SJ is right. The rookies are pitching like rookies, but our hitters are the real problem here. Again, they don’t show up in April, and the strain it puts on these young pitchers, forcing to do one of the most difficult things in pitching from behing, is ridiculous.

He has never played 1B, so is he a better DEFENSIVE alternative to Giambi? However, while I believe Giambi is still a better option, I would play Ensberg against LH pitching and see where Giambi sits in a month.

“It is simple. Shelly is young and improving. Giambi is old and digressing. That is normal!”
Wow…. it’s that simple we don’t even need to look at stats!

Is Mo ‘old and digressing’?. Iggy’s pretty young. Maybe Iggy should close.
Is Po ‘old and digressing’?. Moellers younger. Maybe he should be our starting C.

By your reasoning, is every kid on the farm better then a 37 yr old player? Would you like a list of 37 year old players who are still pretty good?
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“The 39-year-old Thomas signed a two-year, $18-million contract with Toronto in November 2006. The deal includes a $10 million option for 2009, but only if Thomas makes 376 plate appearances this season.

Thomas, who is batting .167 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 60 at-bats, said the Blue Jays are cutting his playing time to prevent the option from kicking in.”

Thomas has been replaced at DH with Matt Stairs, who in 2007 posted: .289 .368 .549 .917

JMO but, its kind of hard to catch with a torn muscle in your shoulder.

I admire Jorge’s toughness but, if he can’t catch, and can’t catch effectively, you have to put him on the DL.

Hopefully, he is ok next week and he is back behind the plate.

Until I see it though, I never believe Yankee injury reports because rarely are truthful when telling the entire story re: injuries.

Unlike last year, most of their issues can be solved from within.

If by the end of next month the following happens, I’m a happy camper:

1. Joba to the rotation. Putting off the inevitable accomplishes nothing.
2. I think Kennedy may have to go to AAA. If that’s the case, you bring up Rasner and make him the long man (they need one) when you put Joba in the rotation.
3. Brett Gardner is put in LF. If it lights a fire under Johnny Damon’s butt and gets him to play better, great. If it doesn’t? Then Damon is your 4th OF and Gardner is the everyday LF.
3. Need a first baseman. Shelley? He should definitely be back. Need another one though. Can’t continue to play baseball without a first baseman.
4. Move Ohlendorf back to the end of the bullpen. He’s not a long man and his stuff translates to later inning work
5. If he doesn’t start hitting, I just waive Giambi. Take the financial hit and move to improve your team. The Blue Jays did it today with Frank Thomas. If you can eat 40 million dollars on Carl Pavano, you can eat the remaining 4 months on Jason Giambi’s contract.

Do those things and its a fun summer with this team, IMO.

It is simple. Shelly is young and improving. Giambi is old and digressing. That is normal!

It is too early for that. It will happen if they continue to be like this for another couple of weeks. Veterans always get the benefit of doubt given their track records and I am Ok with it. Remember the year when Jeter started so bad, he could not get a hit. Then he turned it around and had a very fine overall season.

Sitting Giambi is easy, there are optins on the current 24 roster like Ensberg. Shelly should be back soon too. For sitting Damon, we need to get someone from the minors like Brett and that is Cahmans’s call.