Yankees' links, rumors and transactions

Assorted Yankees' links of interest:

• I've been befuddled by the never-ending support Jason Giambi gets in light of his transgressions. The NY Times writes a side of the story you won't read often in Gotham: "As he watches Jason Giambi morph from pariah to hero, being feted with mustache day at Yankee Stadium in support of a failed All-Star candidacy, Bonds has to be thinking, “You mean, all I had to do was say I did it.”
  All Bonds had to do, it seems, was throw himself at the mercy of Commissioner Bud Selig, confess to George J. Mitchell and admit to the national news media, as Giambi did, that he should not have “messed with that stuff.”
  Giambi on at least three occasions all but admitted he cheated, that he used performance-enhancing drugs to get an edge. That admission, coupled with cultivated personal charm, has been enough to earn Giambi — a mediocre power hitter — a Major League Baseball pass.
• The Yanks bolstered their extensive TJ recovery unit by signing Eric Milton: "New York took Milton with its first round pick, 20th overall, in the June 1996 draft. Milton was traded to Minnesota two years later in the deal that sent Chuck Knoblauch to the Yankees.
  Milton, who had elbow surgery last June, will be assigned to Triple-A Scranton and immediately placed on the disabled list, allowing him to continue rehabbing at New York's minor league complex in Tampa, Fla.
  "He's a left-hander, he's a got a pretty big breaking ball," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, we'll have to see how he does. It's the beginning stages of him trying to get back to the big leagues."
  The 32-year-old Milton went 0-4 with a 5.17 ERA in six starts with Cincinnati last season." I hate to be paranoid but is it possible Cashman is getting some kind of kick back from the physical therapy industry?--just wondering.
• It's been a while since the Bombers acquired a one-dimensional first baseman. Rumors of a Richie Sexson signing have the All-Star game on the back burner. LoHud gives an interesting perspective, "I have no idea whether Richie Sexson will hit again. But he’d be a far, far better glove late in games than Wilson Betemit." Amazing how last season's shrewd move evolves into this season's issue. Betemit was supposed to be a utility man extraordinaire with some pop. Now, he can't even play first. When's the last time he gave A-Rod or Jeter a breather?
• One of my all-time favorites, Sweet Lou Piniella returns to the Stadium. He takes a trip down memory lane: "I'll remember the championships we won there. I remember [Chris] Chambliss hitting that home run against Kansas City [in 1976] to get us into the World Series, I remember Reggie [Jackson's] three home runs [in Game 6 of the '77 World Series], I remember [Graig] Nettles having that great day [in Game 3 of the '78 World Series]. It was a wonderful place."