Roger out, Manny in as playoffs upon us

On a national sports talk radio program yesterday, former Twins and Mets ace Frank Viola predicted that Roger Clemens will not only be out for the rest of the regular season, as has been announced, and for the first round of the playoffs, as has been conjectured in the New York tabloids, but for all of the playoffs and the rest of the year.

Can you imagine the Yankees sending Kei Igawa to the mound in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Red Sox?

Meanwhile, Manny Ramirez is back in the Red Sox lineup, just in time to see them clinch the division and get warmed up for the playoffs.

Maybe 20 pitchers can do what three can't

Another blown lead, another nail-biter, another six pitchers used so far in tonight's 6-6 tie ballgame in the top of the ninth inning against lowly Tampa Bay.
This comes on the heels of Friday's 14-inning loss to Toronto in which 8 pitchers were used, and the following night's 10-inning victory in which 10 pitchers were used.
If it makes Joe Torre feel better to finish half a game out of the division lead instead of 2 1/2, and then have no fresh pitching available for the playoffs, so be it.
The strategy doesn't seem to make sense when you've got Clemens about to check into a nursing home and you're desperate enough that you're starting Kei Igawa in his place.

$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.