Yankee Baseball 101

Okay, so like I promised, I have finished with my obsessive Jason Castro posting and am turning to broader horizons... such as baseball, namely the Yankees.

Although, I must say, they're not much to aspire to lately --- As I write, their bullpen is blowing their 3-1 lead. What with their rather anemic offense, it's really time for the relief to step up and prove its worth, no joke.

Not that their current starting rotation couldn't do more. I mean, Sidney Ponson is probably the most inconsistent pitcher in baseball, Ian Kennedy - if last night is any prediction - is one failed attempt at helping the cause, and Dan Giese has yet to take firm hold of his spot, although he pitched well today, before the relief shot the lead down.

Pettitte, also, has had his issues this season. He's been pretty good all around but lately he's had his problems. I have no complaints about Mussina (our Cy young award hopeful) but he's only one starter. Joba has been outstanding but considering the fact that he may be out for the season...

Despite all this, I must say, the rotation has been stellar. What? Yeah, that's what I said, stellar. Considering how bad they should be, they have totally over-performed everyone's expectations. When they lost Chen-Ming Wang early to a broken ankle, the new hopefuls Kennedy and Hughes, and various relievers, everyone expected a rotten season from the Yankees pitching.

But look at them now! 6.5 games out of first in the AL East Division and 3 games behind in the Wild Card. You can say what you want about inconsistency and incapability or whatever, but you can't deny they're doing better than anyone could have hoped.

The relief has been hanging in there recently but games like today's just demonstrate how much they need to put it together --- the whole team does, there's no doubt about it. They could all be doing ions better than they are - although they could be doing ions worse, like I said. It all depends on your perspective.

But perspective aside, this is where games really start to count. This is where it's really disheartening when A-rod strikes out with the bases loaded or when the offense kills themselves manufacturing three measly runs and then Veras blows it all by giving up two solo homers or when Betemit makes another error in the bottom of the ninth tied 1-1.

Despite all my negativity, however, this is also where the fans really start to care about our team with a passion, where they really follow what's going on, where we all cheer when Jeter or Cano or Abreu finally manages to break out of his slump.

This is where they've got to wake up and do what needs to be done. This is where it's time for them, win or lose, to take responsibility for it all and be the team we all know they can be. This is the time for the Yankees to be just that... the Yankees.

And for now, that's all there is to say.