Manny Wants to Come Over to the Dark Side

George King of the NY Post is reporting this morning that Manny Ramirez wants to get back at the Red Sox...by playing for the Yankees. According to people, (who these "people" are is unclear) that have spoken to the Man-child, and he can think of no better way to get back at the Red Sox then to don the Yankees pinstripes and face Boston 19 times a year.

Of course this could be nonsense orchestrated by Ramirez's agent, one Scott Boras. Should make for an interesting off-season.

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Breaking News: Kennedy to return on Friday

That's the story according to the NY Post. The Post is reporting that IPK will pitch one inning in his scheduled start for Scranton this evening to tune up for Friday's game vs. the Mets at Yankee Stadium.

UPDATE 6:35 pm EDT: It turns out the Post jumped the gun. Kennedy will be recalled, but it will be to pitch Thursday against the Rays. Darrell Rasner will face Johan Santana and the Mets on Friday.

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Baby Boomer

The NY Post is reporting this morning that David Wells would like to return to the Yankees...again. Wells turns 45 on May 20 (same day as our guy Bobby Murcer), and due to being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, has dropped 20 pounds (his reported weight is 245).

"I'm in shape, I'd just have to fine-tune a couple of things," Wells said. "I'd need a little bit of time, but not much. Physically I feel fine, real good."

"If you're not going that good, what the hell, it doesn't hurt to make a change and take a chance," Wells said. "I'm the type of guy, just give me the ball and let me do my thing. I'm not afraid to fail."

Boomer was a Yankees from 1997-1998 and 2002-2003. We've never forgotten the fact that he had to walk off the mound in the 2003 World Series because of injuries that could have been avoided had he stayed in shape.

"New York has always been the favorite of all my stops," Wells said. "When I got traded, I was bitter. When they didn't re-sign me, I was bitter, but I know that wasn't the Yankees, everything was Joe Torre. I wasn't one of his boys. I don't think he liked the way I lived my life or that I spoke my mind."

Or perhaps it was because you were always out of shape and couldn't be relied on any more. Hank Steinbrenner didn't say "yes" when the question was posed to him, but he didn't say "no" either.

"I've thought about it," Steinbrenner told The Post. "I saw him on TV (an appearance on the Best Damn Sports Show), and I did think about it when I was watching." "You never know," Steinbrenner said. "[Wells] hasn't come up in conversation (with Cashman), but I've had so much other [bleep] to deal with lately."

The 21-yr major league veteran has amassed 239 career wins for 9 different teams, with multiple stops in New York, Toronto, and San Diego. He struggled with the Padres last season before being released on August 16. A little over a week later he was picked up by the Dodgers, going 4-1, 4.57 as the Dodgers fell short of a playoff appearance.

One Yankee veteran told the Post's Mike Puma that he wouldn't be surprised to see Wells back in pinstripes. Such is life in Yankeeland.

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Rising of the Sons

The NY Post is reporting today that due to declining health George Steinbrenner has turned over control of the Yankees to sons Hal and Hank.

"George has taken on a role like the chairman of a major corporation," said team president Randy Levine. "He's been saying for years he's wanted to get his sons involved in the family business. Both of them have stepped up and are taking on the day-to-day duties of what's required to run the Yankees."

"There's always been a succession - and that's myself and my brother," Hank told The Post in an exclusive interview.

According to Hank Steinbrenner, he and Hal will have the final baseball decisions, but Hank will be concentrating more on the team while Hal handles the Stadium issues.

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Photo courtesy of NY Post

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Clueless in NY

Not Alicia Silverstone, but Brian Bruney. Bruney told reporters that he was shocked when he was told his services would no longer be needed by the team this season. Guess he must not be watching his own performance.

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Wiggington-Proctor Talk Heats Up

Right off the bat, I'm going to say why? Do the Yankees view Wiggington as an upgrade to Andy Phillips, or an eventual replacement for A-Rod? He's simply not that good.

This from George King in today's NY Post:

July 21, 2007 -- Earlier this week the Devil Rays believed it would take more than Scott Proctor for the Yankees to pry utility man Ty Wigginton away from them. Now, according to multiple sources, the Devil Rays would make the trade. And though it's not clear if the Yankees have made an offer, they have been talking to the Devil Rays and have discussed converting stud prospect Joba Chamberlain from Double-A starter to big-league reliever to take Proctor's place.

"They don't want anything else of significance," a source said of the Devil Rays' plans. "They are ready to make the deal."

...

Wigginton, a well-respected 29-year-old right-handed hitter, would provide the Yankees with a player who can play first, second, third base and be used as a designated hitter. He went 0-for-3 in last night's 14-4 Devil Rays victory and is batting .278 with 14 homers and 47 RBIs.

Because the Yankees are looking to upgrade their bullpen, deleting the disappointing Proctor seemingly hurts their weakest unit. Nevertheless, elevating Chamberlain from Trenton (Double-A) and using him in relief could more than fill the vacancy. They also could bring up lefty Sean Henn from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A).

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Mrs. A-Rod says F-You

A-Rod's wife Cynthia decided to take on the media with an explicit message on the back of her t-shirt.

From NY Post writers Dan Mangan and David K. Li

July 2, 2007 -- Oh, no, she didn't!

Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez's long-suffering wife, Cynthia, may have finally flipped her pretty lid yesterday when she went to a game in The Bronx wearing a tight-fitting, white tank top bearing a foul message on the back: "F- - - you."

The obscene phrase was plainly visible to thousands of fans - including plenty of kids - as she, her 2-year-old daughter, Natasha, and an older woman took their seats in the players' family section of the House that Ruth Built.

"[One] father, was so embarrassed, he got up and left and took his son," who appeared to be about 10 years old, a fan said.

"I mean this kid was right in back of Cynthia - his nose must have been about 4 inches away from the words 'F- - - you.' "

Cynthia's F-word faux pas also may have violated Yankee Stadium policy.

The team's policy prohibits any banners or signs that are not in "good taste" and also warns that security guards will eject any guests "using foul language" or "making obscene gestures."

Still, when some fans let nearby security know about Cynthia's four-letter garment yesterday, nothing was done.

"It was noted by police and security," one fan said. "They were aware of it. I guess they didn't know what to do. I guess you don't kick A-Rod's wife out of the game."

It's not clear who the target was of Cynthia's F-bomb: Yankee fans, management, the media - or even perhaps her wandering husband.

But if Cynthia, 34, was trying to light a fire under A-Rod's struggling team with her shocking message, it didn't work - the bumbling Bronx Bombers got thumped 11-5 by the Oakland A's.

The loss left them four games under .500 and 11 games behind the arch rival Boston Red Sox, who are solidly in first place in the American League East.

Cynthia's shocking breach of stadium etiquette comes a month after she was publicly humiliated by her straying hubby's catting around the country and Canada with a busty, blond Las Vegas stripper and Playboy wannabe named Joslyn Noel Morse - revealed in a Post exposé.

Despite - or perhaps because of - those randy revelations, Alex Rodriguez, 31, has been on fire when it comes to the baseball diamond, batting a jaw-dropping, Major League-leading .406 over the last month.

Howard Rubenstein, the spokesman for Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, last night said he could not reach The Boss or other Bombers executives for comment on Cynthia's sartorial stunt.

A-Rod's agent, Scott Boras, could not be reached.

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Damon DL Bound?

From today's NY Post...

Two swings in the indoor batting cage at Coors Field yesterday told Johnny Damon all he needed to know about his abdominal muscle problem that had been listed as a strain but is a lot worse.

"My rib is shot," Damon told The Post. "I am not too happy right now."

Asked if he was looking at the first disabled-list stint of his career, Damon said, "I don't know."

---

The Yankees should just stop wasting time and DL Damon already. If he can't swing the bat, what good is he? It seems like Damon aged 10 years in the off-season.

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Yankees Eyeing Hillenbrand

According to today's NY Post, the Yankees have talked to the LA Angels about acquiring Shea Hillenbrand. The Yankees spoke with Hillenbrand before the season, but he was looking for a multi-year deal and the Yankees didn't want to give more than a 1 year deal. The Angels gave him a 1 year deal with an option/buyout for 2008. The option would have been automatic had Hillenbrand reach 600 plate appearance this season.

Problem is Hillenbrand has stunk out the joint this season and lost his starting job. He is hitting just .246 with 3 HRs and 18 RBI, and has had only 175 PAs.

He is an upgrade, albeit not a large one, over Josh Phelps, and may come cheaply at this point.

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'Cause she's a brick..house

As if the Yankees needed another distraction in this hell-hole of a season, Alex Rodriguez's picture was splashed on the front page of the NY Post this morning. With a buxom blond that wasn't his wife. Heading into a strip club. It's not going to get better if I keep typing.

First off, the NY Post is a piece of garbage I wouldn't line my bird's cage with (if I had a bird). Whether or not you like, love, or hate A-Rod, none of this is any of our business.

There was a good discussion on Mike and Mike this morning on ESPN radio concerning the impact of the press on athlete's lives. The beat writers that cover teams don't mention player's indiscretions and they certainly don't take photographs of them in compromising positions (not including Josh Phelps playing 1st Base). But the world has changed now, and ruthless paparazzi and gold diggers are all around trying to take advantage of celebrity slip ups.

Most athletes are not like soccer star David Beckham who thrive on the attention. And most athletes that are on the gossip pages tend to be coupling with female celebrities (i.e., Tom Brady, Derek Jeter). Mike Greenberg of the Mike&Mike tandem feels that this is a new day. That athletes now have the same cache as actors, rockers, etc., which means that gossip hounds will stalk them in the same rude manner.

I don't care what A-Rod does in his personal life. That's between him and his wife. (That is of course unless it crosses the line such as the behavior of Tampa's Elijah Dukes). As long as its legal, we won't get into moral, and doesn't affect his play, I don't want to hear about it.

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