Alea Iacta Est

It's what Caesar said in 49 B.C.E when he had five thousand of his soldiers cross the river Rubicon to enter Rome. An act forbidden by the Senate and ruling classes. It means that "The Die Is Cast." That like or not, there was a reckoning between them on the way. And there wasn't damn thing that they could do about it.

Fast forward, 2,000 years. In a office in NYC, I decide to make a little wager between my co-worker/mortal enemy Metstradamus on this weekend's Subway Series at the Stadium. The winner of the series gets to post on the loser's blog.

Being the bloodthirsty Yankee fan that I am, I wanted the winner to be able to post for the entire week. But the only way I could get the infidel to take the bait was to agree to his concessions. It's not the sort of reckoning that I wanted, but it will have to do. I'm already thinking of the sort of havoc I could wreak with the Mets universe with one post much less a week's worth. Stay tuned.

I liked what I saw last night out of Randy and the Yankees. Unit was sharp and Giambi two bombs were a nice touch. But I was still rooting for some tack-on insurance. Why? Not just because I'm a bloodthirsty Yankee fan as my infidel friend Sportsaholic likes to call me. It's because I know we're gonna need all the help we can get.

I wish our team had the sort of defense and pitching that would enable us to win games 3-2, 2-1, 1-0 with regularity. It's not. Outside of Jeter, saying that our infield defense is mediocre is generous. I wish Torre would burn all of Giambi's first base mitts after Sunday. We have decent range in the outfield, but only Melky can throw runners out regularly. Posada has gotten better behind the plate, but he's not winning a gold glove anytime soon. Not while Pudge is still playing.

People would think that having Matsui and Sheff in the lineup was a luxury. I say that it was a borderline necessity. This lineup still has the ability to score five to seven runs a game. But it lacks the ruthless efficiency that it possessed with Gary and Goczilla. The ability to bat around at will. To turn a 3-1 deficit into a 10-3 lead in an instant. The assassin-like quality of the Yankee offense covered a lot of flaws in this team. The mediocre starting pitching or defense was overlooked when the team dropped a 17 spot on someone.

They didn't get exposed until October. When a team with an inferior offense but a superior bullpen and defense beat them five heart-breaking games. The Yankees should have swept that series. They instead had to watch the Halos fold like cheap suits versus the Chi-Sox.

So as much as I'd love to win a couple of 2-1 and rest the bullpen. I don't think the team right now can do it the way it's currently constructed. That's why I feel that pitching is a more pressing need for the bombers than a bat. If there was a gold glove centerfielder available at the deadline so I could move Damon to left, I'd jump on it. But I'd settle for a good gloveman at first who can keep you honest at the plate. There's a reason why Andy Phillips is 29 and just getting regular major league time. He's a bench player, nothing more. Give me an Olerud type so I can DH Giambi regularly, and I'm good.

I have no problems rooting for the Mets to beat Red Sox a bit. But since they might lose just out of spite, I'm going to stay neutral and worry about what the Yanks do against the Braves. If we gain a game or two great. Just so as we don't lose any ground.

I am tired of them running through the NL East though like it was the Cape Cod Summer League. It'll be nice to see them face a real major league team finally. Even if it is the Mets.

Despite his infidel leanings, I had nothing to do with what happened to Peter Gammons. I've enjoyed his work even though ESPN wants you to pay for it now. There's a joke somewhere in there. But I'm going to let it go for now.