Bubba doesn’t hit enough to be a full-time CF. He’s your 4th OF.

If I’m the Yankee GM, I’m looking to

1. Get out from either Pavano’s or Wright’s contract
2. Find a CF’er
3. Rebuild the bullpen
4. Strengthen the bench
5. Find rotation filler (You already have 5 starters & a swingman)

The infield is set, ARod-Jeter-Cano-Giambi aren’t going anywhere. The outfield a little less so, with only Sheffield under contract for next year (I do expect Matsui to be resigned). You already have 7 starters, or pitchers capable of starting. I’m sure someone will be signed, as well as there’ll be someone who’ll show up in spring training.

I’m pretty sure the team that lost Monday will pretty much be the team that reports to Spring Training in February.

while I don’t think it’s the perfect solution, I’d buy Bubba in CF for a dollar. It’s all about pitching anyway…and a decent offensive gameplan. Strangely enough, Torre alluded to this himself when he commented that the pitches that Yankees hitters swung through trying to “drive” the ball, the Angels’ batters made contact with, forcing the action. With a deep pitching staff, excellent defense and an opportunistic offense are the keys to winning in a short series. If I were the Yankees’ front office, pitching solutions would be my priority…either via trade, free agency, or the farm system. Pitching is king. Great pitching can make you forgive failures in the clutch.

I want Chacon in the rotation. But we have RJ, Moose, Wright and Pavano under contract. So where would that leave Wang? I’d also like Small to be in the ‘pen and I’d love to have Ryan on the team.
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RJ, Moose, Wang, Chacon, Small/Wright/Pavano.

Assuming one of the three goes to the pen (Small, for argument’s sake), that leaves Wright/Pavano.

There’s a good chance NY may unload one of the two. (I’d say Wright’s contract’s easier to move) If not, it’s only a matter of time before Moose, RJ, Wright or Pavano goes down with an injury.

Or, uh, what Jeremy said.

JJay, I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to unload Pavano or Wright.

Wright or Pavano should be sent to Pine Meadows. I don’t think they’ll be any good here. Especially Pavano, supposedly he told people he should’ve signed with the Tigers. Small deserves a shot, although I don’t think he can do it again–can he?

I want Chacon in the rotation. But we have RJ, Moose, Wright and Pavano under contract. So where would that leave Wang? I’d also like Small to be in the ‘pen and I’d love to have Ryan on the team.

I think they should just give center to Bubba and let it fill in at a later date- there just isn’t enough out there to bother with. We carried Brosius at 3rd for 4 years, when he only played one year at the level needed for a third-baseman with the bat. No reason we can’t do it in center. I think our starting rotation will be OK, we need to focus on the bullpen obviously.

When I saw all of those guys sitting on the bench, hands in coats, staring straight ahead, down by only 2 with at bats left in the game, that to me shows a lot about something being missing from the team. Yes, repeating is tough, no doubt. The way I read that quote is whining from Bernie. I guess it’s hard to say since it’s not in context at all.

I’m sick of guys whining about the expectations and how tough it is.
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I haven’t seen anyone whining. It’s a statement of fact. It is very hard to win it all, it’s very hard to repeat. WRT the Yanks, the bar is set so high that it’s impossible to maintain that level.

There hasn’t been a team repeat as champs since the 1998-2000 Yanks. Before that, the 1992-1993 Blue Jays. Look how quickly the Sox were bounced. The D-Backs and the Marlins didn’t even make the playoffs the year after they won.

With the expanded playoffs, it’s a crapshoot. Even more so, when your team plays like crap

“Leadership” in this context is overrated. Who needs to be led on this team? Who needs an example set? The Yanks aren’t winning because the pitching/hitting/defense fails at a crucial time. It’s not because they don’t have a “Paul O’Neill” or they don’t “show any heart” (did people forget that a week to go in the season, they were for all intents and purposes, dead?).