But look what he does to Proctor, look what he does with Bernie, look what he does when he plays Fasano, blah, blah, blah. WHATEVA!!!!

The Yanks put it to them....I'm in a N.Y. State of Mind.

Long live Torre, Long Live Torre, Long Live Torre!!!!!

A Sox fan in my office was certainly humbled, but he also had an interesting perception of the Yanks that maybe some of us take for granted: the much improved speed on the bases, and the defense (see: throwing arms) in the outfield. Then again, I don't think anyone here takes those things for granted - just fans/media in general.

However I, for one am still not taking the deadline deals for granted. Abreu & Lidle, dare I say, the best pitcher/hitter acquisition since Tino Martinez and Jeff Nelson in regards to contributions to a club in a pennant race.

Will be ordering that custom Cashman t-shirt soon enough.. Did we all ever agree on a number for the back?

BTW I completely missed Dotel's appearance yesterday - how did he look?

I love this team in a way that I haven''t loved the Yanks in years. Don't get me wrong, I've been rooting for the club passionately in recent years, but there's something special about this group. Maybe it's thanks to Melky and Cano and some of the other fresh faces, but these Yanks are as lovable as I can remember.

Today they are tied with the Mets for the 2nd best record in baseball. In NY, we don't celebrate 2nd best very much, but this city is currently the baseball capital of the world, and it is not arrogant or obnoxious to ponder about and wish for another "Subway Series."

The thing is, I really want these Yanks to win not for me, but for themselves. I'm rooting for Joe to win another one. I want to see Bernie, Mo, Jeter, and Posada celebrating again. I think they deserve to be champions again. I want to see veterans Giambi and Mussina get the rings they came here for.

This season, more than others, it's not about the fans like it seemed it was back in the late 90's when they were trying to keep the streak going, or in 2001 when they seemed to be trying to win it for the city. This year, it's for old time's sake. It's for redemption in a way. It's for restoring that championship pride the franchise is famous for.

Let's Go Yankees!

"But if the 2001 post season taught us anything it is that you can't always have everything you want, but you'll get what you need."

First time I realized how shallow a championship in 2001 would have been. We certainly got just what we needed then.

I think in a lot of ways, Torre has revolutionized the position of the modern-day manager. He realizes that personal problems & feelings can interfere with on-field play, and he tries to quell those situations before they get out of hand.

Another thing to keep in mind is that after the Yanks swept the Sawx in 2004 (the Jeter catch) they went on and lost 3 straight to the Mutts. They play the Mariners now...but they need to stay sharp for the simple reason they got some ass whipping to deliver to the Angels.

BTW, Alex...great job up there. These games are what we need.

7 It worked for Chicago last year. Guillen is insane. It just doesn't last as much as respect does.

That and being on the same page up and down the organization, from the front office to the back fields. If the Yankees wipe everyone out from hereon out to the World Series, both Torre and Cashman should be heralded for bringing common sense back into the fold. Maybe they can do that for the mayor's office in a couple of years?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

"Perhaps the most intimidating thing about the schedule is their next stop. After this exhausting series, the Yankees will fly cross-country and immediately commence a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners just completed an 11-game road trip. They lost all 11 games. The M's are a better club at home and they're due, while the Yankees are overdue to exhale. It will be tough for them to avoid a letdown in Seattle after the extraordinary effort in Boston."

More from Sheehan:

"I will make one prediction: neither of these teams will do better than 2-4 through Sunday. The five-game series, which included a 14-hour day at the park Friday and a 5 1/4-hour night (with rain delay) Sunday night, followed by a day game Monday, was as arduous a schedule as two teams will see all year. Now, with both teams flying to California with depleted bullpens and exhausted players, a letdown is likely."

Toronto could soon be breathing down their necks.

Yesterday's ugly incident could fire up the Jays. Watch out. Toronto might start making noise.

second, in comment 4 sliced bread comments on the way he loves this team. in today's boston globe, bob ryan says that this is a very likeable, rootable yankee squad.

...this after trashing everything theo epstein has done since'04, metaphorically taking a dump on coco crisp, mentioning that it is quite possible that josh beckett is "stupid" and/or "stubborn", and writing the sox's chances of even a wild card off completely.

this in the globe... which owns a piece of the sox.

times are good.

but i would offer that melky and cano (and even damon to an extent) give the team a less "corporate" feel. they're genuinely having a ball out there.

i've heard from a few staunch sox supporters that they find it difficult not to like these yankees. (but they must not have been in the bleachers chanting to johhnny yesterday in the 9th.)

Have you not seen Damon smile during one game yet this year? Ditto for Cano? And even little Melky too? You know Jeter's always having a good time. And now that he's raking again so is G'Bombee. And what has Bernie Williams NOT had to be grateful about this year? There have been some good times this year, but more importantly, easy smiles to go along with the stiff, professional nature of a Yankee clubhouse.

How much do the Sox miss him (--not to mention Trot and especially Tek--) and how fortunate are the Yankees to have Damon?

This weekend spoke volumes.

I know we could still blow it -- esp as Moose and Wang aren't looking as dominant as they were several weeks ago -- but BP has us listed as something like 98% chance of reaching the playoffs (knock on wood).

I do not want to face the Angels in the playoffs another time after the 2 smackdowns they've delivered.

The other team that terrifies me is the Twins. We're not a good turf/dome team, and the Twins lineup this year, with the kids like Mauer producing, seems vastly superior to the teams we've faced in the playoffs in the past. And then there's that little matter of the two fellows at the front of their rotation. It was bad enough to play them when they had one flat out great pitcher, now they've got two.

As strange as it is to say, I'd much rather see the defending world champs get the wild card, and us have to face a pitching staff suffering from some serious Ozzie fatigue.

But of course discussing the playoffs with 40 games to go would be getting ahead of ourselves!

The geniuses that run the Sox deserve what they got this weekend. Damon is a difference maker. If I had been running the Sox last season, not only would I have re-signed Damon, I would have taken the "C" off of Varitek's jersey and put it on Damon's.

To say the Yanks are extremely fortunate to have him is an understatement. I didn't want him on the team, and now I couldn't be happier that he's our center fielder and lead off hitter.

By the way, after yesterday's unlikely win, (which was a HUGE win) I'm officially done predicting the outcome of games, or questioning Joe's decisions. I'm just a content passenger for the rest of the ride, and right now, it looks like it's going to be a thrill.

johnny was jumping up and down, pumping his fist...

they looked like little leaguers.

it was beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NdgqWrwI28

I hope people are really able to maintain this attitude even if the Yankees don't win the World Series, because this still doesn't look like a championship team to me. Their starting pitching is certainly no great shakes, especially now that Wang appears to have hit a wall (good call, Cliff). And the success of the offense last weekend was built largely on the inability of Sox pitchers to get the ball over the plate; they had trouble with Schilling and Wells, both of whom throw strikes. Come playoff time, they won't be facing Beckett or Lester, much less Manny DelCarmen or Jermaine Fillmore...Polk...whatever.

That's not intended to put the Yankees down. They're tough and resilient, easy to love and lots of fun to watch. I just hope people are able to continue appreciating that regardless of the outcome.

i'm just rolling around in these wins like they were a kiddie pool filled with pudding...

i'm not expecting them to win it all. (i find that this makes winning it all even more gratifying.)

Do you think that the pressure RSN, BoSox and to a lesser extent MLB placed on the troika of Papelbon, Lester and Hansen this season would have a long-term damaging effect on their careers, a la Wilson, Pulsipher and Isringhausen? To date, only Izzy has had a decent, if not up-to-billing career as a reliever, and if I'm not wrong he was not considered the strongest of that three.

Let's list some factors to consider:

1. The 2001 Yankees were going for a fourth consecutive championship. Three straight championships is excellent, but only Yankee teams have won four in a row. So it would have meant a great deal to be able to say that my favorite team added a feat to its resume accomplished previously by only the 1936-39 teams and the 1949-53 teams.

2. Despite the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, there was still much less sympathy nationally for the Yankees than I expected. I cannot even begin to tell you how offended I was when the moron running the PA at Your Name Here Park in Phoenix started to play "New York, New York" after Game 6, only to interrupt it with the sound of an explosion. I'm sure they thought it was funny. Colangelo said he was tired of hearing the song at the end of games in New York, but as any guest at Yankee Stadium knows, "New York, New York" is played after every single game.

3. Curt Schilling was annoying long before he moved to the Red Sox. Remember his sanctimonious letter to the world about the attacks on the World Trade Center in the immediate aftermath, as if it were somehow about Curt Schilling? Remember his "Aura and Mystique" comments? Soriano's homer off the Big Mouth in support of a Roger Clemens victory would have been the perfect auto da fe.

4. I like happy endings. You might recall that there weren't many happy endings in New York at the time.

So, in short, considering the state of affairs in New York at the time and what those Yankees were striving to accomplish, I think that a championship in 2001 would have been exactly what I needed.

What do you guys think?

Outstanding commentary Alex! I'm new around here. Whats up with Cashman shirts?