MOVING ON

There is no explaining the annual demise of the Yankee bats in the playoffs,even though we had a preview of it in the month of September. But where do we go from here? With all the big names on the Yankee roster, it's easy to fall into the trap of standing pat, but there is one fact that cannot be denied: No One Gets Younger. The Yanks are an old team and that means making some hard decisions.

Another question that is paramount in the Yankee front office is how productive will Derek Jeter be? He will hit but with a severe ankle injury, his limited range will certainly be reduced and you can't win with shortstop that plays on a dime. The answer is obvious: push hard to move A-Rod and move Jeter to third. He has a great glove and strong arm. The Tigers are winning with a third baseman whose range is limited to how far he can fall down. Then use Nunez at short. I don't see how the Yanks would not embrace this move.

While we're in the dumping mood, here are some more moves they should make.
First, the obvious moves.
Andruw Jones.  It was a nice summer, but he faded as quickly as the leaves in the fall.
Freddie Garcia. Time to retire, Freddie
Nick Swisher. He's entertaining, but he's no longer a threat and a change of scenery is needed for both of us.
Curtis Granderson. Mr. All-or-Nothing has become Mr. Nothing. He forgot the rest of his game, base hits and stolen bases.
Phil Hughes. He has a world of talent with no clue how to use it. Trade while he has value.
Rafael Soriano. He can do the job but why am I always nervous when he comes in?
The need to get younger sends Chavez, McGehee, Stewart and Lowe out to pasture.

There are a couple of old-timers that may be serviceable for one more year. Pettitte, if he wants to return and Ichiro, who seems to have some life left in his legs.

I think the coaching staff needs some revision, too. I'm no fan of Larry Rothschild or Rob Thompson. There must be somebody out there that could help with the pitching, since the Yankee broadcasters are always talking about pitching coaches on other teams as, "...one of the most respected pitching coaches in the game." If there are really than many, somebody ought to be able to help.
Thompson made some awful decisions at third base this year. I'm all for being aggressive, but when a runner gets thrown out by 30 feet, someone  sure wasn't paying attention. The Yanks absolutely have to bring Larry Bowa back. He knows his stuff and it would be nice to see Robinson Cano  run hard all the time.

One thing Cashman has to avoid, is bringing in some of the big names that will be available, since they all come with flaws.
Josh Hamilton has more addictions than a perp on NCIS.
Justin Upton is a head case
Zack Greinke is another head case
Joe Mauer (the rumor is he's available) is too fragile
Kevin Youkilis is over the hill
Tori Hunter is also done
Bite the bullet and use the farm system: Austin Romine, Chris Dickerson, Melky Mesa and Kevin Russo.

We'll see what the plan is in the next couple of months.

THEY SAID IT
"Monday is Columbus Day. Historians say the Italian explorer crossed the ocean in 1492 with three rickety old vessels. The Nina, the Pinta, and a Carnival Cruise fun ship."  -- Alan Ray
"Singer Leann Rimes says talking to someone who isn't interested in her personally is why she enjoys rehab. Most of us call that marriage."  -- RJ Currie
"Scientists at Cal Tech claim to have discovered the smallest numeral known to man. I believe it is A-Rod's batting average during the ALCS"  -- Brad Dickson
"I don't know how things could get much worse for A-Rod. I read that he was observed flirting with two women in the stands, and that he's dating a WWE diva. OK, things just got worse."  -- Brad Dickson
"Has anyone noticed that Prince Fielder & CC Sabathia have been time sharing pajamas all year?"  -- TC Chong
"Stephen Strasberg went to Staples and bought some black Sharpies to see what he would look like in pinstripes."  -- TC Chong
 "A U.S. company has designed the first portable stripper pole that attaches to your car bumper for tailgate parties.  You know your husband had a good time at the game when he pulls into the driveway and there’s a stripper pole on the back of the pick up."  -- Brad Dickson
"During the ALCS, A-Rod had some unforgettable numbers, and he got them from two women sitting in the stands."  -- Alan Ray
"The Cardinals finally beat the Giants 3-1 in Game 3 of the NLCS — sandwiched around a 3 ½-hour rain delay. Or as they call such an interlude at the Orange Bowl: the halftime show."  -- Dwight Perry

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