New York Yankees, World Champions

A few quick thoughts:

1. Robinson Cano, not even on the Yankee radar nine years ago, finally gathered up that third out that was last seen bouncing around in the desert eight years ago. There was a gaping hole in the history of the franchise. Now, closed.

2. The thing is: if you spend money, go shopping at Tiffany's. CC, Burnett, Tex. Huge, huge.

3. A-Rod is now a World Champion. Cue rasberry.

More tormorrow.

Yankees 7, Phillies 4, middle 8

Nice of Posada to end things middle eighth. What do you do with Mo? You can say, The only time they get on base is when somebody saws one off (cf. Gonzalez, Luis). But then someone hits what would be a routine play for a centerfielder, never mind one with Gardner's wheels, and you think . . . okay, what then?

Yankees 7, Phillies 4 bottom 7

Just my luck every strand of my life screams for attention this week. Since the Series started, I've bought a house, driven to Little Rock, taken part in a round-table discussion about adult education, eaten some very good steak (thanks again, James!), eaten some good catfish, driven to Hot Springs, treated myself to a Turkish bath, and driven home, searching for a signal somewhere in the Ozark Mountains, driving down a highway between a canyon of trees that felt like one of the more brutal Par 4s at the US Open. Olympic, maybe. Or Oakmont, Bethpage.

Tonight, a midterm, which reduced me to following Game 6 on my Blackberry. My students were amused when Matsui picked up A-Rod, and dealt with my "Yes! Yes! Yes!" ringing down the hallway.

Here comes Rivera.

Phillies 8, Yankees 6 (Yankees lead series 3-2)

In the end, five runs against Cliff Lee--and a loss.

Jeter and Tex both come up as the tying run in the ninth--and those two at-bats account for the final three outs.

Did I miss anything?

Just that the Yankees are now totally out of front-line pitchers who could go on regular rest. Wednesday, Pettitte on three days. Then, if necessary, CC starting the fifth Yankee game of the last 13 (yes, yes, with the long interval in between one series and the other). Did Gaudin even make the Series roster? I mean I seriously don't know, or else I forgot. In any case, his arm is 34 inches of rust, and Girardi has pretty much decided his course.

Ahhhh. Back to the Bronx.

Yankees 7, Phillies 4 (Yankees lead series 3-1)

Take it from a Houstonian: I had faith, if you want to call it that, in Lidge. Listened to the first seven innings on the road, coming back from Arkansas. Saw Joba give up the homer to tie it. then watched Johnny Damon work through an at-bat that, if the Yankees close this thing out, will rank up there with Jim Leyritz's in 1996.

Yankes 8. Phillies 5 (Yankees lead series 2-1)

Just my luck. On the road to view a classic Yankee-type victory. Ahhhhhh.