Since there has been a lot of emails flying back and forth on this hot topic...lets get the discussion going indepth about what is going to happen next to the Yankees. Post your thoughts, speculations, assessment of the team and in what direction are they now headed.
4 comments:
Well there are so many directions that the Yankees can take in the next few weeks. I will list out the players in question and give my thoughts:
Joe Torre - Think about all the big names and egos in the Yankee clubhosue over the past 12 years. He has been the glue year in and year out. Although he has been given talent offenseively, he has NOT been given pitching talent. I think he's done the best he could with what he had. A change may not be the worst thing in the world, but his departure may lead to others leaving as well, which could lead to a disaster.
Anday Pettitte - I would like him to stay, and I think he will. Where else is he going to get $14M next year? The young pitchers need a leader in the rotation, and Mussina is NOT a leader.
Jorge Posada - I truly think a lot has to do with Torre, but remember his best friend is Jeter and when it comes down to it, he will be a Yankee again. Even though he had a tremendous year at the plate, we cannot count on him to be the 5 or 6 hitter in the lineup and rely on his offensive production. We saw the let down this post season. He will be 36 next year, that's old for a catcher, his numbers will only go down. Jorge needs to bat 7th and keep working on his defense.
Mariano Rivera - again another person who may wait for the Torre decision. I think any team in baseball would take him and pay him a lot. He sounds like he's upset now about the Yankees not deciding to go after him, but he will come back. If for some reason he chooses to leave, then Joba CANNOT go into the rotation, he would have to be thier closer next year.
Bobby Abreu - They have an option to pick up on him, and I think he's worthy to stay another year. They have to keep some offensive production if Jorge or ARod leaves.
Jason Giambi - Listen to me Cashman. Do whatever you can to get rid of him!!!! He's a log jam on the basepaths, a horrible 1st baseman, and he strikes out more than he ever has. A major disappointment as a Yankee.
Johnny Damon - Keep him, he's settled into left field and he is a good situational hitter. Melky at leadoff is not the answer yet.
Matsui - we're looking at him being the full time DH next year, not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
Minceivich - good fielder but see ya later. Can't have a 1st baseman that doesn't produce.
ARod - ok...many thoughts. Sure the 4 years he has been here they have lost in the biggest disappointment in MLB post season history in 2004, then lost 3 consecutive years in the first round. Let's all think back to 2004. The WHOLE offense blew it the last 4 games of that series. And the offense has sucked since then in the post season. Can't put the entire blame on the guy. If he leaves, you don't replace him, it's impossible to. Have to try to find someone that will service the team somehow. Give me a name and I will try to consider, but there is nobody that is comparable to him. They don't make the postseason without him during his two MVP years here. The Yankees are opening a new stadium and need the revenue. Wilson Betemit at 3rd base wont cut it. good luck finding a cleanup hitter next year as well. They will end up blowing money on another Giambi, we know how that turned out.
This is how I see the line-up next season:
Manager: Torre (Mattingly is too milquetoast just yet, and Girardi doesn't have the right demeanor); LaRussa would be perfect.
Rotation
Santana (trade for Hughes)
Pettitte
Wang
Chamberlain
Mussina
Closer
Rivera
C Posada
1B Mientkiewicz - Actually, not a bad ninth hitter - .349 OBP - best among all Yankee first basemen this year despite injury-plagued season
2B Cano
3B A-Rod
SS Jeter
LF Damon/Matsui
CF Cabrera
RF Abreu
DH Damon/Matsui
Big off-season acquisition: Adam Dunn to play first because we need another guy who can strikeout close to 200 times and is only barely experienced at first. :)
If they keep Hughes, that wouldn't be bad either.
Giambi will be back because NOBODY wants that salary. Hopefully, he'll be healthy, because he can still ball.
Yeah but I have to hold him accountable here more so than Torre. Cashman has, in the change of mind and possibly lost mind of Steinbrenner and the organization, been able to revamp the farm system. This initiative really came about once the yankees lost the worst more embarrassing defeat in franchise history loosing 4 straight to Boston in 04. Cashman however has brought in some pitching that has been out right criminal if you ask me.
Kevin Brown
Jared Wright (he loved Wright because as Cashman stated, was a power pitcher and he sucked)
Vasquez (a half year wonder and gave up good talent to get him)
The 'Small' Unit
Carl Pavano (this is possibly the worst deal out of all of them)
Brought bull pen guys like Heredia and Osuna who were horrible
and lets not forget Kyle Farnsworth who again was loved by cashman for his power pitching style which has not held up
Signed back Clemens for all this money and got them no where
Extended Mussina and that is turning out to be a bad move
I could go on and on here Cashman has made some awful pitching moves which lets face it have really hurt this team. Lets not forget that Bob Watson and Gene Stick Michael built the championship clubs...really since Cashman has taken over he has made questionable moves that have lead to there early exits and non-world series years here as of late. I totally think Cashman should be held accountable more than Torre. Torre has been given junk and has managed to turn around the last three seasons for terrible starts to get them into the post season. If you think about it each year since 04 the starts to these seasons have gotten worse and worse and its only a matter of time that this organization will not be able to recover but I think there best chance is still with Torre. I personally would ask for Cashman's resignation.
Post a Comment