Morning Update: 22! 22! 22! 22! 22! 22! 22!

What's great about the number 22?

Well for starters, it's the number of some of the greatest athletes in the history of sports. I mean, Emmitt Smith sucks when it comes to opening his mouth, but he can play football. He wore 22. So did Clyde "The Glide" Drexler.

The atomic number of titanium is 22. Titanium is pretty cool.

Ohio's own Dave Blaney drove the 22 car last year.

The 22nd president.

Grover CLEVELAND.

Coincidence?

Eric Wedge even wears 22!

I don't think so.

22 is also the most number of runs the Yankees have given up at home. They've done it twice.

2 2.

22!

I just want to make a book about this game. There's so many cool informational statistics so far and I'm sure more will come sooner or later.

I don't think I'd ever see a major news publication use the term "kill" when talking about a sporting event.

But that's what the CPD did: "Photo Gallery: Tribe Kills Yankees, 22-4"

I've already laid out a lot of the stats that I've seen.. I came up with some more facts and put them to good use last night. Check out this slide show I made.

SLIDE SHOW, SHE'S IN IT!

So enough stats and facts, for now, let's talk quotes. Cause I'm sure those are even funnier than yesterday's game.

"I don't think I've ever been part of something like that," said Ben Francisco.

We have.. And five years ago it was fun and it was even more fun this time around too.

"It was fun," said Shin-Soo Choo.

See! Choo agrees!

I bet today was a bit of a redemption game for Mark DeRosa, who got cheated out of that call yesterday. In fact this entire thing has made me completely forget about the debacle in yesterday's game. Ryan Garko was probably getting nervous and at that point the guys were joking with him about getting two outs in the inning.

"No one cared how long the inning was," said Mark DeRosa. "When you're getting hits and scoring runs, you'll stay at the park all day. Some funny stuff goes on during an inning like that," said DeRosa. "I told Garko not to worry. I've made two outs in the same inning before."

We know the offense is capable of this type of stuff though. It's very potent with Hafner hitting and Martinez back in the middle. DeRosa there in the two-hole, the best leadoff guy in baseball... Peralta and the rising Choo. This offense is leathal and Derek Shelton and Eric Wedge know it. Shelton was impressed with the way the Indians handled their at-bats. He noted that seven hits came with two strikes.

"We've been able to do it because we're grinding through at-bats," said hitting coach Derek Shelton. "This lineup is capable of scoring runs. You can't worry about what happens in eight, 10 or 12 games. You have to work throughout the whole season. Sometimes it just takes one guy to make it snowball.

"Today that inning started with Travis Hafner's 30-foot dribbler."

Peralta and Choo both said that Wang usually throws in the mid-90's. Today he was in the low 90's even high 80's. I'm dropping him in the few fantasy leagues I have him. What a stupid investment that was.

Fausto Carmona was certainly welcoming of all the runs.

"I want it!" he said with a big smile. "Come on! Everybody wants it!"

Wedge was encouraged with Carmona's start.

A lot of news on the injury front.

Start with the big one, Adam Miller suffered a small setback.

Earlier this week Miller felt discomfort, so he was shut down. He was supposed to throw yesterday, so we should get an update rather soon.

"We're playing it as cautiously as possible," head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff said. "This is certainly a bump in the road for him. We'll know more based on how he tolerates his throwing program over the next three to five days."

Not cool, but at least it isn't total bad news. Hopefully he can work through it and get somewhere.

David Dellucci should be joining the Columbus roster very soon. His rehab assignment is going to last 20 days, yes up to 20 days. Why? Probably because he won't play every day. Remember he still hasn't had much spring training, so I'm sure they'll work him in. He will start out DHing. I believe you are only allowed 10 games of rehab, so that will be spaced out.

Jake Westbrook has a date to start simulated games. May 12th, exactly a month short of a year after surgery.

Scott Lewis will begin actually doing stuff next week. The perscription was for him to do nothing, remember.

Fun Note: Eric Wedge's 500th win was Saturday. What a memorable 500th win that will be. Everyone remembers the 22-0 drubbing five years ago. They will certainly remember this. We can now remember it for another reason.

We've got some stuff on CC now. Sabathia said the ad he took out was a way to thank everyone and that after the trade happened, things moved so quickly.

"I'd been with Cleveland since I was 17," said Sabathia, 28, "and I had a lot of people to thank. Everything happened so quick when I was traded. I got off that plane coming back home from Minnesota and I was gone. The next morning I was on a plane to Milwaukee.

"I just wanted to say thank you to everybody. I thought that was the best way to do it."

Like Victor, CC had a hard time dealing with facing him at the plate. CC said Vic is like a brother to him. They played together almost 10 years as teammates through the minors. I'm sure that bond is strong, especially with them being catcher and pitcher.

So why did CC pick New York over one of his home teams?

"Well, everyone had decided I was going to play in California except for me," said Sabathia. "I just wanted to win. I knew this organization is committed to doing everything it can to win a championship."

"It really came down to do I want to play at home or do I want to win?" said Sabathia. "What's really important? Obviously, winning is more important than anything."

Really? The 100 million wasn't a factor?

I still like him. I don't want to see him succeed when we face him, I don't even want to see him succeed for the Yankees, but I still respect what he's done for us and allt he years he was with Cleveland and hope he's personally happy with his decision. But I can't buy any of that. I know winning is actually more important, but I think the CPD is feeding us a load of bull with the title, "Still fond of Cleveland and the Tribe".... BUT OH WAIT HE'S HAPPY TO BE A YANKEE.

Devil Franchise.

I know he took out an expensive ad with you guys, but that doesn't mean you can spoon-feed us his "Still fond of Cleveland.." I'm still fond of CC, doesn't mean I'm cheering him on.

Latest from Terry Pluto... Cliff Lee hit first strike 65% of the time on Thursday. Around the number he did in most of his starts last year. The key for any pitcher is first pitch strikes.

On a side note... I think Paul Hoynes has gone crazy.

Hey, Hoynsie: Several weeks ago I asked you about the absence of Chief Wahoo at the Indians' spring training park in Goodyear, Ariz. You didn't answer the question, and last week you do a full-page article about it. What gives? I can't keep supplying you with material, pal. Eventually you're going to have to stand up and forge ahead on your own! -- Joseph Ladd, Cleveland

Hey, Joe: As you know from reading me, I need all the help I can get.

Then there was this absolute gem that I still don't understand.

Hey, Joe: Don't tell anyone, but I think I stopped evolving about my senior year in high school. What can I say, the '60s were really good to me. I once heard Sparky Anderson, the Hall of Fame manager, say he didn't really get a feel for his teams until about 40 games into the season. I think managers and GMs know a lot sooner than that. So if I was Shapiro or Wedge, I'd be semi-panicked right about now. My hair wouldn't be on fire, but I might leave the house every now and then forgetting to wear pants.

That isn't an image I wanted burned into my mind.

One more quote for ya on the drubbing.

"Today was an aberration," DeRosa said. "This was one of those games that got away from [the Yankees]."

I'm glad we picked him up just for that.. What a hard-ass.