Pettitte, too

In addition to Clemens, WNBC TV in New York is reporting that the Mitchell steroids report names Yankees players Andy Pettitte, Johnny Damon, Kyle Farnsworth and Jason Giambi.

On the brink of elimination, Yanks break out the steroids

NEW YORK (AP) - Jason Giambi got his first start of the playoffs Sunday night, inserted into the Yankees lineup for Game 3 against Cleveland.
The Indians also made a lineup change, putting Trot Nixon in right field. Nixon's combined numbers in the regular season and playoffs against New York starter Roger Clemens were striking: 15-for-39 (.385) with four homers, five doubles, eight walks and 12 RBIs.
With the Yankees looking for more offense as they tried to stave off elimination in the best-of-five playoff series, Giambi batted sixth and replaced defensive whiz Doug Mientkiewicz at first base.
Slumping slugger Hideki Matsui was New York's designated hitter, batting seventh, with leadoff man Johnny Damon playing left field.
Giambi had just one plate appearance as the Yankees combined for only four runs in the first two games of the series at Cleveland. He singled as a pinch-hitter in the opener, late in a 12-3 loss.
The 2000 AL MVP with Oakland, Giambi hit .236 with 14 homers and 39 RBIs this year during a season interrupted by injury. He had only 254 at-bats, but walked 40 times to give him a respectable .356 on-base percentage.
Giambi entered 6-for-14 (.429) with two homers and five walks against the Indians' starting pitcher in Game 3, Jake Westbrook.
"That, plus the fact we really haven't done anything offensively. Our ballclub scoring four runs and three of them on home runs is not our identity," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "We need to put men on base, get them in the stretch, make them think about what we're going to do."

What a way to lose a division!

The Yankees blow the lead, "Juice" Giambi chokes with the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning against the lowly Orioles, Dice-K looks like he's worth the money for the Red Sox, and the Yankees officially lose the AL East division title for the first time in a decade.
No "mo" heading into the playoffs as the Wild Card, that's for sure.

Abreu? Outta here! Damon? Outta here!

The Boston Globe has reported that the Yankees have no plans to re-sign Bobby Abreu when he is a free agent after this season, and that they might also try to get rid of Johnny Damon.

Add that to Jorge Posada's potential departure, Alex Rodriguez's potential departure, Roger Clemens' move to the nursing home, the fact that Mike Mussina is toast, Carl Pavano is toast, Jason Giambi is almost toast.

And there won't be much left of the 2007 squad.

Will the team really make a shift toward trying to develop younger players next year?

Yeah, right.

Expect a new roster of overpaid high-profile free agents with zero team chemistry to replace this roster of overpaid high-profile free agent-signed losers.

It's the Yankee way.

$195 million of payroll ... on the bench and in minors

With a payroll that towers ridiculously above all other Major League teams, the Yankees are turning to extremely low-paid rookies to salvage the 2007 season and put them back in contention in the AL Wild Card race.

Clemens sucks at $28 million a year.

Giambi and Damon are part-time players at $23 million and $13 million, respectively.

Mussina, at $11 million a year, can't make it out of the third inning and has lost his spot in the starting rotation.

Kyle Farnsworth, at $5.6 million a year, can be counted on to lose games or fill space when you're down 13-0.

Kei Igawa, at $4 million a year, sent down to the Minors.

Carl Pavano, $10 million a year ... ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

And even Doug Mintkiewicz, at $1.5 million, is overpaid for what he has produced for the Yanks this season.

What are the bright spots for the Yankees?

Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, and now, phenom pitcher Ian Kennedy, who will be called up after a whirlwind trip through the Minors to take Mussina's place.

All of these guys make less than $500,000 a year.