Hello.

Yeah. So what I said about trusting Igawa over Mussina? Maybe notsomuch. I guess its a good thing that Hughes is *ready* to take over his spot in the rotation.

I haven't completely given up on K-Iggy, but yeah, the Yankees and Japanese pitchers? Kind of a crappy trend. Hitters, good, Pitchers, bad. Okay. Keep him in AAA for the rest of the year. Get him mentally right for the MLB level. Otherwise, kudos on a 40+ million dollar bust, to the Yankee management, in the panic of the Hype-K signing.

Oh, and since we've been rooting on the Red Sox to beat the Indians (puke), let's pray they decide to pick up Todd Helton (the rumors are back for the bajillionth time, almost as frequent as the "trade Manny" saga every year). Helton is a good talent, but has a horrible contract, and is on the decline at 33. Good luck Red Sox!

Of course, we know all about first base albatrosses as well. Giambi is coming back soon (puke part deux).

Still, we're 4.5 games out of the Wild Card, and Seattle is on a seven-game losing streak. If we can get back to good, we should be able to pick up those four games pretty quick.

And lastly? De La Rosa, the pitcher for the Royals last night, has now pitched 11 consecutive scoreless innings against the Yankees...

Oh, and Jon Garland? Yeah. Here is why the Yankees should avoid him like the plague.

...and Akinori Otsuka is expected to need Tommy John surgery, so don't expect him in pinstripes like we all thought.

They've been so very hot that last night WAS a disappointment, but they can't win EVERY game. Just ALMOST every game would be fine with me.

It was disappointing, but the Yankees can't figure out some mediocre-to-bad pitchers, De La Rosa being one of them. It does help bring us back to the reality that this team still needs to work hard if it hopes to be competitive against Boston, Detroit, etc. in October.

Big Rumor: Expect a deal to be done with the Tigers, sending Kyle Farnsworth to Detroit. The Yankees have even reportedly offered to pay a large chunk of his salary to get the deal done.

Would we get anything in return, or just Detroit's own version of Kyle?

I don't know. Maybe a utility player?

Actually, on second thought, forget it. I suspect we'd get some good-to-great prospects, depending on how much cash we throw in. Jair Jurrjens (AA), Dallas Trahern (AA), Eulogio De La Cruz (AA) Virgil Vasquez (AAA), Jordan Tata (AAA) are all nice prospects for the Yankees to acquire (I'm not familiar but those are the names I've heard).

Chris Britton has been lighting up AAA and deserves a chance at the set-up spot. Edwar Ramirez needs a spot too. So I wouldn't expect an MLB player back, except maybe Omar Infante (utility, .252, 2 HR) or Ryan Rayburn (3B/OF, .500, 10 RBI).

Yankees win the suspended game 8-7, and Igawa has been shipped back to Scranton.

That, of course, means the PHUTURE (or the PHranchise, pick your nick) will be back in pinstripes sooner rather than later...

...just in from ESPN (courtesy of Buster Olney) - Kei Igawa is officially on the trading block, and "more than a few teams" are purportedly interested in the Japanese right hander.

Can you say Jose Contreras?

Why would they want him? He's been a disaster.

Yes, they want to give Hughes another Scranton start on Sunday, and then bring him up. That way he wouldn't have to start until the first week of August.

Please dump Igawa-nowaya and Farnsworthless. I think A-Rod or Jeter could pitch better.

Farnsworthless?? That's great, MC!! My husband always refers to Scott as The Proctologist, because he says that the Yankees always get it up the butt when he's pitching.

I hear we're accepting offers for a pitching machine and a bag of doritos.

Proctologist has looked terrible lately, so I really would be surprised if he remains in a Yankee uniform after the deadline. Ty Wigginton would make a nice utility player who can play anywhere, and allow us to dump Miggy Cairo (even though I like him).

And Farnsworth should go too, although in a playoff run I am leery of giving up MLB talent (if you can call Farnsworth that) in exchange for probably prospects.

Most of all, the Yankees need bullpen help, so it will be interesting to see how they can finaggle adding another solid reliever here at the deadline.

I really have to say that I'm disappointed the Yankees are going to get Chamberlain up as well. He is projected to have even better stuff than Hughes, and they are thinking that a promotion to the Big Club would be the same as acquiring another reliever anyways. I don't like it.

---

I can't believe this trade deadline could go by and Kyle Farnsworth is still in a Yankee uniform...and guess what? He's pissed that he isn't being utilized.

Oh, poor Kyle. You silly fuckup.

---

The only *real* trade I hear would be for Gagne. Apparently the Yankees want him bad. I just hope Melky is still a Yankee...

Bad! Bad! Bad!

Yankees trade Scott Proctor (RHP) to the LA Dodgers for switch hitting Betemit.

WHAT???? The Yankees traded a relief pitcher for another bat??? I'm SHOCKED!!! It's SO unlike them!!!

Sorry, gotta go now and feed the pig that's flying past my window in this July snowstorm.

Pfft, bigger surprise?

Proctor is gone, and Farnsworthless still remains a Yankee, despite his hissy fit and schoolgirl antics with Posada this past weekend. I think that the entire locker room should have just beat the piss out of him.

The Red Sox sign Gagne...I guess this means we can forget the Wild Card. Although in retrospect (and listening to Sweeni Murty on WFAN), the Texans were totally unreasonable - they wanted Hughes, Chamberlain, or Tabata, and refused any offer that didn't include at least one of them. They basically tried to hold the Yankees hostage, and thankfully, Cashman didn't bite.

On the plus side, Betemit is a great pinch hitter, and should allow us to spell A-Rod and Jeter on defense, at least until Giambi returns full time.

Again, I think that one thing to remember is the Yankees are getting Hughes back, Giambi back, and likely Chamberlain will move up to assume the set-up role (or Mussina will be forced to the bullpen). So hopefully that cancels out the non-trades today.

I agree. As much as it hurts to see Gagne go to Boston, at least the Yankees didn't get carried away and felt like they had to make a trade. I wouldn't have traded any of those guys either. I believe Gagne is a free agent at the end of the year so hopefully they can scoop him up then. Here's hoping Boston doesn't win the World Series!

Forget the wildcard? Are Yankee fans insane - you're three games out! Cleveland played very poorly in July and Seattle has been erratic - it's completely up for grabs. Plus NY & Cleveland have a series coming up in the next 2-3 weeks. Wedge can't manage in tight situations, the Indians offense has pulled a major disappearing act in the past month, and they only have two quality starters right now. And don't forget in 2005, Cleveland was in prime position to win the wild card and choked by losing 6 of their last 7.

The last thing I would call NY is out of the wild card race.

I agree. I don't think the Yankees are out of the wild card. The division? Maybe, but not the wild card. Seattle will fade away soon and Cleveland may do the same.

oops, my error. i meant the division.

You never know. Boston looked hot last year and ended up finishing third in the division.

As Yogi would say, It ain't over....

I kept A-Rod out of my lineup today, so perhaps NOW he'll finally hit one out to get that #500 over with.......

About time! Thank you, Jinxy-boy!

So much for that strategy

Did I Anti-Jinx™ him??

Ties his 0-21 streak

--

I didn't jinx Jeter, tho! Nor Matsui yesterday...

Mr. Jinxy-Jinx, don't you know that your feeble powers are meaningless against Jeter???