OUR FAR FLUNG CORRESPONDENT
View From Yankee Land

Several years ago, when the predecessor to this publication was still the Bay Sports Review, I pointed out to our esteemed publisher that we also have a bay in New York, and that this might justify covering a baseball team that was actually good. Now that this is the Ultimate Sports Guide, he has seen the logic in having an article about the ultimate baseball team, the world champion New York Yankees.

So one month into the season, how's it goin'? Pretty damn good, thanks to great starting pitching, Mariano Rivera and outstanding production from three-fifths of the greatest infield of all time. The champs took seven of their first eight three-game series, losing only to the Angels. Speaking of whom, to those A's fans wondering where their team will finish within their normal range of somewhere between last place and the much longed-for elimination in the first round of the playoffs: Fuhgeddaboudit. They're not going to beat out the Angels, or the Mariners, for that matter. Even the Rangers might be tough, now that Vlad Guerrero looks like he has something to prove. Resident genius Billy Beane has apparently decided to defuse the controversy over the A's possible move by ensuring that no one cares. Better start looking forward to the football season. Oh, right, sorry.

While I'm at it, to Giants fans: Who cares? The National League sucks. The real Giants play football.

So you don't think this is the greatest infield of all time? Screw you. We could have five Hall of Famers here. A-Rod overcame the next to last blemish on his career, hitting .365 with six homers last post-season, while taking no detectable performance-enhancing drugs. Derek Jeter is the greatest shortstop, and possibly the greatest human being, of all time. How good? Not only does he have a lifetime BA of .317, four Gold Gloves (including 2009), five rings and the most hits in Yankee history, if he were on the A's, he'd even be in seventh place on the team's career homer list. Plus, his Turn 2 Foundation promotes healthy lifestyles among youths, and his fiancé is Minka Kelly. Mark Teixeira led the league with 122 RBIs and tied for the league lead with 39 homers, while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense. In all New York modesty, I admit Jorge Posada might be a stretch for the Hall, but his career stats (162-game averages of .278, 25 homers, 98 RBIs) compare favorably to the last two catchers inducted, Gary Carter (.262, 23, 86) and Carlton Fisk (.269, 24, 86). But the real revelation this year will be Robinson (named after Jackie) Cano. Reggie Jackson has called him the best hitter on the Yanks for several years. With a career BA of .309, and coming off an outstanding 2009 (.320, 25 homers, 85 RBIs), he is poised to have a monster year.

By the way, I realize I am not using the hip new stats designed to convince fans in "small markets" (last I looked, Northern California has about a bazillion people) why they should pay good money to watch players who don't hit home runs or .300. I am waiting to hear why "won-lost" is a meaningless stat. Perhaps wins per dollar spent?

The Yanks' starting pitching is also tough. Vallejo native CC Sabathia gives them the ace they lacked for several years; A.J. Burnett has better stuff than his record ever indicates; Andy Pettitte is old reliable, and won the clinching game in all three post-season series last year (did I mention the Yankees won the World Series?); and Phil Hughes seems to be coming into his own, after posting a 3.03 ERA, mostly as a setup man, last year, and is still only 23. Hopefully Javier Vasquez (15-10, 2.87 ERA last year with the Braves) will come around after a rough start. Relief pitching? The team has some excellent arms in Dave Robertson and Damaso Marte, Joba Chamberlain back in his best role as setup man, and this guy named Mo, who looks pretty good.

Anything can happen over 162 games, and in a short playoff series. But as November approaches, and the most A's and Giants fans can hope for is passage of the marijuana referendum, we'll be rooting for another parade down the Canyon of Heroes.

Jesse Siegel is a criminal defense attorney in New York. (What's it to ya?) He also plays lead guitar in the Lost Highway Band. E-mail: jessemsiegel@aol.com.