Now What Mr. Cashman??
Well it's official, Robinson Cano is no longer a Yankee. Do I think the Yankees were wrong not to succumb to a 10 year contract, absolutely not. I would not have given a 31 year old second baseman a 10 year contract. But I also would not have given a 30 year old center fielder, known more for his speed than power, a seven year contract and that is exactly what the Yankees gave Jacoby Ellsbury. If you were giving Ellsbury a 7 year deal worth $21 million dollars per year, then why wouldn't you have given Cano an 8 year deal at $200 million dollars.
Don't get me wrong, I don't believe Robinson Cano is worth $25 million dollars per year. But he certainly is a better ball player than Ellsbury. In my mind, regardless of what Brian Cashman and Company say, the Yankees were only going to re-sign Cano on their terms otherwise he could walk. To me that means they weren't really interested in keeping him.
I don't have a problem with that assessment, except that I don't see what the overall plan is by allowing their best offensive player to leave who also happens to be a Gold Glove second baseman. Moreover, not only do they lose Cano but they also lose Curtis Granderson. Granderson received a 4 year $60 million dollar contract from the NY Mets. That's $15 million dollars per year for a guy who has hit 40 -45 home runs as a Yankee. So you lose Granderson's 40 homers and Cano's 30 homers and you replace it with a center fielder who is a better Brett Gardner and Brian McCann.
McCann was a good signing by the Yankees and should hit 30-35 home runs playing half of his games at Yankee Stadium. But that still leaves you lacking power and holes at second base and possibly at third base as they await a decision on ARod. Not to mention that they will be relying on 40 year old Derek Jeter to play shortstop and have a 34 year old Mark Teixiera coming back from a wrist injury at first base. I really don't care what anyone says, the Yankees did not need to sign Jacoby Ellsbury. He will be another Johnny Damon who after 3 to 4 years will be a shell of himself and that is provided he doesn't find himself on the disabled list for extended periods of time.
Nothing has been done about the starting rotation or the bullpen. Hiroki Kuroda has signed to come back for another season. That makes the rotation CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Kuroda. All 3 have question marks. Kuroda struggled at the end of the season which leaves one to wonder which Kuroda we will see: the effective inning eater of the first half or the pitcher who struggled badly in the second half. Sabathia had one of the worst seasons of his career and the Yankees have to hope that he will bounce back. And will Ivan Nova continue his improvement or will he fall back to the pitcher who was sent down to Scranton.
The bullpen is David Robertson and Shawn Kelley. After that who knows. Will Robertson be up to the task to replace the greatest closer in the game or will he crack under the pressure? Who will be the set-up man?? All major question marks for a team that for nearly 20 years never had to worry about the back end of their bullpen.
The Yankee organization has sold the importance to get under the $189 million dollar self-imposed cap for two years. If they had let Cano go and kept Granderson for 4 years at $15 million per year, picked up an Omar Infante and signed a free agent pitcher and went with Michael Pineda or David Phelps as your fifth starter, then I could understand what was going on because they have told us that they would have a ton of money to spend in 2015 because of a reduced luxury tax. And I'm not even considering what is going to happen with ARod.
As I have been saying for the last two years, what really aggravates me is the lack of transparency on the part of Brian Cashman and Company. Hal Steinbrenner wants to know why their are no young kids coming up yet he keeps the two men who head up his farm system and throws money around at a guy like Ellsbury. There are rumors flying around that they are interested in Ervin Santana. Really?? Check out the guy's career stats. Hardly someone I feel real confident in.
The pressure is on Brian Cashman. I just am having a hard time seeing where this team is better than the 2013 edition. It's a long way from spring training but it is hard to figure out where this team is going. Hopefully, Cashman knows but that may end up being the problem for all of us Yankee fans.
Ellsbury Deal A Bad One For Yankees
It simply boggles my mind that the New York Yankees have signed Jacoby Ellsbury to a 7 year - $152 million dollar contract. Why would you give a 30 year old who relies on speed a seven year deal? With what they have spent on Ellsbury, why wouldn't you have just given Granderson a 4 or 5 year deal? Granderson is a proven 40 home run guy at Yankee Stadium. On top of the fact that the guy is a class act and a great representative for the Yankees.
I'm having a hard time seeing where this improves the team. The starting rotation is in a shambles with CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova as the only known starters. The only legitimate power hitters that they have is Brian McCann and the aging Alfonso Soriano. One has to question what condition Mark Teixiera is in as it relates to his ability to hit for power. With respect to ARod, whether he is suspended or not, his power days are over.
This signing seriously has to call into question what the Yankees are going to do with Robinson Cano. If you are going to give Ellsbury $21.7 million a year what will you give Cano? If you are giving Ellsbury a seven year deal why wouldn't you give Cano a seven year deal?? Cano has been a proven Yankee. If they do not re-sign Cano, this Ellsbury deal is even more terrible.
I am totally disgusted with this move.
Hal Finally Wakes Up!!
It's been reported that earlier this week, Hal Steinbrenner called a meeting down in his office in Tampa to discuss the sad state of his team's farm system. Present at the meeting was his brother, Hammerin' Hank, Randy Levine, General Manager Brian Cashman, Director of Amateur Scouting Damon Oppenheimer, Director of International Scouting Donny Rowland and Senior VP of Baseball Operations Mark Newman. Steinbrenner is now concerned about the fact that there is no one on the horizon who will be able to step in and make the big club next year when Hal wants to get the payroll down to $189 million dollars. For that, Cashman and Company need to be held accountable.
Whether Steinbrenner will clean house remains to be seen but the fact remains that Brian Cashman has had control of baseball operations since 2005 after he whined to George Steinbrenner that he was tired of being undercut by members of The Boss' Tampa Mafia. With total control, the Yankee farm system has produced only Brett Gardner as an everyday player. You want to look at pitching prospects?? Other than Ivan Nova and David Robertson, the rest have been suspect at best. It is clear that Phil Hughes is probably on his way out of the Bronx. Joba Chamberlain? He's good as gone. Remember the Killer B's? Dellin Betances might be a good reliever, Manuel Banuelos is coming off Tommy John surgery and Andrew Brackman is playing basketball in Europe. Nice job, Cash!
I have been questioning the future of this team for the last three years. Next year it is possible that the Yankees may need a third baseman, shortstop, first baseman, catcher and three starting pitchers. And they will probably need a set-up man if Robertson get elevated to be the guy to replace the great Mariano Rivera as the closer. In other words, the New York Yankees could be terrible and possibly worse than the Mets.
The Yankees are the richest franchise in all of sports. They should have the best scouting team that money can buy. They should be able to mine international talent. Instead, the Dodgers get Yasel Puig and the A's get Yoenis Cespedes. And let's not forget Yu Darvish. I'm sick of the argument that the Yankees have had a tough time getting good young players because they pick so low in the draft. Well, how do the St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays do it? Both of those teams continue to bring in good young players while still being top teams in their respective leagues. They are doing something right.
I'm glad that Hal has finally woke up and realized that his team is in trouble. In my view, it's about three years too late. However, you have to start somewhere and I am somewhat hopeful that changes will take place. Time will tell and for those of us who follow this team, Hal needs to do something soon or we may be looking at a decade of terrible baseball in The House That The Boss Built.
Yanks Draw 1st Blood: Will It Matter??
Last night the New York Yankees drew first blood in their weekend series at Fenway Park with a 10-3 win over the first place Boston Red Sox. Once again Alfonso Soriano led the way with four RBI's, that included a 3-run homer, newly acquired Kevin Reynolds chipped in with a home run and 3 RBI's and Andy Pettitte gave the Yankees a strong pitching effort through 6 2/3 innings. A win over the Red Sox always puts some spring in the steps of Yankee fans. But in the big picture, does it really matter what the Yankees do this weekend?
The Yankee organization sells that a successful season only means winning the World Series. Based upon their definition, it would take an eternal optimist to believe that this team has the ability to win a World Series if indeed they were to make the playoffs. While the acquisition of Soriano and the return of Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez have given their lineup a huge upgrade, this team still does not have what it takes to win a playoff series. Outside of Ivan Nova and Hiroki Kuroda, the starting rotation has been shaky at best. Eduardo Nunez is a liability at shortstop. Getting Derek Jeter back would be a huge help but one has to wonder how much the Captain has left in the tank.
Making the playoffs just to be knocked out in the wild card game or in the first round doesn't meet the organization's standard of success, but it would for this year's team. As a fan, this would be enough of a reason to look forward to an interesting seven weeks. (along with the daily ARod soap opera) However, whenever this season ends, winning this series and making the playoffs this year will mean nothing because the future looks bleak. With a self-imposed $189 million dollar cap, an aging shortstop and right fielder, a recovering Mark Teixiera, no left fielder and the uncertainty around ARod and 2014 looks like a train-wreck waiting to happen. The sad thing is I have no confidence that this organization can right the ship. So, let's enjoy the next seven weeks because unless something dramatic happens this may be the last playoff push we see in Yankeeland for awhile.
Cashman: Make Some Deals Or Be Fired!
As many of you know, I have been extremely critical of Brian Cashman for the last year or so because of his failure to prepare for what has happened this year. Many will say, "how can you prepare for injuries?" But, what if Derek Jeter decided to call it quits, Andy Pettitte & Mariano Rivera didn't come back, and ARod couldn't play? The fact is the Yankees would be right where they are now: Nowhere Ville.
The lineup that the Yankees are throwing out there each day is a disgrace to the fans and the Pinstripes. Luis Cruz, Reid Brignac, Travis Ishikawa, and Alberto Gonzales. Really, Cashman??? And you want to know why YES TV ratings and attendance are down. The product stinks. Not too mention Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay: backups one and all who have all seen better days.
My outrage over this situation goes before and beyond this year. The Yankee organization has done nothing to prepare for the eventual retirement of the stars of the 96-00 Championship era. Moreover, this organization has done nothing to produce a legitimate home grown outfielder since Bernie Williams (don't give me Gardner because he nothing more than a Punch and Judy hitter who no longer uses his speed), third baseman (last one Mike Pagliarulo), first baseman (last one Don Mattingly), catcher (don't get me started here and I'm not buying Cervelli) and ace pitcher (Pettitte). Failure to build up the farm system is a bigger problem with skin flint Hal Steinbrenner issuing a self-imposed $189 million salary cap.
The Yankee hype machine wants us all to believe that when Jeter, Arod and Granderson come back that the team will reassert itself in the AL East. Give me a break. First of all, I love Derek Jeter. He is my favorite Yankee. But he is also 39 years old. He is better than any of the bums that they have had playing shortstop but is it reasonable to believe that he is going to carry this team having not played since last October? Next year, the Captain will turn 40 and is it reasonable to expect him to be your everyday shortstop next year?
The latest word on Granderson is that he might not be back until late July. How long will it take him to get his timing down. I like Grandy. He's a classy guy, a great ambassador for the Yankees and the game. But the truth be told is that with Skin Flint Hal's salary cap, he probably won't be back next year.
And then there is ARod. He got his second hit of his rehab assignment on Wednesday but is it realistic to expect the ARod of 2010? Undoubtedly, not. This is a guy who has had surgery on both hips. Power hitters generate power from the lower half of their bodies. Is he better than who the Yankees have had at third base?? Yes, but to expect him to put this team on his back and carry them is wishful thinking. By the way, we are talking about a 38 year old baseball player who is coming off two hip surgeries in the last 3 years. Next year he is 39. And we still don't know if Seligula will suspend him for 100 games.
It is being reported that the Yankees are actively shopping Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Both of them are 27 years old and were members of the 2007 Young Guns (Ian Kennedy being the other). Chamberlain has been ruined and the best thing that can happen to him and the Yankees is that he move on to another team. What they can get for him beats the hell out of me. One report indicated that the Braves are interested in him however I have no idea who the Yankees would get from Atlanta.
Hughes probably has the potential to bring back something more of value. It's been reported that the Angels may be interested but I have no idea who L.A. would be willing to part with. I'm a Phil Hughes fan but it is clear to me that the Yankees will not re-sign him next year so it is best that they get something for him. But it better not be a 30-something and it better be a positional player with some offensive ability.
Two guys who are on the market who may not require a lot to obtain is Alfonso Soriano and Kendrys Morales. Morales can play first base and is a switch hitter with power. He would be a definite upgrade over Hafner at DH and could platoon with Overbay at first when he is not the designated hitter. Soriano can play the outfield and can still hit for power as evidenced by the five home runs that he has hit in his last four games. He is a right handed hitter who could provide some protection for Robinson Cano. These two acquisitions would probably mean the end of Vernon Wells and Hafner in pinstripes. Both players would not cost a lot and the Cubs would probably be willing to take on some of Soriano's salary. Soriano is 37 so he would be a stop-gap move, better than Wells or Hafner. Morales is 30 and someone who the Yankees could use for the next few years.
I have stated on this post many times that we are entering a dark period of Yankee Baseball. Aging stars, a barren farm system and a self-imposed salary cap are the reasons. One can argue that for $189 million dollars you should be able to field a competitive team. But the problem is that the Yankees have $75 million dollars tied up next year in 3 players: ARod, Mark Teixiera and CC Sabathia. Cano is a free agent and many believe that he will get anywhere from $20-$25 million dollars a year. Let's say he gets $23 million. We are now up to $98 million dollars tied up in four players or 52% of the self-imposed $189 million dollar salary cap. With no kids worthy to come up what do we have to look forward to in 2014?? More of the same crap.
I am a big fan of Robinson Cano. In 2005 when the Yankees started off horribly with Tony Womack at second base, I was screaming for them to give Cano a shot and he hasn't looked back since. But unless they could get out from under one of ARod, Teixiera or Sabathia's contracts, it might be best for the Yankees to move Cano now. He could probably bring a boatload of talent back. They would have to be major league ready players along with an actual producing major league player. Who they acquired would need to be able to go right in the lineup immediately. Will this happen?? No way because they don't have the guts to tell the fan base that we need to tear it down to build it back up again.
The New York Yankees are the richest team in all of sports. Yet, their scouting throughout the world is terrible. How do the Cardinals, the Dodgers, the Royals, and the Rays all find young talent that are ready to play in the big leagues. The Yankees have always been able to cover their scouting mistakes by spending more to get established players. Well, with Skin Flint Hal's salary cap, this will no longer be the case.
So where does the blame lie?? It doesn't lie with Joe Girardi. It lies with the General Manager Brian Cashman. It was known last year that Hal was putting an end to the money machine yet Cashman continued believing that he was going to get by with has beens like he did in 2011 with Freddy Garcia, Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez and Bartolo Colon. He decided to let Russell Martin and Raul Ibanez go, along with Nick Swisher. Do you think things would be different if those three guys were still around??
When George Steinbrenner was alive and well, Cashman whined that his authority was compromised by the Tampa Group that had the Boss' ear. Well, since 2007 Cashman has had free rein to call all the shots. The $75 million dollars that he has tied up has bought him one championship. But it may be a long while before we see another parade down the Canyon of Heroes for the Yankees. This smells of the mid 60s. Years of mediocrity. The architect is the court jester GM Brian Cashman. Something needs to change. There needs to be some honesty coming from the Yankee brass instead of the crap that gets spewed daily by their tools in the New York media. Until there is some courage to blow this thing up, we will be stuck with pathetic baseball. Someone turn out the lights, I think the party is over!
Gotham Geezers
I nearly fell off my chair at work today when I saw on twitter that Brian Cashman was going to reach out to Chipper Jones to play third base. Jones' agent quickly indicated that his client had no desire to play baseball, even though it would be nice to put the Pinstripes on. But it didn't stop with Chipper. It has been reported that Cashman is now reaching out to Derek Lee and Scott Rolen. Maybe the Yankees figure if they can sign a few more geezers maybe they can get Social Security to pay for some of the salary.
If this doesn't illustrate the depth of mismanagement of this organization I don't know what does. Scott Rolen will only come if he gets guaranteed playing time. Derek Lee?? Really?? The Boss must be rolling over in his grave. Brian Cashman should be fired. He has totally screwed this season up. Some will say, "how could he predict the injuries to Granderson & Teixera." He couldn't but he could have had depth players ready to fill in if necessary. He had Jayson Nix, Juan Rivera, Matt Diaz, and now Ben Francisco which makes up the weakest Yankee bench in a long time.
If Hal Steinbrenner wants to believe that the Yankee farm system will provide cheap talent to keep this team winning then why not give Ronnier Mustelier a shot at third base. The kid can hit and I would rather have him there than the ancient Rolen. I would also rather see Zolio Almonte play over Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera. The Yankees would be no worse off going with these two kids for a month.
This is the perfect opportunity for the Yankee organization to come clean and say we need to rebuild for the future. Of course they believe that won't fly with a fan base that has been fed the corporate crap that the season is not a success unless they win a World Series. As a Yankee fan for 50 years, I can take a rebuilding season. I've suffered through many. But what I can't take is the propaganda which tries to make us believe that this team has a shot at winning their division and being world champions.
Get ready for the 2013 season for the Gotham Geezers!!
More Deception From Cashman
Yesterday, a report from Tampa said that Yankee GM Brian Cashman will be dropping out of an Army airplane continuing his role as the daredevil general manager of major league baseball. The day before Cashman did some more dropping as he told the media that the Yankees have made a substantial offer to Robbie Cano. Cashman then caught himself and said he thought he was just repeating what Hal Steinbrenner had said earlier. Really??
Cano is represented by Scott Boras and the super-agent did not confirm Cashman's assertion which leads one to believe that the Yankees were playing the PR game. You see, the Yankees have made it their team policy not to negotiate during the season. They held this policy with such Yankee icons as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Bernie Williams. They also did not negotiate before Alex Rodriguez's contract expired. Cashman will tell you that said policy isn't written in stone and any organization can decide to change.
While that may be true, this whole orchestrated announcement by Cashman reeks of trying to paint the Yankees in a positive light to the fan base. You see when contract negotiations stall, the Yankees will be able to say, "see we told you we made a substantial offer. It's that damn Boras being greedy." I'm one Yankee fan who won't buy it.
I have been complaining for awhile now that all I want is for the Yankees to be upfront and honest. If it is true that Hal wants to get the payroll down to $189 million by 2014, then they should also tell us that they are committed to a rebuilding process. From where I sit, you can't sign late 30-somethings to one or 2 year contracts and expect to continue to contend for a title. It would make more sense to let some kids play and see what they can do. While it's true that the Yankees best prospects are probably 2-3 years away, there are kids like Zolio Almonte, Ronnier Mustelier or Melky Mesa. Let them play as opposed to Matt Diaz or Juan Rivera. The results in the standings probably won't be that much different. In fact, they might be surprised that they could find a potential starter.
The problem with what I'm suggesting is that the Yankees fear that the fan base won't buy into it. Less people in the stadium. Ratings for YES would fall. That's why they re-sign Ichiro to a two year contract. That's why they sign Kevin Youkilis and Travis Hafner. You see the Yankees need the names to provide false hope. After all, the Yankee mantra is that if they don't win the World Series then the season is a failure. This was created by the Yankees and the fan base has bought into it hook, line and sinker.
Now What Mr. Cashman??
Yesterday afternoon, the big experiment of moving Curtis Granderson to left field and Brett Gardner to center field came to a screeching halt as Granderson will be out for ten weeks as a result of a broken right forearm. Granderson was hit by J.A. Happ in his first at bat in a game against the Blue Jays at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Upon seeing Granderson get hit, you knew it might not be good. I thought it was his wrist but when I heard it was the forearm I thought maybe there was a chance it wouldn't be that bad. So much for wishful thinking as it was later announced that the Yankee outfielder would be out for ten weeks due to a broken forearm.
The injury leaves the Yankees with a whole in their lineup as Granderson was hitting fifth behind Mark Teixiera. The injury also means that the Yankees lose another legitimate power hitter. So now what?? How is the void going to be filled for the 30-some games that Granderson will miss? Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman indicated that for the time being the answer will be found internally. That would mean that it must come from Matt Diaz, Juan Rivera or one of the youngsters in training camp. Among that group, I say go with one of the kids.
Since we are only talking about 30-35 games, why not try one of the kids in left field. The group to choose from could be Zolio Almonte, Melky Mesa or Ronnier Mustelier. Almonte probably has the most upside of the three yet he is also the least experienced. Mesa is a solid outfielder but probably the weakest hitter of the three and Mustelier falls somewhere in between as the Yankees haven't really figured out where this kid should play. With the Yankees committed to getting their payroll down to $189 million in 2014, they are going to need to have young talent make the big club.
Granderson is a free agent next year and there is plenty of speculation that the Yankees will not be able to re-sign him as they will be focused on re-signing Robinson Cano. Granderson's injury allows the Yankees to see what they have and how life will be without the classy outfielder. While Cashman says the answer to the problem is internal, that doesn't mean that bringing in a veteran from elsewhere isn't a possibility. Of the names mentioned, the only one that makes sense to me is Alfonso Soriano.
Soriano is a right-handed hitting outfielder who has power and would also be your right-handed hitting designated hitter. The former Yankee would be a good addition and the Cubs would be willing to eat a significant portion of his contract. I am not crazy about getting Vernon Wells, as his production has been on the decline for the last two years. If your going to bring Johnny Damon back you might as well bring in Bernie Williams.
For me, I'd like to see them go with one of the kids. While Slade Heathcott, Tyler Austin or Mason Williams are the top outfield prospects in the Yankee system, if the decision is made to leave these kids in the minors then I say let either Almonte, Mesa or Mustelier play left field. Do you remember the energy that Melky Cabrera brought to the team when the Yanks gave him a shot in center field?? It would be exciting to see a young kid in the lineup as opposed to Matt Diaz or Juan Rivera. If the Yanks aren't comfortable with that, then they need to get Soriano. Hmmmm...would things be so bleak if the Yanks still had Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones?? Maybe someone should ask Mr. Cashman that question.
Yankee Issues Begin Early At Training Camp
As the New York Yankees begin their 2013 training camp, issues have already started to creep up as it was announced that Phil Hughes will be shut down for 2 weeks with a bulging disk. Hughes was to be one of the constants of a pitching staff that needs to be the team's strength if the Yankees are to make the playoffs. Moreover, with an aging starting rotation, losing Hughes for any amount of time would be a huge problem. The Yankees are optimistic that this won't effect Hughes' ability to be ready for Opening Day but with backs one has to wonder.
ESPN New York is reporting that Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner is freaking out about the reaction from fans and the media as it relates to his edict to reduce payroll to $189 million in 2014. The fear of a half-empty stadium and declining YES ratings may have something to do with Hal's concerns. Maybe he has come to the realization that the farm system is not ready to bring up young cheap talent that is going to keep the Yankees competitive.
There is a report that the deep bone bruise that Derek Jeter suffered late in the 2012 season was actually a stress fracture. If that was the case, how did the Yankees allow Jeter to play in the playoffs?? It would be obvious that this is what caused the Yankee Captain to break his ankle. Something is terribly wrong. They didn't know which hip was bothering ARod and we don't know what they knew about Jeter's ankle. Whether they knew about Jeter's ankle or not, it doesn't look good on the team.
Joe Girardi's claim that Eduardo Nunez does not have a guaranteed spot on the Yankee opening day roster better be a way to motivate the young Yankee because if Nunez is not on the roster Brian Cashman needs to be held accountable. Remember Cashman's refusal to include Nunez in the deal to bring Cliff Lee to the Yankees is what killed the trade with Seattle. The Yankees inability to find a place for Nunez has been a failure and as a result the best thing that could happen to Nunez may be that he is moved to another team.
My Take On ARod, Yankees
With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report in a couple of weeks, it is a good time to look at the upcoming season for the New York Yankees. Tied to that is the blockbuster story that has come out linking Alex Rodriguez, once again, with performance enhancing drugs. When the Yankees acquired ARod in 2004, it was believed that the Yanks were set up for another run of multiple championships. But here we are in 2013 and the boys from the Bronx have only added one championship and along the way ARod has caused plenty of controversy.
We all remember the reported feud between ARod and Derek Jeter. But that paled in comparison when it was reported in 2009 that ARod had used performance enhancing drugs. ARod, at the time, admitted using steroids but indicated that it was during the time period of 2001 through 2003. He stated that he was clean since then. At the time, I wasn't enraged at ARod. In fact, I felt like he was singled out because of who he was as there were a number of players who were named in the report but their names were never published. He was contrite and was committed to educating young baseball players about the ill-effects of steroids.
The Yankees won the World Series in 2009 and ARod seemed to be on his way to having a place in Yankee history as he led the team, particularly in the division series against the Minnesota Twins. However, if last week's reports are true, as far as I'm concerned ARod will go down as one of the biggest embarassments in the history of this storied franchise. You see, as long as Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association refuse to police itself, the whole argument about these guys being cheaters doesn't fire me up. But what does have me boiling is if these allegations are true, then ARod flat out lied to all of us. He said his use of PEDs was between 2001-2003. The recent reports allege that he was using PEDs in 2009 and beyond. In essence, he was taking us all for suckers.
How much more can this franchise take from ARod? The feud with Jeter, flirting with women in the stands during the playoffs and his much publicized dalliances with a stripper in Toronto are all incidents that the team has had to put up with but are not situations that were earth shattering. After all, there are many stories about teammates not getting along and players' extracurricular activities. But if you lie about taking a substance that enhances your ability to perform then you not only make yourself look bad but it also looks bad for the organization you work for. One has to wonder, what did the Yankees know and if they knew anything, when did they know it.
What makes it worse for the Yankees is the amount of money that they have tied up with ARod. With Hal Steinbrenner's self-imposed $189 million salary cap, the ARod contract is a killer particularly in that they don't know how he is going to recover from the recent hip surgery and if these allegations are true will he be suspended and for how long. As has been mentioned before on this blog, what compounds the problem is that the Yankee farm system is probably 2 to 3 years away before it will bear any fruit for the big club. And at the end of the 2013 season, the Yankees will have to decide what they are going to do with free agents Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson.
The Yankees still don't have a legitimate right handed hitting outfielder unless you consider Matt Diaz the answer. The signing of Travis Hafner as your left handed DH is questionable based upon Hafner's health status over the past several years. The pitching staff needs to hope that over 35 year olds, such as Hiroki Kuroda, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, stay healthy.
The 2013 season looks to be a very difficult one for the Pinstripers. Many question marks and the never ending soap opera surrounding ARod. It will all begin soon enough and I can hardly wait.
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