Coming Up This Weekend

You can see it unfolding.

Ivan Nova, still hobbling on a bad ankle, will pitch a game in Baltimore on Saturday.

Even though he hasn't faced a live AAA batter in three weeks or more, he will be showcased.

If he does poorly, Ivan will be a thrown in on a deal for Umberto ding-bat, and Cashman will have his justification for adding him to the mass giveaway.

Colorado, meanwhile, will salivate knowing that they have dumped an over-paid pitcher who will soon need arm surgery; added a 24 year old star in the making; signed his battery-mate and the Yankee's best hitting prospect in two decades ( Jesus ); snared our best pitching prospect since Andy Pettitte (Banuelos); and our next 6 first round picks in the amateur

draft ( not much to lose here, given our track record ).

If Nova does well, Colorado will want him more and make the negotiations even tougher.

Because they know, being a Tea Party State, that Cashman is like President O'Bama at this time of year. No matter what decision he makes; he gets nothing in return, gives too much away and alienates everyone. We all know that Cashman does not have the guts to stand tall and call Colorado's bluff.

The oncoming train hurdling straight into this mess is the likely activation of head-case, Raphael Soriano.

I will again say that this guy does not have his head together, and there is no way he will ever help the Yankees. Quite the opposite, in fact, will be the case. Tampa Bay knew what they were doing when they dumped him for nothing. And it wasn't to save his salary expense.

I have said this from day one, and no one cares.

He wasn't injured when he went away for a rest. He was never injured. Did he go see Dr. Andrews? Did he have an MRI?

No and no.

He was put on the DL because he was seeing things that frightened him.

Perhaps, butterflies in his closet. Eggs and Hash in his glove. Crawly things on the baseball. Remember, this is the guy who, in spring training with a new team ( the Yankees, no less ), refused to pitch against the teams in the AL East. The same AL East teams against whom he had pitched for the last 5 years.

His re-introduction to the Yankee bullpen will screw up more than David Robertson, mark my words.

Be prepared, then, for a greater Yankee train wreck this weekend than even our esteemed leaders in Washington can organize for the nation.