Still no lineup from Pete Abe...I am wondering if Girardi might give Gardner a start in center with Johnny in left (or vice versa). I really want Brett to step up and get a couple hits + walks + steals to justify keeping Melky on the bench. If he could just get hot it could turn around the entire season. We have 6 home games with Boston and Tampa before the all-star break. If we could go 4-2 or even 5-1 (which I admit is like a dream) it would go a long way towards reversing the current trend and would put us back around 5 games at the break.

On the other hand if we go 2-4 or 1-5 we'll be absolutely toast. At least, we'll probably know where this season's going to end up by the ASB. If we could just win tonight that would be huge for us. I hope the Yanks pack their bats for the game...........

Of course, we're only 5 out of the wild card. I'll take what we can get right now.

I love seeing people smoking up a storm on vintage TV clips. It seems like such a different world. I'm glad they don't do that anymore but there's something charming about it.

And yes RIP to my former teacher Jules Tygiel.

2,000 year old man - that was another childhood favorite, to go with Blazing Saddles et al.

Melky sits tonight. Thank G-d for small favors.

4 I saw that. Let's all hope that Brett is up to the challenge of creating havoc on the basepaths and lighting a fire under the team.

4 People seem to think Melky's the biggest problem with the Yanks' performance. If only that was the truth your problems would be solved but try to remember that if Girardi would do a better job of in-game managing (bunting in the 1st with 0 outs and not bunting in the 9th? Yuch!). things might be better

6 Is this one game that may be true, but Melky's been a black hole for a lot longer than last night.

6 you should be glad he's only been benched, if it were up to me he'd be sacrificed on an altar behind 2nd base along with 2 goats in order to appease Jobu, god of bats, whom the Yankee hitters have obviously displeased ...

8 Just need hats for bats. Keep bats warm.

According to Phil Abe, Melky's not starting tonight. You sure, Joe? You wouldn't want to do anything to rash, now...

10 Don't worry, he's available to PH ;). Anytime we need a DP to make a flight, Melky's our man!

8 Perhaps someone could have Bat-Girl make an appearance, to hold an exorcism to get rid of the ass-bats that the Yankees have apparently picked up from the '05 Twins?

12 Rumor is that Melky (trying to channel Scott Proctor) decided to set fire to some of his bats in front of the dugout...the problem was that they were so cold he couldn't get any of them to burn...
;-)

11 If the game is close in the late innings and a couple of guys get on base, maybe Joe can use Melky to not bunt.

10 Phil Abe? He's got a column now too? ;-)

14 If Girardi needs someone to ground to 2B with men in scoring position and then slide headfirst into the bag for no good reason, Melky's your man.

Wow, you'd think Melky is the Yankees' Juan Pierre. ;-)

6 I hate to repeat what I already posted in last night's game thread, but yes I think Melky's the biggest problem as players are concerned.

I didn't realize that Melky was so horrible until I looked at his OPS+ from 2006:

2006 - 95
2007 - 89
2008 - 75 (down from 78 before last night's game)

What a shitty trend. And it's not like peak was all that much to write home about. I'm not saying that the Yanks should just release him, but some time in AAA might be what the doctor ordered or perhaps Pittsburgh for Marte (assuming the Bucs would even do that now).