Jesus on a muffin. :O

The runs he’s give up in his last 2 appearances were meaningless. Prior to today, take away his 3 outings against the O’s (he just can’t pitch when Baltimore is involved) and the early April debacle against the Rays (total of 4 of his 32 appearances, 2 IP 14 ER) and his numbers would be fine. He’d have 38.1 IP, 11 ER, 1.02 WHIP, 2.58 ERA!

He’d actually be an okay pick up for somebody needing extra righty relief since the Yanks would probably have to pick up most of his salary and get little for him. Maybe Boston would like him! There seriously should be an NL team interested. Pittsburgh could really use him, he might be better than just about any righty they’ve got in their pen. But his other horrific outing was against them (take that 2.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER out too and he’s statistically lights out!), so they’re probably not impressed. The Brewers seem to like pen righties that seemed washed up – they’ve got Gagne, Mota and Solomon Torres active. And they just picked up Ray Durham. They like the older guys.

But he’s likely to just get released. Then some other fans can tell themselves what a smart move picking him up for peanuts was – like us with Sexson. The “new kid in town” syndrome. Since we’re paying him either way, I’d keep him around for the blowouts. But the pen is full with Bruney returning so someone’s got to go, and no one else deserves to.

Joe G’s face when he took the ball from Hawkins seemed to say alot. I think Brandon pointed that earlier. He looked disgusted/feeling kind of bad for the guy/disappointed.

Like a kid coming down for christmas and finding out there is no santa because Dad electrocuted himself on the Xbox.

A potential 2009 lineup
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF (albeit $16M is too much for Abreu at this point)
A_Rod 3b
Matsui DH
Posada 1b
Cano 2b
Cabrera/Gardner or Jackson CF (or Mark Kotsay as free agent)
Molina/Barajas/Olivio

“Up next is a trip to Boston, with the Yankees taking their mediocre 23-23 road record into Fenway Park for three games starting Friday.”

Mediocre????

Only one team in the American League has a winning road record and that is the Angels.

We are the only AL team at .500 on the road.

The second best road record in the American League (T-4th in all of MLB) is NOT “mediocre”

It’s not Molina to be concerned about, except if he has to play too much and wears down. We’d be replacing Moeller – who, contrary to the belief of most here who have gotten some kind of favorable impression from his 10 AB’s in the last 2 months (exagerating!), is basically worthless. He’s okay behind the dish, but if we need someone to catch 2 days a week, I’d prefer a better bat. Molina could come in late for D 2-3 times a week, start 3-5, and we’d be much better off.

And Jorge is a better option in Cash’s mind than the alternative bats for DH, not as a C, and I’m sure they’d limit his 1B appearances as well. If he can get the pain and inflammation down, and can hit, even if not for the same power as before, and Matsui is in fact done, than Cash might be right.

But that’s a lot of if’s, and still leaves us with Gardner or Christian in LF or on the bench. I’m okay with Christian in that role. Gardner needs to keep playing and developing, so he should go back to Scranton if Damon gets to where he can handle LF. That’s assuming no light bulb goes on for Gardner in the next week and he starts hitting.

I’d still prefer a righty OF with some pop instead. Getting somebody like that should be the goal. It doesn’t take the other options off the table. I still prefer Nady – best combination of cost and performance, plus OF – including RF – and 1B flexibility for next year. But if Pitt remains stubborn in overdemanding, walk away. Only team in the AL that should also be after him is Tampa. Oakland could really use him, but will they bother after dropping 5 of 6 to contenders and trading 2 key SP’s? Both have the chips, and there are likely some NL suitors too. Would you give up Aceves and Claggett, or one of those plus Suttle and a PTBN (Horne or Marquez) for him? That would be a great deal for Pitt, but they’ll probably keep asking for more. Idiots!

Brandon – you commented yesterday about why do they want Suttle in Texas. He went to U Tx.

Agreed on God Bless America, stop shoving it down our throats.