What'd they put a banana peel next to first base?

Red Sox won, Rays tied with the Tribe in the 8th...

Nice rip, Tex. He's almost at .250.

Alex, what are you waiting for?

Bad ab for A Rod, worse break for the M's. Bases juiced.

Jeter hit the ball fairly hard too, and he really spanked a ball to third base last night. But damn, he's got to stop hitting everything on the ground.

C'mon, Robbie!

jesus, what a catch. Damn, that fucker.

Like i said last night...big ballpark.

Make it hurt, Jorge...

Atta boy. It's a start...

i'll take an early lead.

Sado!

Waiting for the wife to get back from the store with a big hunk of on-sale beef tenderloin. Sunday afternoon grilling and a ballgame...it doesn't get any better.

...that was scary. Good they got the call right.

It's funny, you can't always tell that a guy will catch a ball but I think more times than not you can tell when he's going to catch up to it. Guit looked like he had that all the way. Impressive.

yeah, you better touch that bag, Chone.

That's a big ballpark. Jeter can win for trying.

18) or rather, he can't win...

"smoke on the water".. someone on the Banter called that a few days ago. Ahhh fucker.

[20] It was Diane Firstman.

No damage. Nice one CC.

oooh that's embarrassing.

It's bizarre listening to these dudes in the booth.

good heads up baserunning by Tex. Nice. and WHERE THE FUCK WAS THAT PITCH?

Every one in Spain is getting laid tonight.

nice! let's cash these in...

CAPTAIN!!!

Hi folks .... mercy rule after 5 innings, right?

Knock a wall down, Teix. Nice.

[21]

Mariners are playing like "Perfect Strangers" today.

that's 2 doubles for Tex! he's up to .253

the "hyphenator" ain't no king!

[30] i've been listening to a lot of old deep purple lately. "perfect strangers" was the Mk II comeback record!

shit, kerry wood blew it. rays win in 10.

Robinson Cano...He can hit.

Robbie rules!

Thames likes RIGHTIES too!

I wonder how soon before a Yankee gets drilled by a Mariner pitcher ...

this is FUN!!!

[though i really wish i could actually see the damn game...]

So guess who is in first in the AL Central ... the fightin' White Sox.

i think i've never seen alex post more in a thread. just got back from watching world cup finals with friends. That was quite the game.

cc being very efficient too! I like it!

quick work, very large man!

i liked the last inning better...

good work, cc! pitching a great game. only 1 k though...

Damn big ball park.

atta boy, cc!

Wow, it sure got quiet around here.

[47] yeah, hmm.

great 1st half, folks!

I pronounce myself satisfied. And that was a nice way to send Bob Sheppard off. Bob, you've still got the best seat in the house.

Back to the Yanks - is the following irrational: over the ASB, trade for a guy with reasonable potential as your eighth inning bridge. I know folks around here hate that term, but I think it's only hateful when it's forced on something that's not working.

Otherwise, the bridge method, when you have a hammer like Mo, is the best, imo.

So you get that guy - which allows you to send Joba down immediately without second thoughts.

If Joba gets it together by some miracle at SWB and you decide that you still think he's that bridge, the worst thing that's happened is that you've found another valuable piece for the 6th and 7th in the new guy.

Now, I guess it's a double-edged sword - on the one hand, it's great to have a limited set of problems to address, because addressing one or two spots is far from impossible, and when you have that situation, it means that the difference between a very good team and a monster team is only one, or at most, two, good trades away. Otoh, I'm guessing the "guys with 8th inning potential" isn't exactly glutted. If a little money gets it done, this is the spot they can't afford not to fix. This team is too good to let it be undone by something so identifiable. Obviously, adding a bench bat is my other move in the "must" category.

[50] FWIW, Marte used to be an "8th inning guy." Yanks can make another trade with the Pirates for Dotel, he's another one who used to be an "8th inning guy."

[50,51] Setup men should be relatively easy to find.

[50] I have no problem with the 8th inning guy concept. It makes sense. But what you basically want is an almost closer. I'm sure there is one out there that could be had...