Yankees: End of an era?

[nickagneta]

The Yankees came back in the last three innings yesterday to beat the Red Sox and pull back to within 6 games of the Red Sox for the wild card spot in the Aerican League. But with only 29 games left and a schedule that includes only 13 home games, a ten game road trip that brings them to Detroit, Tampa, Seattle and Los Angeles, and 13 games against the four best teams in the American League, can they make up the difference?

The last time the Yankees missed the playoffs was way back in 1993. They are not used to not making the playoffs. For guys like Jeter, Posada, and Rivera it's almost been a given that they would be in the playoffs and fighting for a championship.

But have the New York Yankees come to the end of an era?

A look at there roster and the players they run out there on a regular basis shows a very old team:

Derek Jeter 34
Jorge Posada 37
Jason Giambi 37
Alex Rodriguez 33
Mariano Rivera 38
Mike Mussina 39
Andy Petite 36
Jose Molina 33
Ivan Rodriguez 36
Bobby Abreau 34
Johnny Damon 34
Hideki Matsui 34

12 players that make up the heart and soul of this team that are 33 and older and most that will return and start next year another 7 months older.

The Yankees do have resources and some interesting young parts to build around, Cano, Chamberlain, Wang, Nades and some highly regarded young arms. The money that the Yankees generate and their team history and legacy as well as the fact they do play in one of the greatest cities in the world to be famous in pretty much guarantee they can reload quickly if done right.

But will it be done right? Does Cashman have the power to be able todo it his way or will Hank Steinbrenner morph himself into his dad of the 80's and ruin this team with bad signings and worse trades? Cashman is a hell of a baseball mind and probably will ask for patience as he infuses some talent into the minor league system and brings alomg and signs some younger long term talent. New York Yankee fans, however, are not patient and with a new stadium opening up next year neither will be Hank.

Being a Red Sox fan through and through I'm not sure what I would enjoy more. the Yankees sinking to Baltimore Orioles status or bouncing back and being the rival we all know them to be.

Either way I think this year's team is floundering an probably will drown as they really needed to sweep the Red Sox and could only win one game. They looked lifeless and beaten all week and I don't see the euphoria that yesterday's win created carrying over very far.

[crownsy]

To me, the current yankee's era will end when jeter, posada, and mo leave.

the other guys on there are hired merc's.

I think that they are in transition, but i don't know if the "yankee era" will ever end, nor the red sox one. not as long as each club has 150 mill + to swing around.

[Redz]

They sure seem dead, but I'll count them out when they're eliminated.  The Yankees have had some pretty poor stretches the last few seasons followed by some ridiculously hot ones. Still, Rasner, Pavano & Fat Sid don't instill a whole lot of fear.

A miraculous bounce back season from Mussina has kept them afloat.

[Donoghus]

To me (and seemingly to Buster Olney), the era died that night in Arizona back in '01 when they lost Game 7 to the Diamondbacks.  They let Tino walk and Brosius and O'Neill both retired.  They've never been the same.

[Hondo]

I agree with Crownsy.

When Jeter and Rivera leave it is over. 

[Nerf DPOY]

Era shmera. They'll be some new faces, but I expect the Yanks to rebound in '09. Considering all the money coming off of the books this year and next, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see them go out and land Sabbathia AND Teixeira in the offseason. Couple that with the return of Joba, Wang, and possibly Hughes/Kennedy, and the MFY's could be a scary club next year.

Not to go too far off track, but it's concievable that there could be three powerhouse teams in the AL East next season, with one of them stuck watching the playoffs at home come October.

[footey]

The Yankees will be fine, unfortunately. Alot of their woes this year trace to losing their top two starters, Joba and Wong.  With those two back, along with a top flight free agent signing like Sabathia, they are not going away any time soon.  These death notices are greatly exagerated.

[gpap]

Well written and I think the Yankees heyday has come to an end.
And as a Red Sox fan, I couldn't be happier. The Yankees don't deserve any more glory.  They have actually slipped through the cracks these last few years to make it to the postseason, and they they prove they didn't belong there in the first place.

In my mind, the Yankee era ended in 2004 when the Red Sox rebounded in the ALCS. From there the Yankees haven't been the same. Their dominance and intimidation over baseball ended. Couple that with Alex Rodgriguez.
A-Rod killed whatever mystique the Yankees had left over.

And it only got worse...they replaced longtime Yank Bernie Williams with Johnny Damon, just to stick it to the Red Sox. Turns out, Damon has yet to be the player in NY he was in Boston.

Hank Steinbrenner took over operations from George. The problem is at least George Steinbrenner spent the money and had the ability to run a successful operation. Hank does not.

And finally, letting Joe Torre walk. When Torre left for LA, he took a big part of the Yankee dynasty with him and I don't think Girardi was an adequate replacement.

And now they might sign Manny Ramirez for next year? Hahaha.
Let them! Manny Ramirez's glory days in baseball are done. If he goes to the Yankees , he's going cause even more cancerous issues in the dugout then already exist.

Go Red Sox! For the next few years, it'll be
1.)Red Sox
2.)Tampa Bay
3.)Toronto
4.)New York and Baltimore competing for fourth place. Loser gets 5th.

[Bankshot]

The Yankees sealed their fate in 2004 when they signed that choke artist, Arod.  They have been worse every year since he was signed.

And they were dumb enough to sign 33 year old Choke-Rod to a 10 year contract! BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! LOL

And the sad thing for them is that they signed Arod to  probably the worst contract ever in baseball to fill the seats and watch him break the homerun record, at least that was the explanation I heard last season.  What happened to the Yankees signing players that can help them win a WS?

If Arod keeps choking away wins for the Yankees, he won't be filling any seats.

[Evantime34]

I am a huge Sox fan and would love if this was the end of the Yankees, but there is absolutely no chance that is the case. They have enough money coming off the books that they could go after Sabathia, Sheets, Manny and Texiera in the offseason.

[JBcat]

The Yankees came back in the last three innings yesterday to beat the Red Sox and pull back to within 6 games of the Red Sox for the wild card spot in the Aerican League. But with only 29 games left and a schedule that includes only 13 home games, a ten game road trip that brings them to Detroit, Tampa, Seattle and Los Angeles, and 13 games against the four best teams in the American League, can they make up the difference?

The last time the Yankees missed the playoffs was way back in 1993. They are not used to not making the playoffs. For guys like Jeter, Posada, and Rivera it's almost been a given that they would be in the playoffs and fighting for a championship.

But have the New York Yankees come to the end of an era?

A look at there roster and the players they run out there on a regular basis shows a very old team:

Derek Jeter 34
Jorge Posada 37
Jason Giambi 37
Alex Rodriguez 33
Mariano Rivera 38
Mike Mussina 39
Andy Petite 36
Jose Molina 33
Ivan Rodriguez 36
Bobby Abreau 34
Johnny Damon 34
Hideki Matsui 34

12 players that make up the heart and soul of this team that are 33 and older and most that will return and start next year another 7 months older.

The Yankees do have resources and some interesting young parts to build around, Cano, Chamberlain, Wang, Nades and some highly regarded young arms. The money that the Yankees generate and their team history and legacy as well as the fact they do play in one of the greatest cities in the world to be famous in pretty much guarantee they can reload quickly if done right.

But will it be done right? Does Cashman have the power to be able todo it his way or will Hank Steinbrenner morph himself into his dad of the 80's and ruin this team with bad signings and worse trades? Cashman is a hell of a baseball mind and probably will ask for patience as he infuses some talent into the minor league system and brings alomg and signs some younger long term talent. New York Yankee fans, however, are not patient and with a new stadium opening up next year neither will be Hank.

Being a Red Sox fan through and through I'm not sure what I would enjoy more. the Yankees sinking to Baltimore Orioles status or bouncing back and being the rival we all know them to be.

Either way I think this year's team is floundering an probably will drown as they really needed to sweep the Red Sox and could only win one game. They looked lifeless and beaten all week and I don't see the euphoria that yesterday's win created carrying over very far.

Good post.  The Yankees don't have great balance on their team between young and old players especially with their positional players.  Of those players on your list I believe at least Mussina, Petitte, Abreau, Giambi (club option for next year) and Damon's contracts are up at the end of the season.  Most of the hitters will need to be revamped within the next couple years but they will figure it out and stay competitive.   I could see them going after free agents like Teixeira, Ramirez, Adam Dunn, maybe a young CF in Baldelli, Sabathia ect.  If any of their offseason free agent plans fall through I can see the Yanks going into panic mode and trade more young prospects for aging past their prime players.  

[Finkelskyhook]

I would never count any team who has the capacity to spend what the Yanks do out.  Not even this season.

But that was another thesis-caliber post from Nickagneta.  It doesn't look good for the Yanks.  But I'd rather play the Rays than the Yanks any day of the week.

[Bankshot]

I would never count any team who has the capacity to spend what the Yanks do out.  Not even this season.

But that was another thesis-caliber post from Nickagneta.  It doesn't look good for the Yanks.  But I'd rather play the Rays than the Yanks any day of the week.

Outspending every other team for players is what got them where they are now.  They used to win by bringing up quality homegrown players from their farm system.

[Nerf DPOY]

I would never count any team who has the capacity to spend what the Yanks do out.  Not even this season.

But that was another thesis-caliber post from Nickagneta.  It doesn't look good for the Yanks.  But I'd rather play the Rays than the Yanks any day of the week.

Outspending every other team for players is what got them where they are now.  They used to win by bringing up quality homegrown players from their farm system.

There's more than one way to get there. The '04 RedSox were almost entirely FA's and trades.

[Finkelskyhook]

I agree with both Bankshot and DPOY.  But when an organization is willing to spend twice as much as every other organization, they're bound to be formidable even when they occasionally screw up.

Cashman isn't in the upper tier of GMs.  But he's no Isiah Thomas, either.  He definitely has his work cut out for him with the age of his roster.