Via LoHud:

Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon could hit off a tee on Friday and hopes to rejoin the team by late next week.

“Friday could be a big day,” Damon said. “It feels a lot better today. It feels much better not doing the drills.”

Damon is on the 15-day disabled list with an injured left shoulder, which was hurt when the outfielder ran into the fence attempting to catch a ball on July 4. He underwent treatment only Wednesday at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

Finally, some good news in YankeeLand.  Meanwhile, season ending surgery is looking more and more likely for Hideki Matsui.  

I can't honestly believe that without some form of collusion no one would offer Barry Bonds a job if he was available at league minimum; on the other hand, the Kansas City Star's Joe Posnanski reported on Monday that Barry hadn't actually offered himself to all 30 teams at the minimum.  Still, if Matsui is out and the Yankees aren't sellers at the deadline (they won't be), then not trying Bonds becomes more and more inexcusable.

My real concern is that the rotation for next week is listed as Moose, Joba, Pettitte, Ponson, and a TBD.  We have to make up a 6 game deficit in 67 games (about 10 weeks).

Picking up a game a week (which would win the division), isn't impossible.  If the teams in front of us play at their current pace (.588) they'll finish with 95 wins, so we'd have to go 49-18 (.738).  To tie, we'd have to go 45-22 (.672).

We're 7-5 against Tampa with 6 to play, but only 4-5 against Boston with 9 to play.  

The Yankees have the postseason in their hands- but I'm worried about the arms.  We can get by with either Rasner or Ponson in the rotation, but without one more dependable starter (someone to throw a lot of league average innings like Andy Pettitte) I'm not sure this team can make it down the stretch.