It's been a minute or two since I did a Top Ten Tuesday post, but back when I was blogging constantly (AKA when I had even less of a life than I do now), they were one of my fave posts to craft up - so let's bring 'em back!

As each member of the Yanks rolled into camp for Spring Training and were pounced upon by the media, every single one of them reiterated the same cliched sentiment: "we just want to repeat what we did last year." A lovely goal, but as history has shown us, a tough one to realize. There are so many variables involved in winning even one World Series - not just your own team's injuries, slumps, and luck (good and bad), but that of 29 other teams, too! - that winning two in a row is no small feat, even with a spectacular team.

The Yanks do have a spectacular team, of course - arguably even better than last year's championship roster. They've got about as good a chance of repeating as any team in recent history, but there's a few things that need to fall into place just right if they want any chance of back to back titles.

Top Ten Things the Yanks Need to Get Ring #28 in 2010:

10) A big year from Cano. Robby Cano Dont'cha Know had a dandy year last year in most regards - solid defense, stellar average, and a nice burst of power (25 home runs compared to his previous career high of 19). However... he couldn't always hack it in big situations and hit into 22 double plays. If he can get his act together just a tiny bit more, it'd be huge for the team. Let's just hope he's not too distracted by the loss of his BFF to play well - we don't want a repeat of 2008's performance.

9) A decent performance from the Gardner/Winn/Thames contingent. I've said several times that because of the depth of the rest of the lineup, having a mediocre player in that outfield spot isn't really that big of a deal. That may be true, but there's still no room for a wretched performance. Whoever ends up in that spot needs to at least be consistent and able to contribute to the team in some way - we can't have a .200 hitter going out there every day.

8) Minimal injuries. It's a "duh" one to even put on here, but really: some of these dudes ain't spring chickens, and we've got at least one guy that is particularly injury-prone (I'm looking at you, Nick Johnson. Try not to trip over a sunflower seed on your way to the dugout.) A rash of ill-timed minor injuries or a totally debilitating injury to a key player like A-Rod or Sabathia could be fatal. To their dreams. And anyone sitting near me when it happens.

7) We need the 2008 Granderson, not the 2009 one. Last year was a relatively rough year for Curtis, at least in comparison to his previous seasons - he only hit .249 with a .327 OBP (although he did hit 30 homers, which he can hopefully duplicate with the Yanks' homer-friendly right field). Worst of all, his splits last year were heinous - he only hit .183 against lefties last year. We need better.

6) No burnout for Sabathia. Sabathia has earned a reputation for being a workhorse, never turning down an opportunity to pitch one more inning or on one fewer day of rest. This was key last year, but can he keep it up?

5) Jobamania AND Hughsie need to be ON all year. Wherever they end up, they both need to finally live up to their hype - and stay healthy. Whichever one ends up starting is going to make a huge impact on the team every five days, and whoever ends up in the 'pen has the ability to be a stabilizing force on the team. Both are important roles, obviously, but it would also be a big morale booster for the team to see both of their young "future stars" finally become stars.

4) A drama-free A-Rod. I think after last year, we can pretty much confirm that A-Rod's attitude makes a WORLD of difference in his performance - and it also makes it easier for the rest of the team to relax and play their best, too. If A-Rod gets entangled in a baby-mama drama with a Real Housewife of New Jersey or continues to be thrust into the spotlight for past transgressions, all bets are off.

3) Jorgie MUST be able to catch (and preferably hit) as often as humanly possible - and he needs to hug it out with Burnett. No offense to Cervelli, but Jorgie better be prepared to play 140 games. Plus, with no Molina to fall back on this year, AJ's gonna have to suck it up and learn to get along with Posada - work on those signs, kiddos.

2) Mariano not to wake up and realize he's 40 years old and shouldn't by any stretch of the imagination still be this good. For a closer to still be this automatic at this stage in his career is obscene... and absolutely necessary for the Yanks' success. If the Yanks lose the luxury of being able to count on winning just about every game when they take a lead into the 9th inning, maintaining momentum and confidence will get a lot trickier.

1) Girardi needs to prove that his strategy wasn't a fluke. I cannot begin to count the number of times last year that I hollered and ranted about Girardi's "over-managing". By the end of September, the man was driving me insane - taking pitchers out when they clearly had more in the tank, giving people days off - I felt like it was killing the rhythm. Clearly, it worked... but I'm not sure I'm convinced it's the best way to do things. Girardi needs to pay close attention to his team this year and make adjustments if necessary (or not - I'm willing to be proved wrong again!)

What say you, YC-ers? Anything you'd like to add to the list?

The first comes to us courtesy of our dear Jobamania and relates to the surprising issue I wrote about a couple weeks ago: the surplus of starting pitching that the Yanks have to work with for 2010. Unlike most of his teammates, whose roles on the team are set, Joba will be heading into Spring Training without the promise of a starting gig. The Yanks have made it clear that they have not made a decision on who will be the fifth starter and will make a decision during or after Spring Training. Joba will need to compete for a spot in the rotation (which is where he wants to be - he is intent on being a starter despite the fact that he's arguably been more successful in the bullpen... but that's a whole other discussion I shan't delve into tonight) against Phil Hughes, Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and possibly even Alfredo Aceves.

Despite a disappointingly mediocre 2009, Joba is still fired up and confident in his skills as a starter. He's ready to get down to Florida and prove himself, and understands that having four of five guys competing for one spot will benefit everyone:

"It's something that's going to be a battle. The greatest part about it is it's not only going to make guys fight for that No. 5 spot, but it's going to make our team better. We're going to push each other and continue to try to outwork each other. That's the greatest part about this game; not only do you push one another to do better, but the team is going to be better for it."

Joba is likely the frontrunner for the gig - barring a disastrous Spring, of course - but forcing him to work for it will make him even better. Of course, the bonus effect of this Spring competition will be an improved bullpen, too!

(Until everyone gets burned out in August because they worked so hard in the off-season.)

Alas, not everyone in the world is as gung-ho about the Yanks as Joba... which brings us to our second BQE!

The Yanks are, as we are well aware, a polarizing force. They certainly have their share of detractors, and their wealth is a main bone of contention amongst many of the haters. We've all heard the "the Yankees buy their championships!" scoff (9 times out of 10 in a Boston accent) enough times to want to beat a Bostonian over the head with a bag of chewed-up sunflower seeds, but Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti took the "Yankees and their money" complaint to an interesting new level this week. Bisciotti's beef is apparently not just the disparity between the Yanks' payroll and that of the other teams, but also that the Yankees don't win enough (seriously):

"It certainly doesn’t show up in the standings. If I’m a Yankees fan, I’m upset we’re not winning 130 games with the roster that they have and the money that they pay out. I think it’s a disgrace they only beat the average team by 10 games in the standings with three times the money. I’d fire that GM. You don’t need a GM. All you have to do is buy the last Cy Young Award winner every year."

I... don't know where to start here. This is so absurd I don't even know how to mock it properly. Are you angry that they have money? Or are you OK with the money but think that the number of wins should be directly proportional to the number of dollars spent (it doesn't work that way - talk to the Mets)? If it's a disgrace that they "only" won 10 more games than the average team, then I suppose it is also a disgrace that it took them 6 games to win the World Series. And if all a team has to do to be successful is be in possession of the previous year's Cy Young winner, then shouldn't the Giants have been in the Series? Seriously, I'm confused.

If anyone speaks idiot and wants to translate that for me, I implore you!

After a few shaky years of relying on one or two solid starters backed up by a series of interchangeable question marks (Rasner, Ponson, Chacon) and downright WTF's (Igawa, Wright, Pavano), the 2009 Yanks finally managed to put together a roster of starters that came close to being as impressive as their lineup. The Wangster was a bust, but they still had four starting pitchers pitch the entire season without injury or major disaster (CC, AJ, Pettitte, Joba), and the collection of dudes that filled in at the 5th spot was refreshingly reliable - as far as 5th starters go, that is - as well (Hughes, Gaudin, Mitre). As we look forward to 2010, the Yanks' list of starters is even more impressive. In fact, the Yanks appear to be in possession of - I'm frightened to even say this for fear of it causing a wave of Pavano-esque injuries and sending us right back to where we were in years past - a surplus of starting pitching.

Could this really be true? Is this real life? In addition to their three best performing starters from last year (CC, AJ, and Pettitte), the Yankees will also have Javier Vazquez in 2010, giving them a rotation any team would be thrilled to have regardless of who was rounding out the last spot. Unlike previous years where the 5th (and sometimes 4th) spot was at best a gamble and at worst a throwaway, the Yanks have four viable starters to fill in after CC, AJ, Pettitte, and Javy. Hughes and Joba are the obvious candidates for the spot - Girardi and Stein still consider both of them as potential starting pitchers, not relievers - but the Yanks also still have Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin, who started 9 and 6 games last year, respectively.

Who will actually get that spot remains a mystery for now; arguments can be made in several directions (and we shall discuss them in a later post). The fact that they have all these options is the important thing. Not only does it give the Yankees some breathing room in the event that someone gets injured or proves to have an off year, but it also forces all of them to step up their game to earn the spot - having to beat out their teammates to get the chance to pitch will surely inspire some serious hard work and determination. I don't necessarily anticipate Chad Gaudin to bust out an epic season and knock Joba and Hughes out of the rotation, but for those two to know that if they don't pitch well they could easily be bumped can only be good.

It's been quite a while since I've felt such confidence in the Yankees' pitching staff. Not having to rely solely on Mariano and offense was a nice treat last year, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying that same luxury this year. With a lineup that actually could carry a team with poor pitching and a rotation like this to take the pressure off, this team is looking downright absurd*.

*Superstition disclaimer: Not I would count my chickens before they hatch. Knock on wood, etc etc.

I don't know how this slipped through the cracks of my baseball reading, but Jobamania was arrested on suspicion of DUI this week! Scandal!

Not that surprising, though... how many 20-somethings show their stupidity by driving drunk? I can think of several off the top of my head - and that's just the ones related to me. Common or not, it's despicable behavior and I hope our dear boy learned his lesson. Girardi thinks he has:

“I have spoken to Joba and he made it very clear to me that he made a mistake. We certainly don’t condone his actions, but he is part of the Yankees family and I believe he learned a valuable lesson which he can grow from.”

Where's our statement from the man himself? I always like the mea culpas.

Now that he's been publicly outed as an idiot, let's hope he's returned to more wholesome activities:


PS: Pro-tip, Joba... if you're going to drive drunk, at least be smart enough to leave the open containers out of the car.

Jobamania has reportedly completed his rehab action and has been re-added to the active roster. All signs point to a spot in the 'pen for the duration of the season.

Because Ponson and Rasner are doing SO well in the rotation, we simply can't replace either of them with Joba.

In addition to being swamped with the wonders of work and school, my poor soul is also being crushed by my team... as they continue to get crushed by everyone from the Jays to the Sox to that delightfully heart-warming little group of ball-playing rapscallions from Hawaii.

Sigh. For more on my feelings regarding the trauma, refer to the previous post.

Anyway. Just wanted to mention another quick bit of sadness today, this one for all you mathematics enthusiasts out there (REMEMBER! I am the former Vice President of the La Canada High School math club): There is a legitimate chance that if this team doesn't shape up, they won't finish the year at the .500 mark (82 wins). With just 73 wins under their belt at this point and 25 games to go, they need to go 9-16 just to maintain some sense of dignity. Sounds easy enough, but their opponents this month are the Angels, BoSox, Jays, Rays, O's, ChiSox, and Mariners - several of which are actually, ya know, good teams.

The Yanks haven't finished under .500 since 1992.

A: Transport yourself back to high school and bust out a game of beer pong (rebellious!)

In celebration of beating the Royals last week (yeah, that's all we have to live for at this point: beating the Royals and Orioles), seasoned drunkard Giambi took the still sorta-injured Jobamania out to a NYC bar called Southern Hospitality and indulged in a delightful game of beer pong with some locals.

They lost. Badly.

Let's hope Joba was wise enough to use his non-pitching arm to do the paddlin'.

Generally speaking, I'd say that approximately 87% of my blog posts contain at least one or two cogent thoughts, whether I'm explaining the consequences of some sort of devastating injury or my thoughts on an awesome trade (sorry, Farnsworthless). Today, though... no such luck. The season has spiraled downhill in such a ridiculous fashion (it actually has the potential to be comical, if it weren't so sickening) that I find myself incapable of retaining any semblance of rationale, calm, or writing ability (do you like how I imply that I usually DO possess some ability? Ha!).

That said, let's take this post in a direction more akin to free-floating hostility and stream of consciousness reporting...

...I know that lamenting the fact that the Yanks may not make the playoffs sounds very spoiled, but what fan doesn't want their team to make the post-season - regardless of how many times they've been there before? What, am I just supposed to sit back and console myself with the fact that they DID indeed win a lot over the past 15 years and be happy for other teams? The YCBF (a dirty dirty Mets fan) seems to think so. False.

...I guess I am sort of happy for the Rays. They're a fun team to watch and they've been working on their roster for years, sans big bucks. No such love for the Angels or Red Sox.

...Has anyone else noticed that this team has essentially become the Braves, making the playoffs every year and FAILING? The hell?

...At least the Jeet has returned to good form. As usual, he's doing his best to carry his team through tough times.

...Johnny Damon in center is driving me absolutely batty. I don't even hold his disgusting defense against him personally. He shouldn't be out there in the first place. I understand that Matsui has to be the DH, leaving no other place for JD but in the field, but that doesn't make it any easier to watch. Tis a sad state of affairs.

...I am so disappointed in Cano. He is so much better than this. Did he just give up? Was his performance over the past couple years due solely to the hugs of Joe Torre?

...The fate of Joba seems like a cruel joke. How often is it that a reliever turns into a starter with essentially ZERO adjustment time - no pathetic outings, the ability to go deep in the game, etc?

...Speaking of cruel jokes, what the F is wrong with Hughes and I-Ken? I know it's rare that even a top prospect ends up living up to his hype, but we were led to believe these dudes were sure things. I honestly expected at least ONE of them to contribute SOMETHING this year. I don't think there's a Yanks fan amongst us that didn't think exackle the same thing. The fact that neither of them was even seriously considered to pitch on Saturday speaks volumes about the lack of confidence the Girardino et al have in them.

...While I'm not exactly thrilled about the great C-Pav making a return to the mound, I'm trying to remain positive - I've even brought back the seldom-used "Pavano Must LIVE" tag. We have zero other options. He's worked hard (allegedly). I'd say there's a decent chance he pitches well. Plenty of pitchers come back from Tommy John surg raring to go, no?

...Does anyone else find themselves rooting for the Dodgers a bit now that Torre and Mattingly are at the helm of that ship?

...Perhaps I'm just living in a state of denial, but I'm not ready to give up just yet. Let's give them a couple more weeks. They might still have it in them.

I'm not sure if you noticed, but the Yanks have serious pitching issues.

Both the rotation and the bullpen have taken a beating this season, with everything from injuries to shocking failures to Jobamania's departure from the 'pen that left the Yanks with a huge hole in the 8th inning spot hitting the team hard. They've been doing their best to piece together the pitching staff and offer run support for the struggling Pettitte and Wangster, but many a game has been lost due to the struggling pitching staff.

Obviously, something needs to be done about this unfortunate situation, and quick. The Yanks have been struggling just to keep their heads above water, and if the pitching staff can't pitch well enough to keep the team in the game and give them a chance to win the Yanks are going to have a hard time topping the Sox and Rays and weaseling their way into the playoffs (sidenote: who would have thought the words "Rays" and "playoffs" would wind up in the same sentance? Without the words "no chance?"). 1 or 2 games over .500 isn't going to cut it when as we get closer to the finishing line.

What is the solution, then? During the off-season they were hesitant to trade Hughes, Kennedy, Melky, or even Cano - at least one of whom would most likely be desired by any team willing to trade a decent pitcher - but now that they've experienced such pitching problems their stance may have changed. There is speculation that the Indians might put C.C. Sabathia on the block soon, since they have very little chance of making a playoff run themselves and would be wise to score a few youngsters in exchange for a guy that is going to be a free agent after the season anyway. Another possibility could be Colorado reliever Brian Fuentes, who could fill that 8th-inning slot. While it'd be a bust to trade away fan favorites like the Melkster and Robby, it seems to me that a bolstering the pitching staff is going to be key to the Yanks (hopeful) success this season.

Would you be willing to trade one of the aforementioned players in exchange for Fuentes or a half-year rental of Sabathia? Or would it break your tender heart to lose a beloved youngster?

Discuss!

It was Jobastartamania Part Deux in the Bronx today, and Joba did not disappoint: He threw 78 pitches in 4 1/3 innings, allowing 2 ER on 5 hits and 1 walk, with 5 strikeouts. It wasn't perfect, but his stuff was solid; he was throwing more curves than last week and consistently hitting the mid-90's with that mean fastball. Best of all, he was still throwing a 90-95mpg fastball in the fifth inning, showing no signs of the fatigue you might expect from a guy who was throwing to just a few batters a couple weeks ago. He likely could have gone deeper into the game safely, but Girardi and Eiland had his limit set at a strict-ish 75 pitches and so his day was done. He will probably be cleared to throw around 95 next time around, and after that the special treatment will cease - he'll be a rotation regular throwing as many as he can/as many as it takes.

Obviously, there was a lot of hoopla and debate when the Joba-to-Starter Metamorphosis was first announced. Some of y'all were bracing yourselves for disaster or his arm blowing out from overuse (how could you worry about that? Joe Torre is 3,000 miles away) while others were convinced he was going to waste in the bullpen and could contribute much more in the starting role; we also had a lot of concern about how the bullpen would shape up without him there for that 8th inning magic. Now that we've seen him pitch in two mini-starts and seen how the Joba-less bullpen has fared without him, how are you feeling about his spot in the rotation? Has your mind changed?

The New York Post headline writers are hard at work right now trying to come up with a catchy pun incorporating "Joba" and "Armageddon," but I hope the rest of y'all are keeping your wits about you. Allow me to inject a small dose of "simmer down" into your evening...

Mark your calendars, munecas: Joba will be the starting pitcher against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. He'll be limited to approximately 70 pitches for his first start, which will probably work out to about 5 innings if he stays economical. Pettitte will be pitching Monday, and the Yanks are going to need him to go deep into the game so that the bullpen is rested and ready to take over after Joba leaves the game on Tuesday.

There's been a lot of chatter about this move into the rotation, from sheer excitement to skepticism to downright outrage. Some are convinced he'll be a star anywhere he pitches, while other folks think it might end up being a disaster. Personally, I foresee good things from Joba and look forward to quadruple the amount of solid innings he'll give the Yanks in this role than he would have as a reliever all year. Of course, it's very important not to expect perfection, even from Jobamania. It's unlikely he'll maintain his current sub-2.00 ERA as a starter; more likely, he'll put up a solid 3-4.00 ERA with a good strikeout to walk ratio.

Thoughts? Predictions?

It's time to bid farewell to those old Joba rules that precluded him from pitching more than an inning or so every couple days: Girardino confirmed last night that Jobamania will be taking a spot in the floundering rotation sooner rather than later.

Joba's already pitched almost as many innings as he did last year, when the rules were even more stringent, and with the exception of a couple brief blips in the road (6 earned runs... I've had to remind myself he is indeed a human being and not a pitching android) he's been as fist-pumpingly effective as ever. With his youngster pitching counterparts Hughsie and I-Ken blowing it in grand fashion all year and his team's struggle to score more than 2 runs per game on a consistent basis, his presence in the rotation has become more vital with each passing day.

The plan to work him into the rotation is simple: get him into more games and keep him in there longer. No target date has been set - or if there is one, Girardi ain't sharing it - but they got the ball rolling yesterday by having him pitch two innings instead of his usual one. I'd imagine it's going to take a little while, though; there is a big difference between a 20-pitch outing and a 100-pitch start. Obviously, he was a starter in the minors, so the role isn't foreign to him, but he hasn't started a game in quite a while and needs to get back in the groove of going 6 or 7 innings. There's a chance he might make a brief detour back to AAA to start a couple games before starting for the Yanks, but that's just speculation at this point. Much as I would hate to lose him for a couple weeks, I have to admit that would make sense.

What doesn't make sense is the fact that Girardi's announcement last night sparked a debate amongst journalists, bloggers, and fans over whether the team would be better off keeping Joba in the set-up role and out of the rotation. Yes, he's stellar out of the 'pen, but wouldn't most any amazing pitcher be? Why would you settle for 60 innings of opponent shut-down when you can get 200? Would you put Santana in the bullpen? What the Yankees - and this goes for any team, obviously - need is a pitcher that can go out there every five days and get the team a win, and with I-Ken, Hughsie, Moose, and even Dandy Andy struggling to do just that it would be a disgrace to try to rely on Kei Igawa once a week when Joba and his robo-arm is sitting right there.

Sorry, Kei.

(No I'm not).

In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing regularly for AOL's FanHouse blog on all things AL East. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos!
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If you've been hanging out in a dark, isolated cave without the technological wonders of cable television, internet, telephone, radio or carrier pigeons, check out the previous episodes in this "Cashman vs Steinbrenner: Should Joba Chamberlain be put into the rotation right away?" saga before you read on:

Part the first: Hank Steinbrenner calls Cash an "idiot" for not having Joba start to begin with
Part deux: Cash responds by saying no sir
Part tres: ...making Hank backpedal as he realizes what an idiot HE sounds like

All caught up? Good! Onward!

Continue Reading Rotation vs 'Pen: Joba Weighs In

I don't know about y'all, but sometimes I forget what a nutcase Hank Steinbrother has proved himself to be. Without fail, though, he reminds me that he has that birth defect that prohibited the "crazy talk filter" from ever developing in his brain.

The latest catalyst for some sweet Hankster tiradin' comes courtesy of the failing starting rotation (not you, Dandy Andy and Wanginator) and the (always!) excellent performance of Jobamania. Like many Yanks fans, Hank wants to put to transition Joba into the rotation ASAP and let him supply the team with not just an inning here and there but six or seven every five days.

That position isn't scandalous in and of itself, obviously - in fact, most of Hank's great lines aren't awesome because of what he's saying but how he's saying it and the words he uses. This time, as he explains how badly he wants to put Joba in the rotation, he throws a little blame at the Cash Man and Torre for their decision to put him in the bullpen last year:

I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now. There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that... The mistake was already made last year switching him to the bullpen out of panic or whatever. I had no say in it last year and I wouldn't have allowed it.

An idiot? Is that really necessary? As far as I can see, the point of starting him in a relief capacity was two-fold: shore up the bullpen (what do you want, Hank? To rely on Farnsworthless to set up for Mariano?!) and save the arm of arguably the best young pitcher in the league. It seems to me that that move was extremely successful and not idiotic in the slightest.

But that's just me.

Is Hank Right?
	Yes. IDIOTS.
	No. I'm With You, YC
	Joba Who? I Got to This Site By Accident.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

The baaats are aliiiiive, with the sound of muuuuuuuuuuuusic...

...God that was lame.

(You liked it)

Last night's game was quite the sight to behold. The pitching got a tad out of control on both ends (could have used some Jobamania action... update on that is that his daddy-o is doing better and the kid should be back in the 'pen soon), but the offense's performance proved that when the bats are on there is just no stopping the Yanks.

The 15 runs they scored was the most they've scored in a game thus far this year, and every single starter contributed to the hit parade, and all but Matsui rocked at least one RBI. Jeter, who was mired in a bit of a slump before taking a week off, has now gone 7-13 with 5 RBI since his return and his average is up to a sweet and much more Jeter-esque .324. In fact, most of the team is climbing out of their respective slumps (save for Cano and Giambi, but let's give them some more time before we start getting too fired up). In one night they boosted their team batting average from a paltry .261 up to .272.

The game also featured another fine performance by 3rd string catcher Chad Moeller, who went 3-4 and now has a .400 batting average. How lucky are the Yankees that they're getting production out of a guy they most likely had no serious intention of using?

The Yans and Sox are playing again tonight, same time, same place. The season series tied at 2 games apiece and if last night was any indication, we're in for another loooooong night. If you can't watch the game on TV or simply prefer to avoid Michael Kay at any cost, join me back here at about 6:30 EDT for some live blog action!

No live bloggin' this fine evening, but I'll be popping in a few times during the game with some exclamations and/or bitching.

Here's what's going on before the game...

Joba's father and fan favorite Harlan is currently in the hospital and Joba has returned to Nebraska to be with him. Everyone is concerned and hoping for the best for Daddy Chamberlain. Joba had this to say about the situation:

As many of you know, my family is dealing with a serious, personal medical condition involving my father Harlan. He is currently in critical but stable condition. We cannot express how much we appreciate the enormous amount of love and compassion that has been shown to my family by so many.

I also want to thank my teammates and my manager for giving me so much support when I have needed it most. Their actions are the reason I was able to reach my father’s side as quickly as I did. I ask that you please afford my family the privacy that it needs to deal with my father’s condition appropriately. In turn, I will provide updates through the Yankees as they become available to me.

Let's all send lots of love and good vibes the Chamberlains' way!

In lineup news, Jeter is back in the game tonight after nearly a week off. Cano, however, is out of the lineup, presumably due to his incredibly crappy start. Hopefully a mental and physical breather day will do the trick. Alberto Gonzalez, who did a great job filling in for Jeter last week, is going to spend the day at Cano's post.

Full Lineup:
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Ensberg 1B
Cabrera CF
Moeller C
Gonzalez 2B

Interesting lineup. Quite the B-Squad, but that's not necessarily a bad thing considering the relatively poor performances of so many of the usual starters. No Posada tonight - not quite ready to catch again and that DH spot has to be rotated.

Game on in about 40 minutes!

7:13pm EDT: SEEEEYA x 2! Damon leads off with a solo shot and then A-Rod follows suit a couple batters later with a solo shot of his own. Could it be? Could the bats be awakening at long last?

Keep 'em quiet, I-Ken!

7:21pm EDT: What is this, batting practice? Morgan Ensberg just hit the third solo shot of the game off Sonnanstine. 3-0 Yanks.

I-Ken looked great in the first inning, BTW.

8:00pm EDT: Damon again! Sonny serves up a bases-loaded dub to Damon. Score goes up to 5-1 Yanks and there are still two guys on base.

They need a big win! Without our Spirit Coordinator, they need to make their own morale-boosters.

8:47pm EDT: We're through five now, and I-Ken has done a great job. Just over 70 pitches, 5 hits, 2 ER, 3 K's and a walk.

And the B-Squad Bombers are cheering me up!

GOOOOOOOOO MOELLER!

9:18pm EDT: Uh oh... Bartlett just hit one back to the mound and hit I-Ken, who left the game immediately. He wasn't crying or bleeding, at least... but a hit pitcher is never good (see Hughes, Phil, and Rasner, Darrell.)

Billy Traber in.

9:32pm EDT: You've got to be kidding me, dudes! Rays came into the seventh and hit three homers - 1 off Traber and then back to back jacks off Bruney. The score is now tied 7-7 with two out in the bottom of the seventh.

How bout a couple back to back jacks of your own, B-Squad B's?

9:40pm EDT: SEEEYA! A pinch hit home run by Robby Cano puts the Yanks up 8-7 here in the top of the eighth. Great time to bust yourself out of that slump!

10:10pm EDT: Ball game over, Yankees win 8-7! Congrats and thank you to A-Rod (4-5) and Cano (tie-breaking homer in the 8th) for making this delightful win possible.

Wrap-up on the way!

...the New York media can't think of anything interesting to jabber about and starts grasping at straws for a story, ANY story.

Case in point: Dissecting and over-analyzing the way Joba celebrates a successful pitching outing.

You know what I'm talking about - the innocuous fist pump he does every time he strikes someone out. No, you're not missing anything - THAT is what people are fired up about.

After striking out Frank Thomas on Wednesday, Joba executed the aforementioned fist pump, obviously thrilled that he got out such a prolific hitter and reportedly one of his own personal heroes. He didn't do a little jig, get in the Hurt's face and holler "BEYOTCH!" or get down on his knees and start praising Jesus. See for yourself:


I would certainly not classify that as "excessive celebration" or "jackassery" or even "over-excitement." What's more, Frank Thomas agrees! When asked about Joba's pumpin' all he had to say was:

"He was pumped up, did a good job, and he struck me out in a big situation. So go ahead."

Is there anyone - media aside - out there that thinks this is a big deal AT ALL? It should be such a non-issue that I feel stupid even mentioning it here. Any idiot can see that he's excited, not bragging. Joba has done a lot of interviews, and I have never seen one during which he was anything but humble, grateful, and completely devoid of cockiness.