I'm Tired of Watching Mediocrity Already

It seems alot longer than 9 years. 9 long years since the Yankees last hoisted the World Series Trophy high above and claimed it as their own. The Yankees were on top of the baseball world for the 4th time in 6 seasons, and the latest dynasty showed no signs of slowing down. Then a funny thing happened along the way. The transition from Gene Michael to Bob Watson to Brian Cashman began to show the signs of a rotted out core.

The players that the last dynasty were built upon had gotten old for the most part. Paul O'Neill would leave after the '01 disaster, as would Tino Martinez, the steady Scott Brosius. All gone. Replaced with the latest and greatest high priced talent Cashman could buy. What Stick Michael and Watson understood, was that you didn't have to have the best player at each position to win a World Series. You only needed to have the best TEAM.

The Yankees showed yet again last night why the Boston Red Sox are the model of consistency and success as the decade comes to a close. Everything from their steady, yet smart manager Terry Francona, to the gritty and never say die attitudes of Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. What do the Yankees have? An aging captain who looked his age more than once last night with a little water on the ground...an over the hill can still hit but can't run or catch catcher who coincidentally, pulled up lame running the bases again last night. A backup catcher that made Bill Buckner look qualified to be fielding ground balls. A manager who did his best to fire up a bunch of overpaid pansies, yet he himself has no business being employed as the manager of this team.

The Red Sox are the model for which the Yankees need to look at, and become. Rather than allowing Johnny Damon to continue to embarrass himself out in left field, simply bench him. Bring up the next young outfielder and get him some experience. Yes, that would be Austin Jackson for those of you not in the know. It's time for management to make a decision about the future of there once great shortstop, and then have the balls and backbone to tell him HE is no longer capable of manning the position...even if that means simply switching he and A-Rod when he comes back from hip surgery. It means telling Joba Chamberlain this is not about him becoming the next great starter but the next great setup man to get the game to Mo Rivera. The answers are so obvious it's sickening. Why is recently acquired Eric Fryer not on the fast track to replace an old and brittle Jorge Posada?

This is the issue: The Yankees are more involved in their past than their future. It's about making sure Jeter gets to 3000 hits, that Posada's legacy is right there with Munson, Berra and Dickey. Here's an idea and a clue...it's not about any of those things! It's about winning world championships, and I am sick and tired of watching the Steinbrenner's throw their money at has beens, and then not have the stones to cut them loose when they no longer are productive (Damon, Molina, THE ENTIRE BULLPEN OUTSIDE OF RIVERA, Matsui). The Red Sox win a title, they make changes. They win another title, they incorporate the next up and coming stud from the farm. Don't believe me? Watch and see how much longer a guy like David Ortiz is wearing a Red Sox uniform if his production contiunes on it's current pace! Now, let's review what happened last night in the New Boogie Down...

During the 1st inning of last night's game, I swore we were back in Fenway Park, and Joba Chamberlain was on the mound again. Why? Hughes throws a pitch that should have been handled by the catcher (Molina yet again), and it gets by him, the pitcher (this time Hughes) forgets to cover the plate, and he looks like a moron trying to recover, only to let the run score. Just like last weekend, same song, this verse same as the first. Fundamentals are seriously lacking with this group of Yankees. How many times last night did Derek Jeter look about 50 years old instead of 34? Too many to count. Too many infield hits that a younger, more agile shortstop would've handled. The last time a team won the World Series with a shortstop as old as Jeter was back in 1980 and the guy was named Larry Bowa.

Hughes pitched well enough, giving up single runs in each of the first four innings. The Yankee bats were dead as usual. I was looking at the lineup last night and was simply sickened. Jeter still hitting leadoff? Really? Angel Berroa still playing third? Really? Molina behind the plate? Really? Again? What a joke. The one bright spot in the Yankees bullpen was the re-emergence of Alfredo Aceves, who appears to be the leading candidate to be the long man out of the pen. At least he should be. Red Sox starter Jon Lester looked good, but not great. He could've been had. Mark Teixiera finally performed somewhat up to par, hitting two bombs last night, but then again he did strike out when the Yankees had closer Papelbon on the ropes in the 9th inning.

The Yankees looked like who they are...a mediocre team that fails to do the simple things to win ball games. I know, they took 2 of 3 from the Angels this past weekend, which was great. But they are now 0-4 against the only team that really matters. I said before the season started that Tampa was a joke, and they are. Toronto doesn't have the pitching and hitting to keep going at the rate they are. It will come down to two teams...the Yankees, and the team that is 4-0 against the Yankees in 2009. A-Rod is reportedly close to a Friday return, but he has stuggled in his minor league rehab assignment. The rotation led by C.C. Sabathia is still one of the worst in the league. Burnett all of a sudden looks like C.C., and Pettitte has reverted back to the Pettitte of last year. Combine that along with Wang (injured and ineffective) and Chamberlain (fat and overrated), and the Yankees are in trouble. The bullpen is a mess. There is no bench depth. The lineup is piece meal at best, and there are no signs of things getting better anytime soon.

I said it last year, and I'm saying again for the umteenth time in 2009. Perhaps another missed postseason will be what it takes for the new boss (not nearly as impatient as the old boss) to lose his cool, fire Cashman and Girardi, and bring back the people that made the Yankees the once proud dynasty we have grown accustomed to seeing every decade or so. If the Steinbrenners need a user's guide on how to build a champion the right way, they need only to look to their rivals to the North in Boston...

As always, take care, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!