Secrets of Yankees' Success

Baseball is a game of failure. The '09 New York Yankees 14-3 winning spurt defies the odds. How did the Bronx Bombers transition from doomed early season boondoggle to awe inspiring juggernaut? Here a a few factors:

• Fountain of Youth: The rickety roster is a matter of fact. But the over-the-hill-gang is putting on a good show. The Great Rivera continues to crank out saves. Damon's balky shoulder is soothed by the tonic of pending free agency. Johnny stars as Iron Man. Matsui hobbles and hits. Posada produces when possible. Can this continue? Check back in August.
• Prime Time Talent: The infusion of high-octane skills have buoyed the Bombers. Sabathia and Teixeira plug gaping holes. Burnett provides a high-ceiling wild card. Ownership purchases pennant race potency.
• Muted Management: The front office folly of '08 followed by the dubious debut of''09 hit the mute button on mangled management. The story shifted from Cash's calamities and Hank's bluster to Girardi's evolving team.
• Competitive Imbalance: Much is made about alleged parity but the truth is the Yankees' financial hammer helps. Tampa shrewdly builds with youth and guile but doesn't have the resources to overcome debilitating detours. Boston defers from bloated short-term purchases and sticks to prudent long-term solutions. The transition from Manny spectacle to youth-driven-force is a work in progress. The competition's pain is the Yanks' gain.

Three weeks of perpetual winning have put fun back on the field for the Yankees and their fans. Booming bats, flawless defense and competent pitching paint a pretty picture. Baseball is a game of failure but the facts can wait.

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Yankees Back on Top

A swarm of midges provided a familiar backdrop for a battle of laboring lefties in Cleveland Friday night. The Yankees overcame flashbacks to the mistake by the lake beating the Indians 3-1. Andy Pettitte managed a gimpy back through five grueling innings. Alfredo Aceves arrived as advertised, wearing his radar gun reading on his back (91), and proceeded to provide a potent nine out bridge to The Great Rivera. Game over.

Thirteen wins in sixteen games have the Bombers back where it all began--first place. Joe Girardi has managed to mesh big money talent with a crew of castoffs. A timeless formula is rekindled--winning works.

PHOTO/NEWSDAY

Yankees' Minor League Updates

It's been three years since the Yankees set their sights on rebuilding their depleted farm system. Here is some recent feedback on the foundation of the future:

• The paltry Pittsburgh Pirates look to plunder pitching from the Bombers' system. Ohlendorf, Karstens, McCutchen, Jackson and Hacker have been acquired since last season. "In general we like the depth of their system. But we don't have a particular affinity for Yankee players."--(Pirates GM, Neal Huntington/NY Times)
• News from Scranton: "Lack of Starters Dooms Yankees"
• Expectations never sleep, as the Yankees' next big thing, Austin Jackson is fed into the hysterical hype machine: "He's definitely got a little Derek in him," said Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman, who oversees the minor leagues." No pressure kid.

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Yankees' Painful Loss

The Yankees finally played a rain drenched game in Arlington Texas Tuesday night. The scoreboard read Texas-7 New York-3 but didn't tell the story:

• "Melky suffers strained right shoulder"
• The New York Times paints an ugly picture: "Relievers Help Yankees Lose a Shot at First Place" "...They lost because relievers Alfredo Aceves and Phil Coke could not subdue the Rangers down the stretch, allowing the final four runs of a 7-3 loss at Rangers Ballpark. Middle relief is probably the Yankees’ biggest weakness, and this game did nothing to inspire confidence.
  Chamberlain slogged through four innings, striking out five but allowing four hits, four walks and three runs. Cabrera, who leads the team in hitting at .323, left the game one play into the bottom of the first.
• ""I feel better right now because I did ice three times," Cabrera said through a translator. "I did a couple of exercises. I feel much better."--(NJ.com) Melky's healing may have been accelerated by Gardner's three hits.

It is better to be lucky than good. My DVR ran out of recording space in the third inning thus easing this bloggers pain.

Competition Sparks Yankees

Phil Hughes pitched eight shutout innings in Arlington Texas, Monday. Years of hyped babble were replaced by MLB quality production. The transition was palpable, "That stuff you saw there today, that was real stuff...He pitched with a lot of conviction...(A-Rod/Abraham/Gannett.)

Is there a secret to Phil's sudden success? Here's a hint: "I know he's there. I see him around the clubhouse...But I don't feel like he's peeking over my shoulder or that every pitch is to save my job. I'm just pitching the way I can."--(Abraham/Gannett)

"He" is Chien-Ming Wang whose return from the disabled list was expected to punch Hughes' ticket back to Scranton. After all, prior to Monday, the Yankees' next big thing's production was poor--eight shutout innings lowered his ERA to 5.14. Coming on the heels of '08's disaster, the light at the end of the tunnel appeared to be a train.

Perhaps, competition tripped the survival switch in Phil's sub-conscious. Time will tell. There is evidence to suggest that fighting for a job optimizes potential. Girardi has masterfully employed this tactic to spur production. A year ago Melky Cabrera's ebullient energy was extinguished by poor production. Spring training started, a center field competition with hyped speed merchant Brett Gardner commenced and Melky assumed the position on the bench. Melky's persistent smile was replaced by the eye of the tiger. Two months later, the walk-off-wonder has established himself as the best outfielder on a $200 million roster.

Another example of competition's rejuvenating power, can be found in right field. Swisher sparred with Nady in the spring. The X man wins by decision and Nick takes his hyper-drive personality to the pine. Opportunity arrives for some playing time and Swisher responds with potent power. Nady gets hurt. Swisher is granted the every day gig and flops. X is due back soon, don't be surprised if Swisher mounts an heroic comeback.

Joe Girardi has consistently maintained that competition is a healthy component of a successful team. The '09 New York Yankees prove his point.

Yankees' Progress

Melky and the miracles fell short at the Stadium Sunday. Cabrera provided another clutch ninth inning hit, this time it merely tied the game. The anticipated storybook ending shifted when Brett Tomko took the mound. Momentum left the building when Tomko did what journeymen do. The Bombers' exhilarating home stand ended on a somber note.

"You can't always get what you want, but if you try some time, you'll get what you need."--Rolling Stones.) Ten days ago the Yankees were searching for home field advantage. The new Stadium resembles the old yard but glorious memories are stored across the street. Resounding progress was made as power-laden bats coupled with walk-off-wins to produce bolstered confidence.

The highly anticipated pennant race is on. The Yanks, Sox, Rays and Blue Jays take their mark. The finish line is marked at 95 wins. Ten days at the new Yankee Stadium provide proof the Yanks are in the race till the end.

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Yankees Come Together

The Torre dynasty peaked with a cohesive, winning obsessed team. O'Neill, Jeter, Posada, Martinez, Pettitte, Rivera and company kept their eye on the ball. The record speaks.

Time marched on. Retirements happened. Relentless winning waned. In a futile attempt to perpetuate glory, the Bombers' brass hired a parade of ring-hungry mercenaries replete with gaudy stats. Lackluster performance resulted. Magic wasn't for sale.

In 2008 Joe Girardi inherited a star-struck crew of mangled names. An old nucleus joined an over-matched list of green farm products to form an untenable mix. The playoffs passed.

Ownership whipped out it's checkbook, more gaudy names were added to the marquee. Surreal expectations were dusted off. Girardi assumed the position on a very hot seat.

The Yankees' talent was obvious but a team was nowhere in sight. Critics carped as a stumbling start ensued. Then, the unexpected happened. Magic was back. Walk-off-wins turned a somber clubhouse into a frenzy of dancing, pie wielding, fools. 17 come-from-behind victories inspired confidence and cohesion.

Girardi grew a team in the Big Apple's hot house, against all odds. The result is a big step in the right direction. The fans are rewarded with a likable cast of pinstriped players who get a delectable taste of winning. Anything is possible.

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Yankees Perpetual Puzzle

The feel good bubble, of the Yankees' nine game winning streak, burst at the Stadium Friday night. The World Champion Phillies pounded 14 hits against A.J Burnett and Chien-Ming Wang in route to a 7-3 victory.

The Yanks' perpetual pitching puzzle is anything but solved. Coach Dave Eiland appears overmatched. Here's today's list of head-scratching items: 1) Hired gun A.J. Burnett comes as advertised--an enigma. Eye-popping stuff translates to lackluster results--2-2, 5.28 ERA. 2) Chien-Ming Wang has transitioned from consistent 19 game winner to bullpen mop-up-man--ERA 25.00 3) Phil Hughes' most viable stat is his age. 4) $12 million bridge extension Damaso Marte crashed and burned--again. 5) Brian Bruney is the latest to list mystery ailment on his dubious resume. 6) Ramirez and Albadejo reverted to career minor league form.

The beat goes on. The list of questions grows while production based answers are nowhere in sight. The standings suggest contention but porous pitching won't get it done. The more things change; the more they stay the same.

PHOTO/NEWSDAY

Yankees Play the Champs

The New York Yankees ride the crest of a power driven nine game wave. Championship cred returned with the MVP, go figure. Tonight, the Bombers start an intriguing series with the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies. (Not exactly music to the ear in the South Bronx.)

The Phillies have heard about New York's new crib. "It's a new, expensive ballpark," said Chase Utley. "It's a great place to hit. So I'm excited to get started there."--(AP) The NL's highest scoring offense is licking it's chops. "They are hitting a lot of home runs there. Hopefully we can tee off on some."--(Phillies skipper, Charlie Manuel.)

The Yankees' pitching was bludgeoned in the first home stand as long flies flew off opponents bats. Collective breaths were held as wind experts were consulted. Would the huge off season pitching binge be sabotaged by a homer haven? The second home stand starts with a giddy 7-0 record, featuring competent pitching and perpetual Bomber blasts. Home sweet home.

The Phillies arrive with a potent offense and pathetic pitching--6.31 ERA worst in the majors. The new Yankee Stadium sets the stage for an offensive binge. Time to "tee it up."

Photo--Zimbio

Yankees' Dungeon

The occasionally honorable George Steinbrenner once ruled the New York Yankees with an iron fist. There was good, bad but never indifferent during this infamous time in Yankee history. The "Boss" has faded away leaving a bloated empire in his wake. A new regime takes over and and the transition is anything but smooth.

Bob Raissman of The New York Daily News, writes an article titled," Bombers' brass gets an 'F' in Pr" which profiles Lonn Trost, the Bombers' chief operating officer and president Randy Levine. Here is an excerpt: " They portrayed Trost as an executive' once hidden away in the dungeon' when George Steinbrenner was in control, now in the spotlight without a clue on how to handle it. While recognizing Levine as an unnecessarily 'combative bully,' they are still surprised over the defensive posture he has struck, publicly, over any criticism of the new ballpark." (Note: "They" are a "number of executives" currently doing business with the Yankees.)

This article struck a chord with me because it echoes my take on Yankee GM Brian Cashman. Cash also spent years in Steinbrenner's "dungeon" and was thrust into the spotlight. The transition from lackey to decision maker lead to a long series of pratfalls followed by a defensive, shift the blame routine.

The short-term fate of the New York Yankees is buttressed by Dad's bloated bucks. Long-term prosperity will require quality decision making. Safe to say that a "dungeon" is not the best environment to develop managerial talent.

Yankees' Big Men

The New York Yankees stretched their winning streak to seven, Tuesday night in the Bronx. Power and pitching dominated the Baltimore Orioles 9-1. Confidence and credibility grow with each notch in the Bombers' win column. Blame recedes and credit blossoms as reality gains on hype. Girardi takes a target off his chest while earning accolades. What a difference a week makes.

How have the Yankees transformed from an injury depleted, rickety roster featuring a lack of depth and viable farm produce to dominant juggernaut? The big men are back.

A-Rod bounced from the tabloid's back pages to swatting bombs into the bleachers. Eleven games, nine wins, five homers, the MVP is back. When Rodriguez was mired in the muck of steroid's stain, many pontificated that the Yanks would be better off without him. The fact is the Yankees win at a .600 clip with A-Rod and .500 without. Enough said.

While A-Rod's power ripples rejuvenation throughout the lineup, CC Sabathia dominates from the hill. A top-of-the-rotation star shines. The Ace void is filled. Every fifth day a beleaguered bullpen gets a breather. It's all good.

Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia are paid more than anyone else for a reason. The price of carrying the heavy load of Big Apple expectations isn't cheap. A prosperous week in pinstripes demonstrates the value of elite, prime time talent. Yankee ownership made a huge investment for an MVP and an ACE. This week, they got their money's worth. Fingers remain crossed for many happy returns.

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Yankees Stretch Streak

The Yankees' bats powered a sweep of the Twins at the Stadium, Monday night. The script changed but the Bombers' rejuvenating win streak stretched to six games. A two run deficit was erased early by back to back bombs, courtesy of Teixeira and A-Rod. The Yanks put six runs on the board, turned the game over to the pitching staff and eked out a 7-6 win.

"It's amazing what confidence does for a hitter."--(Cone/YES.) The Yankee lineup provides proof of Coney's sage observation. The MVP returns and prosperity spreads. Teixeira takes off with power laden production. Melky's goofy demeanor is replaced by steely resolve. The results--.320 AVG./.377 OBP.--speak. Cano reverts to Carew-esque form. Confidence is contagious.

A prodigious offense will be required to overcome the dubious dealings of the usual bullpen suspects. A motley crew of castoffs forms a spindly bridge to The Great Rivera. Veras, Ramirez, Coke and company provide daily white knuckle-inducing angst. Fasten your seat belts as this thrill ride isn't ending anytime soon.

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Yankees Find Home

Three days ago the New York Yankees were struggling to find comfort in their, "Five-star resort built around a ball field."--(Trost.) Home field advantage was M.I.A.

The old Stadium featured packed, raucous crowds and brought back warm memories of glorious victories. Confidence came with the friendly ghosts. Winning was routine. (413-233, or .639 at home last eight years.--NY Daily News) The record speaks.

That was then, this is now. The ghosts are gone. History is across the street. The Yankees search for comfort and confidence while settling in to their sparkling new digs. The debut was disappointing. Booming crowds were replaced by hushed stretches of empty seats. The best pitching money could buy flopped in a homer haven. ("You don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows."--Dylan.) Thirteen games produced an appalling 6-7 record. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

What a difference three games make. Consecutive walk-off-wins featuring come-from-behind heroics have bolstered the Bombers. Dour countenance has morphed to joyful exuberance. Confidence blooms. The pennant race is real. History is written. "There is no place like home."--(Wizard of OZ.)

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Yankees Routine Drama

The '09 New York Yankees have a flair for the dramatic. Come from behind victories are common. A pessimist would suggest it's necessitated by poor pitching. An optimist would counter that Girardi's troops never give up. Whatever the reason, stirring rallies accentuated by walk-off wins spark good feelings and that can't be bad.

Saturday at the Stadium, Joba Chamberlain altered his pregame preparation in an effort to enhance his early efficiency. Mission accomplished as the blossoming starter dazzled out of the gate, blending hard heat with tight breaking stuff.

A 1-0 deficit turned into a 3-1 surplus thanks to the emerging bat of Mark Teixeira. Yankee fans got a taste of the inevitable as Teix. shook his slump with four hits that produced four RBI.

Chamberlain provided six solid innings and handed a 3-2 lead to the bullpen. A queasy feeling of deja-vu followed. Veras, Coke and Ramirez wobbled through two ugly innings: 2 runs, 3 hits, 3 walks. The song remains the same--4-3 Twins.

Yanks tie the game in the 8TH, prompting a call to The Great Rivera. Relief makes an appearance as Mo does his thing for two shutout innings. The long-man, Alfredo Aceves, arrives in the 11TH and does the job.

The stage is set. A-Rod steps up with a game-winning laser to left. Frolicking follows as the Yanks stretch their win streak to four. The talent of the '09 Yankees rises to compensate for the traditional holes. Boring isn't in the mix.

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Yankees' Unlikely Heroes

The Yankees led off with frustration and finished with fun at the Stadium Friday night. Phil Hughes took the mound and consistently flashed erratic command. The not-ready-for-prime-time phenom produced: 5 IP/6 hits/4 walks/3 runs. The bullpen was warming in the fourth. Disaster was at the door.

Minnesota's pitching provided the Yankees ample opportunity to put crooked numbers on the board. Ten walks were issued, despite the generous presence of a pitcher friendly home plate ump. Ineptness with runners in scoring position was a recurrent theme. The stage was set for a numbing loss.

Scouting reports suggest that Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner are best suited for the pine. "Fourth outfielder" is the prevalent moniker used to describe the Yankees' competing center fielders. Cabrera and Gardner defied conventional wisdom while pumping up the Bombers with an offensive onslaught. Gardner's over-the-top speed torched the bases for an inside the park homer and triple. Cabrera provided a walk off win with a two out clutch hit off an elite closer. Frustration morphed to joy. The Yankees danced in the Bronx thanks to two unlikely heroes.

Yankees Survive

A Yankees' lineup featuring a Double-A catcher, a Triple-A center fielder and an array of walking wounded won in Toronto Thursday night. CC Sabathia did what Aces do. The big man carried the load for eight innings and got the lead to The Great Rivera--game over.

34 games into the '09 season the Yanks tread water at .500. In a logic defying leap, the Bombers are on the cusp of contention. For those of you scoring at home here's what the young season has wrought: 1) A team built around pitching with a five plus ERA. 2) A traditionally brutal bullpen. 3) Two rickety catchers on the shelf. 4) A mangled roster featuring relics and unproven neophytes. 5) A #2 starter whose 35 plus ERA hurt his hip. 6) Two consistently inconsistent big ticket purchases. 7) A baggage ridden MVP spending more time in rehab than on the diamond. 8) MIA home field advantage.

Critics do a knee-jerk flail at the mention of the manager. The facts suggest that Girardi has kept hope alive despite dire circumstances. Only the strong survive.

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Yankees Pitching Coach Parade

Pinstriped pitchers and their coaches come and go. Respected reputations enter the Yankee Universe, collide with distorted expectations and leave dubious legacies. Championship caliber coach Mel Stottlemyre morphs from sage advisor to faded old timer. Yankee pitching legend Ron "Gator" Guidry arrives a hero and exits an over-matched crony. Dave Eiland starts as a pitching savant and quickly transitions to lingering question.

Baseball America, profiles former Yankees' bullpen coach Joe Kerrigan and asks a pertinent question: "Is it less about the man giving the instructions than the guys who are actually throwing the ball?"

"Over the next 14 years, Kerrigan worked for the Red Sox, Phillies and Yankees with mixed results. For every admirer who hailed him for his preparation and brilliant baseball mind, there was a corresponding critic who regarded him as stubborn, heavy-handed or, worst of all, a condescending know-it-all."--(Crasnick/ Baseball America/Print Edition)

Coaches get too much credit when things go well and too much blame when they don't. The bottom line is talent. An assortment of respected Yankee coaches have come up short trying to develop a long, long list of hyped pitching fodder. Sooner, or later, the focus will shift to the folly of the front office. You can run but you can't hide.

PHOTO/DAYLIFE

Doc Halladay Deals Yanks Out

Doc Halladay was dealing for the Blue Jays in Toronto Tuesday night. The Yankees countered with an Ace in the hole A.J. Burnett. The deck was stacked with two seamers and pounded with cutters. A scoreless duel was broken in the fourth, with the bags full Burnett blinked. The Jays scooped a three run pot. The Bombers were stuck, against all odds. Lady Luck was nowhere in sight.

The New York Yankees matched up with the best, in a meek attempt to win some standings cred. The odds held. Miracles didn't make it. "The kiddie game is down the street."--(Mike Matusow)

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Yankees Quotes & Notes

The Yankees go north of the border to take on the first place Toronto Blue Jays. Here are some New York Yankee related notes and quotes:

• Baseball Prospectus leads off with a preview of the legendary Doc Halladay: "He's a horse, a stud and a bargain for $30 million over the next two season." (Hal just winced.)
• Here's some local insight: "The Halladay/Burnett relationship existed, but was never as close as advertised. Burnett enjoyed his nights out on the road. A night out for Halladay is a few extra hours on the treadmill.
• The NY Times reports: "Halladay (6-1, 3.29 earned run average) fronts a rotation that features two pitchers who had not started a major league game before this year (Brett Cecil and Robert Ray), one who had started five (Scott Richmond), and one who had started six (Brian Tallet)...The thing that’s probably flown under the radar is we don’t get the notoriety that the Bostons or the Yankees get for their young talent,” Ricciardi said. “We probably have as much, if not more, than some of those other teams. I think that’s what enabled us to hold the fort down.”
• Any mention of baseball commissioner Bud Selig, brings to mind a quote from the classic Shawshank Redemption: "Why are you so obtuse? Is it deliberate?" Here's Bud's position on Yankee tickets: "Commissioner Bud Selig said yesterday the prices are right...The new Yankee Stadium is under seige, partly because the high-end seats are embarrassingly vacant, even after the Steinbrenners slashed prices..." Having run a team and agonized over ticket prices myself for the 30 years I ran the Brewers I really believe the clubs know their own market better than I do."--( NY Post/ Selig's statement at Wall Street Journal symposium.)
• The New York Times consults with season ticket holder Keith Olbermann: "I’m reliably informed that the Yankees didn’t manage to sell any of those seats, so there’s no refund to be had,” he wrote on his blog, Baseball Nerd. “Reality here reads like something out of “Catch-22”: you can get a refund on those tickets, but only if you haven’t bought them. And you can now buy many of those high-end tickets at half the original price, except you can’t, because the Yankees gave them away as make-goods.”
  The Yankees refused to say whether they created phantom refunds, as Olbermann, who has Yankees season tickets that costs $850 per game, contends." As usual, the people's commissioner, Bud Selig has his finger on the pulse of baseball's best interests.

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Yankees Notes

The Yankees finished their series in Baltimore on a much needed positive note. Johnny Damon provided the heroics with a three run bomb which hurled Joba Chamberlain into the win column. The Great Rivera closed out a comeback victory . The Bombers get a timely day off before taking their chances against Doc Halladay and the first place Toronto Blue Jays.

Notes:

• As Joba Chamberlain develops, patterns emerge. The dominant reliever relied on two pitches delivered at a fist-pumping, fevered pitch. The blossoming starter attempts to remain cool, calm and collected, gets clocked early then reverts to adrenaline amped style: "Chamberlain, meanwhile, seems to feed off of anything that gets his heart racing. Again, he didn't look quite ready in the first inning Sunday, giving up three runs, but from there he was throwing 95-96 mph instead of 91, while posting zeroes over the next five innings."--(NY Daily News.) Whatever works.
• Recently, my brother-in-law took his son to the new Stadium. The seats were left field foul pole nose bleeds for $45 per ticket. He ended up spending $200 for parking and food. I thought this was a case of getting carried away, apparently not:"The Steinbrenner and Wilpon families have only themselves to blame for embarrassing attendance. Yes, there's a recession on, but there's a recession on in Arizona, too. This year, according to the Team Marketing Report's Fan Cost Index, a family of four can count on spending $410.88 to see a Yankees home game. That's an increase of slightly more than 49% from last year." When Yankee officials boasted of "building a five-star resort around a baseball field" it was clear greed was in the air. Be careful what you wish for.
• Here's a scary farm report: "In the 13 days since Hughes was called up, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has added three starting pitchers from within the system, signed two minor league free agent starters and used reliever Steven Jackson to spot start one game." It's all part of the latest shrewd plan.

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Yankees Familiar Folly

The wheels fell off the Phil Hughes revival tour in Camden Yards, Saturday night. The Baltimore Orioles pounded the Yankees' next big thing. Hughes' sordid stats: 1 2/3 IP/ 8 Runs/ 8 Hits/ 2 BB/ 1 WP/ 1 HBP/ 1 mental error, were reminiscent of last season's mismatch, before a mysterious, devastating rib injury shelved the hyped prospect. " It's just one start," Manager Joe Girardi said, "I don't want to make too much out of it, and he shouldn't either."--(NY Times)

The fourth place New York Yankees are 14-16. The pitching staff has allowed 10 or more runs in 20% of those games. Trend or aberration? "It don't take a weather man to know which way the wind blows.--(Dylan)

What's next? Let the obligatory blame game commence. Girardi assumed Torre's position in the glare of Gotham's spotlight. The job description reads: Win or else. Nothing else matters, it comes with the high-expectation territory.

What about the pitching coach? Let's take a trip down memory lane: Mel Stottlemyre's championship resume was dismissed when the incessant chore of re-inventing the mechanics of a long list of relics didn't produce enough miracles. Yankee pitching legend, Gator Guidry was discarded to make room for pitching savant Dave Eiland who would groom Generation K to the promised land. "Back where it all began."--(Allman Brothers .)

What do Torre, Girardi, Sttotlemyre, Guidry and Eiland have in common? They have all tried to make mountains out of GM Brian Cashman's pitching mole hills. The front office Teflon Man's track record for talent acquisition and development is infamous. The facts speak, Cash's resume swears. A never ending list of gaudy underperforming purchases, castoffs, and not-ready for-prime-time neophytes clutter Cash's track record. For every botched plan there's a deftly connived excuse and a core of press lackeys willing to spread the dubious news.

The Yankees' mushrooming issues go beyond the GM's chair. Accountability starts at the top. The brothers Steinbrenner fell into Dad's fortune and staggered out of the gate with folly. Hank's bluster was replaced with Hal's reticence. For those of you scoring at home: Santana's losing sweepstakes ticket, youth-movement hoax, closing the old Stadium with a whimper, Cashman's contract extension, bloated free agent-frenzy and new Stadium debacle document a pratfall of epic proportions. The facts suggest that the new men behind the curtain are incompetent. It starts at the top and ends at the bottom.

ILLUSTRATION/TIRICOSUAVE.COM

Yankees Get Relief

The New York Yankees' big guns blew away a five game losing skid Friday, in Baltimore. One pitch, one swing, one blast is all it took for A-Rod to announce the MVP was back.

The Yankees' Ace took the hill with three runs on the board--game over. CC Sabathia notched nine shutout innings, kept the beleaguered bullpen off the field and delivered a timely dividend. "This entire team needed that."--(Kay/YES.) The rejuvenating evening ended with an understatement.

Photo/Newsday

A-Rod Returns

Alex Rodriguez's bat and baggage arrive in Baltimore tonight. The floundering Yankees search for a spark.The star-crossed MVP provides a headline snatching diversion and an extra run per game. Is it enough?

Fact is, until the heralded pitching staff delivers, everything else is moot. The bloated starters have to shine. The usual suspects have to relieve.

The experts who were blinded by the light of the regal rotation told us the talent was there to return to the promised land. The unproven bullpen, rickety roster and barren farm were trivial after-thoughts.

Reality made an appearance. Fourth place followed. Reality bites.

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Yankees Press Clippings

Start spreading the news, here are a few timely Yankee excerpts from the Big Apple media:

• "Acceptance verging on indifference carried the day for the 44,970 overpaying customers, who have grown all too accustomed to disjointed mediocrity from this franchise."--(Bondy/NY Daily News)
• "...this is a player development department that hasn't produced a quality regular out of the draft since Derek Jeter, or a starting pitcher since Andy Pettitte. Considering the same people who are responsible for these busts are running the draft for Cashman, maybe it's not such a bad thing that the Yankees don't have a NO. 1 pick this year..."--(Madden/NY Daily News) (Editor's note: At some point, doesn't Hal have to step up and ask the pertinent question, Why? Fingers remain crossed that Yankee ownership will finally figure out the incessant failings of their flim-flam man GM.)
• "Any answer has to start with the bullpen, which has cost the Yankees on too many nights this season..."--(NY Daily News) Somewhere, Joe Torre is smiling and shaking his head. The song remains the same.
• "...but why, in depression or boom, does such a thing as a $270 baseball ticket even exist?--(NY Times/Handy/ The Boys of Bummer)
• Here's a proposed solution from the NY Daily News: "...at every game the Yankees should hold a drawing that's open to all who have paid their way into the Stadium. Winners would get the delicious privilege of watching the game in the premium seats. They are doozies." Levine and Trost just hurled.

Yankees Frustrating Finale

A boisterous Yankee crowd finally showed up to the new Stadium Tuesday night. Joba Chamberlain took the mound in an effort to stave off another Boston sweep.Five consecutive hits and four runs knocked down the Yankee golden child. Another bleak night beckoned. Chamberlain responded to the Red Sox haymaker with a surge of adrenaline pumped, dazzling stuff. Blistering heat, wicked hooks, tight sliders and the long rumored changeup rang up 12 K's over 5 2/3 innings. Joba provided an eye-opening flash of what's possible.

Reality then made an inevitable appearance. The beleaguered bullpen entered as rain pelted the diamond. Girardi shuffled the usual suspects in a Torre-esque attempt to find some relief. A one run deficit morphed to another lopsided loss.

The Yankees fall to .500 while worn out injury excuses fly. (Just imagine how good Marte would have been if yet another mystery ailment hadn't happened. Yawn.) Another year, another poorly constructed, under- performing pitching staff. "And so it goes."--(Vonnegut)

PHOTO GALLERY/NEWSDAY

Yankees Fall Short

The Yankees/Red Sox rivalry is never boring. A rain soaked Stadium set the stage for the second start of the Phil Hughes revival tour. A patient Boston team would provide an intriguing test for the hyped prospect. The results were as bleak as the weather. Four innings, marked by erratic control, produced: 4 Runs/ 7 Hits/ 5 BB. 4-0 Sox.

Girardi's animated argument, with the home plate ump in the fifth, lead to an inspiring ejection. "He's trying to spark a flat NY team."--(Kay/YES.) Damon and Teixeira took the cue and whacked back to back bombs. 4-3 Sox. Game on.

The Yankee bullpen gate swung open in the fifth as the latest delivery from the Scranton shuttle, Alfredo Aceves, took the mound. The long-man void was filled as 4 1/3 effective innings provided relief for the Bombers' ragged pen.

Drama entered a 6-4 game in the home half of the ninth as the Yanks loaded the bases against a struggling Papelbon. The big hit never arrived as the dreary night ended with a whiff. A sparse crowd endured raw weather to witness a frustrating finish.

PHOTO GALLERY/NEWSDAY

Yankees Necessary Distraction

The countdown continues. A-Rod, the player and tell-all book will be arriving shortly. New York will enthusiastically welcome Alex Rodriguez to the lineup while reluctantly making room for his baggage. "It'll be hard, getting to my locker."--(Brian Bruney (Alex's clubhouse neighbor.) The obligatory swarm of gossip hungry reporters will crowd Bruney's space. Let the quasi-informed pontificating begin. The tabloid media has a job to do. The bills must be paid.

Yankee skipper, Joe Girardi can't wait to get Alex's big bat back where it belongs. A tattered, mediocrity ridden lineup needs a boost. The price-- incessant, distraction laden press encounters--will be paid. Girardi's job description--win or else--demands it. "I get tired of answering the questions. I don't understand why someone would write a book like this..."--(Girardi/AP)

Let's ease Joe's pain, books 'like this' get written because there is a lucrative market of gossip hungry readers willing to pay the price. The appetite for knee-jerk judgements is insatiable. Alex Rodriguez, a high-profile, over-the-top success story with a long and winding road of dubious issues is prime grist for the mill. "It is what it is."

A-Rod the player puts the New York Yankees back in the running for a ring. A-Rod the book is a necessary distraction. Team captain, Derek Jeter, provides a clue to teammates looking to cope: "I have no idea what you are talking about, so I don't have any answers for you."--(Jeter/AP)

PHOTO/BALTIMORE SUN

Yankees Familiar Fight

The names change, in the Bronx, but the song remains the same. "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere."--(Sinatra.) Expectations don't sleep in pinstripes. CC, A.J. and Teix. were greeted as heroes. It's been all down hill from there.

The best Ace money could buy took the hill at the new Stadium Saturday, in a presumably lopsided matchup with the Angels' 30 year old rookie Matt Palmer. Six stellar innings produced a 1-1 tie which set the stage for a now familiar pratfall. CC got whacked in the end. The unsightly Bomber bullpen turned out the lights on an 8-4 loss.

In Milwaukee or Cleveland, Sabathia's effort would be a good day that didn't work out. In the Big Apple, it's filed under failure. Success on the scoreboard is all that matters.

Sabathia isn't alone in feeling the heat of Gotham's glare. Cheers have morphed to jeers when Mark Teixeira's anemic .182 AVG hits the mega-watt scoreboard. The new guy is struggling and is routinely serenaded with boos. Welcome home.

The Yankees free agent shopping spree resulted in premium talent being procured at an exorbitant price. The easy part is finished. CC, A.J. and Teix. chose to accept jobs with distorted expectations. Competent won't cut it. The bar is set much higher. Stumbling starts happen. Now comes the tough part.

PHOTO GALLERY/NEWSDAY

Yankees Defy the Odds

The Yankees won a rain-soaked, battle of the brutal bullpens at the Stadium Friday night. The 10-9 slugfest extended the Bombers' winning streak to four and left them with a respectable .565 win percentage. The results are reasonable, given the circumstances, but no one could have predicted the way they got here.

The big tickets have wobbled out of the gait. CC A.J. and Teix. are in the red. The revamped bullpen, allegedly bolstered by the $12 million dollar man, Damaso Marte, provided frequent flashbacks to feeble. An ERA of 6.89 doesn't speak, it shouts. The understated MVP is in Florida. The number two starter took his 35 plus ERA to therapy. The speedster in center can't figure out how to steal first. Empty seats mushroom as a new Stadium debuts as a quiet launching pad.

The gloom lifts and the sun shines when the focus is shifted to an unlikely group of role players. Swisher started the season without a regular job. Nick used a big stick to rock the Bombers with a power-laden .312 AVG. Cabrera returned from the discard bin with a flourish. Melky's game-winning heroics, .400 OBP and versatile defense reminds short-sighted Yankee fans that he has more tools than his alleged replacement. A kid named Pena flashed some leather to get a job. The .333 fundamentally- sound-offense is a pie-in-the-sky bonus.

The resurgent role players added a spark to the prodigious production of Cano and Posada. The result, against all odds, is respectability. Sooner, or later, the Yankees' gaudy talent has to approach the hype, until then a group of over-achieving after-thoughts will carry the load.

PHOTO GALLERY/NEWSDAY

Yankees Draft Review

Fangraphs, writes analysis of the Yankees last three drafts:

• "There is really no way to sugar coat the fact that the Yankees organization had a terrible draft in 2008..."
• 2007:"Andrew Brackman was a huge draft talent with a huge question mark..."
• 2006: "In terms of pitching, this is one of the best drafts in recent memory for any team."
• Now what? "Organizational Need: Infielders, Outfielders, Left-handed pitchers. Organizational Strength: Right-handed pitchers, catchers."

Hat tip--Sliding into Home