John's new mantra: "Jobadaba"

He spake it last night in the seventh inning, as Suzyn began bemoaning the measily Baltimore crowd in attendance. (Actually, 16,000 is considered a group, not a crowd).

I hadn't heard John say it before. Suddenly, there it was, sprung from his mouth like a death's head butterfly in those old movie posters for Silence of the Lambs.

"Jobadaba is warming up in the pen." 

And so it comes to this: John is blowing jazz rifts, singing scat, unleashing his inner Bobby Ferrin on the world -- and we can't savor it. MLB says no. The Master is warbling to us from a planet ever farther and more distant than ever -- and we cannot hear it.

MLB will never include such a moment in its game highlights. And yet -- to over-the-edge Yankee/Sterling paranormal cultists -- to all who seek one grain of Sterling Silver now and then within the overwhelming avalanche of Yankee bloggery data -- (Breaking: Montero 1-4 last night at Scranton.) -- that leaves us pining for the days of WPIX... these are the highlights. These are the moments of truth. Everything else is as phony as the elections. "Jabadaba" is as real as it's going to get.

But MLB says no.

Well, we'll see about that.

This aint over folks.

Just want that said.

In case you were wondering, this aint over.

Remember this word: Jabadaba. One of these days, your life will hinge upon it.