The New York Yankees 2005 Chatter

[VH LINKS SUCKS]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
AND THERe is no youth...

nearly every good team has a solid veteran nucleus...

and 3 or 4 sparkplug younger guys...with one of those 3 or 4 being a star...

The Yanks have no youth...

If I were a Yank fan...I'd really be worried about the next 10 years...

They've basically used up all their prospects for some players that are past their prime or close to it!

As a fan I know George will always go out and get players from teams that cannot afford their contracts but as far as trade bait now, it'll be a long time coming before the Yanks get youth in return unless a team is desperate themselves for brining in a household name to sell tickets!

[POJO_Risin]

I'm not talking about trade bait...

I'm talking about players that come up through your system....and make it...

Bernie...Jeter...Pettitte...Posada...

the heart of your team...

then you go out and sign winners...guys that know how to win...but don't have egos...Tino Martinez...Scott Brosius...

and throw in superstars...like the pitchers they've signed...

but you almost never have a team win a title without not just home grown talent...but players that are GOOD from your system...

[Bob_R]

Why does the thread title keep getting changed?

I mean what the fuck!

Is there any fucking integrity here?

Where were all the (jealous, envious) Yankee haters when they were on a 16-2 roll? LOL!!

[POJO_Risin]

No fucking integrity at all...

[POJO_Risin]

And no problem here jumping on the Yankeehater wagon when they are getting swept by the worst team in baseball...

and losing 6 in a row...

[POJO_Risin]

Don't worry Mr. Integrity...

the name of the thread will get changed back eventually...

[Bob_R]

Well at least you called me Mister!

[POJO_Risin]

Look...nobody ever said I wasn't polite...

that's a like...lmfao...

[Figs]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- George Steinbrenner feels his Yankees are letting down New York and hinted changes could be coming unless the team starts winning.

The Yankees owner confirmed his discussion with manager Joe Torre and general manager Brian Cashman and said Saturday it was up to the two of them to solve the problem, ominously adding a ``right now'' to the end of his remarks.

Steinbrenner held the conference call with Torre, Cashman and team president Randy Levine on Friday, after his team was swept by the Kansas City Royals, the club with the worst record in the major leagues. The undermanned Minnesota Twins then handed the Yankees their sixth straight loss, their longest losing streak since dropping seven in a row in September and October 2000. That year, they recovered to win the World Series.

``Steinbrenner, through me, confirmed the discussion that he had with Joe Torre and Brian Cashman and Randy Levine yesterday,'' Steinbrenner spokesman Howard Rubenstein said Saturday. ``George offered to do anything they needed to get back on winning ways. Torre said, `You've given us everything we need. We don't need anything more. It's up to the two of us to win.'

``George was very concerned. He didn't show anger, but his fighting spirit is there, and he wants to win for New York fans. He feels we're letting them down, but it's really in Torre's and Cashman's hands right now.''

If these Yankees don't get things turned around -- and fast -- drastic changes could be ahead.

``It's a long season and George isn't a very patient man and we understand that,'' Torre said after the loss Friday. ``In dealing with George, when you lose and you're supposed to be winning, it's not a happy time. But when you win, he's constantly driving you to improve, so the tone doesn't change much.''

After losing 6-3 to Minnesota on Friday night, New York is 27-27 -- thanks in part to an embarrassing three-game sweep this week by the Royals, just the third time in the Yankees' storied history that they've been swept three games by a team with the worst record in the majors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

That prompted Steinbrenner to request the conference call, which Torre and Cashman characterized as a ``state-of-the-team'' discussion. Both said no decisions were made during the call.

``It was just a conference call to talk about the team,'' Cashman said. ``That's all it was.''

But Torre made no secret that Steinbrenner is unhappy. The Yankees are, after all, losing to far less talented teams, at least on paper.

The Royals are a ragtag group of journeymen and youngsters, most of whom belong in the minor leagues.

And the Twins were playing without their two best hitters -- Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. That didn't stop them from piling up 11 hits, including two homers off starter Mike Mussina.

``You have to beat the teams you are supposed to beat,'' Cashman said. ``It's tougher to accept than what took place during the Boston series.''

The Yankees' losing streak started last Saturday in Game 2 of a three-game series against the defending World Series champions. The 17-1 drubbing ended a string of 16 wins in 18 games.

``It's been tough,'' catcher Jorge Posada said. ``We got in a cold stretch, and then we got hot, and we're back at it again. We can't let down. We can't really look down. We just have to keep looking forward and just fight.''

The Yankees have shown very little fight in the last week.

Torre attributed the malaise to a crumbling confidence, something that puzzles him in a clubhouse filled with high-priced, cocksure veterans.

``There's no question it's surprising,'' Torre said. ``The thing that we can't get away from is that this game is played by human beings. As much as we like to live with the statistics and what people should be doing, it's still a matter of having to breathe and eat and sleep and all that stuff.

``If we're expected to contend, we're going to have to control that a little better, no question.''

Torre has put much of the blame on the Yankees' rotation, which has not been anywhere near the dominant levels it reached during their World Series runs.

``It's tough to put your finger on any one thing,'' Torre said. ``I always point toward starting pitching because that really seems to key everything else we do.''

That was the case on Friday night. Mussina started strong, retiring eight of his first 10 batters as the Yankees jumped out to a 3-0 lead. But he gave up two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth, and New York managed just two hits in the final six innings of yet another loss.

``We got a lead and he pitched very effectively early,'' Torre said. ``And then it just fell apart for us, basically.''

Everything is falling apart for the Yankees right now. Just how much longer Steinbrenner will give Cashman, Torre and the rest of the team to right the ship is anyone's guess.

``He's put up a lot of money to put this kind of a ballclub in our dugout,'' Torre said. ``This isn't the results that should be accompanying that.''

[Figs]

Are they a playoff team? Right now it looks like the east might not get a wild card....

[POJO_Risin]

Jesus Christ...is anyone as sick of this as I am?

Talk about a fucking ego...

and look at fucking Torre...taking the hits...

and half the guys on the team he doesn't want any part of...

[Bob_R]

I'm watching the Yankee game tonight in my Yankees boxer shorts.

Seriously. My wife got 'em for me.

[POJO_Risin]

Yo...EVH...you're a Yank fan...aren't you sick of Steinbrenner?

[Bob_R]

To be honest with ya. I respect him more now than I did in the 70's/80's when he was a total madman. Granted we all mellow with age but he has calmed down considerably.

I think he is a good businessman that wants to see a return on his investment. He will do what's the best for the Yanks and that makes the players and the fans feel good.

I think everyone and anyone would want and appreciate an owner like that.

[superdave]

The Yankees suck -- bottom line -- the most overrated team in pro sports