The New York Yankees

Their pitching is still suspect; last night doesn't help in that regard.

Meanwhile, the Braves finally won a game in which their starter pitched a gem. Hudson: 9 innings, 0 runs. And they managed to win!

Wait a minute... Moose and Brown pitch shutouts consectivly... Is this the start of the rest of the season, or are they just still in that same rut?

And Randy Johnson won last night. Well, the odds were something like this would happen eventually. They still have a lot of ground to make up and some major holes in their rotation.

I look for the Mariners to win tonight and tomorrow...

Looks like the "Yankees Suck" chant finally sunk into their fat heads.

As I noted early in the thread, the Yanks can afford a few bad seasons, but everyone knows they will eventually bounce back and continue winning more than anybody.

Well, with that payroll of theirs, making such a prediction is hardly going out on a limb, edgar!

Steinbrenner vents frustration at stuttering Yankees

BALTIMORE (Reuters) - New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner blasted his underachieving team Monday, saying his players had to possess a desire to win as much as he did.

Despite a $200 million payroll, the Yankees have stumbled to a 38-37 record this season and languished in third place in the American League East standings heading into Monday's game against the Baltimore Orioles.

"My patience is short because the team is not performing up to its great capabilities," Steinbrenner said in a statement.

"Players have to want to win as much as I do."

Steinbrenner summoned team executives to Tampa, Florida for a meeting Tuesday to discuss the direction of the club.

Among those attending will be general manager Brian Cashman.

After a stuttering start to the season, New York enjoyed a recent run of improved form that culminated in a six-game winning streak to kick off a 13-day homestand.

However, the club then stumbled badly, losing five of their next seven to lowly Tampa Bay and cross-town rivals, the New York Mets.

Yankees manager Joe Torre dismissed doubts over his players' desire to win but conceded that as team owner, Steinbrenner was entitled to his opinion.

"Because something doesn't get done doesn't mean you don't want it," Torre told reporters. "It's just that there's somebody over there (the other team) interfering with it.

"He's certainly, as the boss, entitled to say whatever he wants and to feel the way he feels. I don't know what that should make me feel like. I put myself under a great deal of pressure to do the job. And that hasn't changed."

UNHAPPY PLAYERS

Torre said he understood the frustration Steinbrenner must be feeling as the underperforming Yankees have eased into the playoffs for 10 straight seasons.

"I hope he wouldn't be happy," Torre said. "We'd be concerned if he was happy at this point. His players aren't happy.

"Because you don't win, doesn't mean you go home and celebrate or don't have bad feelings about it. If it doesn't go the way we want it to go, it certainly doesn't mean you're not working to try to have it happen.

"Sometimes you don't get the result you want to and unfortunately, that 'sometimes' has turned into a lot of times."

Although the Yankees' hitting, pitching and defense have been patchy all season, the club remains well in the hunt for a postseason berth, trailing AL East leaders Boston by 6 games.

"When we pitch, we don't hit," six-time All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter said.

"When we hit, we don't pitch. And when we hit and we pitch, we don't play defense. We've been very inconsistent."

"We could be in a lot worse shape than we are," he added. "But we still have to play a lot better."

© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=sportsNews&storyID=8907776

One of the disadvantages of trading for so many starters for so many years is that the Yankees farm system has atrophied. The players they're bringing up now are substandard in my opinion. The core of the championship years team is aging and Torre will find it more difficult to field a cohesive team. I see some lean years ahead unless they can jump start their farm teams.

they can coast 'til '09, when the new stadium'll be ready...

first embree, now bellhorn.

its nice to see someone's taking the sawx hand-me-downs...

Yes, the Yankees are eating the Red Sox table scraps off the floor. Nice.

Look again Slappy and Region, The Yankees are on a roll and heading into September where they will not only roll over and past the Massachusetts Cretins they will continue on and win the World Series.



(could someone give me another hit of morphine please)

Oh good. Another delaudid dreamer

Watch out for the A's. Yanks hold the season edge over them, but the boys from Oaktown have set a blistering post-All Star game pace and now lead the AL West.

The local team, who can only be spoilers at this point, beat NYY last night. I watched some on TV--saw Ichiro hit a three-run homer to put the game out of reach.

Now, if the kid 19-y.o. pitcher can beat Randy Johnson tonight, Safeco Field will be rockin'!

the lesser-known NY team is suddenly challenging for the NL wild card.

rick peterson, who did wonders with the A's pitching staff, is starting to rub off in flushing...

Felix blew it for you last night

On the upbeat side it appears those pesky White Sox lost another one.

Just to set the record straight, Sturgis, I'm not a Mariner fan. I root for the Braves.

Your gloating, though, does indicate you're a bona fide NYY fan. Enjoy--but remember: If NYY doesn't win the World Series (again), their season will have been a complete and abject failure...

7th inning...holy sh!t what a pitching duel. Wakefield has 12 K's going into the 7th.

Either way...Randy Johnson is a douchebag. Pumping his fist to strike out Damon to START the game, staring down Millar. He must have just realized how much he looks like an ugly redneck.