When you get right down to it, ladies and gentlemen, Alex Rodriguez cannot be out of the headlines for one minute. When he played in Seattle and Texas, he was the headlines, lock, stock, and barrel. Now, in New York, alongside hall of fame nominees to be like Jeter, Rivera, and Torre, A-Rod can't handle it.

After the sad tragedy of Cory Lidle's passing, Alex Rodriguez has to report, BY EMAILING CBS HIMSELF, that he had his plane overrun the runway in Burbank, California, but he's okay. Two days after Cory Lidle died in a fireball that harkened New York back to the horror of September 11th, and this guy is talking like it never happened. Wake up, jackass, the world went by you long ago.

It truly is a mindblowing experience to try and fathom what this man is thinking about, and the bull that he has spun in a web of lackluster performance on and off the field in his two years and change as a member of the New York Yankees. This one, however, truly does take the cake. I thought Mike Francesa's reaction on the radio when this story broke was absolutely perfect for the time. He said, and I quote, "I can't do it. When did this become a story?"

Moving forward, I am a Yankee hater, and relishing in the plight of the Yankees embarassing defeat to the Tigers would be something I would take a great deal of joy and satisfaction in, but the fact remains. This team is just too damn egotistical to give a damn about. What bothers me most of all is the one man who I would root for, the one man who has shown class throughout the time he has been in MLB, and specifically, his 11 years with the Yankees, has to be the one to take the most wrath from the Boss, and possibly be looking at a year of torturous interference from Steinbrenner and the press in 2007.

Joe Torre has been class from the word go. I don't quite understand why he wouldn't accept a buyout, and take a year off and collect his paycheck, especially after working for Steinbrenner for a decade, but I can relate to the fact that the man has principles, and he wants to work to earn his paycheck. I can also understand that the forecast of spending 12 million dollars on managerial talent can't be good for any baseball owner, and that would've probably been the scenario had Torre got the axe and Piniella brought in. With all that being said, Torre has walked in to a fire storm that no man should have to endure, and that is 365 plus days of Steinbrenner breathing down his neck to get back to the position of being in the ALDS, and hopefully then, finding a way to surpass it, and eventually, take the World Series championship.

And do we see a championship in the Yankee future? Hell, no, not as currently instituted. Let's go down this road, one by one, quickly.

Catcher, Jorge Posada. Ok, Posada has shown some major talent this past year, and his prime is now, I give this position as a stalwart. Let's move on.

1st baseman, Jason Giambi. Trophy. Overpaid. Underused due to injury. Still a liability with the steroid cloud over his head. Should he go? Definitely. Will he go? Doubtful. Nobody is there to take the contract.

2nd baseman, Robinson Cano. If I were Torre, I would spend a lot of time in the off season with Cano, and make sure his ego does not get ahead of his talent.

Shortstop, Derek Jeter. God should be taking stride with Torre for the failures of this team, and getting in the face of the other members, to try and actually see if they have a collective pulse.

3rd baseman, Alex Rodriguez. Get him the hell out of here. This one did not work. It hasn't worked from the word go, and I doubt, hell, I predict it is not going to succeed after another off season of media scrutiny.

Left Fielder, Hideki Matsui. If Matsui is healthy, he is a keeper. His ego-less playing and his intensity is a must for this team.

Center fielder, Johnny Damon. Damon is smiling like there is no tomorrow as the Yankees limp out of Comerica Park with a loss and an embarassing series defeat. Hey, pretty boy, how about shutting the hell up until you're out of the limelight, okay?

Right Fielder, Gary "I can play 1st base" Sheffield. Get him the hell out of here too. This moron can't even catch a ball coming from the infielders for simple put outs? Give me a break.

Pitching. Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, and a cast of rejects. Mussina and Johnson have shown me zero, but what can they do with their contracts? Can they find Carl Pavano before he hits another car or wakes up with another girlfriend and a sexually transmitted disease? Also, what's the collective age of the Yankee pitching staff, 100?

In simpler terms, ladies and gentlemen, Brian Cashman better damn well have the off season of his life, otherwise both he and Joe Torre will be subject to some of the worst Bronx Zoo antics that we have been fortunate to avoid since well before the 2000 season, which by the way, was their last championship.

Oh, and one more thing, too. If the Mets don't rebound tonight and win in St. Louis, that ball game is over too.

Debate me, if you wish, by checking out my myspace at myspace.com/mikesiciliano, or emailing me at KLAC1102@aol.com.