Game 104: Give Me Mute or Give Me Death

Props go out to Jamal for the title. ESPN Sunday Night games usually means Joe Morgan’s incoherent rants and constant reminders that as a HOF second baseman, he’s smarter than everyone else. However tonight is a special night, because Morgan will be up in Cooperstown at the HOF induction ceremony, and filling in for him is the man that once traded for Mo Vaughn and the $59,666,668 left on his contract, Steve “the Yankees need a set-up man” Phillips. What a way to end the weekend.

On the field, the Yanks are straight rollin’. They’ve won eight in a row and 13 of their last 16. The pitching staff leads baseball with a 1.56 ERA since the break, and they’re fifth in baseball with a .858 team OPS. After being 5.5 GB of the Wildcard just two weeks ago, a win tonight will move them into the lead by percentage points over the Sox.

The Yanks went out like wimps the last time they faced Lester, but things were different then. The team was in the middle of losing 10 out of 15, and they didn’t have X. Nady and a molten hot Robbie Cano adding depth to the lineup. Plus the Yanks just own the Sox in the second half, they’re 19-7 against them after the All-Star break since 2005.

The Rays already lost, so they’ve got a chance to gain some serious ground with a win. Besides, sweeps in Fenway are just awesome.

1. Damon, DH – .211-.318-.263 since coming off the DL
2. Jeter, SS
3. Abreu, RF
4. A-Rod, 3B – Happy 33rd Birthday, now put one onto the Mass Pike
5. X, LF
6. Cano, 2B – leads the AL in OPS since the break
7. Dick Lock Sexy, 1B
8. Melky, CF
9. Molina, C

And on the mound, Sidney “2.33 ERA on the road” Ponson.

Notes: The Yanks are undefeated during the Richie Sexson era … the pitching staff has an unreal 83-18 K/BB ratio since the All-Star Break … Edwar Ramirez is five days away from having a hitless July … Jarrod Washburn was damn good today, but the Yanks didn’t have anyone there to watch him … the Organizational Depth Chart has been updated to reflect all the recent moves … did you know that Bronson Arroyo is the 12th highest paid SP in baseball? Yikes … we play today, we win today, das it

Update (7:35): They’re saying there will be a slight delay, but they should be able to start within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time. I’ll believe it when I see it. Thankfully The Simpsons is on at 8.