"Intriguing," he says.

Halladay would be "fascinating" and Pujols would be "mesmerizing."

2009 NL MVP.

Them		Us
Albert Pujols	448	Albert Pujols	60
Hanley Ramirez	233	Prince Fielder	24
Ryan Howard	217	Ryan Howard	21
Prince Fielder	203	Hanley Ramirez	16
Troy Tulowitzki	113	Jose Reyes	4
Pablo Sandoval	89	David Wright	4
Chase Utley	84	Manny Ramirez	3
Derrek Lee	66	Troy Tulowitzki	2
Matt Kemp	49	Tony Bernazard	1
Ryan Braun	43	Bobby Abreu	1
Adrian Gonzalez	30	Ryan Braun	1
Todd Helton	28	Daniel Murphy	1
Chris Carpenter	25
Adam Wainwright	16
Matt Holliday	15
Jayson Werth	10
Shane Victorino	8
Tim Lincecum	8
Yunel Escobar	6
Mark Reynolds	6
Joey Votto	4
Yadier Molina	3
Miguel Tejada	3
Huston Street	2
Juston Upton	2
Ryan Zimmerman	2
Jeremy Affeldt	1
Chris Coghlan	1
Brad Hawpe	1

2009 AL MVP.

Them		Us
Joe Mauer	387	Joe Mauer	55
Mark Teixeira	225	Mark Teixeira	30
Derek Jeter	193	Derek Jeter	23
Miguel Cabrera	171	Miguel Cabrera	11
Kendry Morales	170	Alex Rodriguez	8
Kevin Youkilis	150	Kendry Morales	7
Jason Bay	78	Justin Morneau	3
Ben Zobrist	34	Jorge Posada	3
Ichiro Suzuki	33	Vladimir Guerrero	2
Alex Rodriguez	31	Bobby Abreu	1
Chone Figgins	31	Jason Bay	1
Aaron Hill	23	Trevor Hoffman	1
Bobby Abreu	23	Adam Lind	1
Mariano Rivera	17	Manny Ramirez	1
Adam Lind	14	Ichiro Suzuki	1
Michael Young	13	Kevin Youkilis	1
Zack Greinke	12
Robinson Cano	12
Evan Longoria	9
Justin Verlander	7
CC Sabathia	4
Michael Cuddyer	4
Victor Martinez	4
Jason Kubel	3
Placido Polanco	2
Felix Hernandez	1
Ian Kinsler	1

2009 NL Cy Young.

Them		Us
Tim Lincecum	100	Tim Lincecum	38
Chris Carpenter	94	Adam Wainwright	38
Adam Wainwright	90	Chris Carpenter	31
Javier Vazquez	3	J.J Putz	4
Dan Haren	1	Cliff Lee	3
		David Wright	3
		Dwight Gooden	3
		Josh Johnson	2
		Jose Reyes	2
		Heath Bell	1
		Jorge De La Rosa	1
		Trevor Hoffman	1
		Brad Lidge	1
		Daniel Murphy	1
		Nolan Ryan	1
		Johan Santana	1
		Javier Vazquez	1

2009 AL Cy Young.

Them		Us
Zack Greinke	134	Zack Greinke	50
Felix Hernandez	80	CC Sabathia	31
Justin Verlander	14	Felix Hernandez	25
CC Sabathia	13	Roy Halladay	12
Roy Halladay	11	Justin Verlander	7
		Jonathan Lester	5
		Carl Pavano	4
		Mariano Rivera	4
		A.J. Burnett	3
		Pedro Martinez	3
		Roger Clemens	2
		John Smoltz	1
		Suzyn Waldman	1

You know nothing.

"Somebody's relaxing him, that's all I can say," Torre replied with a smirk, "because he certainly looked like he enjoyed himself this year."

Maybe it's because his manager isn't a blameshifting scumbag who batted him eighth.

I like the way the game six HR landed right above the Japanese advertisement.

"But if the object is to win every year, and the object IS to win every year, and the question is money, both Damon and Matsui give them their best chance to repeat."

I think Matsui's definitely gone because he can't field and he can't run.

Damon, maybe a one-year contract.

But why would Damon -n- Matsui give the Yankees their best chance to repeat?

I'd say the additions of Albert Pujols and Roy Halladay give the Yankees their best chance to repeat.

Rich Gedman on acid.

Give this man a Pulitzer:

"The catcher, Jorge Posada, sometimes ran the bases as if he were Rich Gedman on acid…"

Fact check.

"Rodriguez, who entered the postseason with a .136 batting average, was hugely responsible for terminating the Yankees' nine-year World Series drought."

Not sure what .136 batting average this is referring to.

Maybe his last 40-or-so playoff at-bats?

In any case, ARod's postseason numbers basically mirror his HOF regular season numbers.

A lot of people should be eating crow, but probably aren't.

Angels in 2010.

Very easy formula to success, as demonstrated by the Phillies and the Yankees.

Just get rid of Bob Abreu.

Titles avoid that guy like he avoids the right-field wall.

Game Six.

This is why Girardi is a genius.

Not only is Everybody's Favorite Pitcher, Chad Gaudin, available out of the bullpen on lots of rest, but even Burnett is available out of the bullpen due to his low workload the other night.

Mission 27 in full effect.

Still implying Girardi's job security is up for debate.

One win away from a title.

Because it's Girardi's fault that he went with A.J. Burnett instead of Chad "Cy Young Jr." Gaudin.

"Because if the Yankees blow this Series, if the Phillies come all the way back, then Yankee fans are going to wonder how the Yankees could spend $206 million on baseball players and not have enough left under the bed to buy a reliable fourth starter."

Chien-Ming Wang's injury was unexpected. He was their reliable fourth starter. Next question.


Upon closer inspection, the Yankees don't have three reliable starters, unless you consider A.J. Burnett reliable.

That's not Girardi's fault, that's Cashman's fault.

Not too hard to figure out how this could happen. Good pitchers are difficult to find. That's why mediocre pitchers, such as A.J. Burnett, can command such high salaries.


In any case, if the Yankees blow games six and seven, it's not Girardi's fault. Other than Girardi's pathetic decision to start Molina, his personnel decisions have been correct. If Burnett and Pettitte can't do their job, it's their fault, not Girardi's fault.

It's really tired and ignorant at this point.

Girardi will be fired if:

• Yankees miss the playoffs.
• Yankees blow the AL East.
• Yankees lose to the Twins.
• Yankees lose to the Angels.
• Yankees lose to the Phillies.

113 wins isn't enough. Girardi has to win the World Series every year or else he will be fired.

Yeah, right.

Maybe Mattingly would have done better.

Whatever you do, panic.

"Title hopes not so bright for Yanks after Game 5"

Yankees are one win away from a title. They're not 30 games out of first place at the All Star Break.


"So the Yankees picked up, packed up and slogged up the Jersey Turnpike, wondering what happened to the Animal House party they were supposed to throw after Game 5 of the World Series."

The Yankees were supposed to win. The Yankees are supposed to win every game.


"It was going to be mother of all blowouts, the one that would've ended a nine-year championship drought. All the Yankees needed to do was cash in on the leftover momentum for Game 4, the one Johnny Damon literally stole from the Phillies, and that 120-mile bus ride to the Bronx would've been the stuff of a reality show."

I don't know a single person who thought the Yankees would beat Cliff Lee in game five. Which is why game four was so important.


"In any other circumstance the Yankees would be the strong favorites to close out the Phillies. In most respects they still are."

Good.

The Yankees are strong favorites to win the World Series.

Phew.

Because I was reading a column by this guy named Bob Klapisch who said their title hopes were dim.