I guess we'll have to live with it, but it's kind of on the painful side.

You are ignoring the main thrust of my original post: for the Yankees to get a decent hitting C for this season, they may have to give up a lot OR take on someone else's bad contract. They can afford the latter.

lovely.

We've been spoiled, but believe it or not, there are teams out there even worse.

I think he'll insert him into the rotation for all three seasons. (08-10) I think he'll be caught completely off guard when AJ SHOCKINGLY gets hurt and we'll be back to signing the Miltons and Ponsons of the world.

I think we'll be saddled with him for all three years, because Cashman will stubbornly refuse to even consider trading him, lest Brian Cashman look bad for making yet another bad pitching move and having to get rid of him.

This has Carl Pavano written all over it.

If he signs AJ and immediately inserts him into the rotation, then he keeps Ponson and Milton out of the rotation. Moreover, when AJ pitches, which is admittedly rare, he has been for his career a solidly above average pitcher.

But, in the worst case scenario--which you define as Carl Pavano--he would be hurt all the time ANYWAY, so he wouldn't pitch in any case. And even in that case, he would--in your scenario--sign the Ponsons and Miltons of the world...which he's already done in any case.

So no matter what, they would be no worse off, by your own logic.

And you STILL ignore the main point of my first post, which is that the team might need to take on a bad contract in order to get a decent hitting catcher for the rest of this season.

Come on, you can do better than that.

Nothing like failing even to advance, let alone score a lead-off double with your four, five and six guys.

(Or three, four and five or whatever it was.)

So who would you have play all the positions on the current one man bench? Anyone at AAA in mind? Any particular trade you would make?

If we acquire AJ Burnett, I PROMISE you he will be the game three starter next April. And when he gets hurt, I guarantee there will be no plan B, because there never is. And we'll probably get Ponson back, because Cashman apparently sees something in him that isn't apparent to mere mortals.

Its bad enough we had to do this again this year. I really don't want to do it again next year. Barajas and Zaun aren't worth screwing us up for the next two years.

Rather than have a bench player than can't field, can't pinch hit and can't pinch run, I'll take a bench player than can field, run, but can't pinch hit.

Now, I am about the least in favor of signing Sidney Ponson. But you are creating a bogus narrative when you claim that signing Ponson resulted from a lack of a "Plan B."

Ponson was signed only because Hughes and IPK were ineffective AND hurt, Wang got hut in a freak play, Horne in MiL was hurt, and there was an unscheduled DH.

Ponson was not the result of no plan B, he was the result of no Plan E.

Of course, my team would not have a one man bench.

This just in: We suck

And Betemit's .267/.341/.461 line against righties isn't so fantastic that he should force his way into the starting lineup at the expense of someone, which means it would be coming off the bench, and pinch hitting is yet another skill he doesn't have.

With the current pile of injuries, he will either play 1B or DH, whatever Giambi is not playing.

You COULD argue that Christian should DH with Giambi at 1B, but you would have a hard time convincing anyone that Christian would out hit Betemit v. RHP.

So again, within the current constraints of the roster, Betemit is the logical option. Now, if the team added a decent bat (like, say Greg Zaun), we could have a meaningful discussion.

Since they won't DH Betemit, because they like his defense for Christ knows what reason, I have no problem with splitting Poaada and Giambi until Damon comes back.

By the way--

Betemit v. RHP: .267/.341/.461/.802

Ave MLB 1B: .268/.352/.449/.801
Ave MLB DH: .245/.330/.411/.741
Ave MLB 3B: .267/.337/.439/.776
Ave MLB RF: .787 OPS
Ave MLB LF: .771 OPS

Worth thinking about.

Because then I think you have to factor in that Betemit's numbers against righties this year are .247/.273/.411/.684

I'll take Molina's one skill over Betemit's no skills.

Frankly, looking at those numbers again, and conceding that you are partially correct (Betemit needs to start more often to be effective), I am more and more convinced that he should start at DH against RHP, which is about 70% of the time.

This only reinforces the team's need to find a decent RH bat to platoon with Betemit, preferably someone who can play some corner OF (for roster flexibility).

Thank you--with every post you convince more an more of Betemit's value to the team, especially if used more consistently in a platoon.

If the difference between Molina's level of not hitting and Betemit's level of not hitting is so striking to you that you want to see the clusterfuck that is Betemit in the field, fine. You win. Betemit can play every day. This team is fucked anyway if they can't hit Burnett, especially with our specialty righty hitting machine in the lineup.

We have no runs, 4 hits, and we're being made to look like little leaguers against a guy with an ERA of 5.23 this season (ERA+ is 78), who's pitching on short rest!

Meanwhile, our pitcher gives up a 3 run homer to a guy with an 83 OPS+

This is in no way frustrating. This only makes me love an admire our collection of players more. I can see grit, hustle and determination in everyone's eyes. We're running through walls today. I may go outside an have a victory cigar for this fine performance.

But if it makes you feel better to shout about how bad he is defensively at the position, I won't stop you.

Except, of course, that this season isn't getting interesting. It's getting tedious.

Time to remember what it's like not to be in contention so that when we're back in, we'll appreciate it a little more.

To everything there is a season.

Given the total meltdown of Hughes and IPK, the season ending injury to Wang, and the signing of Sidney Ponson, that the team is on pace to allow fewer runs this season is a bit of a surprise.

However, the massive decline in offense is also a surise. Yes, I know--too many players older than 32, regression to the mean by A-Rod and Posada, major injuries to said aging players. Still, a nearly 25% decline in runs scored is shocking, especially when one considers the pleasant surprises on offense (Giambi, Damon before injury, to some degree Matsui before injury).

I believe he had his knee drained (again), and may require knee surgery, either during the season or (hopefully) after it.

The AP in Tampa is reporting that Hideki Matsui took BP again today and will soon start a running program. Girardi is hopeful of getting him back on Friday.

that probably means sometime next week, if thing continue to progress ...

What does everyone else think?

I'm just curious, and since I'm not much of an AS game fan, I need some good baseball banter and musings to get me through the next few days.

Mp, I'm not much of an AS game fan either (least of all, you might imagine, the Derby, Herby, which (predictably) ruined David Wright's swing, among others), but I have no opinion on buyers v. sellers.

Keeping track of the team's doings on a structural level is just too much for me to jam into my brain.

I will say, though, that if Damon can be shipped off for something worthwhile, I'd do it.