tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Yanks Win: What Does It Mean For October??

Freddy Garcia answered the bell last night going 6 2/3 innings and allowing no runs or walks while striking out 9 as the Yankees defeated the Rays 4-0. While Garcia joined his late 30-something pitcher Bartolo Colon in bouncing back from a bad start in Toronto, what does this all mean for the Yankees chances to win the World Series. That's right I'm talking about winning the World Series not just simply making the playoffs because isn't that the organization's mission statement??

Since George Steinbrenner took over the Yankees back in the early 70's, the Yankees were never satisfied with just making the playoffs. It took roughly 3 years for the Yankees to make the World Series after Steinbrenner took ownership of the team. After being swept by the Reds in 1976, The Boss went out and brought in Reggie Jackson, Mike Torrez and Bucky Dent as he was determined to win it all. And they did in 1977 and 1978. This is where the definition of a "successful season was only when you won the World Series" became the Yankee mission statement.

With this back drop I bring you to the 2011 edition of the New York Yankees. Will this team have a successful season based on the organization's mission statement? I've followed baseball for nearly 50 years, all of them as a Yankee fan and I'm hear to tell you that the answer is NO!! While Colon and Garcia have pitched well this week in Tampa, are you comfortable with a playoff rotation that includes AJ Burnett, Colon and Garcia?? I'm not. There are recent examples of aging pitchers who didn't have it in the playoffs. Does Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown ring a bell??

With the Red Sox and Tigers looking for pitching help, the Yankees might have a difficult time matching up against a duo of Beckett/Lester or Verlander/Jimenez (the Tigers are interested). If the Angels win the AL West, can the Yanks match up with the duo of Weaver/Haren?? Where I'm sitting its Sabathia and then hold your breathe. But the Yanks are selling to their fans that the current roster can take them to a parade down the Canyon of Heroes.

Offensively, the Yankee lineup is not as lethal as one may think. While there has been an incredible amount of focus on what Derek Jeter is doing, there are bigger problems to be concerned about. With ARod out until mid to late August, the Yankee lineup is seriously shortened. While Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner have stepped up, three players have not: Mark Texiera, Jorge Posada and Russell Martin.

While Texiera has hit 25 home runs, his batting average is .242. This is unacceptable particularly since I can't remember the last time he has hit a home run. Kevin Long has worked magic in the past with Robinson Cano, ARod and Curtis Granderson. What's he doing with Texiera?? This is a guy who has consistently hit .300 and for the last 2 seasons hasn't come close to that. Your best hitter bats third. Has Texiera been the Yankees best hitter?? Hardly.

Jorge Posada as the DH is a disaster. Posada is hitting .229 with 9 HRS and 29 RBI's. Flat out terrible. The Yankees cannot afford this type of production. While I sided with Posada in his dust up with Cashman in May, I'm questioning now his commitment to the team. He has to know that he is struggling. He has to know that his production is terrible. Wouldn't it make it easier on Girardi if Posada went to him and said, "I have no problem becoming more of a bench player". Somehow I don't see that happening but in the meantime Posada is almost an automatic out.

Which brings us to Russell Martin. After a hot April, Martin is hitting .217 with 10 HRs and 38 RBIs. While his defense is very good, the Yankees cannot afford such putrid production when Texiera and Posada are also struggling. Which begs the question, why not bring up Jesus Montero?? Bringing up Montero and playing him 2 or 3 games a week would be reminiscent of when Posada was brought up in 1997 and was teamed up with Joe Girardi. Montero would have an excellent tutor in Martin, along with having Posada around.

But the Yankees don't see that as being necessary. My question is Why?? Brian Cashman continues to say that he will not trade away top Yankee prospects to acquire a quality pitcher. Montero is one of those prospects. So if you are not going to trade him and your starting catcher is hitting .217 then why won't you bring up your supposed top offensive prospect??

Which brings me back to the whole notion of the Yankees only considering a season to be a success when you win the World Series. If that is the case, then why won't you trade propsects to acquire a top line pitcher?? You can't say you want to build up the farm system and then say its only a success when you win the World Series unless you believe that the team that you have in the Bronx can win it all. I think you have to be delusional to think that the 2011 Yankees will win it all.

I'm all for building up the farm system. In fact, the Yankees success in the Joe Torre era was built around the core 4 and Bernie Williams. But at some point those kids were given an opportunity. But since Cashman has been given total control, we have yet to see the fruits of the farm system. There are generations of Yankee fans who have bought into the Yankee mission statement. They don't know what its like to see an aging team regress. They don't know what its like seeing Horace Clarke, Jerry Kenney, Steve Whitaker, and Dooley Womack in pinstripes. They don't know what its like to have only one Yankee on the All-Star team. That's why the Yankees continue to sell that they are going all out to win the World Series. But if they are going all out, then use your young prospects to bring in players to win it all now. If you are committed to the farm system then have the courage to tell the fans that we are building for the future. I can accept that living through the mid to late 60's, early 70's and the joyless decade of the 80's. But tell a 20 or 30 something Yankee fan that and they will tell you something different.