Can a $200 million dollar budget yield a scrappy team who bites and scratches their way into the post season? I guess we'll see. We're certainly not going to steamroll our way to a championship this year. When Aaron Small is viewed as "stalwart", you know things are a little weird in Yankeeland. This is the anti-1998 team. We'll see if the Yankees are capable of winning ugly.

BP

Maybe we should have expected this. Last year, by runs scored and allowed, the Yanks were an 89-win team . . . who won 101 games and came thisclose to a World Series apperance. Given the offseason, most of us didn't expect the team would be much better - yet we still expected them to contend. Perhaps we were fooled by last year's won-loss record.

I'm not sure about changes in the dugout, but big changes need to happen on the field or next year will be more of the same.

I look at the Sox, who are grooming their future starters by grooming them in the bullpen, or at least are starting to, and I see another example of why we won't be winning anytime soon.

I can't speak for the rest of the league, but I was reading someplace today that Boston's bullpen ERA is the highest in the American League, and they are in first place.

I figure the Yankees bullpen isn't too far behind Boston's, and we're in 2nd place.

Every team has a weakness. It would be an interesting study to break down a team's win/loss record and compare to certain attributes - like starter era, starter innings pitched, runs scored, etc. etc. Which facet of a team's makeup is most important? Based on the leaders of the AL East, is it possible that middle relief is not the most critical aspect of a team? I dunno.

But - boy oh boy - do I wish we had a few more really good arms in the 'pen.

BP

We still have the shell of Bernie Williams playing CF, Tony Womack continuing to get ABs for one reason or other, Posada in a state of horrendous decline, Giambi showing up for about a month and a half, the shot rotation where the only healthy person is Mike Mussina, and we are still 5 games out.

It is a miracle in itself when you consider the number of times we have lost against TB and KC Royals.

I dont think this team is going to post-season, but should that be considered a failure given the circumstances?

I really wont be that disappointed, to be absolutely honest.

I think the bull pen ERA differences between the Yanks and Sox comes down to the closers. Foulke and Schilling have given up more runs than Mo.

BTW anyone know why Sterling stopped saying An A-bomb from A-Rod?. I guessed with the big Japanese following for the team it was a little too polically incorrect but I haven't heard anything.

Oh, that's right, he freaking MASHES now (and plays great defense), sorta like that Delucci fellow.

The "realist" fan those looks at a three game stint with the Sox in Chicago and wonders what are the odds they are going to lose 8 in a row? If Sheff and A-Rod are going to earn their keep and put us on their back, THIS is the series to do it.

A-Rod is great, but he truly seems to be lacking that ability to hit in the clutch, i.e. post this week showing his low average with RISP. Leading in homers and with his high batting average, he should be far and away ahead of the pack in RBI's instead of third or fourth, but it comes down to the clutch hitting. It's not just him though, its the whole on again-off again offense of the entire team.

Thankfully (can't believe I'm saying this) we're out of Tampa Bay for now and playing a contending team where for some bizzare reason we seem to play like a contender!

You can never give up and I have a feeling that they will make the playoffs - but maybe that feeling is just a brain tumor growing rapidly!

As for Delucci, his numbers this year are so out of line with his past production, its probably a fluke.

Juan Rivera was always going to be a pretty good player, the Yanks just never showed any inclination to let him be one in New York. Living in DC, I was kinda bummed that the Nats traded him for Guillen, because I like watching him play.

You're probably right about Delucci; maybe I'm seduced by his choice of theme music (Theme from "The Godfather") every time he approaches the plate more so than his actual career numbers.

But I couldn't be any more disgruntled over the fact that, for a 200 mil. team (or even a 100 mil. team, for that matter) the Yanks have zero outfield depth. Lest I forget this point for even a nanosecond, Timo Perez - a guy who spends much of his time on the Chisox bench - guns down Sheff from left field yesterday. None of our STARTERS have an arm like that.