Back From Cooperstown

So what did I miss? Anything good? LOL. I take off for a weekend and the Yankees lay the smackdown on the Red Sox and pull off a pretty decent trade. I think it's safe to say that as of right now, the Yankees are by far, the team to beat. Winners of 8 of 9 since the All-Star break. They're pitching well. They're hitting well. And the Nady/Marte trade only makes them better.

I tired to pay attention to the games as best I could while in Cooperstown but the satellite radio reception down there left a lot to be desired. I would have watched it on TV, but I might have missed out on an autograph opportunity. I did listen to some of the Joba/Beckett game on Friday. It was the Sox radio broadcast so it was obviously slanted to their taste. they were calling for Joba to be ejected for buzzing Youkilis (again), and they were criticizing the home plate umpire. Now I didn't see the game or any highlights so I can't really talk to those points. Somebody who saw it, let me know your thoughts.

I was dead tired when I got home yesterday. I started to watch the Yanks/Sox finale but Ponson was up to his usual antics allowing lots of baserunners. It finally caught up to him and he got shelled. Sidney has to go. He hasn't impressed me at all, and if not for a lot of run support, he'd be a lot worse. I predict he's gone in the next week or so. It wouldn't shock me if they make a trade for a starter, send Rasner down, let Sidney get another start, and then DFA him when he fails. He's not going to get that run support as often as he was. And the outcome will be a lot like it was yesterday.

But anytime, the Yanks take 2 of 3 in Fenway, you've got to be happy. BoSox fans shouldn't be all too excited about taking the finale. It was against Sidney Ponson. You should win that game. Like I said earlier, the Yanks are playing much better baseball right now. It won't be long before they leapfrog the Sox in the standings.

I heard about the trade Friday night. At first I heard Ohlendorf, Tabata, and 2 other prospects. My first reaction was that Cashman totally snaked the Pirates. Then I heard instead of the 2 prospects it was Karstens and McCutchen. Still a deal that favors the Yankees, but not as heavily favored as it was originally. The Yankees picked up 2 immediate impact players for spare parts. Ohlendorf, Karstens, Tabata, and McCutchen are a lot like the pieces you have left over after you put something together. You might need them someday but you probably never will. Tabata, who was once thought to be the best position player prospect has run into some trouble this year. For starters, Austin Jackson has leapfrogged him as the best position player we have in the minors. Second, he's a head case. Third, his position is easily replicable. The 3 pitchers all are pretty much the same. None ever really are going to be an impact starter for the Yankees. The plan I'm sure is to still have the 3 kids (Joba, Hughes, and Kennedy), make up the future rotation. Wang is your 4th starter, and the 5th has to be a veteran, hopefully Moose. Everyone else is nothing but a spot-starter, and the Yankees have plenty of good-quality arms in the minors. Sorry, but you weren't really needed. But thanks for all you've done, which isn't much.

Cooperstown was fun. I picked up about 8 autographs, which puts me at 50 of the 64 living HOFers. Maybe I'll blog more about the trip later.

Oh, and thanks Phil Hughes for giving up your # to Marte. I appreciate it. Now I have a Damaso Marte batting jersey. Yay me. first, Hughes screws me by changing from 65 to 34. I had a Hughes 65 shirt, which thus became useless. Then I had my buddy, who works in the biz, put a 34 on the back of my batting jersey, and now that's worthless to me. So thanks Phil. I'm sure a lot of people out there are extremely pleased with their Damaso Marte gear. Your stock just dropped a lot in my book. Hopefully, my buddy can remove the 4 and put on a 5.

J-Boogie