The State of the Yankees as of August 4, 2007

As a life-long Yankees fan, I'm excited about the Yankees. I'm excited about the remainder of this season, and about their potential over the next several years. The Yankees have a deep pool of young talent that competitive personalities that should keep them at an elite level when they take the field in the new Yankee stadium in 2009.

Still, there are a few points that I believe that Yankees management has to take heed of if they are to stand a chance of being the championship-caliber team that they were in the 90s.

1. Be wary of signing aging pitchers to extensions. Did we really need to sign Mike Mussina and Roger Clemens? They've had amazing careers and deserve tremendous respect for everything that they have accomplished over the past two decades, but what sounds better: paying them 11 million plus per season for average performances or giving their slots to talents like Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Steve Karstens, Ian Kennedy, and other up and coming stars in the farm system?

2. Trade A-Rod while we can. A-Rod is probably the most talented player in all of baseball. He has tremendous hitting power and is a great athlete. The problem is that his track record tells us that he doesn't contribute to good team chemistry. This is not a commentary on his character; it's an objective observation of current and past teammates' opinions on him, and the performances of all of the teams that he has played on. He's a great player. It may be accurate to say that he is not a great TEAM player. Maybe someday he will be on a team that wins a championship, and if that happens, good for him. But it's my opinion that the Yankees are better off getting young talent for him than keeping him and his presence.

3. Move Derek Jeter to center field once we find a suitable replacement for him at short stop. Omar and Orlando are amazing shortstops who have the range to play this position into their 30s. Derek Jeter has amazing baseball instincts and is a good athlete, but he doesn't have great range, and he either doesn't have an accurate throwing arm, or he loses concentration when he throws the ball. His ability to track fly balls is as good as anyone's in the game - combine this with his speed and strong throwing arm, and he makes an excellent candidate for center field. Matsui in left, Derek in center, and Melky in right - how does this sound for a solid outfield for the next few years? If Robin Yount could do it, Derek can, too.

4. Consider letting Joe Torre go with a well-deserved parting gift, and hire Joe Girardi as the next manager. Girardi can bring passion that the Yankees need right now. Torre is great with most people, but not great as a motivator. Torre has had a great run - it's time for a change.

- Joshua

Ten Games Into 2007...

Just about every sports writer in New York is offering a guarantee that A-Rod will not be back in pinstripes after 2007.

Why?

Three words: money, Scott, and Boras.

Why would A-Rod play on a contract that pays him 81 million over three seasons when he could play on a contract that guarantees him 120 million or more over five or six seasons?

When it's all said and done, A-Rod could become the first professional athlete to earn 300 million in straight salary during his playing career. Shaq and Garnett may be the only other members when their careers are over.

A-Rod definitely looks like the best player in baseball right now. He has tremendous power to all fields and is an elite all-around athlete.

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No question that Derek Jeter has had a bad string of games over the past several days. But don't expect him to finish the season with more than 20 errors. With the type of confidence he has, I wouldn't be surprised if he finished the season with less than 10 errors.

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Here's my prediction for the four-man rotation for the 2007 playoffs:

1. Chien-Ming Wang
2. Andy Pettitte
3. Mike Mussina
4. Kei Igawa

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That's all for now...let's hope that that last blown save in Oakland is the only one of its kind for Mo this year.

- Joshua

The 13 Best Photos from Yankees' Spring Training

All photos are from newsday.com.

A-Rod & his baby girl.

Matsui shares a laugh with Joe Torre

Mr Gossage: The True Grandfather of Closers

Derek Jeter taking part in a rundown drill - he's the best at this in the game.

Don Mattingly: the next Yankee manager?

Not a bad guy in the bunch.

Jorge Posada - how d'ya like them forearms?

That's what we like to see!

The Zim man!

Gary Sheffield: Just doesn't know how to not burn a bridge. But we still love him!

Ron Guidry & Chien Ming Wang - look at the difference in size between generations!

Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera: Cornerstones of the future in Yankee land.

Damon, Jeter, and Matsui: the three most reliable guys in the Bronx.

2007 New York Yankees

Well, we're only a couple of weeks away from another opening day, the second last opening day that there will ever be at Yankee stadium.

Here's the latest from our favorite team:

1. Johnny Damon put a gym into his Orlando home this past offseason and spent considerable time pumping iron. Apparently, he liked the feeling of hitting a career-high 24 homeruns last season, and hopes to repeat or surpass that number in 2007. Early in spring training, he told reporters that he "felt as strong as an ox." Look for Johnny Damon to have an outstanding season - even his throwing arm has looked strong over the past few weeks.

2. Kei Igawa has been missing his trademark accuracy. Could it be an adjustment to the slightly larger ball used in MLB? His curveball has been effective, but his fastball has hovered in the 88 to 90 mph range without pinpoint location. He has proven to be effective at striking batters out, but has also walked more than his fair share. If he doesn't show improvement during his last couple of starts during spring training, the Yankees may opt to begin the season with him in the minor leagues so that he doesn't get shell shocked in the big leagues in April.

3. A-Rod appears to be playing with a newfound sense of freedom and lightness. He spent less time this pass offseason bulking up, and having lost about 10 pounds from last season, he looks more agile on the field.

4. Robinson Cano still has the look of a lethal hitter. A contact hitter with excellent power to all part of the field. Look for him to be one of the top five hitters in the big leagues this season. He may be the best pure hitter on the entire roster.

5. Playing full time at DH is looking good on Jason Giambi. Despite having wrist surgery during the offseason, his swing and power are just as good as ever. Look for him to get back to .300 with 40 HRs and 110 plus RBIs in 2007.

6. Derek Jeter has quietly batted above .300 this spring training, and appears to be as he always is. Expect another consistent season from the captain.

7. As usual, Hideki Matsui is in regular season form during spring training. He is looking sleek and lithe, hitting the ball with power and playing a solid left field. Look for him to hit 30 plus HRs this year.

8. Bobby Abreu just started swinging the bat again after suffering a pull of one of his oblique muscles early in spring training. Look for an excellent season from Abreu, one that is effectively a contract year for him.

More updates as they become available. It should be another good year for Yankees fans. Can't wait for the many encounters that we will see between Dice-K and Hideki Matsui.

- Joshua

Yankees Face Long Winter

(Photo by Newsday.com)

The media in New York is in a frenzy, spouting off speculation after speculation about the future of the Yankees.

Let's filter out the hype and get realistic.

1. Sheffield won't be back. That saves 13 million.

2. Mike Mussina won't be back, at least not for 19 million. Assuming that the Yankees bring him back or sign a quality pitcher as his replacement for 10 million, that saves 9 million.

3. Unless they get very lucky, the Yankees won't be able to get quality young arms for A-Rod. So as unfortunate as it is, the reality is that all things considered, the best move is to keep A-Rod and hope that he finds a way to turn things around.

4. If Torre is released, the best bet is not Lou Pinella, but a less expensive and equally capable coach such as Joe Girardi or Don Mattingly.

5. The Yankees have to find a way to get strong pitching. Count on Wang and Phil Hughes to be two reliable starters for next season. Randy Johnson will be an acceptable fourth or fifth man for the rotation, only because he is locked in for 16 million and there is no way that he will do the right thing and retire before he collects every penny. If Pavano makes it back and proves to be reliable, we need one more strong arm. If Pavano tanks again, we'll need two strong arms.

6. If the Yankees do the sensible thing and keep A-Rod, Jeter has got to get over A-Rod's Esquire interview from 2002 and embrace him. Yeah, Jeter, we know that he was jealous of you when he spouted off about you being a 2-man and not hitting for power. But holding a grudge for as long as you have isn't bringing out the best in A-Rod. And ultimately, this is hurting the team.

Remember the sense of comraderie on the teams that were led by Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill, and Scott Brosius? You just felt that those guys cared about one another. Jeter has got to get over his grudge and use his clout and reputation to bring this team together.

7. If possible, I think it makes a lot of sense for Brian Cashman to get quality pitchers for Bobby Abreu. Many teams would love to have him. We have Cabrera who needs a spot in the outfield. Cabrera has potential to be another Bobby Abreu, and he is about 16 and half million dollars less expensive. No one will take Johnny Damon's contract off of us, Hideki Matsui is untradeable, that leaves Bobby Abreu as the best trade bait for good pitchers.

More soon...

- Joshua

What Is Joe Torre Thinking?

(Photo by Newsday.com)
Derek Jeter put it perfectly in his post game interview: "You don't play the game on paper."

But that's exactly what Joe Torre seems to be doing.

Who cares that A-Rod has amazing career numbers against Kenny Rogers. A-Rod compiled most of those stats when he wasn't under the spotlight of the New York media.

Putting A-Rod in the clean-up spot was a terrible omen for the Yankees. A-Rod belongs in the six spot or lower.

And what in the world is Matsui doing in the bottom of the order? This man is arguably the most reliable situational hitter that the Yankees have. He should be somewhere in the 3-5 spots.

If the Yankees lose this series, I think that Yankees top brass have to take a long, hard look at trading A-Rod AND giving Joe Torre an early retirement. Joe Torre seems to be decent at managing people, but he just doesn't have the courage or the instincts to be a great manager of the game of baseball.

- Joshua
InsideTheYankees.com

Derek Jeter's Failed Bunt Attempt

(Photo by Newsday.com) - I got a really bad feeling in my stomach when Derek popped up to Ivan Rodriguez in the first inning of game two with Johnny Damon on first base.

Why, oh why, Derek, are you thinking about sacrificing yourself with the hope of a quick one run lead for the Yankees? After getting seven hits in your last seven at-bats, all of us want to see you swing away. Chances are that you and Damon won't get doubled up in that situation since both of you have great wheels, but even if you do get doubled up, at the beginning of the game, isn't it worth the risk to swing away?

Some people might think that you were trying to surprise the Tigers and earn a base hit. I don't think this is a great move, as laying down a great bunt on a 100 mph fastball is not much easier than getting a hit. It might even be harder than getting a hit from swinging away.

Let me say that I am a huge Derek Jeter fan. I love the way that he plays hard every day, how he runs hard out of the box even if he knows that he has hit a homerun. Still, I have to say that sometimes, I think that Derek becomes slightly intoxicated with the idea of being the ultimate team player.

By laying down a sacrifice bunt, perhaps he was thinking that he would bolster his image as a guy who only cares about winning. He got seven hits in his last seven at-bats, but hey, if the situation calls for a bunt, then he's up for it.

It's almost as though he sometimes takes on the mindset of a baseball martyr.

Derek, if there is a hint of truth in this thought, you don't need to do this. You have the respect of almost all Yankees fans out there. We want you to swing a way in that kind of situation. If you are in the 8th inning and trailing by one run or tied up with Johnny on first with no out, it makes a lot of sense to sacrifice yourself to put Johnny into scoring position.

But please don't waste your talents like that in the first inning.

Because truly, a mistake like that can deflate the entire team and all Yankees fans. I know that this is how I felt when you popped up. I felt like I just lost a few thousand dollars in the woods. A wasted opportunity.

Now go out there and give us another 3-5 night in game 3!

Joshua
InsideTheYankees.com