New York Yankees fans should be overwhelmingly happy with yesterday's Presidential Election results.  When it comes to winning championships the Yanks could be just smitten with Bam, and I'm not talking about The Bambino, Bam-Tino, Giambino, or Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens either.  You see when a Democrat is in office the Yankees do quite well in October. 

In the last 12 most recent years of a Democratic Presidency between the Carter and Clinton Administrations the Yankees are a perfect 6-0 in the Fall Classic.  One would have to go all the way back to the Eisenhower Administration in 1958 to find the last time the Yankees won it all under a Repubican President. 

 Additionally the Yankees are 17-3 in World Series play when a Democrat is in the Oval Office, losing only in 1942, 1963 and 1964.  So Viva La Bam!... or just spend another $300 million either way.

Anyone watching Sunday's tilt between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals saw some truly bizarre happenings, from the opening kick off return for a TD to a game sealing punt block for a TD in OT.  Yet one thing that stuck with me was how asinine the tuck rule is and I'll explain why.

Late in the 2nd quarter with Dallas backed up in their own end and trailing by seven, the Cardinals got to Tony Romo in the endzone and what at the very least should've been a safety and at most a fumble recovery for a TD to make it a 14-0 game instead was overruled because Romo "tucked" the ball in.  This in my mind sets a poor precedent, essentially telling QB's if you're in such a situation, just act as though you're tucking the ball away as to avoid a safety, TD or change of possession. 

 If I'm the NFL competition committee I would seriously look into changing this rule, that if you're the quarterback and the intention is to tuck the ball away while in the endzone while in the grasp of a defender, that the result of the play is a safety.

 In another observation from this game did anyone else smile a little bit when Ken Whisenhunt called a time out and got burned on the final field goal kick to send the game to OT?  Have to love it when these coaches get to thinking they're so cute. 

Actually Whisenhunt with two time outs remaining would've looked like a genius had he called time out before the Cowboys clocked the ball, given one of his defenders was hurt and couldn't get back across the line of scrimmage.  Hence the Cowboys would've been forced to kick a 57 yarder rather than the 52 from having the five yard offside penalty tacked on, enabling Nick Folk to boot the game tying score. 

 Considering that the Cowboys appropriately played the Cardinals, is it fair to say they aren't who many "thought they were?"

While I have admired Brian Cashman's efforts to rebuild the farm system, I have been extremely rough on him as well.  Yet today is not the day to trash Cash, especially when one considers that he reeled in two warm bodies for the likes of LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth.  This coming off less than a week ago when Cashman fleeced the Pittsburgh Pirates, coming away with Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady.

Filling positions of need without making the farm system bleed, and mind you these were no salary dumps but legit players that other teams were targeting.  The most incredible thing is these teams knew the Yankees due to injuries or ineffectiveness were desperate for and outfielder, lefty reliever and hitting catcher.  And don't come whining baseball people, because it seems to me that the Mets got Johan, Angels got Tex and Brewers got Sabathia, for very little on the dollar.  Of course when the Yankees pull off great deals, gun shy owners will always point to them as a scapegoat.

To Farnsworth's credit he was pitching better this season, given restored confidence by Joe Girardi.  However last Friday night in Boston with two runners on and one out in the 8th when Girardi pulled Farnsworth for Mariano Rivera, the writing was on the wall.  And to aquire Pudge Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame catcher who can hit better than anyone they've got at the catcher position on the present roster is a steal in two ways.  First Pudge is a great all-around player, secondly this move eliminates the Yankees need to carry three catchers, thus opening up a roster spot for another bench player or more likely a reliever.

Speaking of relievers, Girardi who has brilliantly distributed innings among his staff will no doubt continue this "committee and Mo" approach as the Yankees hit the stretch run.  The "8th inning guy" so to speak could be Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, David Robertson, Damaso Marte, or possibly recently promoted to Triple-A Mark Melancon who could be this year's version of Joba Chamberlain.  The starting rotation could also be tweaked internally as well with Ian Kennedy and Chase Wright pitching well and Phil Hughes and (please dear God no!) Carl Pavano working back from injuries.  Ultimately if the Yankees can get Chien-Ming Wang a couple of starts before October, they should be pretty well set, of course they still have to get there first.

Finally to end as an aside, perhaps I'm a bit superstitous but sometimes guys hit better in roles they're more comfortable in.  Whether positionally or a spot in the batting order, some guys have their ticks.  Hence it makes one wonder if after yesterday's action against Baltimore, the Yanks wouldn't be better off having Bobby Abreu DH and Xavier Nady play in RF.  Abreu in limited time as a DH has ripped the cover off the ball and Nady who has primarily played in right for his career really came alive yesterday.  Sometimes there are things you can't explain in baseball and maybe this is one of those things.

If Pudge Rodriguez does play well and is a huge part of a post-season run, it makes one wonder if the Yankees might look to groom Jorge Posada for 1st base, possibly re-sign Jason Giambi or Bobby Abreu for DH and trade the chronically injured Hideki Matsui.  By the way given Matsui has a very big head and a penchant for knee injuries, does this make him the Japanese Barry Bonds? 

Ok so I realize we're just hours away from the HR Derby at Yankee Stadium, but here's an interesting thought.  Since there are no Yankees competing with A-Rod declining and Jason Giambi not being selected, why not Derek Jeter? 

I believe the Stadium crowd would get a kick out of their favorite son taking part in the last HR Derby in The House That Ruth Built.  Who cares if he hasn't hit for power this season despite connecting for his 200th career HR on Saturday in Toronto, I believe it would be something really fun to see, especially since Jeter has never done it before.

Contrary to other sluggers like Rodriguez, I can't see how it would mess up Jeter's swing, especially his power stroke.  Heck if anything maybe it'll get his bat jumping with some more pop in the 2nd half? 

In any event does it sound any more or less insane than NL HR and RBI leader Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies not even making the NL All-Star team?  And MLB wonders why it has such problems maketing the sport to the African American community.

Let Jeet compete!

Brian Cashman's record on pitching is an outright abomination.  When takes an honest look at his pitching acquisitions, it has become even clearer that he simply gravy trained on the success of Gene "Stick" Michael and Bob Watson.

This guy's record on pitchers is a joke.  I mean look at the championship rotations: Stick Michael: Pettitte, Cone, Key, Mendoza, Wetteland, Rivera, Boehringer, etc.  Bob Watson: Wells, Nelson, Stanton, Lloyd, Weathers, Mecir. 

If you want to give Cashman credit for Clemens and El Duque then fine, but those were more George M. Steinbrenner III moves than Cashman.

Let's look at Mr. Cashman's record though with pitchers shall we:

1.) Mike Lowell for three minor league pitchers from the Florida Marlins who barely if ever saw the light of day in MLB.

2.) Jason Grimsley, decent rubber arm out of the pen.

3.) Denny Neagle, the beginning of the love affair with NL pitchers who were former Atlanta Braves.

4.) Letting go of Jeff Nelson, though Torre probably had as much to do with that.

5.) Mark Wholers (another ex-Brave) and Jay Witasick, wonderful replacements for Nellie eh?

6.) Ted Lilly for Jeff Weaver for Kevin Brown, guuuh, then signing Kei Igawa instead of bringing Lilly back, double guuuh!

7.) Signing Chris Hammond (another ex-Brave) to replace Mike Stanton, bringing back Stanton, Mendoza and Nelson after letting them go and bringing them back after they were even more washed up.

8.) The "Felix's" Heredia and Rodriguez.

9.) Mike Mussina (a no-brainer signing).

10.) Trading Sterling Hitchcock to the Cardinals in 2003 for a bag of baseballs, who pitched well in relief in the 2001 WS, came back to bite the Yanks against the Marlins where they could've used him instead of Weaver.

11.) Javier Vazquez, instead of Curt Schilling.

12.) Steve Karsay (another ex-Brave).

13.) Jaret Wright (another ex-Brave).

14.) Carl Pavano.

15.) Letting Pettitte go (though probably a George move), getting Pettitte back.

16.) Alan Embree, Wayne Franklin, Darrell May (make sure your kid is left-handed).

17.) Al Leiter, Shawn Chacon, Aaron Small, finally found lightning in a bottle.

18.) Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, decent but blown out by Torre come playoff time because of spotty rotation.

19.) Cory Lidle, decent pickup.

20.) Kyle Farnsworthless (another ex-Brave).

21.) Randy Johnson, mixed reviews, decent regular season poor playoffs.

22.) Luis Vizcaino, decent but blown out by Torre, see Scott Proctor.

23.) La Troy Hawkins, forget Paul O'Neill, why does he have anyone's number at this point.

24.) Sidney Ponson (twice for the love of God!), Dan Giese, the Columbus shuttle is back!!!

(Other dishonorable mentions):

Buddy Goom.
Gabe White.
Donavan Osborne.
Antonio Osuna.
Juan Acevedo.
Tim Redding.
Chris Britton.
Alex Graman.
Scott Erickson.
Armando Benitez.
T.J Beam.
Colter Bean.