Yankees Have a Lot To Learn From World Baseball Classic
I hope that Brian Cashman, George Steinbrennar, and the rest of Yankees management took careful note of the ousting of Team USA from the World Baseball Classic.
Analysts are calling this early exit by Team USA "shocking, given their fire power."
The Yankees need to wake up to the reality that baseball games are not won by having an all-star cast of good batters on your team.
Games are won with strong pitching, defense, good team chemistry, and a strong desire to win.
Especially in the playoffs.
The signing of Johnny Damon was a strong signal that Yankees management have not learned this lesson yet.
The Yankees don't need more offensive weapons. They need stronger defenders with good throwing arms and reliable pitching.
Johnny Damon doesn't fulfill any of these needs. In fact he only makes these weaknesses more glaring.
The Yankees would have been much better off saving the 52 million that they inked Damon to and going with Bubba Crosby in center field.
So what if Bubba Crosby is only going to hit around .260 or .270 and not give you much in power numbers?
Bubba has amazing range in center field and a strong throwing arm. He's a better defensive player than either Matsui or Sheffield. And he makes Damon look like a high school defender with clipped wing.
Here are a few suggestions for Yankees management:
1. If possible, trade A-Rod. I don't care about regular season numbers that don't matter. Ask anyone on the Yankees roster and give them a cloak of confidentiality and I guarantee you that they will say that A-Rod is not clutch. A-Rod is NOT a team player.
With the money that the Yankees received from Tom Hicks in Texas, they are only on the hook for about 16 milion per year of A-Rod's contract. I'm willing to bet that several teams would be willing to take on A-Rod in exchange for a handful of solid prospects and young players.
Result: The current payroll would go from about 197 million to about 181 million, and the farm system would get stronger immediately.
2. If possible, trade Damon. The Yankees would never do this, of course, because even if they realize that this signing was a horrendous mistake, they would never admit it right now. But just in case Brian Cashman wants to be bold and do the right thing, even if he has to cough up 20 million or so in compensation, he should get rid of Damon and his bad wing.
Result: A stronger defense with Bubba Crosby and about 8-10 million in additional savings, depending on how much cash the Yankees have to give away to trade Damon.
3. If possible, trade Pavano. No explanation needed.
Result: Another 10 million in savings.
4. Make sure that you don't come close to re-signing Mussina. He'll put in a decent year only because he wants "security" from one last contract. After making more than 100 million dollars over his career, it's funny that he's talking about wanting security. Thanks, Mike, for some decent years, but you're not worth more than a few million per year in my book.
Result: 19 million dollars off of this year's payroll.
If the Yankees can make these moves, they'll actually be a better team in my opinion, and their payroll will be somewhere in the 140 million dollar range for next year.
Brian Cashman: please get back to what worked in the 90s. Good pitching, good defense, and good attitudes.
We need to get back to the basics.
- Joshua
InsideTheYankees.com
Analysts are calling this early exit by Team USA "shocking, given their fire power."
The Yankees need to wake up to the reality that baseball games are not won by having an all-star cast of good batters on your team.
Games are won with strong pitching, defense, good team chemistry, and a strong desire to win.
Especially in the playoffs.
The signing of Johnny Damon was a strong signal that Yankees management have not learned this lesson yet.
The Yankees don't need more offensive weapons. They need stronger defenders with good throwing arms and reliable pitching.
Johnny Damon doesn't fulfill any of these needs. In fact he only makes these weaknesses more glaring.
The Yankees would have been much better off saving the 52 million that they inked Damon to and going with Bubba Crosby in center field.
So what if Bubba Crosby is only going to hit around .260 or .270 and not give you much in power numbers?
Bubba has amazing range in center field and a strong throwing arm. He's a better defensive player than either Matsui or Sheffield. And he makes Damon look like a high school defender with clipped wing.
Here are a few suggestions for Yankees management:
1. If possible, trade A-Rod. I don't care about regular season numbers that don't matter. Ask anyone on the Yankees roster and give them a cloak of confidentiality and I guarantee you that they will say that A-Rod is not clutch. A-Rod is NOT a team player.
With the money that the Yankees received from Tom Hicks in Texas, they are only on the hook for about 16 milion per year of A-Rod's contract. I'm willing to bet that several teams would be willing to take on A-Rod in exchange for a handful of solid prospects and young players.
Result: The current payroll would go from about 197 million to about 181 million, and the farm system would get stronger immediately.
2. If possible, trade Damon. The Yankees would never do this, of course, because even if they realize that this signing was a horrendous mistake, they would never admit it right now. But just in case Brian Cashman wants to be bold and do the right thing, even if he has to cough up 20 million or so in compensation, he should get rid of Damon and his bad wing.
Result: A stronger defense with Bubba Crosby and about 8-10 million in additional savings, depending on how much cash the Yankees have to give away to trade Damon.
3. If possible, trade Pavano. No explanation needed.
Result: Another 10 million in savings.
4. Make sure that you don't come close to re-signing Mussina. He'll put in a decent year only because he wants "security" from one last contract. After making more than 100 million dollars over his career, it's funny that he's talking about wanting security. Thanks, Mike, for some decent years, but you're not worth more than a few million per year in my book.
Result: 19 million dollars off of this year's payroll.
If the Yankees can make these moves, they'll actually be a better team in my opinion, and their payroll will be somewhere in the 140 million dollar range for next year.
Brian Cashman: please get back to what worked in the 90s. Good pitching, good defense, and good attitudes.
We need to get back to the basics.
- Joshua
InsideTheYankees.com
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