It's all or nothing for Sexson in the Bronx

Even as Richie Sexson stumbled through a second consecutive abysmal season, I was part of a minority of baseball fans who believed he still has some good baseball left in him.

The numbers (.218 BA, 76 strikeouts, and just 30 RBIs) are terrible and the swings have been ugly, but Sexson is not yet 34, and he's just two years removed from a 34 HR, 107 RBI season.

Which is exactly why the Yankees took a chance on him. That, and he's fared well against lefties this year.

Sexson's problems, though, seem to have little to do with his physical abilities and a whole lot to do with his psyche. As the great Yogi Berra once said, "Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical."

I was convinced that a change of scenery would do Sexson a lot of good. Arizona, for example, made a lot of sense as a destination. He played well there in limited action in 2004, and a chance to return to National League pitching would likely be beneficial.

But New York?! If Sexson thought Seattle was bad, wait until he goes 0-for-4 with three strikeouts! It's a low risk move for New York, which has more than enough money to throw around. If Sexson doesn't work out, they cut him and they're done with him. But if Sexson flounders again in the Bronx, he will significantly hurt his stock as a free agent this offseason.

Here's predicting Sexson isn't on the Yankees' postseason roster.

David Eckstein on the art of winning fans and influencing people

I was at the Mariners-Blue Jays game last night, and besides the fact that Roy Halladay is a dominating pitcher and Canadian fans are obnoxious, I made an interesting observation.

David Eckstein is not just a scrappy baseball player, but he's also a genuinely good guy.

An hour or so before the game, Eckstein signed dozens autograph and posed for every picture with fans along the third base line. Two or three times he had turned back toward the field to begin his stretching routine, only to be drawn back by another youngster who wanted his glove signed by a real live Major Leaguer.

No one else from either team was out interacting with fans at that point, and with a game looming you can't exactly blame them. But there was Eckstein, the Ex-Factor in all his shortness, making people's days.

That's how heroes are born.

Tiger's absence: good or bad for the sport?

Nice piece by Rick Morrissey in the Chicago Tribune, outlining all the reasons why Tiger missing the rest of the season is bad news for the PGA.

Namely, less people in the galleries, fewer people tuning into each tournament -- even the majors -- and as a result, less money for everyone connected with the sport. That is, except for the rest of the golfers on the PGA, who stand to benefit greatly. Think of all the extra prize money available with Tiger home on the La-Z-Boy!

But, as Morrissey points out, each of the tournament winners will have a figurative asterisk by their name, and the sports world will wonder how things had been different if Woods had played. Tiger, we can all agree, has become the standard.

Morrissey's arguments are all good and true, but I wonder if Tiger's absence might not be a good thing indirectly. We have all waited (thus far, in vain) for a worthy nemesis to emerge in the world of golf. Tiger, though, has kept the petal to the metal and no other golfer has been able to string together much of a challenge.

Now that's he's gone, though, perhaps a young, underachieving golfer can find his game, his personality, and his confidence. Sergio Garcia, for example, is long past due for such a renaissance. Phil Mickelson might find the fire in his belly after all. What about Zach Johnson?

It could be that in Woods' absence golf will become once again a sport of parity, and when he returns it will seem as if nothing has changed. We can only hope that's not the case, but if so, the brief interruption to Tiger's reign of dominance will seem like a blip on the radar.

Bavasi, Randolph take the fall...did they deserve it?

Two underachieving teams finally decided it was time to do something. One placed the blame with the general manager, the other with the manager.

Mariners GM Bill Bavasi and Mets manager Willie Randolph, scapegoats for their respective franchises, have been fired.

Bavasi was fired Monday after four-plus unsuccessful seasons. Seattle had one winning record and never made it to the playoffs under his leadership. His head-scratching moves included trading promising reliever Rafael Soriano for bust of the decade starter Horacio Ramirez. Bavasi also cut a struggling Brad Wilkerson just months after signing the right fielder to a $3 million contract.

But Bavasi will forever be linked to the deals that brought in Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson, two contracts that have saddled the Mariners' payroll but never brought the returns Bavasi expected.

At 24-46, Seattle is the worst of the worst despite its $117 million payroll.

The Mets, meanwhile, have underachieved just as mightily. Their $138 payroll and the addition of Johan Santana had many believing this was a team that was World Series-bound. But 69 games into the season, New York finds itself under .500 and trailing two teams in the NL East.

After mulling the decision apparently all night, the Mets gave Randolph the pink slip in the middle of the night. Pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto were also let go.

This all leads me to something I've been pondering the last couple of weeks. When a team underperforms, who really is to blame? Is firing the manager -- who simply fills in the lineup card and tries to set the tone in the clubhouse -- an appropriate response? Does the general manager, who makes personnel decisions, deserve the blame when things don't pan out?

What about the players? Except for Sidney Ponson, you don't see too many guys told to take a hike. But in reality, the players are the ones not coming up with the clutch hit or failing to produce a quality start.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts in the comments or in the poll to the right.

House foundational to Celtics' comeback

There were many keys to the Celtics' come-from-behind victory Thursday night, but there's one that sticks out like the shine on Sam Cassell's forehead.

When Boston needed a spark from its bench, Eddie House was the man for the job.

The Celtics' backup guard scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds in 24 minutes -- modest numbers, to be sure. But he brought something to the table that has been absent with Cassell in the same role. With the energetic House on the floor, the Celtics had a +20 point differential, the largest for any player on either team.

House had only a DNP to show for each of the first two games in Boston; Cassell was mediocre in limited action (though it seemed like he shot every time he touched the ball), but the Celtics didn't need much from him. But Rivers gave House a decent look in Game 3 and further integrated him into the game plan in Game 4.

If you're wondering what took Rivers so long, you're not alone.

Cassell has had a great career that includes two NBA titles, but the man is pushing 39 and clearly on his way out of the league. House is a 30-year old role player and hasn't won a championship, but you can tell he's starting to taste it. He's hungrier.

More than likely, this series has at least two games left. When the backup minutes are there, House should get them.

Donaghy alleges NBA Playoffs conspiracy

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is a scumbag, and his actions were worse than anything Pete Rose ever did.

But that doesn't make Donaghy a liar by default.

The former referee's attorney filed an allegation in New York's U.S. District Court Tuesday, saying referees played an active role in fixing the outcome of critical playoff games.

"Tim knew referees A and F to be 'company men,'" the attorney letter read, "always acting in the interest of the NBA, and that night, it was in the NBA's interest to add another game to the series."

The series in question is 2002 Western Conference Finals, in which Los Angeles won Games 6 and 7 to beat the Kings. In the critical Game 6, the Lakers shot 27 free throws to the Kings' nine in the fourth quarter alone.

"Referees A and F heavily favored [the Lakers]. Personal fouls [resulting in obviously injured players] were ignored even when they occurred in full view of the referees. Conversely, the referees called made-up fouls on [Sacramento] in order to give additional free throw opportunities for [the Lakers].

As fans of the game, we'd prefer to dismiss Donaghy's statement as a last-ditch effort to bring others down with him. But even in this NBA Finals, six years later, the tenor of Donaghy's words seems to ring true.

In Game 2, the home team Celtics shot 38 free throws to the Lakers' 10. In Game 3 in Los Angeles, the shoe was on the other foot, with the Lakers taking 34 trips to the line to Boston's 22. Attribute it to a difference in aggression levels, if you like, but the standard for a foul seemed to have drastically changed on the cross-country flight.

Home court advantage is always talked about as such a crucial component to success in the playoffs, and the fan mood undoubtedly has some influence on the outcomes of games. But Donaghy's accusations make me wonder if home court means you also get a little help from the officiating as needed.

Anything for a seven-game series, right?

Griffey's 600th less watched, but more praiseworthy than Bonds' 756

If Ken Griffey, Jr. hit career home run #600 but only 16,003 people were there to see it, does that mean it doesn't matter?

More than 22,000 sports fans passed on the chance to witness history at Dolphin Stadium Monday night, when Griffey joined an exclusive club. Only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa are members.

The story made the front page of ESPN.com and Yahoo! Sports (both sites featured a "Sweet 600" headline -- who's the mole?!), but where has all the buildup been? Where was the buzz?

For one, I think we're all experiencing a little milestone fatigue. We were all force fed Bonds' pursuit of 756, a chase that left most fans with a sour taste in their mouths. And fans were well aware of Manny Ramirez reaching the 500 milestone just over a week ago.

Maybe the bigger factor in our collective disinterest, though, is cynicism. The Mitchell Report (now that was an event that earned some buildup) taught us to disbelieve what we see on SportsCenter, and that many -- perhaps most -- of the greatest sluggers of our generation are also cheaters.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that Griffey is clean and always has been. You will never convince me that Griffey's 600 is the same as Sosa's 600. I would even go so far as to say that his 600 is more significant than Bonds' 756. Before Bonds, only Aaron, Ruth, and Mays -- three of the greatest of all time -- had hit 600. You can make the argument that he belongs in that company even without the benefit of steroids, but we can never know for sure.

Griffey, though (again, assuming he's clean), can rightfully stake his claim to presence in that elite company with tonight's home run. Home run #600 is not a record, not by anyone's counting. But it's a major milestone, achieved fair and square, by a good guy and one of baseball's all-time greats.

AP PHOTO

No Shake for You! Celebration costs Uruguayan handshake at French Open

Doubles tennis doesn't usually make headlines, which is a shame, because it's just as much a part of the sport as singles (and more fun to watch, in my opinion).

But semi-famous American doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan made the news at the French Open when they refused to shake their opponents' hands following a three-set loss in the quarterfinals.

Trailing 5-1 in the third set tiebreaker, the Bryans were miffed when opponent Pablo Cuevas celebrated by leaping over the net. In case you're wondering, the more orthodox and civilized way is to walk around the net post, taking a swig of your Evian water while you're at it.

The Bryans took umbrage: "He was really disrespectful," Mike said. "He jumped the net right in our face. It's classless." The brothers punished Cuevas the only way they knew how, by refusing to shake his hand after the match, and I'm guessing no hugs were exchanged, either. Cuevas seemed to be OK with that.

"Maybe I celebrated a little too much. But it's worth it," he said. "It's not every day you beat the No. 1 team."

Not very classy behavior by either doubles team, if you ask me. Hopping the net is juvenile and should be reserved for a Saturday morning practice session, but the Bryans could have easily risen above the fray by giving their excited opponent a pass.

It can't get much lower for the Rockies

We've heard all about how weird of a baseball season it's been so far, and who am I to argue?

Tampa Bay has the best record in the American League but still can't convince anyone there to see it for themselves, the Yankees are struggling just to stay out of the cellar, and the Cubs have the best record in the Majors. (They're the Cubs, though, so disaster is bound to strike eventually.)

But what I haven't heard many people talking about is the Colorado Rockies, the team that swept through the NL playoffs last year and seemed poised to at least duke it out with the Diamondbacks for tops in the West this year. Fifty-seven games into the season, though -- this year's more than 1/3 over, folks -- Colorado looks like the worst team in baseball.

Perhaps the lowest of lows came Friday afternoon when the Rockies surged to a 9-1 lead over the Cubs after five innings. Even at Wrigley, an eight run lead should be safe. Chicago rallied for three in the sixth and six in the seventh, and just like that, Colorado snatched defeat from the jaws of victory: the second in a four game sweep at Wrigley, and the fifth of seven straight.

Why the sudden turnaround, less than a year after the Rockies seemed to be building a dynasty? Three reasons, as I can see it (though there may be more).

First and foremost, it seems that last year was an aberration, not this. Before reeling off 14 of 15 to steal the Wild Card last season, the Rockies were 76-72. Respectable, but not outstanding. They got hot at just the right time, and their streak extended through the NLDS and NLCS. But let's not forget that Colorado finished last in the West in 2005 and 2006.

Second, the Rockies' pitching has been atrocious. The team ERA is 5.05, worst in the Majors. Jeff Francis, who was supposed to be the team ace, is 1-5 with a 6.12 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. Aaron Cook (7-3, 3.36) is the only starter who's been decent, but even he had a rough day Friday, coughing up seven runs in the Cubs' comeback.

Lastly, they've been without Troy Tulowitzki essentially the whole season. Tulo was off to a crummy start when he tore his quadriceps at the end of April. Without his leadership and energy on the field and in the clubhouse, this club is going to struggle. Injuries to Matt Holliday, Clint Barmes, and Brad Hawpe haven't helped, either.

Colorado proved last season that it has some streak in it, and with the crazy things I've seen so far this year, I'm not going to count them out. But at 12 games back and with four teams to pass, it's a long road to the top.

On Vacation!

Hi, everyone. I'm leaving this morning for vacation, so no blog posts for me until the first week of June. I suppose events in the sports world will just have to unfold without my being here to analyze them.

The wrong kind of chin music

One of the biggest critiques of the anti-metal bat movement sweeping the country is that it's primarily based upon anecdotal evidence. The hard data, people say, will show you that metal bats are no more dangerous than wood bats.

Try telling that to the family of a Lacey, Washington high school sophomore whose jaw was shattered by a rocket off an Easton Stealth Composite. The kid will spend the next 2-4 months with his jaws wired shut, could lose two teeth, and will know for the rest of his life that he was spared from death by millimeters.

I wrote a story for today's Olympian on the nearly tragic event and a sidebar on the player's parents asking for a change in the rules. Check them out, if you like.

In preparing to write the story, I recalled a blog entry I wrote months ago on this very subject. In it I said,

"If you take the metal bats away from baseball, kids and young adults will still sustain serious injuries and even death due to batted balls, simply because the nature of such events is so unforeseen. It's about being in the exactly wrong place at exactly the wrong time."

There is truth to the notion, but it's hard not to be persuaded when you're sitting in front of a kid whose jaws are wired shut and parents filled with fear and anger.

Is home court a self-fulfilling prophecy?

If you ask me, these NBA playoffs have become a little too predictable. Like top-tier tennis players slugging it out, holding serve until the set reaches a tiebreaker, the remaining teams seem invincible on their home courts.

When the series swaps cities, though, Dr. Jekyll stays home and Mr. Hyde doesn't seem to travel well.

Throughout the regular season, NBA teams playing at home were
769-491 (.611 winning percentage), but keep in mind that includes Miami and Seattle, which were woeful wherever they played. In the Conference Semifinals the home team is 11-1 (.917), with the only defeat coming to the Magic at the hands of the Pistons.

I understand that at home the fans are booing instead of cheering, and players can shoot free throws without the distraction of waving balloons or cowbells. And it makes sense that sleeping in your own bed and preparing in your own locker room and playing on your own home floor give somewhat of an advantage.

But I'm starting to wonder if the expectation of winning at home -- and by extension, losing on the road -- is as great a factor as any. Like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Home teams are supposed to win, so they play more focused, intelligent and physical basketball. Away teams are supposed to lose, so they loosen up the screws a bit, maybe try something different, and the net result is sloppy and/or lethargic play.

My theory is a little bit "out there," so I'd be interested in any other explanations for what we've seen in the last couple of weeks. In the meantime, excuse me while I watch the Hornets win Game 5.

Time for Houston to end the Bourn Experiment

Here's a riddle for the Houston Astros to chew on: how valuable is an incredible base runner that rarely reaches base?

When the Astros acquired Michael Bourn as part of the deal that sent Brad Lidge to Philadelphia, it seemed like a great fit. Bourn was born and raised in Houston, played at the University of Houston, and was originally drafted (but not signed) by the Astros.

Most of all, Houston envisioned a spark plug at the top of the order, a speedy center fielder who could get on and steal bases.

So far Bourn has fulfilled only the less important of the two expectations: he leads the Majors in stolen bases with 17, but that's only because he steals just about every time he reaches base. In 34 games, Bourn is hitting .198 with an OBP of .269.

Make no mistake about it, Bourn's base stealing abilities are outstanding: he hasn't been caught once. But an 0-4 every third night -- and a 1-4 or 1-5 on the other two -- just doesn't get the job done. Among regular Major League leadoff hitters, Bourn ranks near the bottom with just 16 runs scored. Rafael Furcal has 34, and even a slow-starting Ichiro has 26. Teammate Lance Berkman has a Major League-leading 40.

Houston is playing some great baseball at this stage of the season, so it's easy enough to overlook Bourn's struggles. But at some point, a "slow start" or an "early-season slump" are no longer fair descriptors for plain ineptitude.

If the Astros plan to make a run at the NL Central, they need to end the Bourn Experiment sooner rather than later. Let Hunter Pence play center and bat leadoff, and use Bourn in the role best suited for his talents: pinch runner.

Michael Bourn (Wikipedia)
Michael Bourn Statistics (Baseball Reference)

If you're looking for innings, Livan Hernandez is still your man

Say what you want about Livan Hernandez -- he's pudgy, he's got average stuff, and there's no way he's only 33 years old -- but the man is an innings eater.

Hernandez has been traded or cast away by four teams now, but when the dust settles, there he is, pitching late into games every fifth day. He was at it again Wednesday night, tossing a complete game victory over the White Sox to improve to 5-1 for the Twins, who now look brilliant for signing him for peanuts ($5 million with up to $2 million in incentives) in the offseason.

The strange thing about Hernandez is that he's really never been a dominating pitcher. Decent stuff, but never great; just ask the players who've taken him deep 279 times since 1996. His 4.24 career ERA is pedestrian, as is his 1.42 WHIP, but he always takes the ball and rarely relinquishes it before the seventh inning.

Since 1998, Hernandez leads the majors in innings pitched with 2,324. Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens are distant competitors. Granted, Innings Pitched is a simple stat that doesn't tell the whole story, as evidenced by his 126 losses -- or almost 12 per year -- over that time period.

But ask a manager with a tired bullpen how he feels about five earned runs in eight innings from his starter, and I bet he'll say he'd take it. That's Hernandez, though to be fair, he's often better than that. Even with a .500 record most seasons, Hernandez is an asset to any pitching rotation.

That Hernandez does it not only night after night, but also year after year -- seemingly without time off for injuries -- is all the more remarkable. Since 1998, Hernandez lowest start total is 30 games. Are you listening, Josh Beckett?

It seems that Hernandez's average stuff and seemingly cavalier attitude have turned off some of the teams he's played for. San Francisco, for instance, seemed convinced that Hernandez was over the hill after he bombed in the 2002 World Series, and they shipped him to Montreal for Jim Brower in 2003.

Think they'd like to have that one back? The later Nationals traded Hernandez, though, and Arizona let him walk after last season. Hernandez has responded to his sendoffs in the only way he knows: he just keeps pitching.

Livan Hernandez Statistics (Baseball Reference)

Yankees, Sox fans exemplify worst in sports rivalries

Sports rivalries are all fun and games until someone decides to "take this outside."

A Yankees fan who found herself among throngs of Red Sox fans at a New Hampshire bar has been charged with the reckless second-degree murder of one of her hecklers. When an argument over whose team was the best made its way outside, Ivonne Hernandez got into her car, pointed it toward a crowd of Red Sox fans, and gunned it.

Matthew Beaudoin, 29, was struck by her vehicle and later died of massive head trauma.

It all started innocently enough, when Hernandez walked into enemy territory and announced her loyalties. Probably a bad idea, but if you've got the stomach for it, you could have a lot of fun with the bantering. But with alcohol also involved, the bantering eventually became heated.

What Ms. Hernandez did was wrong in every way, and she will deserve whatever sentence she receives. But each Red Sox fan that poked and prodded her along the way, and especially those that followed her outside, share in the blame for what happens. And cold as it may sound, that includes Mr. Beaudoin.

Roger Clemens is sorry, but for what?

For all his high-ranking Republican friends, Roger Clemens took a page right out of Bill Clinton's book Sunday.

Clemens issued a heartfelt "no apology" apology to his family and the public via a statement to the Houston Chronicle. He was sincere, remorseful, and managed to avoid admitting -- and even went so far as denying -- the accusations levied against him about a supposed decade-long affair with country singer Mindy McCready.

"I know that many people want to know what I have to say about the recent articles in the media," Clemens said. "Even though these articles contain many false accusations and mistakes, I need to say that I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry. I have apologized to my family and apologize to my fans. Like everyone, I have flaws. I have sometimes made choices which have not been right."

So Roger, what specifically are those mistakes? What flaws do you have that you'd be willing to unveil to the public? Nice try, but he's not going down that easy.

"I realize that many people want me to simply confess and apologize for the conduct that I have been accused of, but I cannot confess to, nor apologize for, things I did not do. I have apologized to my family for my mistakes. And having offered this apology to the public, I would ask that you let me and my family deal with these matters in private."

The delusions of innocence continue unhindered, I suppose. Clemens has clearly told these stories so many times that he now believes them, and he continues to invite us to join him in his fantasy land.

Inside the mind of Barry Zito, baseball's most overpaid long reliever

Baseball's highest paid starter can add a new title to his resume: highest paid long reliever.

A slumping Barry Zito, 0-6 with a 7.53 ERA, was demoted from the San Francisco rotation Monday. The move, which the Giants hope to be short-term, is intended to give Zito the space he needs to pull his head out of wherever he's managed to lodge it.

Without any specific injuries to point to, we can only assume that the source of Zito's problems is his mind. And since we can only guess as to what might actually be going on in there, let's take a look at Zito's wisdom after his starts this season.

• 4/27 (3 IP, 8 ER, 7 H, 3 BB vs. Cincinnati): “I definitely want the ball. I’m not backing down from that,” Zito said. “But they know what’s best for the ballclub. It feels (bad) going out here and losing for these guys.”
  
  
• 4/23 (3.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB vs. Arizona): “I take all the blame here,” Zito said. “Our guys came out, did what they had to do against a good pitcher and I was unable to hold them down.”
  


• 4/16 (6 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 5 BB vs. Arizona): “I know I have good stuff in me and it will serve us eventually,” he said. “Stick with my approach, keep going out there with my head up. You can’t get down. Baseball is fun, even though it doesn’t seem fun sometimes.”
  


• 4/6 (5 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 BB vs. Milwaukee): “The results aren’t what I want, but I made a lot better pitches consistently and got ahead consistently,” Zito said. “Got to work on keeping that ball true instead of having it come back.”
  


• 3/31 (5 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 1 BB vs. Los Angeles): “I wanted to come out here and start off the season on a good note, but that first inning got out of hand. If I could take a couple of pitches back, it’s a one-run game.”

Thanks for the pearls, Barry. Now how about some outs?

Tyler Hansbrough must really want a national championship

Tyler Hansbrough has announced he'll be staying for his senior year at North Carolina.

The AP national player of the year, who averaged 22.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, has decided to stick around and pick up his degree. That, and take one more shot at the national championship.

The siren song of the NBA draft has already lured the likes of OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, and DJ Augustin. Hansbrough's teammates Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington will also declare for the draft but do not plan to hire agents, so a return to North Carolina is still possible.

The sky is the limit for Mayo and Beasley, who fared well in their season-long auditions for the NBA. But Hansbrough, tremendous heart and toughness notwithstanding, is still 6'9" post man that will never dominate at the next level.

That's why this decision makes sense. Why jump prematurely into a journeyman career? Hansbrough will put up more solid numbers next season, maybe get that coveted championship if Lawson and Ellington change their minds, and still be a mid-first round draft pick in 2009. And if an NBA career really doesn't pan out, Hansbrough will have a college degree in his back pocket.

Kudos to Hansbrough for putting the money on hold while he pursues things that matter more.

Shaun Alexander cut by Seahawks as the "Madden Curse" continues

It really shouldn't surprise us anymore when something bad happens to a former Madden cover man.

We all know the sad endings of Garrison Hearst and Michael Vick, and Daunte Culpepper hasn't exactly panned out as expected, either. Several others have had injuries in the season after they lent their image to the world's hottest sports video game franchise.

But this really shouldn't surprise anyone: the Seahawks have severed ties with Shaun Alexander. Two seasons removed from his MVP year -- 28 touchdowns 1,880 yards and a trip to the Super Bowl -- and a $60 million dollar contract, Alexander is a man without a team.

Seahawks release former MVP Alexander (ESPN.com)
Madden Curse (Wikipedia)

Steinbrenner to world: Joba Chamberlain belongs in the rotation!

If there was ever any doubt, let's put it to rest now: Hank Steinbrenner is a chip off the old block.

Steinbrenner made headlines again yesterday, announcing that it was time for Joba Chamberlain to enter the starting rotation.

"I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now," Steinbrenner told the New York Times. "There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a set-up guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that."

There are two problems with the statement. First, Steinbrenner is wrong. The Yankees have an assigned Chamberlain an innings limit, and if they plugged him into the rotation now, they would have to shut him down come September. No one, except maybe the Red Sox, wants that.

But even if he was right -- blind squirrels have been known to stumble upon the odd acorn -- Steinbrenner isn't in charge of personnel decisions. His job is to help supply the cash, steer the team in a general direction, and keep his nose out of Brian Cashman's and Joe Girardi's business.

Cashman, for his part, held his ground and diffused the potentially tense situation.

"Joba's staying in the bullpen right now," Cashman told Newsday. "That's where we're at. [Putting him in the rotation is] not something that's going to happen here early on, and [Hank] knows that. We've talked about it. I don't know what set him off."

Well said, Cashman. You can tell the man has dealt with Steinbrenners before. Girardi, though, has to be scratching his head right about now. What was so bad about the Orioles' job again?

Hank wants Joba to start (Newsday)
Chamberlain will start, later than sooner (NY Times)