Maybe it is just the sight of so many non-millionaires on the mound for the Yankees these days, that raises hopes, expectations and nostalgia; take the last time Sergio Mitre pitched, a guy whose work had been almost too painful to watch: hits, walks, runs scored ... turns in a one hit quality start; and now in the blink of the game and ink of the writers he has become a fixture in the rotation; a gritty throwback to a time when a starters job was to keep us in the game...not just to cost more than some nations can spend on oil in the winter.  The Yankees have had many bulldogs..remember Jim Bouton, Mike Torres.  They were not all Whitey, Guidry, Catfish Hunter, CC Sabbathia types...talented and relatively expensive stars.
I like the idea of Sergio in the rotation, Wang was that way too, occasionally dominant.  I imagined Kei Igawa would be this way.  The Yanks have finally recovered from a string of  bad decisions: Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, and most- trading Jose Contreras.
The Yanks have talented young arms: Melancon, Joba, Hughes, Robertson perhaps five others in various steps towards the Bronx.  Boston seemed to have even more, but then got caught hording pitchers to keep them away from the Yanks[ Smoltz, Penny, Byrd, Wagner and so many relievers] that they have now regressed in young pitching- Lester is strong, Bucholz a question mark, and the young relievers have not held up this year for long periods.  Matsusaka, maybe he finally realized how badly treated he was in the stealth acquisition from japan...so much paid to his former team relatively little to him, he is under market value if CC is worth $20 million a year, Matsusaka has more talent according to Boston he is on the Beckett level who is also underpaid or overrated... but I still think Boston leads the league in favorable ball/strike calls, and no Black starters in the field, an odd coincidence no doubt... but it catches my eye in baseball, or basketball or football, or soccer, or tennis, or swimming, or gymnastics, or ping pong, or fishing, anything except NASCAR... *grin*... I remember when the Celtics got booed at home, I think they had won 7 or 8 world titles in a row...but the lineup was maybe...Bill Russel, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and someone I can't remember...Willie Nauls maybe, Havlicek was the 6th man...they got booed in Boston, five Black players...another coincidence. Red Auerbach was the coach.