I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel MA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are two actions that make no sense to me at this point in my life.

One would be taking a ball-pin hammer and using it to break every toe I have to try and cure my headache. Doesn't seem too smart, does it?

The second thing would be watching a full game played by the New York Yankees.

Seriously, is there any joy to be taken from this team at the moment? The beauty of all professional sports is the thrill of the unknown. I don't know what's going to happen from pitch to pitch and from inning to inning in baseball. I can't predict it and so I watch to see what "magic" is going to happen.

Here's the problem with the Yanks: I know what's coming, and so do you. For instance, at some point today the Yanks are going to get a leadoff double. The next man up is going to draw a hard-fought walk. Of course, the Yanks will be down by anywhere between 3-5 runs at that point, so everyone will be excited and expecting the comeback to begin. Then, someone will pop up (probably Abreu), then someone will strike out (probably A-Rod) and then someone will ground into a fielder's choice (Giambi anyone): inning over, no runs, two men left, Yanks on their way to a loss.

If you've watched this team over the last month, you know the script. It will play out almost exactly like that.

The problem I see is simple: what is the solution?

The answer? I don't see one.

Look, I have been a critic of Brian Cashman now for a while, and I think the complaints are warranted. Eventually, you aren't simply the victim of bad luck and are the product of your own mistakes and miscues. As opposed to the "glory days" when the Yanks were always just ahead of the curve, getting a guy who was just ABOUT to have a career year or just ABOUT to find his groove, Cashman and the Yanks always seem to be a year behind. They have made wrong decision after wrong decision, and Cashman has been somewhat shielded from the criticism by this perception, faulty in my opinion, that every "bad" move was the result of tampering from the Tampa cabal. The truth is, this has been Cashman's team for a while, and in that time there has been mistake after mistake, mostly made in the starting rotation and bullpen.

I have also been crtical of the new team mantra which states that the New York Yankees will NEVER trade for another player if the other teams asks for one decent prospect. How DARE someone expect the Yanks to give up a Phil Hughes or a Ian Kennedy for a CC Sabathia, it is unheard of. Also, Cashman has created this atmosphere where ANY pitcher/free agent is viewed as an old, past their prime, risk that fits neatly in with all the other mistakes he has made over the years. You've heard that from people talking about Santana. You've heard it from people talking about Sabathia. The truth, however, is that THOSE are the players you DO trade or because they are both short and lont term solutions. You don't trade good prospects for old players. You trade good prospects for players that can give you many years of good to great service. Trading for CC Sabathia is NOT the same as trading for Randy Johnson and it is scary that Cashman has convinced so many people the two are absolutely similar.

Having said that, I don't believe much can be done right now by Cashman to improve this team. I don't agree with the philosophy of NOT going after Sabathia under any conditions, but it appears that the lefty may soon be traded to the Brewers for their top position prospect. The Indians seem to be in the market for position players, and since the Yanks don't seem to be well stocked in that area, it would seem smart to try and hang onto the Austin Jacksons and even the Jose Tabatas since their value to the major league squad would seem to be greater down the road than some of the pitchers. Also, I doubt the Indians want the Yanks to grab an important piece to their puzzle out of their clubhouse and it seems the Tribe would very much prefer to keep CC out of the American League, if they could.

Should they make a push for Bedard? I would HOPE Cashman would kick the tires on that, since Bedard is still only 30, is a hard throwing lefty, and his down year is probably more of a product of his environment (Seattle) than a testament to his declining abilities. However, I would not give up a tremendous amount to get him seeing as he is older and less of a definite ace than Sabathia, and if that means the Yanks are out of the hunt for him, so be it.

After that, I would hope the Yanks refrain from going out there and grabbing a Paul Byrd or a Bronson Arroyo, just to say they did something. If this "youth movement" has any real teeth, than it needs to be able to produce pitchers that can equal what the annually average types like Byrd and Arroyo can bring to your team.

And as far as the offense goes, where are the moving pieces? Matsui might be done for the year, who knows how long Damon, who appears headed for the DL, might be out, and you aren't exactly moving Jeter or A-Rod or Cano or Abreu, are you? If the Yanks are hesistant to throw in for a guy like Sabathia, I would doubt they would consider giving up the bounty the Braves would demand for a guy like Texieira, especially with his pending free agency next year.

So where is the light for this team this season?

Alright, I'll bite.

*This, so far, is the worst offensive year in Derek Jeter's career. It is hard to believe that, at age 34, coming off his third consecutive 200 hit season, two years removed from what should have been an MVP season, that Jeter is done. If we assume that the Captain has at least a few big years left in his body, you would also have to assume that he has a few more hits, runs, and stolen bases in him for the rest of the season. I think Jeter has a big second half in him. He is gonna start to hear whispers about him being on the downside of his career for the first time this summer, and I think that will motivate him. Jeter is a very important part of this lineup, and having him hit will make a world of difference.

*Robinson Cano has started to hit the ball much better and has his average up to a "not as horrible" .250. Again, like Jeter, it is hard for me to believe that Cano's previous 3 years were a fluke, and that this is the player he truly is. I see a lot more hits coming for him in the second half, meaning another dangerous bat in the lineup.

*I like what I see from Bret Gardner so far and, with Matsui likely out for the year and no word on Damon as of yet, the kid is gonna get a chance to play. If he gets his sea-legs under him and starts to get on base, his Jose Reye's like speed can really bring something special to this lineup, and element the Yanks haven't had in years.

*Joba Chamberlian is gonna get better and better as the season progresses, mark my words.

*You have to believe that Abreu, like Cano and Jeter, is set for a big second half. Someone should first, remind him that he is in a walk year and, second, show him a print out of some scouting reports about Austin Jackson and how much everyone seems to love this kid. Maybe that lights a fire under Prince Valium.

*You have to assume that, in the coming months, the bullpen is going to beging to see an influx of these young kids that the Yanks are so high on, like Mark Melancon and JB Cox, which will actually give fans a glimpse into this "youth movement" Cashman has been talking about now for three years.

*The Yanks are still in this race, even if they seem to be playing themselves out of it on a daily basis. I am gonna have to see the Rays hang in all year, along with the Twins, and the A's, to believe that they are, beyond a doubt, real contenders. All signs point to yes with them, but there is no track record, no resume to go on. Until they actually beat out the Yanks of the Sox for the wild card, I will not believe it.

*Hopefully, the rib injury was the cause of Phil Hughes' struggles in April and, when the youngster comes back in late August or early September, perhaps he can show the signs of the great pitcher he was promised to be and make a difference down the stretch.

So that is the light.

In all honesty, however, I have to admit I just don't see this team pulling out of this funk in enought time to do something. There seems to be no real starting pitching to be had on the market, and the Yanks are unwilling to even consider parting with their best prospects, no matter the pitcher involved. As far as the offense, they have been too banged up and too inconsistent for me to believe something different is going to happen in the second half, and finally, I just think this league is much better than in years past. The Yanks might play good baseball and still lose too many games cause the competition is just much, much better.

All I know is, I hope this team makes it interesting because this would be a very sad way to close down Yankee Stadium. If there are any whispers left, any spirits still lurking in the shadows of that great, wonderous building, they need to come out of their hiding places as soon as possible. The present definitely needs the help of the past now.

Francesa seems to confirm break up of Mike and the Mad Dog show is a real possibility

If anyone caught the last few minutes of Mike Francesa's telecast from Yankee Stadium this afternoon before the split double header, his rotundness himself addressed the current rumors that the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show is heading the way of the dodo very soon.

In case you have missed it, Newsday writer Neil Best this week wrote an article basically saying that the wildly popular show will be a goner at the end of the summer. The reason? Evidently the always unusual, often times strained relationship between Francesa and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo has evidently come to a head and Francesa, especially, is seemingly sick and tired of dealing with fruit loops any longer.

On Tuesday, Russo, who is now in full summer trade off mode with Francesa, where they both seem to take two weeks off, then have two weeks on separately, addressed the issue and, while he seemed to deny that the end of the show was imminent, he certainly didn't deny that there was no truth to the rumors out there. His 10 minute opening dialogue seemed to be more of a sad attempt to throw cold water on a true issue and get himsefl as far away from the mess as possible, while also seemingly going out of his way to remind people that he is the one currently under contract with WFAN for multiple years (Francesa is negotiating a new contract at the moment it would seem).

Anyway, on Friday, Russo handed over the reigns to Francesa. I don't have a link to what he said, but here is the jist of it:

*While Russo made it sound like the two had patched up some bad blood between them that started in March and ran through all of May, Francesa addressed the relationship and said "Has the relationship been patched up off the air? Not really. For instance, we haven't talked all this week, not once, even with everything that has been going on." That would seem to suggest that whatever on and off air fights the two were dealing with, the scars have certainly not mended.

*Francesa gave Russo credit for handling his Tuesday show well, and even suggested that the controversy was "thrown into his lap", seemingly expressing some genuine sympathy for the guy having to deal with the question on air alone, he also seemed to take a swipe at The Dog when he suggested that he has never, nor would he ever, discuss his contract with WFAN publicly. Maybe I am reading too much into this, but Russo did say a few times that he is under contract until 2010 and that he had no plans of going anywhere. HE brought up HIS contract and it seems that Francesa was drawing a dividing line between the two, suggesting that he would never bring up his contract, even in passing.

*There was a lot of what I like to call "nostalgia" talk from Francesa. Let's put it this way, had Francesa been a major league manager, and someone had asked him if he were leaving his current team to take a job with another team, and he spoke like that, Mad Dog and Mike would be on the air the next day saying that, by what he was saying, you could tell he was gone. Francesa spoke alot about how the two had created something "special" and how even their biggest detractor would have to admit that. He spoke about the fact that he loved WFAN and hadn't had a "bad day" with them, in terms of management, in 20 years. He also spoke about what a "long time" the two had been doing the show together and how 19 years was a long stretch to be doing this anywhere. He made mention of the fact that EVERYTHING ends. It sure sounded like a guy that was beginning the process of saying goodbye.

*Mike mentioned that he didn't believe his relationship with Russo would ever be the ONLY factor in the show ending. Basically, if you listened to Francesa, what he was saying was essentially that, even though the two might hate eachother at this point, he believes he is professional enough to where the two could work together. He said he "believed" Russo felt the same way. To me, that sounds like a guy that is leaving cause he hates the other guy, but doesn't want it to seem it is simply about clashing personalities. Maybe there is a lucrative contract out there for Francesa on television or on another station. Maybe ESPN got wind of the problems and is enticing Francesa with a prime spot and a boat load of cash. Maybe the new Sirius/XM satellite giant is gonna try and fit him in somewhere as a sports personality. Who knows, but one would have assume that there are other options presenting themselves to Mike at this point and, since his is the contract that is up, and since it doesn't seem he is trying to force Russo out, it would appear that maybe there is something on the horizon for Francesa.

*At the end of the show, Francesa said something curious and I couldn't quite make out what he meant. When talking about the show, he said basically that nothing was set in stone as of yet. Then he either said "if something doesn't change, then it was a great run, something very special and if something does change then we'll come back and be doing Mike and the Mad Dog for you for another 19 or 20 years" or he reversed the "does" and "doesn't". I am not sure, but that is VERY important because, if I heard him correctly, it would seem that something would HAVE to change in order to keep the show going. Obviously, if you reverse the words, it means the opposite. I didn't quite hear it well enough to know for sure, but from the tenor of what Mike was saying, I would guess he meant that something WOULD have to change in order for the show to continue.

Look, who knows what is really going on here. In the grand scheme of things this really doesn't matter at all. Radio is radio. If these two left, someone else, either at WFAN or on another station, would pick up the slack and become the "must listen to" show for the next several years. That's the way it works.

But the two have been around for a very long time, and they have been the most entertaining duo in sports radio by far. Is it time for them to go? You know what, it might be. A listen to the show over the last several years indicates that the quality is getting watered down. The two don't seem to do all that much homework anymore, especially for the smaller sports like college basketball and football, where their ignorance is astounding at times. Even with baseball, they seem to be a step or two behind most issues (I talked about how they both didn't know the Yanks plan for Joba Chamberlain, even after it had been reported for all of spring training, until half way through April).

Also, their obvious wealth and stature, I believe, prevents them from really connecting with fans about issues they LOVE to talk about (ticket prices, license rights, parking, etc....). When you hear two guys talking about people "hiring a car" for the night to go to the game, you know they are out of touch, even when they preface it by saying "not everyone can do that." NO ONE CAN DO THAT unless they are a millionaire. Ever sit in ANY seat besides the ones right behind home and the dugouts at Yankees Stadium. Ever meet a millionaire in those seats?

But the truth is, this might simply be a negotiating ploy by Francesa. Maybe he wants more freedom to explore other opportunities. Maybe he wants more money, more vacation time, a sound[proofbox set up between he and Russo. Who knows, but when it comes to contracts, you can't put anything by people.

Also, it might simply be ruffled feathers that need some time to settle. Every one of us have friends we have known for years. We get annoyed, even angry with them, and sometimes we don't talk for a month. But then we realize why we liked them so much in the first place and we get over whatever problems we might have had and move on. That might be what happens here. Perhaps Francesa, right now, feels like there is no repairing the relationship. But maybe after basically two plus months of not seeing Russo, he will have a change of heart and come back to the show. Maybe time needs to heal wounds. Who knows.

What makes this interesting is a.) what happens if they do break up? Who goes where? Who stays are WFAN? (I would assume Russo) What happens to the other guy, where does he end up landing? b.) does Russo and/or Francesa bring in a new co-host? Would their respective channels (WFAN, any new landing spot) demand it? What would that be like? c.) what if both leave WFAN, who ends up taking their spot? It doesn't seem as if there is any talent that could pick up the slack.

There is a part of me that hopes the two stay together. Talk radio is virtually unlistenable most of the time, and these two mostly put together good shows. However, in all honesty, it might be time for both of them to move on. A younger perspective, closer to the "real fan" might be what is needed at this point. Someone who doesn't spend 12 hours on whether Joba Chamberlain should pump his fist or another 13 hours on whether Erol Flynn was the best action star of the 1930s.

As FRancesa was wrapping up, he did say one very interesting thing. He did say "It is going to be an interesting summer."

NBA draft time baby.............

I have decided to become more of an NBA fan. I am not sure how long that will last, but right now I am as big a fan as you are gonna find...........
So I figured, as the NBA gets ready for their draft tonight, let me lay out for you how I would make the picks for this upcoming draft:

1.) Chicago - Michael Beasley
The consensus is Derrik Rose. Fine. The kid is great. He has some exceptional skills. He has a real killer attitude. But, seriously, what have the Bulls needed now for YEARS???? They need a powerful big man.
Okay, Beasley isn't 7 foot. I get that. But he is 6'8" or 6'9", powerful, athletic, a great jumper, a good rebounder, and an incredibly skilled inside scorer.
The Bulls have Kirk Henrich and Ben Gordon. The Bulls have Larry Hughes and Andres Nocioni. They have PLENTY of guard play. They even have the perfect "do all the little things" player in Joahkim Noah and the freak, jump-out-of-the-arena athlete in Tyrus Thomas. Those are PERFECT guys for good teams. They aren't good for bad teams and they aren't go-to guys. But say you take Beasley. You now have your scoring, rebounding power forward. You have your scoring small forward in Loul Deng. You have your scoring two guard in Ben Gordon. If you get a bounce back year from Kirk Henrich and only ask Noah to do the little things, like defense and rebounding, your team is terrific. With Derrick Rose, you need to package one or more of your excess guards for an available big man or you are in the same boat. Derrick Rose isn't making Drew Gooden a great player. Sorry, he isn't.
Beasley is the smart play and it won't be made.

2.) Miami - Derrick Rose

Makes perfect sense for Miami. They have the great two guard, star scorer in Wade. They have a good player in Marion. Add a potential star point guard to that mix and Riley would be only one good low post player and a few role players away from, again, having one of the best teams in the East.
Rose makes more sense for Miami just like Beasley makes more sense for Chicago. It fits a need.
What kills me is hearing people talk about Rose as the obvious number 1. Why? Is Derrick Rose that much better than a guy who outperformed Kevin Durant in his freshman season?
Listen, I think both of these guys will be great. There is no shame in being the second pick. The fact is, Rose FITS the Heat better. He isn't an added part. He walks right in as the starting point guard who will share scoring duties with Wade.

3.) Minnesota - Kevin Love

I am not a huge Kevin Love fan, but he is tough, he is a good rebounder, he can shoot from the outside, and I think he would be a great compliment to Al Jefferson. Now, Love isn't a HUGE guy, but he is a very wide body that knows how to score around the rim. I think Love will be a very good NBA player. He might not be an All Star, but he is gonna be a very good player, and Jefferson will be the "go to" big man anyway. Love fits in nicely with a team that has a lot of perimeter players and another very good low post scorer. Besides, everyone acts as if the NBA is filled with 7 foot beasts. The league, at the center and power forward positions, are smaller now than before.

4.) Seattle - Russel Westbrook

There are no big men in this draft, besides Kevin Love, who has any real value, in my opinion. Did anyone actually watch the Lopez brothers? These are nice players but they aren't game changers and the Sonics need more game changers.
Westbrook would be a point guard in the making as it isn't his natural role, but he took on the role towards the end of the season at UCLA last year and recieved rave reviews. He has a lot of natural talent, is a tenacious defensive player, is a slasher, a hard worker, and if he can get the ball to Durant and Jeff Green in the right spots, he would be an immediate asset to the club.
Yes, the Sonics need a big man. But there are none out there right now. They also need a point guard and Westbrook has the most upside, by far.

5.) Memphis - Danilo Gallinari

The Italian player would be a good fit in Memphis, adding another scorer to pair with Rudy Gay. He has a lot of different tools, could be a Manu Ginobli caliber type of player, brings a level of intensity the Grizzlies would need, and he would fit right in as the second option. Here is the thing, as bad as the Grizz were last year, they have some pieces. Gay can be a star. Mike Connely can be a very, very good point guard. Hakim Warrick is a hard worker who does the grunt work. What they needed was a second scoring option and Gallinari would be that guy.

6.) New York - OJ Mayo

This is a perfect fit for Mayo, for the Knicks, for the NBA. Mayo is a very, very good player. He has a terrific personality. He has a star feel to him. You can begin the long process of building a team around him.
Because this is soooo good for everyone involves, chances are it won't happen.

7.) LA Clippers - Eric Gordon

I think Gordon could be a very nice fit for the Clippers. He isn't a natural point guard, but the Clippers, with Shaun Livingston now back, healthy, and improving daily, would only have to be a solid scorer and he should be able to do that. He has a great jump shot, can get to the rim, has a killer streak in him, and is, by all accounts, a great leader.

8.) Milwaukee - DJ Augustin

The Bucks traded for Richard Jefferson on draft day, meaning that their need for a forward diminished and their need for a point guard, to get the ball to scorers Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva, becomes the priority. Augustin gets knocked because of his size (5'11") but Jameer Nelson isn't much taller, if any taller, and he has been successful so far in the league because he isn't expected to be the go-to guy. On the Bucks, Augustin would be expected to distribute. He can do that with the best of them.

9.) Charlotte - Joe Alexander

I love this pick for the Bobcats. Alexander would be a guy Larry Brown loves. He is gonna score. He can pass. He is smart, even though he is still somewhat learning the game. Now, the Bobcats have Adam Morrison, but Morrison is just a bust. The Cats better realize this and scrap the Morrison experiment or try and find someone else to take on the Morrison stache.

Derek Jeter.............are you freakin kidding me?

For the past several years, Sports Illustrated has conducted a "poll" asking players who they feel are the most overrated athletes in their profession. I guess the "poll" is designed to give us all an inside look at what players believe behind closed doors and to "dispell" many of the uneducated opinions we obviously, as fans, cling to.

So, what do the players believe? According to the "poll", the players evidently believe that those of us in fan-land are delusional when we wax poetic about Derek Jeter. He, according to the "poll", is the most overrated player in baseball.

Look, no one needs to defend Derek Jeter. We don't need a fund raiser or a telethon to bring to light the plight of Jeter. He is in his early 30s, had more money than even MC Hammer could spend, has been smart enough to stay away from the altar, has his pick of single, gorgeous women from all different lines of work (modeling, acting, etc...) and is BELOVED in New York.

That's not exactly the kinda guy who needs support in the press of in the stands. I'm sure Derek Jeter does not suffer from a crisis of confidence.

And the results of the "poll" discredit the findings enough to where it is amazing anyone even acknowledges it's existence. For one thing, the "poll" says that Alex Rodriguez is one of the top five most overrated players in baseball. Really? The guy isn't even 33 years old and he is gonna pass Mickey Mantle on the all-time homer list. His stats are already legendary. He could retire today and, just going on statistics, would be considered one of the 50, or even 25 greatest players who EVER lived. This is an overrated player? Exactly why would he be considered overrated? Absurd.

Another poll conducted by SI of the players indicated that, if they were to start a team tomorrow, they would pick Jeter first and A-Rod second. They would start their team with those two guys. But wait, they are overrated, right? Would you start your team with JD Drew, another guy who made the list? Would your first pitcher signed be Barry Zito? Ummm.............NO! So why in the world would you consider Jeter and A-Rod your first choice to start a team? Again, makes no sense.

However, I do think that, when it comes to Jeter and his statistical prowess, some points have to be made. Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, who actually defended Jeter by saying the poll was probably motivated as much by jealousy as anything else, wouldn't be talked about if he were on the KS Royals. That, to a certain extent, is true, but it is true mainly because NO ONE is ever talked about on Kansas City. Look at A-Rod. Sure, people knew who he was, but did A-Rod, the best player in the sport, receive even a tenth of the press before coming to New York that he does now? Of course not. Throw any good to great player on the greatest stage in sports and see how much brighter their star shines. Does anyone honestly believe that we would hear a peep about Jose Reyes or David Wright if they played for the Colorado Rockies? Of course not. It doesn't negate who they are, or how they play, it is simply a fact: New York shines the light brighter than ANYWHERE else in America.

But people always automatically assume that Jeter is simply a product of his environment and his opportunities on the big stage. Implicit in the Kansas City remark is the notion that, without the opportunity to play on great teams and in great games, Jeter would simply be another run-of-the-mill guy in baseball. "Intagibles" is what you always hear about Jeter.

Here is the truth: Derek Jeter would be a first-ballot hall of famer no matter what team, no matter what city he were playing in. A quick refresher of the numbers on Jeter: He has 2431 hits. Conservatively, let's assume that Jeter has at least 100 more hits in him this year (I would argue he probably has closer to 120 hits in him this year, considering he has been slumping this year, but we will go on the low end). That means that, by the age of 34, Jeter will have over 2500 hits for his career. Think of it this way; if Derek Jeter, at 34, has AT LEAST two more years of 200 hits left in him, he will probably pass the 3,000 hit mark before he turns 37 years of age. If he played into his 40's, he could challenger for 4,000 hits. That's incredible. Jeter has had 200 hits 6 times in his career already. He has had three straight 200 hit seasons twice now in his career. If Jeter were to get hot in the second half of the season this year (a distinct possibility) he could have four straight years of 200 hits, something even Pete Rose never accomplished. Jeter has a career batting average of .320, not exactly shabby. Jeter has 1417 runs scored. By the end of the year he will have 1500, unless he is injured or just falls off the face of the earth. Considering the Yankees offense each year, the fact that he has scored over 100 runs each year he has been in the league except for 2003 (when he dislocated his shoulder), it is a good assumption that Jeter will end up with over 2,000 runs scored in his career, something only 7 other guys in history can boast. Jeter has 400 doubles in his career to this point. Assume he gets another 20 doubles this year, and then assume he average at least 25 double over the next eight years, and he would be at over 600 doubles for his career. Again, a quick look at the all-time leaders list finds that only 14 men have eclipsed 600 doubles. At the end of this year, Jeter will have over 1,000 RBI for his career. Driving in runs has never been Jeter's MO, but you would have to assume that, averaging 75 RBI for eight years in his career, he would come close to 1600 RBI for his career, putting him in the top 30 of all time. Jeter has 270 career steals. Now, as the years have gone on, Jeter has run less, especially since his legs seem to have given him more problems over the years, but, again, assume that Jeter averages 12 stolen bases a year for the next 8 years, he would have 366 stolen bases for his career.

Think of it this way: Jeter has the chance to put a list of numbers together that are as impressive as anyone who has ever played the way he has. Let's look at what is realistic for Jeter: 3400 career hits, 2,000 career runs scored, 1500 career RBI, 600 doubles, 350 steals. Is that a career that only looks impressive under the bright lights of New York City?

Let's also take a few other things into account: Jeter has been the runner up to the MVP award twice in his career, both times he probably should have won. That, and his stats, have come at a time when a good percentage of the players around him were using steriods. Jeter has compiled these numbers (by all accounts) on the level, amassing old school numbers at a time when everyone else was exploding around him.

And this isn't even taking into consideration Jeter's postseason performance and big game penchant.

The point? Unless Jeter is injured or ages DRAMATICALLY over the next several years, he has a chance to put together the type of career that will impress as much on paper as it has on the field. There aren't a lot of guys knocking on the door of the type of numbers Jeter is staring at. If he were in Kansas City, he certainly wouldn't get the type of publicity he has in New York, but there is a good chance he might be admired more.

The irony, Jeter would probably be considered one of the most underrated players in MLB if he played for a smaller market team.

Rating the Wang replacements

Brian Cashman, Joe Girardi and every Yankee fan from here to Taiwan can try and convince themselves that the Yanks aren't really gonna need a pitcher, but that is just staring at the glass, trying to force it to be half full. The truth is, this rotation is hanging by a limb right now.

Mike Mussina has 10 wins and has been, by far, the Yankees most consistent pitcher. Besides the pitch to Manny, Mussina has been terrific. He might not be able to go 8 innings any more, but you really wouldn't want him to at this point. He's a geriatric at this point and the more rest you can give him, the better.

But how much can you expect from him for the rest of the season? Can he continue to pitch this well? What if he comes back down to earth even just a little bit? How about Darrell Rasner? I truly believe Rasner can be a fourth or fifth starter in this league year in and year out. He has the makeup to be successful in this day in age in MLB. He is fearless, he is consistent, he has good control and good offspeed stuff. That's all you really need to be a good baseball pitcher today. But, you can't expect Rasner to continue to go out there and pitcher to a 3 ERA all year. He is gonna get hit. It doesn't make him bad, it makes him human.

Joba? Still learning. Pettite? The only given in the rotation right now. Your fifth starter? Kei Igawa? Excuse me while I hit up the bathroom for a minute and vomit until my eyes pop out of my head. Jeff Karstens? Poor man's Darrell Rasner. Ian Kennedy? Overmatched. Phil Hughes? Let's face it, Hughes is looking more and more like he might have Mark Prior-itis (the Yanks need to SERIOUSLY consider what is best for Hughes when he comes back. Making the transition to a dominate relief pitcher might be what's best for him if injuries are going to continue to plague him). Convert Ross Olendorff back into a starter? Umm, no. Other minor leaguers? Too risky.

That means a trade is in the Yanks future if they want to compete. So let's look at the list of pitchers the Yanks could go after, starting with the big names and working down.

The top tier:

C.C. Sabathia - I haven't really gotten these rumors at all. First, the Indians are not even remotely close to being out of this pennant race and wild card run. Are the Indians really gonna trade their best pitcher when they still have a chance to win? I doubt it

Besides, whether Cleveland is "open" to a trade or not, they certainly aren't desperate to do anything. It would take an absolute king's ransom to even get in the door for the guy.

If Cleveland was listening, should the Yankees talk? Absolutely. The Yanks have the prospects to trade for Sabathia and the resources to sign him. He is a power pitching lefty who is still a few years away from turning 30. Oh, and he is the reigning Cy Young Award winner.

If Cleveland is talking, the Yanks better be interested. However, I DOUBT that the Indians will ever be truly intent on trading him, unless they fall off the face of the earth.

Erik Bedard - THANK YOU SEATTLE, WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Bedard was the BIG MOVE for the Mariners this offseason when Seattle (along with the rest of the world) believed they were a legit shot for division champs and even contenders in the playoffs. Now, more than 20 games out, the Mariners have canned their general manager and asked their manager to kindly let the door hit him in the ass on the way out the door.

So what does that mean? It means that Bedard may all of a sudden become available as the Mariners look to the future, one that probably won't include a lot of veterans, veterans that, for the most part, have helped in the team's demise over the last year.

This is my personal favorite for the Yankees. The positives for him are very simple. He's a power throwing lefty. He has pitched in the AL East before, pitched in a bandbox of a stadium in Camden Yards and excelled, he is still only 29 year's old (turned this year), he has never had any kind of arm problems, he is a gamer, he is a second half pitcher, and he seems to thrive in big situations. The negatives? Really, there is only one negative: how much will it cost to get this guy?

Bedard is a lefty under 30, which makes him an expensive commodity. Think, used Ferrari. No matter how old, no matter how beat up, you put that Ferrari name on there and the price JUMPS. It is the same thing with lefties under 30. They are a hot commodity. Also, Bedard isn't eligible to go free agent until after next year, meaning that the Mariners don't HAVE to trade him. Unlike the Indians, who would be staring a big fat ZERO in the face if they hung onto Sabathia for the rest of the year and he walked (they would get the draft pick of the team who signed him), the Mariners could easily play hard ball for Bedard, not caring if they scared teams off.

Lastly, the trade power of the Yankees seems to have been diminished in the last year. Ian Kennedy is certainly not as valuable as he was, say, this time last year and even if a team held the righty in high regard, they would certainly try and get MORE from the Yanks than just IPK by playing up his dreadful start to his major league career. By the same token, Phil Hughes isn't the chip he once was. His stuff seems more limited than anyone first thought and he has shown an alarming knack for getting injured. The rest of the minors? Jose Tabata seems to be a head case who can't conquer the Eastern League right now and, after that, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of "star" power besides Austin Jackson, who the Yanks have basically made untouchable, believing that he may be ready for the bigs in another year.

If the Yanks can figure out a way to make this happen, they need to do it. Bedard isn't just a great pick up for this year, he is an essential piece for the years to come.

Rich Harden - The most interesting guy simply because he is the epitome of the risk/reward equation. Whenever Harden pitches, WHENEVER he does, he dominates. There isn't any way around that. His stuff is absolutely electric. He is an ace in the truest sense. He has days when it appears divine intervention would be the only way the other team could hit him.

On the other hand, he is always, always, always, always, always, always hurt. He has been his entire career. He was already this year. The only person on the DL more than Harden is Carl Pavano, and that is only because Pavano just never comes off the DL.

I have, for a while now, believes that Harden's ultimate role might be in the bullpen. Look at what Kerry Woods is doing for the Cubs as a closer right now. It was a move Woods and the Cubbies should have made a few years ago. Some guys just don't have the arms to go out there every 5 days and throw 100 pitches and stay healthy. But those same guys can usually step into a 80 innings per year role where they only have to pitch one or maybe two innings every other day, and be successful.

My point?

If the A's, come July 31, are out of it and looking to deal, and they aren't asking for the world for Harden, the Yanks might be smart to pick him up. One of two things will happen: he either proves that his injury days are behind him and he becomes your bonafide ace for the next 7 years or, he goes back on the DL and, when he comes off, the Yanks make the smart move, put him in the pen and groom him for a closer role.

That's only if you can get him at a reasonable price.

Roy Oswalt - The guy is having just a terrible year for some reason, which means that the Astros, only a year removed from signing him to a multi-year deal, may be inclined to move him. Is the bad year a blip on the screen? It would seem that way. Oswalt's velocity remains the same, it just seems that, in an attempt to save his arm, cut down on innings, and perhaps lengthen his career, the Astros have tried to make him less of a power pitcher and more of a control pitcher.

It is amazing how stupid smart people can be sometimes.

Oswalt is a power pitcher that attacks the zone and strikes people out. His arm seems healthy and fine and baseball has had PLENTY of guys who have pitcher with power, and pitcher a lot of innings over their years, and didn't burn out fast. Oswalt seems to be somewhat of that type of throwback guy where his arm is ready for anything.

It isn't clear if the Stros would be looking to sell on Oswalt just yet. They do play in the worst division in baseball (The NL Central) so a run at the division, even an outside run at the wild card in the NL, isn't out of the question. Also, just like with the Mariners, the Stros control Oswalt, so they would be inclined to ask for the moon and, if they didn't get it from him, simply keep him throwing in Houston.

I honestly don't believe that Stros will end up trading him but, if they were inclined to listen, the Yankees should definitely talk.

AJ Burnett - Okay, I know this is nutty, I really do. This is IN the division. When is the last time that happened? Why would the Blue Jays HAND the Yanks a good arm like Burnett?

The answer, they probably wouldn't.

However, the Blue Jays are in absolute disarray. They just fired their manager (John Gibbons) and brought back the ageless (or is that ancient, not sure) Cito Gaston to be manager. This is about the fifth straight year they have under performed.

Think of their season right now: they finally end up with the pitching that could not only compete, but give them an upper hand in most games they enter and their offense decides this is they year they are going to go in the tank. And that offensive break has a great deal to do with Vernon Wells, who has become the tin man since signing his huge contract, and Frank Thomas, who was let go after questioning manager John Gibbons decision to bench him after a slow start, a decision that may have had to do with money (Thomas got more money the more at bats he racked up). Gibbons, now, is packing his own bags.

Pitching isn't a problem for the Jays. They can afford to give up Burnett. But they need position player help. Could the Yanks clean out some of their position player prospects and entice the Jays for Burnett, who seems to have found a groove this year and has stayed healthy?

Ummm..................my guess woud be no, but an interesting idea none the less.

Second Tier:

Joe Blanton - If the Yanks are gonna pass on the Bedards and Sabathias of the world, then, to me, the best of the rest would have to be Joe Blanton. He is consistent. He has always pitched well against the Yanks, he is under 30, and he is really the eptiome of the number 3 pitcher.

Of all the guys out there, I would have the most confidence in him to pitch a big game.

Why the A's would ever trade him is beyond me (he isn't costing them much at all and he is as productive as they come) but his name has been out there for so long, there must be some truth to it. Short of Sabathia and Bedard (and a cheap flyer on Harden), Blanton would be my choice.

Bronson Arryo - The only guy creaming over Arryo in town seems to be Mike Francesa, and why I have no idea. Because he pitched well, 4 years ago, against the Yanks when he was with the Sox? Wow, so what? Keith Foulke was BRILLIANT that year as well, should we pull his ass out of sweet retirement and start throwing him in the eighth?

I will take a pass on Bronson Arryo.

Paul Byrd - I'll take an even bigger pass on Byrd.

First, he is a steroid cheating bastard who came up with, to this point, the lamest (and funniest) excuse for being caught with a garage full of HGH. He got it from a dentist over the Internet. OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How freakin stupid we all were. When I get a tooth ache, the first thing I do is Google all the Mexican dentists I can find, then try and find the best price for a box of HGH possible.

It is hard enough accepting the Giambino, but his overall good humor, his willingness to at least apologize for his actions, and his recent good play makes that a whole lot easier. Byrd? I can't imagine him making it that easy.

Plus the fact, he isn't that good. You're honestly telling me that Darrell Rasner can't give you essentially the same thing as Paul Bryd for the rest of the year? Please. Rasner is MADE to be a Paul Bryd type. A back end of the rotation kinds guy who pitches a good amount of innings and bounces around the league, catching on in different places when one teams decides to go younger and better and another team wants that constant, consistent veteran pitcher to stabalize the back of the rotation. Darrell Rasner = Paul Bryd, minus the money you save.

Randy Wolf - Did anyone watch Wolf against the Yanks the other day? Enough said. I'll take a pass.

The point is, aside from Blanton, if I were the Uanks I would simply shoot for the big fish and let all the other ones go.

I would go all out for Bedard, keep my toes in the Sabathia pool and not let him get away if I can feasibly do it, consider Harden at a decent price, and nothing else. Nothing at all.