Spring Break
A-Rod, Get Out Of Here
Rajiv Leventhal
Issue date: 10/9/06 Section: Sports
The Yankees also need to get rid of Mike Mussina and Gary Sheffield. Mussina has a $17 million option for next year and Sheffield has a $13 million option. The options should not be picked up for either player. Mussina will be 38 years old next season and has pitched poorly in the last two postseasons for the Yankees. A younger pitcher should be brought in in place of him for next year and the future.
Sheffield is not needed for the Yankees next year as Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera will all be part of the Yankee outfield. Sheffield does not get half the criticism as A-Rod, but he is 8-50, hitting .160 in his last 13 playoff games. He puts up power numbers but sometimes swings too hard instead of just placing the ball for a base hit. The younger Cabrera should be part of the Yankee outfield, pushing either Matusi or Abreu to the DH spot. The 21-year-old hit .280 this season with 50 RBIs and is great defensively. He is certainly the more efficient option than the constantly disgruntled Sheffield.
Finally, despite rumors, the Yankees should not fire Joe Torre and bring in Lou Pinella to manage the team. The New York Daily News has already reported that owner George Steinbrenner will make this change. However, the organization must step in and prevent this from happening. Torre has had his share of mistakes this year, including benching Jason Giambi in a must-win game for a rookie, batting A-Rod eighth in Game 4 against Detroit and overworking a suspect bullpen during the regular season. Regardless he is still one of the best managers in the league and he knows how to handle a team full of superstars. Torre is best known for his clubhouse presence, and this cannot be overlooked. He has won every year and even though he always has a great team to work with, winning is not easy. The Yankees should ask themselves if Pinella really gives them a better chance to win a championship than Torre. The answer is no, as Torre has proven himself as a great manager over the past decade. Getting rid of him because his players cannot hit in the clutch is foolish and Steinbrenner should come to his senses before he makes a big mistake.
These changes might not make a difference right away, but it's a start. The Yankees need to move towards a younger, more efficient, pitching-oriented future. Getting rid of three of their biggest playoff underachievers should help the cause. Other players such as Jason Giambi and Randy Johnson are impossible to trade because of their age and huge contracts. The organization and fans must realize that winning a World Series every year is impossible and patience is necessary. Otherwise, we will see the same thing happen every October - a bully lineup with not enough pitching to win. The Yankees must learn their lesson and develop a true recipe for success.
Sheffield is not needed for the Yankees next year as Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera will all be part of the Yankee outfield. Sheffield does not get half the criticism as A-Rod, but he is 8-50, hitting .160 in his last 13 playoff games. He puts up power numbers but sometimes swings too hard instead of just placing the ball for a base hit. The younger Cabrera should be part of the Yankee outfield, pushing either Matusi or Abreu to the DH spot. The 21-year-old hit .280 this season with 50 RBIs and is great defensively. He is certainly the more efficient option than the constantly disgruntled Sheffield.
Finally, despite rumors, the Yankees should not fire Joe Torre and bring in Lou Pinella to manage the team. The New York Daily News has already reported that owner George Steinbrenner will make this change. However, the organization must step in and prevent this from happening. Torre has had his share of mistakes this year, including benching Jason Giambi in a must-win game for a rookie, batting A-Rod eighth in Game 4 against Detroit and overworking a suspect bullpen during the regular season. Regardless he is still one of the best managers in the league and he knows how to handle a team full of superstars. Torre is best known for his clubhouse presence, and this cannot be overlooked. He has won every year and even though he always has a great team to work with, winning is not easy. The Yankees should ask themselves if Pinella really gives them a better chance to win a championship than Torre. The answer is no, as Torre has proven himself as a great manager over the past decade. Getting rid of him because his players cannot hit in the clutch is foolish and Steinbrenner should come to his senses before he makes a big mistake.
These changes might not make a difference right away, but it's a start. The Yankees need to move towards a younger, more efficient, pitching-oriented future. Getting rid of three of their biggest playoff underachievers should help the cause. Other players such as Jason Giambi and Randy Johnson are impossible to trade because of their age and huge contracts. The organization and fans must realize that winning a World Series every year is impossible and patience is necessary. Otherwise, we will see the same thing happen every October - a bully lineup with not enough pitching to win. The Yankees must learn their lesson and develop a true recipe for success.
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