O's (71-61) @NY (70-63):Now or Never/Live or Die

[Dr. Detfink]

Disaster up in Toronto. Yanks pitching did not show up. Bats are still very streaky but somehow the Yanks are still in the second wild card hunt thanks to the A's, O's, and Indians not wanting it.

The Yanks control their own fate. They have enough series against their division rivals to directly cut into that deficit easily.

Problem is, I think the pitching may have nothing left in the tank.

It looks more and more likely that the Yankees and their fans will see Pineda next season. He was shut down after feeling some arm soreness for a few weeks. Today he gets back to a throwing session. So far in AAA, Pineda has 3.80 earned run average in 23⅔ innings, racking up 26 strikeouts to just six walks. I dunno how to feel about the 24 year old after he's missed two seasons.

I think its clear that the Yankees are in store for a major face lift in the off season. What isn't clear is which team is showing up against Baltimore?

[Dr. Detfink]

Two STRAIGHT against the O's! Nova pitched a great game. Yanks quietly are back to 4 games behind WC. Can they cut it to 3 before the White & Red Sox come to town?

With a bucket of games left against the Red Sawx and one more series against Baltimore, Tampa, I still think the Yanks control their own destiny.

DO CC and Kuroda have something left in the tank? Can the Yanks hope to get ONE start from Pineda? Crazy talk.

[thebuzzardman]

Too little, too late.

[ccvle]

Too little, too late.

if the team does make it to the playoffs, can you stop complaining during the playoffs atleast?

[Vides990]

I think its clear that the Yankees are in store for a major face lift in the off season.

What do you expect to happen? If the 189 mill line is still in place, and by all accounts it is, how do you expect them to be any different next year? I think the team will basically look the same, old, often injured, and in no real contention for anything......not a good year for FA's either.

[Dr. Detfink]

What do you expect to happen? If the 189 mill line is still in place, and by all accounts it is, how do you expect them to be any different next year? I think the team will basically look the same, old, often injured, and in no real contention for anything......not a good year for FA's either.

I think Cashman is going to re-sign Cano and take a serious look at Hanley Ramirez.

[Rich Rane]

Holy Shawn Kelley...

Holy Joba...

[Dr. Detfink]

Damn, Shawn Kelley what did I do to you? Has there ever been a pitcher with so much hype and bust than Joba? *sprays raid in Cleveland*

[thebuzzardman]

Too little, too late.

if the team does make it to the playoffs, can you stop complaining during the playoffs atleast?

I'm not worried about that.

Hey, if the organization itself actually gave a crap the last two years, I might. But the whole throw in towel while we pretend to be competitive? Not buying it.

And I'd be all for it, if I had any confidence in Cashman and his team to either trade well or more importantly, develop talent in the farm system. But they can't.

And what is particularly galling is the penny wise pound foolish approach at a time there were several top notch foreign FA's, who while would have cost the Yanks money with the posting fee, would have been more cost controlled than some big name FA's. AND they do this when it is clear as day that the changing landscape of revenue sharing make it LESS likely FA's will change hands, making this a doubly bad move. I'm thinking Darvish, Chapman and the Cuban outfielders among others.

So, sorry if you don't like it. I'm just not buying what they are selling the last two years or for the next few likely.

I know injuries hurt them, but really, this team wasn't competing this year.

[thebuzzardman]

What do you expect to happen? If the 189 mill line is still in place, and by all accounts it is, how do you expect them to be any different next year? I think the team will basically look the same, old, often injured, and in no real contention for anything......not a good year for FA's either.

I think Cashman is going to re-sign Cano and take a serious look at Hanley Ramirez.

So, if the Yanks do this, is a 180 from the approach stated again and again and again, so that makes them look disorganized and dumb.

At this point, Cano is 50/50. No big FA signings either. What you see is what you get for the next couple.

My prediction: Yanks get out from under the big contracts, continue to be a 3rd place club, Cashman gets a few years while he sells ownership on his "acumen" to get the cheap to mid level FA's and then after 3 years (probably like 2018), Hank and Hal finally realize what a steaming turd of a GM Cashman is w/o a ton of money to operate and they reboot in some way, what that is, who knows.

[Dr. Detfink]

So, if the Yanks do this, is a 180 from the approach stated again and again and again, so that makes them look disorganized and dumb.

At this point, Cano is 50/50. No big FA signings either. What you see is what you get for the next couple.

My prediction: Yanks get out from under the big contracts, continue to be a 3rd place club, Cashman gets a few years while he sells ownership on his "acumen" to get the cheap to mid level FA's and then after 3 years (probably like 2018), Hank and Hal finally realize what a steaming turd of a GM Cashman is w/o a ton of money to operate and they reboot in some way, what that is, who knows.

They already look dumb for thinking Pineda wasn't going to be Carl Pavano part 2. Then adding payroll by trading for Vernon Wells and Soriano after re-signing Ichiro to a multi-year contract. Failing to move Granderson who is seeing the ball well.

Cano is their BEST player offensively and defensively right now at a need position. Yanks don't give up on their most productive guys. They also live by play for your contract. So far, they've done VERY well in the history of the organization and its traditions.

That 189M rule is circumstantial. Hal and Cash did NOT think the Yanks old bones would not break. Did not think Pineda would lose another season to rehab. Did not think their trading chips would simultaneously break down: Granderson, Hughes, Nova. Lastly they didn't think the scouts were that awful.

You stand to lose MORE if ratings AND attendance are slipping. So much so that even Hal said 189M is not set in stone.

GUYS...this is irrefutable. Takes longer to build a reputation with sports agents that their players will be taken care of than it does to win. That's why the Knicks suck. The Mets are awful. The Jets continue to stink.

Tell Brian Cashman if he thinks he can win with a mid payroll team, there are PLENTY of craptastic franchises for him to choose from. GO for it Brian.

[thebuzzardman]

So, if the Yanks do this, is a 180 from the approach stated again and again and again, so that makes them look disorganized and dumb.

At this point, Cano is 50/50. No big FA signings either. What you see is what you get for the next couple.

My prediction: Yanks get out from under the big contracts, continue to be a 3rd place club, Cashman gets a few years while he sells ownership on his "acumen" to get the cheap to mid level FA's and then after 3 years (probably like 2018), Hank and Hal finally realize what a steaming turd of a GM Cashman is w/o a ton of money to operate and they reboot in some way, what that is, who knows.

They already look dumb for thinking Pineda wasn't going to be Carl Pavano part 2. Then adding payroll by trading for Vernon Wells and Soriano after re-signing Ichiro to a multi-year contract. Failing to move Granderson who is seeing the ball well.

Cano is their BEST player offensively and defensively right now at a need position. Yanks don't give up on their most productive guys. They also live by play for your contract. So far, they've done VERY well in the history of the organization and its traditions.

That 189M rule is circumstantial. Hal and Cash did NOT think the Yanks old bones would not break. Did not think Pineda would lose another season to rehab. Did not think their trading chips would simultaneously break down: Granderson, Hughes, Nova. Lastly they didn't think the scouts were that awful.

You stand to lose MORE if ratings AND attendance are slipping. So much so that even Hal said 189M is not set in stone.

GUYS...this is irrefutable. Takes longer to build a reputation with sports agents that their players will be taken care of than it does to win. That's why the Knicks suck. The Mets are awful. The Jets continue to stink.

Tell Brian Cashman if he thinks he can win with a mid payroll team, there are PLENTY of craptastic franchises for him to choose from. GO for it Brian.

Agreed, but what I meant by dumb is that the are careening around without a plan, no real focus. Save money, spend money, save some money, spend some money, compete, but not really. etc.

The consistent thing is total lack of development or young prospects at all.

[ccvle]

Too little, too late.

if the team does make it to the playoffs, can you stop complaining during the playoffs atleast?

I'm not worried about that.

Hey, if the organization itself actually gave a crap the last two years, I might. But the whole throw in towel while we pretend to be competitive? Not buying it.

And I'd be all for it, if I had any confidence in Cashman and his team to either trade well or more importantly, develop talent in the farm system. But they can't.

And what is particularly galling is the penny wise pound foolish approach at a time there were several top notch foreign FA's, who while would have cost the Yanks money with the posting fee, would have been more cost controlled than some big name FA's. AND they do this when it is clear as day that the changing landscape of revenue sharing make it LESS likely FA's will change hands, making this a doubly bad move. I'm thinking Darvish, Chapman and the Cuban outfielders among others.

So, sorry if you don't like it. I'm just not buying what they are selling the last two years or for the next few likely.

I know injuries hurt them, but really, this team wasn't competing this year.

Look, most of us know the front office sucks and the ownership sucks, but at the same I'm not going to root for my team to suck to prove my point or view. I'm not going to root for the team to finish below .500 just so I can say "I told you so". I would rather see the team finish one game out of the playoffs then to finish .500. I would rather see the team get swept then to miss the playoffs.