Mientkiewicz, Raul Chavez, and T.J. Beam are on the 25-man roster. Earlier this year they released Kevin Thompson and Jaret Wright. They've brought Craig Wilson back in the minors, and last year they had Josh Phelps and (admittedly from the Wilson trade) Shawn Chacon.

Curiously, watching the 1977 All-Star Game on YES the other night, I noted that two of the three Pirate All-Stars were future Yankee pitchers (Goose Gossage and John Candelaria).

All of this is meaningless, but that doesn't make it any less fun to notice.

Hopefully, the Yankees will realize that Maholm's curve is never a strike and stop flailing at it.

I wonder if Cashman has called Sexon's agent yet?

They love him in Pittsburgh. He's playing first, third, and corner outfielder. Hitting pretty well. And providing leadership in the clubhouse:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08191/895776-63.stm

something that melky, jose and wilson can't.

When you watch this team flail at the plate and play defense like a little league team, it gets very hard to believe that this team is a contender. Also, poor managing isn't helping either.

And that McLouth kid has some wheels.

This game could get away fast and you can't blame Moose. It has to be frustrating to play behind such crappy defense, which always seems to be in full force when Mussina is on the mound.

http://www.bb-ref.com/boxes/ARI/ARI199907100.shtml

Randy Johnson was the Arizona starter.

Then I read them, and now I understand.

Meantime, cross Craig Wilson off that former Yankees on the Pirates list!

http://tinyurl.com/58prc5

I wonder who will win the battle for the first base job between him and Cairo?

SHITFUCK!

Joe, Veras doesn't have it tonight. Robertson or Edwar please.

Game isn't over yet!

Cashman's complete inaction really makes you think he doesn't view this team as a contender.

What other righty power/on base bats are available?

It's like when you play chess and make a bad move. The gaff is so discouraging, that you start getting careless and before long it's checkmate. Well, this Yankee team seems to be unable to remain focused when it gets behind. Instead, it just starts wildly moving pieces until time runs out.

if Jorgie is a DH with a 110 OPS+ next year, as looks awfully likely, things are not gonna be pretty...

There is enough talent on this roster even with all the injuries. I am starting to think that poor management is more of the problem.

The Yankees either need to fire a coach, pick up a legitimate right handed bat or try to trade someone to the Phillies or Dodgers for prospects. What they are doing now is useless.

Maybe Cliff and Alex can start some sort of Traber/Moeller watch in the sidebar.

If Girardi doesn't see the problem, it wont get fixed and that's why the offense still sucks 90+ games in.

Hitters peak at 27 or 28, and are in their primes between the and 32.

The Yanks have one regular hitter in that range, and only 13.31% of their PA (not including tonight) have gone to such hitters (mostly A-Rod).

Guys before their primes have only 25.76% of the Yanks' PA (mostly Cano and Melky).

Meanwhile, 60.93% percent of the Yanks' PA go to guys 33 or older (out of their primes). 53.8% are to guys 34 or older.

So where does the improvement come from? A-Rod is likely to hold steady. But the Yanks' next 5 best hitters - Giambi, Matsui, Damon, Posada, and Abreu - are all in the 34 and older group. So they are likely to decline.

Jeter is likely to get a little better, just because he's been so bad compared to his norms. But he's 34 and seems to be slowing down.

That leaves Melky and Cano . . . but even if they both rake for the next 3 months (say .900+ OPS for Cano, .800+ for Melky), that's probably just enough to offset the decline of the 34-and-up crowd.

I don't see a significant improvement in the offense without Melky AND Cano AND Jeter all turning it on, AND two out of Matsui, Damon, and Giambi raking all year. (Or the Yanks getting .900 or better OPS out of 300 PA by Bonds.)

I just don't see improvement as likely, and I think Girardi and Cashman know it. They can't ever say it out loud, of course, but its not likely to get better AND there's no easy fix (not even Bonds is enough). Given that, I can't blame them for not losing it, particularly with a veteran clubhouse.

FWIW I still think this team will be there in September. Tampa has overachieved (BP predicted, what, 82 wins?) and Boston has issues. The Yanks are far from a perfect team (as you guys point out incessantly!) but they're good enough to be in it at the end and what more can you really ask for?

I generally agree with your comment, but I don't fully grasp the above statement. Jeter has hit .800 OPS since the beginning of June, and Giambi and Damon have raked all year. Even Cano has hit pretty well the last month.

You are correct that Melky has been a problem. But Molina has also been a black hole in the lineup; the bench is a disaster, and the injury to Damon has meant lots of ABS for Christian/Gardner, who have not been productive at all.

So far, I have Pittsburgh, Kansas City (twice)Cincinnati and Baltimore (twice)

Am I forgetting anything?