Girardi is the right guy

Joe Girardi is the right man to lead the Yanks into the future. These are turbulent times and a tough, smart, confident leader is required--position filled. I've questioned Brian Cashman's decision making in the past (with ample evidence) but he deserves a lot of credit for this move. He could have opted for the sentimental, popular choice, Donnie Baseball but he chose the most qualified candidate. The Yanks need all the leadership and baseball intelligence they can get and Girardi is a big plus in both areas.

There are tough times ahead (by Yankee standards) arch rival Boston has managed to pass them in results--go figure. The Red Sox have stable management and emerging young talent that have been tested on the biggest stage. The Bombers are a work in progress. Now that Alex ran out the backdoor, in prime time, rebuild mode goes into over-drive. Realistically, it will take a couple of years but with Girardi and a stable of young arms as a foundation the re-emergence of the Bronx Bombers will happen sooner rather than later.

Yankee manager speculation

The New York Daily News is reporting that Joe Girardi is the favorite to be named Yankee skipper. Here's an excerpt:

"...Cashman's favorite, sources familiar with the GM's thinking pointed out that Girardi had all the characteristics - an analytical approach, organizational skills that come from having already managed (the Florida Marlins) and a proven ability to handle a pitching staff - Cashman is thought to be looking for.
In addition, one source told the Daily News last night that "in no way would politics enter into Brian's decision" - an indication the Yankees are not concerned about a potential public-relations hit if the popular Mattingly did not get the job."

This is music to my ears, if accurate, it shows Brian Cashman made a decision based on baseball acumen, rather than politics. The Yanks have several key decisions this off season and getting this move right, would be a big step in the right direction.

Cashman's decision

It didn't take long for the brothers Steinbrenner and Yankee team president, Randy Levine, to show their true colors. Thin skinned and gutless are not endearing qualities.



The New York Post and New York Daily News are reporting that Brian Cashman will bear full responsibility for the decision to fill Joe Torre's shoes. Here's an excerpt from George King:
"His superiors, notably Hank and Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine, did not like how they took the brunt of public criticism over the divorce from Joe Torre while Cashman mostly avoided blame.
So Cashman's superiors have empowered him to pick the next manager with the understanding it will be rubber-stamped by the hierarchy. That leaves Cashman in a position of authority, but also a quandary.
“My Dad, myself and Hal will make the decision," Hank said. “And we will rely heavily on our baseball guys."
Cashman has long been viewed as favoring Joe Girardi and knowing George Steinbrenner has hoped to see Don Mattingly manage the team. So Cashman either has to go with his gut, which might mean defying The Boss' wishes, or make a decision he may not believe in wholeheartedly.
And with just one year left on his contract, Cashman could be making a selection that determines his fate, as well"

If these guys can't handle the heat for the Torre debacle they aren't qualified for their positions--not that it matters. Daddy gave the two boys their jobs and Randy Levine's resume reads lawyer/politician--perfect.

Brian Cashman is a smart guy who has gone a long way in the Yankee organization. He didn't accomplish that without political appeasement being a strength. If he continues on the what ever you say boss route he may not be hiring the best man, if he believes and goes with the most qualified candidate--Girardi, and it doesn't work, he gets all the heat.

The team that Brian built is in turbulent times. The odds of him steering the Yankee ship to World Series harbor, with a rookie manager, at the helm, are prohibitive. The new manager will be given some rope, Brian Cashman is at the end of his.

World Series--game 2

Round 2 to the home team, the Red Sox are a team on a mission, they remember how good 2004 felt. The nice young team from the Rockies is happy to be in a place where no one thought they would be. Moving the series back to Colorado, could make it interesting, but you get the feeling the victor is a foregone conclusion.

Give Curt Schilling credit (that was painful to type) he keeps getting the job done, featuring guile over stuff. His late career pitching prowess is reminiscent of the late, great Catfish Hunter. He nibbles, and jams hitters out after out, a pitching clinic. The boatload of young arms being rushed to the majors could learn a lot by watching the old guy work his magic.

World Series--Game 1

Photo/Newsday The aggressive, experienced Red Sox sprinted from the gate in game 1, blowing the doors off the neophyte Rockies. It figured to be a tough test for the Rockies with the overpowering Beckett on the mound and the Sox lineup on fire. Colorado's collective knees buckled and they weren't competitive. Game 2 should be an interesting test, can a young team comeback, at Fenway, after last night's debacle? If so the series will get interesting as Colorado's Rocky Mountain high stadium will expose some of Boston's flaws--Manny trying to cover significant outfield turf and Ortiz trying to field a position or watching from the bench, producing a big hole in the lineup. Today, the kids character will get a test, let's hope they pass.

The Fall Classic

The World Series is special. History lifts it to a higher level than other sporting events. It is not to be taken for granted. Savor every moment. Yankee fans have more experience with the Fall Classic than anyone. It is strange not to see the pinstripes play in the big one, unfortunately we are getting used to it. We can wait until the end of this series to start counting down the days to spring.

This years match up is intriguing. The high profile Red Sox vs. the anonymous kids of Colorado--history meets destiny? Hopefully, we get a well played 7 game series that will make it's mark on the greatness that preceded it.

Yanks get a new boss

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss"-- The Who
"Born on third, thinks he hit a triple."-- Unknown Artist

The Yankee future unfolds as the Red Sox prepare for the World Series, not a pretty picture. There are ominous signs in Yankee land. It started with the botching of Joe Torre's departure. Now as the search for his replacement commences it is becoming clear that the dominant player in the new front office is Hank Steinbrenner. Here's a tid-bit about Hank from Joel Sherman of the New York Post:

"With public and media sympathies running strongly pro-Torre in this public divorce, Hank Steinbrenner was trying to leave this clear impression: Who the hell would Joe Torre be without the Yankees?
The response Hank wanted evoked was a losing manager, the implication being Torre was some worthless bum taken off baseball's welfare line by his father. But Torre also was a self-made, borderline Hall-of-Fame player, a successful broadcaster and a man who exhibited enough leadership skills to be hired four times as a manager.
But if we are in a question-asking mood, here's one: "Who exactly would Hank Steinbrenner be if his father had not handed off his last name?"
Here is another: Is Hank delusional enough to think he is now running the world's biggest sports franchise due to his brilliance or because he won the lucky DNA contest?"

The new guy hasn't been groomed for this job. For the last couple of years, George had apparently chosen his son-in-law Steve Swindall to run the show. A messy divorce ended that plan so here's Hank. If the Torre fiasco is an indication, the new guy has thin skin--strike one.

The next order of business is hiring a new manager. Joe Girardi interviewed for 6 hours yesterday and things went well. Hank noted how smart Joe was and detailed his impressive resume. Don Mattingly is next and than Tony Pena. After failing the Torre test, will the new guy ace his next exam? Here's the key question--do you hire the most qualified guy (Girardi) or do you go with the people's champion (Donnie Baseball?) I am not suggesting Mattingly can't be a fine manager someday but is on the job training the way to find out? If the popular, politically correct option is chosen over actual qualifications--strike two.

If the new boss thinks the first two tests were a challenge, wait till he gets to the final exam--Mr. Steinbrenner, Mr Boras will see you now. The posturing for the A-Rod sweepstakes has started with the Yankee position being it's an extension or the highway for Alex. Land shark, agent-extraordinaire Scott Boras doesn't buy into that theory. How this conflict works out will determine the Bombers championship viability for years, if the new guy messes this up--strike three.

Red Sox rule AL

The best team won. I'm in the minority of Yankee fans who don't hate the Boston Red Sox. Good baseball is what it's all about and Boston played more of it than Cleveland, New York or Anahiem. It's not hard to figure out, that what separates the Red Sox from the pack, is Josh Beckett. He is a legit #1, a big game pitcher. They are a rare breed. Theo Epstein paid a premium price, took a big risk and Josh is paying big dividends.

When the Yankee season ended prematurely, one of the theories put forth is that you can't build a team for the postseason. The logic is that the regular season is the true test and the playoffs are a crap shoot. Well, the Sox have demonstrated that a top of the rotation, dominant starter is a key component to postseason success.

When the dust settles on the Bomber's transition we will have to hope that either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes can step up and be the go-to-guy who can be relied on to win the big game. If not, Boston figures to rule the roost for a while.

Yankee front office team in action

Photo/Newsday "This decision will be made very, very quickly"--Randy Levine, Team President
" It will take a long time..."--Brian Cashman Yankee GM

Be afraid Yankee fans; Be very afraid. A seven-headed corporate tribunal has the Bomber's future in their hands. Will decisive action spurred by baseball acumen be their modus operandi? Forget about it. Politically correct compromise rules. Don't have the guts to fire Torre? Offer him an insulting incentive laced ticket to lame-duck status. Than swear you really wanted him back. For good measure, take 2 weeks to arrive at this maneuver.

Here are some predictions:

• Don Mattingly will be offered the manager's job, after an elaborate, highly publicized search. Donnie Baseball is the safe choice. He is respected by the players, has a good image and Yankee roots. Can he manage? who knows they only had 4 years to get him ready--these things take time. Assuming he wants the job, the coaching staff will be constructed with substantial input from the front office--ask the Mets how this works out.
• The most qualified candidate, Joe Girardi, will get a token interview but will never be seriously considered. Girardi is an intelligent, respected baseball guy. He mentored Posada, spent time as Yankee bench coach and parlayed that to Marlins skipper for a year. He produced surprising results from a very young roster and was reward with NL manager of the year. Problem is Joe is the independent type--you see he has a backbone. In Florida, he had the audacity to put the over-bearing owner in his place, in public. Politically correct isn't on his resume--next.
• A-Rod will be offered an extension with incentives linked to team results--read rings. It will be interesting to see how he reacts. We know how his agent thinks, now we get to find out where Alex's prioritys are.
• Posada will be offered a Torresque deal, featuring incentives and option years. It will be the prudent thing to do, given his age. If the Mets offer him the Pedro package, he will walk.
• The Great Rivera clearly wants to come back. It will take a simple 2-year deal void of insulting incentives. I can't believe the front office can possibly screw this one up.

When the dust settles, the roster will be younger, that's a good thing. How competitive they are will depend on the quality of decision making--uh-oh

" We have a challenge ahead of us."--Yankee GM Brian Cashman, the master of understatement.

Torre walks away

Photo/AP The Yanks made Joe Torre an offer he could refuse. A one year contract with a 5 million dollar base salary and 3 million in incentives was not enough for Joe to come back and remain a lame duck. It's not hard to figure out that this was not about money--it was about a lack of respect. The new Bomber brain trust let Joe twist in the wind for 10 days--hardly a ringing endorsement for his performance. The handwriting has been on the wall for a while. Go back to the "Joba" rules, guidelines set down by minor league pitching guru Nardi Contreras (and enforced by Brian Cashman) on how phenom Joba Chamberlain could be used. A Hall of Fame manager is being told how to manage the team by a front-office guy. Since the season concluded, it's been rumored that Joe's pitching coach Ron Guidry, would be replaced by minor league coach Dave Eiland. Not exactly subtle signals.

The Yankee organization is in a major transition. The decision-makers have changed and hopefully most of the changes will be for the long-term good of the organization. In making these changes, they would be well served to act in a professional, respectful manner, Joe Torre could teach them a lot about that.

Yanks crawl into future

Be careful what you wish for. For many years, many Yankee fans have had issues with owner, George Steinbrenner. His embarrassing tirades of yesteryear made us cringe. Yankee haters basked in the negativity that emanated from his antics. The media did back flips every time he moved. There was more than histrionics going on in George's reign. There was decisive action and result oriented responsibility combined with the willingness to re-invest substantial profit into the product on the field. This produced the most successful baseball franchise in history--by far.

Prior to Steinbrenner's illustrious run, the Bombers were owned by CBS, a corporate behemoth that didn't have a clue. The result was empty seats and an abysmal track record. The new Yankee hierarchy just concluded a series of meetings where 7 people tried and failed to reach a consensus on Joe Torre's future. The result was a hung jury--Corporate America at its finest. I would like to believe that the end result will be a well thought out, detailed plan that will carry the Yanks into the future. Common sense tells me that we will get a compromise solution that won't improve anything but will sound nice and be politically correct. Welcome to the future--be careful what you wish for.

Mattingly bails out?

It is being reported that Yankee bench coach and heir apparent to Joe Torre is not interested in managing the Bombers. Here's an excerpt from the New York Post:
"It's pretty much a no-win situation for someone coming in here, to be able to live up to expectations and live up to what (Torre did)," Mattingly said in a recent interview. "So as far as someone coming in and taking over this job, it's not necessarily a great situation."

When I first heard this, I assumed it was a case of Mattingly being loyal to Torre. Reading the above quote closely, paints a different picture. What he says is accurate--but so what. He was hired 4 years ago, with the idea of grooming him for the manager's position. Cold feet caused by the fear of failure? I don't want to believe that and hopefully the remarks will be clarified. One thing for certain, if he has doubts, he's not qualified for the job.

It won't take long for the brothers Steinbrenner to show what they're made of. They are being tested early and often, let's hope they don't get cold feet.

Cleveland rocks

AP/Photo

The Cleveland Indians have tripped destiny's darlings the Boston Red Sox. Who are these guys? The Tribe was 2-10 during the regular season against the Yanks and Sox, they have turned it around to go 5-2. Normally a 2-1 advantage in a 7 game series wouldn't mean much, but if you consider that Cleveland's top 2 starters got off to a rough start and should rebound, the heavily favored Sox could be in trouble. Compounding the situation, the expectations on Boston were becoming Yankeeesque--there's no excuse not to win it all. The frustration was evident in Varitek's demeanor last night. Tim Wakefield takes the mound tonight while Josh Beckett watches from the bench. Wakefield, in the tradition of knuckle ball pitchers, is a wild card. Francona is sticking his neck out by sticking with the 4 man rotation. Give him credit for courage, if the Sox don't win tonight, he'll get the opportunity to deal with an army of second-guessers.

Yanks' last hurrah

It's becoming clear that the Yanks' best option is to reunite the old gang and have another go at it. The fact is they are not ready or able to replace anybody. Here's a passage from today's New York Post:
"It is interesting, therefore, that the Yankees' offseason revolves around how much commitment to make to older players, notably Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Bobby Abreu. The Yankees do not have obvious replacements for any of them. In the past two years when that has been the case, Cashman has tried to keep the veterans on expensive, short-term deals with the hope that would give prospects time to grow seamlessly into the roles."

Don Mattingly was hired 4 years ago as heir apparent to Joe Torre. He was a good hitting coach and has the respect of the players but has never managed a game. Bringing in an established, high-profile manager has been met with the predictable in-house resistance you would expect from people trying to stay in power--forget La Russa.

The front office knows the history of catchers in Posada's age demographic but may be forced to overpay because they haven't developed options and Jorge's agent knows it. Rivera deserves anything he gets. In this case, the organization does have a viable option in Joba but he will be moved to the rotation, where filling the void of front-end starter is critical. Abreu should be relatively easy to replace but they don't have anyone ready--so we'll hear what a bargain he is for 16 million. If A-Rod leaves, the power void will be palpable. The front office hasn't been able to find a legit first baseman since Tino left(the first time)--actually they had Carlos Pena and cut him. Finding a third baseman, to fill A-Rod's shoes won't happen.

The easiest answer is bring back the old gang for a last hurrah. Let the kids run wild and hope they stay healthy. If A-Rod's in the mix, anythings possible, if not, mediocrity here we come.

Yanks' Moneyball

As the off season soap opera plays out, the central theme will be money. Mo Rivera spoke out yesterday in defense of Joe Torre. He said the decision on the manager's future and how it is handled will factor in his decision on where to sign next year. I predict it will, until the Yanks offer him a contract that exceeds anything the market will offer. Posada ditto.



The newest wrinkle in the Torre saga has the Bomber's brass offering him a new short term contract featuring a large pay cut. That way Joe gets the option of terminating himself and the Yanks are not the villain. This route suggests the organization is more concerned with public relations than baseball acumen. That should scare Yankee zealots.



Here's a slice of today's New York Post: "But the fixation on the money is also the most powerful sign yet that Hank and Hal Steinbrenner are making way more decisions now than their fading father. The children are said to have a more frugal nature and a greater long-term view about financial planning than The Boss ever did." The good news is this should accelerate the youth movement. The NLCS has demonstrated how effective strong farm systems can be. The bad news is that commitment to long-term development requires patience--a concept that is foreign to the Yankee mind set.

Yanks need action

This is a critical juncture in Yankee history--its no time to dawdle. Decisions need to be make quickly and efficiently. For years, internal politics have hindered the Bomber's progress. Last year GM Brian Cashman was given full control. That regime seems to have ended as talk of the owner's advisers reappeared as soon as another disappointing season was in the books.

Joe Torre deserves prompt attention. If he's gone make it official, if not get him signed but do something, don't convene meetings down the road. The Yanks have had all year to deal with pending player issues. Rivera and Posada could have been easily resigned during the year. Cashman chose to wait and gamble, now the players hold the chips and the price will go up. The Great Rivera told the New York Post: “The Yankees had the opportunity but didn't do nothing with it." Sounds like a man with a chip on his shoulder. Jorge Posada , coming off a career year holds similar cards. If Cashman is still in charge, and he thinks these decisions are tough wait till he gets to A-Rod's guy Scott Boras--can you say mismatch?

The Yanks have an elderly egocentric owner with a 38 year old son, who is being groomed to run the show, combine this with the Cashman dynamic--I was gonna be the man--and it doesn't bode well for a legendary team in transition.

Replacing Torre

New York is a tough town. Less than 24 hours after the Yank's latest playoff loss, the rumor mill has procured a prime-time name to replace Joe Torre. Bill Madden, of the New York Daily News, reports that George Steinbrenner and his advisers have a strong interest in hiring Tony La Russa and pitching coach extraordinaire Dave Duncan.



This one comes from left field, but makes a lot of sense. Joe's replacement will have to manage a roster in transition. There are plenty of veterans still under contract while the influx of unproven kids continues. It won't be an easy job but La Russa has the experience to pull it off. The real bonus is getting a pitching coach of Duncan's stature to groom the arms of the future.



It's interesting that apparently Mr. Steinbrenner has decided that a decision of this magnitude won't be made by team architect Brian Cashman. So much for complete control, given the circumstances, Cashman is lucky he still has a job--he can thank Joba. Than again if former St. Louis GM Walt Jocketty, comes with his pal La Russa, maybe Brian will be given some responsibility for the Yank's 3-14 recent postseason record.

Yanks are finished

photo/NY PostThe Yankees made another early exit from the playoffs last night. For the third consecutive season, they couldn't get out of the first round. The media is making a big deal out of not winning a championship in 7 years--try to explain that to Cubs or Red Sox fans. We live in an era of parity. Acquiring rings isn't easy--even if Joe Torre's Bombers made it look that way 4 times. The Atlanta Braves will tell you that you can do annual pratfalls in the postseason and still be great. No Yankee fan believes that.

Joe Torre will take the fall. He is a Hall of Fame manager and a class act. Bottom line is: 3 wins 14 losses in the last 17 postseason games. Those numbers don't talk they swear. Here's a quote from the New York Post: "No explanations," Rodriguez would say later, blinking bloodshot eyes. "No excuses." Well said Alex--please come back.

The Yankee organization is at a major crossroads. The front office chose to let pending free agents Posada and Rivera play it out. Now they hold all the chips, while everyone holds their breath about A-Rod's opt-out. There are some interesting young players on the horizon but anyone who believes that the kids will come in and dominate (with the notable exception of Joba "Wonderboy" Chamberlain) hasn't been paying attention. As it stands now, they have a team and an organization in transition. We hope for the best but it could get ugly. After last night's debacle, team architect Brian Cashman went up to owner George Steinbrenner and said, "I'm really sorry boss." Sad to say, this could be just the beginning of "really sorry."

Yanks win one for the Gipper

Yanks had a flashback to another era, prior to last night's game. The owner's pre-game win or else ultimatum, to the skipper, brought back memories. Maybe, George had a bad Billy Martin dream. Mr Steinbrenner has taken a lot of grief, over the years about these attempts to motivate the troops. But, perhaps, there is method to the madness.

Baseball analyst Bob Brenly mentioned that by focusing the media attention on Joe Torre it could help the team by momentarily moving the spotlight. It also provides a cause to fight for. The Bombers are good at these--Joe's sick brother Frank, the city of NY.--are a couple that come to mind.

Bottom line--whatever works.

Yanks have no excuses

The better team plays at home tonight in the Bronx. The living legend goes against the soft underbelly of the Indians rotation. Team transition should put up crooked numbers on the scoreboard making it possible for the Bombers to notch their 3rd postseason victory in the last 16 starts. Game 4 should go the same way, leading to a game 5 "Crapshoot," as Joe Torre would say.

If the Yanks can't turn this around against the immortal Indians of Cleveland than, it's time to turn the page and let the kids have their turn. I'll take a team of exuberant Shelly Duncan types over a faded Giambi and company any day of the week.

Management has had every tool and resource available to them. The team the front office put together needs to produce now--no excuses.

Yanks long for good old days

photo/Getty images The pinstripes are the same. The roster isn't. Last night's 1 run extra-inning loss to an inexperienced team is the type of game the "O'Neill" era dynasty would have found a way to win. It makes you appreciate how good we had it.

Back in the good old days, Yankee fans mocked the Atlanta Braves for flaming out every year, while the Bombers made winning look routine. What goes around comes around. The current team features an awesome lineup that is adept at beating up mediocre pitching. Problem is they switch gears to meek when top of the rotation guys show up in big games.

Last night, Andy Pettitte reminded us what clutch pitching is all about. He did his job in a big game. He was followed by Joba "Wonderboy" Chamberlain, the biggest breath of fresh air, in the Bronx, in a long time. The kid dominated the 7TH, in the 8TH the bugs did what the hitters couldn't--made him look mortal. Can't blame him, he has rescued this squad and gives them an anchor for the future. The Great Rivera gave us a flashback to the glory days with 2 shutout innings. It's hard to win when a team scores 1 run in 11 innings.

There was a time when a 2-game deficit was no big deal. Clemens and Mussina would make it square. That was than, this is now--the Yanks are 2-13 in their last 15 postseason games. That's not a coincidence. Who built this team? Who's responsible? If they don't win the next three, Joe Torre will get the blame. I would suggest that the problem resides in the front office.

Can Pettitte carry Yanks?

It didn't take long to get to a must win game. Old reliable, Andy Pettitte tries to buy team transition some time. Any championship aspirations will depend on how much Pettitte, Clemens and Mussina have left in the tank. Do you believe in miracles?

Yanks' second season

photo/Yahoo Sports The regular season is in the books. Everything considered, the Yanks are in a very good place. A healthy, deep roster that has been energized by a wave of young players who are playing with a joy that reminds the veterans it's just a game. When you play loose the talent comes to the top and one thing the Bombers always have is an arsenal of premium talent.

Round one versus the Indians should provide quality baseball. Cleveland's top two starters are strong and in a five game series that should make it competitive. Having said that, this is the type of team (inexperienced) that the Yanks should beat. While the Bombers have their hand's full with the Indians, they are in the unusual position of rooting for the Red Sox to get by the Angels. Any of the four AL teams is capable of going all the way, but the one serious potential roadblock for the Yanks is arch-nemesis California.

The regular season was, "A long strange trip." The postseason is evenly matched. So for Yankee fans everywhere--Go Sox!