Jay968

First let me say that I have been a Yankee fan since 1961. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. My first real recollection was during the 1962 World Series, a triumphant one and my biggest depression came a year later during the 1963 World Series. I remember the first game I ever attended...with my grandfather, on a Friday night in May, 1963 when Joe Pepitone hit 2 HRs, both with Clete Boyer on base as the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-3. I remember things such as Yogi Berra being blamed for the 1964 loss to the Cards and the subsequent signing of none other than Johnny Keane who managed those Cardinals in 1964 to manage them the following year (the Yankees finished 6th that year and last the next under his management...well for at least part of '66 before they brought back Ralph Houk...a decent manager but lousy general manager). I recall the CBS years...omg those were bad times, and I remember when George bought the team and brought hope back to the Bronx. I can go on and on but I would rather make some comments about the current NY Yankees if I may...
What strikes me the most about them is that they seem to not quite understand themselves. I am not sure if it is ownership, management or what, but a statement was made this past year, by none other than Joe Girardi which really summed it all up for me. He said "We are the Bronx Bombers, not the Bronx bunters."
Ummmmmm...not sure how you think of this statement, but to me this is precisely what is wrong with the NY Yankees these days...this attitude. Now much has been written and talked about of the Yankees being a one dimensional team...if they don't hit the HR they can be beat. But to make that statement..."we are the bombers not the bunters" really underscores the fact that they can indeed be beat and they have no interest in changing that. It's like I want to say "Hey Girardi you fool...this is EXACTLY why you will not win the World Series. How bout you TRY once in a while to become the Bronx bunters....maybe just maybe you might score a few runs when you need to!"
I think it was in game 2 against Baltimore during the ALDS this year. They were behind by one run in the bottom of the 8th. Texeira led off the inning with a single. ALL I could think about at thst moment, living in LA as I do these days, is that if this were the Angels and Mike Scoscia was calling the shots, there would be no way Texeira wouldn't score! But it's not the Angels, it's the Yankees...and it's Girardi, not Scoscia...and the inning ended just as it had started...with Texeira at first.
That's the problem with the Yankees these days. All they want to do is wait for the long ball to get them the big inning. No, don't try and manufacture a run when you need it, just wait for the long ball. Uhhh, it just don't work that way guys, and until you get it, you will keep losing those big games.
To me it is NOT ok that Texeira is basically now a .230 hitter who can hit 25 HRs. It is not ok that their starting center fielder is also a .230 hitter who could hit 43 HRs. It is NOT ok that their starting catcher is a .211 hitter. Frankly they need guys like Lou Pinella, guys like Paul O'Neil, guys like Roy White. Ya know what? Screw the 40 HR guys who hit below .250...do you really want a team of Jason Giambis or wouldn't you rather have diverse team that can still produce runs when it faces a guy who can shut down their home run swing? A team of Mattinglys, a team of Bernie Willams', a team of Tino Martinez'es. The Yankees need diversity, not 300 HRs.
Come on Yankees. Resign Ichiro. Get rid of Granderson...hey who knows, maybe you can even get Austin Jackson back with the right offer...you should never have let him go to begin with. Make sure you sign Soriano...what are you gonna do when Mo calls it quits? Let Russell Martin go, get Napoli. Diversity guys, that's what you need. Don't worry so much about A-Rod. He is still a decent enough ballplayer. Don't blame everything on him. It the total team that needs the overhawl, not just him.

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Yankee fan since 1961