Something Missing...

Brother J and I had tickets to the home opener. In the way of such things, I had work, he had work--it just didn't work out.

We missed a heck of a ballgame. The Royals almost made me eat my "interlocking N-Y" cap over that "get healthy" crack I made on Sunday. Still, the Captain bailed us out, hitting a big homer in the bottom of the 8th that helped turn a 7-4 deficit into a 9-7 victory in the Bronx. I'm hoping that Brother T, who was actually at the game, can drop by for some guest-host time to fill you in on the details.

Meanwhile, J and I weren't the only ones who missed the game. Bob Sheppard, the fellow we Yankee fans modestly call The Voice of God, missed the opener with a hip injury. It's his first missed opener in 54 or so years, so I guess we can comp him a day off. Here's to a quick recovery for Mr. Sheppard, and some kindness and patience for his fill-in, Jim Hall, who now has to deal with the most spoiled fans on the face of the Earth--P.A. announcer-wise, at least.

*****

In Jamaica, I once saw a man take action from little kids on "racing crabs." It was a perfectly realized gambling operation, except the kids didn't know enough about betting yet to make the fellow give them odds.

Not that I'm much of a gambling man, but I'd put my money on Octavio Dotel (controversial Tommy John surgery last season) coming back before Carl Pavano (myriad mystery maladies, including bad shoulder, bad back, bad ass, and possibly shot nerves).

Looking at the AL East, none of the teams look like they currently have the team they'll finish the year with. The Yanks are at least one starting pitcher off--they could get relief help from Dotel, Ramiro Mendoza, and/or Colter Bean (if he wasn't in the Torre Doghouse, along with Andy Phillips), but the #2 starter this team needs probably isn't on the 40 man roster. The Red Sox will probably need help in the pen (Craig Hansen coming) and in the infield (Dustin Pedroia and Hee Seop Choi on their way). The Blue Jays will probably need help in the outfield, starting rotation and bullpen. The Orioles need relief pitching, help at first base and possibly right field. The Devil Rays need to make room for their incoming stars, BJ Upton and Delmon Young.

The thing that worries me is that of all those teams, the Yanks have the least to deal from. The most reasonable contract on the team probably belongs to Jorge Posada--but there's no one in the minors to replace Jorge. What the Yanks could deal is broken down starting pitchers, and mid-level minor leaguers.

This worries me.