With one final breaking ball from Cleveland's Joe Borowski, Jorge Posada swung over the pitch and thus ended the Yankees' chances at post season glory. After a great second half that catapulted the Bombers into the playoffs, their magical run was ended by a closer with the highest ERA for any saves leader in the history of the sport. And though Bobby Abreu's ninth inning blast raised his ERA even further, it was not enough to come out on top.
The Yankees looked positively awful during this series with Cleveland. With the exception of quality pitching performances from Andy Pettite and Phil Hughes, their rotation was unable to get the job done, and for the third straight season, the boys from the Bronx went home first round losers. The offense, with the exception of game 3, did not look like the sluggers that outscored their opponents all season and nearly drove in 1000 runs. They looked lost, confused, and towards the end, they appeared ready to accept their terrible fate.
A-rod, Abreu, Posada, Rivera, these men are all free agents once the season is over. Where will they be next year? Will A-rod opt out of his contract and choose to put himself on the market? Jorge Posada was by far the best offensive catcher this season, and will certainly be able to command a large sum of money once he hits free agency. The answers to these conundrums, however, are difficult to foresee. One question, however, has everyone in New York and across baseball talking at length; where will Joe Torre be next season?
Boss Steinbrenner wants his head; not necessarily on a silver platter, but I suspect that would be his preferred display method. Perhaps he will choose to put it atop a pike and adorn his office with the stone faced visage of this baseball warrior. Either way, I think it is safe to say that Torre's days as the Yankees skipper are over.
But should they be? Was all of this really his fault? My heart says no but my head says yes. In the deepest parts of my soul are the memories of the four rings he helped the Yankees win, to go along with six pennants, thirteen straight post season appearances and an off the charts winning percentage. He helped shape the foundation of the current team, nurturing players like Derek Jeter, Andy Pettite, Jorge Posada, and, of course, Mariano Rivera, the best closer in the history of the game. He brought the World Series back to the Bronx, and helped shape one of the most formidable groups of baseball giants the country has ever seen.
I remember 1998, and how the Yankees that year were better than anyone I had ever seen up to that point or since. I remember 1996, the first time the Yankees won a series in my lifetime, and how my twelve year old self wanted nothing more than to meet the man that had helped make this victory possible.
Years have passed, and the Yankees dominance in baseball has been somewhat diminished. The Yankees dynasty of the late 90s is long over, and has been since Luis Gonzalez's ninth inning blooper in 2001. In fact, over the past few seasons, as their payroll has increased the Yankees seem worse and worse. Their Post season prowess is a thing of the past, retired with the likes of Paul O'Neil and the great Scott Brosius. And soon to be in the past is the tenure of Joe Torre, arguably the greatest Yankees manager at least since Casey Stengel, and quite possibly, of all time.
With a track record like Torre's, my heart truly wants to give him another chance. Maybe just one more year. I cannot even imagine the idea of watching a Yankees game with another man at the team's helm. He has been their skipper for my entire adult life, and his leadership is the only thing I know. But it is time for him to go.
Let me just say, if I have not made it abundantly clear, that I love Joe Torre. I always have and I always will. There should be monuments erected in his honor throughout the Bronx and he should be revered by all New Yorkers (except for you silly Mets fans). However, no one can last forever, and I believe it is time to make a change.
Consider that he started Chien-Ming Wang on three days rest after he had gotten pummeled in game 1 of the Divisional Series. As a sinker baller, one might think that the short rest period may be more conducive to his pitching style. Nine times out of ten that would be the case. But anyone watching Wang in his first game noticed that he was off. Something was wrong; his sinkers were elevated and his location was far from being pin point accuracy. Not to mention the fact that for whatever reason he is dominant from the wind-up but useless from the stretch. I hate to say it, but Torre should have started Mike Mussina. Had Mussina gotten himself into trouble, then he could have brought in Wang. Torre has always been very loyal to his players, but this time his devotion did not pay off. Wang did not even last 2 innings, and the game quickly got out of hand.
The offense struggled throughout the series, that much was obvious. Torre did not juggle his lineup, nor did he try to insert other players into different positions. Shelley Duncan had two hits in his three total at bats, and yet he remained on the bench for most of the series. Instead of trying to light a fire under some of his players, he simply chose to remain with his original lineup, changing his starters only once by putting Jason Giambi at first base. And everyone in New York knows that when he is not juicing, the great Giambino is nothing more than a big Bambino. He can barely hit for power, has no ability to drive the ball to the opposite field, and is basically useless unless he hits a homerun since he can't really run the bases. Let us not forget, of course, that he also can't throw the ball from first to second base.
The truth is, even with certain elements out of his control, Torre did a poor job managing the Yankees in this series, and arguably, this entire season. Yes, the bugs in game two did their part, and the fact that the Indians hit over .500 with runners in scoring position and two outs was something no one could have predicted. But with the other facets of the series within his control, Torre made some pretty poor decisions. Though I will always remember the good ol' days, his tenure as manager should be at an end.
Who should be the manager next year? I will tell you who I think not only should lead the Yankees but who quite possibly will; Joe Girardi. He was the National league manager of the year after he turned the Marlins into a surprising threat, and he spent the duration of this season announcing Yankees games, watching the players intently. He knows how to win, he has been in New York before, he knows the players well, but most importantly, he is familiar with the post season. And in New York, the playoffs are really all that count...
