2006 Yankees

[The Big Stick]

Not really sure where to begin I am so disappointed in this years Yankee team. They showed me nothing against the Tigers. I love the Yankees and will until the day I die but, George and the rest of the organization has to win with the payroll as high as it is, needs to produce better. I am really speechless and embarrassed as a fan today. I hope they can pick up the pieces and regroup for next year and years to come. I congratulate DET but, at this time I am a bitter Yankee fan.
Where do we go from here?

[BronXBombers51]

You know, after the Yankees lose, I usually like to map out the plans for the postseason, but, you know what? It's rehashing the same old B.S. over and over. The Yankees continually find themselves locked in with monster contracts on underperforming players like Giambi, Johnson, Sheffield, Wright, etc. etc. etc.

What are the Yankees going to do? Ideally, I'd blow up the whole team, but obviously that isn't an option. Giambi and Randy aren't going anywhere with their contracts. Sheffield is done in pinstripes. Mussina's option is getting declined, and it has become a question as to whether the Yankees will even attempt to sign him back at all.

A-Rod is the biggest question, and I've posted my thoughts on the situation in several other threads floating around in the Game Commentary forum and the Baseball Leftovers.

The pitchnig staff is in shambles. Wang is the only reliable starter next year. RJ the only other starter under contract, after Wright is bought out (obviously I'm not counting Pavano, whom I have zero faith in, and is a complete waste).

The bullpen is awful. Farnsworth proved to be worthless, as most of us projected. They have nobody else back there besides Rivera. You can't do too much to the lineup, as Posada, Giambi, Cano, Jeter, Matsui, Damon and Abreu are all locked in, and A-Rod as well, pending whatever happens with that situation.

Likely, what you'll see is alot of A-Rod rumors amounting to absolutely nothing, the Yankees give way too much money to Zito, probably sign some other overrated, overpriced Wright/Pavano type to fill in the rotation, and maybe pick up another aged, past his prime, offensive player to play 1st base.

Other than that, my guess is as good as yours.

[luckygehrig]

Wasn't sure where to post my thoughts on this, but this seems as good a place as any.

I think the biggest thing that bothered me about the Yankees in the playoffs was the lack of patience at the plate. Take Saturday for instance, our 1-2-3 hitters went down on a total of 5 pitches in the first inning. It seemed to me that during the regular season, the biggest offensive nights came when the top of the lineup worked the count and took pitches to set the tone for everyone else. I felt that this was missing this postseason much like I felt it was last postseason as well. I don't know where the blame lies for this, but surely you can't put it all on one person as some people in the media seem to be willing to do. It seemed to me that the Yankees that showed up during the playoffs were not the same team that was successful during the regular season. I remember hearing on the radio on Saturday that towards the end of the 5th inning, Bonderman was only up to 35 pitches. You're not going to win many games when a guy is throwing about 7 pitches an inning. It seemed to me that most of the team was swinging for the fences and trying to be the hero instead of getting on base and relying on the guys behind them to drive them in.

Well, that's my 2 cents, for what it's worth. I'd be interested to see your guys' opinions on this.

[blankman]

The is true to an extent that they swung at too many first pitches, but the Tigers' pitchers were throwing strikes. You can't "be patient" against a team that is simply throwing strikes. Its not like they were facing guys with no control like Beckett.