The Yankee Mystique
The most popular team in baseball, with the most World Series wins chokes in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, and as expected there has been an array of columns suggesting what Steinbrenner and Cashman need to do to change the course of the last six seasons.
First there was the rally to fire Torre, which lasted two days and left people wondering what happened to the Steinbrenner of old. (Just call him the Steinbrenner that got old). At the same time was the obvious anti A-Rod cry; that he's too much of a superstar, there's too much pressure, his ego is too big.
All of this is accurate, but not limited to A-Rod. The Yankees have never been evasive in stating their goal: they wanted to win it all, and each season they lured in another big name. Not just Rodriguez, but also, Mussina, Pavano, Giambi, Matsui, Johnson, Abreu and of course Damon. And just today, Joe Palladino writes that Mr. Yankee himself, Derek Jeter is the one who should go, allowing Rodriguez to take over short stop and establish himself as the new Yankee leader. Everyone is willing to identify the biggest Yankee shortcoming and how to solve it.
Everyone that is, except the people who should be. Steinbrenner's statement at the end of this season is just like his from last season. He is disappointed, they want to win and they will do whatever it takes to bring a championship to the Bronx next season. But that's where it ends. Yankees fans are demanding big changes, but they should not expect much. Steinbrenner says Torre is back, so it's not his fault. Torre says A-Rod will be back, so it's not his fault. Cashman is ready for another off season, presumably this is not his fault either. He even went to far as to say I honestly can say I dont have any wouldve, couldve, shouldves." That's interesting because I can think of a few.
1. You should have traded for a first baseman instead of another lazy, aging outfielder mid-season. Abreu may be a power hitter, but he has no hustle.
2. You should have known that Lidle was going to pitch one gem to prove his worth and then suck in NY just like he did in Philly.
3. You could have given some more young players a chance, especially in game 4 when it became obvious to anyone with eyes that Gary Sheffield couldn't have hit a Bonderman pitch if it was glued to his bat.
4. You could have trusted your excellent farm system at the end of last season, one that was responsible for Jeter and Cano, and spent your millions on pitchers instead of on Johnny Damon.
5. You would have beaten the Tigers if you had good pitchers.
I am sick of hearing about the best line-up in baseball, I am sick of the Yankees all-star status, and of their cocky attitude toward to post-season. I am happy they lost. But, they are so obsessed with keeping their secrets, with planning their next big move in some secret lair and in maintaining the magical mystique that has unfairly followed them since the days of Ruth and Gehrig.
Other teams are more than happy to share the reasons behind their successes (Tigers) and failures (Royals, Orioles). They are open about what they need, who is in their way (often it is the Yankees), and they make changes when necessary (Phillies, Marlins). But not the Bronx Bombers (who by the way are getting better and better at bombing).
No matter how elusive they all are, someone is to blame for this mess--in fact--a bunch of people are, including Steinbrenner, Torre and the entire team and someone should step up and accept responsibility. Corey Lidle made the only comments that could be construed as blaming someone, when he said that the Yankees might not have been as prepared as the Tigers. Not as prepared? 162 games and the best record in the AL? How much more prepared do you need to be. And then of course, when he was asked if he was blaming Torre by making these comments, he said he was misquoted.
Again, it's no one's fault.
First there was the rally to fire Torre, which lasted two days and left people wondering what happened to the Steinbrenner of old. (Just call him the Steinbrenner that got old). At the same time was the obvious anti A-Rod cry; that he's too much of a superstar, there's too much pressure, his ego is too big.
All of this is accurate, but not limited to A-Rod. The Yankees have never been evasive in stating their goal: they wanted to win it all, and each season they lured in another big name. Not just Rodriguez, but also, Mussina, Pavano, Giambi, Matsui, Johnson, Abreu and of course Damon. And just today, Joe Palladino writes that Mr. Yankee himself, Derek Jeter is the one who should go, allowing Rodriguez to take over short stop and establish himself as the new Yankee leader. Everyone is willing to identify the biggest Yankee shortcoming and how to solve it.
Everyone that is, except the people who should be. Steinbrenner's statement at the end of this season is just like his from last season. He is disappointed, they want to win and they will do whatever it takes to bring a championship to the Bronx next season. But that's where it ends. Yankees fans are demanding big changes, but they should not expect much. Steinbrenner says Torre is back, so it's not his fault. Torre says A-Rod will be back, so it's not his fault. Cashman is ready for another off season, presumably this is not his fault either. He even went to far as to say I honestly can say I dont have any wouldve, couldve, shouldves." That's interesting because I can think of a few.
1. You should have traded for a first baseman instead of another lazy, aging outfielder mid-season. Abreu may be a power hitter, but he has no hustle.
2. You should have known that Lidle was going to pitch one gem to prove his worth and then suck in NY just like he did in Philly.
3. You could have given some more young players a chance, especially in game 4 when it became obvious to anyone with eyes that Gary Sheffield couldn't have hit a Bonderman pitch if it was glued to his bat.
4. You could have trusted your excellent farm system at the end of last season, one that was responsible for Jeter and Cano, and spent your millions on pitchers instead of on Johnny Damon.
5. You would have beaten the Tigers if you had good pitchers.
I am sick of hearing about the best line-up in baseball, I am sick of the Yankees all-star status, and of their cocky attitude toward to post-season. I am happy they lost. But, they are so obsessed with keeping their secrets, with planning their next big move in some secret lair and in maintaining the magical mystique that has unfairly followed them since the days of Ruth and Gehrig.
Other teams are more than happy to share the reasons behind their successes (Tigers) and failures (Royals, Orioles). They are open about what they need, who is in their way (often it is the Yankees), and they make changes when necessary (Phillies, Marlins). But not the Bronx Bombers (who by the way are getting better and better at bombing).
No matter how elusive they all are, someone is to blame for this mess--in fact--a bunch of people are, including Steinbrenner, Torre and the entire team and someone should step up and accept responsibility. Corey Lidle made the only comments that could be construed as blaming someone, when he said that the Yankees might not have been as prepared as the Tigers. Not as prepared? 162 games and the best record in the AL? How much more prepared do you need to be. And then of course, when he was asked if he was blaming Torre by making these comments, he said he was misquoted.
Again, it's no one's fault.
