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We’re still in the “honeymoon” period for the Manager so I’ll leave that alone.  However, one the frustrations that will result from playing Tampa is there is a stark contrast - Tampa is young and athletic, we are …….. well everyone can figure it out.  

I’m going to focus more on the organizational philosophy.

The Yankees are caught in the NY Knicks/Rangers mentality from about 1999/2000 to present for the Knicks and 1998 - 2006 for the Rangers.  That is to say - the philosophy is to rebuild on the fly while making sure that you still have a half way decent product in order to fill the building and give the fans hope for the playoffs instead of doing what really needs to be done.  Before the Yankees traded for Randy Johnson I said this team was at a crossroads, anyway what’s done is done. 

This rebuilding on the fly doesn’t really work because it places too much pressure on unproven players.  Now in NY, there will always be pressure to perform the difference can be the organization that chooses to insulate those players from the pressure.  First of all, the Yankees have thrown these guys in there and expect them to perform, right away.  It’s one thing to throw them in and another to expect big time results.  This is baseball, it just doesn’t happen that way.  Phil Hughes had the most innings pitched in the majors and he had 67.  67?  Scouts will tell you, that you need at least 200 to be able to tell what exactly you have.  The Yankees have not done a good job of insulating these guys.  Now, maybe a trip to the minors is what Kennedy needed to ”snap” him back, but you can’t really try that move again.  They’re stuck.

Joba….  they’re not on the same page.  It’s confusing.  “I am the 8th inning guy?”  “Will I start later in the season?”  “Will I spot start?”  “What about my innings limitations?”  I don’t know.  He doesn’t know.   

As far as on the field stuff - I will say one thing.  One of the things that I disliked about the Torre teams from 2004-2007, is the lack of imagination on offense.  The comment is appropriate about not seeing “National League style ball” not that we have a National League style team, but I’m a little confused as to the offensive identity of this team.

All quiet on the Rountable front. The Yankees stink.

A-Rod’s not coming back for another week.

Pettitte lost against the Rays for the second time this season.

The Yankee bats made Matt Garza look like Cy Young with seven scoreless innings.

Bottom line:

• The Yankees bats are old and slow. Matsui, Abreu, Damon, Giambi, regulars in the lineup, are overwhelmingly unproductive. Even Jeter isn’t the same - I rarely see the long opposite-field bullets he’s accustomed to hitting.
• Posada is hurt. No one knows how well he’ll play this season - he may even jeopardize next season if he overdoes it.
• Pettitte and Mussina are old. The holes in the rotation are gaping.
• The much-ballyhooed ”Generation Trey”, which I always thought sounded lame, has only yielded one immature but very promising reliever. In my opinion, Joba doesn’t have the maturity, patience, and control of emotion to be successful as a starter yet, if ever. If he has a rough first inning, he’ll run to the dugout and sulk. He needs to grow up.
• Cano looks like a different hitter. Not in a good way.
• Molina has turned into an automatic out.  
• Melky Cabrera and Wang are the only bright spots.

Where is the National League style baseball that Girardi was going to play??? I’ll tell you where it is…it’s off the table. This team is too slow and old. They’re not exciting. Why is Giambi at first every day?

If I’m Girardi, this is my lineup until A-Rod is back: 

1. Cabrera CF
2. Abreu RF 
3. Jeter SS
4. Duncan 1B
5. Cano 2B
6. Damon LF
7. Ensberg 3B
8. Matsui DH
9. Moeller C

And….they should explore bringing up one of their young outfielders from the minors.

Good to see Moose pitch well.  Good to see some bats come alive (Cano, keep it up).  Good to get this win before going to Detroit, keep in mind Igawa is getting a start and we’re not really sure how Rasner will do. 

As an observation - the veteran pitchers for the most part, have stepped up.  Wang has been great (except for the Boston game in NY), Pettitte has been his usual reliable self, and Moose had pitched better than anyone might have thought.  And of course, what is there to say about the Great Mariano?  What he’s doing at his age and experience level for closers is remarkable.  Cool…professional…goes about his business… and positively spectacular.   

A-Rod probably won’t be back until later next week.  I had hoped that sending him to Tampa was a sign that he was going to play in the Tampa series, they think maybe the final game of that series… but I would sure like to have him back when the Mets invade this version of Yankee Stadium for the last time. 

I’m glad Joba got ripped. He needs to remember his place. He’s received way too much attention and adulation.

And he looked like he was going to cry in the dugout. Suck it up buddy….this is baseball…even the greatest players have failed to execute. It’s what you do with the next opportunity that defines you. That is what makes great players into legends.

and it reminds me of a quote from Bull Durham.  At the end of the movie, Crash goes to Nuke to apologize for his drunken tirade.  Nuke is packing his stuff because he’s a September call up to the major leagues. 

Crash: “You’ve got to play this game with fear and arrogance.”

Nuke: “Fear and ignorance.”

Crash: “No… fear and ARROGANCE.”

Nuke: “I know, I just like seeing you get worked up.”

Joba, go watch Bull Durham.  And remember what a catcher can do to you if you shake off too many signs.  

My older daughter was at the game, she called us just as Joba was entering, sounding so assured and happy. Her night was soon to take a turn for the worse. David Cone was all over this correctly. Why was Joba waving off so many of Molina’s pitch calls. He was going largely with breaking stuff that was missing by a lot. Maybe the kid’s ego needs some deflating. Molina has forgotten more about calling a game than Joba knows at this point. Cone can be very repetitive with his analysis, but he sure had it right last night.

Oh yeah, Joba, don’t look like your dog died if you lose a game, man up.

For those watching the YES broadcast, they showed Ian Kennedy’s stats from his start at AAA.  He pitched into the 8th inning, 0 runs, 0 walks. 

OMG, what a crazy picture!  What is it that we can’t beat the Indians all of the sudden? 

Pettitte give a gutsy performance.

Molina makes a tremendous throw from his knees.  You could watch baseball a long time and not see a throw like that.

Abreu was safe at third.  I think because his spike got caught - there was hesitation in his slide and that messed the umpire up, it happens.

This sums it up.  I’m watching the game with my daughter (instead of the Wiggles, I put my foot down) and she says: “Where’s A-Rod?” 

Response: “He’s at home.” 

“Why?”

“Because he hurt his leg.” 

“Why?” 

“He was running.”  “He’ll be back next week.”  “There’s Johnny (as in Damon).”

“I don’t like Johnny.” 

I tried to explain that Johnny Damon was playing much better.  But my daughter wants to see A-Rod.  We need him.

He had to falter sooner or later. Still, it was very surprising. Delucci did some job. To come off the bench and turn around a 98mph fastball on his fists…

I’m sure Joba will bounce back fine.

Great stuff.  The 1978 World Series (and season) is what hooked me on the Yankees and baseball.  I remember some of the 1977 season, but still perhaps too young. 

1978 was the season where I attended my first game at Yankee Stadium.  It was the season of the “comeback,” Bucky’s HR, Billy Martin fired/resigned/announced he was coming back, and of course, the World Series.

As with the entire season, the 78 World Series had its own twists and turns.  Nettles, perhaps turned the series around with his great play.  With Guidry being left handed and not having his best stuff, Nettles’ function as a third baseman became very important.  He was up to the task.  A lesser third baseman might have had disasterous results.  It kept the Yankees alive for Game 4 which had the Reggie play.  I believe the Yankees were losing by one run or two, it was early in the game.  Reggie had an RBI single.  First and second, maybe bases loaded, but definitely first and second.  The Yanks were in the middle of a rally.  Sweet Lou knocks a liner to Bill Russell who attempts to convert a double play with his relay to first, but his throw hits Reggie in the base line.  A runner scored, Reggie was safe and all hell broke loose when Lasorda came out for what seemed like a 20 minute argument about how Reggie intentionally stuck his hip out to hit the ball.  Replays, to me are inconclusive, but thinking back on it, Reggie would have had incredible presence of mind to be able to first, think of doing that, and second, being able to execute it.  I think Lasorda was giving Reggie too much credit.  Anyway, as they say the rest “was history.”  But all initiated by Nettles’ great play around third base.