Nothing

                Going into a three game series, you expect that it will come in one of a few flavors.  At least the ones that aren't fluky.  There are the hard-fought series between two equally matched teams.  The Yankees and Red Sox have been doing that for years.  And they don't even have to be good.  Just equally matched.  Each team will win one of the games, and the rubber game will be decided on maybe a bounce or a fluke or a break, something like that.  Then there are the series in which you know which team is going to win two out of three.  In those, two games will decisively go to one team and the other will go to the weaker team.  The one that goes to the weaker team will often be a closer game, and this series could be a sweep if the better team gets a break or a lucky bounce in that third game.  The last kind is the sweep.  This is the one in which one team is just going to get outclassed for three games and will need a break or two just to pull off a win in one of them.  I was expecting scenario two, with Detroit being the better team.  And I can't really say that I've felt that way too often about an opponent in Yankee Stadium over the last few years.  But I didn't get door number two.  I got number three. 

            I have nothing to say about the breaks, the umpires, the law of averages, the lineup, or any of that stuff.  Dude, this lineup and these pitchers the Yankees are trotting out there are just not going to be able to compete with teams like the Tigers.  In fairness, I watched with baited breath as the Tigers went 0-7 to start the season, and dropped to 2-10.  I loved it.  Because as I looked at that lineup, I couldn't help but be impressed.  That team was the team to beat, in my mind.  And when they turned it around, I just sat back and nodded my head.  The Yankees have played Cleveland and they've played the White Sox.  And the Red Sox, for that matter.  We haven't seen the Angels, yet, but the Tigers look like the class of the American League.  Now, it's not a great gauge to measure them against this all-but-unrecognizable Yankee team.  Just one month and change ago, as the Yankees were breaking camp, I don't think anyone expected that we would see a lineup against a marquee team like the Tigers that featured Morgan Ensberg, Chad Moeller, and Shelley Duncan hitting cleanup.  And, of course, Cano hitting .146.  And don't get me wrong.  I couldn't be more psyched they got Chad Moeller back.  What a difference.  Veteran guy.  Morgan Ensberg is hitting .234.  That's purely, positively awful.  That's the type of thing that frustrates you, because a major leaguer like that shouldn't be in that territory.  But then you keep going and see that he is hitting 67 points higher than Shelley Duncan, 70 points higher than Giambi, and 80 points better than Cano. 

            The fourth inning made me want to kick a hole in the wall.  The Yanks were down a run, and the rain was coming down pretty hard.  The Ferocious Lion on first, Morgan Ensberg singles, and the Lion holds at second.  Somebody explain that to me.  The single was to right field, where Magglio Ordonez had to field it running towards the foul line.  The grass was soaking wet, as was the baseball, obviously.  Michael Kay noted that the Lion went into second gingerly, like he was afraid of slipping.  There was one out.  What an awful, awful, play.  First of all, any play in which a guy gets thrown out at third base from right field is worthy of a highlight film.   And with a soaking wet ball and a slippery outfield, there was no way Magglio Ordonez would have even attempted a throw to third.  Think of a Gaylord Perry spitball; with a wet ball there is no way Ordonez throws a laser-beam strike to third base.  Not happening. Besides, it would have been an awful play.   You can't risk Ensberg moving into scoring position on the throw.  Even if the Lion did slip, it would have happened around second, where he would have had plenty of time to get back to the base.  Awful.  He needed to be on third.  So who's up next?  Cano.  He swung at the first pitch, popped it up, and was dropping his shoulders in a "Poor me, I can't believe it happened again" pose before he was even out of the batter's box.  But it would have been deep enough to score the Lion and tie the game.  Dude, Cano needs to sit down.  As I said yesterday, he needs a game with the pressure completely off; like his base hit in the ninth inning tonight.  Down four, nobody on, nobody left in the stands on a miserable night.  Once things are moving, he crushes us.

            This is annoying.  I've been doing BPS for four years now, and in three of those years we've tanked in the early part of the season; 11-19, 21-29, and let's see where this one ends up.  We're now into another one of these "they've lost six out of eight" modes.  That's a lot.  The problem is that the other years I would pour out a bunch of facts and figured that pointed to an eventual turnaround.  They've got a few this year, but frankly, this year the facts and figures tell me their record should be a lot worse than it is.  The Yankees have nothing right now.

            Jason from the Heartland - dead on analysis.  Maybe the best I've read regarding this season.  Mike Sherry, as always, love to see the comment.  Nicely done.  Speaking of which, is Kelly Leek available?