WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Bull Allen. October 29, 2007: BOOM! (that's sound of the Yankee Stadium locker room door slamming behind A-Rod at 12:30 A.M. this morning.

What a surprise! Alex Rodriguez wants to be a Yankee so much, he could not even wait 10 days -- to start negotiating with other teams. A real Yankee, A-Rod. Quick now -- how do the Yankees replace 54 homers and 156 RBIs?

Even before the Saux John Papelbon got the last out of the World Series, the Yankees Brian Cashman had been notified by voice mail by the super agent, Scott Boras  that A-Rod was opting out. I am shocked, simply shocked A-Rod would do that.

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Home of Champions no more. The Big Ball Park, 1956.

The Sayonara to the Bronx  hit the wires seconds during Saux disposal of the pretender contenders, the Wild Card Colorado Rockies. I LOVE IT when a Wild Card gets shown up big. Is the National League STILL in the Major Leagues? (Couldn't resist that shot. When are they going to go DH and play with the BIG DOGS)

Don't forget to turn off the light at Yankee Stadium on your way out, Alex! It will a pleasure not to have to watch your immobility down at third base next year. The Statue at third. I can never remember Alex Rodriguez diving for a ball behind third and he never played the line in the lates. And I will not miss those fumbled barehand pickups on the grass. A Brooks Robinson he was not.

 Derek Jeter could have been All Star at two positions this year, third and short. And, Alex, we'll always remember your sense of team camraderie and leadership. If the Yankees go after this soldier of fortune with the rest of the pack, they are fools. Now, they are forced to sign Posada, at least.

Tomorrow, it will be interesting to see how new manager, Don Mattingly answers the question, how will you replace A-Rod? I mean it has to be Mattingly now. If I'm Joe Girardi or Tony Pena, I have to be crazy to take the thankless job of presiding over the rapid elevator ride down the standings, the Yankee franchise is about to take and taking the fall for it. Pena might take it. But Tony, you're too smart to be the fall guy. Don't do it. Pena won 85 games with the Kansas City Royals. He's good. Don't wreck yourself with this use-you-up franchise.

Boras is reported by the Associated Press that A-Rod left because negotiations between the Yankees and Posada, Rivera and Andy Pettitte would not be completed before the 10 days were up. Pretty lame. Boras said A-Rod was afraid the closer, "his catcher" and a major pitcher would not be on the team. Lame. He knew that all year.

If the Mets do not seriously go after Posada or Rivera now they are just as dumb. These two great New York players are available and they can give the Mets what they need. The Bombers have a big problem. The failure of the Yankees to renegoiate Rivera and Posada during the season indicates more than ever the long range plan to sell this team el rapido. It will never be worth more than it is today. Not only that but with A-Rod off the payroll they will be more profitable to any new owner.

New York now has a big hole at third base and needs to either make a trade or sign somebody. But, but, but it is pitching New York needs. Soon they may need catching too. Do you really think Posada wants to catch another 130-140 games next year with a .500 club? Because without the A-Rod threat  the Yankees have no long ball threat in the middle of the lineup.

Well before we go into absolute panic we have to see the free agents available.

But, once again the New York sports writing buffet-grazers have pushed out the Yankee publicity surrounding the A-Rod, Posada, Rivera signing problem without seeing it for what it really is -- a totally dumb move by the inept hierarchy now that George Steinmbrenner is no longer apparently directing the team closely.

If you were going to sign Mo and Jorge -- you should have done it during the season -- or unloaded them to the METS who would have won the pennant with them-- and given up some young talent which the Yanks could need. Now, the Yankees will get nothing for them. Mo needs another pitch in my opinion, but can still be effective. Posada...what a catcher for 36 years old -- but this again was a walk year.

Haven't general managers gotten the walk year syndrome in the free agency era? Players go out of their way to have a great year in the walk year of their contracts. I know I would.

Congratulations to the Red Sox and Gansetts all around. Forever Fenway!

 And, unlike the Patriots, the Red Sox don't cheat. You got the idea the Red Sox were toying with the Yankees during that stretch run.

When you come down to it, baseball is so great it survives the greedy, shallow, fan-insensitive people who run it.

And, I got to tell you if Bud Selig wants to continue ruining the game, just keep televising the series and playoffs at night.

This is sooooooooooo dumb!

When is Bed Selig going to tell the NFL and the Networks that baseball needs to be televised when the kids can see the games -- and not in prime time so as to give the football networks exclusive ratings poaching.

The insidious growth of sports like soccer among our youth is not a good sign for baseball. No kids are playing it any more. Pickup games are not seen any more.

Why is that? The games now are too slow. They last too long -- mainly due to the curse of Sparky Anderson, (bringing in 4 relievers a game in the mid-70s) and the horrendous invention of the pitch count which has ushered in the 6-inning quality start.

When I was sitting in the upper deck in the old Yankee Stadium, anyone who did not pitch into the 8th was a bum. The 5-inning starter pitched the second game of a doubleheader.

I see 10 and 12 and 14 year old girls who can throw 120 pitches a game, walk nobody, and still have heart and intelligence to throw a pitch with something on it at the end of a game. Besides Mr. Schilling and Mr. Beckett, who does that in the big leagues today?

Major league baseball has to examine the teachings of the great pitching coaches Johnny Sain, and the wisdom of Warren Spahn who threw every day. It is not pitch counts that build an arm, it is building arm strength through throwing. I'm not saying that, Spahnie said that and he won 363 games in the bigs -- most of them complete games.

And another thing. Can we go back to the real strike zone: letters to knees and the corners? The small strike zone is causing the walks, making it easier to hit homers and allowing the hitters to bottom feed off pitchers who cannot throw a finesse strike. It's obvious.

More to come.

And it's 36 degrees, the softball and baseball seasons are over.

Perhaps a certain well-known, hands-on local developer will buy the Yankees. You never know.