2010 Yankees running on Fumes

We all knew it would happen one day soon.

If not this year, surely next. If not then,

absolutely the year after.

Derek's magic would become a shade less consistent.

Jorge would transition from being a great catcher, to a solid catcher, to a guy whose defense begins to wobble, to a guy who feels he hasn't faltered defensively, to a guy who needs to DH.

Unfortunately, some of Alphonso's predictions are beginning to come true; e.g. it is mid August, and Francisco Cervelli is hitting below .250.

Worse, the wear and tear of an unexpected number of games is taking its toll on his defense and on his confidence to handle pitchers. Lately, when AJ or Javy falter, it's almost like Franciso is too fried to think of a plan B.

Luckily for him, these two pitchers regrouped a bit on their own, though we lost both of their games through lack of offense.

Nuts.

Another of Alphonso's predictions seems to be holding up; e.g when the Yanks have to put a "B" team line-up out there, they can't win.

When Austin Kearns, and Ramiro play more than an inning, we don't score. Not with Cervelli tanking at the same time.

Cano and Tex can't do this by themselves. And a healthy Swish is all of a sudden crucial.

If no one has noticed, this could be A-rod's first .250 season, though he has still delivered RBI's. But he is hurting more and more lately and that hip injury, at age 35 or whatever he is, is not insignificant.

Andy is still out; Marte is still out; Ace is still out. Old age means longer recovery periods.

And there is at least one more prediction of Alphonso's that will prove true; When Nick Johnson first felt a twinge in his wrist ( April?), Alphonso said Nick would be done for the year and, more likely, will never again play for the Yankees.

That vision, too, now looks likely.

I won't even get into what he had to say about Cashman's trades for Granderson, or the new Nick Johnson from Houston. Trading Austin Jackson for Granderson was, " panic of the old Yankee regimes," I think he said.

So here's what remains; CC; a solid .500 pitcher in AJ; Phil Hughes; Mariano. A bullpen of pretty decent recent work.

But we still lost 1-0 to no one.

If we don't find a way to link up with that fuel tanker, we'll have to go back to base and abort the mission.