Yankee fallout

... In a replay of my activities around this same time last fall -- several late nights in a row, concerts and postseason baseball -- I arrived home last night at about 1 a.m. from the Regina Spektor show ... and stayed up until past 3 watching the Indians-Yankees game on the DVR.

C'mon I couldn't go to bed without knowing the outcome of the game! And for that, I got just over three hours of sleep.

But hey, the Indians wiped out the Yankees! Sweet bliss ... What'd I tell you: Indians in four.

Now -- while I try to decide who I'm going to root for in the ALCS ...

(While I greatly admire Big Papi and the Red Sox Nation, I think I'm going to lean toward the Indians for these reasons ...

• The Red Sox are just three years removed from their last world championship, but the Indians haven't won it all since 1948.


• The Indians beat the Yankees after going winless against them during the regular season; that's heart. Experience, schmerience.


• And you gotta love a team that's made it this far with a roster that's had barely any posteason experience, aside from Kenny Lofton's 84 playoff games.


• I loved the '95 and '97 Indians. I loooove Kenny Lofton.)

... the real fun begins.

The Yankees soap opera.

First of all, Steinbrenner and his band of suits would be fools to get rid of Joe Torre ... The guy has returned pride to the Yankees, won 10 division titles, including nine straight, in his 12 years as manager. And he's got the utmost respect of his players ... No matter how successful they've been in their respective playing/managerial careers, I honestly can't see Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi or Tony LaRussa faring any better managing the Yankees ...

I could care less what happens to Mariano Rivera. I think he's overrated and it won't make any difference whether the Yankees have him next season.

Roger Clemens needs to stay home for good.

And that brings up Alex Rodriguez and the churning speculation of whether he's staying or going ... If I were Alex Rodriguez, I think I'd want to get the heck out of the chaotic Bronx, no matter who's calling me a quitter, and go to a franchise that's committed to building a winner around the right players for the team, not because they're sluggers or power pitchers who can be lured by throwing money at them, even if I have to renegotiate my contract and accept a pay cut. I'd want to go to a team where I could have fun playing again, go back to playing shortstop and earn the respect of the fans ... Then again, I'm not A-Rod.

... And if I were the Cubs, I'd forget about trying to make a run at Rodriguez and go instead for the veteran catcher who's a proven leader and a guy who can handle my pitching staff. That'd be Jorge Posada ...