me the playoffs or give me a train wreck!

On the plus side, you get Matsui's bat over Gardner's. On the minus side, you have a defensive downgrade in LF, a defensive downgrade in CF, and lose Brett's speed on the bases. I would how much that tradeoff is worth.

And was anyone calling for Brett as a LIDR for JD?.... even with a tie score?

It seems to be quite common, the rule rather then the exception, for players to jog out of the box, and not start to 'really run' until they see the play in front of them.

I'm sure we would see more guys reach on bobbles, more doubles and more triples, if players just busted it out of the box. Maybe the season is too grueling for players to do this when the extra effort might only pay off 10% or less of the time... but man... it's frustrating to see ARod get thrown out at 2nd when he lost a number of steps coming out of the box. How often are plays decided by a fraction of a second?

The 'average' player makes about $8k per AB. Jeter about $32k, ARod about $48k. Per AB! I wonder if Angel players bust it out of the box.

Man, but does the comnments section over at Lohud reek like a cesspool after a Yankee lost, especially one where there are obvious demons. Calls to bench JD, trade ARod and shoot Giambi are plentiful. It is a living example of how people can't deal with their anger and frustration and must immediately find and punish 'the guilty culprit'. It's kinda sick.

I guess it ain't over until it's mathimatically over (fat Lady singing), but man... it's tough to watch a team in a hospice.

I think he got distracted by Nady the first time. He was looking out for the left fielder instead of looking the ball into his glove. Just not used to working together?

as the third baseman sees it; he busted out of the box. NY Daily News quote:

"I was thinking double right away; get out of the box as soon as you can, push the envelope a little bit. I had no idea he was going to throw me out. The way we're swinging the bats right now, I thought being aggressive was the best option."

Awesome play by Overbay there.

I like ARod's quote that Burnett was throwing "pellets" and "snakes." Good description.

Dang, you see Carl now has a stiff neck?
Vintage Spavino.

The Sox have +4 Home games overall, with their next 7 on the road. Obviously, they then have +11 Home games in their remaining schedule. Short of them losing 6 of those 7 (1 Balt, 3 Toronto, 3 Yankees) I can't imagine them playing less then .500 ball from here on out.

Actually, TB has +3 Road games, so I think the Sox have a reasonable chance of catching TB. These are important games for the Sox as the ALDS could be Angels/Red Sox at LA -or- if they catch TB, White Sox/Red Sox at Fenway. Big difference for them.

I remember when the 'old team' would grind out games against Pedro, looking terrible against his great pitching, but SOMEHOW finding a way to eek out a Win. This current team SOMEHOW finds a way to eek out a loss, as we saw last night.

But he's still available to start on Saturday... right, Cash?

I can't judge that specific play, But I think in general, my comment holds weight.

How about some thoughts:
1) Our BEST D alignment: JD LF, Brett CF, Nady RF, Abreu DH
2) Our BEST O alignment: JD CF, Matsui DH, Nady LF, Abreu RF

If you believe ZR (which has Abreu as about the worst D OFer in MLB), #1 upgrades all 3 D positions for swapping Matsui's bat for Brett's bat (and speed).

Is #2 REALLY a no brainer?

Sums it up perfectly.

A-Rod made the right decision on that attempted double, Overbay made a helluva play. So did Scutaro on Cano's liner (and that's definitely not the first or even the tenth time this season that Cano has been robbed on a smash).

After last night's performance, Razz is now sitting with an ERA under 5. Just fine for what he's supposed to do: not walk people (2:1 K:BB) and eat up innings. The offense disappeared against a good pitcher and the defense let the Yankees down. Their pitching is not the problem.

11 no matter what we think, Damon will be the CF, and Mats will DH until doomsday '08, which still hasn't officially arrived.

Is it just me or do the Yankees look like a team full of DH's who have forgotten how to hit...

That's exactly what last night's game felt like until Damon's last error. I only turned the game on in the 7th, and was pleasantly surprised to see the score the way it was.

Of course, I was also a bit sickened to see Burnett still in there too. Does this guy and every other member of that old '03 Marlins staff have some personal vendetta against the Yankees?

Pavano, of course, has been working the plan from the inside for the last 3+ years.

Right. They should rename the position in honor of this bunch.

"DGIDP" springs to mind.

Even though Damon got to those two balls, it hasn't changed my opinion that Nady/Damon/Abreu is probably the worst defensive outfield in the league (Abreu is responsible for a large part of that).

Mark Kotsay, anyone? He did hit for the cycle the other day... How's his fielding?

Also, just release Pavano. He does not want to pitch.

slap get a hold of yourself ...

Kotsay was a decent option four years ago. His fielding isn't bad, but he has a bad back, which has plagued him for years.