Are the Yankees Starting to Figure Something Out?

When the Yankees announced they would sign Joe Girardi, I really thought hard about what exactly that meant. Going from Joe Torre to Joe Girardi could not be a larger change in managerial style. Torre was the Senator. The politician and the manager of a clubhouse. Girardi is a hard nosed catcher who was a journeyman throughout his playing days, but always well respected for the way he played. Girardi is about playing the game, not managing the back end.

So when I looked at the Yankees roster, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. This team needs someone like Torre who lets his team play and do their own thing...not someone like Girardi who will get all over someone for making a mistake. I mean, between Damon, Abreu and Giambi, you have big payroll guys who really don't want to be messed with.

Jeter will do whatever he can to make the people of New York happy. Posada will be back and doesn't really know what's going on other than he quietly was the second most valuable player on the team last year and should probably win the Silver Slugger. Cano doesn't know what's going on yet and then you have whoever is in the other outfield spot and whoever the first baseman is.

Then there is the departed A-Rod. I would personally like to see the MLB protest him and have no one offer him a contract over a mere $20 Million a year being at that price, you better be winning titles which he isn't. So from last year's Torre team, you have four players on offense that are seemingly not manageable.

The last time the Yankees won the World Series was 2000. In the regular season, Bernie Williams lead the team in home runs with 30. Is that what you associate the Yankees with? In their great run with Torre, the Yankees didn't win with offense. Their evil empire was on the mound and in those four years they had at one time, but never all together, these pitchers: Andy Pettite, Jimmy Key, David Cone, Doc Gooden, Kenny Rogers, David Wells, Orlando Hernandez, Roger Clemens, and Denny Neagle. Those are the household names and I'm not going to go out add up all of their wins, but you get the point.

The majority of the Yankee hatred came after they stopped winning. Mussina hasn't won a title. Nor Giambi, or Soriano as a starter. The Yankees got it done with some of the best pitching staffs in baseball history and key roll players on offense. You know how I feel about Paul O'Neill and you know that I have said all year that the Yankees aren't a team built for post season success.

Everyone says that there is no way the Yankees can be a better team without A-Rod. I'm not everyone. Look at the formula for success and in terms of the Yankees, that is only measured by championships. Strong, strong pitching, key blue collar players on offense. Blue collar players like...Joe Girardi.

Losing A-Rod's salary is going to free up a lot of money, even for the Yankees. Here's the thing. As of yesterday there aren't many big name pitchers out there on the free agent market. Schilling right now is the best pitcher available. Do you want to take a shot at Bartolo Colon? After that, you are looking at Livan Hernandez. Tom Glavine will be available as will Clemens, but the Yankees formula includes players in their primes, not the twilights.

What you also have to look at is that the Yankees now need a third baseman. Rumors are flying that they are trying to get Miguel Cabrera but after Girardi was fired after one season in Florida, is that a road they want to get back on?

If I was in Yankees management, I would worry about building my lineup around what I have and where it can go. Giambi and Damon are serious liabilities. Sign Posada and if you have a nucleus in your lineup of Jeter, Cano, Abreu and Posada filled in with key roll players, you are going to be very successful. Keep in mind, Abreu is the only outsider to that group of former Yankee farmhands.

Maybe, just maybe the Yankees, by signing a hard nosed manager who was there in the glory days are changing their philosophy back to what it was. Win with pitching, hit when you need to. They'll get Rivera back and the bullpen will be just fine. Maybe, just maybe, the Yankees are going down a path to the past, which could be the best thing for their future. The again, Steinbrenner and a stubborn manager? We'll see how this goes.