Temperatures reaching 100 degrees, a threat of thunderstorms, Alex Rodriguez (toe) and Jorge Posada (four straight starts) out of the line-up, and Sidney Ponson on the mound for the Yankees? My hat is off to the fans who chose to sit through that in person tonight.

For what it’s worth, things have been quite heavenly for the Yankees recently. They’ve won eight of their last nine, easily their best stretch of the year, they’re tied in the loss column with the Red Sox, just 2.5 games behind Chicago in the Wild Card chase, and, with a winning percentage two points better than the Mets’, have a better record than every team in the National League. In fact, only two teams have lost fewer games than the Yankees thus far this season and the Yankees have a 6-1 record against those two clubs (the Chisox and Tigers).

Keep reading that paragraph as Sir Sidney gets a right pounding at the hands of an exceedingly average Mariners’ line-up tonight. It will help. As might the fact that The Big Ponson Toad is going up against Joel Pineiro, who’s been down-right Ponson-like of late.