That Yankee loss was so key today. For them to go 13 innings, only to lose and find themselves 11.5 back, makes a big difference. If they'd won, they'd have had serious momentum, and possibly more going into the break with another win tomorrow, especially if we got swept in Detroit. The loss means we clinch being 10 up on them (and everyone else) at the break, with them having at most a 1-game winning streak. Also, I love how another Clemens gem is wasted. Beautiful.

However, the plan was not for us to lose a 13-inning game of our own! Tito has me so confused. If our main goal is to get to the break healthy (as proven by all the resting and keeping guys out longer than necessary to play it safe), why the hell are we keeping Okajima in for a third inning? At that I said Bring in Timlin, if we lose, so what, at least we keep Okajima healthy. We did that, an inning late, but then Tito went as far as pinch hitting Youk. I don't know what's goin' on.

But seeing those Tiger fans all excited, as if it were a playoff game (they're fighting for first right now), made me realize that it could be bad that we'll be playing so many meaningless games. Will these guys even remember what pressure is if we win the division by 10 games and suddenly find ourselves in a tense playoff series? Hopefully, our "rest" will be an advantage over teams that had to claw their way into the postseason.

What the hell was that chef of shit pies, Shef, doing when he crossed the plate? Was he kicking dirt at our dugout? I'm just gonna assume he was. Hey, I wondering if that choking cowchip will keep his mouth shut should the Tigers have a 3-0 lead in the ALCS this season?

Great job by everybody who pitched for us tonight. And Coco--so close on that last play, but, hey, 11 games up....

So, as the Twins scored 32 runs on Friday, a day after capping off their crap-tastic performance in The Bronx, I thought about how often that happens. It seems like every team that goes in there (as I've said since, like, '80) plays with jaws agape, or as my dad's always said, they "lay down and die" for the Yanks. But not only that, they leave town and turn into adults again, beating whoever it is they play, with the confidence you get from not being in that big, loud, sca-a-a-ry toilet shaped/smelling stadium. So I looked it up. I was keeping track in my head as I went through the schedule, so don't blame me if I'm off by a little bit, but I found that this year, teams are 7-1 in games immediately following a series loss to the Yanks in The Bronx. They get out of there, breathe a sigh of relief, and go on about their business.

The one team that lost their next game was Texas, but within a week of that, they lost a series at home to the Yanks, then won their next three games. (Must've been the mere sight of pinstripes that got 'em that time....)

With the addition of Bailey, our team is looking more and more like the cast of WKRP. Bailey, Lester (Les), Drew (Andy), Ortiz (The Big Guy)....