When will Joe get Yank-ed out of the South Bronx?

Okay, Gold, I'll buy your theory as long as we add the words "if" and "probably."

And, by the way, who do you see as Torre's replacement if and when the move is made, Mattingly, Girardi or someone else?

 

For the Yankees to achieve 90 wins they must play .700 ball from here on out (71-49).

I'm wondering why anyone thinks they can do that, other than a bunch of ifs, ands and maybes.

Phil Hughes is a rookie and is going to have ups and downs (as evidenced by his two starts). Roger Clemens is going to have to rely on a shaky bullpen - plus he is 45, so he is going to slow down eventually (it happens).

Seven members of the Yankees' starting lineup are 33 or over (if you count Mienkiewitcz as a starter). Players - at least in the pre-steroid era - generally get worse statistically as they get older.

But keep holding on to that dream!

 

First of all, lantaur, it's .592 ball.

Second, you would have to go back 30 years before you could look at things and say players drop in a drastic fashion after they reach 30. That was the sort of mentality the Reds had in 1965 when they traded Frank Robinson, who they thought was an "old 30" for Milt Pappas. There is a long list of reasons why this is so (better conditioning, higher salaries/incentives). The 1983 Phillies were a pretty old team and they reached the World Series. The Yankees are an aging team, but I don't think this is a year where everybody turns into aged players who are past their prime like the Yankees did in 1965.

Third, no Yankee fan "dreams" of making the playoffs. From a competitive and business standpoint, the Yankees making it into the playoffs makes a lot of financial sense and there is pressure on for a lot of reasons. Not having A-Rod opt out of his last three years is one reason.

Casty: I would actually be concerned more about who would be the general manager for the Yankees. I would be surprised if Cashman and Torre will still have their positions at this time next year unless the Yankees win the World Series, a very dicey proposition at best. I would question whether Torre would want to manage two or three more years with an aging team - he's 65 and I would think he could make a lot of money giving speeches and doing television. 12 years is a long time to be the manager of one team - he will match Casey Stengel in terms of longevity as Yankees manager at the end of this season.

I think the best manager for the Yankees is currently in New York, but he's the manager for team with the different shade of blue and the orange in their uniforms. Willie Randolph would be the best choice, but I don't think the Yankees could pull that off contracturally. I don't know that Mattingly would be that great a choice - it would be popular but there's no indication that he would or would not be a great manager. Girardi is a really smart guy, but I don't know how well he could handle all of the personalities in the clubhouse - John Flaherity might be as good a choice because he seems lower key and more upbeat. I think a younger manager might work well.

At some point, the Yankees are going to be too old and the machine won't run smoothly any longer.

If somebody purchased the team and let me run the operation like a real baseball team with a budget and business plan (any billionaires out there are welcome to send me a PM) I would try to start rebuild in 2008, because when they open the new stadium in 2009 people will buy tickets just to see the new stadium. I have always had a theory that any team opening a new facility gets a "honeymoon" period where people will pay just to see an event in the new facility. After two or three years, you have to produce. If they Yankees go thru a down period in 2008 to 2010, I think there might be some patience and that would be the time to try and lay out a new plan.

 

1. Major d'oh on the percentage. My only excuse is I had to pick up my kids from school and was rushing through that post.

2. Actually, I said 33 not 30. Look at Frank Robinson - your example - after 33 and you will see a dropoff.

3. I meant Yankee fans are dreaming about making the playoffs this year. Because that's what it is - a dream*.

* - based on the current roster (including Clemens)

 

I think it's total lunacy to pretend that Clemens is going to be the same pitcher in the AL that he was in the NL. Other than Pedro Martinez, name a pitcher who came over from the NL and was as good or better. (You can even put aside the fact that Pedro did it in his prime, not the tail end of his career.) The truth of it is, at 44 years old, he averaged 5.9 innings per start last year. He never once went more than 7 innings, and only threw seven innings five times in 19 starts. In the National League.

Will he be better than the alternative? Sure. Absolutely. But for some people to act like he'll be the savior is madness.

 

DD, I agree with all of that. I have been saying as such as well.

I am not so sure that I believe he is a better option than the "alternative." I assume the alternative is DeSalvo, Clippard, Rasner, Karstens. Well, those four didn't suck. DeSalvo has had one bad start out of the three that he pitched. Clippard pitched wonderfully and you can read all about it on his MySpace. Rasner and Karstens, well, they seemed alright aside from their unfortunate luck in pitching on a Fox Saturday afternoon game.

 

Joe's job is now safe. The turnaround has begun. Consecutive wins over the Mets and Red Sox have made all well in Yankeeland once again...this is the start of the big move.

I read it today in the NY tabs...so it must be true.

 

Nothing in Matt DeSalvo's minor league history indicates that he'll be a success at the MLB level, so I wouldn't expect him to remain in the rotation.

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/players/playerpage/580580

 

lantaur: Things are different today because of improved conditioning, medicine, etc.

Robinson was a very effective player in 1969 and 1970 when he was at least 33. He was a feared hitter. As far as baseball, 35 is the new 30 (hey, I get to use a more recent cliche than the old cliche)

 

Before the series, I felt that if the Yankees were swept, Joe would be gone. I am not so sure right now. But last night's loss isn't helping.

 

Mussina pitched well last night, but his fastball has no life to it.

Mike Myers, who was brought in to neutralize David Ortiz, is simply awful.