Here’s today’s What the Heck Idea of the Day … starring Prince Fielder

OK, I’m not really sure if this WTH Idea of the Day will be an ongoing thing here on lenNY’s Yankees, but if there were any time to start today would be the day. Below you will find a headline on a column from NY Daily News’s John Harper (courtesy of HBT).

Harper chose the worst possible fit for the Yankees likely because they happen to be playing the team Prince Fielder plays for and he needed a catchy headline while working on deadline.

CAIRO Projections: Red Sox to win East, but Yankees fans need to relax

Likely due to major upgrades on offense, the Red Sox are going to win the AL East — by nine games over the Yankees — according to the early CAIRO projections. Nine!

The author repeatedly said the projections were too early to be taken seriously, but I’m not so sure I buy that.

Thames hitting third in *special* lineup

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Marcus Thames DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Austin Kearns LF
Lance Berkman 1B
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner CF
Ramiro Pena 2B

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen a lineup this weak from the Yankees in my days of blogging. 

Here are some of my favorite reactions to the lineup on Twitter:

Ledger_Yankees - Off days + Lefties + Babies = Today's Yankees lineup.

Bronxrumors - This may be the worst lineup since 2006...but the best bench since 2000

YankeesGalaxy - I guess this lineup will make winning all that sweeter.

SimplySmoov - #BoldPrediction 12-4 Yankees win with 'D' lineup ... sorry @str8edgeracer

For those who don’t know, @str8edgeracer is C.J. Wilson’s Twitter alias, tonight’s starter for the Rangers.

Here’s what the bench looks like tonight, with the reasons I’m guessing they’re being benched for included.

• Mark Teixeira: We knew he was unavailable. He’s back home with his wife.
• Robinson Cano: Just a random off day, I guess. He hasn’t sat since July 7, but he did play 161 games last year. UPDATE: Cano has a cold.
• Curtis Granderson: This was a scheduled off day. Joe Girardi warned us of this yesterday.
• Jorge Posada: This was also planned. Girardi is adhering to a new catching rotation that gives starts to Francisco Cervelli when A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez start.

FACT: Marcus Thames has 166 career plate appearances hitting third. Tonight will mark the first time with the Yankees (and I hope the last).