I know you mean Pondscum...,but when is Wang due back? When he does come back Fat Sid will be cut loose...if not sooner.

Good observation Yogi. Most Yankee fans groaned when they signed him, remembering his last go round. He was signed to fill the Chien Ming Wang departure to the DL. Please get better quick Wanger.

Wang's not due back until September, which translates to "rest of the season".

Hughes and Pavano are suppose to make rehab starts this week though so help "could" be on the way

Did you just seriously mention Pavano as possible pitching help?

Seriously, I bet he pulls a muscle just putting his uniform on tonight. He and Hughes will be rehab starting in Class A.

If all goes well, I'd say both of them (theoretically), with at least a start in AA and AAA (probably more for Pavano), could return in August. Hughes has never had a problem dominated MiLB pitching, but the question is whether he can regain the marks of brilliance we saw in the playoffs last year.

Hughes hasn't been right since that hamstring tweak last year. Let's hope he's used this time to diagnose what's wrong with his windup.

Also, Ian Kennedy should be back within the next week or so too. He's tearing it up in AAA, although his last MLB tour soured me on his skill level. I really see him as a trading chip at this point, but I guess you can't give up on last years MiLB pitcher of the year so quickly. We'll see what happens.

Well, he certainly made the Blue Jay bats look silly yesterday which admittedly, hasn't been a hard thing to do this season.

Pavano??? Pavano??? I didn't know he was still around!! OMG!

And what the hell happened to Moose last night? It was a disaster. Watching that game was like watching a car accident. You don't want to look, but you can't tear your eyes away.

It's all Klyd's fault for putting his voodoo on the team.

Moose has those moments. Klyd should just stick to the Phillies. He keeps sending those Pennsylvania vibes across the Delaware. Go back, Go back! BTW, Klyd, I shot a 90 at the Noname.

It made you remember that if this team is counting on Mike Mussina down the stretch, or even in their next year plans, it would be a colossal mistake. He's going to get back to the mean sooner or later. The best possible option would be to let him go after this year and getting two compensatory draft picks. With his great year this year, I suspect Mussina would be a Type A and net us some very nice draft picks.

Incidentally, to briefly give an example of how important these compensatory picks can be, we got Joba Chamberlain as a compensatory pick from Tom Gordon when we didn't resign him and he went elsewhere.

While I don't have a lot of faith in either right now, I'm hoping Hughes has fixed his mechanics and Kennedy regains his confidence so that we will have two more arms to add down this second half run.

Great job at the Noname, MaryCas.

I may get my punishment soon if Manny Ramirez comes to Philly. Actually, I don't think it'll happen, but I'd take Manny for Burrell and Meyers. Charlie Manuel doesn't coddle guys or put up with crap, like Francona. Then again, Francona has two championships and has gotten a lot out of Ramirez, who is one of the most offensively productive and consistent players the game has ever seen. The Red Sox would be crazy to get rid of him.

That said, there is no way in hell that Mike Mussina will lose another game this season. I think the Yankees should hang on to Ponson, so Mussina is no longer the most miserable and surly person in the organization.

Also, how about those Angels? And now they have Texeira.

OH NO - SB, another Klydon1 curse - "there is no way in hell that Mike Mussina will lose another game this season".

Manny being Manny. What a cop out. Manny is just a nut,...who can hit. Do the Phillies really need him? or want him? He'll disrupt the chemistry (there is chemistry, isn't there?)

Meh, I'd take Manny on the Yankees. In fact, I'd be ecstatic. Especially since he's going to ask for the moon contract wise, and I'm not sure how many teams could afford to give it to him outside of the Red Sox or Yankees.

Besides, this is probably the standard garbage it always is with the Sox/Manny. How many times in the last 3 or 4 years have we heard that Manny was "out" so to speak and was close to being traded/released? The Sox aren't dumb. They can't let him go until after the season at least, and I'd honestly be surprised if they let him go at all.

The Orioles have just been giving the Yanks fits for the last couple of years.

Klyd has only cursed the Yankees because he wants to see his Phillies succeed!

You can't blame him for that?

Some good news at least

---

Wang has cast removed

NEW YORK -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi laughed when he said he offered to cut pitcher Chien-Ming Wang's cast off.

The right-hander didn't take him up on the offer, but he did have his cast removed on Tuesday afternoon, and Girardi wasn't the only one smiling. Wang broke into a wide grin when asked if he was happy to have the cast off his right leg. He also had an X-ray taken, and he said the results looked good.

The Yankees ace injured his right foot running the bases during an Interleague game in Houston on June 15. He was placed on the disabled list on June 17, retroactive to June 16, with a ligament sprain and a partial tendon tear.

Wang, who now wears a black protective boot and still uses crutches, said he did not have a clear idea of when he would be able to start pitching again, and Girardi said the timeline for Wang's rehabilitation could be similar to the Spring Training process -- about six or seven weeks.

"He just got out of a cast, so, obviously, you've got to think there's somewhat of a weakness there," Girardi said. "You've got to build him up to where you feel like he's strong enough to get off a mound, and that's going to take time."

Wang was examined at New York Presbyterian on Tuesday by Dr. Justin Greisberg and will be reevaluated in one week. Wang hopes to lose the crutches and receive what he described as insoles with air to cushion his foot as he begins to walk again. His rehab will follow shortly.

New York originally hoped that Wang might be able to return as soon as Sept. 1. Girardi said on Tuesday that date may be pushed back, but he will watch Wang's rehab closely and is optimistic the Yankees could have their starter back before the end of the season.

"I still believe there's a good chance we're going to get him back in September," Girardi said. "Whether it's Sept. 1, that might be stretching a little bit. But I still think we're going to get him back."

Source: Yankees

Exactly. Every year since 2003 they talk about getting rid of him, and he comes up big at the big time and carries the team. He is the Reggie Jackson of his era, only a much better pure hitter. Reggie too was frequently accused of dogging it, and he didn't get along with his teammates or management either, but he was indeed the straw that stirred the drink.

I agree that if the Sox ever let Manny go, they would deeply regret it. It would be almost as dumb as selling Babe Ruth.

Yes! A new curse could begin.

Breaking News!!!!

The Tigers have traded catcher Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees for pitcher Kyle Farsnworth. [sic.]

You're Yankin' My Doodle! If that's true, there really is a God (well, I know that, but you know what I mean). Holy Freakin' Mackeral and Cow. I don't care if his better years are behind him. JG, what does that (sic) mean....it's a joke? Please don't say that.

Wow, someone else was actually stupid enough to take Farnsworthless!? Good riddance!

[sic.] means "as written" (they misspelled his name, but since it was in a quote, I kept it that way and didn't want anyone to think it was *my* blunder!)

If "Fars-n-worth" was a misspelling, maybe it was sub-conscious...as in Farce n' Worth-less.

The yankees need some geritol.

Throw in a little Glucosemine and Condroitin (sp.?), and "Gimme the Balm, Tiger Balm!"

Well, at least they split with the Angels. They had a great come from behind win today to be proud of. But still, that 1-0 lose a few days ago was tough

Just what we need, Joba going down with an injury

Not good at all. Just when he was beginning to hit his stride. Mussina and Pettite can't carry the starters. I guess they will have to score double digits every game.

If Joba's injuried for an extended period of time, pack it in because it's O-V-E-R

I12, I agree with your estimation of how critical Joba is to the team; however, it's August and we're 6 1/2 games out. I think it already is O-V-E-R.

What happen to the die hard Yankee Fans that use to hang out here?....

Hey, what does admitting the truth have to do with being a fan or not? I would rather watch the Yankees than any other team because there is always that magical possibility that somehow they manage that come from behind miracle that eludes other teams.

The difference between a die hard fan and a fickle one is that the true fan persists in watching even when they ARE losing. And that I will continue to do.