Matt Smith was the only reliever who hadn't pitched in either of the two previous games, and Torre has to expect to empty the bullpen for Small (hasn't been pitching well) and Wright (hasn't been pitching 6+) every week.

And this everything we need to know about Scott Erickson. Send him down, trade him, do something. He's just taking up a spot. It's one thing to be bad on the roster, but this cements him as "not used," I think.

But why would Joe bring in Myers to face a single righty (instead of Smith especially) and then why use Wang as a reliever? It worked, but I thought Wang always had trouble in (a) his first inning of work and (b) with runners on. Especially bad traits for relief work.

At least, I don't think we can assume he was there considering he was flying out of Columbus yesterday.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/yankees/64655.htm

>> Grow your own and roll it in pinstriped papers. It's something the Yankees haven't done since the late '60s, when everyone was doing it.

When was the last time seven of the nine names in a Yankees lineup were home grown? Maybe never. <<

The questions has repeatedly been posed here: why hasn't Mendoza been called up to take Erickson's place?

I think the asnwer is that Mendoza is being readied to be that mid-season STARTING savior (a la Small and Chacon circa '05) that we will almost certainly need this year. With the advance ages of Johnson and Mussina, plus the historical health issues with Wright and Wang, I think we'll be needing a starter at some point this season. Instead of trading our chips away for a Dontrell Willis, maybe the FO sees a healthy and effective Mendoza as the answer.

Mendoza has been succeeding so far in Columbus. All he needs is to strengthen his wing a little more and he might just be the answer come mid-season when a Johnson or Wright go down with an injury.

We all know that Mendoza has always wanted to start. Maybe he'll finally get the chance to stick as a starter in '06?

Thoughts?

Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but I do think that is their reasoning.

As for Erickson, I'm hoping that in the very least he is released when Chacon comes back from the DL.

Nice.

Johnny Damon CF
Melky Cabrera LF
Derek Jeter SS 5
Jason Giambi DH
Jorge Posada C
Bernie Williams RF
Andy Phillips 1B
Robinson Canó 2B
Miguel Cairo 3B

Subject to change at any moment, of course, given the way this season's gone for us.

Johnny Damon CF
Melky Cabrera LF
Derek Jeter SS
Alex Rodriguez DH
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Canó 2B
Andy Phillips 1B
Terrance Long RF
Miguel Cairo 3B

A-Rod's in, Giambi's out.

:sigh:

And on another note, when both Arod and Giambi are healthy again, I advocate keeping the lineup as is with 1-3 being Damon, Cabrera, Jeter.

I see no reason to start Long over Thompson, but at this point my guess is that Torre sees them as "interchangeable" much like the Farns/Sturtze situation. Lopez is a RHP, so obviously Long has the advantage being left-handed. Bernie needs rest, and we all know he stinks vs RHP (maybe Torre has noticed the same trend).

I see it as a similar situation as the one with Phillips. He was a wildcard, but he got a few chances (finally) and impressed. It seems to be that way for any "kids" in NY. If they aren't over-impressive (save Cano), they get shipped out or buried. Thompson basically just needs to be patient, and make sure he makes the most of his limited opportunities. Hopefully he'll get noticed.

Also, I was reading about Melky, and there was a quote from Joe saying something like "The arm, I didn't know about." What the hell goes on in that organization? How was it not relayed to Joe that he has a good arm? It's not like it just showed up two weeks ago. Mind boggling.

He had that one amazing throw shortly after he came up this year, but after that, he threw a couple that were powerful but way off. Like, closer to the pitcher's mound than to home plate, and missing the cutoff man by a mile. I wondered if that first throw had just been a fluke. But he's gotten much better lately, both in accuracy and in using cutoff men.

IIRC, that article that mentioned Joe's saying he didn't about Melky's arm also said that the Yankees spoke with Melky during spring training. They felt he was falling behind the others, and basically gave him a verbal kick in the pants. So maybe he needs some extra motivation/atteniton to keep him on track.

And how can Detroit not be beating up on Matt Clement?

That home run was the 7th of the season giving up by Small. That's in 20.2 innings. That's pretty bad.

http://tinyurl.com/fe2vg

Bye, Bye Aaron.

Home sick on another rainy weekend: check

Balt. announcers: check

My 2 kids trashing the house: check

Yanks getting killed: check

Kevin F-in Millar homers: check

Small getting creamed and Torre is taking the nap that I should be taking: check

Gotta find the silver lining somewhere.

Long is just awful at the plate. How much longer do you think we need to endure him.

And oh, there goes Erickson, being well, Erickson.

One can only hope that Joe and Cash see fit to cut Erickson. Sadly, that may require 5 or 6 more horrid outings before the "veteran" is given ample chances. For crying out loud, even Jose Lima would have been a better signing than this washed up reject that even the pitching depleted Dodgers didn't want.

Hint to management: If the Dodgers dont want a player, he's not just bad, he's horrible, don't sign him.

One can only hope that Joe and Cash see fit to cut Erickson. Sadly, that may require 5 or 6 more horrid outings before the "veteran" is given ample chances. For crying out loud, even Jose Lima would have been a better signing than this washed up reject that even the pitching depleted Dodgers didn't want.

Hint to management: If the Dodgers dont want a player, he's not just bad, he's horrible, don't sign him.

Long should be released the second Bubba Crosby comes off the DL, or at best sent down to AA or AAA.

That's what I am taking away from this game. Lets see if Cashman and Torre do it.

What happened to Derek? I was away from the game for a second. Is he okay?

Not good at all.

=====

Shawn Chacon makes a rehab start today for Double-A Trenton and there is a possibility he could rejoin the Yankees' rotation Friday night. Chacon is on the DL with a bruised left shin . . . Octavio Dotel will start a rehab assignment Thursday with Single-A Tampa. Dotel threw an inning yesterday in an extended spring game. Torre has targeted the third week of this month for Dotel to join the Yankees.

=====

I think. It's very confusing.

Come on Erickson, prove you're worth something and send Tejada to the hospital. God I miss Billy Martin and Lou Piniella sometimes.

Piece of shit Erickson, grow some balls. His wife must have them in a jar.

I have to disagree about Erickson plunking someone right away. He would get immediately tossed, and then Torre would have to burn a decent pitcher in a lopsided loss. Wait until there are two outs in the bottom of the 8th. Then he can get tossed. And Erickson better be pitching until then. No reason a good pitcher needs to work today.

I dont give a fuck what Torre said. Torre aint playing, and when he was, he would have called for the plunk. Is his fat ass at the plate? He doesn't get to make those decisions, those are for the players to make, I don't care what anyone has to say on that matter, you don't play, you don't get to decide when you need to protect your guys.

Hell, let Kevin Thompson pitch for all I care. Get Wade Boggs out of retirement to pitch. Erickson had to hit Tejada there, he has lost quite a bit of respect from the Yankee lineup, they might not say it out loud, but they know he can't be trusted to pitch, and now he can't be trusted to protect them.

I'm tired of this manager calling for no retaliation. It's not his decision to make.

Remember that Red Sox minor leaguer who mule-kicked the catcher and then charged the mound? Cairo should do that here. A-Rod should have done it in the sixth.

See what I mean? What a useless _____________.

Now, with Cairo at the plate - nice work!

Unless, of course, Jeter really is hurt. In which case, we're screwed.

God I wish that were true. Joe loves guys like Erickson, he aint going nowhere.

Go, KT!!! Thanks for the 3 run dinger, Erickson. We might have had a game here...

I'll believe it when I see it. I smell a few "he just has to get back to what he knows how to do" and a couple "he looked really good after that first inning" and one "we need that veteran presence in the bullpen."

Tell Long to pack his bags and get the hell out of town as soon as Bubba comes back. This kid can hit. T-Ball can't.

The worst part of all - the #(&#$)@)@#* is wearing Pettitte's 46! When Erickson is gone, let's all pretend he never actually wore pinstripes, agreed?

Triple if Lou Piniella is the bench coach. If Joe ever goes, that's the guy I'd love to see in there.

Joe has a daughter right? So his balls do function then, hmm. I love theseanagers who plat one way and then manage another. Could be why he was so unsuccessful everywhere he was before the Yanks signed him, another "hmm."

The Yanks better bean somebody in this game.

Since Jeets isn't hurt too badly, maybe not Tejada, but maybe Mora, Hernandez, Millar or Javy Lopez.

Give them a break, the O's are just happy to be winning a game, and it's a few more weeks before Tejada starts yelping again that he wants out.

Perhaps you din't get the news. It was Derek Jeter who was thrown at, not Miguel Cairo. Joe's reason is job protection, not player protection, and that oughta be reversed.

Joe has his reasons, but who could ask for better reasons to go head-hunting?

For the love of pete, purge this roster of tball and erikson. Keep small around to eat up innings till Dotel get back.

Smith was mildly erratic but very effective. I thought he should have been given one more inning today. I think if he hadn't issued that one walk (I am with Frank Robinson on that one, as a reliever, you're job first and foremost is to not wal anyone, if you do, what exactly is your function), he'd be a lock to get some more chances. I know Myers is the "specialist," but I would really like to see him get some time on the mound. He's got good stuff and a great presence on the mound.

Sadly, Myers will continue to get the call until it bites us right in the ass in an important situation, hopefully not in the playoffs.

You have to be patient when it comes to power in young hitters. Doubles fluctuate more erratically year-to-year than any other kind of hit, and HR power usually comes later.

For the moment, I'm not concerned. We'll see where he stands in September. We may have to wait another season or two to get a fix on his real power anyway.