As the Major League Playoffs enter round two I must say that
I couldn't be happier that the New York Yankees have been eliminated. The truth is, I hate the Yankees like Travis Henry hates wearing condoms for the simple fact that I'm a Texas Rangers fans and they ALWAYS kick our ass. That being said I thought that it was a pretty classless move on George Steinbrenner's part when he announced to the media that Joe Torre's job was on the line if the Yankees didn't advance. Really George? You're going to fire the most successful manager that the Yankees have had during your ownership because he couldn't take a flawed team to the World Series?
I mean we all know that George Steinbrenner's not a patient man. Since he took over the Yankees in 1973 he's changed managers more times that Liz Taylor's changed husbands, and had just about the same amount of success. Twenty times he's changed managers. Even if you combined
all of the post season records of the previous managers they still wouldn't have even come close to the success of Joe Torre.
Fact: From 1976 to 1995, Yankees managers have made the post season 6 times, winning the Series only twice.
Fact: In 12 years of managing the Yankees, Torre has had 12 consecutive
post-season appearances with 6 trips to the World Series and 4
Championships.
Fact: Yankees fans sacrifice human babies before each game in order to ensure victory.
Honestly, if I were Joe Torre and Steinbrenner had called me out
like that in the middle of a playoff series I would've snapped like
Michael Douglas in Falling Down. I would've shown up for game 3
drunk off my ass with a stripper on each arm and a t-shirt that read,
"Kiss my ass George Steinbrenner." But Joe Torre has always been a
class act and somehow managed to motivate his team to one final victory
before the Cleveland Indians gave them the Old Yeller treatment and
put them out of their misery.
To his credit I personally don't think the problem with the Yankees is
Joe Torre. I think the problem with the Yankees is the people that are
picking the players. Too many times George Steinbrenner and current Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman have
signed big name hitters that freeze up in clutch moments, and pitchers
that are closer to turning forty years old than they are to ever
winning twenty
games. For too long the Yankees have traded away their young prospects
for superstars at the end of their prime and the result is that the
Yankees' club house now has about as much chemistry as a drunk tank at
three o'clock in the morning. And sure, during the regular season
you can win games with a group of overpaid, over-the-hill mercenaries,
but when the playoffs start those weaknesses are going to be exposed
for all the world to see like Lindsay Lohan's goodies.
And if Steinbrenner does go ahead and fire Joe Torre he should know
that he's going to have a serious problem on his hands because most of
the players on the current roster are dedicated to Joe
Torre. Without Torre leading the team a good number of players will
probably either retire or move on to other teams leaving the Yankees
with a barren minor league system and about as much hope as Britney
Spears latest comeback.
Take a look at the current roster. Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera are
free agents; Jason Giambi has been
a shell of himself after the whole steroids issue. A-Rod can opt out of
his contract, and honestly even if he doesn't how long can he last in
New York if he keeps choking like a dog on a chicken bone in October.
The pitching is even worse because after Chein Ming Wang they don't
have much for starting pitching. Mike Mussina is thirty-nine years old
and got
shelled this season for more runs than a softball pitcher. Roger
Clemens is forty-two years old and is all but finished after he begged
out of a crucial
game three with a hamstring injury. And we all know that if Andy
Petite's boyfriend retires that he's going to retire also, so what's
left?
Well other than Derek Jeter, Joba Chamberlian, Hideki
Matsui and Robinson Cano, not much. Which is why if Georgie boy is
smart he'll send a bottle of scotch to Joe Torre's house with a note
that says, "I'm an ass. Please don't leave us, Joe."
In closing we all know that the Yankees have underachieved in the past
five seasons, but before Steinbrenner freaks out and cuts off the head
in order to cure the headache he should take a long look in the mirror
at some of the personnel decisions that he's made during that time.
Either that or perhaps he could always just give Billy Martin a call
and have him lead the Yankees back to mediocrity.
www.JustinSanders.net updated every Friday!
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