FROM WATCHING HOUSE,

I've learned that the thing that'll really kill you is multiple systems failure, and that's really what the Yankees have been going through. In dissecting Saturday's game, I didn't even bother to stress how badly their defense has regressed. The path Abreu took to Ortiz's flyball was criminal and might well have cost them the game, particularly when combined with Jeter's errors, particularly the second one. When your bullpen is so bad, you can barely focus on the failures in situational hitting, and those failures are so frequent, they take your mind off the fielding woes...well you know you've got problems. On top of e verything else, you would have to say that the starting pitching has finally stabilized, in a really bad place. I don't think DiSalvo is a major league pticher and it remains to be seen when and if Clemens ever starts. Mussina is no longer a major league starter and Clippard is as yet only adequate. Wang is inconsistent, and I hope I'm wrong but I definitely saw signs of Pettite wearing down last night. The injury to Hughes was a killer, that we know, but I think the injury to Rasner was an overlooked disaster. He hasd turned into a fairly serviceable starter. Despite last night's win and the second consecutive series win against the Sox, there is not one area of play I think the Yankees especially proficient in right now. They are not speedy. The play by Abreu on the Ortix single last night was a reminder how shaky thier outfield is. Without giambi and with a greatly diminished Damon, they are not so dangerous at the plate as they need to be. their starting pitching and their bullpen both are in shambles.

We have blamed Torre and he has earned the opprobrium. We have blamed Cashman, and he has earned the obloquy. But I have to concede that the rash of injuries does resemble the sort of plague that afflicted Boston after the massacre last season.

Wang DL, and still getting back into form
Abreu DL and still getting back into form (or not)
Matsui DL still rounding into form
Giambi DL, rest of the season, huge
Pavano, well they should have seen that coming.
Mussina, DL, but he wasn't going to be any good anyway
Hughes, DL, most of the season, huge
Rasner, DL, the whole season, huge
Karstens, DL the whole season
Damon, no DL, but hurt all season
Clemens, we've lost 2 starts already
Mienkawitz, OK that's a blessing in disguise

That's fifteen guys, which is a helluva lot and that's not even counting Sanchez who would be have been brought up at some point to help the bullpen. If none of these injuries had happened, I think the yankees would still be an unlikely candidate for the postseason. With them, it's going to take a cultural transformation. They have to really believe they are the underwhelming underdogs they have become and grind the way underwhelming underdogs need to do to win. If they continue to think of themselves as hyper-talented and merely needing to come into their own--and that's been the buzz so far--then they are dead.