The Red Sox, the Hindenburg, a boat anchor?

[spectrrr]

nah, no way the Yankees are deliberately tanking against the Rays. Those boys are professional athletes. First and foremost, they're there to play a game.

Of course part of that "game" includes winning a championship, which is a lot easier to do when you're players aren't injured... so you can be damned sure they're going to be playing more cautious baseball than the Rays - no Jeter-flying-into-the-stands in these games, nothing that would be such an obvious risk of injury.

Of course folks get injured all the time playing regular baseball. Veritek got whacked in the knee a few nights ago by an errant pitch and was out for a few games (not sure if he played tonight). He wasn't taking any risks, but sometimes sh*t happens. Nevertheless its certain the Yankees are doing everything they can to mitigate the amount of sh*t that can happen to them in these last few games.

I don't consider that deliberately tanking the game. I consider that playing good strategic baseball, plain and simple. YES, it gives the Rays a little more of a chance then they would normally have if they were in the playoffs and it was do-or-die for the Yankees - then you'd see Jeter diving into the stands to win the game at all costs. BUT that's most certainly not deliberately playing badly. I'm quite certain every player out there is playing his absolute best to win AND still be healthy to step back onto the field in the next game.