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Oh it's true. Big big "yawn" for that one. Though I think I'd rather the fat, drunk Aruban than Chacon/Small 2006 version, though that like comparing getting punched in the stomach or kicked in the nuts.

And yet people continue to lambaste Torre for trusting "veterans"? I'm telling you, Brian Cashman gets a free pass all too often around here.

Ponson sucked for the Orioles and Cardinals, what on earth makes Cashman think he won't suck for the Yankees? Because Ron Guidry will figure out something Dave Duncan didn't? Is this Cashman's way of letting Yankee fans know that he's not into the billion-dollar solutions and that he'll always use the recycle bin to build his teams?

I'm appalled but certainly not shocked...

Wow, that is very much NOT what I wanted to happen. At least he might be better than Jason Johnson...(?)

I'm right there with you. I disliked him when he was with Baltimore...and started really disliking him with all his off the field problems, so the idea of him in pinstripes isn't exactly inviting.

That being said, I'm sure someone on the FAN will point out that he has a lower ERA than Lieber.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2518391&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

We have confirmation...and I need to puke.

I'd like to point out that in his three starts vs. the AL (Chi, Det, KC), the newest Yankee has the following stats:

11 IP, 20 H, 7 BB, 11.45 ERA, 2.45 WHIP, 4.09 K/9

How was this a good move?

Fat, drunk and stupid--with #1 starter stuff. The guy is a slob, but he keeps getting chances for the same reasons that Daryl Strawberry and Steve Howe got extra chances: he has monster potential.

A bust? Probably. But if the pinstripes could ever turn around Sidney Ponson, well...

If I see Ponson pitching in pinstripes in a major league game, I will officially give up on this team for the rest of the season.

He has monster potential for what? A record pileup on the interstate?

Joel, if he had #1 starter stuff, he wouldn't be getting lit up like a Christmas tree. I'm sure he once had #1 starter stuff but I'd be willing to bet that the good stuff has long since been perspired from his pores.

And, like I said before, if Duncan couldn't make it work, what makes Cashman think that Gator can? No disrespect to Gator, but this is a pitcher the O's didn't even want Mazzone to work on...

Okay, let's assess the situation. What is the absolute worst that happens? He comes in, and gets destroyed, gets pulled after 7 runs and no recorded outs, they lose the game and we never see him again? He's got as good of a chance as Kris Wilson. It could be worse. It could be Aaron Small out there. Maybe Cash should trade Hughes for someone who can be a #3 starter in the #5 spot, and absolutely solve all of our problems.

The team isn't even paying his salary! He could be like Al Leiter. He was brilliant in that one start after being traded and then was, well...not so great. This team needs a stop gap, an innings-eater, and some serious luck.

Put him on a short leash, and see what happens.

Nobody is going to be claimed off waivers because they are doing well. How much worse can he be than Chacon or Wilson?

Rich/Joel, I agree that this is a low-risk move, I get that. But I just have a hard time accepting that this is the best we can do for Tuesday's start. What about Steve White? What about someone else in AAA? We're talking about Ponson here, a guy who not only hasn't been good in several years but a guy who doesn't even care that he's not good. A slob who is content to stink doesn't seem like the best candidate for a #5 starter on a team trying to make the playoffs.

Also, no, let's not trade Phillip Hughes for a #3 starter. Let's not trade Phillip Hughes at all. Not for Lieber, Abreu, or anyone else.

When I heard Ponson got DFA'd, I said to myself, "Please, please, pllleeeassseee don't let Cashman pick him up." I may have been praying to God -- I'm not sure. When I saw this news flash in the ESPNews breaking-news box, I just kind of groaned. I guess it was almost inevitable.

What I don't get is why they refuse to bring up Steven White. White is better than Lieber, Ponson and Wilson. Is Ponson really any better than Chacon?

You can only hope that they use Ponson like a mule: leave him out there for seven innings even if he gives up twenty runs. If he's on this team, let him at least save the bullpen. (And get rid of Chacon if he's not in the rotation; they need to clear his space for a real reliever.)

I couldn't agree more. If Ponson must be on the team, give him the Jason Marquis treatment - keep him in there no matter how many runs he gives up or how many pitches he throws.

I'll bet they're laughing at the Yanks all over the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Baltimore.

The only silver lining here is that Ponson becomes a top-5 Yankee, along with the Mick, Whitey, and Billy Martin in the Yankees Drunken Hall of Fame.

MJ: I was being totally sarcastic about Hughes. I absolutely hope the Yanks do not trade him at all. The problem here is that every team is going to ask for and believe that any player they have is WORTH Philip J. Hughes and nothing less. Especially this early. Toward the deadline, teams will be more realistic and a move can be made. In the mean time, something has to be done.

Has anyone seen White pitch? If he looks that great, I'm sure he'd be in the Bronx by now. I don't know much about him, but he's only been in Columbus for a month or so, correct? He may yet get his chance. If Cash insists on not hitting the panic button, there might not be many other options. Kris Wilson obviously isn't the answer, maybe he'll go to the kid (is 26 still a "kid?").

I'm not really panicking over this move. I don't really care for Ponson, but Chacon is obviously not getting any more chances so whatever. I really hope he gets traded and gets a chance to pitch every 5 days and reverts to his old form.

Sorry, Rich. I guess in my Ponson-ranting I missed the tone...

Bottom line, DePaula or White (or even Henn) should've been higher in the pecking order for Tuesday's start. Honestly, it's debatable that even Wilson or Chacon didn't deserve one more chance over Ponson. Since we're quoting Animal House, Wilson and Chacon might be pieces of crap, but they're our pieces of crap...

Stealing from a friend here, but ...

Has the "ignore it and hope it goes away" treatment ever worked for a torn labrum?

Rich, I saw White pitch once in Trenton. He had a great year there before moving up to AAA (2.11 ERA, way less than a hit per inning, didn't give up any homers, etc.; the one knock was a few too many walks). He's holding his own in AAA right now and his strikeouts are going up.

He has a good, hard fastball (he throws it 93-94) and also throws a curve and a change. White's problem isn't talent -- it was injury. He seems to have fully recovered. And unless they're holding him back because he's about to be traded, it really makes no sense why he's not getting a shot.

Ponson is this year's Tim Redding.

This is a joke. I know it's a trial thing. But, it's a trial thing in the same sense where I try to be Brad Pitt. Could I be Brad Pitt? Well, until you let me *try* and be Brad Pitt, we'll never know for *certain.* But, in reality, just by looking at me, you can tell, *before* we try, that there's a 99.99999% chance that I will *never* be Brad Pitt.

That's why this has me sick to my stomach. Why even soil the clubhouse by letting this clown in there for a day, when you're 99.99999% certain that it's not going to work out?

And, if Cashman thinks that it's not a 99.99999% chance that Ponson will flop, then he's not paying attention and should be fired.

Do I like Sidney Ponson?

Absolutely not.

Do I think he looks like a whale?

Of course.

Am I about to freak out like so many people have in this thread because the Yankees claimed a guy so he could, maybe, kind of, sort of, possibly become the FIFTH starter?

No, of course not.

Ponson is not good, but it is entirely possible that he gives the Yankees a decent start or two. This isn't the type of move to freak out about. sheesh.

Ack, I suppose it can't hurt... i just wonder how they make room for him ...(Litterally.. both in the roster and on the planes and bench)

They make room for him by sending down Kris Wilson.

Although Ponson is a NYC BUM (literally). He did have #1 or #2 material sometime in his career. I mean the guy is only 29.

We are paying 160k according to the daily news, I think its a risk. If it works and we get some innings until something better comes along GREAT, if he does what he has done the last 3 odd years and stinks it up., OH WELL give him the boot. For that price, who knows. It's a RISK...

Steve? Are you still with us? You didn't jump off the Driscoll Bridge, did you?

I have nothing more to say about this team.

I look forward to Tuesday. Hopefully Ponson shows up as drunk/hung over as Boomer in '98 and pitches a perfect game. I guess that's the bright side here - we've been missing that fat, drunken assh*le ever since Boomer left. Maybe we can recapture old glories now that we have someone to take up the 300 lb. void that was left by Wells after 2003.

Well, MJ, Tuesday is the 7th Anniversary of Cone's perfect game. Maybe Coney will throw out the first pitch like Larsen did 7 years ago and there'll be some more magic at the Stadium.

Jen, that's a great thing to wish for. Whoever has Cashman's email, please drop him a quick line and recommend that Coney get the royal treatment on Tuesday. Who knows, this idea might work?!

That's why this has me sick to my stomach. Why even soil the clubhouse by letting this clown in there for a day, when you're 99.99999% certain that it's not going to work out?
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Because you may catch lightning in a bottle.

And given some of the personnel the Yanks have had over the years, I've nothing to be embarrassed about.