The folks puzzled about Damon getting “kicked out of center field” need to learn the dimensions of Yankee Stadium: nowhere to hide out there!

“Melky’s D is much more than throws. if you observe, he’s excellent on cutting balls off in the gap, which often makes the difference between a single and a double, etc. for example, if Melky’s playing CF in this series, there were 2 Texas triples that he would’ve held them to doubles on.”

LOL George! My grand dad is 85 years old and suffering from a debilitating disease. He saw Ruth play when he was just 5 years old and claims to really remember him. Any way, despite his weakness, he pounds on the ceiling when the Yankees do well, hasn’t lost his vigor for baseball.

BUT TO MY POINT: My Grand dad screamed downstairs on those triples: “That kid may be faster but he doesn’t have Melky’s instincts out there: that’s no triple if Melky is playing…”

I said, “Grand dad, you took the words right out of my mouth!”

The problem, George, is that people don’t understand that talented defensive players pre-empt trouble: Melky will never be properly lauded for not getting an assist on a play that never happened because baserunners already know not to run on him….

A very erudite observation, George!

Um, wrong on both counts, but thanks for playing!

That was smart. Washburn is absolutely awful, and the Yanks could get him on waivers.

I suppose Nady was a brainless move, huh? (Or Justice, for that matter.)

You’re kidding, right?

WAVE TO THE FANS, MELKY! JOG TO FIRST, MELKY! GET BENCHED BY GIRARDI, MELKY!

It is why we advocated trading Melky and one (nor Joba though) for Santana

Then brainless passed on Washburn — so now there is not only no hope for 2008 when there is at least the potential for the offense

We get to think on 2009 — where the Yankees only have to spend CASH for Sabbathia – if he will come; and Teixiera, if he will come

And replace Jter’s offense — and Abreu’s offense, and play Posada/Giambi/Matsui into some combo of 1B DH – get a full time C (Joge is not going to mend at his age in an everyday C–no fault of his)

and hope that Joba, Hughes, and IPK become better than serviceable; and CMW can be equal to what he was — too many pitches, too many hit balls but survived due to the velocity and the sink. If the injury does not allow that then Pitching becomes even more of an issue.

and nothing makes up for a manager’s brainless lineups and brainless substitutions

And I admit I thought I was wrong to have advocated the trade when Melky got off to that April start — I will eat crow if he can recover that form — the Yankees might start by offering either hit LH in Winter ball against all pitching so we can evaluate you as a full time player or you become a 4th outfielder platoon player

And anybody who thinks Damon can still play CF doesn’t watch very many games (obviously). . .