Here's a link about a mens' over 30 league up here in New England, it's written by a former student of mine. Some of you might find it interesting:

http://www.eagletribune.com/siteSearch/apstorysection/local_story_225064103

I guarantee that Matsui will be back. He'll be on the playoff roster. The reasoning is, he seems to be fine. The tests on his hands show that it's completely healed. He hasn't been working his ass off for months to call it a day on the 2006 campaign. It wouldn't be fair to him, and frankly, the Yankees could use his bat. Every little bit helps. We haven't clinched anything yet.

Mainly, I think he's going to be back because of the hard work he's been doing though. He'll be cleared to swing a bat in a couple of weeks, and get himself back into the swing with a few DHs. He's a pro and he doesn't need a lengthy rehab assignment anyway. I think those things are highly overrated for batters. Pitchers need it more than hitters. Just my opinion.

Now he's missing his next start. Torn meniscus. He had fluid drained from knee. He thinks he'll need surgery on his knee in the off-season. He's already had surgery twice on that same knee. Kinda scary, for a guy who's only 28.

Though he's now the old man on the staff of his new club. What a change that must be, after being with the Yankees.

My worst fear, if the Yankkes make the play-offs, is that the roster is crippled by adding too many old and/or injured players, out of loyalty. Imagine going into the playoffs with Bernie, Cairo, Andy, Fasano, and hurt Matsui (and maybe Bubba if they go with a shorter staff)--yikes.

Johnny Damon CF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi DH
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Craig Wilson 1B
Melky Cabrera LF

But with the injury he suffered, I have serious doubts about whether he'll be okay this season. As Peter Abraham points out, this isn't the kind of injury that hard work can overcome. Look at what happened with Derrek Lee. They thought he was okay to play. He wasn't, and he ended up back on the DL.

As for the rest...does anyone here seriously believe that Bernie Williams won't be on the playoff roster?

Cairo will be, too, I think, if he's healthy. (Whether he'll be healthy by then is another story.) Cairo's very solid on defense, and clutch enough on offense. Worth keeping on the roster, just in case.

Fasano...well, we do need a backup catcher. I'm starting to wish we'd kept Kelly Stinnett, but we didn't, so Fasano it is.

Dunno about Andy. Maybe if Cairo's still out. We won't need as many pitchers in the postseason. I hope.

Bubba...possibly. Last year, Torre put Womack on the post season roster, solely for use as a pinch-runner. Bubba can pinch-run and is a defensive upgrade, so could be worth the roster slot.

And who knows, maybe he'll find his stroke in Columbus, playing every day. He went 2 for 3 with walk last night. His average went up 100 points in one game. (Small sample size, I know, but it was amusing to watch his average go from the lowest in the lineup to the highest in one game.)

I could be wrong, and I am probably over-worrying. I guess I have resigned myself to not have having Matsui of Sheffield back this year. So I tend to focus on how to build the best roster assuming they are not part of it.

Putting the cart before the horse--if they make the play-offs, does Torre have the balls to carry only Wilson as back-up C?

We really need a young catcher of the future. Jorgie's slumping...but is anyone surprised? He's usually dragging by this time of year. He needs more time off, but when the backup is Kelly Stinnett or Sal Fasano, he's not going to get it.

19 Well, if they had never seen him and he was sucky, then you should really worry!

He's an athlete out there, that Sheff. Interesting to see him put the good foot forward...

Weaver is an extreme fly ball pitcher while Wang is an extreme ground ball pitcher. Should be good...

That's not allowed.

Now look what's happened. Wanger's already had one poor performance, has started poorly in a 2nd, and Moose lost his start.

All my fault.

OK, let's hope that DP wakes everyone up.

Enjoy, gentlemen!..

Okay offense, pretend this is Jeff.

I've actually seen a game end on a "catching the ball in the mask" call. I felt like such a hero for being the only person who knew what was going.

It would have been more impressive if the game hadn't been ending at 12:45 am.

Come on, Robbie.

And was it really intentional? Did Jorgie really use his mask to trap the ball, or did it just end up in there accidentally?

In any case, he deserves an Academy Award for that bluff. :)

Clearly, we stand no chance...

IP: 1/3
8 hits, 11 runs, 3 walks, 1 grand slam

(I couldn't help it, I write headlines for the NY Post as my day job)

Don't you get the feeling that when he tunes into Sunday baseball Scioscia nods along with Joe Morgan?

His ideal player seems to be a slick fielder with speed who hits about .300, slugs about .300, and walks less than 10 times a year -- because you need that aggressive attitude at the plate man. And don't forget some feistiness. You need those intangibles man. Gotta have them.

And yet, these guys beat us like a rented mule.

We hatessssss them.

Good thing he has a rubber arm, because I have a feeling Joe's going to be going to him a lot.

Say hello to a 1-game lead, folks. :P

Pfft, sorry, I really did try to say that with a straight face.

But I think people were wondering about a different Ortiz.

What a lousy game. Bats gotta explode tomorrow night...

Seriously, I've noticed the same thing. We all thought we'd get better, instead we got worse. Maybe it's just karma. We were all so ecstatic over the trades and the new and improved lineup. Fate was setting us up.

Or maybe there's something to be said for having a scrappy, gritty lineup that manufactures runs, instead of waiting for homers. Lately, most of our runs have been scored on homers.

~channel surfs for cheerleading competition~

10-6 Sox. The Baltimore Orioles should be disbanded and their players dispersed thoughtout the minors.

It's funny how since when Jeter started slumping, the whole team goes into a funk. Maybe seeing him getting base hits like a machine inspires the team. Can you say MVP?

Anyways if we win tomorrow, we'll be 3-4 against Chicago and LA this past week. That's not horrible against the defending champs and a team that seemingly owns us. It is also not as bad as going 1-5 against Tampa Bay and KC...

Now it's happy homer hacking.

I wonder if the long season is catching up to Wang. As Alex or Cliff (can't remember which) pointed out, Wang's in uncharted territory here. He's never pitched so many innings in a season.