This Cliff Lee thing is eating away at me! WHY did the Yanks put all their eggs in the Cliff Lee basket??? WHY? Now, we have to hope CC keeps it up, Hughes can develop more, and Burnett can turn it around and that's only 3???? Why did they not give Dustin M. a shot at a starting role?? As far as a Catcher, we are covered, and the bull pen looks fine...But I am scared to go into 2011 with our starters!!! Even if Andy P. gives us another year there no guarantees he'll stay healthy."Plan B" seems to be to pray! WE NEED A STARTER or we are in serious trouble!!!!! I need a positive here, HELP?
I have a comment about a questionable decision by Joe Girardi in yesterday's game. In the 7th inning the Yankees loaded the bases with nobody out and Girardi elected to stay with Granderson. This move made no sense. I knew Granderson didn't stand a prayer from putting the ball in play against a very tough lefty like Lester. I knew he was struck out even before he entered the batter's box. I understand the Yankees only had Berkman and Gardner on the bench and I understand Berkman is only asked to start against righty starters, but you have to play the higher percentages if your Joe Girardi. Even if Berkman hit lower than Granderson against left handers the percentages of Berkman putting the ball in play and getting a run home is a lot greater than Granderson who is overmatched by lefties. Granderson may not have struck out in his 2 previous at bats, but Girardi rolling the dice on Granderson not striking out is too much of a risk when you consider that Granderson is even more prone to striking out against a tough lefty as opposed to a tough righty. Yes maybe Berkman hits into a double play there, but at very minimum it gets a run home and you are in all likelihood going to end up with 2 outs and a runner in scoring position with still 2 innings left which to try to come up with 1 run.
When looking at the big picture all of these regulars are significantly below their career average--Jeter, Teixeira, Rodriguez, Posada, Granderson. It's hard to complain when you lead the league in scoring, but we know that stat can be distorted--score a bunch of runs in one game, not so many in the next--it averages out, but it's likely you don't win both of those games. I don't disagree with your comments on Jeter/The Babe. Babe was a one of a kind circus act. Jeter is the modern day face of baseball for all of the right reasons. Let people decide where their emotions stand on this one. We all agree he is a first ballot HOF.
I am concerned about the Yanks getting long in the tooth, as they say. But, if Jeter can steal second in a critical situation like Monday's ninth inning, and Bret Gardner can't seem to want to achieve the same goal, I think the Captain will be OK for another year or two. Just not sure what you do as far as a contract. Like Tiger, he may make more outside of the sport with endorsements than he does in. My biggest concern is catcher. We need a legitimate guy who can be behind the plate 125 games/year and hit .250+ with 20 HRs sooner rather than later.
Is there an anti-Paul O'Neill bias over there? It seems YES rarely runs his Yankeeography show. I never see it on. Why?
ONeillRules12:38 AM