Players typically decline past 30, having 6 of them in the lineup over 34 was not a good idea, nevermind that Matsui, Damon, and Giambi all had a history.

Jeter is 34, a decline should have been expected.

36 year old catchers are prime injury candidates, no suprise there.

Cabrera went backwards in 2007, and even further backwards now. Would have been nice if he went on his way for Santana and we signed Cameron.

Cano does need to figure himself out.

I’m sorry you didn’t see the decline coming, Cashman did.

Kennedy & Hughes were to be #4-5 starters in the rotation (behind Wang, Pettitte & Mussina), with Chamberlain coming into the rotation as either of the two comes close to their innings cap, or if Mussina has a repeat of 2007. They stumble, Chamberlain gets moved into the rotation, and Rasner, Kartsens, Igawa, Geise, Horne, etc, etc, etc were all available on the farm just in case.

Prospects flame out, so do veterans.

And as said before, the pitching isn’t the problem with this team.

As for the “really old lineup” it was expected that Rodriguez & Posada would decline, they were coming off career years. No one saw the Posada injury coming, no one saw Jeter’s decline (or off year) coming. No one saw Cano & Cabrera doing as poorly as they have. Giambi & Damon were the injury risk, they’re hurt more often than not.

The problem is Jeter, Cano and Cabrera. Cabrera’s gone, so Jeter and Cano need to figure out whatever it is that’s keeping them at playing at the level they normally play.

It was a stupid gamble to fill out the rotation with Kennedy and Hughes.

It was a misjudgment on his part to have such a weak backup plan; Ponson, Rasner, Igawa, ?Victor Zambrano?

He relied too heavily on the belief that the prospects he drafted would be able to repeat Kennedy and Chamberlain’s meteoric acsention. He basically fell in love with his own plan without seeing the bigger picture; that prospects will sometimes flame out or take years to fulfill their potential.

And aside from the pitching, he entered the season with a really old lineup *knowing* many of them were likely to decline or get injured. And this is straight from the horse’s mouth.

Just a complete crap job by Cashman entering this season.

Even if the team hit like they were supposed to, the pitching should have improved been improved.
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And it would’ve been in the context of Hughes & Kennedy. It was a gamble, just like trading for Santana was a gamble.

And what could we have done to improve the offense? Nothing remotely close to what Santana would have provided.
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Barry Bonds was and is looking for work…

Even if the team hit like they were supposed to, the pitching should have improved been improved.

The pitching isn’t being blamed, the person who could have improved it and chose not to is.
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“To see where the Yankees went wrong, however, I believe you have to look at the pitching and the decisions the team’s brain trust made about its pitching last winter.”

The pitching isn’t the problem.

The pitching isn’t being blamed, the person who could have improved it and chose not to is.

And what could we have done to improve the offense? Nothing remotely close to what Santana would have provided.
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If a team built around hitting isn’t hitting, why is the pitching being blamed?

Even if Santana were to be traded to the Yanks it doesn’t change the fact that the team that was supposed to hit its way to the postseason hasn’t hit.

The problem isn’t Santana, the problem is Jeter, Cano, Cabrera & Molina not hitting the way they should.

And what could we have done to improve the offense? Nothing remotely close to what Santana would have provided.

And the pitching wasn’t very good last year. Better pitching, better team.
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As has been the case since 2004, the team is built around the offense.

Better offense, better team.