WasWatching.com

F**K....I need to start concentrating on work and stop thinking about the Yanks. I keep getting distracted.

I love this lineup and I hate that everything is concentrated around ARod and some hidden message being sent to ARod. I think Torre understands that this is the best lineup to help the Yanks win. Torre wants this team to be productive, pass the baton and suck all the energy out of the starting pitcher. The most important task for any manager is to put his/her employees in a position that will make them successful, in turn making the team successful and the organization.

I don't think there was a hidden message, it's just about winning. If Shef sucks in that spot and ARod is mashing the ball, you can bet that Torre will move the lineup around.

I looked at that lineup and my first reaction was a sort of gleeful laughter.

I mean, there's no Jason Tyners or Geoff Blums in this lineup.

Hmmm. A-Rod has been swinging the bat pretty well lately too. I don't know that I trust Sheffield more than A-Rod: Sheff's post-season numbers have not been better than A-Rod's. And here's the sad thing: let's say this lineup works and Torre sticks with it, hopefully to a title. And let's say A-Rod mashes from the 6th spot. All of the idiots will say "see, if he was clutch he would've done it from the 4-hole."

*shrug*

I don't know. The last couple of years, Rodriguez batted 2nd in the playoffs. Obviously that's not going to happen with the addition of Damon and Abreu. Of course, with Sheffield (usually batted 4-5, right?) coming back, it deepens the lineup a bit. And this maintains the L-R balance.

Holy sh!t this lineup is deep!

Thing I love about this is that finally it alternates lefties and righties all the way down the order. In a close game this could force some good matchups for us, or force the Tiggers to use more pitchers to get through a tough inning. Our last three would bat 3-5 on many major league teams.

This could be the first post season team to have no pinch hit appearances. At the moment, I'm more concerned about Giambi and Matsui than A-Rod. Jason's had too few AB's lately and I think Matsui starting lunging at change-ups/breaking pitches and rolling over pitches up in the zone. Over the last couple of years we've seen him do this in stretches; then sorts himself out and starts drilling the ball. Just hope he's ready starting tomorrow night. All things considered, I don't think there is another post-season team that can compare favorably.

I think you'll see some pinch hitting spots because Phillips will replace Sheff in the later innings and then Bernie or Melky will pinch hit for Phillips.

As far as the lineup goes, short of batting Posada leadoff, there's no way for Torre to set a bad lineup. The depth is nuts.