Yankeetorial: There is one man the Yankees MUST obtain for the stretch

Last night, we ended our dismal sojourn to the domed city of Tampa, a hellhole of arttifcial turf and noises, unable to add a few carlengths between us and the former Devil Rays in the race for the AL Wild Card.

But Tampa time is running out. Once the NFL players start baby-shaking their brains again, Tropicana Field will take on the excitement of a grain elevator, and the billionaire ownership will start poormouthing and jettisoning expensive players.

Hence, the deadline deals that annually ruin our long-term plans.

I hate deadline deals. The seller creates a bidding war, the writers gin it up, and we give up our future for players past their primes. The list of bums we've acquired - from Raul Mondesi to Travis Lee to Jose Canseco to Estaban Loaiza - stains Yankee history, and it only hurts more if we follow the youngsters we dealt away, to the joyous approval of the media echo chamber.

But this year, one player needs to come home. We can use his bat. We can use his guile. We can use his personality. Johnny Damon proved his loyalty last year, when he declined a chance to return to Boston in a trade. In that moment, he declared himself a Yankee for life. He took the extra step. Now, it's our turn.

Free Johnny Damon from the artificial turf hellhole of Tampa.
Let Johnny come marching home again!