Attention passengers. this train is presently being held up in the station due to sick Yankees fans. Please be patient through this wait for help to arrive. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause. If and when Hal Steinbrenner hires a qualified baseball person needed for searching out a new general manager for the team, we'll let you know.
Otherwise, thank you for your patronage.
That is all.
New York Yankees: Joe Girardi didn't flip the buffet table last week in Boston, opting instead for getting ejected from Thursday's latest lack-luster episode in Baltimore.
"Hey Joe, think about where you're going with that book in your hand.."
Sing to the music of Jimmy Hendrix ~ Hit it!
I'm not advocating Joe Girardi quit (because I do not think Brian Cashman would fire him), but if Hal does not start exerting greater power within his organization, i.e., over Brian Cashman, then maybe Joe should con$ider an e$cape plan out of thi$ old Hou$e of continued idol wor$hip.
Just a though ... but obviously not practical. The media would never let him live down quitting the Yankees before his contract expires after 2017 ~ key word being, Before!
* * * * * * * * *
Losing in extra innings is never pleasant, especially on the road and losing series after series against their division leading rivals (Orioles and Red Sox) in their ballparks - much less being firmly anchored in last place of the A.L. East.
Thursday night, the Yankees managed just 4 hits in 10 innings. Their lead-off batter went 0 for 4 with no walks and a strikeout. Their 3-4-5 hitters combined to go 1 for 11, with 3 strikeouts. We all know who they are. And lower down the batting order, the Yankees continue getting rarely seen hits from the once highly thought of Didi Gregorius.
Most teams (maybe even 29 other MLB member clubs) can usually shake off such an extra inning loss in May and just move on ... unless you're Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees, that is, where cost vs. production levels have never been more divergent over the previous two decades of Bronx County baseball than right now.
Last week, the on-field condition called for reactive measures as prescribed by David Cone and Ken Singleton during last Saturday's telecast against the Red Sox. Problem is they wanted Joe Girardi to flip the buffet table. That's fine, but in truth, Girardi is an innocent party to this all. He is provided players of the general manager's choosing, then simply follows said general manager's bidding to the letter, as written in the Brian Cashman Binder of Baseball (bullpen maneuvering aside, because Joe is good at that).
After the Red Sox completed their series sweep of the Bombers last Sunday at Fenway,
Shudder to think....
After Boston, the Yankees then moved on to Baltimore where they lost 2 of 3 games to the Orioles, and wound up placing both Alex Rodriguez on the disabled list for a pulled hamstring, and more recently C.C. Sabathia for a groin. It's worth noting A-Rod wielded the lone productive bat against the Red Sox, with actual, genuine, meaningful home runs, while C.C. threw 7 strong innings against the Orioles.
Circling back ... if the Yankees performance was problematic last week, then what's this week's appropriate level of escalation.., dire?
Beaten and battered, the Bombers are back in the Bronx where, this time, they'll host the first place Boston Red Sox. If you remember, it was Boston's sweep of the Yankees last weekend that propelled the Sawx into first place to begin with, then ensured the A.L East remains a tight race by bowing out in Baltimore.
Friday night, this vicious cycle potentially starts all over again. Some might call that spiraling out of control. I don't know...
But, all things are as they were then, only tonight Yankee fans get to see it in person.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Say what you feel. The worse comment you can make is the one you do not make.