Most teams would be ecstatic with a 97-win season and a playoff appearance. Getting home-field advantage and a ninth consecutive division title should be reason enough to celebrate. Unfortunately, as witnessed again this year, that is not the Yankee way. Their expectations are different from every other team, mostly due to their enormous payroll. This classifies 2006 as another disappointing season in the Bronx.
With a series loss to the Tigers in the first round, the Yankees are now 3-10 in their last 13 playoff games. Since winning the 2000 World Series, they are just 29-29 in playoff games, including two straight first-round exits. Changes need to be made in order for the Yankees to regain their playoff dominance.
First, they need to trade Alex Rodriguez. The A-Rod and New York marriage has not worked, but it is not all his fault. He gets too much criticism from the fans, media and his own teammates and is unfairly tagged as the poster boy for the Yankees' playoff troubles.
While he puts up great numbers in the regular season, he can not hit in the playoffs with the Yankees. Since joining the team he is hitting .240 in October with eight RBIs in 20 games. In his last 13 postseason games, Rodriguez is 5-46 with a paltry .109 batting average. This is not just a slump for one of the game's greatest players - it's a lack of being able to handle the pressure of playing in New York.
Rodriguez has said if he gets traded from New York he will retire. He has a no-trade clause that allows him to veto any trade the Yankees make involving him. However, A-Rod should waive the clause, as it would be best for everyone involved if he was dealt to another team.
A-Rod doesn't want to get traded because he fears being known as a player who could not play well on the big stage. But he needs to get over that. He needs to start relaxing and start having fun again. He needs to stop worrying about the doubters in the crowd and in the papers. This is much more likely to happen on the West Coast - in Anaheim, San Diego or Los Angeles. A change of scenery is imminent.
The Yankees also need to get rid of Mike Mussina and Gary Sheffield. Mussina has a $17 million option for next year and Sheffield has a $13 million option. The options should not be picked up for either player. Mussina will be 38 years old next season and has pitched poorly in the last two postseasons for the Yankees. A younger pitcher should be brought in in place of him for next year and the future.
Sheffield is not needed for the Yankees next year as Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera will all be part of the Yankee outfield. Sheffield does not get half the criticism as A-Rod, but he is 8-50, hitting .160 in his last 13 playoff games. He puts up power numbers but sometimes swings too hard instead of just placing the ball for a base hit. The younger Cabrera should be part of the Yankee outfield, pushing either Matusi or Abreu to the DH spot. The 21-year-old hit .280 this season with 50 RBIs and is great defensively. He is certainly the more efficient option than the constantly disgruntled Sheffield.
Finally, despite rumors, the Yankees should not fire Joe Torre and bring in Lou Pinella to manage the team. The New York Daily News has already reported that owner George Steinbrenner will make this change. However, the organization must step in and prevent this from happening. Torre has had his share of mistakes this year, including benching Jason Giambi in a must-win game for a rookie, batting A-Rod eighth in Game 4 against Detroit and overworking a suspect bullpen during the regular season. Regardless he is still one of the best managers in the league and he knows how to handle a team full of superstars. Torre is best known for his clubhouse presence, and this cannot be overlooked. He has won every year and even though he always has a great team to work with, winning is not easy. The Yankees should ask themselves if Pinella really gives them a better chance to win a championship than Torre. The answer is no, as Torre has proven himself as a great manager over the past decade. Getting rid of him because his players cannot hit in the clutch is foolish and Steinbrenner should come to his senses before he makes a big mistake.
These changes might not make a difference right away, but it's a start. The Yankees need to move towards a younger, more efficient, pitching-oriented future. Getting rid of three of their biggest playoff underachievers should help the cause. Other players such as Jason Giambi and Randy Johnson are impossible to trade because of their age and huge contracts. The organization and fans must realize that winning a World Series every year is impossible and patience is necessary. Otherwise, we will see the same thing happen every October - a bully lineup with not enough pitching to win. The Yankees must learn their lesson and develop a true recipe for success.
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