A few years ago, just prior to the beginning of a sold out game at Wrigley, I bought a single ticket for below face value from a scalper. They don't like single tickets. They like them even less five minutes before the game starts. They also don't like refusing sales, so if three people approach them 20 minutes before the game, they'll make the sale, which usually will result in someone like you finding himself in luck.

Don't get overanxious. Wait them out. I have also noticed that the eBay value of Yankee-Sox tickets is remarkably lower in the Bronx than in the Fens.

There are, by the way, six singles on eBay right now for tonight, but I don't think you'll have to pay the prices they're asking if you wait til you get there. Good luck.

Since the All Star break:

6-1 3.18 ERA. 61 innings, 67 hits, 3 walks, 3 HR.

Here's a hint. I am not John Kruk, but I ain't no athlete lady, I'm a ballplayer.

I am not Mark Hendrickson, but I do share some physical and personal attributes of a certain donut gobbling, beer-swilling Simpson's character.

I believe that the Boomer was still available at the time Wright failed his physical.

Man - I hope Sheff gets back in the lineup for tonight.

(sigh)

It's gonna be a long month. Excrutiating.

BP

This not taking pitches thing is becoming a trend in game the Yanks "have to win". I don't know how it gets changed - but if it doesn't, we aren't going anywhere.

aka the ferocious beast

I'll be getting on a plane out of the country right around the 7th or 8th inning, so I won't be able to see the outcome until tomorrow (if then). Then I'll be going to rural Tanzania for 2 weeks, so by the time I get back I'm sure the pennant & wild card races will pretty much be staked out.

Let's go Yan-kees!

Every time I see one of our relievers go 1-0, 2-0, I die a little inside.

I agree we could have went younger, but hindsight is always 20-20. I agree with the signing of the Unit, how can you not, no matter what his age was?

Pavano, based on his years in Florida, also a good signing, you just never know a guy's a pussy until he puts on the pinstripes, there is no audition in baseball. We had a nice rotation coming into the year, it just fell apart.

However I will never forgive Cashman for the Brown trade, there is simply no universe in which that one made sense, and yes, I did say that at the time.

As for Joe's managing, and again I love the guy, it became clear he has difficulty in must-win, stressful situations. I believe it reared it's head first last year when he started Brown in game 7. I know the team put him there, but Joe, a collective "it's over" could be heard all over the country when they opened their paper and saw his picture. That was the day I lost faith in him, he had Duque, however healthy, and Hernandez may have given up some runs, but he's a pitcher, a real pitcher who would have kept us in the game, not blown it and put it out of reach. He also had Moose on two days rest, anything but Brown, we had to win. We lost in 2001 for the same reason, Joe will not stray from the playbook. Brenly have trouble using Randy from the pen consecutive days after starting, no. You play "TO WIN THE GAME" especially when you must win the particular game. I can actually picture Alan Embree or Scot Proctor on the mound in the playoffs, in a deciding game, while Johnson, and I hope Moose, or Chacon sit idle, because he just doesn't get it.

World Series history is rife with examples of mangers not using their best option and blowing games, it just happens when they get frightened and lose composure. The good ones just don't make those mistakes. It doesn't guarantee a win, but at least you're giving your team the best shot.

What we need to do is get a little younger, see if we can grab a guy like Crawford, or for that matter, any D'Ray outfielder. We can get Kotsay cheap, at least he's a disciplined hitter with spectatular skills in Center. He's not Babe Ruth, but he's cheap and likely the best guy that's not already 40. So help me if they sign Johnny Damon to a huge contract, I'll lose it.

Also,

Joe should take a cue from Frank Robinson and yank them once it gets to 2-0, that's it son, your're done, your job is to throw strikes, period!

I have a hard time believing that Cashman couldn't have gotten Wells reasonably. The Sox guaranteed him very little and loaded the deal with incentives. Given how badly he wanted to return to NY, I can't imagine that Cashman couldn't have signed him for the same deal or less. Theo was creative; Cashman wasn't. Boomer's beaten him twice this year and, assuming Aaron Small's vial of magic dust is now empty, will likely make it three tonight.

Tell that fat jackass to have another donut and ruin Boston's chances from now on.

I have plenty of posts lambasting the offense, don't you worry.

I just feel that we are going to be in close games because of just that, the offense. That is my reasoning for wondering what Joe is thinking, and perhaps not thinking in close and must-win games. It scares me.

Sure Cash could just dump Franklin, but I don't even blame Franklin, he hasn't had enough experience to throw him on the heap, some of this isn't his fault. However, this aint the time to be giving him innings, Joe, please, if our best blows it, I can at least live with that, but if Proctor and Franklin and Embree blow it, no matter what you have done and how much I respect you, YOU'RE FIRED!

Use what we have first, use Lieter first, if he stinks it up from the pen, at least you put the right guy in.

Use Strurtz and Flash, if they blow it, at least we tried.

Joe please, I beg of you, no more Frankin, no more Embree, no more Bellhorn, please!

Tell that fat jackass to have another donut and ruin Boston's chances from now on."

AT LEAST WE WERE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

This is myopia at it's finest, oh Crawford got a couple of hit's against us last night. We should sign him. WHile we're at it let's get Waechter and Hendrickson and Baez. They're like vintage Hudson, Mulder and Zito based on the past few series against the Yanks.

No, we should sign them bcause they play great defense and have a higher average than any single one of our 6-9 hitters!

8/23: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 7 K, 84 pitches
8/28: 8 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 K, 102 pitches
9/2: 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 6 K, 105 pitches

ERA over those three starts: 2.08

I thank Shaun for saying it earlier: "Tampa Bay is no longer a bad team."

No, we should sign them bcause they play great defense and have a higher average than any single one of our 6-9 hitters!

Oh right I forgot that batting average is the end all be all of baseball analysis. Pardon me. Jason Giambi hits 5th by the way. So you'd rather have Speedy GonCrawford or Gathright and their .319 OBP's than Jason?

If you eliminate Wells first two starts of the year, when he obviously wasn't yet in "shape" and the first two when he came back from injury without rehab (rehab doesn't count toward the incentives), Wells has been fabulous this year.

Look above to an earlier post. Since the All Star break - 6-1 3.18, 61 ip, 67 h, 3 bb, 3 hr. That's one walk and one home run per 20 innings.

I don't get it at all. He talks Damon up like a superb fielder, which I know he isn't, and no sabermetric number will prove otherwise to anyone who has seen him play. Does that stat take into consideration playing in a tiny park? And all the other reasons not to sign him have already been mentioned here many times.

I hardly think Damon is the difference between us being in first and not. How about a pitching staff? How about a bullpen? How about some bench? etc etc etc...

But you'd better learn to love him. Mark my words, George gives him 5 and 50 before the first of the year. And regrets it mightily by 2008, perhaps 2007.

Man, oh man. Doom and gloom abound today.

BP

I didn't read it. He did not say Damon would have gotten the Yankees in the playoffs, did he?

Jeter, never has, nor does he now, belong in the leadoff spot. It's simply not suited to his game, and I am by no means being critical, just saying something that many many many have said for years

Hey man, you're wrong again, just kiddin, Damon's arm is actually worse than Bernie's, and it's a certainty it won't get better.

And further, he is dumb as a stump, and that absolutely does matter, because he will certainly make his share of mistakes out there by making bad decisions.

Drop plasctics here, Drop paper here, Drop glass here, Drop has-been's here. Does Epstien get regular drop-off as a fringe benefit or does he need a permit?

I didn't get the memo.

Boomer would have been nice to have back, but I think the rotation needed to get younger (do you really want 2 forty year olds on the staff?) And based upon their careers and last couple of seasons I would have taken Unit over Boomer any day.

Boss Needs Therapy!

In an unexpected move early yesterday morning George Steinbrenner fired General Manager Brian Cashman, citing ineffectiveness. Apparently four years removed from a World Series crown has been too long for the knee-jerk boss of the New York Yankees to wait. Forced to endure nine consecutive playoff seasons, the boss has had enough. Clearly incensed by the Yankees poor start this year, we expected some response, but this move surprised us all.

Even more surprising was his choice to fill those sometimes heavy shoes worn by any Yankees General Manager, Saddam Hussein. Apparently, the boss was wooed by his ruthless decision-making power and refusal to accept disappointing employees, and god knows he doesn't scare easily. Cashman was obviously flabbergasted, "I never saw this one coming, late night phone calls, constant berating, calling me his cute little pocket GM, I used to have a full head of hair you know, but Saddam Hussein; Fidel Castro I could understand, at least he knows baseball!"

It appears the Yankee boss's Republican ties are stronger than we thought; the Bush administration has dropped all charges against the former dictator saying today, "He's just a little misunderstood." Politicos always fans of the deceptive name game a la the Healthy Forest Act and Clean Air "Mercury Schmecury" Act are calling the move the "Freedom Initiative," also freeing several Saudi nationals with ties to the Carlyle Group today. The President went on to say; "Even though I owned the Rangers, I always loved the Yankees."

Steinbrenner proffered an explanation to the Media today. "He's our man, and a life-long Yankee fan I'm told" "I know he's had some minor skirmishes with the law, but hell so have I, the man gets results." "Giambi had two Home Runs today, clearly it's having some effect." The move has sent ripples through the entire organization. Several players have cast the move as ludicrous. Wall punching-pitching-punk Kevin Brown with his 27.00 Earned Run Average in tow said today that; "I'm not going to have a lot of fun here in the future; he's already sat me down to gather my families' residential addresses and asked me if I'd heard about his son-in-law's; I think Steinbrenner has finally lost his mind." Hired gun steroid-slurping-slugger Jason Giambi told the Pantalone Press this morning, "He sat me down and delivered a clear message, saying it's not the grand jury I should be afraid of, my numbers better pick up." I suppose Hussein may have his own brand of "Juice" similar to the old mafia lye in the coffee technique.

Perhaps the Yankee in the most precarious position is Manager Joe Torre. Mr. Torre told the press today, "We knew he was up to something when we got off to such a slow start; I have to admit this surprised me, and not much surprises me after nine seasons here." We also spoke with the new GM who reportedly told the Yankee skipper that he doesn't need another PR man, and that he is uncommonly punctilious when torturing higher rank employees, Billy Martin had it easy.

Hussein also addressed the press today:

I'm a results oriented man and I think that appeals to Mr. Steinbrenner. I ran an entire county; surely I can handle this challenge. I will make the necessary moves to reach our collective goals. In response to a reporter's question begging for an explanation . . . Hussein said brazenly, well, some heads are sure to roll; no, seriously, I mean some heads will actually roll, Sheffield has a particularly round head, and they make great places to hide things on your desk. We have to win today, this year, no excuses anymore.

Hussein has also converted a former clubhouse lounge into what he referred to today as "my O'fer Room." I was about to pee myself before he explained further, "I understand it's a move George has wanted to make for some time but never had a General Manger with the stomach for it." "We will take players who are underperforming in for private "encouragement" sessions." He has also placed explosives in the opposing team's bullpen. In an even more outlandish move, General Manager Hussein has added a monument of himself in the Yankee outfield's venerable Monument Park, Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle . . . Hussein, um ok. When asked how he could get away with all this he replied; "Have any of you heard from Mr. Selig today?" "I don't suspect you'll hear from him or any other Commissioner who opposes my tactics."

Mr. Hussein made but one move today in which Yankee fans can take solace; he has "declared war" on the Red Sox. He told us today; "They're infidels and will be punished." Red Sox manager Terry Francona told the press today that several players have noticed suspicious individuals lurking near their homes, and no one seems able to locate Manny Ramirez or Curt Schilling.

Only time will tell whether this out-of-left-field move will bear fruit and return the Yankees to prominence. The boss is after all, the boss. On an otherwise seemingly ordinary day in the Big Apple, Mr. Steinbrenner dropped a SCUD missile on us all.

As for arms, we can spit all day about this. Damon has a lousy arm, no question. Bernie has no arm. They run on Damon, they run like crazy on Bernie.

BTW, by Damon's second year in NY, certainly by his third, Hanley Ramirez will be a better CF than Damon.

I could not agree more. Hanley Ramirez will be in Center. But that doesn't bail us out. Further, Johnson would have triggered his no trade but for that 34 Million.

Most likely Tampa won't part with Crawford, which is why we should grab a young guy, give Melky Cabrera a chance--I belive Gene and Reggie concerning Melky--and use Kotsay as a very dependable back-up who could easily fill the role if the experiment fails.

When we brought him up we still had 100 games to play, they didn't even give hima shot. Anruw Jones didn't exactly light up the offensive numbers when they brought him up, but they didn't dump in in a week.

Maybe I'm missing something, did something happen with him, he hasn't been heard from since.

Bring it On!

More than three month's have passed since Curt Schilling and the Boston the Red Sox completed their latest bean-ball bonanza with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and I believe I've finally heard it all. The Pantalone Press reported today that murderous-malevolent-malcontent Boxing Promoter Don King has announced Red Sox proselytizing pitcher Curt "Bloody Sock" Schilling and Tampa Bay Devil Ray skipper "Sweet" Lou Piniella are set to square off in what's being called the "Bean-Ball Brawl" at Donald Trump's new Pompadour Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The details were evidently "leaked" sometime last evening. That's right folks; I've confirmed it with both camps, this fight is for real. The battle royal was apparently fueled by raging-Republican-rant man Schilling's public comments following the fracas between the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Boston Red Sox at the turf toed concrete egg miniplex known as Tropicana Field in Tampa, Florida in April, which resulted in several fines and suspensions.

Mr. Schillings comments following the April 24 melee were:

"The problem is when you're playing a team with a manager who somehow forgot how the game is played, there's problems [sic]. This should have been over a little bit ago. Lou's trying to make his team be a bunch of tough guys, and the telling sign is when the players on that team are saying, "[T]his is why we lose 100 games a year; because this idiot makes us do stuff like this," they said that on the field."

Yes Mr. Schilling, "there's problems" alright. This new Shill-ing episode drudged up the following response which was recently published once again by a Seattle reporter who has been stomping his feat and jumping up and down to the national media for years to come clean concerning what baseball insiders have known for years regarding Mr. Schilling:

During the past few days, the country has discovered Schilling's little secret, the one baseball insiders have known for years but has rarely surfaced into the mainstream. Schilling is something of a con man, someone more intent on polishing his personal image through whatever means possible.

The Associated Press Reported on April 28, 2005, "[t]his little dagger was fired not last week, but on Nov. 4, 2001 - the day that Schilling was to start Game 7 of the World Series for Arizona against the Yankees. The author, Arizona Republic columnist Pedro Gomez, now with ESPN, is said to have been privately congratulated by many Diamondbacks players and staffers for taking on Schilling publicly. The point is, Schilling is not universally loved by his peers, many of whom regard him as a shameless self-promoter who can't keep his mouth shut. "

It appears Lou Piniella would like to shut it for him. Given Mr. Schillings balsa-wood body and the fish stringer full of catchers body parts Piniella keeps on his desk to this day, I'd be running to the nearest microphone to make Robert McNamara's Viet Nam mea cupla look like a mid-western husband bringing home a bouquet of roses following a boys night out. Somehow I don't think he'll listen.

"Sweet"-cigarette-smoking Lou Piniella fired back;

Forget how the game is played? I have forgotten more baseball than this guy knows, on the idiot subject, I'm appalled he would actually say something like that. He's questioning my character and integrity and that is wrong. He's never played for me, never really spoken to me, so he really doesn't know what I stand for. If I were Curt, I would be really embarrassed at the cheap shot he took and get the story correct. I'll tell you, I've always admired his pitching ability and competitiveness, but I can honestly tell you I've lost a lot of respect for him. I'm looking forward to talking to Curt myself and get this matter cleared up.

Translation: "I'm going to send his ass back to Boston in a duffle bag." Has Mr. Schilling not watched any tape of Mr. Piniella's rants? I'd lay 2-1 on Piniella against Holyfield any day.

It appears as if it will require a tad more than talking to satisfy Red Sox skipper Terry Francona, who was reportedly livid when Piniella's remarks were conveyed to him. Red Sox Senior Vice President Vinny Lie-a- Lot, torn away from his full time research ripping Alex Rodiguez told me, "Francona was as jumpy as Steve Howe on an all night bender." "My pitcher goes to Church-Church I tell ya!"

The Piniella camp is insisting we refer to Mr. Schilling as "Glass Jaw," the moniker recently planted upon him by Piniella's trainer, Sammy "the Cork" Sosa.

I was able to track down the belly busting bean bag late last night in beantown. He was on his way to an all night buffet, Big Gulp in one hand, mirror in the other. Also waddling along was fellow self-promoter David Wells, whose gout was making it difficult for him to keep up, but he'd rather die than miss that buffet. He looked more like Spanky chasing the gang to grab that crème puff than a major league pitcher, chanting the whole way, "wait up, wait up., I hear they got crab legs!" Rounding out the fearsome threesome was Wells' bodyguard who told me, "gotta watch out for those 5'2"-150 lb. busboys, they'll stick you man; how's he supposed to look like a tough guy is Urkel's kicking his ass?" When I carefully approached the gaggle of guts, Mr. Schilling was very clear in his intentions concerning the upcoming bout. "I gotta keep my name in the news man, gonna run for President someday." "Did ya see me in congress, did ya, did ya, did ya?" "I'm going on Celebrity Poker next, and then maybe Nascar Nation, yea, they have tons of gullible, I mean wholesome fans I can cultivate." He then put on his "game face" and said sternly while spewing saliva about, "Sweet Lou I'm comin for you man, my style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I'm just ferocious, I want your heart, I want to eat his children, Praise be to Allah!" He continued, "you're sweet Piniella, I'm gonna make sure you kiss me good with those big lips, I'm gonna make you my girlfriend."

Wow I thought, this guy's lost it. Could it all be a calculated PR campaign?

"Sweet" Lou Piniella, not be outdone by the youngster, addressed the press this morning, "[m]y biggest weakness is my sensitivity; I am too sensitive a person." "You see me out there shaking ump's hands, bringing flowers for player's birthdays." "That's how I end up in these situations; I give and give and give." Has "Sweet" Lou Changed? This seems wildly at odds with the conventional wisdom, considering that following his reinstatement from a long suspension some years ago, and preceding a scheduled fight with another catcher he nearly decapitated, he said:

I want to rip out his heart and feed it to him, I want to kill people, I want to rip their stomachs out and eat their children. When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff. He then fired a hard right at the Red-Sock-ringleader while my assistant Lucy questioned him saying, It's no doubt I am going to win this fight and I feel confident about winning this fight. I normally don't do interviews with women unless I fornicate with them, so you shouldn't talk anymore . . . unless you want to, you know. When asked how Mr. Schillings' comments made him feel, he responded, I was as hopped up as Vida Blue with a stack of hundreds, an off day and an eight-ball.

Well, clearly the pre-fight banter Americans expect is off and running and unlikely to disappoint.

Mr. Don King, fresh from burying gold bouillon under Benny Binion's ranch was also available for comment this morning. As expected, Mr. King made complete sense. He opined, quite clearly:

"I'm a promoter of the people for the people and by the people and my magic lies in my people ties. I'm a promoter of America. I'm American people. You know what I mean? So therefore, uh, do not send for who the bell tolls 'cause the bell tolls for thee."

Huh, what? I then pushed him for an answer as to how on this earth he was able to arrange this ground-breaking fight and how it got leaked:

"I can't believe that having said what I said was interpreted as having been what I said when I said it, because I said it where I said it, when I said it, and who I said it to . . . ," and, "I can't believe what I said about myself. What I said in my own private conversations with myself to an ESPN producer are my business, and I had no business saying them to someone else."

Clearly Mr. King is as lucid as ever and reluctant to divulge the details-and quite frankly--I like breathing so I aint gonna push it--of what brought us to this point in American boxing history, but I'd get some security crews out to the Meadowlands end-zone ASAP. He does understand one American tradition as old as apple pie . . . the plea bargain. With power comes influence, and with influence in Mr. King's case, apparently comes gibberish. I posit his reasoning for "fixing" up this bout is quite similar to what was said by this same promoter many years ago while shaking one of his prize fighters by the leg in an effort to make sure there wasn't any money left in his pockets; "Martin Luther King took us to the mountain top: I want to take us to the bank, God Bless America . . . and God Bless . . . um who is it . . . the actor . . . he's President now . . . no freakin way, we're rich!"

Mr. King attempted to bolster the red carpet appeal of the bout by offering me a list of players who will be attending the event. They include; so long as someone else picks up the tab I presume, Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez, Texas Ranger pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, Padre outfielder Alan Wiggins, Royals first baseman Willie Aikens, Royals outfielders Willie Wilson and Jerry Martin, Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry and pitcher Dwight Gooden, as well as Atlanta pitcher Pasqual Perez. Several other players have expressed interest including Joaquin Andujar, Dale Berra, Enos Cabell, Jeff Leonard, Dave Parker, Tony Phillips, Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds, Ricky Henderson, Tommy Lasorda, Alex Sanchez, Mark McGuire, Lenny Dyksrta, Pete Rose and Lonnie Smith.

"Look at this list," Mr. King said, "you can't question these players integrity!" "Come one come all; see my latest creation, Barnum and Bailey aint got nothing on me." "This is miraculous, it's stupendous, it's fabulous, it's superfluous, it's any adjective with more than two syllables, and it's downright amazing."

Mr. Schilling's trainer, Sammy "the Cork" Sosa, could not be reached for comment but did issue a statement;

Mr.Schilling does not regret making his statement and will show that ex-pinstriped-punk Piniella what he's made of at the fight in May. He's a warrior, and a hero to every fan in Boston. You see, this is why I don't tell nobody I speak English, congress woulda chewed me up, I just smile and act cute, say bery bery a lot, works every time. Mr. King taught me that. My only regret is that those lousy umpires didn't let "Bloody Sock" grab that peanut Pienella on the field and give the fans a fight preview. I'd like to stuff a cork in him myself, and if I know anything, its cork.

Well, I suppose if I want to keep both my legs I won't question Mr. King any further. However, I do look forward to not only the upcoming pre-fight hype and the jiggly weigh in buffet sponsored by Krispy Kreme, but to every crazy gimmick along the way. Mr. King never disappoints his customers. Trump's Pompadour and Why-the-Hell-is-Anyone-Still-Paying-Attention- to-Me hotels and casinos opened today with the line showing "Sweet" Lou Pienella a 5-1 favorite over his arch rival Curt "Bloody Sock" Schilling. Lets get ready to . . . ah . . . rumble? It's sure to be one for the ages; the Thrilla in Manilla, the Rumble in the Jungle, Patterson, Foreman, Marciano, Ali . . . and October 25th, the Bean-Ball Brawl. God help us all. If only Mr. Schilling had been more . . . um . . . curt!

Schteeve, I'm with you all the way - re-signing Wells would have been a mistake. Its easy to look back now and say, "He's been good - we missed an opportunity!" But hindsight is 20-20, and there's no way of knowing how he would've done with the Yanks. Given his age and injury history, he was a big risk. I guess I would have preferred him over Wright. I would have preferred Clement over either.

The only D-Ray outfielder I'm slightly interested in is Aubrey Huff, because he's the only one who knows how to take a walk and take pitches. But he's now on the downside of the typical hitter's peak curve (29 this December), and he can't play CF anyway.

There's a HUGE different between a .319 OBP (with a pathetic 21 walks, I might add) and a .390 OBP (with a fantastic 65 walks). Just looking at walks, that's at least 44 more chances Jeter had to score a run!

Steven Goldman has said this a million times, and he's right - they were dreaming with the rotation they put together for his year. Carl Pavano had TWO years (out of 8) where he made 30+ starts.

His best two seasons came when he pitched half his games in a pitchers' park, in the weaker offensive league. Before those seasons, in 6 years his numbers were:

103G 86GS 514.1IP 569H 60HR 173BB 345K 4.71ERA 6.0K/9 1.99K/BB

Ugly, to say the least. Pavano was a mistake because he wasn't a good pitcher, plain and simple.

Signing Captain Caveman (Damon) would be a huge mistake. His career OBP is .353 (vs. .386 for Jeter). His arm is average at best. His range is OK, but he's 33 next year and likely as not to lose range quickly once he hits 34. Signing past their prime vets - like Damon - to contracts that pay them big bucks when they're 36 or 37 is a HUGE mistake - and why the Yanks are in the bad state they're in now. I hope the Red Sox sign him to a big 4 year deal - though running Hanley Ramirez out there next year would make me laugh, as he hasn't hit for crap this year in AA (.271/.335/.385).

Kotsay just signed an extension with the A's. Pierre's on-base skills and defense are questionable. Some combination of Reese and Thompson with Bubba Crosby in CF next year is affordable and productive enough. Melky will be ready in a couple years - he's only 20, after all. Another year or two of AA/AAA ball and he'll develop fine. Meanwhile, Sardinha needs the extra playing time 'cause he recently became a RF full-time.

Finally, before this year, Wayne Franklin had thrown over 300 innings in the big leagues (302.2 to be precise) - with a 5.47ERA 154BB and 203K, and a similar record in the minors. Let's be honest - he sucks.

As for his week in the Bronx, he was so clearly overmatched, they were wise to get him out of there as quickly as they could.