When will this roller coaster ride end?

Well no sooner do I complain about a lack of momemtum than the Yanks rip off a 4 game winning streak and show signs of life.

And immediately upon (in fact during) this happening, another huge injury strikes to dampen the enthusiasm.

To paraphrase that infamous NY'er Michael Corleone "Just when they climb back in, they get pushed back out"

Now C. M. Wang goes down for 2 months or more. Some Yanks fans are really wailing about not pulling the trigger on Santana now, and the talk is of CC or lesser lights as trade candidates to fill in. Cashman meanwhile says nothing's happening on the trade front and apparently we'll have to muddle through for a bit.

So what is Plan B... C... D... Z?

Well a favorable schedule stretch means the Yanks could get by using a 5th starter only 3 times until July 22. They are going to have to pull an additional spot start out of their um, hat, in the crosstown make up double header with the Mets on June 27 - meaning a possible starting combo that day of Dan Giese and Jeff Karstens or (double gulp!) Kei Igawa. Even as troubled as the Mets are that can't be seen as intimidating. Ian Kennedy is apparently approaching a possible return, but will need at least some rehab work, and hasn't remotely played up to his '07 performance thus far in '08. Phil Hughes isn't expected back until August.

Moving Giese - a 31 year old in only his second stint in the majors and without a majors start and only 11 career appearances on his resume (can anyone say "Aaron Small"?) - to the rotation means the long relief role will be unfilled again. Scott Patterson will likely make his 2nd appearance in NY to add a pen arm for now. He may have replaced Chris Britton (on the DL with motion sickness after 4 callups / demos) on the Scranton shuttle. Of the non-roster heirs apparent in the system for the pen, only David Robertson seems positioned for a call up. JB Cox is on the AAA DL ("tired shoulder") and Mark Melancon is still in AA.

So it's slog on until the All Star break, then see what the trade market presents. So many questions in the pitching staff. Sadly for NY fans, if pitching does win championships perhaps Yankee Stadium's final season won't be crowned by a 27th title.