Defeat the Empire

If we all thought through it logically, we could have come to this conclusion.

A 41-year-old power pitcher with back and knee problems, moving from the worst hitting division in the majors to the best, and also going to the crucible of Yankee stadium?

The decline that was inevitable wasn't even mentioned. Nobody called in on WFAN the day the deal went down to bring Johnson to the Yankees, that he wouldn't be as good has he had been for all those years in Arizona.

Johnson is hardly a liability, he's simply inconsistent and a few steps below the level of an ace. He started '06 with three decent starts, but left the last against Kansas City with "shoulder stiffness." And tonight against Toronto, after being staked to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, he simply was clobbered.

It's unlikely the shoulder injury is bad enough to put Johnson on the DL, but instead, it's a harbinger. Now at 42, he's going to come down with aches and pains that cause him to miss a start here and there, and limit his effectivness in other outings. Instead of skipping Shawn Chacon and adjusting the rotation so Johnson can come back on four days rest, the Yankees should start treating Johnson like the Mets do with Pedro Martinez; instead of running the Big Unit out there for 35 starts a year, they should give him an extra day off here and there and have him start 31 or 32 games instead. It's worked wonders for Pedro, who's dominated since moving to the National League.

Lastings: Lastings Milledge entered play Tuesday batting .357/.451/.595 with a HR and 4 RBI, as well as three steals at AAA Norfolk thus far. If Cliff Floyd continues to struggle in left field, or if either Floyd or Beltran get hurt during the summer, Milledge might show at Shea sometime in 2006. He's just about ready.