Yankees' Rumors

The season fades as the rumor mill warms up:

• "The list for Seattle's GM job still looks wide open. The ongoing struggles of the Yankees increase the possibility that Brian Cashman, who is at the end of his contract, could be available this winter. Cashman is a friend and avid admirer of Gillick, leading to speculation those two could be a package deal in Seattle" Fingers remain crossed.
• "Cashman has tried to build from within and hold down payroll — you know, act like a real GM. But the Yankees' farm system still isn't producing quality position players, and the futures of their best young pitchers remain uncertain. So, the Yankees are ready to plunge back into the market, signing free agents to excessive contracts, forfeiting high draft picks.
  Does Cashman want to lose his hard-earned authority and revert back to being the Donald Trump of general managers, buying every property in sight? Probably not, but he has never been with any other organization and enjoys living in New York. Call him a glutton for punishment, but it would be a shocker if he left on his own." The million dollar plus contract probably doesn't hurt either.
• "Everybody's looking at [CC] Sabathia and [A.J.] Burnett, not just us," Steinbrenner said..."We'll see. The main concern is, are their arms going to be OK after this season?" Those who thought the Santana sweepstakes was over the top ain't seen nothing yet.

Who's Responsible for Yankees' Plight?

There was a time when the expectations on the New York Yankees were so out of whack that anything short of a World Series victory was deemed a failure. Joe Torre dealt with the deluded and kept on winning. Time marches on and the bar is lowered. The recent post season run of 4 wins, 13 losses hinted at the fact that the good old days were gone. It was clear that a new long-term plan was needed, so when the organization took the only remaining viable path and set out to rebuild the farm, the crowd cheered.

The Bombers' Brass used it's financial clout to restock the minors with bonus baby's and was not shy about hyping their efforts. The philosophy was to acquire high ceiling talent regardless of injury issues.(If we sign them they will heal.) The 2007 season featured a stumbling start by a veteran roster that was bolstered by an injection of youthful enthusiasm and rebounded to snare the Wild Card. The annual playoff pratfall could be swallowed, after all this was a team transitioning to the future. Or so we thought.

The press and blogosphere spent much time extolling the virtues of the new wave: Hughes, Kennedy, Chamberlain were just the beginning as the shrewd developmental skills employed by the front office took hold. The sky was the limit.

When the stupor of deluded hype wore off, the reality of the 2008 season's failure set in. The lack of a postseason birth isn't a shock, after all the organization is building for the future. Growing pains happen. The failure is in the startling lack of development. The bolstered farm is a myth until proven other wise.

Injuries happen. Coping mechanism? Scrape the bottom of the barrel, looking for miracles. The next big things are on rehab mountain, counting their signing bonuses. Who's responsible?

Opinions vary, here's my take: "Three years after Brian Cashman moved into the drivers seat, the car is in the ditch. The focus on the farm is a nice philosophy, check Cash's resume to see how much experience he has building anything. Brian did what he does best, throw the organization's Monopoly money at the problem, take credit when possible, search for cliche ridden excuses when things don't go as planned." (Note: Brian has been in the GM's chair 11 years, it's been three years since the evil tyrant gave Cash complete control of the baseball operation.)

There are other perspectives: "Cashman, as is his way, accepted full responsibility. "He's an incredible GM,'' Giambi said of Cashman's stance, "and that's why he has a great rapport with players.''
The postgame lovefest made for a nice respite following the negativity that permeates their scene." Brian is publicly taking full responsibility because there's no one left to blame. The evil tyrant is gone, Joe Torre was insulted out of the dugout along with a few pitching coaches who weren't able to develop the never ending stream of prime talent awarded them, Bernie is now focused on his music, the new Boss acquiesced to Cash's insistence on passing on Santana for a cast of suspects. Girardi's honeymoon is over and he won't win a popularity contest with the press so the barbs fly. Want to blame the new Joe? Who hired him, along with the hitting coach who has had an offensive juggernaut evaporate on his watch. Giambi's endorsement is hilarious. I would think he was "incredible" if he overpaid me a king's ransom and when I didn't produce, release a never ending string of excuses. (I.E. "When he's healthy he can do what few can do."--Cashman on Pavano.)

Here's a point of view that echoes my thoughts in a highly literate fashion: "Indeed, it takes a certain genius to stare folly in the face and call it wisdom. Or in that rare instance, when failure allows for no other conclusion, to remain utterly convinced that the cause lies elsewhere than one's own judgment. It's a gift, perhaps, all Chief Executives possess. At the very least it's something the Bronx, at the moment, shares in common with Washington.Sure, Cashman pays lip service to accountability. He hasn't held his job for longer than any man before him without being shrewd and wily and resilient enough to know that the infrequent but opportune mea culpa comes with the title"--Yankees Republic.

There is plenty of blame to spread around the 2008 New York Yankees, but only one person is responsible. "The buck stops right here with me.”--Brian Cashman. Well said.

Photo/Yankees Daily

Yankees' Links and Notes

Notable Yankees' links:

• The new bridge, same as the old bridge?: "In back-to-back days, Joe Girardi has asked Mariano Rivera to get four and five outs, respectively, at the end of the game. Expect that to happen more often between now and the time the Yanks are officially eliminated from playoff contention.
  "That's the situation that we're in, and obviously I'm not going to abuse him," Somewhere, Joe Torre is shaking his head.
• The pitching rich farm system just keeps churning them out: "On the surface, the swap sounded like a good one for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.On Thursday they lost a veteran of the Mexican League, and on they Friday replaced him with a veteran of the Major Leagues. Good deal? Not so much.While Alfredo Aceves is a surprisingly fast-rising young pitcher in the Yankees organization, the starter who replaced him on the Triple-A roster was Victor Zambrano, a former 12-game winner in the big leagues whose career is trending the wrong direction." Could Victor be the next Sir Sidney?
• "Won't get fooled again."--The Who. Don't bet on it: "He has proven he can stay in the lineup and be productive.
  Plus the Winter Meetings are in Las Vegas, where the Big G roams in the offseason. Some unsuspecting GM is going to wake up in his hotel room with a hangover and Jason Giambi on his roster for two years and $16 million." The first sentence got by blood pressure up, but the rest is so dead on accurate, sanity is restored.
• IQ test?

Pavano's Last Laugh

The Yankees' Carl Pavano took the hill in the Bronx last night and was opposed by the Blue Jays' A.J. Burnett. The two infamous hurlers shared more than a mound, both are talented, frequently injured, highly paid players looking to turn pending free agency into another gaudy payday. A walk year to a baseball player is what Lourdes is to the handicapped--miracles happen.

Here's a preseason scouting report on A.J from Baseball Prospectus: "A full-season version of Burnett might be a star, but that animal has only been seen twice in nine years...With an opt-out clause waiting to be exercised at the end of the season and hundreds of millions of dollars of extra money floating around the game look for Burnett to pitch through the minor injuries this season. " Good call by BP as A.J. improves his average to 3/10 and is ready to get paid again.

Carl Pavano, believe it or not, has a bit of a reputation in Yankees' circles. Here's a note from BP's 2008 Guide: "The Yankees' default Opening Day starter in 2007, Carl Pavano made just one more start before a DL stint and Tommy John surgery. Curiously, the Yankees' pitching rich farm system may be his legacy, as GM Brian Cashman has been hoarding pitching prospects ever since an empty cupboard forced him to bid on Mr. Glass."

Let's see what Carl's "legacy" has wrought: 1) Humberto Sanchez--"this portly pitcher was plundered from the Tigers in the Gary Sheffield deal, but by the time he actually pitches for the Yankees, they may need to take him on Antiques Roadshow to see what they got. Previously a hard thrower who got by on his fastball and slider, Sanchez was never good at staying healthy...soon he was going for Tommy John surgery...Losing a few pounds wouldn't hurt his recovery; the Yankees will get to see how many Twinkies went into rehab when spring training convenes." 2) "Andrew Brackman was the Yankees' number-one pick in 2007 even though it was widely rumored that he was injured. Indeed, he underwent Tommy John surgery in August and won't be back until 2009 when he will be 23. Brackman is crazy tall (6-foot-11) and has great stuff; In 2009 he will still be tall, but the other things might not be there anymore."--Baseball Prospectus 2008 Guide. Sanchez and Brackman are not alone as the philosophy of acquiring high ceiling talent with injury issues has permeated and decimated the Yankees farm system.

The cruel irony is that when it came time for the stretch drive and the search went to Rehab Mountain for relief, Pavano was the only one to answer the bell. "Mr. Glass" turned jeers to cheers at the Stadium Friday night as he out dueled soul mate A.J. Burnett. Pavano gets the last laugh as he journeys to his next gaudy payday. All the New York Yankees have left is his infamous "legacy."

Photo/Newsday

Yankees' Press Clipings

Yankees' news of note:

• "The Yankees all huffed and puffed about some crazy hot streak in the final 29 games, but everyone knew that was just talk for the cameras and microphones. Once the lights went off, the Bombers quietly showered, shaved and moved on, one day closer to that coming vacuum called October." The Boston media are experts in the "vacuum called October."
• "Nothing has confounded officials more than the Bombers’ inability to drive in runs. One American League scout said the other day, "you can almost feel their tension" late in the game. This is partially the result of a roster that was too fragile (Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui), too streaky (Bobby Abreu), too one-dimensional (Derek Jeter), too indifferent (Robinson Cano) or too conflicted (Alex Rodriguez)."
• A flashback to the good old days: "When Cody Ransom nicked a two-strike pitch with two outs in the seventh inning Thursday, Varitek could not hold on. Neither, it turned out, could the Red Sox.The final regular season Red Sox-Yankees game played at Yankee Stadium unfolded like so many dramas before it, with the Yankees capitalizing on some late good fortune to send the Red Sox to a 3-2 walk-off defeat."
• "The failure to perform is puzzling, general manager Brian Cashman said, adding: "It's certainly something that's hard to watch." We can all agree on this point.
• "Similarly, Giambi is hitting .251 overall and has a .514 slugging percentage, but with runners in scoring position, those numbers drop to .213 and .344. He has hit four home runs in 122 at-bats with runners in scoring position; 18 of his 27 home runs have come with the bases empty (185 at-bats).Long said blaming Giambi is unfair because he has performed better overall than he did in 2007. As for blaming Rodriguez, the criticism is accurate but overblown." Let's see, Jason improves on a terrible season by putting up mediocre numbers in his free agent year and it's "unfair" to criticize him. A-Rod is coming off his second MVP year in pinstripes and "the criticism is accurate." Can you say double standard? The Giambino perpetually rides a wave of forgiveness that is mind boggling.
• "Opponents shook in their spikes for much of the past 85 years at the mere mention of the mighty Yankees. Not this year, when months of monotonous mediocrity scared only the frustrated fans, not the curious tourists in the third-base dugout craning their necks for one last look at the old cathedral." Nice writing, from North of the Border.
• "There is no game quite like baseball offering equal opportunity for the unsung. To personalize this point, meet Cody Ransom, 32,...How about the hit that helped save a season and spared Yankee Stadium an inglorious finish? Sounds far-fetched at this point, or just plain fiction, but six games behind is better than eight. The Yankees at least have a pulse." This is as close to optimism as it gets.

Yankees' Next Step

Brush aside the remaining 29 games of the Yankees' 2008 season, the real issue is 2009. A new pleasure palace befitting a regal empire opens and the emperor is all dressed up with nowhere to go. Massive crowds will dole out ludicrous lucre to witness the spectacle of habitual winning. The current Pinstripe crew won't do. Where do they go from here?

The list of rickety veterans eligible for the exit is long: Giambi, Abreu, Mussina, Pettitte and I-Rod. The notable names don't figure in a cogent, long-term plan. The tricky part is filling the shoes of the departed. Last season, the organization was held hostage by their inability to produce viable replacements for Posada and Rivera. The popular icons were brought back at an excessive price. The farm system's failures promise more of the same.

Let's speculate: 1) Giambi walks, Posada takes his surgically repaired 37 year old catchers body to first in order to fulfill the three remaining guaranteed years on his ludicrous contract. Perhaps it would be possible to procure a gloveman to back up the reinvented Jorge. 2) Abreu has pretty numbers, but he'll be 35 next spring, a multi-year deal won't work. The X man shifts to right. Damon, Matsui, Cabrera, Gardner and perhaps Jackson fresh from the Trenton express share CF/LF. 3) It gets complicated behind the plate. Molina is an excellent backup. Pudge is a shadow. Posada, part time, provides flexibility. The next big thing is in Charleston but needs time to develop the tools. There are no easy answers.

The 40 million saved will be a down payment on fortifying a wobbly pitching staff. 2008 drove home the point that the days of crooked numbers on the scoreboard are over. Pennant race viability requires quality pitching--end of story. Let's check the inventory: 1) Wang 2) Joba (with new rules, and bated breath.) 3) ? 4) ? 5) ? The farm system that has focused on the pitching crop for three years? Hype fades, reality bites, results matter. The cupboard is bare, until proven otherwise. Mussina and Pettite must be brought back, the next big thing can be plugged in to #5 (I'm not referring to Ponson.) Bullpen issues loom as The Great Rivera moves towards birthday #39.

The Yankees bountiful revenue is projected to double in 2009. Let the credibility shopping spree commence. Unfortunately, times have changed. Planning, cogent analysis and shrewd decision making have replaced Dad's checkbook as long-term answers. The headlines will be splashed with big tickets--C.C./ Teixeira/ K-Rod would look great in Pinstripes. Competitive balance and financial considerations make it unlikely.

The foundation of the future must be built on internal development. The Yanks have all the advantages, there is no excuse for long-term failure. 2008 provided a lesson for the Bombers' Brass--rushing the future and burdening the neophytes with self-serving hype is a recipe for disaster. The blueprint has been provided by Gene Michael and Buck Showalter--patient , low-key development is the road to take. By the time the luster has worn off the new digs, the Yankees could have a team worth rooting for.

Photo/Wikimedia.org

Reactions to Yankees' Disappointment

The fallout from the Yankees unfamiliar regular season failure continues. Here are some reactions of interest:

• Baseball Musings issues a classy requiem: "Now the team can focus on next year. They'll have money, a new stadium, and a good group of stars. I suspect they won't be down for long."
• Ownership's reaction couldn't be described as classy, but Hank has some bluster left: "There is going to be a lot going on this off-season,” he said. “I promise you that.”
• The clubhouse reacted predictably: "But instead of screaming and hollering, there was only head-scratching and shoulder-shrugging after perhaps the Yankees' most discouraging loss of the season, a loss that made it more likely that this final season at Yankee Stadium will not include a playoff appearance by this $207 million team."
• Brian Cashman hits the nail on the head: "I’ve put together a club that is where it’s at, and I’m responsible for that.” "We haven't performed," Cashman said. "We're not getting what we need to from everybody that we expected. If I knew why, then I would have fixed it. Unfortunately, it's my job to put it together and fix what's broken. I haven't been able to figure that out. If I could have, I would have by now."

Yankees followers have been spoiled for a long time. Time to relate to the also-rans. How many days to spring training?

Hank Steinbrenner Learns a Lesson

Video from Newsday, documents Yankees' co-owner Hank Steinbrenner telling it like it is. The candor is refreshing:
http://www.newsday.com/video/?slug=ny-spyanks0828-wn

Yankees Exposed

The Yankees 2008 charade ended with an 11-3 loss to the rebuilt Red Sox Wednesday. The Yanks started the series one three-game-sweep from relevance, they are 0-2--fade to irrelevance.

The dynasty built by Gene Michael, nurtured by Buck Showalter and adroitly managed by Joe Torre is in the rear view mirror. Yankees' followers, spoiled for a long time, by habitual winning, are on the road to the future. Three years after Brian Cashman moved into the drivers seat, the car is in the ditch. The focus on the farm is a nice philosophy, check Cash's resume to see how much experience he has building anything. Brian did what he does best, throw the organization's Monopoly money at the problem, take credit when possible, search for cliche ridden excuses when things don't go as planned.

The roster is loaded with faded veterans featuring gaudy, bloated contracts. Looking for a fresh face? Brett Gardner rides the pine while Johnny lobs anemic throws from center and YES sings a familiar refrain: "That ball was in the air a long time" (Before it dropped in for another hit.) When fortification is needed, Yankees' fans, paying premium prices get treated to a never ending list of dubious suspects.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. 2007 was rescued when Chamberlain, Duncan, Cano and Cabrera infused a dour roster with youthful enthusiasm. It was considered a down payment on a bright future. The organization had poured big bucks into restocking the farm and exploiting their competitive advantages. The 2008 roster expands Sept. 1, surely three years is enough time to stock the bench with fresh faces looking to get their talented feet wet. Good luck with that. Looking for the next wave of hope? Skip Scranton...

It is what it is and it isn't good enough. Losing is OK if long-term progress is marked, that's why they call it growing pains. There is no excuse for going backwards. The buck stops at the top. The Brothers Steinbrenner got Daddy's empire on a silver platter. So far their reign has been marked with bluster, hype and deluded expectations. It's not good enough.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees Share Blame

The news is ominous in the wake of the Yankees' latest pratfall in the Bronx. Time to play the blame game:

• "The Yankees look, and sound, just about done."We [stunk] tonight ... I [stunk]," said Alex Rodriguez, who went 0-for-5, hit into two double plays, left seven runners on, and made an error. "It was an awful night ... I screwed up every way you can." A-Rod has plenty of company.
• "Andy Pettitte did not help Tuesday, either, lasting four and two thirds innings, allowing 10 hits and 6 runs. Usually a stalwart in the second half, Pettitte has one victory in his last six starts."
• First baseman Jason Giambi seemed confused.
  “I knew he was flying around third,” Giambi said. “I could see him out of the corner of my eye and I just tried to stay back to make sure I could catch it.”
  Giambi did snag the ball, but he said it lodged deep in his glove and he never gripped it well enough for a throw. He made an awkward appeal to the first base umpire, Tim Timmons — “He was safe?” Giambi asked — but it was hopeless.
• The honeymoon is over: "Girardi simply hasn’t shown Torre’s touch, Torre’s ability to push the right buttons at the right times. His work ethic isn’t relevant. As the dignified center fielder Bernie Williams once said: "We’re not in the business of trying; we’re in the business of doing."
• "Jason Giambi thought the first-base ump, Tim Timmons, had signaled that Bailey was out, and he froze statue-still while Coco Crisp [stats] successfully raced for home. Girardi’s Yanks don’t play through the whistle." Somehow, I knew it wasn't Jason's fault.
• "It's not the way I drew it up when I came to the park today," Girardi said. Back to the drawing board.
• "The Yankees talked big about the importance of these games against the Red Sox to their playoff aspirations. But they whiffed on-the-field" "And so it goes."

Yankees Failed Plans

The injury riddled Red Sox returned to the Bronx Tuesday, to resume what's left of the legendary rivalry with the beleaguered Bombers. Both teams have been hit with a wave of adversity this season, their respective abilities to cope illustrate the gap in front-office acumen.

The Red Sox have leaned on a productive farm system, that continues to produce a stream of quality talent. Last night's Mannyless lineup featured: Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, Lowrie, Baily and Cash. Yesterday's veteran Boston lineup anchored by the dreadlocked distraction has been replaced by a young aggressive team capable of winning now and into the foreseeable future. It's not an accident. Progressive management phased-out aging heroes: Pedro, Damon, Cabrera, Millar and a crew of assorted "Idiots," in order to adhere to a long-term vision of perpetual winning. When it was time to step up and pull the trigger on headline splashing deals, Beckett and Dice-K arrived. Brains and guts is a lethal combination.

Contrast Boston's formula with New York's plan of attack. Years of gaudy contracts to marquee names produced diminishing returns and an ominous future. When it was time for tough, unpopular decisions multi-year contracts were doled out to veterans closer to Old Timer's day than their primes. Hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars later-- Time for Plan B: rebuild the barren farm with slot-busting bonus babies, target high ceiling talent with dubious medical histories, add deluded hype, rush the future through the system to appease the results oriented mob and presto you have a season in ruins. There is no magic wand for the Yankees quandary. The future is built one decision at a time. Today's foundation is formed on yesterday's failures. The organization's deluded, blustering, cliche ridden rhetoric: "We'll be really good next year," is folly. Nothing significant changes, until the baseball decisions by the Bombers' Brass improve, until then, the song remains the same.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees/Red Sox encore

September is on deck. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are in a familiar place. The Bronx is alive as the two rivals try to settle a playoff race. Start spreading the news:

• "The Red Sox know their history."
• "The Red Sox could seal the deal or open a can of worms that may be hard to shut."
• History lesson.
• "Because of the media and the fans, there's more energy or electricity in the ballpark,.."
• "It’s one of the toughest places to play,” he said. “The crowd’s crazy. You can get a little intimidated, especially as a young player. As an older guy, you get aggravated. It’s a great place to play and great for baseball. I’ve always enjoyed making that trip. It’s the wildest place I have ever played.”--Paul Byrd.
• "Memories aren't why this series matters. The standings are."
• "As the Yankees try to make up ground against the Red Sox, they will get a couple lucky breaks."

It's hard to believe that after all the angst of the 2008 season, the beleaguered Bombers are one three-game-sweep away from relevance. Does the House That Ruth Built have any miracles left? It will be fun finding out.

Photo/NY Times

Jeter's Improved Defense

Derek Jeter's defense has been analyzed, dissected, inspected and left for dead. The consensus is the Yankees' Captain can't pick-it and only his revered legend prevents the organization from moving him to safe harbor.

A funny thing happened on the way to the glue factory. Improvement has made an appearance. The Hardball Times, in an article titled, "The Mussina renaissance" writes: "It's important to note that the left side of the Yankees infield has improved from last year... Jeter RZR 2007: .777 2008:.866."

While the analysts were piling numbers on Jeter's resume, the Captain responded: "I don't care." Actions speak louder than words and reports from spring training indicated a revised workout regime that accentuated suspect range. It appears the work has paid off.

The recent issue of Baseball America has two notable entries regarding Derek's D: "Derek Jeter famously committed 56 errors at low class A Greensboro in 1993, and while his defensive value is the subject of much debate within baseball circles, suffice it to say the Yankees have been satisfied with his work there."

The stats suggest Jeter is a bad defensive shortstop who has improved at an advanced age. OK. Then I read this from the highly respected Baseball America: Best Defensive Shortstop (AL) : 3) Derek Jeter. Sounds like, "the subject of much debate in baseball circles" isn't going away anytime soon.

Photo

Yankees Interview

Full Count Pitch, offers a comprehensive interview with Sweeny Murti of WFAN. The long time Yankees beat reporter covers a wide array of topics. Today's part one offers a writer's perspective on the Yank's condition, tomorrow's part two promises some background on the writer.

Yankees' Final Test

The Yankees kept hope alive with a three game sweep of Baltimore. A glance at the standings reflects a five game deficit to the Red Sox and four games to the Twins with 32 games remaining. The final chapter of the 2008 season starts Tuesday in the Bronx against the Red Sox. Here's the team matchups for the daunting stretch: Red Sox-6, Rays-6, Blue Jays-6, White Sox-4, Angels-3, Mariners-3, Orioles-3, Tigers-1.

Was Watching, gives us a detailed analysis of year-to-date results: "the Yankees, while not “great” here, are “holding their own” (so to speak) against the “winning teams” that they’ve faced this season." A chart shows that the Yanks have a .523 win percentage against winning teams. Apply that to the remaining schedule you get--13/12 (An optimistic projection, as the Rays and Angels are clearly the best teams in the AL.) Let's get giddy and say the Bombers go 6-1 against the weak teams remaining, the final tally would be 89 wins. If the Red Sox go 15-17, they end up at 90, should Boston choke (Just had a flashback to the good old days) the Twins/White Sox loom. The word grim comes to mind.

When the going gets tough, ownership spouts cliches: "I just wanted to let [the players know] that ownership absolutely believes that we're in this," Steinbrenner said in a phone interview yesterday. "We absolutely believe we're in this fight, and that we'll be in it until the end. Winning takes determination, courage and heart, and it's time to bring that into the open in a big way."--Newsday/Hat Tip- Sliding Into Home.

When Hal's Dad ran the ship he was notorious for Knute Rockne-esque speeches that would make the players snicker. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Photo/NJ.Com

Yankees' Struggles

Here are some perspectives on the Yankees' 2008 predicament, from outside the Big Apple:

• "That's how it is for Torre. No hard feelings, at least not for his former players. And, if he should find himself managing the Dodgers in postseason while the Yankees watch from home, he insists he won't feel any additional gratification."
  "Even if I was angry at certain things, I would have a tough time not being able to root for those players individually," Torre said. "I couldn't sit here and gloat, knowing all those players that I grew close to. I had a good run there for a long time." Nice guys, don't necessarily finish last.
• "The question is how much fight is left in the dog." Have you ever seen a poodle fight? "The Yankees might look a lot different, at this time next year." No doubt, but buying a new team wasn't exactly the plan.
• "As free-spending as the Yankees have been in past, they’re liable to make a fleet of drunken sailors look like a bunch of tightwads." When all else fails, go to Dad's checkbook.

Yanks' Pavano is Alive

Carl Pavano is back from Rehab Mountain. Last night he took the mound in Baltimore and survived five innings. There is something therapeutic about pending free agency. Mike Mussina goes from scrap heap to top-of-the-rotation starter at 39 years old. Jason Giambi morphs from bloated part-time player to buff, iron man. Pavano is attempting to transform from perpetual joke to viable pitcher, worthy of another contract.

It was mentioned in the YES broadcast that Pavano was inspired by Brian Cashman's support. Cash recently said, "When he's healthy, he can do what few can do." The facts show what Carl has done in pinstripes: ERA 4.77, OPP. BA. .311, 20 starts for 39.95 million. Self-serving rhetoric collides with truth, again. Pavano's illustrious return produced: 5IP, 3 Runs, 7 Hits, 2HBP, 1 Walk, ERA 5.40. The sky is the limit as the salary drive gathers steam.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees plan Joba's next step

Joba Chamberlain is the real deal. The foundation of the Yankees future, here's a few links to clarify his immediate future:

• "Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner expects hard-throwing Joba Chamberlain to pitch again this season. Whether it's as a starter or out of the bullpen will be determined.
  "I don't know yet," Steinbrenner said. "It's up to (manager Joe) Girardi and (pitching coach Dave) Eiland, how they want to do it."
  "They know what they're doing, and the doctors obviously know."
• "when he gets back into games for the Yankees, it may be as a reliever at first."We've always thought of him as a starter," manager Joe Girardi said Friday. "That's how I still think of him."There's not a lot of time to build up, so we might have to be creative how we build him up. ... We're not exactly sure how we're going to do it."
• "Your guess is as good as mine in terms of when Chamberlain could pitch in the majors. But if he’s coming back as a starter (which seems to be the case) we’re talking at least two weeks to get his arm strong enough. So that’s sometime in the second week of September at the earliest."
• "It seems the tendonitis resulted from overuse, likely from the transition of relieving to starting."

Here's what should happen: Joba's next appearance on a mound will be in spring training 2009. He will be a starter from day one. This is one decision the Bombers' Brass can't afford to screw up.

Yankees' Biggest Problem

The New York Yankees tumble towards the finish line of the 2008 season. The headlines focus on the failure to reach the postseason, ending an impressive 13 year run. There is more to the story. The theme of this season was transition from old, faded dynasty to youth filled, promising roster. 2007 provided an appealing preview as Chamberlain, Cano, Cabrera and Duncan provided a breath of fresh air and promise of good things to come.

Yankees' fans were somewhat prepared for a rocky season as growing pains take patience. Short term sacrifice would be rewarded with long term prosperity. For those scoring at home, here are the transitional highlights of the Bomber's beleaguered season:

1. Mike Mussina is reincarnated into a viable starter. The Moose provides a nice story, but at 39 he's not exactly a springboard to the future.
2. Veras and Ramirez contribute to a rebuilt bullpen. Anytime young arms help and stay healthy it's noteworthy. Useful role players are welcome.
3. Joba is now a starter. The bullpen savior shows he's capable of plugging a big hole in the top of the rotation when healthy--there's always a catch. Next season's "Joba rules" should be interesting.
4. Nady is acquired for two formerly hyped pieces of the future. The X man provides an option should Abreu walk. The fact that his acquisition along with Marte for Ohlendorf and Tabata contradicts the youth movement dogma is interesting, but in the short run productive.

That's all folks. Four areas of noteworthy improvement, only two involve young players. In the meantime, Rivera, Posada, Jeter, Matsui, Damon and Pettitte are closer to their pensions than their primes. What about the rebuilt farm? Surely, after three years of slot busting bonuses hope is on deck. Looking for light at the end of the tunnel? Skip Scranton head on to Trenton, where Jackson and Pena flash noteworthy tools. Can they survive the MLB express that melted Hughes and Kennedy? Let's hope the organization learned that you can't rush the future.

The Yankees' biggest problem isn't missing the playoffs, it's the fact that the 2008 season transitioned to nowhere.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees prospects

A few links to provide some perspective on the Yankees' future:

• Baseball America, polled the Double-A managers to find out which prospects had the best tools. 22 categories were surveyed and the Yanks scored in two. Best defensive shortstop--Ramiro Pena and best defensive outfielder-Austin Jackson.
• More from Baseball America, as they ask a tough question, regarding Ian Kennedy: "But the question now is: Was 2007, when he carved up minor league hitters and went 1-0, 1.89 in three September starts, an aberration?
• I don't want to think about this: "For the future well being of the Yankees, it is more important for Phil Hughes to pitch in the majors during September than for Pavano to make his starts. Hughes will be with the team for the next several years and needs the experience. Pavano will probably be in St. Louis or on the West Coast.
  The fact that Brian Cashman informed Pavano of Saturday’s start shows that Joe Girardi has no control whatsoever in regards to who he has on the team and who should play.
  Those days of managers dictating what type of team they want are long gone. It’s not out of the question that Cashman tells Girardi when to take out pitchers and when to put aging players in center field."
• Here's a scouting report on Joba's mechanics and something else I don't want to think about: " It seems the tendonitis resulted from overuse, likely from the transition of relieving to starting."

Yankees Cope with Reality

A glance of today's Yankees' news tells a sordid story:

• "HANK: MEDIA HATE THE YANKEES." Delusional isn't the way to go.
• "Last night, at the open-roofed Rogers Centre against the New York Yankees, Halladay must have felt like a kid in a candy story.."
• "Man, I wish it was that easy (every night)," Gaston said."
• "Torre was able to leave the Yankees under the best circumstances possible: a bombastic owner showed him the door, unaware of what he had. Had Torre stayed, he would have taken the fall for this year's mediocrity. His legacy would have been tarnished."
• "When you're down to plugging Carl Pavano into the rotation for the first time this season and only his third big-league appearance since 2005, the word desperation comes to mind. The schedule doesn't work for the Yankees, either: 16 home games and 20 on the road,"
• "I’ve just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you, to stop what you’re doing and listen."
• “I’m not asking him to make amends,” Manager Joe Girardi said. “I’m just asking him to come and compete."
• Good thing he's not required to "make amends": Timeline: Pavano's Yankees career
• Can it get any worse? Don't ask. "The four young starters the Yanks were most counting upon this year - Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Jeff Marquez and Alan Horne - have tanked so badly physically and via performance that Carl Pavano likely will start a critical game" Saturday."

Hank's Dad had a bit of a reputation, but there was a method to some of the madness. Coping with dire reality isn't easy but someone has to do it.

Photo/NY Post/Reuters

Yankees Fold

Doc Halladay was dealing in Toronto Thursday night. There is an expression at the poker table, "If you can't spot the fish, it's you." The scoreboard read Blue Jays-14 Yankees-3. The game wasn't that close.

Melky Cabrera is in Scranton, Brett Gardner rides the pine, Johnny Damon mangles center field. Over matched doesn't begin to describe it. Opponents don't need a scouting report to know that the green light is always on when old Johnny lobs another anemic throw. Unfortunately for the Yankees, only one player can DH per game, last night lineup featured three candidates--Damon. Giambi and Matsui.

The rickety lineup is unsightly, let's switch to the rebuilt pitching staff. On the mound for the Bombers, the Round Mound of Rebound, Sidney Ponson. It was a noteworthy night for Sir Sid, he was pitching in the major leagues after August 20TH for the first time since 2004. Sidney marked the occasion by producing: 2 IP, 8 Hits, 7 Runs and turning the game over to the bullpen in the third inning. Robertson (ERA-5.96) and Traber (7.02) provided no relief from an excruciating evening. News that Carl Pavano would be starting Saturday didn't ease any one's pain.

Yankees' followers find themselves in a frustrating search for a silver lining. Focus on the fact that the 2008 season has clearly demonstrated that the organization needs a major overhaul. Smoke and mirrors won't work anymore. The front office tried to reinvent themselves and failed. The brothers Steinbrenner need to step up and find a qualified baseball man capable of rebuilding and running a once proud franchise.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees' Notes and Quotes

Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte carried the Yanks to a 5-1 win in Toronto last night. The stellar performances by proven champions provided a welcome relief from the onslaught of negativity that accompanies failure in the Bronx. Jeter and Pettitte have shared a long list of experiences in pinstripes, missing the playoffs isn't one they can fathom, "You almost feel like nothing is insurmountable."--Pettitte (AP) The noble philosophy will be put to the ultimate test as the stretch drive travels through a grim reality.

Notes & Quotes:

• Too late: In an article titled, "These Yankees Need To Be Dismantled--Immediately" the author writes: "There is nothing left for the Yankees to prove in 2008. They've established themselves as one of the weaker sisters in club history." In the spring of 2007, I wrote an article suggesting that the Yanks trade off the over-the-hill gang and bite the bullet with kids in order to rebuild a solid foundation. I suggested a front office person with experience in this monumental task be hired and suggested Buck Showalter, who built the Diamond Backs from the ground up and has a successful Yankees' pedigree. It would have been tough then, it's impossible now. The seasoned veterans with big names and contracts have no trade value. The departing free agents--Giambi, Abreu, I-Rod must go. The tricky part is replacing them. Take a close look at the hyped farm, compile a viable list of names, good luck with that. "This figures to get a lot worse before it gets better."--NY Times (Paraphrased.)
• The bright side: "Some people maybe don't want to take a gamble on me with my past," Ponson said. "Thankfully Brian gave me a call. I'm trying to help this team make the playoffs." Who says scraping the bottom of the barrel is beneath the richest franchise in the history of the world? Sir Sidney, the Round Mound of Rebound has filled one of the holes in the Yankees' rebuilt rotation. The future is ours.
• When the Yanks picked up first ballot Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez for the infamous Farnsworth the headline writers pretended Pudge was arriving with a time machine. Reality has a way of rearing it's ugly head: "While Rodriguez has won a record 13 Gold Gloves as a catcher, he seems to have had trouble getting in synch with the Yankees' pitchers.Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte have continued to pitch to Molina (Pettitte worked with Rodriguez once before that was abandoned), and with Rodriguez catching, Yankees pitchers have a 6.21 ERA.The Yankees have gone 3-7 in Rodriguez's starts,"
  The fact is the Yanks had to make this trade because of a lack of viable options. It's not a surprise that a 36 year old catcher who has been catching full time in the show since 19 is done. Dombrowski of Detroit is no fool, would he really take Farnsworth for a productive player at a key position?
• Here we go again: "Reports had the oft-injured Pavano suffering from a stiff neck this week, but Wednesday he threw a side session with Double-A Trenton. Thunder pitching coach Scott Aldred told the Times of Trenton that Pavano looked "perfect" and was the best Aldred had seen him." Wait, there's more breaking news, "Asked after Tuesday's game whether Pavano had to skip a scheduled bullpen session because of a stiff back, Girardi said the righty was fine.
  "He has normal soreness," Girardi said.
• Words that haunt: "In fact, to appreciate fully just how deluded Cashman's defense of Pavano makes him sound, compare them with how, just eight months ago, the Yankee GM characterized the work ethic of one of Pavano's teammates.About the center-fielder who delivered the GM four championship rings, Cashman, recall, had this to say,"[He] got into his music and that took away from his play," and that as a consequence, in 2005, he'd had a "terrible season".Bernie Williams, a foundational pillar to the Yankees late 90's dynasty, neglected his responsibilities and deserted his team in 2005..."
• "It’s hard to decide what’s more amusing, that Irabu had 20 mugs of beer or that the bar allowed to him to get out another credit card and pay his tab after he beat up the bartender.
  Meanwhile, Kei Igawa spent a peaceful night at his apartment in Scranton watching Tora! Tora! Tora!" Peter Abraham delivers some much needed comic relief.

Photo/Daylife

Yankees' Rumors

The Yankees will have a long, busy and hopefully productive off season. Here's a couple of big ticket, headline splashing, new stadium warming names to divert our attention:

• "It’s hard to describe what CC has brought to the Brewers. He is an inning-eater in an age in which a “quality start” is defined by going six innings. He and his teammates know this is a short-term rental. The Brewers won’t be signing this guy, not when they have to compete with the Yankees, the Red Sox, and every big-market team out there (he already turned down $72 million from his previous team, the Cleveland Indians). But from the day that Milwaukee has acquired him, he has played like he has Brew for blood (somehow that doesn't sound as complimentary as I would have hoped), and his team and their fans know it."--Dugout Central. Hank's Dad would have had Santana and CC in the rotation this season--the good old days. Anyway, when's Pavano due back?
• More from Dugout Central: " I love boldness...I hate apathy..So let’s trade Pujols and see what happens. The team acquiring Pujols has to have deep pockets and Major League ready contributors to send to St. Louis. Who fits that description? New York Yankees: They have the money and the motivation – General Manager Brian Cashman surely is on the hot seat again. But do they have the talent? Robinson Cano could fill the Cardinals’ hole at second, Joba Chamberlain could be the missing ace and Philip Hughes could plug in the fourth hole, behind Chamberlain, Wainwright and possibly Carpenter. But it isn’t enough for the Cardinals" Just reading the idea of trading Joba and the conclusion that it's not enough makes me wince.

Enough of the pie in the sky, lets get back to reality: "“He’s not the villain he’s cast as,” Cashman, who signed Pavano to the contract, said Monday. “Carl Pavano has worked his butt off. He’s always tried. He just hasn’t stayed healthy. No one is trying to avoid him. When he’s healthy, he can pitch. He’s one of the hardest workers we’ve got. People don’t want to realize it or look at it, but that’s true.
“He hasn’t laid down on us, he just hasn’t been healthy. People lose their objectivity and make it things it’s not. The bottom line is, he’s had every intention of helping us, but between all the injuries, we’ve had a lot of stuff that hasn’t worked physically. When he’s healthy, he can do what few can do.”--NY Daily News (Hat tip Was Watching)

The song remains the same as the reinvention hits just keep on coming. It's time for the Brothers Steinbrenner to turn off the music.

Yankees' Veterans Drop Ball

Joe Girardi's hands are tied, the over-the-hill-gang will have to carry the load of the stretch drive. Johnny Damon assumes the position in center. Matsui's name is inserted in a lineup featuring a future Hall of Famer batting ninth. The names are impressive, the performance abysmal.

Johnny Damon reminded the Melky critics why he couldn't do the job three years ago. The Yanks go back to the future as Johnny drops two fly balls, hands the Blue Jays a win and sabotages quality pitching by Rasner and Veras. (How low have the Yankees sunk? Damon who had two whiffs, no hits, one walk, one run scored is nominated by YES, as a player of the game candidate--You can't make this stuff up.)

Damon wasn't the only over matched Yankee in Toronto. A.J. Burnett dominated the old and in the way lineup. Giambi earned the Golden Sombrero with four whiffs. A-Rod gets the Hat Trick, manages a fluke hit in the ninth and then is thrown out at second when he jogs to first and a great throw by Overbay makes him pay--last season's MVP represented the tying run.

The heralded Yankees' youth movement was universally popular because it was clearly time to replace faded with fresh. Time has past, hype has waned, the crop is meager and what's left isn't good enough. The 2008 season fades to black and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees' Dubious Options

Time to dust off the stale jokes:

• "the question is whether the big goofball can actually take the mound. And this one falls, once again, into the "believe it when I see it" pile. That's the rule on Pavano -- until I see him throw a pitch from a major-league mound in a real major-league game, I will not believe that it's actually going to happen. Might happen, but I'm not going to go around expecting it to happen, or writing that it'll happen.
  Pavano's pattern is fairly well established. He goes through the rehab, gets close enough to tease the Yankees into believing he'll come back, then makes up some kind of lame, undiagnosable injury that prevents him from making the start. It's happened over and over again." A couple of years ago I read a quote by an anonymous Yankees' official that said, "Pavano was scared to death to pitch in NY." That sounds about right.
• Just in case Pavano comes up with another mystery ailment, there's always hope: "GM Brian Cashman has been a bottom feeder over the past months trying to create as many options as possible. That is how Sidney Ponson ended up in the rotation. And that is why he signed Eric Milton and Zambrano to try and revive their careers in the Yankee system.
  Now wouldn't it be amazing if Zambrano -- a blight on Met history -- could help the Yanks at this desperate moment." The owners of the franchise, who have spent more than 200 million on payroll and have been throwing around multi-million dollar bonuses in the minors in order to allegedly rebuild it, might come up with a word other than "amazing."

Photo/ESPN

Yankees Rants and Questions

Scanning the Yankees' news today got me going, time for a therapeutic rant:

• "Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe had this quote from a scout: “In a few years, Melky (Cabrera) will be playing in some independent league. Or in the Mexican League.” The thing about scouts is they're always anonymous, it's easier to be brilliant that way. Melky was in the show since he was 20 years old. He replaced a brittle, defensively challenged, over-paid Damon and helped the Yanks get to the postseason by playing center virtually everyday. He defied the scouting reports and brought energy to an old, lethargic roster. He deserves to be in Scranton but doesn't deserve to be buried. Amazing how many chances Hughes and Kennedy get, after producing nothing, while Melky is an out cast. Why is that? He is yesterday's news and there's a new face to take his place. Brett Gardner brings speed and the scouting report of a "4TH outfielder with no power"--BP (paraphrased) The organization has set it's high beams of hype in his direction. He's the next big thing , until Austin Jackson is ready. Good luck Brett, you're going to need it.
• Not dead yet: "All it took was one game for Melky Cabrera to erase all those doubts.
  Instead of sulking about his demotion from the New York Yankees, he sucked it up. Instead of displaying the over-anxiety that plagued him in New York, he showed remarkable patience at the plate. Instead of going through the motions, he was going full-speed for a full game Sunday night in his first appearance for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre." Assuming Gardner can play in the show and Cabrera does well in Scranton, it will be interesting to see what happens when the rosters expand Sept.1st. They are both #4 outfielders according to scouts, Brett can run, Melky can throw. Cabrera did the job for two years and failed this season. Gardner is a work in progress. Nady and Abreu will play everyday. Two men enter...
• Speaking of another chance: " let's remember you've been down this road before. Many times, mind you. And almost every time you thought that maybe this is when Pavano is finally going to step up and be a help, he does something to remind you that he is Carl Pavano." Let's hear from the man who has the organization where it is today: "Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said teammates shouldn't be dubious of Pavano in his latest comeback attempt.
  "If people have that type of attitude there, it's stupid," Cashman said Monday. "Everybody has issues and makes mistakes or has things to deal with. It's about turning the page and moving forward and concentrating on what's in front of you rather than concentrating on what's behind you." Sounds like Cash is practicing his "You should bring me back speech" for the Brothers Steinbrenner.
• Speaking of "turning the page": In one sense, it is clear the Yankees owe Torre an apology, because clearly, he wasn't the problem with this team last year any more than Girardi is the problem with it this year.In another sense, it is Torre who owes a hearty thank you to the Yankees, for showing him the way to the door just before the roof fell in on the rest of them...You have a mess Miller Huggins couldn't have managed to win with." It is ironic, that the old Joe who, allegedly, was incapable of developing young players had Cano, Cabrera and Joba blossom on his watch while the 2007 season was rescued by young players and the 2008 season is down the drain while they retread Pavano. Maybe this is what Cash meant when he said, "Everybody has issues."

Yankees' Help is on the Way

The stretch drive is underway. The body count mounts. Who you gonna call?

• "The Yankees will dip into their system to pluck a pitcher for Saturday's game in Baltimore, a start that could go to either Phil Hughes or Carl Pavano.
  Making their way back from injuries, both pitchers worked for the club's top two Minor League affiliates on Sunday, posting mixed results."


• "Franchise" update:
  “I threw too many pitches over the plate,” Hughes said. “That pretty much sums it up. I was decent, but I left too many fastballs over the plate and they jumped all over them... Physically I felt fine. A little bit of a dead arm, but you're going to go through those days when you don't have your best stuff. You just try to compete and unfortunately I wasn't able to do that today.
  The admission that his arm felt a little bit dead accounts for the lower velocity than we've seen his previous minor league outings." It really is getting hard to take this stuff seriously.


• Just when you think it can't get worse: " Carl Pavano threw six solid innings for Double-A Trenton today at Reading. He allowed one run on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
  Are we prepared for the possible return of the Rajah of Rehab, the American Idle himself, Carl Anthony Pavano? No and neither is he.

Yanks' Girardi Copes with Media

Joe Girardi's inaugural season in Pinstripes is filled with daunting challenges. Managing an overrated, flawed roster into the teeth of deluded expectations and hoping to end up at traditional grandeur is a recipe for disaster. The 2008 season has followed the dubious script. Number 27 has his hands full.

Coping with issues on the diamond is a full time job, in the Big Apple, it's not enough. The job description includes dealing with Gotham's never ending parade of media members. People skills don't begin to describe what is required. A saint would be tested.

Joe Girardi took the Bombers' helm with impeccable credentials. His resume highlights: A) Respected former player. (When the Colorado Rockies franchise started, management asked skipper Don Baylor if there were any players that he would like to add to the clubhouse mix, to set a quality example. Baylor submitted two names--Walt Weis and Joe Girardi. B) Mentor--he groomed Posada. C) Student--serving as Torre's bench coach allowed him to witness success. D) Managerial Acumen- NL Mgr of the year, guiding the neophyte Marlins to contention while dealing with an overbearing owner. E) Work Ethic--noted for perpetual preparation. F) Media Member--YES broadcaster.

Turns out, there was one notable chink in Joe's armor. He had no experience coming up short of the Tampa Rays, Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. Losing on the field rankles Girardi's competitive nature. Dealing with tabloid media hordes looking to feast on the ruins of royalty is an untenable task.

For an inside perspective lets hear from two notable reporters: "His media-relations skills need work as well. Girardi's insistence at putting a positive spin on everything has reduced his credibility. It has gotten to a point where many columnists routinely skip his media sessions, knowing he will say nothing of value. That's a bad sign."--Peter Abraham's Baseball Beat.

"One of Girardi's biggest problems seems to be the way he presents himself to the media covering the team, particularly after tough losses. Where Joe Torre was nearly always charming and outwardly patient with questions -- even those he deemed silly or repetitive -- Girardi is often curt and testy. There's nothing actually unusual about this. It's the way most managers (and probably most people, period) handle such situations. Torre, not Girardi, was the exception, and those of us who covered Torre for years and years probably got spoiled.
That doesn't excuse Girardi's persistent, maddening secrecy regarding the most harmless of his managerial thought processes. And it doesn't excuse his snapping at reporters whose questions he doesn't like. All it really does is reveal the differences between a guy who's in his second year as a manager and a guy who's in his 27th. For all the talk about his talent, his promise and his intellect, Girardi remains an inexperienced manager. Given his position, it can be easy to forget that."--Dan Graziano, The Star Ledger.

There is only one solution to Joe Girardi's quandary--habitual winning. Without that, no amount of charm school education will help.

Yankees' Links

A few links of interest to pass the time while the Yankees' bats take out some frustration on the hapless Royals. (Note: A-Rod just singled in a run to add to the blowout, statisticians will be delighted that his AVG. with RISP improved.):

• The Giambino is back: "Don't look now, but the Yankees' Jason Giambi could be a free agent in demand. The Yankees are certain to decline Giambi's $22 million option, and several American League clubs in need of power could pursue him on a short-term deal.
  Giambi, who turns 38 on Jan. 8, ranks ninth in the American League in OPS, ahead of players such as the Indians' Grady Sizemore, Twins' Justin Morneau and Tigers' Magglio Ordonez." There is something magical about pending free agency. Jason came to camp in shape, managed to stay in one piece and registers well in the magic OPS column. Presto, he's alive. (Hat Tip River Ave Blues)
• The present is bleak, lets take a look at the future: "As a result, in the end, the Yankees only sign one of their first three picks in the 2008 draft - and it was the one who was an “over-draft” - Jeremy Bleich.
  Basically, the Yankees threw away two of the first 75 picks in this draft because of bad decisions on who to pick. They didn’t do their homework in terms of sign-ability and health." Never mind.
• Getting tired of the RISP frenzy? Let's move on: "Then there’s the pitching. It’s hard to believe, but the only starter able to make it through the season injury free to this point is their oldest starter – Mike Mussina. (Moose, I hope I didn’t put the whammy on you). While Mussina is having a great season, 15-7 and a 3.30 ERA, the rest of the pitching staff has been only mediocre."

The bright side is the off season will not be boring. Time to unleash Dad's playbook.

Yankees' Rumors,Plans, Notes & Quotes

Brett Gardner brought a breath of fresh air to the Bronx Saturday. The rookie's walk off single bailed out the beleaguered Bombers and momentarily eased their pain. The season wanes, the pennant race fades and the focus shifts:

• "I've never seen a team struggle so much as a group," said Alex Rodriguez," Where do we go from here?
• "Which is why the moves Cashman made yesterday -- sending down Cabrera, designating Richie Sexson for assignment and replacing them with Brett Gardner and Cody Ransom -- amount to little more than a proverbial rearranging of the Titanic's deck chairs"
• A report from Peter Abraham's Baseball Beat looks at the big picture: "The Yankees, in every way, are in transition. They hired a new manager, they have a lot of new players and they're moving to a new stadium. Embrace the change.." Good advice, the problem is trying to find a coherent, planned pattern to the transition is frustrating.
• Ed Wade's footsteps? "Cashman would be an attractive candidate to become the GM of the Phillies or Nationals." It would be interesting to see how Cash would do without all the competitive advantages. Fingers remain crossed that it happens.
• Spanning the globe for the next big thing: "Which is why every major league team is believed to have at least one scout at the Olympics. Most, including the New York Yankees and Colorado Rockies, have two"

Photo/NY Daily News

Yankees "Tweak" Roster

The floundering New York Yankees shipped Melky Cabrera's smile to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Friday. The Melkman mired in a prolonged slump was hitting .242. Cabrera the Yankees regular center fielder for three years, defied scouting reports that labeled him "A fourth outfielder" by bringing intangibles to the diamond. "Melky Cabrera gives us energy."--Joe Torre.

While Generation Trey garnered hyped headlines, Cabrera and Cano proved young players were capable of playing everyday in the Bronx. Melky replaced a brittle, defensively deficient, highly payed Damon in center. The pitching staff smiled as Cabrera routinely gunned out base runners.

That was then, this is now. Cabrera's confidence, energy and smile waned with each flailing at bat. Change was imminent, "Melky has options and I have a young guy who's pushing his way into the mix in Brett Gardner." Cash is consistent. In spring training he was asked to predict which Yankees' prospect would have an impact on the Bombers this season, he responded, "Brett Gardner."

Who is this guy? Baseball Prospectus provides a scouting report, "Gardner has some things going for him--excellent speed, good range in the outfield, some patience and the ability to hit for a respectable average. The thing that will keep him on a major league bench as opposed to the starting lineup is a complete, total, absolute lack of power..." This will be Brett's second opportunity in pinstripes this season, his debut produced: .153BA/0HR/.227 OBP in 17 games.

The Bombers' Brass wasn't through tinkering. The Richie Sexson era in Yankees' lore is over. It seems like only yesterday I read this, "Thank goodness the Yankees signed the recently unemployed Richie Sexson, who was still the 20th-highest-paid player... despite his lack of a team. Now Sexson gets to continue his shot at becoming the first player in history to whiff 150 times without getting to 20 homers or 20 doubles."--Jayson Stark, Baseball America. First base continues to be a perpetual unsolved mystery as Sexson joins Ensberg, Lane and a dubious list too long to print.

"These are baseball decisions," Cashman said. "The shakeup has to come from the guys who are expected to perform..." Presumably, he was referring to the players.

The revamped roster took on the perennial doormat KC Royals last night at the Stadium. "It's now or never, " has replaced "the Pride and Pinstripes" as a motto. The song remained the same, another day another lackluster loss.

Photo/Cache Day Life.com

Blogging on Yanks' Cashman

Turns out, I'm not the only Yankees' blogger that isn't on the Brian Cashman bandwagon. Baseball Hot Corner has published 556 articles since it's inception in 2007. The #1 topic? Brian Cashman. It wasn't supposed to be like this. My interests are on the field, but my focus is consistently diverted by the self-serving rhetoric emanating from the GM's chair. My opinions are clearly in the minority as many blogs croon the "In Cash We Trust" mantra and the press seemingly genuflects at every episode of reinvented history.

My quandary hit bottom yesterday when I read this, "Never mind the Yankees' current standing in third place, or their recent struggles. Both Steinbrenner brothers are now said by people familiar with their thinking to be on board with Brian Cashman as their general manager, for now and long into their future." (Note: Bold print is mine, perhaps caused by pounding key board with excessive force.)

Today, I started with this, "A lineup that produced 968 runs last season is on pace for 777 in 2008...That all may be a statistical fluke..." Here's Brian's perspective, "Unfortunately, there's a fluctuation that can occur, and we are dealing with a low spike in that."

My dwindling sanity was rescued by two fellow members of the dissenting minority, Yankees Republic leads off: "One wonders why Cashman was the only one-- excluding, of course, his apologists and acolytes in the blogosphere-- who couldn't see the disaster he courted in entrusting 40% to 60% of his rotation to Hughes, Kennedy, and Joba. All three rookie pitchers, untested over a full season; all three subject to inning caps; all three under 24 and as Baseball Prospectus recently has shown, susceptible to injury as a consequence. The idea that in the New York crucible-- amid the pressure and scrutiny of an adversarial press, an impatient fan base, an outspoken ownership, and the hype of the Stadium last year-- three rookie pitchers, who'd totalled 116 major league innings between them could develop, flourish, and lead their team to the playoffs seemed, even then, a fanciful pipe dream, at best, and deluded folly, at worst."

Was Watching cleans up, "Maybe Brian Cashman doesn't want to 'fess up to that? After all, Hughes, Kennedy, Rasner, Ramirez and Marte are all part of his pitching plan for this season. So it's much easier to point to a stat like RISP--which looks bad...but, which tells you nothing, in reality, because it's not reflecting when those Plate Appearances occurred. But, to me, when it comes to the Yankees' "story" this season, it's the same as it's been for the last four years before this one-it's all about the pitching...and Cashman's bad plan in terms on who you count on...for the Yankees staff."

My pain has been eased knowing I'm not alone, but still that ominous phrase, "Long into the future" gives me chills.

Yankees' Farm System News

The news from the big leagues is bleak so let's turn our attention to the Yankees' farm system:

• "The running joke among some minor league pitchers in the New York Yankees minor league system goes something like this: Be careful how well you pitch, you don’t want to ruin your season by getting called up" Now that's encouraging.
• Ian Kennedy has gone from the next Mussina to the next Whitson. The prodigy has work to do: "Kennedy was asked to work on his secondary pitches. To stop leaning on his changeup and four-seamer, and start working on his curveball and two-seam.That’s what Kennedy did Thursday night at PNC Field, and even if it wasn’t always pretty, it was effective.Lasting just five-plus innings on 99 pitches, Kennedy was constantly in three-ball counts, but he made big pitches when he needed to..." A small step in the right direction.
• If you can't beat the Angels, set your sights on the Iron Pigs.
• The one that got away: "Cole grew up rooting for the Yankees, and even attended the 2001 World Series in Arizona, hanging out in the lobby of the Yankees’ hotel and gawking at the players. But with a chance to become a Yankee less than seven years later, Cole has chosen college instead."
• The organization has problems, top to bottom: "Several Yankees who scout the Dominican have been placed on leave as MLB and the FBI investigate whether club employees paid players small portions of bonuses they reported to baseball and kept the difference for themselves,"
• The relentless pursuit of talent continues: "Before the game, two Yankees scouts, including Gordon Blakeley, the team's current vice president and the man most responsible for signing, in 1997, Cuba's greatest modern pitcher and disgraced defector, Orlando (El Duque) Hernández, wandered into the section and set up shop: Notepads, stopwatch, opinions at the ready."

Photo/Minor League Dugout.com

Yankees Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

The never ending search for some encouraging Yankees' news leads to Baseball America:

• Venerable columnist Peter Gammons transitions from yesterday's glory to today's heroics: "After the strike canceled the 1994 World Series and led to the coldest winter, along came Cal Ripken, the dignity and might of the Joe Torre/Derek Jeter/Mariano Rivera Yankees and then the summer of '98 and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. And when the entire era went to black and the waste depository of the BALCO and aging clinics, Jose Canseco and gopher slimeballs reached the desk of George Mitchell and millions wondered if they could ever trust the sport again. There were 55,000 people at Yankee Stadium for the Home Run Derby--most of whom knew less about Josh Hamilton than Darrell Rasner--chanting Hamilton's name and rooting for a new hero.
• An encouraging scouting report on Jesus Montero : "I thought his lateral movement was good and I thought his footwork and his release was good. I thought his arm strength was at least average, maybe a tick above. I didn't like his accuracy--he came up and got a little too quick, but I thought he handled himself well." Potentially, the Yanks' catcher of the future, Montero had a reputation as an excellent hitter with dubious defense. It's encouraging to hear he's improving.

Yankees' revealing headlines

The Yanks limp home from the road to Perdition. Start spreading the news:

• "Inept effort against Twins ends Yankees' 3-7 trip"
• "Yanks Just Don’t Have Their Heads in the Game"
• "We definitely underachieved on this road trip."
• "It seemed like he had an easy time with us, and nobody should have an easy time with us," Damon said."
• Just when you think it can't get worse: "Never mind the Yankees' current standing in third place, or their recent struggles. Both Steinbrenner brothers are now said by people familiar with their thinking to be on board with Brian Cashman as their general manager, for now and long into the future.
• "Yankees, Mets Betray Fans"

And so it goes...

Yankees transition to nowhere

What a difference a year makes. The 2007 New York Yankees were riddled with injuries, stumbled from the gate and were revived with an influx of youthful enthusiasm. Joba, Duncan, Melky and Cano brought smiles to the face of a morose, rickety roster. Joe Torre calmly rode the wave of fresh talent to a playoff spot. Surf was up on the Yankees future.

The Bombers' Brass did what they do best, outspending their rivals and getting a competitive advantage with their financial clout. Yankee tradition was upheld. The perceived mastermind of the new order was long-time GM Brian Cashman. Set free from the shackles of the infamous Boss, who allegedly forced him to acquire a long list of overrated marquee names, Cash was free to follow his secret plan. The first eight years collecting pay checks as GM didn't count. Cash was king. Slot defying bonuses flew as Brian's philosophy of acquiring high ceiling talent with dubious medical histories took hold. The pitching crop was emphasized, position players could always be traded for.

There was one fly in the ointment, Gentleman Joe Torre, the man with four rings was old news. He couldn't be trusted to develop the new crop. Torre's flaw--bullpen mangling--was emphasized. His strengths-people skills and offensive acumen--taken for granted.

That was than, this is now. The 2008 Yankees were built with a mix of too old and too young. Injuries followed on cue. Parity kept the team on the periphery of the pennant race. Let the stretch drive commence. Problem is that the tightly wrapped new Joe couldn't find the magic wand to override the flaws. The offense a potent six run per game machine under Torre parlayed into a perplexing puzzle. "We need to score more runs,"--(Girardi) became the battle cry. Young players who thrived under Torre--Cano and Cabrera--had the smiles wiped off their faces when their games disintegrated. The self-serving hype that the Bombers' Brass hoisted on the brittle young pitchers proved too much. (IE--Kennedy went from the next Mussina to the next Whitson.) When fortification was needed from the vaunted farm, names like Igawa would circulate. The bountiful crop was barren. Last season's top position prospect Tabata was packaged with the next-big-bullpen-thing Ohlendorf to Pittsburg for veterans. Back to the future.

Joe Torre wasn't perfect but was taken for granted. The bullpen is better; The team is worse. The future isn't bright, it's daunting. Cash is king.

Photo/NY Daily News

Yankees Notes and Quotes

The fallout from the New York Yankees inability to deliver on distorted expectations continues:

• Let's hear from the Boss: " Steinbrenner points to the injuries as the crippling factor.
  "It's not making excuses, it's reality," Steinbrenner said. "That's part of the game. That's clearly our problem." Hank didn't bring up the illustrious plan to have the foundation of your rotation built on unproven neophytes. Or the fact that the closest thing to productive, young, everyday players the organization has come up with in years --Cano and Cabrera-- have regressed at an alarming rate since Torre was insulted out of the dugout. Or that the Moose miracle and unlimited resources have compensated for the twists of fate. The Yankees have some big decisions on deck. Hank's distorted perceptions won't help.
• Melky Cabrera has gone from energy source to out cast, "Certainly he’s capable of hitting .260 or .270, we’ve seen that,” the hitting coach Kevin Long said of Cabrera, whose season average is .243. “We were hoping he could maybe do better than that. It’s just been a struggle as of late to get him back to .260 or .270, get his head above water. So he’s gone backwards a little bit.
  “My job is to keep plugging away and his job is to keep working." The buck stops with the player. But he is not alone, at some point the question has to be asked, "How effective has Kevin Long's 'plugging away' been?" The team has gone from potent powerhouse to perplexing riddle on his watch.
• Say it ain't so.
• The man on the Lohud beat gives us an update on a transaction from 2007: "Scott Proctor has a sore elbow that will need surgery and he may not pitch again this season. They should still try and trade Wilson Betemit back for him." Ouch.
• The futures market.

A-Rod's bomb salvages Yanks win

Nothing is easy for the 2008 New York Yankees. Last night in Minnesota, Mike Mussina hands a 6-3 lead to the rebuilt bullpen bridge--Damaso Marte--and chaos follows. Marte's production in Pinstripes has not been what the Bombers bargained for when they acquired the respected southpaw at the trade deadline. He entered the game with an ERA of 9.0 in eight appearances, last night he faces three batters allows two hits and only gets one out. The Great Rivera enters early and the unthinkable happens--Delmon Young goes deep, game tied.

Those searching for progress in 2008 could hang their hats on the relief corps. Fans of the front office want to believe that the talent has always been there but old Joe didn't know what to do. The legend of Torre's mangling grew as Girardi's shrewd cultivation took hold. An unfunny thing happened on the way to the pennant race. The heat got turned up and the new bullpen crew melted. Bruney, Veras , Ramirez and Marte have been pelted nine games into the road trip from hell.

Last night's story has a happy ending. A-Rod hits a bomb in the 12TH, over the 408 foot mark, Veras and Ramirez rebound and the Yankees salvage a win. The wild-card race is still mathematically feasible--42 games, third place, five game deficit. But the list of issues for the 2008 New York Yankees continues to grow. Nothing is easy.

Photo/AP

Yankees Rumors, News and Notes

The stretch drive of the New York Yankees 2008 season is here and there are a never ending parade of issues:

• "Baseball Prospectus' Playoff Odds Report, checked daily by baseball diehards this time of year, lists the Yankees with just a 8.87 percent chance of reaching the postseason and a 1.20 percent chance at winning the division. That's far lower than the Mets' chances (43.1 percent)" (Hat Tip Baseball think Factory) Let the finger pointing commence.
• TIME TO DEMOTE MELKY Start with the easy target.
• The Torre excuse is out of the way and now it's the new Joe's turn to get every move scrutinized. The most recent earth shaking controversy is Girardi's decision to give iron-man Damon a day off. One writer took Joe's side, " It would seem Joe Girardi's perfect right to rest the brittle, sore-shouldered Damon against a left-handed pitcher the rest of the team has hit hard in the recent past." Here's some information that won't get reported on Sportscenter, "The idea that the move could be controversial says something about Girardi and the way his first season as Yankees manager is going.
  One of Girardi's biggest problems seems to be the way he presents himself to the media covering the team, particularly after tough losses. Where Joe Torre was nearly always charming and outwardly patient with questions -- even those he deemed silly or repetitive -- Girardi is often curt and testy. There's nothing actually unusual about this. It's the way most managers (and probably most people, period) handle such situations. Torre, not Girardi, was the exception, and those of us who covered Torre for years and years probably got spoiled.
  That doesn't excuse Girardi's persistent, maddening secrecy regarding the most harmless of his managerial thought processes. And it doesn't excuse his snapping at reporters whose questions he doesn't like." Girardi gets tested on and off the field.
• Let's divert attention from the field with a rumor from the waiver wire: "the Yankees will put a claim in for Washburn. The Yanks have a worse record,(Than the White Sox) so they'd win such a battle. It's winnin time.
• River Ave. Blues asks a tough guestion: "With Joba on the mend, the Yanks will soon face something of a tough choice with regards to their rookie hurler: Should they bring back Joba this season?" There are no easy answers, but safe is the way to go.

Yankees move backwards

The sun is setting on the 2008 New York Yankees. Last night's shutout at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, leaves the Yanks grasping at the straws of a five game deficit in the loss column, for the wild-card. The division is a pipe dream. "You get the idea that things will get worse before they get better."--NY Times (Paraphrased) The results have down shifted the expectations of this season into the inevitable "Wait till next year" motto of also rans.

Let's look to the promise of the future. Team architect Brian Cashman is three years into his vaunted youth movement and, as always, has had every advantage imaginable over his competition. Throwing around slot-defying bonus money to gimpy neophytes is the foundation of Cash's heralded plan. Surely, help is on the way.

The 2009 rotation starts with the Big Dividend, Joba Chamberlain. Joba has delivered and shows us what is possible. He's resting now in Tampa but should throw about 125 effective innings in 2009, assuming all goes well. Wang returns and looks good in the two slot. The 2008 transition to youth produced a 40 year old Moose, with leverage, at the top of the rotation. Mike comes back to chase 300 wins--he'll need a three year deal--no problem (see Posada and Rivera.) The number four hole is filled with the round mound of rebound Sir Sidney Ponson who proves anything is possible. The rear is brought up by Phil Hughes or whichever neophyte can stay healthy enough to walk to the mound. Relief is provided by an age defying Rivera and Marte, who hopefully starts getting people out by than. Assuming that the next big thing Melancon is closer to the "Next Joba" than the next Kennedy, the pen is viable.

Let's go around the horn. Giambi takes his 23 million-dollar paycheck and his .200ish BA with RISP production closer to home. The Giambino is replaced by Posada's 37 year-old surgically repaired catcher's body, where he attempts to fulfill the remaining three years on his guaranteed contract. Cano who was the next Carew under Torre has regressed to the next lethargic question mark under Girardi. The left side of the infield isn't going anywhere but Cooperstown. I-Rod is a shadow of his former Hall of Fame self but he's the only viable option. Hopefully, he takes a one-year deal (Note: see Moose, Posada and Rivera add leverage, presto multi-year insurance policy results.) and Montero is real. Cabrera has regressed from an energy source with a gun, to a flailing hole in the lineup. Another savior from Double-A, Austin Jackson, will be rushed into the mix. Brett Gardner? He sure can run and teams with Melky to give the Bombers two number four outfielders. If Nady takes Abreu's place, left is feebly filled by a limping Matsui and a soft-tossing Damon. Is that all there is? Of course not.

The brothers Stein will be forced to dust off Dad's playbook and purchase a couple headline splashing big tickets to plug holes and divert attention from the creaky roster. " You win and lose by who picks your talent."--Will McDonough. At some point, the man who has been picking talent for the richest franchise in history, for eleven years, will be held accountable, but until than--Wait till next year.

Photo/NJ.com

Yankees' fading fortunes

The wake of the sweep in Anaheim has hit the Yankees hard:

• "Talk about your horrid weeks..."
• "So the scrutiny turns to Girardi, to at least ensure that the Yankees don't peter out here. That they keep grinding so that, even if they ultimately miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 1993, they don't embarrass themselves." It's time to scrutinize the team architect and stop passing the buck.
• Losing isn't pretty, "“I was shocked,” Rivera said, and the Angels shared the feeling. Torii Hunter told The Los Angeles Times that he and his teammates were wondering where Canó was.
  “I’m glad it’s not my team,” Hunter said. “If it was, we’d probably be in here arguing right now.”
  There were no signs of argument in the Yankees’ clubhouse, just bewilderment. Girardi did not single out either infielder because he had not seen a replay, but he was clearly bothered.
  “It was a 10-hopper through the infield,” he said. “It almost looked like our guys froze. In no way did I think that was going to win the game.”
• Here's what's passing for good news: "Ponson, who is 3-1 with a 4.72 earned run average in seven starts with New York this year, is 2-0 versus Minnesota this year..."

"This team reacts well to rock bottom."--Kay (YES.) The tests just keep on coming.

Yankees' rumors and notes

Some New York Yankees rumors, notes and links from cyberspace:

• The thing about baseball rumors is they're not hard to start: ""He wants to play for the Yankees so he can get at the Red Sox," a close friend of Ramirez's told The Post." This is Manny or the conglomerate who represents him playing the media manipulation game. Manny's baggage is bigger than his legendary bat. Boras and company are in overdrive trying to find a home for the wayward one. It won't be the Bronx, despite the never ending search for a 36 year-old, defensively challenged malcontent.
• The Yanks may be the seventh best team on the diamond, but off the field the Bombers rule.
• Reality bites: "Watching the Yankees on the same field as the Angels, you get the feeling this might get worse before it gets better."
• Maybe the old Jordan/Nike Ad was on to something, maybe "It was the shoes." "But wearing a new uniform, Karstens is hoping, will leave the injuries behind.
  "This is a fresh beginning, that's the way I'm looking at it," Karstens said. "I think everything is behind me, the broken leg, the groin problem, everything."

Angels out class Yankees

The New York Yankees' road trip to Perdition continues tonight in Minnesota. The three day layover in Anaheim was a disaster. A three game sweep, at the hands of the elite Angels, has the Bombers closer to last place than first. It's not a coincidence.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim remind the Yankees of the good old days. The best team in baseball features: A) Potent offense. B) Deep effective starting pitching. C) Proven relief that gets the ball to a star closer, who is shutting the door at a historic pace. D) Ownership willing and able to invest in the big ticket. E) Stable field management, accustomed to winning every year. All the pieces fit, in a shrewdly constructed package. (Note: The Angels payroll is approximately half the size of the Yanks.)

Yankees' followers used to have the luxury of following a team that displayed the characteristics of the 2008 Angels. That was than, this is now. Sidney Ponson takes the mound tonight in the Twin Cities. Sir Sid is the next big thing compared to Ian Kennedy who was demoted again to Scranton. Billy Traber, who for some reason was promoted again, takes Kennedy's place. If Ponson struggles early, Darrell Rasner will be stirring in the pen. Richie Sexson will start at first base...And so it goes.

Photo/AP

Yankees pennant race problem

The 2007 New York Yankees stumbled from the gate, got hot down the stretch and watched their competition crumble. The 2008 Yankees don't have that luxury. The Rays are real and the Mannyless Red Sox won't fold. The NY Times paraphrases Yogi, "It's getting late early for the 2008 Yankees."

A familiar voice chimes in: "Torre led the Yankees into October every year he managed there -- 12 in all -- and he has a pretty good idea of how New York would react if the Yankees missed the playoffs."It's going to be horrible if the Red Sox make it," Torre said."

The Yankees/Red Sox rivalry gets the attention but the real story is the Rays. Who are these guys? "Joe Maddon helped Mike Scioscia become the best manager in the big leagues. But Maddon, the longtime Angels organization man, is having an even bigger impact on the American League this season than Scioscia, whose team has the best record in baseball.Maddon guided the renamed Tampa Bay Rays out of the gates with a 35-22 start, demonstrating they were no longer a laughingstock. But he has been doing the near impossible since the All-Star break, staring down the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees as the competition gets serious."

What's the Rays' secret? "True to his Angels roots, Maddon encourages his players to take extra bases aggressively — even at the risk of making the first or third out at third, a longtime baseball no-no. “It’s a positive risk,” Maddon said. “I don’t want my players afraid of making mistakes.”
He encourages his players to steal — the Rays led the majors with 116 stolen bases through Friday — and eschews conservative moves like bunting runners over and issuing intentional walks, preferring to let players get the job done with as little managerial intervention as possible.
“He’s a young team’s manager,”

The Yankees' days as lead dog are over. The view from here isn't pretty.

Yankees run out of miracles

Dan Giese out pitched Angel's ace John Lackey and it didn't matter. The Halos hung an 11-4 beating on the Bombers by pounding the bullpen for 10 runs in two innings. The rebuilt relief corps have allowed 15 runs in eight innings over two games. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim flex their muscle while the New York Yankees fade.

The pennant race flickers. The loss column reveals an eight game deficit to the Rays and four to the Mannyless Red Sox. Why? Injuries catch the eye--Wang, Joba, Matsui and Posada are important. But a few quirks of fate have compensated: Mussina's reincarnation into a top-of-the rotation starter, Dan Giese in the role of Aaron Small, Ponson's magical mystery tour, Christmas comes early as Pudge and Nady arrive. It isn't about injuries.

The story of the 2008 Yankees' season is revealed in what didn't happen. There are no saviors in Scranton. The vaunted youth movement, allegedly bursting at the seams with fortification is a mirage. The bonus babys are in rehab. Here's a sobering exercise: take out a recent issue of Baseball America, scan the entire Yankees' farm system, list the number of players among the league leaders in any category. Than list the number of hyped names who are in the infirmary. Reality bites, there are no miracles in sight.

Photo/Newsday

Kennedy's skewed perspective

During last night's YES broadcast of the Yankees/Angels game, Michael Kay said: "The general feeling from the players was that he (Kennedy) was too cocky for someone who hadn't done anything in the big leagues."

After publishing my recap of last night's train wreck, I read this at LoHud: "I felt like I made some good pitches,” he said. “I’m not too upset about it. … What was it, a bunch of singles and three doubles? I’m just not real upset about it. I’m just going to move on and I’ve already done that.”
"Those comments will not be popular among his teammates or within the front office."

Ian Kennedy's delusions are understandable. A young player who has enjoyed success, followed by over-the-top adulation and hype, figures to have his perspective skewed. When reality bites and the bubble bursts, it can't be easy to deal with. The organization will have a challenge getting Ian's stuff and head straightened out.

It's another example of how hype hurts development. Playing in the Big Apple is a daunting challenge. The tabloid media will do their thing, but the organization needs to tone down their rhetoric. The next time a wanna-be comes from the bushes, rather than say he's, "The next Joba" or "The Franchise" or an "Impact player" (the GM's words to the media in the spring about Gardner) say something like, "Maybe , in a few years, he won't be selling cars." Set the bar low, the self-serving hype will dissipate and the kid will have a chance.

Angels bomb Yanks' Kennedy

Ian Kennedy's reentry to the show went down in flames. The Yankees' prodigy returned from hiatus in Triple-A, looking to redeem himself. When last seen in Pinstripes, Kennedy produced: 37.2 IP in eight starts, 41 Hits, 25 Walks, ERA 7.4, OPP BA .279.

YES broadcaster David Cone gives us a mounds-eye-view of Kennedy's encore: "You want to see some conviction." Cone talks while the Angels pepper the field with line drives. "He's got some nerves...It's not what you' re looking for." After giving up two runs in the first, Kendrick leads off the second with a rocket off the wall and the familiar exasperated look returns to Ian's face.

Five consecutive Angel's hits start the third; A 3-2 Bomber lead is squandered. Girardi takes the ball, Rasner relieves. Kennedy's numbers: two+ IP, nine Hits, five Runs, don't tell the whole story.

"It polarizes your team...Starting pitchers who get knocked out of the game continually, have a residual effect...It really demoralizes a team when a starting pitcher cannot give you length."--(Cone.) Here is a list of Kennedy's IP in his nine starts: two, three, six, five, four plus, five, two plus, six, three, two plus. There is no silver lining in sight. Next.

Photo/Newsday

Angels on deck for Yankees

The Yankees' grueling road trip continues with a three game set against their arch-nemesis, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Here are a few preview links to set the stage:

• Pitching matchups
• "Swapping Joba Chamberlain for Ian Kennedy is akin to replacing Kate Moss with Hillary Clinton for a fashion shoot" I'm going out on a limb and saying this is the first and last time Joba will be compared to Kate Moss.
• "Jered Weaver will try to avenge a loss to New York in his last start for the Angels. The right-hander was hammered for six runs on eight hits over five innings on Saturday." Lets hope history repeat itself.
• "Angels starting pitchers lead the Majors in both victories and innings pitched, indeed a major reason why the Angels have the best record in baseball." Do you believe in miracles?
• "If the Angels execute their game properly, it’s the other teams that make the post-season that will need to worry about who they’re facing and not the Angels." They used to say that about the Bronx Bombers.

Yankees' rehab report

The Yankees' transition to the future is built on the foundation of Brian Cashman's philosophy of acquiring high ceiling prospects, with dubious medical histories. Blend fragile youth with an old, rickety roster and you get a never ending list of rehab reports:

• "Chamberlain leaving the rotation means four of the Yankees' top six starting pitchers are out."
• Don't forget the "Franchise": "His injuries have been total freak events. Toes, hamstrings, ribs, etc. His arm is sound." In search of the silver lining.
• Pavano's Philosophy: " Pavano didn't show any signs of rushing back to the Yankees, even with the current state of the pitching staff and the fact that he is in the final year of his $39 million dollar contract with the team.
  "I'd like to contribute," Pavano said. "But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. That doesn't do me any good." Wouldn't want to rush you Carl.
• This time last year Joba was rescuing the bullpen on a march to the playoffs. Times have changed: "Chamberlain will do exercises and receive treatment in Florida.
  "They felt it's better to be around trainers," Girardi said." The apocalypse is upon us.
• One day at a time: "It's been hard," said Hughes, who's been out since April with a rib injury. "You want to be back. You want to be playing. The season gets a day older every time you wake up. But all I can do right now is continue to throw well and prove I'm healthy."

The transition from dynasty to walking wounded continues as the New York Yankees limp to the future.

Yankees have Kennedy's role model

The Yankees go back to the future tonight in Anaheim as Ian Kennedy returns from hiatus. When last seen in Pinstripes, the heralded prospect was 0-3 with an ERA of 7.41. The team was 2-6 in his eight starts.

Here's a preseason scouting report from Baseball Prospectus: "Like Chamberlain, Kennedy shot through the minors after being drafted in 2006's first round. Though derided for not having the stuff that breaks the sound barrier, Kennedy knows how to use what he has...With a drinking bird windup reminiscent of Mike Mussina working from the stretch, he may be on the verge of a similar career."

If the neophyte is looking for a mentor, Moose is the man. Mussina shutout the Rangers last night running his record to 15-7. Mike's 2008 season has demonstrated that winning in the big leagues doesn't demand dominating stuff. He has mesmerized opponents with a crooked, off-speed repertoire that wouldn't pulse a radar gun.

If Ian Kennedy hopes to succeed in the show, confidence will have to make an appearance. Using Mussina as a role model could plant the seed that suggests, "Hey, I can do that."

Melky Cabrera's Yankees' bandwagon

I came across this over at LoHud in an article titled, "The great Melky myth.": "The Melky Cabrera Fan Club is a persistent bunch.
Joe Torre was a charter member. He used to say that the Melkman gave the team energy. He even kicked Johnny Damon out of center to give Melky a full-time job. Brian Cashman scoffed last winter at the idea of trading Cabrera.
Many fans are the same way. They love Melky. And Joe Girardi is with you"

The popularity is not a coincidence. In 2006 Cabrera played 130 games, he hit .280 with an OBP of .360. His defense provided a relief from Damon's feeble throws and helped the pitching staff. A young player on the biggest stage, "Played like he was in the park."--Torre, with a persistent grin and an exuberance that rekindled the joy of the game. In 2007 Cabrera played 150 games hit .272 with an OBP of .327 and continued gunning runners out. Not great, but a young player that could actually play every day was welcome amidst the fragile,over-hyped youth movement.

Cabrera has slipped badly this season. He has plenty of company as the potent offense has become a puzzle. It has become fashionable to throw barbs Cabrera's way. We have been told since the spring that Brett Gardner was the heir apparent. Gardner floundered so badly that he was quickly dismissed to Scranton. Austin Jackson is now the next big thing. And so it goes. Melky is not a star, no one will ever dub him the franchise. But he has contributed for two plus years to the team, which is more than most of his peers can say. He brought positive energy to an old team. He doesn't deserve to be singled out.

Ponson eases Yankees' pain

Sidney Ponson helped stop the Yankees' bleeding in Arlington Texas last night. For the second consecutive start, Sir Sid did his job--6 1/3 I.P., 8 base runners, 3 runs--will work. Yankees' starters were in a tailspin--10 games, 9 homers, 7.12 ERA--Ponson took the mound with an ERA of 6+ in Pinstripes, what are the odds? The team is now 5-2 in Ponson's seven starts. The stats don't tell the story. Epic run support(7.80 per game) and Lady Luck have been on Sid's side. Last night, he won the old fashioned way--he earned it--and provided a breath of fresh air for a team in dire need.

Injuries have hoisted Ponson to the #3 slot in the rotation, perhaps it's time for a new nickname. "The round mound of rebound" is available. YES broadcaster David Cone summed up Sid's resurgence: "Ponson has evolved over the years." Evolution, apparently, is part of the plan.

NOTES:

• Good News, Bad News: The Great Rivera returns from back spasms to pitch a scoreless ninth and notch his 27TH save. Pudge Rodriguez hobbles to the clubhouse with a bruised knee as a result of a violent home plate collision. And so it goes.
• Much has been made of the bullpen's improvement since Torre/Guidry left and Girardi/Eiland/Molina took over, credit the new guys with using this years list of candidates in an appropriate way. Last years list--Villone, Proctor, Viscaino etc. have produced nothing without Torre there to mangle them (well, OK, Proctor is still a victim.) Coincidence? Or was last years list of the usual suspects dubious to begin with.
• The computers said the Yankees' lineup would produce six runs per game. Actual production is 4.85. Injuries hurt, but OBP tells a story. A scan of last night's lineup: Cano--.302, Betemit--.275, Molina--.286 Cabrera watches from the bench with his .298. Torre's teams were noted for wearing pitchers down and exploiting the soft underbelly of middle inning relief. Now it's the Bombers' lineup that is being exploited.
• Salt in the Wound: "Karstens spectacular for Pirates" Yankees reject Jeff Karstens has pitched 15 scoreless innings for the Pirates and is 2-0. The AP called last night's performance a "Masterpiece." Evolution?

Photo/Newsday

Yankees search for good news

I'm supposed to be a fact-based analyst but this is getting depressing. Climbing through an avalanche of negative news gets old. Thus began the search for a silver lining on the world-wide web:

• Spanning the globe the Taipei Times reports a positive story on the national baseball team and drops a familiar name: "Taiwan’s current baseball hero is New York Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-ming" (I reprinted it as is.)
• File this under scraping the bottom of the barrel: "Yankees' Ponson tries to lift spirits in Texas."

I'm reminded of a lyric from an old Doors song, "I've been down so long it looks like up to me."

Yankees buried with bad news

"This team reacts well to rock bottom."--(YES.) The words were broadcast before the anguished look crossed Joba's face on a mound in Arlington, Texas. Rock bottom? We ain't seen nothing yet.

The headline screamed, "Joba to visit Dr. Andrews." Last night's score didn't matter. The sky has fallen: "“Generally, especially when one M.R.I.’s already been done, Andrews is looking at it for a second opinion,” said the YES broadcaster David Cone, who saw Andrews for shoulder problems during his pitching career. “But you don’t get a second opinion unless the first M.R.I. showed something, generally speaking. What you see on the M.R.I. is the key, and to shuffle it down to him must mean you see something on there..."

It is what it is. What's left? A rotation of Mussina, Pettitte, Ponson, Giese and Rasner will need fortification. Kennedy gets a shot at redemption. The train wreck season debut tries to get back on track. Has Ian's successful cup of coffee in Scranton bolstered him with MLB caliber confidence? It won't take long to find out. Hughes is back on the radar. His Pavanoesque iron- man resume gets another test. Fingers remain crossed. Respectable returns could salvage a shred of credibility for the Yankees' heralded youth movement.

Last season's exuberant neophytes: Cano, Cabrera and Duncan have been sobered with lackluster production. Melky's arm can't hide his bat. Can a Christian provide salvation in center? Robbie was the next Carew under the wings of Torre and Bowa. The .260 average coupled with paltry OBP has wiped the smile off his face. Duncan's goliath positive pennant race vibes have been exiled to Scranton.Ohlendorf, presumably the next big bullpen thing is in Pittsburg. He had company as Tabata's bubble burst.

12 of the 25 names on the opening day roster have changed and youthful transition is a pipe dream. "This team reacts well to rock bottom." Good luck with that.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees deal with bad news

It has been a tough few days for the New York Yankees and the issues just keep on coming:

• Joba dominates the headlines for the wrong reason as his MRI has Yankees' fans holding their collective breath. Peter Abraham puts it into perspective:"Given his age and importance to the organization, you can expect the Yankees to be very cautious with Chamberlain. It’s almost certain he will go on the disabled list and he could be shut down for a while.
  Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Carl Pavano, Jarrod Washburn, Darrell Rasner, Paul Byrd, Livan Hernandez … your guess is as good as mine as to what they will do." The view from inside the clubhouse isn't pretty, but the pennant race never sleeps.
• NJ.com, previews one candidate: "An ailing rotation and banged up bullpen brings Dan Giese back to a starting role for the New York Yankees." The retired car salesman is on deck.
• Greed is not good: "Major League Baseball investigators are looking into accusations that several New York Yankees prospects from the Dominican Republic were forced to kick back portions of their signing bonuses to one or more team employees, several sources told ESPN.
  The revelation is one of several developments in an ongoing investigation of a financial scandal involving the signing of players from the Dominican Republic."
• More about the money: "Yankees brought in an estimated $327 million to lead all major league baseball teams. Not bad considering that in 1973 George Steinbrenner bought the entire team for $10 million. But if you think those revenue numbers are big, you ain't seen nothing yet. When the new stadium opens next year revenues are poised to double."
• Back to the pennant race: "help is on the way to make them even better. While the Red Sox (Jason Bay added, the Manny melodrama subtracted) and Yankees (Xavier Nady, Damaso Marte and Ivan Rodriguez added) believe they made themselves better in the days leading up to the trade deadline, the Rays have done nothing. Until now. Very soon, probably within the next week or two, they will add an impact pitcher and yet another athletic outfielder. The cost? Nothing. David Price and Rocco Baldelli are the kind of reinforcements who can influence a pennant race." Contrast the Rays' payroll and resources with the Yankees, consider the available options, let the head shaking commence.

Yankees' nightmare

The Yankees had a 3-0 lead in Arlington Texas last night with the linchpin of their future dealing from the mound. It promised to be a good start to a grueling road trip as Joba Chamberlain's consistent excellence is money in the bank. Then the unthinkable happened.

The Rangers started peppering the field with line drives in the fourth and knocked the Chosen One out of the game in the fifth putting five runs on the board. The crooked number didn't tell the story.

YES reports the action: "The trainer is on the way to the mound...What exactly is going on with Joba Chamberlain?" Joba's angst filled expression while he gestured to his right shoulder said it all. Superman cringed.

Amidst all the bluster of the Yankees' heralded youth movement, Joba was the legit next big thing. He looked hype in the face and delivered dominating heat. He isn't supposed to be human. A legend was born.

Chamberlain's transition from dominating bullpen savior to top of the rotation anchor went faster than anticipated. It wasn't supposed to be this easy, but the kid is special. Last night reality reminded us that nothing is easy.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees' blogosphere

Here are a few notes of interest from the Yankees' blogosphere:

• Yankees Fan Sox Fan asks a trick question: "Would you rather have the Yankees' rotation rounded out by Sidney Ponson or Carl Pavano? I just had a flashback to Brando in Apocalypse Now, "The Horror." (Note: it's a trick question because it'll never happen. Pavano is just getting ready for next spring, in another town.)


• SWB provides another option: "With Hughes back in the Triple-A mix, it wouldn't surprise me to see both Phil and Ian back in New York within the next two or three weeks." The Generation Trey, back where it all began tour.
• Pinstripe Alley provides some stats on the Giambino: RISP .202/.341/.303 in 99 ABs. It Is High, It is Far, It Is...caught provides the play by play: "Jason Giambi in July hit like Melky Cabrera, which is akin to rap-dancing like Karl Rove, or hunting like Dick Cheney.Lately, we're suffering from PGSD -- Post-Giambi Stress Disorder. When he comes up with men on base, you can't shake that doorknob-in-the-belly feeling, the sense of horrific unease you'd get when pulling open the steel door an outdoor refrigerator one week after a neighborhood kid has gone missing. You watch from behind the couch." I thought I was the only one who felt like that. Let's hear from Jason, "The thing about this game is you can go from zero to hero." No word on the return trip.

Yankees almost help Detroit

The recent transaction that swapped infamous Yankees' set-up man Kyle Farnsworth for Hall of Fame caliber catcher Ivan Rodriguez seemed too good to be true. The Yankees in dire need of a replacement for the fallen Posada were able to acquire a durable catcher with a winning resume for a spare part? There had to be a catch.



"In recent weeks, Rodriguez had grown increasingly, and openly, unhappy about Leyland's plan to split the catching duties between Pudge and Inge - in part, to keep Rodriguez fresh, and in part to determine whether Inge could be the answer at that position in 2009.
In 2005, along with disgruntled Dmitri Young, Rodriguez definitely played a role in undermining Alan Trammell within the Tigers' clubhouse.
Leyland was well aware of that.
I was in the Tigers clubhouse at Comerica Park when Leyland approached Rodriguez outside the weight room to, I assumed, explain why Pudge was not going to be playing that day or the next, which, combined with the upcoming All-Star break, would give him a rare five days off in a row.
Leyland did all the talking. Rodriguez simply stared."



What did Leyland see in Pudge's play that would have him decide to split time with a converted third baseman? Baseball Prospectus, provides a scouting report (written before the season): "His legendary arm may be slipping a bit; the 68 attempts against him last year tied his high since 1999, the 47 steals he allowed were his most since 1993...Given where his offense has gone--39 unintentional walks since 2004 and sub .300 OBPs twice in three years--he's now an average player at best."



So Detroit had a big-name, disgruntled, faded star on their hands and a hole to plug:"And with Todd Jones headed for the disabled list, Fernando Rodney's reliability still very much in doubt, and Joel Zumaya clearly not yet ready for prime time, the Tigers needed a reliever far more than then needed a 36-year-old catcher whom they had already decided they were going to cut loose at the end of the season anyway.
They, too, were desperate. The thought of playing Russian roulette with his bullpen for the rest of the year was not an idea that Jim Leyland relished."



Detroit's desperation led to the Yanks fortification. Pudge has lost some luster but he's still the best option the Yankees could hope for. His winning pedigree has to help: "I've just got to try and not do too much," Rodriguez said. "I do what I always do. All the other pitchers, we've got to keep working. I've been talking to them and seeing videos and keep working, but at the end, I've got to go back there and try to call a pitcher's best pitch and use all of his pitches, and we'll be fine. It's getting there."
Now, for the first complete turn through the rotation, the Yankees will have seen the benefits. Their answer is consistent -- with Pudge, the Yankees are a better contender for the postseason than they had been before."



The punchline is that while Jim Leyland may not have "relished" the thought of playing "Russian roulette with his bullpen", they just added another bullet. The Detroit Tigers swept the Yankees out of the playoffs two years ago. Payback is sweet.

Yankees take Angels gift

You want the good news or the bad news? Yesterday's improbable 14-9 Yankees' victory provided plenty of both. No one has accused the 2008 New York Yankees of never giving up. Finding themselves in a familiar 5-0 hole against ace John Lackey would normally be reason to roll over. Newcomers Xavier Nady and Pudge Rodgriguez, bring a new dimension. "I came here to win."--IRod.

Starter Darrell Rasner lived down to expectations, wobbling through four innings--seven hits, three walks, five runs = hit the showers. Retired car salesman, Dan Giese provided quality relief with three shutout innings and allowed the Angels time to give the game away. Los Angeles was playing the last game of a ten game East Coast road trip and played like their minds were on the plane home. Four errors led to ten unearned Yankees' runs, Christmas came early.

A 5-0 hole morphed into a 8-5 perch as Edwar Ramirez attempted to fill Farnsworth's eight inning shoes. Apparently, the neophyte took the role literally, filling the bases with two outs, Mark Teixeira deposited a grand slam into the right field seats. Lead squandered, disaster on deck.

Miracles happen as shoddy Angels defense combined with aggressive Yankees' baserunning put the Bombers over the top. Normally, a game featuring two rallys over the best team in the sport would be reason to celebrate. Nothing is easy for these Yankees. News that the Great Rivera was nursing a gimpy shoulder is an ominous omen. A glance at the scoreboard suggests that the Rays and Red Sox are alive and well. The schedule reads, 16 of the next 19 on the road. Good news or bad news? It's never that simple.

Update: LoHud's man on the beat reports that Rivera had back spasms, not a shoulder issue as reported on YES.

Photo/Newsday

Yankees' farm prospects

Baseball America provides some information about the Yankees farm system:

• The Yanks have paid three of the top ten all-time international signing bonuses: 1) Willy Mo Pena--$2.44 million, 1999 2) Chien-Ming Wang--$1.91 million, 2000 3) Jesus Montero--$1.65 million, 2006. The conversion rate? "One Cabrera (success) is easily worth five busts." Given the Yankees' resources and commitment to spend what it takes, success should be a matter of time.
• Regarding the aforementioned Montero: "Starting to emerge as the Yankees' top hitting prospect. Montero has shown improved defense to go with his bat."

As I write this, the YES broadcast mentions that Girardi has a calendar in his office that marks Pavano's pitch count and notes he should be ready by the end of August. Hopefully, the desperate days are dwindling as the Yankees' investment in the future pays more dividends.

Yankees win with oldtimer

Mike Mussina celebrated Old Timers Day by shutting down the best team in baseball. Moose continues to defy the odds by marching to his first 20 win season at an age when most watch from the sidelines: "Mussina might be older than two of the ex-Yankees who participated in Saturday's pregame festivities, Aaron Small and Homer Bush, but what the right-hander has lost in velocity he has made up for with cunning and command." Don't forget the catcher, Mussina has said that "Jose Molina is the best he has ever worked with" (Paraphrased) and that was before Jose's three hit performance, Saturday. The 8-2 win kept hope alive for another day. Darrell Rasner matches up with Ace John Lackey today, in the finale and the Bombers head out on a ten game road trip. Those hoping that the recent headline snatching trades would provide a surge while the Rays and Red Sox folded their tents are disappointed. The 2008 season is a long strange trip.

Notes:

• Times have changed: "Yet never ever should Pudge Rodriguez be traded straight up for Kyle Farnsworth. Even Cubs fans would tell you that.Selig won’t stand up to any owner, much less those as powerful as George Steinbrenner and his sons. Remember, Bud used to be part of that exclusive club with the Milwaukee Brewers. The owners knew they were getting a yes man in the commissioner’s office when Selig took over in 1998.“The best interest in baseball” clause used by Kuhn has been altered by Selig.Making sure the Yankees are in the playoffs — and the increased television ratings that provides — is Selig’s idea of “best interest.” Well, actually, C.C. and or Santana would have helped Bud's super secret conspiracy better than Ponson and Rasner.(Note: if Bud is the Yanks' ally, they are doomed.)
• Different philosophies: " "We stress the fundamentals, creating things on the bases, the pitcher-catcher relationship, which we think is the key to the defensive side, situational hitting."--Mike Scioscia, manager of the best team in baseball. Here's a roster note on MLB'S eight best team: "With Pudge coming aboard, the Yankees are the first team in major league history to have seven players with 200 or more home runs. They are Alex Rodriguez (541 entering Saturday), Jason Giambi (384), Richie Sexson (305), Ivan Rodriguez (293), Bobby Abreu (234), Posada (221) and Derek Jeter (201)." It's interesting to note that the one Angel credo that the Yanks have emulated--"the pitcher-catcher relationship" has led to a significant improvement in the pitching staff. Perhaps, the new motto should be "If you can't beat them, join them."

Photo/Newsday

Yankees' Old Timers Day

Yankees' lifers get a special treat on the Bombers' traditional Old Timers Day. The Good; The Bad and the Ugly of seasons past get to strut their stuff. There isn't an organization in the sport that can touch it. Special surprise quest Willie Randolph resumed his rightful place in Pinstripes. The former captain says it all:

"This is still, to me, one of the most special places in baseball," Randolph said. "I grew up here, I learned my chops here, I learned how to be a winner here. The memories, I could sit here all day. Every time I walk in this place, it's special. It gives me goose bumps to reminisce and reflect on some of the experiences I've had here."

EDITORS NOTE: Technical issues at Blogger caused an interuption of service earlier today. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Photo/EdBetz/AP

Yankees challenge odds

The euphoria from the recent headline snatching trades was tempered by last nights thumping by the Angels. I'm not a stat guy, but here are some interesting numbers:

• 40% of the starting rotation is named Ponson or Rasner.


• According to Baseball Analysts, the Yanks are the 27TH best defensive team in the sport. (A pessimist would write 3RD worst, but I'm in recovery.)


• There are 54 games left: 9 (16%) against the dreaded Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem; 32 (59%) road games (season to date win % .510); two West Coast trips.

Replacement Level Yankees, crunches some numbers: " I think 95 wins is a reasonable estimate for a playoff team. If a team wins 95, they’re probably in and they aren’t, well, that’s disapointing but it’s hard to consider 95 wins a failure. Happily for me, who likes things that are easy to work out, if the Yankees are to reach that number, they need to win exactly two-thirds of their remaining games."

You don't have to be a statistical wizard to realize the numbers don't add up. Tampa or Boston will have to go into the tank (see the 2007 Seattle Mariners) for the Yankees post season run to continue. Should the odds be defied, the Bombers can set their sights on reversing their 3-14 record in recent playoff games. Championship #27--go figure.

Yankees' notes

Enough with the trade rumors, time to deal with the reality of the pennant race. Here's a few notes of interest:

• Pudge will be missed:"He was a consummate gamer, as they say, in the business. Off days were not his flavor. He would hunch behind the plate, no matter how hot or steamy the weather, and play with passion and precision for nine or more innings...When he was traded Wednesday he was batting .295. He was playing as often as manager Jim Leyland would allow. He was still rifling throws to first base when a runner leaned a bit more than Rodriguez thought was permissible." Pudge Rodriquez has always been one of my favorite players, getting him for Farns. straight up is too good to be true--there must be a catch.
• Here's the other side of the coin, "When you look deeper, though, you can see that this trade isn't quite that special for the Yankees, although the price was right, and it wasn't that bad for the Tigers, who won't miss Rodriguez and who desperately needed bullpen help. Consider that Rodriguez and Molina are very similar players in type: excellent defensive catchers with little speed, middling power and a tendency to swing at everything. Molina hasn't hit lefties very well this year, but he has a fair track record of doing so -- .268/.311/.405 career, and over .300 with good power since 2004. It is a skill he possesses, and in a platoon role, would be acceptable.
  Pudge has produced nine runs above replacement this season in 328 PAs, Molina five runs below in 218. Over the last two months, the offensive upgrade for the Yankees won't be worth more than that 14-run gap, and with the defense a wash, this trade is a one-win upgrade, not nearly enough to get excited about. Rodriguez makes the No. 8 spot in the lineup a little better, especially against righties, but the idea that adding him is a coup is misguided, largely because he has a reputation and Molina doesn't. The skill sets are similar.
  The Yankees didn't really need a guy like Pudge." The column is titled "Unconventional Wisdom" it lives up to its name.
• How much control Brian Cashman actually has in the organization is illustrated in the transaction trail: ""You don't want to be messing with your eighth-inning situation unless everybody is on board." Then (After clearing it with Girardi) Cashman bounced it off the owners, Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, and upper management, Randy Levine and Lonn Trost, who would have to agree to take on about US$2 million in salary, the difference between the remaining months of the two contracts involved." In other words, Cash is a contributing member of a six person think tank.
• When the Yanks shipped the Big Unit home to Arizona, for Ross Ohlendorf, Alberto Gonzalez and Stephen Jackson the hype machine parlayed it into a coup for the Yankees' front office. It didn't take long for reality to enter the picture. Ohlendorf is exiled to Pittsburg and Alberto Gonzalez was traded to Washington for another arm:"Gonzalez is a spare part that doesn't project to be a big league regular... Maybe Nunez will be just a middle reliever, and maybe he won't reach the big leagues at all, but he certainly has a higher ceiling than Gonzalez." And so it goes.

Yankees' familiar playbook

The trade deadline passed. The Bombers' Brain Trust filled holes. Progress occurred. Patience is history.

The heralded youth movement is on the back burner. The future is now. A 208 million-dollar payroll and revamped farm wasn't enough, so the organization dusted off Dad's playbook and acquired veteran names. When push came to shove, the Yankees went with a proven, short-term formula.

The Yankees play by different rules than their competition. Posada had a career year at 36, other teams would have a daunting decision, the Bombers toss him a four year deal and don't break a sweat. Jorge breaks down sooner rather than later, no internal help on the horizon, shrug--another 36 year-old marquee name. And so it goes.

While the Yanks travel a beaten path, the competition looks at the big picture. Division leading Tampa, with the best farm in the sport, stands pat. The Red Sox lose Manny's bat and baggage, pick up a good 29 year-old replacement--one step back, two steps forward? Time will tell.

The result is a three team race filled with flaws. After the headlines fade, the Bombers' rotation features Ponson and Rasner. Pudge fills Molina's hole in the lineup but can he manage the staff and running game as effectively? Tampa is talented, green and in uncharted territory. Boston has a makeover. The pennant chase is on. The future is now.

Photo/Newsday