Batting second AND playing shortstop, number two, Derek Jeter -- finally! No, the canned recording of the late, great Bob Shephard introducing the Captain wasn't edited but I think most Yankee fans heard the "finally" regardless. But, be it just a sentimental push on the day the Yankees paid homage to the retirement of #55, Hideki Matsui (although Michael Kay even got Coney calling Ichiro by the other Japanese/Yankee star's name) Jeter did more than that -- "like a movie" according to his amazed manager -- hitting the first Yankee homerun since the All-Star break and the first by a right-handed hitter since Billy Martin was still managing. Okay, great big exaggeration there: it only feels like years.

(That's probably more italics in a single paragraph ever on this blog.)

But the propelling lift by Jeet was aided by his old teammie, Alfonso Soriano (I've got to dig out that old signed baseball) who finally made his presence felt in the clean-up spot yesterday and aided the Yanks from getting swept by the now front-running Rays. I'd rather chase them than the Bosox, although we're chasing them too.

Of course, now that there's promise that the bats are starting to heat up and Granderson may be back soon supplying some pop in the middle of the line-up, the pitching has started going South. CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte are pitching more like bottom of the barrel, Phil Hughes. Hughes, who may have pitched himself into remaining in the Bronx with yet another outing marred by the long-ball, is as inconsistent as all get out. Kuroda has become the de facto Ace and Ivan Nova is throwing like a guy who is intent on sticking around the rotation.

Yanks start a three-game series in Los Angeles versus the Dodgers who have finally started putting it all together and have effectively saved Don Mattingly's job.

Okay- as it's impossible to write about the Yankees these days without mentioning our personal Bronx Zoo 2.0- Alex Rodriguez. With all the talk and counter-moves and bullshit that's been coming out of this scenario (latest word is that his suspension may come this week and may be for the remainder of this season and all of 2014) if the Yankee brass wasn't sincere about wanting A-Rod to play for the team this season, they would have looked to replace the broken down Kevin Youkilis with better stop-gaps than the likes of Brent Lillibridge and the six or seven other guys who have manned the hot-corner for the Yanks in 2013.

Here's my Facebook rant about A-Rod from a few days' back:

Brian Mazo

July 24

was gonna say "it could be worse, you could be a-rod" but thought about it for a moment: that lying piece of shit still has a mostly working body despite all his own efforts to lay waste to it for his own personal glory - he should have spent the money on a therapist for his insecurities rather than poisoning himself probably for the better part of a decade. and even if he gets a lifetime ban from the game he professes to love,. he still has millions upon millions of dollars in the bank and will get a reality show, maybe he can donate a cubic fuck-ton of money to a worthy cause because otherwise he winds up just a complete waste of space and talent remembered for being a cheater and a liar...