Musings, Reflections and Thanks.

Most of you are awaiting my annual, season-ending narrative and wrap-up.

You are expecting my usual insights, perspective and prognostications, presented in clear and logical prose.

Today, however, I digress from the expected and present some unconnected ramblings.

Many of you may not know that I am, in many ways, a master of what I do not know. I have a view of baseball, so to speak, "from the Shadow of Serius" ( the Dog Star ). So from those dark spaces, my thoughts:

1. The season, for me, began in Tampa at Spring Training where I saw the future of this season in the likes of Ramiro Pena, Dave Robertson, Phil Coke and Brett Gardiner.

2. I met SHE-FAN whose Tarot card reading Muse predicted the Yankees in 6 for the championship. Her interviews with Bill, the Yankee fan hot dog vendor on the Santa Barbara beach were classic. And her eating rituals for Yankee wins should make each of us proud. Without her late inning emails urging me to stay calm, and off the ledge, I might now be back, this time permanently, in Bellview.

3. Not to say we don't need some re-tooling. I think we should acquire the following package this off season; Joe Mauer to solidify our catching for the future; "Doc" Holliday for a number 4 starter; Carl Crawford for defense. And, while we're at it, let's get that 18 year old from Cuba, and isn't there another Japanese pitcher everyone likes? Think this might piss off the Yankee haters out there?

4. The highlight of the early season for me was Nick Swisher pitching "lights out" for a clean inning when we trailed the Indians by 24 runs.

5. All the people of Japan should be walking tall today. What a great Yankee Hidki Matsui has been. I say; one more year as DH !

6. We taught SUPERFRANKENSTEIN the game of baseball so he could appreciate and enjoy a day like this.

I give huge credit to El Duque for this accomplishment. Duque was on the " front lines " of this effort, day after day, in sordid bars and squalid apartment buildings hidden behind Syracuse University, drilling SUPERFRANK....... on the fundamentals.

Answering questions like; " what's an infield fly rule? or: " why are you out if you bunt foul with two strikes, when you can hit as many as you want otherwise?" It is draining work.

Our student, fortunately, proved a quick, enthusiastic learner and is now an ardent student of the game....he was ready for watching a game, by himself, after only three seasons !!

And today, with a few beers and a radio, he is just like us. I raise a glass to both of you!!

7. BernBaby, loaded on tequila, came down from upstate to the new stadium for a playoff rainout. That is MVP stuff, in my view.

8. And to all the truly talented members of IIH,IIF,IIc with word and pen, I thank you for relentlessly humiliating me. And in such poetic and high style.

It is your ridicule that keeps me going. I have a job to do, but without you as teammates, I am just another guy in a porkpie hat.

9. One final question; does Ian Kennedy get a ring?

See you in Tampa.