It's About Making a Point

Although this doesn't relate to New York sports, as a sports fan in general, one should be outraged by the way the Boston Red Sox have handled Manny Ramirez's past antics. Only a week after Shawn Chacon's scuffle with Astros' General Manager Ed Wade ultimately led to his release, Manny Ramirez has done essentially the same act. The difference: it looks like he won't even be disciplined. 

When the traveling secretary for the Red Sox told Ramirez that it may not be possible to obtain the 16 tickets that Manny had requested for an upcoming game, Manny reportedly yelled, "Just do your job" and shoved him to the ground. Why is this any worse than Chacon shoving Wade to the ground? Because a traveling secretary is playing the part of the General Manager and a future-hall-of-famer is playing the part of Shawn Chacon. 

Red Sox manager Terry Francona claims that the organization has already taken care of the situation and that he is happy with the way it was handled. Of course he is. He wasn't the one shoved to the floor and he still has his slugger and best hitter in the lineup. 

The Red Sox need to ignore the jobs that these two have within the organization and simply acknowledge them as two people. If you shoved a co-worker to the ground at work, you wouldn't get out without any scratches. The Red Sox should suspend Ramirez indefinitely without pay. They should allow him to return when he has proven that he has cleaned up his attitude; when he no longer is taking swings at Kevin Youkilis in the dugout, when he says he will always run a groundball out. It's not nearly as severe as a punishment as what happened to Chacon, who was released. Granted, as Jay Mariotti said, "The biggest mistake Shawn Chacon made was having a 5.15 ERA." It's about making a point.

- D. Spell

Girardi Needs to Learn How to Make a Lineup...Again

About a month and a half ago, I wrote about Joe Girardi's difficulties with making a lineup. His troubles once again stemmed into Sunday's game against the Mets. 

With Hideki Matsui on the DL, Girardi couldn't afford to sit three of his best hitters (Robinson Cano, Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu), but he did because they are all lefties. Facing left-handed starter Oliver Perez, Girardi completely reconfigured his lineup in order to avoid the lefty-lefty match-ups. In doing so, he decided to play Wilson Betemit instead of Robinson Cano, Jose Molina instead of Jason Giambi and Jason Christian instead of Bobby Abreu.

Girardi seems like he is reading the textbook, but not looking at the numbers or even looking into common sense. Why would he rather have a lifetime minor leaguer with twelve career at bats heading into a game (Christian) over a perennial All-Star (Abreu)? Christian shouldn't be starting unless he is filling in for someone during a day off or an injury.

Girardi clearly neglected to look at the numbers. If he had, he would've seen that Abreu is hitting .316 against lefties this year with an OPS 57 points higher than that against righties. Cano's batting average against lefties (.281) is twenty points higher than Betemit's (.261), as the utility infielder is notoriously known as an anemic hitter from the right side (even though he did hit a long homerun yesterday). Jason Giambi is hitting over .400 against lefties since May 17. 

If Girardi wanted to sit a lefty, it should've been the only one he decided to play. Johnny Damon's batting average against lefty pitchers (.292) is 36 points lower than his average against righties (.328). Consider the fact that he is also nursing a sore left arch and has witnessed his batting average drop since he returned to the lineup a few days ago, he should've gotten a day off. 

Why did Girardi decide to sit all the lefties against Oliver Perez, who had a 5.29 ERA entering the game, and decide to play all the lefties against Johan Santana, who had a 2.93 ERA entering Saturday's game and is known as one of the best pitchers in baseball? Wouldn't it make more sense to sit them on Saturday? There's a better pitcher on the mound - Sunday, there wasn't even a good pitcher on the mound - and you can rest players after a long double-header the previous day.

In the eighth inning, after Oliver Perez threw seven innings of three-hit-ball against a lineup in which Wilson Betemit was hitting fifth, Joe Girardi sent out Jason Giambi to pinch hit and face Pedro Feliciano, another lefty. However, the difference between Feliciano and Perez is that the former is an effective pitcher. Girardi knew that if the Mets had a lead, Feliciano would be in the game. He's their eighth inning guy. Thus, in pinch hitting Giambi, he was stating that he'd rather have his first baseman against a good lefty than a bad one - not exactly the right game strategy to have.

When Girardi sent out that lineup at the beginning of the game, Manuel knew it was because he didn't have confidence in his left-handed hitters. Thus, he pulled a great managerial move and called his bluff, only throwing lefties in the game (Perez, Feliciano and Billy Wagner). You know Scott Schoenweis would have been the next Mets' pitcher out of the bullpen. Girardi got out-managed on Sunday because of a lack of confidence in his players and too much of an allegiance to the baseball textbooks.

- D. Spell

Jozy Alitdore-We Hardly Knew Thee

As you know I have an ongoing love affair with the New York Red Bulls. A couple months back I wrote about the team, I explained why you should love them too. One of the reasons I gave was Jozy Altidore, the 18 year old stiker with European-League level talent, a rare talent in the MLS. Earlier this month Altidore was signed by Villareal, one of the top "clubs" in the Spanish Premier league. Not only did Villareal sign an American born player, but they signed him to the largest contract ever given to an MLSer. This post is not just an "I told you so" on my part, but another chance for me to ask you to please give the Red Bulls a shot. As they pull into the middle of the season (the all-star game is in a couple of weeks), the Bulls are only four wins out of first place in the Eastern Conference. With Altidore gone, Angel has become an even bigger part of the Red Bulls offense, and he now has 19 goals on the season, second best in the league. Clearly scoring is not an issue for the Bulls, and their games are not the boring contests you would normally think of when considering watching an MLS match on TV. And if you are one of the few who do consider watching MLS matches, good for you, to the rest of you give it a shot, just one, it will be fun I promise. And if you don't have a good time, I know that D. Spell's mom is available every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6 to 10...and that is always a fun time.

-Mose

TODAY IN SPORTS (MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008)

• Mets at Cardinals 7:05 p.m. (SNY) - The Mets try to bounce back to .500 as they officially begin the second half of their season.
• Rangers at Yankees 7:05 p.m. (YES) - Could Scott Feldman be a fellow Jew?

- D. Spell

NBA Draft: Semi-Live Blog

8:02

So I am coming in a little late, but in time for the Knicks pick. Rose and Beasley went 1 and 2 obviously followed by OJ Mayo. The fucking Sonics took Russell Westbrook so that dream is over and Memphis took Kevin Love.


8:05
And now it is time for the Knicks to pick...the options as I see them are Eric Gordon, Jerryd Bayless, Joe Alexander and the dreaded Italian. I am hoping for Gordon or Alexander in this situation, Gordon from the point guard angle and Alexander from the lovable, face of the franchise angle.

8:07
And here comes Stern

8:07
1 minute left on the clock, the fans at the Wamu theater do not look pretty happy, seem to know that the Knicks are going to take Mr. Italy

8:08
And of course the Knicks take the fucking asshole from Italy. Danilo Gallinari, the face of the New York Knicks. If someone could please just rip my heart out now.

8:08
Stu Scott just went over the Knicks 2 other international picks (Nene and some dude named Frederic Weis) those both worked out very well.

8:09
Oh great his nickname is "The Rooster" and he is, according to ESPN he will "not be a superstar", excellent!

8:10
Danilo's favorite player? Tayshaun Prince! Can this get any better?

8:12
Just like that my enthusiasm for the upcoming season has waned to close to nothing.

8:13
And the Clippers take...Eric Gordon. At the end of the year let's see who has a better season. E Gordon or The Rooster.

8:14
Now what happened to Brook Lopez? He went from the 3rd pick in many mock drafts to sitting here for the 8th pick.

8:15
According to the bottom-line, Donnie Walsh is going to be speaking soon. I want to see how he is going to explain the selection of Cock-a-doodle-doo

8:17
Donnie just looks like he is stoned out of his mind on some prescription pill...great

8:21
Marc Jackson just summed it up perfectly, Knicks fans are not going to wait for The Rooster to develop, I know that I am already impatient. I can only hope that the Knicks make another move tonight to counterbalance this pick.

8:30
Time for the Nets pick and they take Brook Lopez, putting himout of his misery and getting one of the best prospects in this draft. That is a really great pick for the Nets after trading away Richard Jefferson earlier in the day they needed a solid presence in the middle of the court. If only I was a Nets fan and not a Knicks fan, damn you fandom.

8:35
So the next Gotham related pick is the Nets second 1st round selection, 21st overall. Until then I can do nothing but watch uncomfortable Stephen A. Smith player interviews.

-Mose

Tonight is the Night

As you most likely know, tonight is the NBA Draft. The Knicks have the 6th pick precluding them from selecting either of two supposedly "can't miss" players of the draft-Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley, but there is still some talent available. I would love for the Knicks to trade up, potentially with the TWolves at 3 and select OJ Mayo, but if that doesn't happen and they stay pat (which we know they will), they better not take Danilo Gallinari. I don't care what the analysts say about his athletic ability or his differences from all of the recent European prospects who were hyped up and then dropped out of sight within a season or two. I don't care that he has a great shot, and a lean body whatever that means. And I don't care that he and Mike D'Antoni are both Italian (Chad Ford seems to believe that all Italians are in some sort of blood pact, certifying that D'Antoni will select Gallinari). No matter how much information I am supplied with saying how great Gallinari is I still do not want him on the New York Knicks. And the real reason is simple. I want the Knicks to draft someone who I have heard of, who can become a fan favorite around New York. Could you imagine Gallinari being the iconic player on this Knicks team? No matter how great he becomes he will never be embraced by the media and he will never become the fan favorite that the Knicks are in desperate need of. Yes, David Lee and Renaldo Balkman are fan favorites, they play hard and hustle like no other. But deep down I know that Lee and Balkman can never be the faces of the New York Knicks franchise because they simply are not talented enough. Lee nor Balkman can carry a team by themselves, they are role players, excellent role players but nothing more. In this draft the Knicks have a chance to select someone who can be a star, someone who can carry the team, while still being someone who the average fan can like.

And there is one player in this draft who the Knicks can feasibly select that will fulfill this role. Russel Westbrook is the man that the Knicks must select 6th overall in the NBA Draft tonight. He fits a need (point guard), he is young enough, but experienced enough to build a franchise around, he has a great work ethic and he plays defense better than the entire Knicks roster combined. How the Knicks can even consider taking a nobody forward over a eye-catching point guard is beyond me. Tonight when I am watching the draft I will sit and hope that they make the right decision and make Russel Westbrook the new face of the New York Knicks.

-Mose

TODAY IN SPORTS (THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008)

• Yankees at Pirates 7:05 p.m. (YES) - Mike Mussina could have more wins (10) than walks (13) this season.
• 2008 NBA Draft 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) - Imagine the boos you're going to hear in MSG when David Stern utters these words: "With the sixth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select...Danilo Gallinari."

- D. Spell

Jerry Manuel and the Infamous Ump Bump

The Jerry Manuel-Brian Runge saga finally appears to be over. Runge formally apologized to Manuel last night for bumping him after his ejection on Tuesday night while arguing Runge's strike zone. I did not personally see the bump, but from the coverage that this received from the local media and ESPN I have come to the conclusion that not only did Runge bump Manuel but he also stuck his finer in his eye and broke his nose. Never have I seen so much coverage over something so minimal. Managers and players bump umpires all of the time, is it really such a big deal that one finally decided to bump back? If anything Runge's bump was helpful to the Mets as it took some of the attention away from the fact that they had just lost to the worst in baseball Seattle Mariners with their ace Johan Santana on the mound. This was followed up by an 11-0 shellacking
and yet people were still talking about the goddamn bump. Runge saved Manuel from a potentially thunderous storm of negative reporting. But now that the bump incident is behind us, the focus can return to The Mets and their pitiful play. Manuel better hope that another umpire is in a bumping mood, otherwise he might end up like Willie, jobless in a California hotel.

And the True Auteur Has Returned

So yes, we came back this week, and yes the great D. Spell has shepherded you through the beginning of this week. But we all know what you have been waiting for, my return to the blogosphere. I had a pretty good break sleeping and going to the bathroom, as Spell so eloquently put it, is a pretty huge time suck, but I am anxious to get this show back on the road.

A lot of Gotham sports events have occured during my absence, and I would write about all of them, but I want to look ahead not behind, forward not backward, so the only event I would like to write about is Jared Lorenzen's release from the New York Giants football team.

As I wrote last month, it did not look good for Jared Lorenzen's return to the Giants for this upcoming season and two days ago my worst fears were confirmed, as Lorenzen was released from the Giants. It was merely one line on the ESPNews fancy new-and-improved bottom ticker, it was not on the front page of ESPN.com, it was certainly not to be found anywhere on sportsline.com or si.com and it was a mere three sentences in the New York Times. Just like that Jared Lorenzen's career as chubby quarterback poster boy was over. So I would like to use my return post as an opportunity to remember Lorenzen's career and hope that David Carr and Anthony Wright both suffer the karmic consequences for depriving us of Mr. Lorenzen.

Anyway I am glad to be back and I will be back posting on a regular basis for the foreseeable future.

-Mose

TODAY IN SPORTS (WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008)

• Yankees at Pirates 7:05 p.m. (YES) - Johnny Damon could miss the entire series in Pittsburgh. Luckily for him, the Yankees are facing three lefty-handed starters in a row.
• Mariners at Mets 7:10 p.m. (SNY) - Oliver Perez just got lit up by the worst offensive team in the American League. I wouldn't be surprised if he is pulled from the rotation if he has a poor outing against the Yankees on Sunday.

- D. Spell

Time To Change the Jeterian Ways

The day before his 34th birthday, Derek Jeter should be prepared to listen to some advice. Currently hitting .278 with a .717 OPS, Jeter needs to change his hitting style in order to return from the valleys of mediocrity and head back to the peak of stardom.

First, the type of hit which John Sterling has coined as the Jeterian single needs to cease. Jeter turns 34-years-old tomorrow and is noticeably getting older. Not only has his range in the field diminished, but his bat speed has also slowed down. No player is as strong at the age of 34 as he is at the age of 26 or 27. It takes a lot of strength to hit that "Jeterian single", an opposite field bloop over the second baseman's head on an inside fastball. That strength that he had in his prime allowed him to get enough lift on the ball to hit it in the air.

Now, Jeter is not as strong as he once was. Those balls that he was once hitting in the air are being hit on the ground. This year, when he tries to inside-out a pitch to rightfield, he will often hit a ground ball to second base or right back to the pitcher. This has led to his highest groundball:flyball ratio since 1997 (2.70:1). Because of this, he is grounding into more double plays than he ever has before.

Jeter needs to start pulling the ball and turning on the inside pitch because he is not longer strong enough to consistently hit the ball to right-center. The Yankees' shortstop this year has simply turned into a below-average hitter. His OPS+ is 93 (league average is 100); his secondary average is .183, 30 points worse than his previous worst season; his runs created/27 outs are 4.3, by far the lowest of his career. 

Jeter has not just deteriorated as a physical hitter, but he seems as if he has also regressed as an intelligent hitter. He has changed his approach this year and not for the better. Derek, who was always good for around 100 strikeouts, decided to cut down on his strikeout total, but in turn, has affected his walk total. He is swinging at pitches earlier in the count, so that he doesn't get into two-strike holes. Although Jeter has only struck out 34 times this year, he has only walked 20 times . He is seeing a mere 3.67 pitches/plate appearance, the lowest average of his career. One of Jeter's strengths throughout his time in the league has been that he is able to force pitchers to work. This year, he is voluntarily giving into them earlier in the at bat. 

So, maybe Sports Illustrated was right in their player poll that stated that Derek Jeter is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball. Before this year, I would disagree, but it's hard to argue against it when his 2008 numbers so clearly outline him as a mediocre shortstop. 

- D. Spell

TRIVIA OF THE DAY

Yesterday was Mose's birthday!

TODAY IN SPORTS (TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008)

• Yankees at Pirates 7:05 p.m. (MY9) - Who else is psyched to see Darrell Rasner hit?
• Mariners at Mets 7:10 p.m. (SNY) - He's been managing the team for less than a week and Jerry Manuel has already called Mets' Nation (if the Red Sox can have a country, so can the Mets) fertilizer for rooting for his team. I'm pretty sure a group of fans is allowed to boo when the team with the highest payroll in the National League by almost $20 million is 37-38. Someone should tell that to Jerry...

- D. Spell

If Only the Jets Weren't So Cheap...

Pete Kendall wanted a raise; he didn't get it. Chris Baker wants a raise; he doesn't seem like he's going to get it. After the Jets traded Kendall, their best lineman, before last season because of a dispute over a mere one million dollars, their offensive line completely collapsed. They went from 10-6 and a playoff team to 4-12 and the sixth pick in the draft. Their rushing attack and pass blocking weren't memorable last season, to say the least. 

This year, it seems as if they haven't learned their lesson. Chris Baker, who has been with the team since 2002, has been holding out for more money and the Jets seem not to be budging. After the team signed free agent Bubba Franks and drafted Purdue's Dustin Keller, Baker, the incumbent starter, is now the third highest paid tight end on the team's roster. 

Baker had 41 receptions last year, a career high. Next to Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles, he has the best hands of anyone on the roster. Although he is not a great run-blocker, he is a big target to throw to. If Chad Pennington ends up winning the starting position at quarterback, it is important for him to have a tight end he can throw to across the middle. Pennington needs a big target, who will be available for a short dump-off, since he no longer has a Jerald Sowell-type as a teammate. 

Right now, the Jets haven't paid Baker to make a point. In turn, the tight end is yet to attend a practice. If they trade or release him, they will be making a big mistake. Fans were upset about the Pete Kendall trade at the beginning of the season and even more upset at the end of the season. Not paying Baker will express to the fans that the Jets would rather save money than actually win. 

Two years ago, Coles wanted a new contract from the organization. When they wouldn't pay him, he claimed that the Jets were more concerned with paying big name free agents than they were with taking care of their current stars. The Baker holdout would prove just that. In an off-season, which the Jets signed Calvin Pace, Tony Richardson, Kris Jenkins, Damien Woody, Bubba Franks and Alan Faneca, it would be petty not to re-sign their starting tight end.

- D. Spell

Wait For the Other Half

Johan Santana is 7-6. I've heard too many questions about his talent compared to other National League pitchers. Is he as good as Tim Lincecum? Is he as good as Edinson Volquez? Is he as good as Felix Hernandez, who he faced off against on Monday night? The answer to every single one of those questions is yes. Mets' fans, who seem to have harbored the same traits in recent years as Yankees' fans, clearly have forgotten the virtue of patience. 

It's obvious that the Santana skeptics haven't taken a look at the lefty's second half prowess in his career. Santana, who is notoriously known as a stellar second half pitcher, is 45-11 after the All-Star break since the 2003 season. Keep in mind that he was 5-7 in the second half last year, which was clearly a fluke season. From 2003-2006, he was 40-4 in the second half. 

Santana seems to have already started a monster second half, as he has compiled a 1.87 ERA in June  to this point. However, he has managed to go only 1-3 as the Mets' offense has averaged a mere 1.8 runs in support of him during those starts. 

Last year's National League Cy Young winner, Jake Peavy, struck out 240 batters. 35 of those were pitchers. Santana has averaged 245.75 strikeouts per year over the past four years in an offensively superior league with a designated hitter. Two of the past five years. he's had a second-half ERA under 1.60 and four of the past five years,  he's had a second-half ERA under 3.20. 

So Mets' fans, calm down about Johan. He'll finish with the lowest ERA of his career. He'll finish with his highest strikeout total. The real question is: will that be good enough for the Mets to make the playoffs?

- D. Spell

TRIVIA OF THE DAY

Johnny Damon switched from maple to ash bats last week because he said that maple bats break too much. Since then, he has broken a bat at least once in every game.

TODAY IN SPORTS (MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2008)

• Mariners at Mets 7:10 p.m. (SNY) - Johan Santana faces off against Felix Hernandez in a battle between the two best Venezuelan pitchers in baseball. (We figured Freddy Garcia isn't quite on their level).

- D. Spell

A Draining System Would Be Nice

The picture on the left is an image of what Yankee Stadium looked like in the sixth inning of Sunday's game. I know because I was there. I sat in the bleachers with my brother when in the sixth inning, the skies opened up and it started to pour. The wind was obscene. In fact, it was so strong, it actually took my Coca Cola bottle, which was calmly resting on the bench in front of me, and sent it flying in the air across my section.

Now, here's where the Yankee Stadium architects are really brilliant. You have to walk up a small ramp to get from the indoor concessions to the bleachers. Naturally, water will stream down the ramp, considering liquid will rarely flow uphill. They delayed the game - seeing the grounds crew trying to put the tarp on the field in the wind was hilarious - and people started to go inside to get shelter from the rain. Of course, as my brother and I set foot inside, we felt a pool of water up to our ankles. All the water was draining into the Stadium. It was completely flooded, which led to a great time for me and an even greater time for my socks, who were accompanied by water and peanut shavings. 

Cheers to the builders of 1976, who are responsible for turning Yankee Stadium into a pool today. And for the record, the water was pitch black. 

- D. Spell

And We're Back

Well, after quite the hiatus, Mose and I are back for some more blogging. We apologize for such a long break between columns, but know that starting today, we're here for good. We thought you might want to know what we were doing in our three weeks off. Here was our average daily schedule:

2:00 p.m. - Wake up

2:03 p.m. - Bathroom call

2:10 p.m. - Movie of choice (usually something along the lines of "Gangs of New York" or "Kids Bop"

3:30 p.m. - Get really pissed because Skip Bayless has no idea what he's talking about on "First and Ten". If he says something, I automatically disagree with it, whether I think it's a good point or not. I just feel like I'm stupid if I agree with Skip Bayless on any given issue.

3:47 p.m. - Bathroom call 

3:52 p.m. - Go back to wondering how Skip Bayless can be so wrong about LeBron James, when he argues that he is not a top 20 player in the NBA. (Yes, he actually said that).

3:56 p.m. - Another four minutes of Bayless

4:45 p.m. - Eat something sweet and completely unhealthy.

5:45 p.m. - Finish eating sweet and completely unhealthy food and go for another bathroom call.

7:05 p.m. - Watch the Yankees' game and listen to The Great Michael Kay single-handedly take on being the number one PR guy for the Yankees. Boy, Bayless and Kay in one day...And Bissinger thought only bloggers could produce bad journalism. 

10:30 p.m. - Sleep for the next 16 hours.

So I guess now you can understand why we had so much trouble getting to the blog. We had such busy schedules we just weren't able to fit it in. However, we've now made room in our lives for it, and we'll be writing everyday. And check out this piece on Bayless from deadspin.com. It really describes him better than I ever could.

- D. Spell

Why Do the Yankees Always Rush Things?

Joba Chamberlain will make his first start tomorrow against the Blue Jays in Yankee Stadium. Ironically, Joba made his Major League debut out of the bullpen against the same Blue Jays' team on August 7th of last year. 

Because of an injury to Ian Kennedy, who was just placed on the disabled list, Chamberlain was forced to move into the rotation earlier than anticipated. Chamberlain has never thrown more than 40 pitches in a game. Joe Girardi expected that Chamberlain would have a 55-pitch relief appearance and then a 70-pitch appearance before joining the rotation. Now, Joba is starting on Tuesday and being held to a very strict pitch count - probably around 65 pitches, which is still too big of a jump from 40. 

Joba has been struggling in the second inning of his appearances this year. How is he going to do in the rotation if that's the case? Probably not very well. Neither his legs nor his arm is in good enough shape to be throwing so many pitches. If the Yankees want to make him into a starter, they need to either do it over the off-season, or take it very slowly during the season. In the meantime, they can call up Dan Giese, who has a 1.98 ERA in 59 innings at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Giese should be making the start tomorrow, not Joba. You can get five innings out of him and then have Joba throw 55 pitches in relief. In Giese's next start, Joba can throw two or three simulated innings in the bullpen and then take the mound, throwing a total of around 70 pitches. You have be gradual when working such a stellar reliever into the rotation. The Yankees are rushing him. It will lead to ineffectiveness on the mound and a possible injury.

However, the Yankees shouldn't even be moving Chamberlain to the bullpen anyway.

- D. Spell

TRIVIA OF THE DAY

Kei Igawa requested that the Yankees allow him to return to Japan.

Posada Should Take His Time

Jorge Posada, who has been out since the end of April with a shoulder injury, is expected to rejoin the Yankees by Thursday of this week. Posada will catch two straight games, have an off day on Wednesday and then rejoin the team on Thursday in Yankee Stadium.

However, Posada should not be coming back to the team so soon. The Yankees are not having his catch on Wednesday, because they don't trust that he can catch three days in a row. If the organization still trusts his shoulder so little, why would they activate him so soon? 

The team is forcing him back because of problems it has had against lefties. With Posada back in the lineup, it can break up the tandem of Matsui - Giambi - Cano, which has been terrorized by lefty specialists since the Yankee catcher left the lineup. Posada can slide Cano down the eighth slot, which he is more comfortable. 

Still, if the Yankees don't trust Posada to catch three days in a row, then he is being rushed back. It wouldn't surprise me if he re-injures his shoulder on a throw down to second base. Clearly the Yankees know this, since they have said that they will be carrying three catchers on their roster (Posada along with Jose Molina and Chad Moeller). The Yanks should wait a week until Posada is completely healthy. Then, they can take the risk of sticking him behind the plate. 

- D. Spell

TODAY IN SPORTS (MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2008)

• Yankees at Twins 7:05 p.m. (YES) - The Yanks try to climb to one game over mediocrity.
• Mets at Giants 10:15 p.m. (SNY) - The lucky Mets miss Tim Lincecum (7-1-2.23) in their three games in San Francisco

- D. Spell