Go root for the Marlins.

Mike Lupica is temporarily back on the Yankee bandwagon, even though I don't think the Yankee fans want him:

"The Yankees did not have Derek Jeter in the starting lineup last night, Gary Sheffield is on the disabled list, Hideki Matsui is long gone. The Yankees keep winning. They keep scoring, even with Cabrera in left and Miguel Cairo at short and Phillips at first. Against Boston last night they got an upper deck home run from a big-ticket star like Jason Giambi, but they got one from Phillips, too, his third home run in his last seven games."

What cracks me up is that Lupica doesn't enjoy the three-run homerun by Giambi, but he enjoys the three-run homerun by Phillips.

Don't believe me?

Does it sound too ludicrous to be true?:

"It is different this season. The Yankees can still money-whip you, don't worry about that. But they can also win with Cabrera and Phillips. It makes them more appealing."

Ladies and Gentleman, we have a line in the sand.

Let me shout from the mountaintops that Derek Jeter plays appealing baseball.

I need to testify that Hideki Matsui plays appealing baseball.

Can I have a witness?

Gary Sheffield ... is a'hitting ... over .300 ... every year ... and also a'hitting ... 30 homeruns ... I ain't talkin' 'bout no singles ... I ain't talkin' 'bout no doubles ... I ain't even talkin' 'bout no three-base hits ... I'm a'talkin' 'bout a homerun ... a round tripper ... a four-bagger ... a big fly ... it is high ... it is far ... O, Lord, it is gone!

Open up the window Aunt Minnie because Gary Sheffield is up at the plate ... and driving in one hundred runs ... it is APPEALING!!!

It's appealing! It's appealing! Talkin' 'bout appealing! It appeals to me! It appeals to you! It appeals to my brothers and sisters all around the world!

Can I get an amen?


"Cashman still spends Steinbrenner's money. Will always spend money."

Hallelujah!

"Spent it on Johnny Damon over the winter ..." (appealing) "overspent to keep Matsui a Yankee ..." (appealing) "the Yankees are still right there at $200 million and around $75 million clear of the field." (appealing)

"But they win these days with Cano, Phillips, Scott Proctor, Chien-Ming Wang. And Cabrera, who has been more appealing than any of them."

Didn't Lupica just point out that the Yankees played last night without Jeter, Matsui, and Sheffield? Whose combined salaries this year are approximately $50 million?

Not to get all Einstein on you, but that means the Yankees are not "right there" at $200 million when the injuries are taken into account. Last night, they were closer to $150 million. That's just common sense.


In 2005, the Year That Lupica Forgot, the Yankees won 95 games with Cano, Phillips, Scott Proctor, and Chien-Ming Wang. Even though Our Glorious Manager, Praise Be Unto Him, said that Giambi couldn't DH, so Tony Womack got 325 at-bats while Andy Phillips got 40 at-bats.

The Yankees also won with Aaron Small going 10-0 (yawn) and major contributions from Shawn Chacon. Personally, I thought both players were similarly appealing, even though Mike Lupica couldn't bear to watch.


I think I get it. Mike Lupica is bored with expensive veterans. Lupica claims that this type of palyer does not appeal to him.

But he doesn't mean it.

If Lupica really didn't enjoy teams that money-beat the competition, then he would stop rooting for the Mets.