CHASED

Top of the Seventh

Wilson laces a single to center. Sori tries to bunt on the first pitch, but it rolls foul. The next pitch is a breaking ball that slips out of Martinez’s hand and it goes behind Sori for a wild pitch. Wilson moves to second. Sori tries to bunt again. Fastball, in. Terrible. Sori fouls it off. Breaking pitch, low and away. Sori fouls it off. 1-2 pitch is a fastball, way high. Varitek goes out for the second time of the inning to talk with Pedro. 2-2 pitch, outside corner, is somehow NOT called a strike. This ump is a clown. Another cruddy call. Not a problem. Pedro blows the next one by Sori to sit his ass down again. The Prince has a couple of choice words for Dana too.

First pitch to Jeter is inside for a ball. Ball two. Fastball, Jeter tried to check his swing, strike one. They love to hate Jeter here. Fastball, blown by Jeter, who does his childhood idol Dave Winfield proud with that cut. Another heater, but Jeter manages to foul it back. Good cut. He missed his pitch right there. Enrique is on the move, and Pedro misses upstairs. No throw and Wilson has stolen third. Full count to Jete. The infield moves in. The crowd is up. Another nice-looking pitch, over the outside corner. Jeter does his lean, and gets the call. Ball four. Bloody outrage. Jeter snaps the bat back with vigor. Pedro is talking much trash now. Dana warns him. It looks like he could toss him if he wanted to. But he doesn’t. The Sox converge on the mound. Little is out. And he has a chat with Demuth too. Only Pedro could get away with being so petulent.

Ball one to Giambi. Swing strike. Nail-biting time. The crowd is present, but there are many lulls between pitches. Fastball way outside, Giambi flails at it, strike two. The crowd is passionately up now. Pedro throws another heater right by Giambi for his tenth K of the night. “That’s just raw heat, right there,” says Kitty Kaat.

Pedro has thrown 123 pitches. Here comes Bernie. He needs to come through in a big spot. Fastball, swung on and missed, strike one. There are no silences now. Fastball, low and inside, 1-1. Another cock high fastball, just inside. That damn thing has teeth on it. Look out. Fastball, low, Bernie pops it foul. The count is even and the crowd is nuts. Everybody is standing, applauding. Pressure? Bernie steps out. Bernie and Pedro are doing their little dance. Pedro’s next pitch–128 on the eveing–is a breaking ball that hangs in the zone; Bernie pops it into right for a single. Yanks lead, 3-2. Hot damn.

Little pulls Pedro who receives a much-deserved ovation. Another masterful performance. In spite of the officiating. Scott Sauerbeck, the man the Yankees couldn’t get from the Pirates, comes on to face Matsui. His first pitch jelly-legs Godzilla and falls in for a strike. Curveball, low, 1-1. Another curve, outside; Matsui swings weakly, 1-2. Curve ball in the dirt, and Matsui goes down swinging.

Stretch. Yanks 3 Sox 2

I’ll ask again. Who will be the first Sox to homer off of Armando?

FRIDAY NIGHT: YANKS AT SOX

WELLS VS. PEDRO

Top of the first

Soriano goes down on strikes. 1-2 breaking ball, what else? Jeter lines out to Nixon in right and on a 3-2 pitch, Pedro misses with a fastball low and away, to Giambi and walks him. Bernie gets fisted and bloops one to left. Fat ass Manny can’t get to it, and Williams has a single. Giambi to third. Matsui looks at two fastballs, and the second one is nasty. It reminds me of what Greg Maddux said in SI this week:
Matsui then smacks one hard up the middle; Nomar dies to his left, stabs it and flips to second. Run saved.

Bottom One

Damon works a full count and then singles to left. Lookit, there’s lil’ Nicky Johnson playing first tonight. Welcome back, Nicky. Walker bounces one to Johnson, who steps on the bag and then adroitly makes the throw to second, where Jeter fields and swipe tags Damon out to complete the 3-6-3 double play. Wells looks uncomfortable. And pissed at home plate ump Dana Demuth to boot. He is 7-0 on the road this year and the Yanks are 9-0 on the road when he pitches. He walks Garciaparra. Nomar?!? Walk number 7 on the year. Unlucky seven.

Manny bombs one to straight away center, Bernie looks like he has a bead on it but he loses it at the wall, and it bounces in for a double. Garcio scores. Manny has himself a double. The replays showed that Ramirez completely missed first base; he was so busy admiring his handiwork the dope missed the bag. Puff much? For his sake, the Sox better win. Millar hits a one hopper to Sori, 5-3.

Top Second

Jorge hits the first pitch into the Sox bullpen. Nixon dives over the wall in vain. I’ll repeat that: Jorge Posada got a hit-a homer!—off of Pedro, who has absolutely owned him. YES Network said he has K’d 26 times off of Martinez. Wow. Nick Johnson lines a single to left. Atta baby. Mondesi hits a slow grounder to second. Pedro covers first, as Johnson moves to second. One out. Enrique Wilson is in the nine hole tonight believe it or not. Pedro falls behind him 3-0. Walks him. Kaat says he was pitching around him on purpose because Wilson has done well against Martinez. He’d rather face the free-swinging Sori. He does and Soriano pops the first pitch up to center for the second out. Kaat is talking about how savvy and confident Martinez is.

Jeter grounds the first pitch foul. The next pitch is low and in, just off the plate. Same pitch, a little better, and Pedro is ahead, 1-2. This guy has so much movement and rotation on his pitches. Fastball outside corner Jeter does his trademark; hanging off a Warner Bros cliff with an anvil in your arms, move. Looks it right into the glove. Wow. Now Pedro is miffed. Next pitch, back inside again, same spot Ball 3. Holy cow these pitches aren’t missing by much. Jeter steps out. Fastball outside, Jeter barely fouls it away to stay alive. Jeter steps out. Boo’s. Pedro is taking forever. Curve ball, and Jeter fouls it off his foot. (Jeter leads the Yanks in hitting with runners in scoring position.) Fastball, low and away. The worst pitch of the at bat, and Jeter walks. Bases juiced for Giambi.

Curveball outside to Giambi. The crowd is skeptical and quiet. Stirring just a bit here and there. Fastball, inside, 2-0. Pedro taking his time. Breaking ball inside, and Giambi can’t hold up, 2-1. Fastball, swung on and missed. Blew it by him, 2-2. Now the crowd is alive. Standing. Fastball, low and in, and a huge groan. Full count. Will Jeter pull a C.C. Sabathiaa? Fastball, outside, diving down and away. Fastball, sinker, forkball? I don’t know. Out of the zone. Giambi waves at it, strike three. Who’s the man? Relief at the Fens for now.

My girlfriend, Emily is going to be thrilled when she hears that her boy Posada hit a homer tonight. I don’t know why she chose Jorgie as one of her favorites. Her first favorite was Giambi, and the Matsui and then Jorgie. Or maybe Posada came before Matsui. But I took time to inform her this morning of Jorgie’s very one-sided relationship with Pedro Martinez. Pedro does Vulcan mind tricks on poor fallible Posada, and he can truly screw Posada’s approach for a week or more. But of course, Emily, a baseball novice, and way to well adjusted to believe in sports superstition, pessimism or negativity—her sense of appreciation doesn’t involve wins and loses–tells me, ‘Jorge will do fine, he’ll do good, don’t worry.’

I’m like, ‘But honey, you don’t understand “

“Okay, whatever. You’ll see.”

Bottom of the Second

David Ortiz grounds a 1-2 pitch to Soriano, 5-3. 1-1 pitch to right handed Bill Mueller is up and in, and so is the next pitch, but this one catches the inside corner. Annoyed response from the fans. Mueller ropes the next pitch into left for a single. Nixon slaps the first pitch he sees into center for a single. First and second, and there is no lack of drama, or base runners tonight, folks.

Boomer comes back and strikes out the nine hitter, Jason Varitek, the catcher. Posada goes out to talk to Boomer for the third time tonight. Sometimes, it just ain’t easy, I guess. Johnny Damon works the count to 2-2 and then slaps a fastball, out over the plate, to left for a run scoring single. Sox, 2-1. Todd Walker flies out to right to end the inning. Wells is horseshit right now.

Top of the Third

Bernie pops out to Millar in foul ground, 1 out. The count goes to 2-2 on Matsui and Pedro just misses, another groan from the crowd. Pedro snaps at the ball on the return throw from Varitek. Matsui grounds the next pitch up the middle, much like his first at-bat, and once again, there is Nomar to make the make the play. Two out. Don’t hit it to that guy again, Matsuso, baby.

Here comes Posada. Limping back to the batters box like a pooch that has disobeyed his master. Pedro reminds Jorgie who is boss and strikes him out on three pitches. The last pitch is a curve ball that just floats to the plate and then dives down out of the zone. I thought it might be a knuckler. Pedro walked off the mound looking at Jorgie like, ‘You’ll never hit another dinger off of me brother, remember who your daddy is.’ Or something to that effect.

Bottom of the third.

Nomar grounds out to Enrique Wilson at third. The crowd seems more subdued that usual tonight. Manny works the count full, and fouls the payoff pitch off. Single off the wall. Another one-out hit for the Sox. When Jeter catches the relay throw from Matsui he turns, in perfect form, flexin his Jeteronomy, and brings the ball back into the infield. It’s why he’s easy to like and easy to hate. He’s got charisma. He’s so into the game, whenever the ball comes to him, he’s a showoff. He’s a gamer. He might not be as great as George Brett, but he’s probably disliked as much as Brett was in his prime. Of course, both players are adored too.

Millar lofts a fly ball to right, and Mondesi makes the catch easily. As this is happening, Manny is drifting across second base. I guess he thinks there were two outs. But he can’t get to back to first in time, and Manny makes his second dumb ass blunder of the game. The play was close at first, and Johnson had to dive to catch him. Was he safe? No, Manny doesn’t get the benefit of the call on that one.

You can get away with one, but not two, Papi. Grady Little can’t believe it on the Sox dugout.

Top of the Fourth

Johnson whiffs. I-2 pitch just misses to Mondesi, but the next pitch doesn’t. Raul whiffs. Enrique Wilson almost throws his back out on the first pitch, a breaking ball in the zone, 0-1. Wilson grounds the next pitch to first to end the inning. Martinez has retired 7 in a row. Manny who?

Bottom of the Fourth

Boston has six hits in three innings off of Wells. Ortiz lines the first pitch toward right, and Johnson spears it for the first out. Bill Mueller looks at a curve for a strike and then pops the next pitch sky hi to center. Bernie makes the catch for the second out.

Boomer throws a strike to Trot Nixon. The Dirt Dog lines the next pitch to Bernie in center for the third out of the inning. Both pitchers have a smooth inning.

If the Sox lose the game, Manny is going to get killed, and if they win, he’ll get killed too, but it won’t sting as much for Sox fans, cause they’ll have won the game. But the papers are going to love this one. I was talking to Ed Cossette last week that thinks that the Boston press and the New England general public give Trot Nixon a pass because he’s a good ol’ scrappy white guy. Whereas Manny, the aloof and unavailable Manuelito, is definitely going to get picked on. Doesn’t matter how much better he is than Nixon.

Top of the Fifth

Sori whiffs on three pitches. Martinez has thrown 75 in the game. The crowd is pensive, cautious. Jeter inside-outs a grounder to the right side. Millar snags it and makes the play to Pedro at first. Could have been a double. Nice stab. Sox flashing the leather tonight.

Curve ball to Giambi, strike one. Fastball, way inside, 1-1. Curve ball, higher, on the outside corner, 1-2. Now the clapping is getting louder Ball inside, and low. In and out here on Giambi. Fastball way outside, Varitek stands up to receive it. 82 pitches. 3-2. Fastball, low and away, fouled back. Good swing by Giambi. Stone silence. Growing clapping again Martinez delivers the high fromage, ‘eee strug ‘im out.’ Seventh strike out for Prince P. Smokin.’

Bottom of the Fifth

Varitek hits the 0-1 pitch on one-hop to Jeter, 6-3. One out. Wells gets ahead of Damon, 0-2, and then Johnny with the big mouth laces his third hit of the night into right for a single. Boomer is bothered with the home plate ump. Another one out hit for the Sox. Wells falls behind Todd Walker, 3-0. Not walk number 8? Yup, walk number 8 on the season for Boomber. No soup for you, fat guy. Here comes Nomie.

Fastball inside, 1-0. Jorgie goes out to talk to Wells. When they decide to get on with it, Nomar fouls the next pitch back, 1-1. Fastball, low, grounded foul, fielded nicely by Karim Garcia in the Yankees dugout, 1-2. Wells spins and chases Damon back to second. Jeter and Sori are miles from the base. Hilarious. A groan from the crowd. High fly ball to center field Bernie’s got it. Damon tags. First and third, two out. Manny hears a smattering of boos along with the cheers as he’s announced. He hits a dinger here, and all will be forgiven.

Curve ball, low. Curve ball, dropping inside and low. Delayed call strike, 1-1. Millar is on deck. Curve ball drops in on the outside part of the plate for a strike, 1-2. Manny is taking forever, and Wells walks off the mound with contempt. Breaking ball, right over the heart of the plate, cock high as they say. Ramirez doesn’t move, strike three, end of inning. Aww, bacon.

Top of the Sixth

Bernie grounds a ball under Todd Walker’s diving glove, into right for a single. Then Pedro almost picks him off as he gets ahead of Matsui 0-2. 90 pitches for Prince P. Fastball, low. The Yanks have to keep it close and get rid of Pedro by next inning. Martinez makes a quick, side step motion like he’s going to throw the ball 98 mph, and he tosses another curve, low and away and Matusi is the eighth victim of the night.

Jorgie slaps a seeing-eye single between Bernie and Todd Walker into right on the first pitch for a single. Bernie moves to third. Here is Nick Johnson. Ball one. The second pitch is a breaking ball that somehow misses?!!?? 2-0. Excuse me? The next pitch is a nastier breaking pitch, on the outside corner, strike. Another breaking ball, low and in, 3-1.

Kaat says Torre likes to hit and run in this situation. Posada and Bernie are not the smartest baser runners on the team. Posada does go and Nick bounces one to second. Kaat calls it on the head, as Bernie scores and Jorgie reaches second safely. 2-2 ballgame. Very quiet now.

Mondesi fishes at the first offering, and then flies out to Nixon in right to end the inning.

Bottom of the Sixth

Millar works the count full, and Dumuth calls a tight fastball strike three. The crowd reacts. Millar and Grady Little are not pleased either. Can Wells avoid giving up another one out hit? Ortiz is up. Wells has thrown just under 90 pitches. Ortiz grounds the 2-2 pitch sharply to Soriano at second, who makes the easy play easily. But he botches a foul pop up in the next at bat that could have gotten Wells out of the inning. Johnson and Mondesi were in on it too. The ball kept drifting towards Sori, who stabbed at it and dropped it. The scorer gives him an error. Oohh, harsh. But he should have caught it.
Mueller works the count full and on the 100th pitch of the night, Boomer Wells walks his ninth man of the year.

Breaking ball, low and away, ball one to Trot Nixon. Fastball, up and in, ball two. Uh-oh. Mel gets on the horn to the bullpen. Fastball, outside, 3-0. Yipe. Orosco is getting up. Holy cow. Wells comes back with a fastball for a strike, 3-1. Misses inside, ball four. Yeesh. Kaat insists that Wells’ back is bothering him. Six walk all year, four tonight.

Here comes Vari. Another Dirt Dog. Fastball low, ball. Wells wanted that one. Looping curve ball, inside, 2-0. Incredible. Wells hasn’t been this vunerable outside of the strike zone all year. Fastball, high. Checked swing. Ball. Wells gestures with his hand, ‘Was is high?’ Oh-uh. Calm down, fly boy. 85 mph fastball strike. Crowd getting hyper. Curve ball, low, ball four. Walk number eleven. Joe comes out. Wells is booed as he walks off the field.

Man, this is a tight spot. And here comes Orosco the crowd is now up and thriving. A tight spot. Old man Orosco comes in to face Johnny Damon. This is ridiculous. How great is this cheese?

Sling-shot fastball, outside corner, strike one. The next pitch is even further outside, ball one. Fastball, in on the hands, fouled back. Jammed him.

My heart is thumpin now. 1-2 pitch, ‘eee stug ‘im out!’ That was a Dan Pleasac vs. Paulie O special. End of inning. Damn.

I’ve said this before, so excuse me if I repeat myself, but I think that Jay Jaffe’s Futility Infielder features some of the best baseball writing you can find anywhere. ‘Nuff said.

BATTLE IN BEANTOWN

The stage is set for an important three-game series between the Yanks and Sox in Boston tonight. Will the two teams engage in bench-clearing hostilities (the tabloids can only wish)? Will both offenses bash the opposing pitching into submission? Who will be the first Red Sox to homer off Aramando? Will Mr. Kim give up another game to the Yanks? Who will have the best quotes, and who will not talk at all? It will be interesting to find out.

I heard a report that “Moneyball” author, Michael Lewis will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch tonight. Think the Yanks will have Max Frazee return the favor next month?

The Yankees and the Red Sox will play each other nine more times this season. The Bombers hold a 6-4 advantage thus far, and enter Fenway park tonight with a two-and-a-half game lead. The Sox need to sweep the Yanks in order to move into first place. Predictably, the papers in New York are hyping the series as a potential bean-brawl affair. The great Pedro Martinez will try to improve his career mark to over .500 against New York tonight; he faces Boomer Wells. (My spidey sense is telling me that Pedro will humble the Yanks proper tonight.) Mike Mussina goes against old man Burkett on Saturday, and Derek Lowe faces off against Jiffy Pop Weaver on the espn game of the week on Sunday night.

There isn’t much left to say really. The stakes are high and the tension is palpable. There hasn’t been much trash-talking yet, although Johnny Damon characteristically is making predictions again, though they are tame by his standards. The Sox have not swept the Yankees since 1999, and now would obviously be a good time to end that trend. If the Yankees can manage to win two of three, the weekend will be a success for New York.

Nick Johnson is due to join the big club over the weekend. I wonder if Sunday’s performance will determine Jeff Weaver’s future with the club? My feeling is that if he gets pounded, he’ll be gone by the trading deadline.

DON’T CALL ME NIGGER, WHITEY; DON’T CALL ME WHITEY, NIGGER

Barry Bonds caused a bit of a stir when he dissed Babe Ruth a few weeks ago. Of course, it’s hard to take Bonds’ arguement too seriously–try pitching dude—but I did find his anger revealing. Bonds grew up watching his father go through a difficult time with the media–which was in part because of his blackness, and I’m sure he was aware of how much racism Aaron encountered when he broke Ruth’s record. Ruth represented something sacred to white America, and many African Americans are sick of it. He also represents an era when black players weren’t allowed to play with white players, hence the resentment.

It is ironic then, to consider some of the taunts that Ruth endured during his playing days. He was called a monkey and an ape, and according to R. Creamer’s classic biography:

Beyond the simian insults were rougher epithets built around the word nigger. He was called nigger, nigger this, nigger that, all the vituperative changes on the theme that Jackie Robinson was to endure thirty years later. Ruth was called nigger so often that many people assumed he was indeed partly black and that at some point in time he, or an immediate ancestor, had managed to cross the color line. Even players in the Negro baseball leagues that flourished then believed this and generally wished the Babe, whom they considered a secret brother, well in his conquest of white baseball.

The subject of racism and sabermetrics has been a hot topic this week as well. Check out Mike C’s great takes on the subject, as well as David Pinto’s two-cents worth two. They link all the necessary articles to keep you up to date in Kansas City.

PARDON OUR APPEARANCE

Like the new look? We’ll be back to normal shortly…Thanks.

ANDY: DANDY

Andy Pettitte won his seventh in a row last night against the O’s, giving him at least 12 victories in his first 9 seasons. Ain’t nobody done that in a long time. (Pays to be on the Bronx Bombers, huh?) I’ve been down on Pettitte this year, saying that I have little faith in him from outing to outing. But he’s been keeping the ball down, and has been on a roll. Kudos to you, Andy. Robin Ventura had a couple of hits, and it seems as if the All-Star break gave him the rest he so sorely needed. Bernie Williams had two hits, and the two outs he made were hit well too.

After giving up a solo home run to lead off the eighth, Pettitte was replaced by Armando, who worked a perfect inning. Rivera got the save. The Sox, lead by dirt dog Trot Nixon—one of my favorite Bostonians—mauled the D-Rays and remain two and a half back. The Sox play the Rays this afternoon, at the same time the Yanks play Baltimore. Clemens will pitch today. It is raining this morning in New York, so if the game is called, Rocket will go against Pedro tomorrow night in Boston.

The Yanks were quick to call the second game against Toronto the other night; how long do you think they’ll wait today? Six o’clock?

HOW DO YOU SPELL RELIEF?

Score a victory for the Sox, as they acquired left-handed specialist Scott Sauerbeck from the Pirates last night. The Yankees have been after Sauerbeck for several weeks, but the Pirates reportedly told Brian Cashman that New York didn’t have enough to get the deal done. The Red Sox didn’t exactly give the Pirates the world. Think the Boss is upset? Think Theo and co. did a little dance?

The Yanks answered by picking up old man Jesse Orosco from San Diego for a player to be named later. So far this summer the Yankees have added Dan Miceli, Karim Garcia, Ruben Ruben, Armando, and now Orosco for their stretch run. Not exactly an imposing group of players.

Excuse me for sounding like a mope, but I just don’t get that championship feeling from this team. Which is not to say they can’t do it. But they have a rent-a-wreck quality about them that is hard to deny. Orosco’s theme music should be Quincy Jones’ theme song for “Sanford and Son.”

Last night’s game was rained out, so the Yanks avoided facing Roy Halladay. They start a two-game series against the streaking O’s today in the Bronx, but with more rain on the way, Roger Clemens could possibly pitch in Boston this weekend after all.

SWEET LOU

Pat Jordan is one of my favorite baseball writers, and I think he’s surely the best former-player turned writer. Jordan contributes pieces to the Times magazine several times a year, and his latest is on our man in Tampa, Lou Piniella. Worth taking a look at.

CLEARANCE CLARENCE

Me writeum blogging post. Me hopes me back in saddle.

BLUES

Blogger is killing me. It’s eaten my last four posts. So now, this is a test, of the nimrod blogging system. Does this thing work at all?

BLACK AND BOOED

The Yankees swept the Indians over the weekend to start the second half in fine style (check The Replacement Level Yankees Blog for all the details), but they were derailed last night by the Blue Jays, who are in town for a brief, two-game series. The Yanks lost 8-0, while the Sox beat up the lowly Tigers, 14-5. The Yanks lead is down to three over Boston. Jeff Weaver, who has pitched well of late (including his last outing against Toronto), faltered, and was pounded by the strong Jays offense. Weaver’s curveball was flat, and he got served, plain and simple. When Joe Torre came to get him, the Stadium crowd booed him lustily. John Harper is just one of the local columnists, questioning Weaver’s ability to pitch in the Bronx this morning. With the trading deadline fast approaching, and Boss George due in town today, who would be surprised if the Yanks give up on the moody Californian?

With Nick Johnson close to returning, it’s hard not to fantasize about the Yanks moving him and Weaver as part of a blockbuster package for Brian Giles. Hey, I love Nick Johnson, but a boy can still dream.

SCALPED

The Yanks swept four games from the Indians at the Stadium this weekend to start the second half in style. Of course, Armando was the talk of the town—would you believe there are some skeptics who think he’ll choke in the Bronx just like he did in Queens— and he pitched two effective innings on Friday. He was less than stellar on Saturday, so Joe Torre pulled him and Mariano got the Yanks out of trouble. Jason Giambi and Derek Jeter are hitting very well. Raul Mondesi and Alfonso Soriano also had good weekends, where they combined patience with power. David Wells is now 12-3. Talk about a Yankee Doodle Dandy. He is 64-24 as a Yankee.

BALLIN’

The interview I conducted with Jim Bouton for Baseball Prospectus Radio is now posted on the Baseball Prospectus website. You can download the mp3 and catch Bouton talking about his latest book, “Foul Ball.” He also talks about Old Timer’s Day and why the modern ballplayer is superior to the guys he played with in the ’60s; the prospect of a gay player coming out, as well how he ‘invented’ Big League Chew.

Check it out.

A CHUMP OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

[Note: Nice last post, huh? Holy errors. I think I started my vacation too early. Jeff Weaver gave up one run, and Jason Giambi has 26 homers and 73 RBI.

I watched the All-Star and have to admit, although it was a close game, I wasn’t so into it. I think inter-league play really kills the excitement for me. Anyhow, I was pleased that the AL won, for what it’s worth.]

Here’s another interesting wrinkle in the Yankees season (and the Mets season for that matter): Armando Benitez now wears pinstripes. The long-rumored deal which sent the Mets much-maligned closer to the Bronx finally went down yesterday. The Mets get three prospects in return for Benitez, who will serve as Mariano Rivera’s set-up man.

I must admit, I don’t know how to feel about this one. On one hand the Yankees just got more unlikable. They could start a club called The Moody Latin Mooks, what with Benitez joining Ruben Ruben and Raul Mondesi as card-carrying members. Hey, I know Jose Lima’s stock is soaring right now, how about trading Weaver for him? The club would be complete if the Yanks trade for Juan Gone.

I’ve never cared much for Benitez, especially after he drilled Tino square in the back in ’98. He’s easy not to like. A hulking, sulking fireballer with a million dollar arm and a ten cent head. I watched from a distance as he became public enemy #1 for Mets fans everywhere (with apologies to Roger Cedeno). But I also found myself defending him to Mets fans who treated Benitez like he was Skip Lockwood. He is a talented closer, just not an elite one. But he blew one too many ‘big’ saves for the Mets and they clearly needed to wash their hands of him.

Now, after rooting against him all these years, Yankee fans have to get behind Benitez. As hard as this may seem, we had to get used to Roger Clemens too, and that worked out pretty well. One thing that works in his favor is that he is not going to close, unless something happens to Rivera (in which case, all bets are off). Is Benitez better than what the Yankees have? Yes. Will he make Yankee fans suffer in a close game, late in the season? Yes.

Will the Yankee fans cut him any slack at all? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t count on it. If he can somehow manage to start off on the right foot, it might go a long way in saving him a trip straight to the doghouse. But just wait until he blows a lead against the Sox.

I do know that this is a win-win situation for Mets fans. Whatever happens, they have to feel confident that they will make out on this trade. If Benitez stinks they’ll be happy because the guy they hate is doing just what they expect him to do, plus he’s doing it for the Yanks. And if he wins, then they get to hate him and the Yankees just a little bit more than they already do.

I’m curious to see how the Yankee players respond to the big lug, and of course, how he’ll respond to a golden opportunity. Hey, at least this season hasn’t been dull.

BLUE JAY WAY

The Yanks recovered over the weekend to take two of three in Toronto from the Blue Jays. They finished the first half with their best record at the break since 1998; the Red Sox are just two games back.

Andy Pettitte was shaky on Friday night, but the Bombers’ bats covered for him, and he earned the victory. The bullpen (Hammonds, and welcome back Osuna) fell apart for Mike Mussina—who was out-pitched by “Doc” Halliday—on Saturday, but Jeff Weaver came back on Sunday with perhaps his best performance of the year, as the Yanks beat the Jays, 6-1. Weaver pitched eight innings, didn’t allow a run, struck out seven, and walked none.

The Jays are sliding, but they are a likable team. Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca is a precocious old guy. He can hang with Joe Torre or Pat Corrales any day. He looks like the late Phil Hartman doing an impression of W.C. Fields.

Jason Giambi now has 26 homers and 72 RBI. He also leads the league in walks. Jeter is hitting over .300; Bernie is back. When Nick Johnson returns by the end of the month, the Yankees’ lineup should finally be back on track.

I’m on vacation this week, so blogging will be light to variable as they say.

Hello?

RUMOR MILL

I’ve heard that Pirates pitcher Kris Benson is likely to become a Red Sox. But are the Red Sox willing to move an outfielder to get some pitching? The Globe has an article detailing the latest rumors this morning.

SAY WHAT?

In the wake of Curtis Pride’s emotional home run against Boston last weekend, Bruce Markusen looks at the history of deaf players in his latest Cooperstown Confidential column.

NOTHING SHOCKING

It turns out Pedro Martinez will pitch against the Yanks in their next series after all. Tell me something I don’t know.