Tim Marchman On Yankees Failing
Tim Marchman in The New York Sun, just about nails it today. Some of the big points:
Watching the Yankees lose games for the same reasons gets tiresome after a while. A veteran pitcher losing his composure halfway through the game, shoddy outfield defense turning balls that could be caught into extra-base hits, inept short relief allowing games to get away, overeager hitters trying to pull outside pitches – you saw these things during yesterday’s 9-2 loss in Minnesota, during last week’s series sweep at the hands of the Royals, and whenever the Yankees have suffered through the long, miserable funks that have defined their 2005 campaign.
The problems with the Yankees run pretty deep. Aside from such obvious weaknesses as a stumblebum rotation, the presence of several designated hitters in the field, and Tanyon Sturtze being the team’s most reliable and effective middle reliever, the Yankees have played distressingly poor fundamental baseball. That problem was magnified against an excellent Twins team that thrives on its solid fundamentals.
As bad as things have been for the Yankees, there hasn’t been much speculation about Joe Torre. There probably should be. A team’s lack of talent or desire or luck can’t be held against a manager, but what can and should be is careless play and a failure to get the most out of the talent on hand. Never the greatest tactician, Torre’s strength for nearly a decade has been his ability to get the most out of veteran players. If he’s not doing that, what use is he?
Indeed.
Maybe those veteran players are too veteran, as in over-the-hill.
Sheff is going on 39 and Willie Mays didn’t look good in the OF at that age. Sheff’s been bad in RF.
Mussina was needed to give the team a boost and pitched awful back-to-back games (Bosox and Twins).
Kevin Brown has that personality.
They have no true CF.
Posada is a bore.
Giambi…….
Etc.
How is this Torre’s fault? And other then shock value, a new manager will get nothing more out of this team.
Stupid Steinbrenner trades are only a moment away.
Don-o, unless you’re a Red Sox fan posting on this site, relax, babe. You’re jumpier than Don Knotts at a Chinese New Year festival.
They’re 6 games out of first, even after all that’s transpired. With 33% of the season complete: 6 games out. There’s still a significant opportunity to win the division.
As Eric Cartman says, Tim Marchman can lick my b***s. Now’s not the time to jump ship.
Is he jumping ship, or just wishing for a change in the ships direction?
Errrrrr Jason-o….. The post is quite clear, it is a defense of Torre. Not his fault he’s saddled with too many past their prime players and/or sourpusses.
There’s no ‘I’ in team. This group, beyond Jeter and Mo, doesnt get it. Heard a blurb from A-Fraud today, said he wasn’t concerned about the team, just what he was doing on the field.
There is no I in team, but there is one in win.
If a player is concerned about his stats, so what? There is only so much one man can do. If every player puts up the numbers that they’re capable of putting up, then the Yanks are in 1st place, and probably pulling away from the rest of the pack.
You haven’t got a clue.
Guys – lets play nice and respect each other, and the fact that everyone is entitled to an opinion. Thanks!
Perhaps you can better explain why Rodriguez should be concerned about things he has no control over?