Yankee alert downgrade?

The Yanks won their eighth in a row today and now stand 19-19.

They still suck.

But we're now at peer-over-the-ledge instead of stand-at-the-precipice-and-get-ready-to-jump. They've gone from Red Alert (ultimate stench on the Harlem River) to Orange Alert (still in the stink but not hopeless).

How have they won their eight straight? GOOD PITCHING. Seven quality starts in eight games, including two from previously hopeless Kevin Brown. Even better yesterday was Brown not getting flustered despite TWICE having to get five outs in an inning thanks to A-Rod-and-friends' defensive hiccups (two innings with two defensive misplays each).

How else? The character man: Tino Martinez. Tino is much beloved by Yankees fans for good reason: he plays hard, no complaint, team first at all times. He's The Monk's second-favorite Yankee from the most recent dynasty (Paul O'Neill is first) and there's a good reason Tino ALWAYS got big ovations at the Stadium from 2003-04 when he wore an opponent's kit (he was on the Cards in '02-03 and got standing ovations when he whacked homers in the Cards' 13-4 loss to the Yanks in '03).

Yeah, they've done this against two stink teams. They have three more against the Mariners before the Mess, Tigers and then a serious team, the Blosax. Hopefully the past week-plus has prepped the Yanks for tougher competition.