Someone has to explain Cashman's fascination with Mitre  to me.  I just don't get it.  He is below average at best.  There has to be someone equal or better in Scranton.

The answer to Phil Hughes coming back is to keep Nova in the rotation and make Garcia the long man/spot starter.  Nova has more of a chance to be with the Yankees long term than either Mitre or Garcia.  He's really coming on strong lately and getting into a groove.  Why would you interrupt that now by putting him in the bullpen? 

I can't believe the way Brian Cashman is handling his veterans, in particular Jeter and Posada.  We all know they aren't as young as they used to be but first he gets into a public battle with Jeter during his contract negotiations.  Jeter is the ultimate class act and has been for years even through some of the tough  Steinbrenner days.  What was the purpose of that other than to protect his own ego?

Now he has to publicly embarrass Posada who is obviously struggling with getting older, losing his catching position and not hitting well.  Posada needs a little PR cover while he struggles.  Girardi handled it much better.  Cashman has to run to the press to get his side out there first and lay it all on Posada.  What an idiot.

If nothing else these guys need to be treated with respect.  They carried the team for the past 15 years and help make everyone in the Yankee organization a lot of money including  themselves and Cashman.  Give the guys some PR cover as they get older.  They are going to need some help adjusting to changing roles and a changing of the guard.

When Trent Edwards was the quarterback, Lee Evans wasn't a big part of the offense.  I thought it was because Edwards was afraid to throw down field or didn't have the time.  Now with Fitz in there, he still isn't a big part of the offense except for an occasional deep ball.

Is Evans still being doubled up or is he just not getting open?  If he can't get open what good is all that speed?

With all the scouting and statistics that are available now and given that Vazquez and Johnson have had histories with the Yankees, what made Brian Cashman think Vazquez would be able to handle NY better than last time?

Everyone knows Johnson's injury history, what made him think that he wouldn't get injured this season?

We are barely a month into the season and Vazquez is such a head case that he needed to be skipped in the rotation so he wouldn't have to face a hostile crowd in Boston.  There is no way he's going to be able to pitch in the post season if he can't handle pressure in May.  He thrived when there was no pressure in Montreal and Atlanta.  Heck, even a fellow Latino manager criticized his make-up.

Today there are reports that Johnson's wrist is hurting and it likely to end up on the DL.  I'm hoping Cashman was thinking this would happen at some point but Johnson's contract was so affordable it wouldn't matter.  This way there would be a DH spot open for some of our aging vets and a call up from Scranton.  Given Johnson's start, I don't think he'll be missed much.

As a fickle fan I reserve the right to change my opinion at any time but I think I like the fact that Hal won't just go throw money around the way George did.  George wanted every high price trophy he could get his hands on and sometimes it worked but more often it didn't.

Hal set a budget and by all accounts he seems to be sticking to it.  I like the fact that he will get quality players like Texeira and Sabathia but still draw a line when he has to.  You don't need superstars at every position in order to win the world series.  

Its a good thing A-Rod didn't pull his trick while Hal was in charge or he would be looking for a new team like Damon.  Its about time Boras got his Bor-as handed to him.  While I have liked Damon since he played at KC and Oakland, he overplayed his hand.  He can still hit, especially in the clutch but his outfield play dropped dramatically.  And let's not forget he almost quit the team a few years ago in spring training, had a horrible season to the point where (according to Torre's book) several of the veterans wanted him benched.  If I were GM or the owner, I'd be questioning whether he was just looking for one more large paycheck and then give less than a full effort.

I think Hal has an additional worry of having to carry some debt because of the new stadium that his dad never had to worry about but I like the thoughtful way he is doing business.

Does anyone else think that Brian Cashman has been too quiet lately.  Something tells me he is up to something, maybe its not as big as we would like but I can't believe he is just on vacation or sitting in his office playing Tetris.  In the past, he has claimed he is done shopping for players and will go into spring training with what they currently have, only to pull off a blockbuster or a free agent signing.  Granted there isn't much left to pick from but I highly doubt he's standing pat.

Has anyone noticed that since the steroid era has been exposed and drug testing has been in effect that the older free agents are no longer getting the huge contracts anymore?

I think in years past, steroids and HGH have allowed players to extend their careers and now that the era is over the Johnny Damon's, Jim Thomes for example, can't get a contract.  I'm not saying they used steroids but the bottom has fallen out for the older guys.  You don't see guys like Barry Bonds peaking in the late 30's anymore and the value just isn't there.

I'm just wondering what the average "Joe" would do if they had the chance to make millions by taking steroids.

I have coached other sports but never football.  Coaches are supposed to be teachers, teaching the finer points of the game, even if the players don't absorb everything at once, there should be a progression in the skill level of the players. Both JP and Trent were supposed to have promise coming out of college but they all do at that stage.  JP looked like he did a steady spiral downward.  This year Trent looks a lot like JP did at the end.

Could it be that the Bills coaches are destroying promising QB's (as well as other players)?  Bill Walsh, who knows a few things about QB's, was high on Trent coming out of Stanford.  Is it possible to draft these guys that turn out to be that bad, which would indicate poor scouting or are the coaches that bad or all of the above.

Finally, I know it won't happen but why not let Fred Jackson be the QB?  I know it won't happen but what have you got to lose at this point in the season?  Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't the savoir.  Jackson hasn't been getting as many touches since Lynch came back and he's too good of an athlete to be sitting around on a team this bad anyway.  You could really do some fun things with the Wildcat.  I know its nuts but what the heck.

How much playing time has Aaron Maybin been getting?  With 3 tackles in 5 games it can't be much.  Is he another wasted #1 draft pick?  

I'm no expert in football but it seems with our troubles at LB, is it possible to move an undersized DL into the LB position and at least try to get our money's worth out of him?  

A number 1 draft pick should be having more of an impact on a team than what Maybin has been so far.