HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..........................The Amazins do it again

The baseball season for the New York teams is over. The Yankees made quick work of their season, nice enough to fall out of the race gracefully at the beginning of September, a smart move considering it allowed the Yanks organization to focus solely on the last few days at the Stadium and send the old girl out in grand fashion. The Mets? I have come to the conclusion they hate their fans. I mean, really, really hate and loath their fans. How else can you explain the 07/08 baseball seasons?

You get the sense someone walked into a meeting at the beginning of the year and said "We blew a 7 game lead with 17 to go last year. Now, I know we can't repeat that kind of magic again, but I firmly believe, if we focus, play our cards right, do the little things wrong, make all the necessary mistakes, we can easily blow a 3 or 4 game lead with about 20 to go. And, the beauty of this year is, we can blow our chances on the last day of the season, in the last game ever played at Shea. Let's get out there people and make it happen."

I actually feel sorry for the Mets and their fans. Seriously, looking from the outside in, the Mets seem to have some pieces in place that would normally get fans all excited. David Wright and Jose Reyes are two of the best young players in the game. Ryan Church, before his concussion, was having an outstanding year and seems to be that type of gritty, gutty grinder all good teams need. Carlos Delgado went from public enemy #1 to a guy who put up MVP-esque numbers in the second half, and Carlos Beltran, public enemy #2, got a lot of clutch hits, including the last one of the season, a game tieing 2-run homer today. Daniel Murphy showed himself to be a very capable hitter and Mike Pelfrey went from seemingly a bust to a stud.

But, if you're a Mets fan right now, don't you want the whole damn thing blown up?

See, this is different than when the Yanks blew the 4-0 lead against the Sox. That was a four game choke job of epic proportions, but it was 4 games, three of which were classic back and forth battles that saw both teams play good baseball. The Mets collapse last year came against teams that weren't anywhere near contention over a period of two weeks. This year? Very similar, with the pesky yet well-out-of-contention Marlins playing spoiler again. The Mets didn't lose to the best of the best. They lost to teams either out of the race or playing to rest their stars. That leaves an after taste much worse than the 04 Yankee collapse.

What I find somewhat funny about all of this is that both Omar Minaya and Charlie Manuel are coming back in style next year. I'll be honest, I am not close enought to the situation to know if they deserved extensions or not, but seriously, the Mets have collapsed for a second year in a row when they had a firm grasp on the situation. Is no one to blame for this?

The problem is, even if you're the Mets and you want to pull a Planet of the Apes and nuke everything, what are your options? You're not going to trade David Wright or Carlos Beltran. You're probably not trading Reyes, who actually played well down the stretch. Your rotation will definitely include Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, and John Maine. Will they think about bringing back Oliver Perez? I can't see why not, considering he is a power lefty pitcher who came up big against big competition this year and is still young and healthy (even if he is a nutty guy to figure out). You going to jettison Ryan Church? That would seem to be silly. How about Delgado? You going to let him walk? And replace him with who? Jason Giambi? Sean Casey? Come on now.

Obviously, the number one problem the Mets have is their bullpen, but as we see year in and year out, good bullpens are almost always built from within. It is rare to see a team build a top quality pen through signings and trades. Plus, the Mets don't have much to give up, and if they did, why not use whatever talent they had in their own pen?

The truth is the Mets are in a terrible position entering this off season. Their fans are going to want blood, and what started as an uneasy and, sometimes, a downright ugly year this year when the amazins struggled initially will be even more contentious next year after back-to-back collapses. The team has almost nothing of value in the minor leagues except for Fernando Martinez, who they have been reluctant to offer up in a trade, meaning that they don't really have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to making deals or injecting youth into the organization. And, finally, many of the players who are authored this collapse are the more important players on the team. Fans have quickly soured on Jose Reyes, with many calling for him to be traded early in the year. He played well this season, but you can bet there will be plenty of fans who want him outta town. David Wright has been a favorite from almost day 1, but while his stats were good this year his A-Rod imitation with runners in scoring position certainly dimmed that star. Beltran and Delgado have never endeared themselves to the fans, despite good stats and big hits, and even Santana has gotten his share of irrational criticism by fans who question why he can't pitch 9 inning shut outs every time.

The point? Fans fall in love with some teams and become disgusted with other. The Mets faithful were already leery of this team coming into the year, now they will be downright indignant.

Bye Bye 2008 season, you miserable bastard..............here comes 2009, you beautiful mistress

I already went through the moves that I believe need to be made for next year. Let's examine some of the hot-button issues surrounding the Yanks as they head into the postseason.

Should he stay or should he go now??????

Bobby Abreu. Oh Bobby, what are we gonna do with you?

In one of my last posts I talked about bringing Bobby back for a few more years. The logic behind that is pretty obvious; this team is starved for offensive production and giving up on a .300 20 100 guy who scores 100 runs and still gets on base (even if it isn't as automatic as it used to be) seems like a backward move, don't you think?

But for all his good qualities, there are also a lot of negatives. First, Bobby aint the sharpest tool in the shed. His base running is putrid and he has a tendency to hurt the team at the wrong time in the wrong spots. The only thing worse is the man's defense. Saying it is shaky is generous. He plays scared. He won't go near the wall. He won't dive for a liner or try for a shoestring catch at critical moments when the team needs a defensive pick-me-up.

He is also an aging player who, despite putting up consistent numbers with the Yanks the last few seasons, has seen his overall performance go down since his heady days with the Phillies. Next year he will be 35. That isn't ancient at all. In fact, barring injury, you SHOULD be able to expect at least two or three more good years from the man. But do you want to committ to Abreu for an extended period of time? All indications say no.

It seems finances will answer this question. All reports are that the Yanks will offer Abreu arbitration. If he accepts, the Yanks control Abreu for one more season at a relatively low price. But what are the chances Abreu, in this baseball climate, coming off a year where he went .300 20 100 once again won't get a multi-year contract for someone? My guess is someone throws years and money at Bobby - years and money the Yanks won't match - and Abreu's career as a Yank comes to a quiet end.

Robby Cano, don't you know?

Trade or not to trade, that is the question, and the Yanks are gonna have to answer that fairly quickly in the offseason. My feeling? Cano is coming off what has really been a bad, bad year, but he has worked with Kevin Long, corrected some holes in his swing, and seemed to take the benching by Joe Girardi (a long time coming) well, stepping up his intensity and hustle. I can't imagine, given his stats, you could trade Cano for anywhere near what Cano should be worth? My feeling on Cano is this..........if you had a vintage Bentley and, coming home one day, you hit a slick spot on the road and went into a telephone pole. The damage wasn't significant, and everything about the car was the same, but the front end was dinged up, the bumper off, and some improvements would be necessary. Would you then decide to go and sell the car? Would you really pick the time when the car's value was at its lowest to sell? Or would you fix the car up and then decide if you wanted to sell or hang onto the vehicle?

I can't imagine anyone would pay what Cano is worth at this point. If someone showed up on the Yankee doorstep and said "we'll give you our best players for Cano" then the Yanks should sit down and talk. However, I truly believe Cano has offensive greatness in his future and I believe, unless someone is willing to overpay to get him, Robby C should be patrolling second for a long, long time.

One more ride with the Giambino?

There has been a lot of comment about possibly bringing the G-man back for one more year. It's obvious that Giambi is a popular player in that clubhouse and there is no question the big guy can still crush the ball. You really can't argue with the numbers and, bucking the trend of the last few years, the big man stayed pretty healthy all year long. There is still baseball left in that bat, no question.

But something needs to change on this team and, as solid a player as Giambi has been, his style of play, his type of game is the epitome of what the Yanks have been over the last few years; slow, plodding, one dimensional guys who aren't exactly defensive gurus. Giambi is a DH, whether he likes that or not. He has been a good player for the Yanks but, given his age and his limited game, the Yanks should let him move on to another team, one that is actively looking for a big, slugging DH to compliment perhaps a faster, more defensive oriented roster. The Yanks need the opposite. They need to hang on to a guy like Matsui and ADD fast, defensive, gritty players that have more than just a few years left in the tank.

The center of attention?

Okay, we know the Yanks don't want to throw Johnny Damon out in center every day. Girardi has already said Damon is the type of player that needs days off from time to time and there has been a feeling within the Yankee organization for the last few years that Johnny Damonic just aint up to the everyday rigors of playing the spacious center field at Yankee Stadium (the new place will have the same dimensions as the old). So what do the Yanks do?

Well, there is a prevailing thought out there that the Yanks will go and get themselves a center fielder. What I love about such rumors, such proclamations, is that they seem to just materialize out of thin air. "The Yanks will get a center fielder." Really? From where? Is there a great, young center field depot I'm no aware of? Are they sold on eBay? Can you buy a "build your own Ellsbury" kit on Amazon.com?

In a perfect world, a young, talented, Bernie Williams clone would be out there for the having, but he aint. So, who would the Yanks be looking at? Juan Pierre? Please. Aaron Rowand? Very nice player but are the Giants, desparate for hitting and evidently ready to trade Matt Cain to get some, really going to give away one of their only legit offensive weapons? Doubt it. Shane Victorino? The Phillies are on their way back to the playoffs for the second year in a row in large part due to the gutty Victorino type players they have. I doubt they want to mess with that chemistry.

The name you hear alot of Nate McClouth from the Pirates. Now, I would never underestimate the stupidity of a franchise like the Pirates, but why would the Bucs trade a young, power-hitting center fielder who won't really start to cost the team any money for another 3 years, especially when they already jettisoned Xavier Nady and Jason Bay at the deadline?

To me, the smartest move for the Yanks would be to give Bret Gardner all the opportunity in the world to be the Yanks everyday center fielder. He is a plus defender. He has blazing speed. He can do all the little things a player of his type should be able to - bunt, steal, move runners over. You can put Damon in left where his defensive short comings are all but hidden and his speed and ability to get decent jumps on the ball are highlighted. Then, you can move Nady to right field (after letting Abreu walk) and have a very good defensive outfield, if allbeit a relatively weak throwing one.

Plus, the Yanks have to remember that their best young position player prospect, Austin Jackson, seems to be about a year away from making the leap to the bigs. Right now he is a center fielder (named defensive player of the year for the Eastern League this season) but, if Gardner took to the position, it would seem Jackson could easily move to right or left in 2010 when Damon's contract expires. If the Yanks are serious about going in a different direction it would seem to me that Gardner is the perfect type of player to begin to phase into the mix. Plus, if the Yanks are going to use some of their better young minor leaguers to bring in another bat, it should be used to shore up our next topic.........

Who's on first?

I still believe the Yanks should use the considerable amount of money they have coming off the books this offseason to go after Mark Teixiera, even though the switch hitting first baseman will cost a lot in terms of years and money. Obviously, the Yanks will be looking at, and paying for pitching, but why not pursue a young, healthy, power hitting, switch hitting, gold glove caliber first baseman to plug in for the next decade? Even a long term deal (7 or 8 years) for Tex would only put him in his mid-30's when the contract came up, meaning there is a VERY GOOD chance the Yanks could get top, consistent play from him for the duration of the contract.

However, let's jump the gun here and assume the Yanks can't land Tex for first. What then?

Well, as I said before, I don't think the answer is bringing Giambi back so a trade would be necessary. Who for? One of the names the media has thrown around this year is Casey Kotchman of the Braves. Casey went to the Braves in the Teixiera deal. He is a slick-fielding 25-year old that seems like he may just be scratching the surface of his potential. However, Kotchman's numbers are not eye-popping and the Braves are usually one of the smartest teams in baseball when it comes to player evaluation. If they are willing to let Kotchman go after less than a year on the team, shouldn't that send signals? Then there is Conor Jackson in Arizona. Jackson doesn't have the prototypical power you want and expect from a first baseman. So far this year, at 26, he only has 12 dingers. But Jackson is a .300 hitter, does have some pop, and is a terrific defensive player. How about Joey Votto with the Reds? Cincinnatti has already shown a willingness to trade offensive for pitching (Hamilton for Volquez last year). Would they be willing to part ways with budding star Votto for Phil Hughes and/or Ian Kennedy? Would the Yanks be willing to do that?

Teixiera offers the Yanks an option of only having to expend dollars, not prospects, however if they don't land him, they can't settle for another first baseman in name only, or clog both their defense and lineup with guys who are only DH quality. There are some young first basemen out there to be had and, even though they all have question marks, they also all have that Tino-esque potential. Winning teams require smart scouting and knowing about a player's ability before he shows up in your clubhouse. Finding a quality first baseman will be a real challenge for the Yanks front office.

We know about CC, but what about AJ?

The Yanks are gonna go after CC Sabathia. We all know this. Unless the Brewers, in their desire to make the playoff for the first time in what seems like a century, don't ruin Sabathia's career in a 3 week span, the big lefty will be the centerpiece of the Yanks off season moves.

The other name on the market will be AJ Burnett, the 31-year-old power-pitching righty for the Blue Jays. I have to admit, I am somewhat shocked at how in love some fans and media types have become with Burnett. If anyone ONLY watched him pitch against the Yanks it wouldn't be hard to understand. He is Don Drysdal and Sandy Koufax wrapped in one arm when he sees the Pinstripes. His record against virtually everyone else is what concerns me.

First, this is only the third time in his career he has pitched 200 innings or more and only the second time he has made 30+ starts. In 2006 he pitched only 135 innings, followed by 165 innings in 2007, so it isn't as if Burnett has come right up to the 200 innings line each year and just fallen short. Usually his years are cut short due to injury.

Second, his highest win total before this year (where he won 18 games) was 12. Third, while his ERA has never been bad, it has also never been exceptionally impressive. The lowest ERA of his career was 3.30 in 2002 with the Marlins. This year, for all his success, his ERA is 4.07. But what is even more disturbing to me, honestly, is how similar this situation is to Carl Pavano's situation. Before the Yanks signed Pavano in 2005 he had only pitched 200 innings twice in his career. He won 18 games in 2004, with his second highest win total of his career being 12. He had only stared 30+ games twice before in his career. And, of course, he was a teammate of Burnett on the Marlins team that won the series against the Yanks in 2003. Now, don't get me wrong, Pavano and Burnett are not the same pitchers. Burnett's ERA has hovered around 3.5 to 4 his entire career whereas Pavano had only two years with an ERA under 4. While neither pitcher was especially durable, Burnett has at least pitched over 130 innings almost each year, whereas Pavano had many years where he barely pitched 100. And, Burnett is a certified power pitcher with nasty stuff. Pavano never had that kind of talent (in fact, when you look at what Pavano was coming off the 2004 season, it is really mindboggling to think so many teams were ready to throw ace-quality money at a guy with such a shoddy background).

But Burnett represents a 31 year-old injury plagued pitcher coming off his best year ever, looking to capitalize on a season he may not duplicate. Haven't the Yanks been down that road before?

Go get Sabathia, make Chamberlain a starter from day one of spring training, get Wang healthy, and then bring back Mussina and Pettitte. That gives you a GREAT combination of youth, potential and talent. Then, depending on what you have to trade to inject some youth into your lineup, you will have Hughes waiting in the wings to step in if there is an injury.

Goodbye old girl, I'm gonna miss you

I have to admit I found it strange how many times I thought of Yankee Stadium this week. With the old ballpark ready to close its doors for the last time, it sorta felt like I was leaving my childhood home once again.

I understand that progress waits for no man, and the new Yankee Stadium seems poised to offer a great baseball viewing experience, but sometimes new doesn't necessarily mean good. If I had my choice, would I trade the old Yankee Stadium for a new, $1 billion coliseum across the street? Nope, but that's just me. I like a place where the walls can talk, where the grass whispers stories of yesteryear in your ear as you watch the game, and where you can look out onto the field and, if you try hard enough, can still see Joe Dimaggio and Mickey Mantle flagging down fly balls in center field.

I think a part of it, for me, is that the more we lose places like Yankee Stadium, the further away we get from our past. We lose that touch, that feel we still keep with our ancestors, with only the uncertain future staring us in the face.

But none of that matters. At this time next year we will have a new stadium, and a new Yankee team to talk about. It is hard, however, to wipe the memories away without feeling a few tears well up inside.

I remember my first Yankee game. It was 1987 I believe, I was 9 year's old, and it was a Yankee/Red Sox clash in the Bronx. Just like everyone else, I remember how big that stadium looked to me, how bright and clear the colors were, and I remember catching a glimpse of Don Mattingly, my favorite player, for the first time. It was exhilirating. The Yankees lost that day, 10-8, but Mattingly hit a home run, a young Roger Clemens was knocked out of the game early when he was hit on the foot, Wade Boggs got booed A LOT, and there must have been 6 or 7 fights in the stands that day.

Another memory: Sitting in the bleachers with my friend for game 2 of the 1995 ALDS against the Mariners. This was the first time the Yanks had tasted the playoffs since 1981 and the crowd was utterly electric. I remember every aspect of that game, how Ken Griffey Jr. put on a performance I will never forget, hitting two home runs, making great defensive plays, and seemingly carrying his team on his back. I remember the Ruben Sierra near homer off the top of the wall that tied, and almost won, the game in the bottom of the ninth and, of course, Jimmy Leyritz, as clutch as they come, just getting the ball out in right field to win it in the 15th. But what I will remember most about that game was the back-to-back home runs by Don Mattingly and Paul O'Neill. I have never felt a stadium move before like it did when Mattingly blasted that homer into the seats. It was as if they whole place literally had life breathed into it.

Then, the greatest game I have ever seen live: David Cone's perfect game. I won't bore you with every detail, but some of my favorite memories from that day are: my friend was suppose to join us that day but, instead, decided to stay home and finish up some studying for a class he was taking that summer. While he was a Mets fan, his favorite player was David Cone, and when he got home from the library and turned on the game, the first words he heard from Tim McCarver were "this is the greatest game I have ever seen pitched." It is still a sore subject for him; I remember two Mets fans sitting in front of myself and my friend, constantly mentioning that Cone was pitching a perfect game. Only truly hard-core fans understand how immoral that was. I, and my buddy, were probably an inning away from getting into a brawl. How DARE they try and jinx Coney. Alas, like most things in Mets land, their efforts failed miserably; I remember it rained that day, which was necessary because of how hot it was (especially in the bleachers) but the concern was that Coney wouldn't come out after the delay. Remember, Cone was older then, the Yanks were actually in a pennant race, and he had arm problems. Thank GOD Joe Torre sent him back out there; finally, I remember, after the hysteria of the celebration on the mound, no one wanted to leave. People just stood there, looking out on the field, smiling and high-fiving. A few minutes after everything had settled down, Cone walked back out onto the field and he pointed directly to the bleachers, thanking all the fans who had been so vocal, so forceful throughout the game. It was a special moment. It felt personal. It felt like we, each one of us, had a hand in helping him achieve such an amazing goal. I'll never, ever forget that.

But as amazing as that game was, it is not my favorite Yankee Stadium memory.

In the early 1990's (maybe 92 or 93) I went to a day-night double header against the Tigers, who still had Cecil Fielder and Rob Deer and all those big hitters who never had a big pitcher to help them out. Anyway, the first game the Yankees won easily, scoring a few times in the middle innings and holding on. By the second game, half the stadium had cleared out. This was not the glory days in the Bronx. The team was a collection of players that barely seemed to make up a team and getting a Yankee ticket was about as hard as getting a subway ticket.

My friend and I moved down to the good seats and by the ninth inning the Yanks found themselves down by 1 run. Two quick outs and then a base hit. I forget who, exactly, got on, or who was coming up next, but what I do remember is that, as the batter took his spot in the box, getting ready to hit, Don Mattingly strolled out of the dugout to the on deck position. Mattingly hadn't played in either of the two games, nursing a sore hand bruised as he hustled into second base one day, but here he was, getting ready to pinch hit, getting ready to take the game in his hands.

There must have been only 5,000 people in the stands by that time, but the roar that erupted from them was nearly deafening. No one was watching the at bat. They were watching Mattingly and going WILD. People were stomping and cheering and chanting "Donnie Baseball" over and over. The batter in the box simply became a part of a greater story. Had he won it with a two out home run, everyone in attendance would have been disappointed. We wanted to see our hero, Donnie Baseball, step to the plate with the game on the line. That was the hollywood ending we wanted.

The baseball Gods were kind. The batter drew a hard-fought walk. Men on first and second, two outs, down by one run, and Mattingly walked up to the plate. The noise, the excitement was overwhelming. THIS was what sports was all about. Not the great moment in the great game, but the great moment in the meaningless game, the ones that surprise you the most and stay with you forever. The ones that feel personal to you.

As Mattingly stood in, he crouched down into his usual batting stance, readied himself for the pitch. Fastball, inner half of the plate. Quick bat, through the zone. Good wood. From the crack of the bat, you knew Mattingly had crushed it, and as the ball sailed into the right field corner the runner from second easily scored. Tie game. Mattingly on second, runner on third, new game, new life.

In that moment, 5,000 people made a noise you wouldn't think 50,000 could. It was an explosion, and as pitchers were changed the crowd serenaded their hero with a standing ovation.

The Tigers would get out of the inning and send the game to extras, where, in the 11th, Wade Boggs would hit an upper deck home run to win it. But, for me, the memory was Mattingly walking out of that dugout, sending a small crowd into a loud frenzy, and giving me a moment I will never forget.

This year has been pretty deviod of such moments. I, like the rest of Yankee land, has spent a lot of time laying the blame for such a bad season at the feet of so many different people. But over this last week I took a different view. See, this stadium has provided more AMAZING moments than one place should ever be allowed. Whether you look at it as the stadium built in 1923 or the one refurbished in 1976, it is still the House That Ruth Built, kept alive by one great game after another.

I look at this season and simply say the old girl just didn't have any magic left. She used it all up. While we all would have liked her to go out with another pile of championship players, leap frogging one another on the mound at the end of October, the truth is she is tired. She wants to rest. She wants to go to sleep for the last time.

By next year, a new grand stadium will be up and running. Who knows what kind of memories will be made there. Will this new stadium have the same character, same flair for the dramatic as her mother did? Who knows. One can only hope. But, this weekend is a time to remeber why we are all Yankee fans, remember why we love this team, through the good and through the bad, and to look back for a moment before we are forced to look forward.

So, goodnight old lady. We love you, and we will miss you.

Are we seriously back to talking about Joba?

You know, some people just never get tired of being stupid. They wear it as a badge of honor.

Take, for instance, every single person who somehow still believes that Joba Chamberlain should be placed back in the bullpen. This was an arguement that was LOST by such idiots once Joba was phased into the rotation and PROVED that he could be, not only a very good starting pitcher, but a potentially DOMINANT starting pitcher. He did nothing but PROVE that his ultimate worth is in the rotation.

Then, the youngster came down with shoulder tendinitis. Suddenly, the Mike Francesa morons of the world were back at it, imploring the Yanks to make the stupiest decision in baseball history.

Look, I'm not going to rehash all these arguements. It feels like I am continually argueing that the sky is blue. After a while, you have to accept some people just don't believe the truth, even when it is staring you in the face. Let me just ask this?

Could someone PLEASE name me the team that is having this same arguement about their top pitching prospects? The Seattle Mariners are NOT a good team, right? Is there anyone there SCREAMING for Felix Hernandez to be made a set-up man and future closer of the team? I haven't heard a lot of discussion on the part of the Red Sox of putting top prospect Clay Bucholtz in the bullpen permanently, even though their GREAT flaw is the bridge to Papelbon.

If moving a talented pitcher, with the potential to be a great starter, into the pen is the right thing to do, how come NO ONE else has done it? I mean, hell, the yanks just got 1 hit by a youngster (Morrow) who has terrific stuff and was in the bullpen, but he was MOVED to the rotation because, you know, THAT'S WHERE YOU PUT GREAT PITCHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not a big fan of Hank Steinbrenner, but he is absolutely, positively right when he says Joba would be WASTED as a reliever. Look at it this way.............the Yanks have had the BEST closer in history and, from 2001-2009, with that same closer, the Yanks have won EXACTLY 0 championships. Why? Because of Rivera? Nope. Because of that bridge to Mo? Nope. Because of the thin starting pitching? Absolutely.

If the Yanks signed a guy like CC, got Wang back healthy, and plugged Joba in as a starter PERMANENTL, you have, as the Yanks, your top three starters for the next 8 years. Why would you not want that? Doesn't that give you the BEST chance to win now and in the future?

Just mindless, it really is.

*Question: Is Hard Knocks, the HBO documentary on the Cowboys training camp, suppose to make me like Terrel Owens more than I do? The show has routinely shown Owens "mentoring" younger players and "playing" around with his teammates. But it also shows him routinely mouthing off, talking smack, making an ass out of himself to the delight of sicophant idiots on the team, singing badly, making terrible, unfunny jokes, and occassionally dropping a pass in practice (did you know he did that every once in a while?).

Watching the show, I like the guy even less. Putting on his "best face" for the show, he still comes across as an arrogant prick who continues to do a wonderful job of hiding all of his championship rings.

And what is the fascination with showing Owens shirtless CONSTANTLY? Who is editing this show for HBO, Lance Bass? I mean, why do I need constant slow-mo shots of Ownes half naked, with intense, serious instrumental music playing in the background? What have I learned from the Hard Knocks show? Owens needs someone to go to Target and buy him a few shirts.

* Can the media at least be honest and not try and push some notion down our throat that the yanks are playing for anything more than pride? I understand Joe Girardi has to put on the "never say die" face, but why does Michael Kay and Bob Lorenz need to do the same? Love or hate Yankee fans, we're pretty damn smart. If I want to watch the Yanks finish out the season, I will. It isn't as if Bob Lorenz is gonna keep me coming back to YES every night because he refuses to admit the Yanks are dead. "I wasn't gonna watch tonight but, by God, Bob Lorenz believes they still have a chance so I'll be DAMNED if I am giving up on them." PLEASE!!!!!!!! I would be far more interested to hear what studio analysts and some of the guys in the booth think about who SHOULD be back next year, whether the Yanks should be playing more of their young kids, etc...... rather than getting some kind of stupid playoff run breakdown after every win or loss. Those days are over. We can all see that, why can't you?

Labor Day Grades for the Yankees

In most professions, you get a review after a certain amount of time on the job. Good review? You usually get a raise. Bad Review? Stay where you are and start looking for another job (cause someone is probably gonna ask you to do that anyway).

So with Labor Day upon us (a celebration of hard work and dedication to one's career) I thought it would be a good idea to go around the horn for the Yanks and see who makes the grade.

Catcher: Jose Molina/Pudge Rodriguez - C+

This is a combined grade because Molina gets an A and Pudge gets a D, so by my calculations that comes out to about a C+. Molina has been much more than the Yanks could have hoped, and considering how poorly Pudge has played the team probably would have been better served just extrusting the every day duties to Jose. No, he isn't gonna hit all that much, but for a guy with almost no bat, he comes up with the occasional big hit, has a little bit of pop, enough to keep people honest. His defensive skills are off the charts retaining him for next year is about as important a move as you can make.

Pudge, on the other hand, has played miserably. He hasn't hit, his throws have been all over the place to second, and he hasn't provided any pop/big hit ability, which you would have expected from him. Who knows where the hall of famer ends up next year, but it won't be on a Yankee roster.

First Base: Jason Giambi - C-

I'll admit, going into the season I thought the Giambino was washed up and should be sent out to pasture. He has certainly played like someone deserving of being in the lineup every day and his power numbers have returned. However (and perhaps this isn't completely his fault) when you hit in the number 5 hole and you have an average with runners in scoring position that is barely peeking up above the Mendoza line, you are consistently letting your team down.

Giambi, for all his power, has been a main culprit in the Yankee's woeful average with runners on base and his overall ineffective play at first has also hurt the team. You know things are going the wrong way when simply making scoop plays at first (which is something any decent first bagger should be able to do) is applauded as if it were Mattingly-esque. Giambi's power numbers have masked an otherwise very ineffective year.

Second Base: Robinson Cano - D

This is turning out to be a D for Disaster.

Cano's numbers are a disappointment, certainly, but, when compared to the rest of the second basemen in the league, the numbers really aren't all that bad. A lot of teams would take .270 13 60 right now out of their second baseman, no question about it.

But Cano's talent dictates that, by now, he should be one of the game's elite players, someone who reminds us all a lot more of Roberto Alomar than Luis Soho, and the fact that Cano has taken such a major step back, after hitting over .300 last year with nearly 20 homers and 100 RBI, is a HUGE disappointment and concern.

However, what makes Cano's year so hard to swallow is his attitude and his careless play. No one is suggesting that Cano is a bad person, but you don't need to be a bad person to take your job for granted. There are plenty of people (including myself) who are good, decent, likeable, affable people who, at one time or another, took a job wayyyyyy too lightly and didn't produce the results that were required.

Girardi, from the beginning of the year, has treated Cano like a little leaguer, seemingly more concerned about the young man's psyche than his performance. Every miscue is explained away as "being human" but, after a while, you're not "human" you're sloppy as hell.

Cano has done little in his career except show flashes of brilliance, yet he plays the game as if there is a resume of excellence behind, while players with such resumes (Jeter, A-Rod) play hard and aggressive and passionate every single day. Cano does not hustle as much as he should. He does not have a high baseball IQ. He is far too lackadasical with his play in the field, and he loses focus way too often. Whether these lapses have been addressed away from camera's and reporters is anyone's guess, but it continues to happen, so either Girardi's message isn't clear or it isn't even being sent.

Short Stop: Derek Jeter - B-

Jeter is Jeter, so you can never have a truly unproductive year. He plays hard, still has the ability to get big hits in big spots, and has improved his defense up the middle this year to answer those critics who blindly labeled him the "worst defensive short stop in baseball." Yet, there is no question that this has been the furture hall of famer's worst offensive year of his career. He has raised his average very near .300 and may end up, as usualy, past that demarkation line, but all of his other numbers are down and he has become a ground ball machine, which accounts for his high number of double plays.

Jeter was never a home run hitter, but he was far from being a punch and judy hitter either. He routinely had 40 doubles and would have about 15+ homers per year to go along with his 200 hits. Now, it seems the first thing gone from his arsenal, as he gets older, is that little bit of power he once had. He still has the speed to get on base and steal double digits, and he is still gonna rack up close to 200 hits a season, but this year has shown Jeter, for the first time, to be somewhat on the decline, and that decline has been a major factor in the team's offensive struggles.

Third Base: Alex Rodriguez - B-

A-Rod gets the same grade as Jeter.

Overall, A-Rod's numbers are decent while not outstanding, but while he seemed to have gotten past his problems in the clutch last year with a season for the ages, he has returned to his 2006 form this year, hitting just .240 with RISP. He and Giambi have combined to leave half of China on base this year, and one would be pretty rich if they had a nickel for every time the Yanks had runners on with no one out and got nothing because A-Rod and Giambi combined for the pat strike out, pop up double play.

A-Rod went back to being a compiler this year and while his numbers will look fine when the season expires, everyone who has watched him knows how much of a struggle it has been. Like Jeter, the Yanks will expect a much better overall year next year.

Right Field: Bobby Abreu - B

I was actually expecting a lot more from Abreu considering he is a free agent after this season, but what you have gotten from Abreu is his normal, productive yet unimpressive season. He is hitting close to .300 with 15 homers and 83 RBI, on pace for his usual .300 20 100. That is good, but not great, and Abreu's terrible base running has hurt the team numerous times this year, as has his consistently shotty defense in right field.

Considering how tough it has been for the team to score runs this year, bringing Abreu back is a real possibility. However, I thought Bobby was gonna make the case for a multi-year contract for big bucks with a big, big season and, again, he has simply nestled nicely into yet another average, B year. If he wants more than 2 years (which he probably will) the Yanks would be best served to let him walk.

Left Field: Johnny Damon/Xavier Nady - A-

Damon had the spot in the beginning of the year, Nady now, and both have played very well. Nady just has the look of a hardnosed player that gets big hits and helps your team win. Damon is still productive and is a spark plug at the top of the lineup. Both have done their jobs and played very well.

Center Field: Johnny Damon/Melky Cabrera - D

I am not including the revolving door of Bret Gardner and Justin Christian, they didn't play enough games there. It has really been Damon and Melky. Why such a low grade?

Damon's defense in center is, well, unacceptable really at this point. His arm has always been a liability but now he no longer seems to have the range that at one time made up for those weak throws. His offense, as stated before, has been fine, but Damon is no longer and everyday center fielder.

But it is Melky's whopping F that brings the overall grade down.

Sure, it is fun to watch Melky track balls down and throw guys out. He is a heck of a defensive player. But Melky went from being a potentially productive major leaguer to a decent serviceable major leaguer to a down right atrocious major leaguer who was an automatic out. Melky was allowed to patrol center for way, way, way too long and his inability to even remotely hit at a decent major league level hurt the team, even if he was buried at the 9 hole.

When Melky first came up, it appeared he had the tools to be a .280 hitter with a little pop. In other words, a Shane Victorino-esque guy. The numbers wouldn't earn him a trip to Cooperstown or to the All Star game, but it would make him a valuable every day addition. That was 2006. Now, in 2008 he has played himself back to the minors where he ultimately might belong.

The rotation: C+

I am gonna take a little short cut here because there have been so many guys who have filtered through it would take too long to grade them all. Pettitte has been a disappointment, Mussina has earned an A+, Joba has an A in waiting, held up by the injury, and everyone else has really just been average, from Rasner and Ponson to even now Pavano. There have been terrible games, there have been decent games. The rotation has not been the overall problem for the Yankees. No, they haven't been spectacular and have accounted for their share of losses, but overall, they have been average.

The bullpen: D

This would have been much higher only a month ago, but the bullpen hit a wall towards the middle of August and now they are in full "hold your breath mode." Mariano has been an A-, getting that - because of his terrible performances in tie games, which do actually count. After that, it has been a crap shoot. Jose Veras? Has ranged from an A to a D. Damaso Marte? Mostly an F. Edwar Ramirez? I don't even know how to grade this guy. On the one hand he has gone through stretches in the season where he has been unhittable, literally. Yet, there isn't one pitcher in that bullpen who has given up as many big, devastating hits as Ramirez and there isn't one pitcher I'd least like to see in an important spot. The numbers say one thing, the eyes say another.

Manager: Joe Girardi - D

Okay, let's get a few things out of the way. One, this season is not all on Girardi's shoulders. You can't make guys hit in the clutch or pitch out of trouble. With a veteran team, the guys should be performing on their own, leaning on built up guile and determination, and the fact that this team hasn't been able to do that is on them, not Girardi.

Two, we know there have been a lot of injuries and that certainly hasn't been GI Joe's fault. Wang rounding third? Bruney covering a base? Posada just not being healthy all year? Nothing Girardi can do about that.

However, here's what Girardi could have done: he could have done something about this team's lack of focus and energy. At no point in time did I ever see a Yankee team play with such lifelessnesss under Joe Torre. Maybe they are just pressing, the stress gettingg to them, but when was the last time you felt so sure a Yankee team was going to lose when they got behind, even by a few runs, early in the game? Seriously, Michael Kay has said it a few times and I agree - this team has a glass jaw and that has to fall somewhat on the shoulders of the manager.

How can you not blame Girardi for Cano's year this year? He hasn't hustled, has made bone headed plays left and right, and hurt the team in every way imagineable, yet Girardi is always an apologist for Cano rather than a disciplinarian. Is he addressing this behind closed doors? If so, the message isn't getting across, not in the least. It is ironic that Girardi was brought in after Torre in part because there was a sense that grandpa Joe was too easy on his players, yet it was under Torre that players seemed to be held far more accountable for their actions. Cano, Abreu, even Melky were all sent out there day after day, inning after inning, even when they hurt the team with their lack of focus and energy. Inexcuseable.

His in game strategy has, at times, been terrible, but we'll let that slide for now because that is what it is.

The progession of the "young" players has been nonexistent. Girardi was billed as a rookie guru, someone who would nuture the Yankee farm hands through this transition. Not one young player has improved or even really performed under Girardi.

We already touched on Cano and Melky and they dismal seasons both are having (with Melky relegated to the minors). How about Phil Hughes? Before he was injured Phil Franchise looked like Phil Fraud. Ian Kennedy? Look, maybe it isn't possible to make silver out of shit, but Joey G was all on board with handing over a spot to Kennedy in the beginning of the year and the kid helped put the Yanks in an early season slumber from which they have never awoke.

Girardi came in with a lot of promise and hype, many believing he would be a throw back to Billy Martin, a tough minded baseball genius. The truth? This year has been so suspect and so bad, just on his end, it is no guarantee that Joe Girardi will make it through his full contract as manager.