MASAHIRO BUMGARNER, ANYONE? WE GO FROM WHITEY FORD TO BETTY FORD. IT'S WILD CARD RALLY CAPS DAY: WRITE IN YOUR RALLY CAPS WHY THE YANKEES WILL EITHER WIN OR GO HOME, (OR TO REHAB)

IT'S RALLY CAPS DAY. UPPER CASE, EVERYBODY! GET UP, GET UP, GET UP! IMAGINE ME SHOUTING, BECAUSE DAMMIT, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING!

THE MORE I THINK ABOUT CC SABATHIA, THE LOUDER I GET.

THE YANKEES CAN SPIN THIS LIKE DOROTHY HAMILL, BUT I FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE - AS MANAGEMENT CONTENDS - THAT NOBODY HAD AN INKLING OF CC'S PROBLEMS.

NOR DO I BUY IT THAT AS SOON AS HE ASKED FOR HELP, THE FRANCHISE RALLIED BEHIND HIM. MY GUESS IS PEOPLE KNEW, BUT JUST FIGURED HE COULD RIDE IT THROUGH OCTOBER AND THEN DRY OUT. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH WEEKS, MONTHS AGO. HOW MANY WARNING SIGNS DID THEY IGNORE?

NOR DOES CC GET A COMPLETE PASS. ALCOHOLISM IS A MONSTER, BUT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAD THIS TEAM. I WONDER: HOW MANY YOUNGSTERS WERE TRYING TO KEEP PACE WITH HIM AT THE BAR? WAS HE DRINKING DURING GAMES?

SINCE THE ALL-STAR BREAK, EVERY TIME YOU THOUGHT THE YANKEES' PREDICAMENT COULDN'T GET WORSE, SOME NEW PROBLEM EMERGED. IT'S BEEN A STEADILY SINKING BARGE. WE'VE GONE FROM CAPTAIN JETER TO CAPTAIN MORGAN, FROM MR. OCTOBER TO MR. OCTOBERFEST. WHAT OTHER SECRETS ARE LURKING BEHIND THIS ASTONISHING MELTDOWN?

TODAY, WE EITHER SALVAGE THE SEASON OR SHUT THE DOOR ON ONE OF THE MOST DEPRESSING YANKEE ENDINGS IN MEMORY...

IF IT'S THE LATTER, THE SMELL WILL LINGER FOR A LONG TIME.