Jeter as we know can bat first or second.  He has excelled in both spots.  Why not move Gardner up to the leadoff spot as a trial.  Give it 40 games or so.  With the base paths clear in front of him he can work the counts or beat out a ground ball. He has a nice little swing to get base hits.  That is where the fun begins.  He drives pitchers batty. Takes them out of their rhythm.  This will allow Jeter to work the count and for Gardy to get to second a lot via stolen base. Jeter uses his patented swing to right, dunks one in and the score is 1-0.  Right now the order doesn't make sense with Gardner batting 2nd.  Jeter is slower and has more power to do damage then Gardner does. And Gardner possesses the Micky Rivers type speed and get on base abilities. What do you all think.

All these years and all those saves.  What a masterpiece of a career Mo Rivera has had.  2nd in career saves to only Hoffman. However, Mo is the number 1 guy you want anytime a big game is on the line. When he finally hangs up his spikes he will be missed as much as Derek Jeter will be missed.  Will anyone ever duplicate his efforts of greatness over the duration of time that he has succeeded? The simple answer is no @#$ing way. 

Yes someone will unfortunately replace him someday but no one will succeed like he has for as long as he has. To name Joba, a nice pitcher and all, as something to look to after the great years I am afraid will be disappointing. I as a hardcore Yankees fan, 4ever, was impressed with guys such as Papelbon(i hate him) for excellent closing for a period of time.  But he has blown his share of games now and is really quite ordinary.. 

Anyway, there is no Heir in my opinion and I will not dwell on baseball life without Mo Rivera.  I intend on enjoying every instance when enter Sandman comes on and Mo runs out to the diamond to close another game for the New York Yankees.

Who could really replace him anyway?

In the off season I was so adamant that either Matsui or Damon had to come back or there would be a big hole in the line up.  Well actually I preferred Damon by a lot because he can still run, great clutch hitter, and still field.  Now we have Nick (the injury) Johnson.  What a joke that trade off was. Damon for Johnson? Damon is a winner.  Johnson is a waist of bench space.  Nick Johnson phone call quote to Joe "Joe I can't make it to the ballpark because I injured my wrist in a dream I had."  Well big CASH really screwed up there by not working out a deal. Randy Winn is serviceable at best.  Damon was one of our best clutch hitters year in and year out. Granderson....Jury is still out on him.

I am writing this while watching the Tigers game where Damon slapped a base hit to right.  Then he broke up a double play ball at 2nd base and a run scored. Fukin Yanks will not learn u just can't replace proven great players.

I just wanted to write this to put Schilling in perspective.  He is a loud mouth who is blessed with some talent.  His mouth does most of the work however. He takes shots at the Yankees basically when we are down on the canvas and out of the picture.  He is a bully with his mouth and he rode the Red Sox train as a passenger.  In 2001 Randy Johnson was the reason the snakes beat us. I just heard he is resigning a one year deal with the Red Necks so hopefully we can exact some revenge on that group and especially Schilling. Good job Schilling u phony ride that red train again sit back and relax and take all the credit. PHONY!!!!

I know he had a great year for the Yanks and would probably put up similar numbers and they will be missed.  Not his post season choking.  But he is a big Phony. Everything is all about the money for him and Boras. How much is enough to play baseball???  Good!! Lets get back to team baseball.  It starts with Girardi getting hired which I personally think is the right move.  The pitching is going to be very good and we just need to add a few pieces.  A First baseman, and maybe a deal for Mr. Santana ;).

The Yankees can overcome this now 14 1/2 game deficit and overtake the redsox like in the 78 season......NOTTTT!!  First off the 78 team knew what winning a championship was all about.  This team is so poorly constructed in every facit that makes a team a championship caliber team. This team is old(including reoccuring injured Players), uninspiring, lacks chemistry and talent. The Rotation as is can almost get by.  Petitte is a winner.  Wang can get it done to.  Hughs looks like a bright young star. Messina is past his prime and just a plain little girly man. Rocket is a stupid signing unless he can hit and be used in relief.  Next the bullpen....Crap.  Mo is still the man. I like Bruney and Proctor.  The rest u can toss in the trash, especially Myers, Visciano, and our great setup man Farnesworth.  We need a good setup man who can be counted on to close and really a closer for the future.  

Now the real problem...The lineup.These are mostly offseason moves..old,injured, and unispiring.  Damon is a great bat when he is healthy but he is old for his years, injured constantly,  and has a girly arm which makes him a detriment to our defense.  Need a new center fielder and right fielder.  Yes good bye Bobby.  I target both of these fielders because they both can run and have big gun arms...Torre Hunter and Ichiro Suzuki.  I'd settle for one but I think this team needs both.  But if I had a choice give me Itchy.  Split time between DH and Left Field Damon and Matsui.  Neither have an arm.  Trade Arod this season to the angels for Figgins and a starting pithcher such as Escobar, or a couple good relievers, or a cather or a combination of each.  He makes this team a loser and I am sick of his unclutch performances.  I don't care how many HRs he hits when it don't matter. Bye Bye. Don't let the door hit u on the way out. Giambi was a good Yank but due to steroids and whatever else he takes his body is broken down.  Get him off this team with the other lousy 1st basemens we have.  I bring back Phillips to be someone's cady.  I don't know who to put here but it has to be a big hitter who can play the position. Figgins can play 3rd for now. We may need a heavier hitting 3rd baseman next year but he works for now.  Helton has a rediculous contract I wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot pole.  

Anyway any suggestions for our 1st and 3rd basemans of the future?  Perhaps someone from the farm

POLL for the Yankees Skipper. Decide what is best for the Yankees. The dilema is what to do that is best for this installment of the Yankees. This team appears to do little right.  They look like they are going through the motions. Passion is lacking. Bad signings are not just a fluke but a frequent occurence. Is the team badly misconceived or is it leadership? What can be done.    Let's start with the leadership first who run the team on a day to day basis. The poll is to get the feel for what us fans think about Torre.

I for one have never liked Mussina.  In 2003 his greatest moment he tamed the hated Red Sox for a number of innings.  I give him that.  The guy is a head case and never has backed a runner off the plate.  He rarely comes up big when it counts.  The Yankees had gained some momentum with the wang pitching performance.  Mussina killed that momentum b4 the game started. The yankees are a fragile group right now and to ready to accept losing. Its just another bad Brian Cashman signing. He has lost his fast ball and is just a waste of a rotation spot.  We have a better chance with one of the kids taking his spot since most hitter have not batted against them yet. I would remove Mussina from the rotation and off of this team with a lot dead wood that still remains.  This is not Yankee Baseball. Its apathy at its best.

This is my first post on this board in a long time.  I have been a fan for decades now.  One thing I have grown to detest is the usage and matchups of the Bullpen.  The bullpen this year has blown 8 games or so.  I understand we had 3/4 of our staff on the dl.  But this extends beyond this year and over the entire Torre tenior.  We had great bullpens in the 90s so even though I didn't like the usage it worked well. But we do not have the horses in that area anymore.  I am sick and tired of pitch counts and Torres matchups.  If the starters have thrown 5 hit 1 run ball after 7...LEAVE HIM IN THE F@#$%^ GAME regardless of pitch count.  Ask the pitcher how he feels.  U don't know what the guy in the pen has(especially these clowns) but u sure know what the guy has that has been on the mound.  Its a stupid methodology and it will cost Torre his job after this year.  This method has cost the yanks at least 6 games with his bullpen use.  He looks clueless in his overmanaging style with that whatever lousy explanations after the game. I am also tired that the team never retaliates or backs hitters off the plate.  Especially Ortiz.  But that for another day.

I respect Joe but If he goes I want Girardi and Not Mattingly for the managers job.  Giradi has that passion for the game.  Mattinly looks like a younger Torre. I think New York needs a new approach.