"It's great to be young and a Yankee."

"I didn't think we'd ever get to the ninth," Girardi said, "the way things were going."


I love this team.

They're just a pleasure to watch, and I don't know exactly what's so different in the team dynamic and chemistry than recent years, but it's like they all want it so badly, and they're fighting so hard not just for themselves, but because they don't want to let down their teammates. And in the last few seasons, as good as they might be, I don't remember ever seeing quite the same kind of cohesion and synergy among the players. It was almost as if they were playing hard to sate their own egoism. But now it's like there's a more organic cause housing their efforts.


Another reason the Yanks are a joy to watch is because we're treated with the announcing stylings of the ever-unpredictable YES booth. I'm lying on the couch, flying a little low to the ground from the 4th of July celebrating the night before, and all of sudden I dial in to what I'm actually watching. I think it wasn't really registering because maybe half of me assumed I was still in REM and daydreaming, because it would seem like a dream sequence to see David Cone with two iced coffee straws stuck in his mouth, making wild eye expressions that can only be likened to Cookie Monster's freakishly roving pupils.


So it turns out I wasn't dreaming, but indeed, either YES was advertising McDonald's new iced coffees, or Cone was demonstrating the spiralling descent into madness that is the inevitable tragic result of extended exposure to Michael Kay in confined spaces. If Kay has a debilitating effect on the welcome analysis that is Cone's sage voice in a community of looney tunes, than there's going to be hell to pay for Kay. Or a mute button to press on Kay, anyway.

Or maybe I can sit by the bay and eat some hay. I just may. What do you say.

Speaking of mental deterioration and retardation, Joba pitched today like he was trying to make up for the flash-game of last week. It reminded me of the Office season finale when Dwight is trying to stall the volleyball match with corporate to buy time until Pam comes back from the hospital.


"How many more 0-2 counts must I blow before we all learn a valuable lesson about why I shouldn't be a starter? 1? 2? 3? 4? Wait, no hear me out. 5? 6? 7?....8? 9?..."


At your own pace there, Joba. Annnny day now.


As it turns out, his hangover-like rhythm didn't have much of an influence on the offense, who managed to pull themselves out of an 8-4 deficit. No lead is great enough in GNH. I know before this year, when the Yanks would be down by like 7 runs in the 8th, having that eternal optimisitc thought that they'd still put out the W--stuff like "Ok, 2 grand slams are we're on top again!"

The nice thing about this team, and by "nice" I mean endearing and refreshing, is that players who were at some point in a horrible slump, bounce back in spades. Posada and Matsui, who have been panned this year for striking out, grounding out, and basically being dead weight at the plate (I'm not exempt, I've snarled at them, too)...well, those players come back when it counts the most. Matsui accounted for 4 runs today, and Posada 3.

Jeter was a little bit touch and go with his batting but he knocked down 4 hits today and has been steadily fortifying his BA. When Swisher was slumping hard, he made his return to the hits parade by banging a HR in the Tampa Bay game June 7, and has since then been punctuating his BA with key solo shots and RBIs when they're most needed.


But as impressive as this offensive courage was today, the most stellar showing undoubtedly came from Aceves, who pitched 4 innings of relief, allowing only 1 hit while striking out 5. I'm SO happy this happened, not just because it allowed the Yankees to hold off the Jays for long enough to claim the W, but because now maybe someone will start taking serious notice of Aces.

The Yankees have now won 10 out of their last 11 games, still just one game behind the Sux in the AL East. Wang is back on the DL, and as Suzyn Waldman tsked yesterday, "Man, that Wang. Ya know, if he didn't have bad luck, he'd have no luck at all. I tell ya.." I'm not saying I'm glad he's hurt, but I am glad he's not going to be making any more appearances on the mound, at least for a while.


Jeter got voted in as usual to the All Star Game starting roster. (Amazing..if he's such a "horrible SS" as so many claim, how's he always get the nod here? It's not like people particularly LIKE the Yankees and are going to vote for him out of courtesy. Tex beat out Youkilis at 1B, thank God. I don't even care about the All Star Game, but I just like the sound of "beating out Boston." Alliterative and amusing.