The Yankees 7-1 win over the dismantled Oakland A's last night is a step in the right direction. The game featured Cano's resurgent bat and A-Rod aggressively charging the plate. The lineup had a new guy at first, DH Posada cleaning up , and Giambi sitting. Girardi is in a position where he must win now and the days of coddling flawed veterans is over. It's about time.Notes & Quotes:
- "He's pretty much been an automatic out for most of the season."--David Cone on Yanks' newest find Richie Sexson. Apparently, Coney doesn't realize Sexson is due.
- Let's hear from the new guy, "I think this lineup hasn't touched what it can do yet it's exciting to come here and have an opportunity to at least push for a playoff spot down the stretch." The expectations in Seattle are a tad different than the Big Apple.
- "How far back are we? Six games back? We've played well enough to be 6 games back."--Yankee captain Derek Jeter. Somewhere, Paul O'Neill is grimacing.
- Help on the way? A few trade rumors to kick off the day: "They'd love to consider Rockies slugger Matt Holliday or either of two Pirates outfielders, Jason Bay or Xavier Nady, if the asking price comes down. But Holliday, a franchise-type player, would require a package of young players and prospects; just the sort the Yankees have come to value. And Pirates people have told competing executives they'd have to be "absolutely overwhelmed'' to deal Bay or Nady (don't rule out that possibility from someone else; the Diamondbacks have prospects to deal and the Cardinals are now said to be willing to consider a deal for top outfield prospect Colby Rasmus).
If the Yankees like Reds slugger Adam Dunn slightly more than Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, they understand his all-or-nothing nature. One advantage to Dunn is that, as a rental player with obvious flaws, the asking price has to be lower." Dunn would fit right in with the shrewdly built roster. - Peter Abraham, from LoHud issues a warning on Holliday: "Yes, he’s available. But before you ask Brian Cashman to throw a bunch of prospects in a sack, consider these stats:
Career home splits: .364/.427/.659
Career road splits: .277/.341/.449
Unless the new Yankee Stadium is at a much higher altitude than the old one, you might want to rethink calling for that trade." There's always a catch, oh well Gardner sure looks good running to first. - Fox Sports predicts turbulence:
"Telling times: Red Sox have 49 of final 59 games in Eastern time zone. Yankees play 24 of first 27 games after break against teams with winning records. The Rays have 12 games in 17 days during September against the Red Sox and Yankees.
Give the edge to: Boston. Experience counts" Two consecutive Wild Card titles? Be still my heart.
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