One helluvan afternoon!

In chronological order:

* New York Governor Elliot Spitzer has resigned. Will Marlon Anderson change his uniform number again?

* Andy Pettite was scratched from his start today because of elbow tendonitis. The Yankees say it’s not serious. If he goes down for any kind of extended period, they’re in Barney…

* The Yankees and Rays have resumed hostilities and I mean that literally. After Joe Girardi’s histrionics during Catchergate over the weekend, he came off looking like a crybaby. Apparently, the Rays think so, too. Today’s emergency starter Heath Phillips (see above) plunked TB rookie Evan Longoria on the shoulder in the first and was immediately ejected. So in the top of the second, Shelley (Sandy) Duncan hits a blooper to left and tries to leg it into a double. Trouble is, he’s out by 35 feet and comes in spikes high. This apparently irks Rays RF Johnny Gomes, who comes galloping in and coldcocks Duncan. Next thing you know, there was a real pier 6 brawl going on at second base.

* Ed Coleman called into the ‘FAN to report a wild rumor in Port St. Lucie that the Mets have traded Angel Pagan to Boston for Coco Crisp.

* Nobody on the ‘FAN could figure out if the Dayton/St. Louis A-10 Tournament game was still going on or not. Originally it was announced as a 58-53 Dayton victory in regulation — except that what really happened was that Dayton won 63-61 in overtime.

It’s great time to be alive!