Torre’s fate still blowing in the wind
By Punch N. Judy
BaseballBigMouth.com baseball news
As Joe Torre twists in the wind, awaiting his fate, you have to wonder if Curious George Steinbrenner is regretting his pre-game three threat that this would be the Yankee manager’s last chance to save his job. World Series win or bust, the Boss insisted.
Forget the fact that Roger Clemens and his Family Plan contract (which was just as much the Boss’s idea as anyone’s) proved to be ill-advised to say the least. Or that for all Joba Chamberlain did to fortify the bullpen it still was thin when you consider Torre’s reluctance to even warm up two or three guys down there. Heck I think he burned Kyle Farnsworth’s number sometime in July. No, this Yankee exit was far from Torre’s fault. It sits squarely on the pinstriped shoulders of every player on this roster of overpaid chokers. And that includes old Captain Clutch himself Derek Jeter.
Yeah I know, how soon we forget. Jeter is Mr. November, the air to Reggie’s throne, the guy who when the chips are down always comes up with the big play. Remember “The Flip?” Fact is, Jeter is no different than A-Rod when it comes to playoff baseball nowadays. When the Yankees are rolling he’s right there with his shovel, throwing coal on the fire. When the other team punches back however, his jaw is as much a cheap wine glass as the rest of them. At least Jeter’s Take Two Foundation gained some free advertisement from the chairman’s multiple twin killings in games three and four.
I believe A-Rod summed up the problem in the Bronx best when he left the clubhouse telling reporters how proud he was of this overpaid lot of misfits. “These guys are the most courageous group of guys I ever played with.” Really? You mean even more than the 2004 squad let the Red Sox come back from an 0-3 hole? How about a couple of those Texas teams that went in the cellar wire-to-wire at the beginning of the decade? If anyone knows courage it’s gotta be Alex.
And what about Chien Ming Wang? The last time an Asian import stunk this bad he left town with George forever labeling him “a big fat toad.” At least those Hideki Irabu era teams won at the end of the day.
To me the real guy under fire should be GM Brian Cashman. He’s the one who George said was on a “big hook” back in May. Other than stumbling into Chamberlain and registering a sizeable PR coup with the signing of Clemens, the man they call “Cash” has spiraled into bankruptcy in the way of on field contributions. Remember this year started with Carl Pavano on the bump opening day. In the middle we saw Johnny Damon, two years into his bloated contract, unable to man centerfield with his Girl Guide left arm. We also watched a lefty-lefty (say what?) first base platoon of Doug Mientkevitch and Jason Giambi. And how about that Kie Igawa $53 million dollar signing?
Bottom line here folks is that the Yankees need a street sweeper to broom the dead weight residing in that front office. Instead of worrying about the manager’s post, it may be more prudent to get in touch with a man named Walt Jocketty or perhaps former Twins architect Terry Ryan. Cashman it should be remembered has simply been along for the ride. It was Gene Michael responsible for the glory years of the nineties. It was he who was responsible for the drafting of Jeter, Posada, Williams and Rivera. It was he who helped bring in David Cone, John Wetteland, Paul O’Neil, Tino Martinez, and of course Joe Torre himself.
The Wanted Poster simply has the wrong face on it.
Clown of the Week – Bud Selig. That does it, from here on out this weekly award is being renamed in this man’s honor. This time it was Bud Light’s decision, despite a nationwide backlash, to continue with cable only access to the post-season. This isn’t the NBA, its baseball, and for all those older fans denied the opportunity watch the national past time in October, Selig should be ashamed.
Quote of the Week – “I tell him, ‘that away to hit George,’” – Jim Frey, Royals manager on what advice he gives to third baseman George Brett.
Final Result Worth Noting - On a blustery, wind swept Wednesday night, the team of Punch and the Parrot were victorious 1-0 in a good old fashioned game of Strikeout. The four inning tilt, won on a Parrot single down the third base line, was notable in that the first no-hitter that I can recall was hurled in dominant fashion by the duo. Team Wilhelm-O’Neil were simply overmatched. As an added bonus, my right arm isn’t throbbing as I write this.
Editor’s note - Baseball and Eggs will appear every Thursday, and serves as a form of self–therapy for this clinically insane baseball fan. The baseball part is self–explanatory. The eggs however, could pertain to just about anything on Punch’s mind from Thursday to Thursday.
CLICK HERE to read Punch’s take on Bonds’ bashing
CLICK HERE as Punch puts things Bonds in historical perspective
CLICK HERE to read The Hecklers’ take on MLB waffling on recognizing feat
October 11th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
I know your in the Yankees bashing mode but Derek Jeter an “overpaid chocker”, come on Punch. I’d take em on my team anyday regardless of what they pay em. Give some credit to those Indians. They’re just a better “team” with better pitching. Are the Yankees suppose to win the Series every year? I know it seems like it but eventually credit has to go to the teams that beat them. Lets talk about the teams advancing.
October 11th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Who played strikeout and who got the no no? That is unprecidented!
October 12th, 2007 at 6:31 am
I’d say you’re just a tad misinformed about all this. Brian Cashman is the man who made the switch from looking for bloated contract players to re-stocking the minors with young arms. He didn’t stumble into Joba and he protected he and Phil Hughes from every team that wanted them in a trade. Steinbrenner was the one who was behind throwing money at losers like Giambi, Pavano, Kevin Brown. He simply cannot see that re-tooling with guys who come up through the system is the best way to build another contender.
And what’s with the anger toward Chien-Ming Wang? I don’t know what happened to him at the end of the season, but he was money when they were trying to dig themselves out of their regular season hole. If this was a team of chokers, they wouldn’t have even made it to the Wild Card.
I admit - some people have to go, but, man, you are seriously warped if you think one bad series for Jeter makes him not clutch anymore.
October 12th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Thanks for your views, Kristen. Way to give it back to Punch! He ain’t nothing but a lot of talk and a badge, with a BoSox fixation that leads to a pure Yankees hatred — regardless whether they win or lose. Comparing Wang to Irabu is blasphemous in The Heckler’s opinion. Punch is still upset over our Tigers going out, so cut him some slack . . . and tell him to go crack a window. There’s some serious Red Sox funk affecting his brain!
To me, Torre did a great job in resurrecting this team from near-death TWO years in a row. I’ll never write-off another Torre-led team again, regardless of what they end up doing in the playoffs.
October 12th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
To both Kristen and Chuck: Didn’t say Jeter was a choker, only his team. But now that you mentioned it . . . 3-17 this series, .200 in the 2004 Bosox seven gamer (including a game five 1-7 stinker) and then last year’s soft .500 against Detroit in which he went 3-11 with no RBI after a game one 5-5. That said, you go to the playoffs 12 times in a row the law of averages is bound to catch up with you. As for Cashman, he did stumble into Joba if you’ve read his own quotes concerning this matter in the NY papers. Wang? Call a spade, a spade, he stunk. Pee ewe! For every Matsui on Cashman’s watch there has been a Contreras. Only after attempting to buy several Championships have the Yanks woke up and realized it was time to return to a more proper method of team building. And Kristen, be careful in biting Steinbrenner’s hand too quickly; afterall without his willingness to spend, your team would have bottomed out some time ago. The Strikeout game was Me and Priscak vs. my nephew Matt and Eric. Good times.
October 13th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
So what did you mean by saying a roster full of overpaid chokers which includes Jeter. Sure sounds like ya called him one to me.
Sizemore just JACKED one. Go Tribe!
Peace!
October 16th, 2007 at 8:00 am
He stunk. He hit into three crucial DP’s. He made an out in the last inning of the season. For that series, at 18 mil a year, he played like a boob. So ,(let me get my gavel here) Derek Jeter, you like the 24 other men on the NY Yankees roster are charged with the crime of choking. No need to ask how you plead. Guilty as charged!!!