The second half begins

I've been in the hospital for part of the last month, and busy trying not to barf the rest of the time. But now I'm back. Starting to feel almost human again, so I need to get back to what I do best: Support the Yankees and watch TV.

Start with the Yankees. We enter the second half of the season 10 games out of the AL East pennant race, and 8 1/2 out of the wild card. These are desperate times indeed.

But I'm not ready to throw in the towel. Not even close. I can not find another starting 8 that I would swap even up for the Bronx Bombers. They are led by not 1, not even 2, but 3 legitimate MVP candidates. A-Rod, Jeter, and Posada. Each would be considered THE man on any other team, but on the Yanks they are just a part of the best lineup in baseball.

The starting staff is coming around, and as long as Pettitte is not injured (why has he gotten blown out in his last 2 starts?) Wang, Pettite, Mussina, and Clemens are enough to get us into the playoffs. And once there, easily enough to take on all comers, even the Tigers or Sox.

I'm looking for a huge second half surge by our pinstriped representatives of NY. A friend and fellow fan says 27 in 2007, and I see no reason to jump ship.

We still have a lot of baseball left this season.

As the great Lawrence Peter Berra once said, "It ain't over til it's over."