You draft a guy in the 88th round during the 1996 draft. And, nine years later, he homers for the 1st time in the big leagues to beat you – when you really need the win. You are the 2005 New York Yankees. Actually, these current Yankees are the fat guy who always falls prey to “day two.”

You know this guy. He’s the one who needs to do something about his weight and decides to diet and/or exercise. Starting it is never a problem for him. There are many times where he decides to do something, and, on “day one” he’s great. He eats right and watches the quantity of his food. He drinks lots of water. And, he works out hard that day. Maybe he does an hour on the treadmill or dusts off the Bowflex – or both – and really works up a sweat.

But, despite that great effort and results on that first day, the next day, he falls off the wagon, sits on the couch for most of the day, and eats like a pig on his last meal. And, all the forward progress and steam from “day one” is wiped out. So, he has to start another “day one” when he can get to it. Maybe it’s later that week – or, in a couple of weeks. But, then, on the next “day two” (of his latest attempt at the right thing) he fails again – and he just keeps repeating the cycle over, and over, again.

This is the 2005 Yankees to date. They hit rock bottom, and then win a game where you think it’s the start of something – but, the day after, they cannot string together another win for the chain.

The incredible thing here is that, as bad as the Yankees have been this season, New York is just 6 games out of 1st place. (To compare, if the Yanks were in the AL Central, they would be a dozen games out of 1st right now – dead and buried.)

Through the graces of luck, there’s still time for the Yankees to make a run at it this season. But, the first step is to win two in a row. You have to win 2 in a row in order to start a winning streak.

Maybe this can happen against the Pirates this week?