Eef!

It's taken this long to get the bad taste out of my mouth. I am finally able to write about what has become an annual event: the crash and burn of the New York Yankees' season. For the fifth consecutive year, the Yankees have failed to live up to expectations. I've come up with a list of reasons why this has happened and some possible solutions to bring this team back to its former glory.

• Pitching: Yankee pitching has declined steadily since 2001, the last season the Yankees "earned their stripes" (I know they lost in 2001, but they played with such heart and deserve credit). This was their worst of it. Randy Johnson was a mistake. So was Jaret Wright. Mussina pitched fair all season, despite not being able to hold the lead in Game 2. Only Wang and Super Mariano were effective all season. The rest of the bullpen was a disaster.
• Clutch Performance: It should not come as a surprise to anyone that both Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada hit .500 in the ALDS. They are from that 90's dynasty. And Damon hit well in games one and two. Beyond that, this supposed "Murderer's Row and Cano" looked more like the Hitless Wonders. I know everyone can point their fingers at A-Rod, and rightly so, but everyone else is also to blame here.
• Alex Rodriguez: Let's face it, he is living proof that sabremetrics and stats-lovers just don't get it. The guy is the poster boy for chokers, passing Randall Cunningham and Patrick Ewing on the all-time list. He has enormous talent but is so afraid of failing that he fails every time. He's an embarrassment.
• Chemistry: The Yankees managed to get a nice chemistry going through the year, despite (or perhaps because of) losing Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui. During the playoffs, Torre upset that chemistry by benching Melky Cabrera, one of the keys to the team's regular season success, in favor of these "stars". And Sheffield at first? That is something you try in April, not October.
• Leadership: I am Derek Jeter's biggest fan. I also love Joe Torre. But the team captain and the manager failed to lead this team when it most needed leading. Jeter leads by example, and that might be fine for some teams. But when there are personnel issues in the clubhouse, the captain must step up. I couldn't say that if Jeter had buried the hatchet with A-Rod and actually came to his defense this year that A-Rod would have come through. But I can say that it was the captain's responsibility to do so. He failed. And Torre should have called Jeter out on it. Torre should have cut the rift between his two star players but he chose not to. He also failed.

Now, the Yankees are in a bind in that many of their bad contracts mean they can't overhaul the team. What they can do, however, is make a few necessary changes that will shake things up and perhaps light a fire under those remaining players (like Giambi and Abreu) who may need it.

• Fire Joe Torre: Unpopular as it may be to do this, it is necessary. Joe Torre is great at managing players who play like he did. But Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius are long since retired. The team is now filled with pampered free agent babies. They don't have that fire within them like the Yankees of old. Joe, for all his enormous talents and successes, cannot manage this team. And while I think Lou Piniella probably could, I think a better choice would be Joe Girardi. Girardi is enough like Torre to be able to manage New York well, but young enough to still have a fire in his managing ability (just ask Jeff Loria).
• Fire Mattingly, Mazzilli and Guidry: Bring in a whole new staff. Imagine the genius of David Cone as pitching coach. Imagine Paul O'Neill as bench coach -- how is that for fire?
• Trade A-Rod: He is still marketable. Let's not forget this. The Yankees may need to take a chunk of his salary to get rid of him, but they can trade him to a place like Anaheim for much needed pitching.
• Trade Matsui: Another unpopular but necessary decision. Abreu isn't going anywhere. Neither is Damon. And, frankly, Melky Cabrera is better for team chemistry. There are few players as marketable. Trade for a starting thirdbaseman and a young reliever.
• Do not re-sign Sheffield: Just get rid of the guy. He's bad for any team, I don't care how talented he was.
• Re-sign Mussina: He may have failed in game 2, but he is still a consistent starter and can give you innings.
• Get rid of Wright: I don't care how, but he must go. And while we're at it, try to send Randy Johnson and Carl Pavano to the retirement home.

Maybe, and just maybe, if these things are done, the Yankees can once again be champions.