Writing these during the playoffs is a horse of another color. First off, I am watching far more intently and working the mojo's to be taking notes for things to point out the following day. On top of that, you should be watching the same broadcast as there's but the one (now, on that I could go on and on, but I'll spare you) so what can I tell you that you didn't get beaten over the head with already?

I am glad that McCarver still thinks he's funny; Buck probably doesn't hear him any longer; I know I don't.

It's "the shadows" fault I have not posted for a while. Those talking-heads gave them undue credit for just about everything else in that game, why not this? Berkman running with his head up his ass rounding first and getting nailed? Oh, "the shadows" for sure.

And with so much press coverage, if you read even a smidge of it, you're going to get more than you want to know. I did "learn" that if, and only if, there is an actual feud ongoing from his Texas days between Tex and Ron Washington apparently it would over the fact that the skipper cursed too much for the firstbaseman's like and he smoked in the dugout.

Now, they try and limit both managers doing that (Pinella was guilty, Leland and a number of the older guys-- who can blame them?) and the TV coverage of it. But this was a new one on me, or, rather, and old blast from the past. I really thought chewing tobacco had been pretty much outlawed in MLB; I imagine the David's sunflower seed lobby was a pretty mighty one and helped send tobacco the way of the original Red Line.

But nope, there's The Freak in the Giants dugout, after he was out of the game, caught by the Fox camera sticking a wad between his teeth and gum. A skoal-dipping man? I had no idea...

So, if the Yankees "tanked" the end of the season to get the Twins (which worked out just dandy) and to avoid Texas and Cliff Lee in a 5-game series, well, that's pretty much what we have right now. Except the next three are at that new big ballpark in the Bronx. Beating Lee, or sticking around and having Andy Pettitte stick with him inning by inning until the Yankee batters can un-nerve the Ranger 'pen tonight, turns the series and gives AJ something to work on the following night. It's as good a plan as any...

Of course, Girardi may have already seen weather reports when he said AJ would be the starter for game 4 and a rain-out would change things...