THE RICH GET RICHER

***WHO ARE THOSE GUYS?***
Mark Teixeira? Alex Rodriquez? Derek Jeter? Mariano Rivera? You expect to see those names in a recap of a Yankee victory, but that's not what's happening now. Francisco, The Cisco Kid, Cervelli, Rameiro Pena, Bret Gardner and Joba Chamberlain are the names in focus these days. It seems that Girardi has the wrong guys batting 2, 3, and 4 for the Bombers. The best thing A-Rod did last night was not take the bat off his shoulder and get an RBI via a bases-loaded walk.

Cervelli blasted a triple to the wall, popped a 'dying quail' single to right and embarrassed Oriole third baseman Miguel Tejada with a perfectly placed bunt. All this, plus running the game from behind the plate like a 10-year veteran. Pena showed that you don't have to slam those picturesque line drives to bring in runs, you can be just as effective with an easy fly ball and slow-rolling bunt. It seems that Bret Gardner makes pitchers nervous just by walking out to the on-deck circle. If he's that dangerous, why do pitchers walk him so much? Rivera gets you out but Chamberlain embarrasses you, too.

Girardi's smiling, Kevin Long is smiling, Dave Eiland is smiling. These youngsters are having such a good time, you start laughing right along with them. Everyone's smiling...except the rest of the league. Enjoy it while you can, Tampa Bay.

***FROM DWIGHT PERRY, SEATTLE TIMES***
"Just for the record, there's no need to tase the paying customers here in Seattle. If the Mariners really wanted to shock their fans, they'd just go out and score three runs."
Note: He may be laughing and making jokes, but I don't think Dwight Perry is too happy with the hometown Mariners these days.

***THE PHENOM IS MOVING UP***
Washington's much heralded sensation, Stephen Strasburg, is being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse this week, one more step in the chain. After this, the next step would be the Washington Capitals. And if he continues to do well, then maybe the Major Leagues.

***SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN***
Another fan ran out onto the field in Philly last night, after 17-year old Steve Consalvi was tasered on Monday night. The 34-year old unnamed rowdy gave up quietly after police threatened to buy him season tickets to the New York Mets.

CP-