It's Unlimited Roster Day in the Yankiverse, meaning Ackley, Refsnyder, Pirela, Ryan and Drew is now our five-man 2B rotation

Wouldn't you know it? Just as the cavalry arrives, shirts off and guns blazing - when we suddenly have second basemen than starting pitchers, old Stephen Drew gets hot and raises his average to a Ruthian .203! Yes, Stephen Drew, past two oh two, HOW DO YOU DO!

For the home stretch, we can light our cigars with second basemen. The question: Which will start in the One Game Bud Selig Market Profiting Ploy Playoff? The candidates:

Drew. The incumbent. Last night he got his fifth straight hit, opening the ninth so Girardi's Jellyfish could refuse the gift victory from Boston, our welcoming hosts. Drew continues to field well. That was never the issue. His pinch single last night was a liner into a seam in the defensive over-shift. Usually, they get caught. Drew has never adjusted to the defenses, which adjusted to him. It's still his job to lose. But a few 0-for-4 nights will send him back to .190. And I don't think we start a .190 second baseman in a one-game playoff - not against another team's ace.

Brendan Ryan. He's been platooning with Drew, and he's basically Drew without twice-a-month power. Something tells me he's most likely to lose playing time, especially if we face a tough lefty.

Dustin Ackley, the wild card of the Wild Card. He's the 27-year-old former top draft pick that Brian Cashman snagged at the deadline for Ramon Flores and Jose Ramirez, two decent prospects. No sooner did Ackley shave his trendy beard than he herniated a disk and went on the DL. (That caused us to promote the rapidly fluttering Greg "The Fidrych" Bird... last night's goat.) While Bird was crapping his cage in Boston last night, Ackley played 2B for the second straight game in Scranton. Let the record show that he made an error. Ackley bats left, so he cannot platoon with Drew. He came over as a utility OF-1B, no longer a 2B. Still, it's interesting that the Yankees DH'ed Rob Refsnyder so Ackley could play his last two games at 2B. (He's also been on fire hitting, belting 2 HRs in recent days.) The question is Ackley's back. As soon as he arrived, he tweaked it. That's either a weird coincidence - or else the guy was playing in pain. Was that why Ackley was hitting .215 in Seattle? Could he be our 2B down the stretch? It's like buying a pumpkin and expecting it to turn into coach. Still... somebody must have seen something...?

Refsnyder. Can't say much you haven't already heard from me. This is a free-Rob Refsnyder blog. Clearly, the Yankee decision makers don't think he's a MLB second baseman. There's also talk that somebody resented his attitude during his two-day stint with the Yankees, when he hit a HR that eventually won a game. Supposedly, he said girlfriend was picking out drapes for his fancy NYC apartment. Maybe that grated on Girardi, who has to drive to White Plains? I dunno. Somebody on a message board flashed a stat the other day saying that Drew in NY has hit better in August than Refsnyder did in Scranton. I still think he'll be good. I think the Yankees demoralized him by treating the guy as a yo-yo. (As they once did with Francisco Cervelli, now a linchpin to the Pirates chances.) Then again, Refsnyder better get tough, if he plans to make it in NYC. But listen: If we face a tough lefty in a one game playoff, and we know we're not going to score runs, who's our best RH hitting 2B? Gimmie a break.

Jose Pirela. Poor guy hasn't played 2B in weeks. I list him here, but he probably has as much chance at 2B as Ryan does pitching out of the bullpen. But dammit, there's one thing Pirela can do: He hits. He's hit all season. He hits, he hits, he goddamm hits. Good grief, I would sooooo much rather see him come to bat in the late innings than Brendan Ryan. And if Tex is hurt, really hurt, could Pirela play 1B? We can't go many more games with Bird still learning which fork to use on the lobster.

There you go. Five second-basemen. Five. Not one worth a month of Robby in the worst years of his career. Oh well, STEPHEN DREW, HOW DO YOU DOOOOOOOO...