okay, some of *them* are going home.

Like any girl raised in Maryland and educated in Boston, I hate the Yankees. But I think I might love this kid: Yanks use Swisher to save bullpen.

There were light moments late in the Yankees' 15-5 drubbing at the hands of the Rays on Monday, as Swisher volunteered to pitch the eighth inning to save New York's bullpen. He got the job done, hurling a scoreless frame with a strikeout.

"When I took the mound, I wanted to try to compete, even though I'm pumping 78 [mph] or whatever it was," Swisher said. "I felt that I wanted to go out there and get three outs. I had fun with it. I mean, when am I ever going to have the chance to do that again? Probably never."

I don't know what it is, but I get *so* irrationally excited when a team has to go to a non-pitcher because they can't or don't want to use their bullpen. I get even more excited when the player does really well. I mean, I know that plenty of position players pitched in high school and even in college, but it's gotta take some serious guts to get up there in front of however many thousands of fans (and the TV audience!), not to mention the scary giant hitters on the opposite team.

(Also, WTF the Padres are leading their division? Let's enjoy that while it lasts...)

okay, some of *them* are going home.

Like any girl raised in Maryland and educated in Boston, I hate the Yankees. But I think I might love this kid: Yanks use Swisher to save bullpen.

There were light moments late in the Yankees' 15-5 drubbing at the hands of the Rays on Monday, as Swisher volunteered to pitch the eighth inning to save New York's bullpen. He got the job done, hurling a scoreless frame with a strikeout.

"When I took the mound, I wanted to try to compete, even though I'm pumping 78 [mph] or whatever it was," Swisher said. "I felt that I wanted to go out there and get three outs. I had fun with it. I mean, when am I ever going to have the chance to do that again? Probably never."

I don't know what it is, but I get *so* irrationally excited when a team has to go to a non-pitcher because they can't or don't want to use their bullpen. I get even more excited when the player does really well. I mean, I know that plenty of position players pitched in high school and even in college, but it's gotta take some serious guts to get up there in front of however many thousands of fans (and the TV audience!), not to mention the scary giant hitters on the opposite team.

(Also, WTF the Padres are leading their division? Let's enjoy that while it lasts...)