New York Yankees: The Man and the Plan

At this point, it is fair to say that the Boston Red Sox will win the World Series in 2007 and therefore will now have won two titles, while their bitter rivals continue to look for #27.

Not only are the Yankees still searching for their first title of the new century, they are also searching for a new manager. Which brings me to my point: The fixing has already begun with "not bringing back" Joe Torre.

Joe Torre needed to be fired since the '04 collapse, since the '05 debacle in Anaheim, since the '06 meltdown vs the Tigers, and finally since the '07 choke job against the Tribe. The funny thing is the only reason Torre won't return is because he thinks the Yankees low balled him. I guess Joe realized those $1 million incentive packages for advancing in the playoffs were low balling him because he would only be getting the first million for advancing to the Division Series, considering he has no in game managing skills.

The Yankees are finally not being held at the mercy of one of the two to three worst in game managers in baseball. Shocking how a guy who can't make a baseball related decision gets so much credit because he knows how to handle his players. What was he handling when he used the combo of Brown/Vazquez in Game 7 of '04, or when Scott Proctor's arm was falling off only to be continuously thrown out there, or when Arod was batting eighth, or when Sheffield was playing first base, or finally when his pitcher had become the landing spot for bugs.

Would the manager consider taking his team off the field in this unprecedented level of weirdness? Not Joe, that would take too much thought, but he obviously knows how to handle his players so that’s better I guess.

As far as most of the media, anti-Yankee, and Yankee fans believing that losing Torre is such a blow, I give them the man and the plan for the offseason of 2007/08.

The MAN is: Joe Girardi. This man knows how to manage in game right up there with the best of them. He is young, fiery, and has experience in NY. I have been calling for him to be the manager for a year now and he needs to be the choice. Don Mattingly would be another Joe Torre and when did Donny Baseball ever take his teams to the playoffs. Oh yeah 1995, when they were eliminated by a Seattle Mariners team who had a certain rookie by the name of Alex Rodriguez. Do I need to say anything else?

The PLAN is this: Hire Leo Mazzone as the Pitching Coach while promoting AAA Pitching Coach Dave Eiland to Bullpen Coach. Mazzone is one of the best in the business while Eiland has helped nurture the new Young pitchers.

Combo this move with offering the Twins a move they cannot refuse: Wang and a combination of Alan Horne or Ian Kennedy and another minor pitching prospect or Melky Cabrera for Johan.

This gives the Yankees a 2008 rotation of Johan, Hughes, Pettitte, Chamberlain, Kennedy/Mussina.

As far as the Alex Rodriguez saga goes, the Yanks need to stick to their word and only bring him back if he "chooses to stay" and doesn't opt out. Besides he is merely only a piece of the puzzle not the main part.

What have the Yankees actually won with him? Absolutely nothing. With the hated rivals now turning the tables on this rivalry, it is without question time for the Yankees to turn the tables right back and do it now. It won't be easy but is possible if they go with The Man and The Plan.