Thirty Eight Left on Base

in just the last 2 games. That's right 38 or,if you like an average of 2.11 runners every single inning. Every inning. Over 2 games. How is that possible? And why isn't slow Joe all over them about it? Yankees like Damon and AROd were just kicking back after the game and talking about how impressed they were with the Angels rookie pitcher, Saunders, who spent most of the night wiggling out of trouble. Look in the mirror fellows. He wasn't that good. Like last night, you were that bad. Every single Yankee hitter left runners on base tonight except the pinchhitters, Posada and Cano, both of whom struck out. If the Yankees want to make the playoffs they better get back on the grinder train, pronto.

And that starts with Joda playing his everyday players (Posada aside) everyday. There was no reason for Cano to be sitting and resting, especially with Cairo unavailable and a double A reject as the only replacement. In case he hasn't checked lately, Cano is the best hitter on the team not named Derek Jeter and Nick Greene isn't within slingshot distance of the mendoza line. If Torre wants these guys to be serious, he has to be less casual about who walks on the field. And they'd better get serious, cause the Sox will sweep Baltimore and that lead could well be gone by the time we head to Fenway for 5, at which point we'd feel lucky leaving down only one. The Yankees can't just accept the fact that they have trouble with the Angels, with new pitchers (like Jared Weaver) etc. the time is now to play the kind of stubborn ball they did 2 weeks ago. Every time they'd win a playoff or World Series game during the dynasty, Jeter would always say the same thing. It doesn't matter if we don't win tomorrow too. Well they played heroically when they were really undermanned, but the captain should make it clear to them that they will have wasted that effort if they don't start winning again immediately. Boston, let's not forget has the highest % of home games left of any contender and the highest winning % at home of any contender. All the Yanks have done so far is put themselves in a position where they can win the division; they haven't even started doing so yet, and slow Joe best get off the tranquilizers and communicate the urgency if they are going to start. This team has guys who either are gamers (Jeter, Cabrera, Cano, Fasano), can be gamers (Posada, Williams, Giambi), would like to be gamers (AROD, Abreu) or used to be great gamers (Damon), guys who properly motivated and mobilized are capable of playing over long stretches with a refuse to lose attitude, but in my view, Torre's torpid serenity works as an impediment to the kind of mind set necessary to a small ball grind it out approach. So every time the Yanks start to win a little bit, and Torre's complacency seems to be vindicated, they tend to revert to their old sit around and wait for the home run posture. and then of course they start losing.