It has been said that there are no coincidences.  If this be true, then Melky Cabrera's recent slump may correlate to the impending return of Hideki Matsui: daily DH-ing, looming on the sidelines, waiting in anticipation for the day that Manager Torre returns him to his former home in left field.  That day is now here.

We have nothing against Matsui, not even the sudden A-Rod type slump he experienced in last year's ALDS.  In Godzilla's case, the sub-par batting was a one time mysterious anomaly.   A-Rod, well, that's another sadly mis-spent Yankee payroll story.  I guess last year's choke-job  wasn't his fault just like his declaration that it's not his fault he's "so intelligent and so good looking."  BARF!  

Matsui, though, is a magnificent, professional  hittter with, perhaps, the best  bat control of any Yankee, Robinson Cano included.  He is a fierce competitor.  Case in point:  the serious fracture to his left  wrist in the diving catch attempt of last May.  He hustles to all balls, runs out every grounder, and with his quick release of an average arm, makes plays at second base and home plate closer than they ought to be.  To date, he has been a clutch performer.

In Hideki's absence and in a situation compounded by the freak wrist fracture to Gary Sheffield, emerged in an emergency one Mighty Melky (Cabrera) to save the day.  The youngster  was called up to the Big Apple after hitting the stuffing out of the ball (about a .385 clip)  down on the Ohio farm.  A centerfielder playing his first game in right, Melky misplayed a wind-blown fly ball into a damaging extra base hit.  We thought it to be more of the same from the previous season's fielding charade in Fenway when he was up for a mid-summer's cup of coffee.  But this year Melky must have switched to decaf because, very quickly, the jitters dissipated  and when the steam cleared, Melky was out there in left, patrolling it like he'd been there for a career.  He has made all the plays - the Sandy Amoros (who?) grabs by the tight corner near the pole, the Ricky Henderson leap and snatches over the high wall, and the Roy White foot races coralling in balls out in the valley.

 And could he throw.  At last count, he was in double figures for outfield assists.  With the recently acquired Bobby Abreu in right and Melky in left, the Yanks now have two of the stronger and most feared arms in the league.  An important point  to consider with Johnny Damon and Bernie Williams competing for lollipop toss of the year in center.

But can he run?  Quicker than Cano and almost as fleet as Jeets.  How about the hitting?   From both sides, occasional power, goes deep in the count, fouls off a lot of balls - makes the pitcher work, strokes the pitch to the opposite field, and so far hits Major League pitching at a .280 clip, about the same this year as 'A-Rod the intelligent and beautiful one.'  Melky, however, has driven in runs when they counted.    

Besides being able to bunt and move a runner over, there is something else Melky Cabrera has brought to Manager Torre's 'home run happy' lineup this summer.  Call it youthful enthusiasm, the positive energy of pure innocence, the joyous passion of playing ball.  Melky Cabrera belongs on any field with Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon and Robby Cano.  They have it too and are all happy to play small-ball when needed.  If you like, call it  chemistry.  But chemistry, not bizarrely gigantic payrolls and/or bizarrely gigantic egos will finally win the whole, damn, big sha-####.

We understand that the still recovering, presently DH-ing Matsui will start in left field tomorrow night. 

But why?         

Let's just say that George likes to get his money's worth.

p.s.  Dear Melky, seen Bubba Crosby lately?    

Well, at least you can say that the Sandman didn't put us to sleep.  Mariano Rivera made Mr. Wang's groundball masterpiece temporarily interesting.  But the question of the night for Joe Torre and Ron Guidry in this, the Pitch Count Era, should be:  How do you take a guy out of the game when he's thrown all of 87 pitches over 8 innings of 3 hit shutout ball?  Under this management and this scenario, Mr. Sinkerball Wang will never-ever pitch a true shutout or even a complete game.  Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox pitching staff must have had a good laugh at this one. 

Be honest.   Weren't you just a little scared that Rivera was going to give up a 3 run right field porch job to Swishing?  Be honest now.

What a great game to read your newspaper by.  Was that really 8 1/2 innings?  Thanks to Mr. Wang's and Mr. Zito's quick pace, the great Yankee infield play (5 DP's), A-Rod's 420 foot ice breaker, and even Bernie's insurance clout, I had time to do other things which was not the case the night before.  Only Mariano slowed the game down.  And there is a definite correlation between top-notch fielding and an up beat pitching tempo. 

Speaking of the Yank's glovework (especially Cano and Phillips), did Michael Kay really say the words, "Glove is a many splendored thing?"

Between the combination of this guy, the melodramatic Sterling on the radio (and Yankee-ography),  Susan Waldman (radio)  who gives the pitch speeds via the radar gun so often it's like a Nascar event and in a voice right out of a Lower Eastside deli, and our favorite crackerjack reporter-ess Kim Jones, I'm getting ready to go to night school to pick up some Espanol for the Spanish broadcast and/or my Wal-Mart shopping.  Thank you Mel Allen/Red Barber in the Sky' for Jim Kaat, Bobby Murcer, and Ken Singleton.  The jury is still out on Paul O'Neill.  We also like Bob Lorenz. 

Prediction:  Bubba Crosby goes 4 for 4, makes a great catch, steals 2 bases, and lays down a sac bunt in an upcoming Yankee victory and then, and then, and then...he's on the bench the next 4 games.  Go Melky!  You the man!

KIM JONES TOOK THE NIGHT OFF.  EVEN KIM NEEDS A BREAK FROM KIM.