Torre's Got Your Back.

I wonder if Torre believes what he's saying when he says that Robinson Cano has had a more valuable first half than Alex Rodriguez:

"JOE TORRE was asked to identify the Yankees' first-half MVP before last night's Subway Series finale and unintentionally delivered one of the strongest blows yet against Alex Rodriguez - and as opposed to David Justice this was not delivered from a YES-man.

Torre not only picked Derek Jeter, citing the shortstop's seasonlong reliability, but named Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano as the rest of the pool from which he was choosing."

Jeter is probably the Yankee MVP of the first half, even though he hasn't hit a homerun in 150 at-bats.

Giambi has been quite productive, but adds nothing in the field or on the basepaths.

Before last night's game (when the question was being asked), ARod had 58 runs scored and 57 rbis.

Robinson Cano had 34 and 27. Johnny Damon had 59 and 42. The Giambino had 50 and 63 -- not a clear cut choice over ARod, all things considered -- and ARod passed him with one big night.

I'm hoping this is just a motivational ploy by Torre. But I'm not sure. I'm not sure if the Manager of the New York Yankees, paid millions of dollars to oversee the ballclup with his keen understanding of the finer points of baseball, believes a stone-handed second baseman with no speed or power has been more valuable to his team than Alex Rodriguez.

He says it, but he can't really believe it. Can he?


But at least Torre always has ARod's back.

When ARod hits a grand slam against the Mets, at Yankees Stadium, and pauses at home plate for about two seconds it's nice to know that Paul Loduca can whine about it without getting a fastball in his ear:

"I could understand where Lo Duca was coming from. But knowing and living what's been going on here, I don't think Alex was trying to show anybody up."

Torre, you're my manager, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Yankees again. EVER.