It’s a roller coaster, isn’t it?  Win six…lose three…get a delayed lay up of a win that has everyone questioning the goods on the immortal Mariano Rivera…two kids in Baltimore own the Yankees because the Bombers never hit well against pitchers they’re not used to — just like that NL West road trip in June…In the process, the Yanks have gone from scoring 70 runs in six games to three runs in three games.

And yes, A-Rod is stuck at 499.

Of course you can’t miss the updates — that’s the back cover of today’s Daily News as the world waits for Alex Rodriguez to become the youngest player to ever hit 500 home runs.  The word “jumpy” has been used by the media who have watched him day in and day out and I have to say I agree.  Currently, we are in the bottom of the second inning as the Yankees play the final game of their “three-game” road trip through Baltimore. A-Rod has come to the plate with the bases juiced in each inning and has been hacking away at the wild Daniel Cabrera.    

In his first at-bat A-Rod stuck out after Cabrera walked two and gave up a single to Derek Jeter…there was no taking pitches for A-Rod, he was hacking.  He even looked to be a bit off when he swung through a hanging breaking ball.  In the second inning, he grounded into an inning-ending double play that once again killed a great rally opportunity.  For the second time in as many innings he did not make Cabrera work. 

Still, the Yankees lead 4-0.

The Yanks will certainly score runs while they wait for A-Rod get the monkey off his back.  It’s a big ol’ monkey with a number of heads: the ever-present NYC media attention, the countless hopes that he will rid the record books of Barry Bond’s tainted home run achievements, Jose Canseco’s latest attempt at making some money by trying to dish some dirt, and even the special numbered balls that an opposing pitcher must throw him every time he come to the plate (yeah, completely absurd).

It should all be over for Alex soon. 

Hopefully, the Yankees won’t need too much offense from him before it happens.