I watched Game 4 with my Yankee cap inside out and my teeth gnawing at my fingernails. The anxiety and frustration grew after every pathetic inning. I saw A-Rod strikeout twice against Paul "Barely a Professional Athlete" Byrd, both times on three pitches. I saw Derek "Captain Clutch" Jeter ground into a double play at the worst possible time. And I groaned as Jorge Posada flailed at a Joe Borowski junk ball to eliminate the Yankees from the playoffs. And I thought to myself - something has to change.
More than likely, something will change this offseason. A lot of things.
The following 2007 Yankees stars may be in a different uniform (or no uniform at all) come next season: Starting pitcher Roger Clemens, starting pitcher Andy Pettitte, manager Joe Torre, Posada, closer Mariano Rivera and likely AL Most Valuable Player Alex Rodriguez. All of these Yanks played major roles in the team's meteoric rise to the playoffs in 2007. It is likely New York will retain a few of these stars - especially homegrown fan-favorites Posada and Rivera - so let's imagine they lose all the others. Well, even then, the Bronx could be just fine.
The starting rotation in 2008, without Clemens and Pettitte, looks like this: Chien-Ming Wang, 27 years old, Philip Hughes, 21, Mike Mussina, 38, Joba Chamberlain, 22, and Ian Kennedy, 22.
This is a beautiful starting rotation, with four homegrown talents and very high ceilings for youngsters Hughes and Chamberlain. Still, this staff has two major flaws. First there are no lefties, and Mussina is 38 and fading fast. A simple acquisition could patch this hole up, and potential free agent lefthander Randy Wolf looks like a solution I could stomach. His 4.73 ERA doesn't blow you away, but his age (31) and his ability to keep the ball in the park would be a significant upgrade over Moose.
What about A-Rod? Can New York really replace a .314 batting average, 54 home runs and stellar defense at third base? Of course not, but it may not need to. As much as I struggle to accept Boston-to-New-York conversions, Mike Lowell would make a serviceable replacement for A-Rod. Of course, we shouldn't expect a repeat of his numbers in 2007, when he hit .373 at Fenway Park and .276 away from home. But Lowell, who started his career as a Yankee, would bring a steady average and consistent power to a streaky team.
The media is causing a lot of fuss about the imminent departure of Torre, but a change of leadership is exactly what the Yankees need. This team has been treading water for seven years, leaving New York fans frustrated, sullen and bored. Any new manager, even the Torre-groomed Don Mattingly, is likely to have a little more fire in his belly than Poker Face Joe. The past few postseasons, the Yankees have lacked that ever-elusive spark and intensity. A new manager, hopefully the patient-yet-excitable Joe Girardi, is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Derek Jeter has four World Series rings, and I know his pinky feels left out. A re-mastered 2008 team may be just what the Captain needs.
Ellis Rochelson '09 thinks Robby Cano should double as the team's hitting coach.
