Remember in June when the Yankees were floundering at .500 and almost 10 games back and I told you that they’d be fine.  I wasn’t wrong.  It’s not like this is a new occurrence for the Bronx Bombers.  Oh and, by the way, they just added a .330 slugging outfielder to the mix by acquiring the X man, Xavier Nady, and reliever Damaso Marte for a few luxury box tickets, a bag full of trinkets, and a minor leaguer.

Joba Chamberlain is slowly working his way up the list of people I am a fan of.  It’s not because of his awesome autographed picture that’s available in SkyMall and other flight magazines and it’s not because he almost seamlessly converted from a set up man to the best starter in the Yankees rotation.  It’s because, despite his impeccable pitch location for 99% of the league, he magically loses a ball or two when Kevin Youkilis steps in the box.  Combine that with my open hate for the Red Sox as an organization and we have a good match.

I’m not advocating throwing at players heads, lets make that clear right now.  Pegging people, however, is part of the game.  It’s the pitchers job to intimidate; if he can’t strike fear into the batter with an inside fastball or two, he’ll get shellacked.  Hence, after Chamberlain gassed one over Youkilis’ head and luckily hit his bat for strike one, he came back with sliders and cheddar on the outside corner that Youkilis had no chance at hitting.  Intimidation.

I can almost guarantee you that someone on the Yankees will get dotted today for Joba’s actions last night.  Warnings will be issued, benches might stand up and glare at each other, and ESPN will assuredly blow it out of proportion and re-run all those clips of A-Rod and Varitek slugging at each other and Don Zimmer getting thrown by Pedro.  It’s inevitable.  But it’s part of the game.  I’m just glad to see that, in today’s society where stepping on toes will shatter your image in the public eye, someone like Chamberlain has the stones to play the game with some grit and lawlessness.  And hey, what do you know, at only three games out, the Yankees are right back in this thing.  I told you so.