Whither Joe?

The other day, George said Joe would probably not be retained if the Yanks didn't beat Cleveland. Well, we know what happened there, and this morning, Hank Steinbrenner (Williams grad!) said that no decision has been made regarding Joe. Complicating matters, has been the noise from Po and Mo that they might leave should the manager be replaced. So what should the Yankees do?

I think the Yanks should spend the next few days convincing Joe to take another job in the organization, and then go get a new manager and a new pitching coach.

At some point, Joe has to answer for the diminishing postseason returns, and now is the time. The script is simple, the script is the same. The Yanks, despite Joe's horrific game and line-up decisions, dominate part or all of the regular season, only to tighten up and go down easier than a Larry Craig dream date or Donovan McNabb against the Giants in the postseason. In fact, for several years now, the Yanks have seemed to approach the playoffs with a sense of entitlement instead of a sense of purpose. They have folded at the first signs of adveristy. In other words, they have not been the Yankees. And that is all a product of Torre's leadership style. We have consistently lost to any team that comes at us with a "plan." We have not looked like we had a plan or a clue over these years, and the manager has to answer for that.

I don't have a strong opinion on who the Yanks should bring in as the new manager, but it's gonna have to be a guy who gives them a plan and empowers them come playoff time. Just because the Yankees are paid a lot, doesn't mean they are any different than the teams who look for and find the inspiration to beat them. The Yanks need to hire a guy who can lead and inspire this team and give them a plan.

And just as importantly, the Yanks need to bring in a top pitching coach.