Yanks Lose ... Again
Pretty soon maybe we'll hear the sound of John Sterling calling Yankees' losses the way he once called their wins, back when they still did that sort of thing. "Yankees lose... theeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankeeees loooooooooooooooose!"
At very least, it would be a throwback to happier times - times that seem to become more and more distant memories with each heart-breaking loss.
The last time the Yankees were this many games below .500 was back in 1995, which means that Derek Jeter has never seen troubles this bad for his team. While tonight's loss still hurts, though, it was, at very least, a loss in extra innings. At least it was gritty, despite the ugliness of the Yanks' defense in the top of the 10th. At least they were even after 9. At least they didn't get pounded into the perfectly manicured dirt at Yankee Stadium.
Perhaps this streak is symptomatic of the impatience of the team's Boss. Younger teams like Tampa Bay have had their share of time in the basement, but there's no way around it - if you want good young players, you have to put them in and let them fuck up. You have to be patient to get them where they need to be. You're not going to find many Derek Jeters out there. Most guys are actually going to struggle while they adjust to playing in the big leagues.
Last night, Jeter rightly stated that talent and stars don't win baseball games. Yankees fans may hope that Steinbrenner was listening to the Yankee Captain. To shine bright enough to get noticed by George, you've got to already be in your prime, which means that by the time the Yanks get their hands on you, you're already damn near burning out.
At very least, the unfathomable - and, for Yankee fans, unspeakable - dearth of performance will force the Boss to change his way of thinking when it comes to building a winning baseball team:
1. Increasing a team's payroll does not equal a World Series Championship
2. Upping the payroll does not equal a team that will beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
3. Getting rid of youngsters with promise in exchange for older guys who are already halfway through their glory days is a bad idea
Still, I have to say that I hope the old farts stop making fools of themselves out there.
At very least, it would be a throwback to happier times - times that seem to become more and more distant memories with each heart-breaking loss.
The last time the Yankees were this many games below .500 was back in 1995, which means that Derek Jeter has never seen troubles this bad for his team. While tonight's loss still hurts, though, it was, at very least, a loss in extra innings. At least it was gritty, despite the ugliness of the Yanks' defense in the top of the 10th. At least they were even after 9. At least they didn't get pounded into the perfectly manicured dirt at Yankee Stadium.
Perhaps this streak is symptomatic of the impatience of the team's Boss. Younger teams like Tampa Bay have had their share of time in the basement, but there's no way around it - if you want good young players, you have to put them in and let them fuck up. You have to be patient to get them where they need to be. You're not going to find many Derek Jeters out there. Most guys are actually going to struggle while they adjust to playing in the big leagues.
Last night, Jeter rightly stated that talent and stars don't win baseball games. Yankees fans may hope that Steinbrenner was listening to the Yankee Captain. To shine bright enough to get noticed by George, you've got to already be in your prime, which means that by the time the Yanks get their hands on you, you're already damn near burning out.
At very least, the unfathomable - and, for Yankee fans, unspeakable - dearth of performance will force the Boss to change his way of thinking when it comes to building a winning baseball team:
1. Increasing a team's payroll does not equal a World Series Championship
2. Upping the payroll does not equal a team that will beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
3. Getting rid of youngsters with promise in exchange for older guys who are already halfway through their glory days is a bad idea
Still, I have to say that I hope the old farts stop making fools of themselves out there.